It’s Saturday morning, I’ve just run 18 miles, and I’m now sitting in an ice-cold bath, shivering and covered in goose-bumps. Why on earth am I doing this? It’s horrible! Apparently, this hideously cold bath will help my muscles recover from the strain of my weekly long run. During running, I’ve been told that my muscles will be damaged, and taking a cold bath after a strenuous one helps ease any stiffness that would otherwise have me walking like a woman on stilts (but without the stilts obviously!). Anyway, stuff the science, Paula Radcliffe apparently swears by them, so I decided that if it’s good enough for her, then it’s good enough for me! So after filling the bath, I gingerly dipped in a toe and then spent the next 30 seconds hopping round the bathroom in agony. It was sooooo cold it actually hurt! A couple more attempts, and a bit of gritting my teeth and I finally managed to lower myself into it. I really hope this is doing me some good. | "As my boyfriend keeps telling me, 18 miles is a car journey, not a weekend run." | |
Without wanting to state the obvious, the long runs are getting increasingly long… As my boyfriend keeps telling me, 18 miles is a car journey, not a weekend run. The logistics of these long runs are a feat in themselves, making sure I’m fuelled up, with enough water to last for three hours. Mapping out my route and making sure my MP3 player has enough tunes to keep me motivated. It’s an enormous help having other club runners to do these mammoth runs with – the conversation makes the time fly by until about the 18th mile! They’re the bread-and-butter of marathon training and the one element which I’m really strict about not skimping on. Well – here’s to the next one – when I’ll hopefully reach the dizzy heights of 20 miles! Nick | 
