Long Run Done….
A weekend of Runs….
I was explaining to someone over a glass of wine…I hope I wasn’t boring them….Hmmm
Running the London marathon is a brilliant day out…it is fantastic…it is a bloody long way, and a huge effort in energy…but the effort and mental strength you need to train to run said marathon, is enormous….I have had to start running 1 singular loops rather than, multiple laps, to stop me thinking of coming in early!
Everyone helps at home. Whether it’s Feralyn left at home while I'm running, when the children are crabby after a long day at school, or trying to get them and herself ready when I'm off in the early mornings.
The children help, Elliot will sit on the children (quite literally) if I need to do a quick run. Imogen knows roughly how long I’ll be and she will run a bath, and bring me tea…which is nice! And the little ones will come and laugh at me. They can’t wait till I start my ice baths….next week…. Joy!

So what im saying is..its worth sponsoring me just for the training, let alone the day itself...and it is a great charity..details below

So this weekend I did 8 miles on Friday evening, Saturday off, and 14 miles on Sunday Morning, I had eaten well, slept well and not drunk much…..so I actually felt ok.
This week I have 5 runs, including a couple of hill trainings, and a speed, a mid distance and yep a long run…..14-16miles..ish.

Sponsorships have started off well, well worth a look if you fancy winning some prizes.

New Prizes are listed below....



The charity for which I am running this year is a local cause.
http://www.pepenbury.info/
The Pepenbury Community is a residential and day care services for adults with learning disabilities. This includes a community of 70 people on the edge of Tunbridge Wells, in the unspoiled countryside of the Weald at Pembury as well as serving others in the West Kent area.
I run here all the time, its beautiful!

The actual project I will be supporting or focusing on will be updating the coffee shop/seating area and garden centre/nursery area, so the residents who run and work there can better interact with the general public, and gain confidence with the outside world as such, then hopefully give them the interpersonal qualities needed to be self-sufficient living in the community.

So……..
As I hammered a lot of people last year for sponsorship, I have decided to raise monies slightly differently, and have a prize draw for sponsors, £5 will get a ticket and the predictable £26.20 sponsor will get 6 tickets!
I have the following prizes which have been kindly donated; there are also more to add.
I will draw the winners on April 17th in the evening, following the run…so please dig deep and be lucky!

1. Dinner At Thackerys Tunbridge Wells (Beautiful)
2. Overnight stay At Hotel Du Vin Tunbridge Wells
3. Dinner at Rendezvous French Brassiere
4. Cosmetic Hamper from Fenwick Tunbridge Wells
5. Indian Meal or Takeaway at The Spice Tunbridge Wells for 2
6. Family Ticket to Hever Castle and Grounds for a Year!
7. Dolphin Parking sensor kit Brand New worth over £100.00
8.£600.00 of home decorations (you choose) donated by Gisela Graham

This year I am going to run a sub 4hr London Marathon

My next 12 weeks consist of 4-5 medium outings , made up of speed work, hill stuff, recovery runs and a long run every week.
I looked at the alarm clock and I didn’t want to believe it! Surely I’ve only just nodded off, but no tis true, 6.30am Saturday Morning…. I snooze then I’ll get up!....which I did, I'm not wasting a Friday night of not having a drink by not doing the Long Run….

Funny how you slip back in to a routine, downstairs, creeping, picking up my gear on the way downstairs, the kids had been playing with an old ipod which I decided to take (others are available) today. Flicked the TV on, catch up with the news have a nice cup of tea, few token stretches,(don’t really know what I'm doing) Carbo Gel, and a spare drink which I hide in the bushes for the second time round…before I know it time has flown by, it’s now 7.30….got to get going, but just as I try to leave, Felix and Ottilie come down stairs, Ii can’t resist a quick group hug on the sofa….bliss!
Then dutiful husband takes coffee to wife in bed!
I am off….I was going to do a 14 miler, 1 continuous loop, but as it’s the 1st long run of the year decide to err on the side of caution and do 2 x 10k loops in a figure of 8 style, just in case I have a problem I can double back
The 1st loop was last year known as Lorraine’s 10, named after Lady Kelly who showed me, through the park, dump drinks in bushes to pick up later, along the lane, through the farm which was as soggy as you like! Up and over the A21 along through Pembury, and passed the scene of the traffic jam which I got caught in the previous evening, and saw the reason was an enormous Deer had been hit, must of made a right mess of the car…it was massive!
Back to where I started, picked up the drink, and off I go again, this time off to the other side of TWells. I feel alright, not too shabby at all, now the iPod on shuffle has made a real difference, before I know it I'm kind of on my way back, shock horror remember my daughter has a tutor at 10, now I know I'm not fast, but I decide to carry on regardless, no short cut back. Onward and forward….

Early days, but I'm enjoying training again!
Got back in just under 2 hrs.…thought I might be quicker than that. But hey ho..last year I hadn’t run this until the middle of February, so I am ahead. Which is nice….
Got in with a few minutes to spare, just to jump in the car and dropped Imogen off……
Long Run Done….

The charity for which I am running this year is a local cause.
http://www.pepenbury.info/
The Pepenbury Community is a residential and day care services for adults with learning disabilities. This includes a community of 70 people on the edge of Tunbridge Wells, in the unspoiled countryside of the Weald at Pembury as well as serving others in the West Kent area.
I run here all the time, its beautifull!

The actual project I will be supporting or focusing on will be updating the coffee shop/seating area and garden centre/nursery area, so the residents who run and work there can better interact with the general public, and gain confidence with the outside world as such, then hopefully give them the interpersonal qualities needed to be self-sufficient living in the community.

So……..
As I hammered a lot of people last year for sponsorship, I have decided to raise monies slightly differently, and have a prize draw for sponsors, £5 will get a ticket and the predictable £26.20 sponsor will get 6 tickets!
I have the following prizes which have been kindly donated; there are also more to add.
I will draw the winners on April 17th in the evening, following the run…so please dig deep and be lucky!

1. Dinner At Thackeray’s Tunbridge Wells
2. Overnight stay At Hotel Du Vin
3. Dinner at Chez JJ
4. Cosmetic Hamper from Fenwick
5. Thai Meal at Preedee
6. Family Ticket to Hever Castle and Grounds

http://www.justgiving.com/jonathanhodge/

Week 1 Marathon Training!

Well here we go again! no change really, raining outside, and have a 10k run to knock out tonight.


The most exciting news is the fact I will be running for a Fab local charity which I am very excited about.


Pepenbury Tunbridge Wells.




Pepenbury is a registered charity that supports people with learning disabilities.

Pepenbury provides residential homes, day services and supports people to live independently in the community. Pepenbury also offers a wide range of activities including art and crafts, music, pottery and gardening.


I have also come up with a plan to raise money but with an added offer for my sponsors.....


All will be revealed!