Destination running

 The night before the Dubai marathon, the lovely Debbie (my Kenya running buddy) texted me to ask if I had fire wood and cold pasta. This was what we had to do when we camped the night before the Lewa half marathon. I was so tired at the start of that race, that the finish could not come soon enough.

We all imagine having the perfect, relaxing couple of days before a long race...yeahhh right!

Things not to do before your destination race:

• Don't book flights (for destination races) on cheap, no frills airlines. It is asking for trouble. When there is fog, they are the only airline that seems not to be able to fly. I wonder if it is because their pilots don't have quite enough stripes on their uniform!?
• Don't stay awake in the airport for 8 hours two nights before the marathon. Try to get a good nights sleep, in a bed preferable.
• Don't check in your running gear.  (I carried mine, luckily, as I did lose my luggage and had to make do with the hotel toothbrush and shampoo...but I survived!) Said cheap airline inevitably lost it.
• Don't drink copious amounts of Prosecco the day before the marathon. Keep all corks in bottles until after the race...even if you think arriving in the country of the race is enough reason to celebrate!

Things to do before your destination marathon:

• Check your residency expiry date (for GCC residents). This might save a lot of hassle and teary goodbyes to running buddies at the airport. Don't worry-it all worked out in the end for my running buddy and I.

Last night I signed up for the Bahrain relay marathon (I'm doing 21km). I have checked the weather, booked an expensive and I am only taking carry on luggage!

All about the bling!

So..this was what it was all for...

 

The celebrating helped relax my muscles, but it was still hard to keep my eyes open the night of the run!

We booked the perfect restaurant to celebrate by the Dubai Fountains, where a special light and fire show was on. We ate haggis to celebrate Burns night and completing the marathon and we proudly wore our medals all weekend.

Pretty much perfect!

I did it!

 

 

I am just back from one of my favourite weekends away ever! I completed my first marathon and spent the rest of the time celebrating!

It wasn't easy (surprise!!), even with months of training, but my running buddy helped me get through it. We had a very foggy start in Dubai, but by the end of our long run, I had some very impressive tan lines...the back of my legs are quite hilarious! I am looking forward to a cooler run in Seville.

A few kilometers in the 30s were the worse, but actually, I enjoyed most of it, I really did. We met some great people along the way and the expat crowds were very supportive.

It is all pretty much a blur. The 5 hours and 17 minutes (Yes, it took me that long...but I don't care!!) went by pretty quickly!! Really!

My medal has hardly been off my neck since...I even wore it at school today!



PS- My Internet is too slow tonight to upload any photos of the bling! I'll post them soon!

Running news and other stuff

This week, more than most, I feel my life is somewhere between Miranda Hart's and Lady Edith Crawley (minus the castle).

So...I have been trying to stay away from all things delicious (well, not really!), like my homemade salted caramel sauce, brownies and basically anything with salt. I do this because I realise I will not get a medal for being the quickest woman ever to eat a bag of Doritos. I will only get a medal if I CROSS THAT FINISH LINE on Friday.

Can you tell I am a bit worked-up about the race!?

Just a tad.

I'm going to let you into a secret,(...purely as it is the easiest way to break the news to my mum...)
I can't find my Garmin watch. It was last seen on the day I flew to Amsterdam. So, I might not have a watch for my first marathon. Shocking and wrong.

The day before my race I will be trying to hunt down a replacement - just to add some drama to my life. (I do realise that this is not the worst thing that could happen this week to me. The worst would be getting bitten by a dog, or me forgetting my Vaseline, or my running buddy breaking an ankle...then it is OVER!)

Good vibes please. I'm going for a PB!

PS- If it is not too late, run out and buy the January issue of Tatler for the Miranda Hart interview. It is worth every penny of the £4.10. Thank me in your dairy!

Oh-and just because...

Currently

My first week of teaching after the holidays is over. I am getting back into the groove of life after the holidays; for example, not eating every hour, only going to the toilet during breaks (!), early nights in bed and veeerrry early get ups. (Life as a teacher!) I am not going to get too used to it though, we have another holiday in 6 weeks!

Currently reading  -Tiny Sunbirds Far Away by Christie Watson. Every night this week  I have gone to bed and been transported to Nigeria.

Currently watching - Series 4 of Seinfeld. Love it. Particularly The Airport, when Jerry and Elaine's plane was cancelled, but they can get seats on another flight, problem is, there is only one seat in First Class and one in 'Coach'.

Elaine- '"Why should you take the First Class?"
Jerry- "Elaine, have you ever flown First Class"
Elaine - "No."
Jerry -"See, you won't know what you're missing. I've flown First Class, I can't go back to Coach. I can't. I won't."

(I watched Miranda when I was home and LAUGHED OUT LOUD. It is like my life, but she kisses more!)

Currently listening to- Emeli Sande (Next to Me particularly!) - fabulous.

Currently training for- Dubai Marathon. Less than 3 weeks until my first full marathon. Eeek!

Happy New Year!

The holidays are over.I have just finished my first teaching day of the new term...but what a great holiday it was..although now that I am back, Christmas seems a long time ago...already.

It was HARD leaving home. But then, as my plane landed in Saudi Arabia, I wiped away my tears and thought...thank God that I am not getting off the plane here! It made landing in Kuwait not so bad! (Trying to be positive). Then I ran outside yesterday morning and it wasn't lashing down with rain and I could still feel my cheeks at the end of it, and I thought...things aren't so bad!

So...I've unpacked, found the Christmas gifts that I forgot to pack, taken down my Christmas decorations, done my sleep-deprived stumble around the supermarket, made two big batches of soup, ran a half marathon and caught up with friends at breakfast (man-am quite impressed with myself, since I only got back on Friday!). I am now READY!

Happy New Year!
I hope 2013 is a great one for us all!

I am not making resolutions as such, but I have a few goals.
1.To write more hand written mail.
2.To do different types of exercise (and not just run...I miss my yoga!!).
3.To speak to friends more often on the phone (nothing beats it!)