Why does it always rain on me?

Okay, so although there's a fair chance that I'm getting a bit paranoid I also think there are pretty good odds that the rain knows my running schedule. Water from the sky seems to begin falling either just before or when I'm about to start pounding the pavement in my running shoes.

Take Sunday for example. I woke up early and was relieved to find that there was no sign of the wet stuff for my planned long run. For the first time ever I was going to run 14 miles - a challenge but also a little bit terrifying. The absence of bad weather was a welcoming indicator of a good morning's running to come. Sadly 10 minutes into my mileage it began. At first it was the type of welcome, refreshing drizzle which is a good thing when running a long way but this was not to last.

About an hour in and the heavens openned, pouring all of the rain in the whole of London down on top of me and the odd gaggle of tourists who'd escaped off their bus tour for a few minutes. I was quite jealous of those who had big plastic rain macs on as I bounced from puddle to puddle.

I thought about stopping. I thought about going home when I reached the nearest tube. I thought about running far enough just to cross Lambeth Bridge and before I knew it the rain was tailing off and I'd actually run 14 miles!

In part I realise it was a good thing; it might rain on the 25th April when I'm running the Virgin London Marathon for Relate and now I know I will be fine. The other part of me knows I know have to go home and run some miles and again it's started to rain. So please weather controller in the sky stop the rain!

Where I finally got out of bed early on a weekday

From 17th February

Following yesterday's failure to run in the rain I valiantly set my alarm clock for 5.45am so as to do my run a day late but without looking or feeling like I'd been thrown out of the ark. At 10.30 last night I put the alarm back to 6.15am still with the intention of getting out of bed and running.

I should explain that I have a past history of trying to run in the morning and totally and utterly failing to leave the safety of my duvet. The night before it always seems like such a sensible idea to run in the cold and dark of the early morn, to see the sun come up and then have my evening free to do all kinds of other things in it. I have never, ever managed to actually do this...until today!

This morning I awoke before my alarm went off, had my cup of tea (essential mental need before doing anything), put on my running gear and left not just my duvet but my flat and my street and throughly enjoyed my 6 mile run. Well to be honest I enjoyed most of it. Whether I'm now converted to early morning running remains to be seen but I'm giving myself a pat on the back for all my efforts and indulging in a round of applause!

Where I accidentally ran further than I thought

From 14th February

I was all geared up for my long slow run on Sunday have done my regular runs and a couple of short gym burst during the week. The week had finished nicely with a spa day which left me feeling all relaxed and chilled. Then the alarm went at 6am on Sunday.

Surpisingly waking up before it was dark on a Sunday morning was quite okay and had the added bonus of now hangover. Saturday night drinking has been shelved until after the event (or that might just be an excuse for not having the social life I imagine I have) and so I was feeling quite spritely on waking.

This sadly didn't last - a cup of tea, a small bowl of rabbit food and I was having a little snooze! I finally made it out of the door at 8ish and although it was cold I forced myself to do my 10 minute walking warm up without which I am in toxic pain for the first couple of miles.

I chose to run a different route - in part because a bit of Regents canal had been blocked off the previous week and I'd stopped and looked at the bit of wood stopping my access like it was personally to blame. So I headed off through the streets of London to do my 12 miles think of it in part like a tourist trail without that many tourists.

Mostly the run was fine and I was pleased with how my legs are holding up since the change of shoes. I got home and managed to scoff some food and have a bath before heading out to the last of 5 writing workshops I'd been attended run by Creative Writes. It wasn't til I got home and remapped my journey that I discovered that I'd actually run 13.1 miles - my very own half marathon.

Just a little bit pleased with myself!

Trying to catch up with myself

From February 5th 2010

I've been training for the Virgin London Marathon since the beginning of January, battled through the snow and finally a couple of weeks ago was told that I did have a place to run for the charity Relate. I should confess that I also work for Relate so am in a brilliant position to be able to tell people about the fantastic work we do to help build positive, healthy relationships.

Relate hasn't had a marathon place before so we're playing catch up on fundraising but watch this space for information how to give. In the meantime find out more about how we support people with their relationship difficulties through counselling, sex therapy and education and learning from our websites www.relate.org.uk and www.relateforparents.org.uk.

Fortunately my training seems to be more or less on track. I've had great encouragement from everyone at work and from my friends and family. I quite enjoy the looks of half admiration/ half you must be crazy when I announce I've been for a run and give a distance which to me no longer seems a long way.

This week I've done two 4 mile runs and seems to have finally loosened up my calf muscles. I've also joined a local gym so I have some back up if we get some really bad weather again. Looking forward to a long run on Sunday when I've got 10 miles programmed in and have a probably unrealistic ambition to get up really early in the morning so as to have some of the day left to go out to play!