Fiona Jessica

18 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

Weeks 14 - 17. Not going to plan.

13 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

Weeks 10 - 12. Rethinking the training plan. Pondering the strategy

09 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK NINE of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 7 miles/ 4 miles/ 10 miles

The Facebook London Marathon page is now full of posts regarding the dreaded ‘long runs’. Some are completing them in record time, others trying desperately to fit them around work and life duties, and others contemplating whether the  26.2 miles are going to be a mixture of running and walking.. Judging by how my lungs feel after last week’s half marathon, and the additional recovery time I now need, I might well be joining the run/walk brigade.

This week wasn’t too bad, though – The Lakeland Sports Massage did me proud again and I didn’t have any knee niggles whatsoever. 3/7/4 miles all went well and the 10 mile stint was more of a walk with family and dogs around beautiful Derwentwater. What a privilege to be training in such a stunning part of the world. 

15 miles next week (help!) and the beginning of my fundraising push with a Singathon of Sixty Songs on Sat March 1^st x

08 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK EIGHT of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 6 miles/ 3 miles/ Half Marathon

Back on track, hopefully?

Monday 10^th Feb 2025 – 3 miles along the River Cam

Gorgeous. Smell of wood smoke coming from the narrowboats brought me right back to our boating days - that carefree loveliness when we scaled life down to its essentials, lived off-grid, and slowed down to maximum 4mph. Blimey, I run faster than that! Easy three miles today on the flat and kind of wishing all my training were in East Anglia, as was the case in 2021. A very nostalgic run.

Tuesday 11^th Feb 2025 – 6 miles in Mill Hill, NW London

The key to my marathon training is finding the good routes which keep the mind stimulated but don’t tax the lungs too much. Today’s 6 miles started with a power walk up a very steep hill, but continued with a lovely run along the beautiful Ridgeway, past Mill Hill School, all the way down Milespit Hilll (yippee!) and along something-or-other road until I got to Mill Hill Park where I dodged the dogs and splashed about in the mud. Did that route twice and, bingo! 6 miles done! Still no knee niggles, thankfully. Think the sports masseuse is a bit of a miracle-worker although don’t want to speak too soon…

Saturday 15^th Feb 2025 – 3.1 miles at Penrith Parkrun

Back in Cumbria so headed to my favourite (and flattest) Parkrun: Penrith. All fine.

Monday 17^th Feb 2025 – Half Marathon back in Cumbria

A little bit behind schedule, but the weather forecast was better for today than Sunday.  Headed out for the half marathon equipped with hydration vest and Kendal Mint Cake for fuel. My difficulty with the long runs around Wigton is this: whichever route I choose, they all involve hills and I’m really starting to tire and struggle with incline. Decided upon a 2.5 mile loop which I intended on doing 5 times. Trouble with that is it's very boring. Added to which, after 4 loops and with 3.1 more miles to go, my joints became stiff, legs seized up and there was no budging them. So, I did exactly what I intend to do if this happens on April 27^th, and I walked. My PB for a half marathon is 2 hours 11 minutes (recorded on Oct 6^th at the Great Cumbrian Run 2024), but today I was way slower at 2 hours 42 mins. Oh dear. Off to Lakeland Sports Massage tomorrow to see what’s going on.

07 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK SEVEN of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 6 miles/ 3 miles/ 12 miles 

Disaster of a week

Wednesday 5^th Feb 2025  – 6 miles around Wigton

Had the intention of doing 12 miles today and the other ‘shorter’ runs in Cambridge in between lectures, but lungs felt a bit off after 4 miles, so made the decision to stick to the 6. 

No time the rest of the week to fit in a run – lecturing in Cambridge all day and dinners and evensong etc in the evening. By Sunday 9^th was way too shattered and I have to listen to my body. Bit unhappy with myself but maybe the rest will have done me good…?

06 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK SIX of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 5 miles/ 3 miles/ 7 miles 

Start the week with the knee niggle and booked a physio appointment for Friday.

Wednesday 29^th Jan 2025  – 3 miles around Wigton

Easy. No issues whatsoever. Typical, the day of my physio appointment! Don’t really like standing in my pants and having people look at my legs, but the experts did a full assessment and concluded that the problem isn’t the knee it’s the hip and the foot! So, I’m booked in for a sports massage on Friday.

Friday  31^st  Jan 2025  – Sports Massage

Amazing. And lovely. Feels good to be looking after myself.

Saturday 1^st Feb 2025  - 7 miles along the beautiful road up to Caldbeck

Easy.

Sunday 2^nd Feb 2025 – 5 miles around Wigton

Easy. Think sports masseuse must have miracle hands and knowledge of anatomy!

05 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK FIVE of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 3 miles/ 5 miles/ 10 miles 

Bit of a difficult week for training as there was a long-haul flight from Rio back to LHR; LHR up to Manchester, and then train from Manchester to Carlisle. I used to take this kind of travel schedule in my stride but now I’m in my 50s, everything feels a little bit more creaky. 

Monday 20^th  2025  – 3 miles around the deck, at sea between Cape Verde and Rio 

Show day but only one song to sing so did 3 miles outside around the ship. Next run, UK!

Friday  24^th  Jan 2025  – 5 miles, walk around Longthwaite, Cumbria

Day of storm Éowyn, but I had to do 5 miles! I decided that a walk would at least put the miles in the legs, so off I went with Mr Pickles. We managed 4 miles but at one point I had to hold on to a lamp post for fear of being blown away. Picks looked at me as if to say, 'Mum, no. I’m off home.' So the final mile was completed by walking up and down the length of Cooper Cottage. I’ve done some nutty things in my life and that’s right up there. At least I wasn’t dressed as Mozart.

Saturday 25^th Jan 2025  - 3 miles; Penrith

3 miles at Penrith Parkrun. Wonderful to be back in my happy place. Not a great time as I started late (Pickle needed to relieve himself and wasn’t in any hurry to do so), but lovely to enjoy the community spirit that Parkrun delivers.

Monday 27^th Jan 2025 – 10 miles at Lifestyle Fitness Carlisle

Little bit behind schedule, but that flight in the middle of the week kind of upset the routine. Headed to the gym for 10 miles. A Davina Mcall podcast kept me occupied for the first 7.5 miles and then, oh dear. The knee issue came back. Help. I stopped. Started. Stopped. Stretched. Walked. Jogged very slowly and eventually finished the 10. But something needs to be done. Got home and googled sports therapist and physios. Have an appointment on Friday. Oh no.

04 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK FOUR of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 3 miles/ 5 miles/ 9 miles 

Wednesday 15^th  2025  – 5 miles Fitness Centre, Bolette Ship, At Sea

Easy 4 miles on treadmill. Calm seas

Friday 17^th Jan 2025  – 9 miles - Fitness Centre, Bolette Ship, At Sea

Mind-numbingly boring and tough 9 miles on the treadmill.

Saturday 18^th Jan 2025  – 3 miles Fitness Centre, Bolette Ship, At Sea

Easy 3 miles in the gym.

Sunday 19^th Jan 2025  – 3 miles around the deck, at sea between Cape Verde and Rio 

Show Day and a cold going around the ship meant that I ditched the gym and chose to breathe in the  sea air instead as I walked around the deck 10 and a half times

03 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK THREE of EIGHTEEN – 5 miles/ 4 miles/ 3 miles/ 3 miles 

Monday 6^th Jan 2025  – 5 miles Fitness Centre, Bolette Ship, Southampton

No idea what’s happening to the Garmin up at the top of the ship. The watch seems to think I’m Denise Lewis whereas by the treadmill's calculations I'm a total slow coach. So I’m going with the readings from the treadmill with the hope that I’ll be putting in a few extra miles. Ship was still in port and the view of Southampton docks wasn’t exactly inspiring, so I listened to Hark the Herald with Bose headphones again, imagining I’m walking out of St Paul’s Cathedral in a cassock, televised live broadcast, singing out the descant à haute voix. It's the nutty little things that keep the spirits high when running just under an hour on a treadmill.

Thursday 9^th Jan 2025  – 4 miles Fitness Centre, Bolette Ship, Lisbon

Have had two nights of seriously rubbish sleep due to the rocking ship so thrilled to have arrived at a port. Lovely day spent wandering around beautiful Lisbon and stocking up on smoked salmon, crackers and grapes for my fridge. Spot of wifi in a café overlooking the square and back to the ship for 4 miles. Better view from the Fitness Centre today but still v boring pounding away. Even though we’re past Epiphany, and it’s probably bad luck, I continued to use Hark the Herald as my inspiration.

Friday 10^th Jan 2025  – 3 miles around the deck, at sea between Lisbon and Tenerife

Show day so can’t do a big workout (lungs wouldn’t cope) so filled lungs with gorgeous sea air as I went around the promenade deck ten and a bit times.  Was trying to powerwalk although kept having to slow down to make way for the wildlife lot who had just spotted dolphins! Had a quick look and then continued to get the miles done before rehearsal.

Sunday 12^th Jan 2025  – 3 miles around the deck, at sea between Tenerife and Cape Verde

A bit frustrating but due to rolling of ship, am having to do the runs as power walks at the moment. Still, weather’s getting warmer and the aim is just to put the miles in the legs at this stage. All good, but in need of a jolly good run on land!

02 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK TWO of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 3 miles/ 3 miles/ 7 miles 

New Year’s Eve 2024 – 3 miles; Lifestyle Fitness, Carlisle

7am.  Easy run but came home exhausted. Watched a Christmas movie (final one allowed until Dec 2025) took down decorations, went for dinner with friends at Oddfellows in Caldbeck, and was in bed before midnight. Am I tired because of Christmas, or tired because of running?

New Year’s Day 2025  - 3 miles Longthwaite, Cumbria

Such torrential rain and wind yesterday that I didn’t risk Penrith Parkrun so ran locally and stuck to the paths around Longthwaite, dodging puddles.  Easy run. Earnt a badge on my Garmin for making a good start to the new year.  Watched Scoop with Blokey Bloke, did some singing practice (don’t usually sing on the same day I run but it's kind of essential as cruise contract is fast approaching). Bed. Happy. No fatigue. Lungs fine.

Friday 3^rd Jan 2025 – 7 miles Lifestyle Fitness, Carlisle

Should really wait until Sunday to do my 7 miles but I’ll be at sea and no idea the state of the waves nor if the ship’s gym will be open (weather dependent), so head to the gym in Carlisle today. Had planned to do it running up to Caldbeck and take some breathtaking photos of Skiddaw in the snow, but the ice on Longthwaite Road prevented me from stepping onto the pavement. Took 10 minutes to de-ice the car, drove the 20 mins to the gym, ran the 7 miles (so boring on the treadmill but Hark the Herald on loop kept me company), headed back home, packed for the cruise contract, dinner with Blokey Bloke and bed.

Saturday 4^th Jan 2025  – 3 miles Fitness Centre, Bolette Ship, Liverpool

Early start, Blokey Bloke drove me to Liverpool Cruise Terminal to board ship, had an Entertainers’ Meeting, then headed up to the Fitness Centre and did my  3 miles as we were sailing out of port.  Winds are going to pick up tomorrow so there’s no chance I’ll be on the treadmill. Garmin is going  a bit nuts and telling me I’ve done over 8 miles in 30 minutes at a speed even Mo Farah would be proud of. Is this because the Garmin doesn’t like the ship moving or because the fitness centre is on Deck 9?? Don't know. Oh well, had to trust the treadmill’s readings and did a slow 3 miles. Done for the week. Heading down to Rio!

01 Breathtaking: Quinquagenarian with lung condition trains for the London Marathon in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside

WEEK ONE of EIGHTEEN – 3 miles/ 3.1 miles/ 4 miles/ 6 miles

Christmas Eve 2024  – 3 miles

Cold, dark, windy outside. 6:03am. I’m awake. Day one of training programme for the London Marathon! Yippee! Motivated – yes!  Thinking positively – yes!  But way too cold, dark and windy outside, so I’m heading to the gym with my Hal Higdon Novice 1 Training Plan (the most basic you can get) which will train me up for the distance. Just to get over the finish line. Not for any snazzy time or PB. Just to do a finish. In one piece. However breathless.

I’ve done the distance once before but on the flat in Suffolk. This time, however, I’m training in Cumbria which has slightly more hills, and my lung condition (Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organising Pneumonia – BOOP for short) means I’m not great at hills. 

Oh well, here goes…

Today is just a few miles, 3 to be precise, and shouldn’t cause me too much bother. As I get into the car (it’s still dark at 8am up here) a Torchy runs past, her perfectly formed runners’ legs clad in just a skimpy pair of shorts (I’m dressed in full winter gear and woolly hat and that’s for the gym), and she is wearing the obligatory headtorch to guide her. She whizzes past me and I’m humbled by her fitness level. I realise I’m just not in that league of runner. But this is a start. 3 miles on the treadmill at Lifestyle Fitness. Easy.

Christmas Day 2024  – 3 (.1) miles

Parkrun. Dressed in elf leggings and full of runner’s smugness (Parkrun on Christmas Day!), I drive to Penrith with my sister for what I’m hoping will be another ‘easy’ few miles.

How wrong you can be. The first mile is taken leisurely, accompanied by my fellow runners who are dressed as reindeer, elves, Santas and even Christmas trees, and the atmosphere is all jovial and Christmassy and light and happy. 

Turning the corner after 1.3 miles, I can feel a little niggle in my left knee. By 1.4 miles it’s evolved into a stabbing pain and by the time I reach the next marshal I realise I need to acknowledge this pain and stop. I stretch it out, tell the marshal I’m fine, and try to run on. 

But can’t. I can’t run on. Every step causes pain. So I do the thing I’ve never yet done at Parkrun – I walk. The words of a bloke I met outside the gym on a cruise ship come to mind, ‘anyone can run a marathon – you just need to slow down in training and keep listening to your body’. I do just that. I start to jog a little and slow it right down. That feels OK. I speed up and the pain comes back. I walk some more. Speed up to a jog. That feels OK this time. I speed up some more and find my stride again. By the final tenth of a mile in the finishing straight and I’m sprinting to the finish. No niggles. Just fine.

But the knee niggle has scared the hell out of me. 

27^th December 2024 (4 miles)

Wake up early again today and feel fresh after a day off running. Decide to do the 4 miles back at Lifestyle Fitness, Carlisle just to be on the safe side. There have been no knee niggles since Christmas Day, but still, I don’t want to risk the ‘pounding on tarmac’ this early on in the training. The gym is quite busy at 8.30am and mainly has blokes and ladies in their 50s and 60s trying to work off the excess of rich food. I get to the machine, listen to Atomic Habits on Audible, feel fine, drive back to Wigton, have coffee with neighbours, walk up Latrigg with the family and all is well.

29^th December 2024 (6 miles)

Decision Fatigue, it turns out, really is a thing! Wake up at 7am to gusts of wind outside. Make tea, get back into bed, wait until it gets light. Do I go out for the 6 miles today and grin and bear the gale, or do I wimp out and head back to the gym? Back and forth I go in my mind, weighing up the pros and cons of both, eventually coming to the conclusion that it’s a  gym day... 

…except that on the drive to Carlisle, I notice that the wind has died down a bit and I really do want to have a run outside and I really don’t want to go to the gym and the knee isn’t giving me any trouble at all and I really do want to test it on the roads and I have a day off running tomorrow, so why on earth am I being such a wimp and heading to the treadmill?

I turn around, drive home, change into outdoor gear, grab my hydration vest, fill it with water, and set off at a leisurely pace for a lovely 6 miles.  Bit windy, bit gassy but feel amazing once home. Loving this x