Going the distance: The Soundtrack

I've blogged on gym soundtracks before but running outside needs a totally different type of motivation. Mostly because motivation is like an angry spontaneous child that wants cake one minute and a big cuddly bear the next

(www.justgiving.com/jefferydoesahalfmarathon)

10. Show tunes

Opening numbers and finales especially but this helped me hugely the other day... something about the Jewish esque music and the speed build up that made me push though when it really hurt:





9. Anything from the 90s

Need I say more?





8. Pop music generally





7. Anything with the word "Run" in it

Weird but true, even slow stuff... if it tells me to run I keep going going going....





6. DRUM BEATZ






5. Similarly.... WOOD BLOCK





4. Offensive Rap

No, sir. I am not a "Pussy'ole" and I will keep running to prove it.




3. Jamie T






2. The Queen of All Motivation Music: FASCINATION






1. The King of All Motivation: Air Traffic. 

Most of their stuff helps but this song in particular has it all, drum beat, build up, the word run... Thank you for getting me home so often.

Going the Distance: The Blisters

So as you should all know by now, I am running a half marathon in aid of Havens Hospices on 8th June this year.

 You can sponsor me here: www.justgiving.com/jefferydoesahalfmarathon

 Putting the link first in case you lose interest.

I have five weeks to go so I'm going to blog each week on a different aspect of my experience now I have officially frozen my gym membership until July to encourage me to run outside. 

The furthest I've run so far is 8.7 miles, average 11mins30secs per mile.


PART 1 - THE BLISTERS

So being economical cheap, I purchased a new pair of trainers for a whole £20 from Direct Sports (which is at least double what I usually spend on trainers for the gym). Please with my purchase I headed out on my first run (which you can read about in my previous blog).

Of all the things that hurt about training for a half marathon; the achey knees, sweat in the eyes, weird jaw pain, tiredness from waking up at 5am to get a run in before work... The worst is without a doubt The Blisters.

The cheap trainers left the insides of my feet absolute red raw. They would heal up a little in the next couple of days, only to be ripped apart again on the next run. I couldn't get more than about 2 miles without being crippled in pain. And whilst I did managed to get over 8 miles in those shoes, my feet will potentially never be the same again.

So Daddy bought me some new trainers.

We went to Runners Edge in Southend (shop my dad and sister swear by) and they put me in some shoes and made me run on a treadmill (which they film and make you watch back in slow motion, it's a very weird moment in anyone's lives). He then brought out a selection of shoes with will apparently fix my wonky ankles.

The whole process was a bit like when the optician says "Which is better, lens 1, or lens 2" and everyone (including the optician) knows they are both identical so you just give numbers arbitrarily until they seem happy and give you some glasses.

So I essentially did the same until I liked the trainers best. I guess they do feel more supportive but I don't really know how supported ankles feel so it's hard to judge. All I knew was my blisters were at peace in these new shoes.

Et voila! Two runs now complete and my existing blisters are fading into regular foot colour. Granted  I now have several mini blisters on other parts of my feet, but that's to be expected with new shoes, and they didn't impede the runs at all #winning

So if you're still with me, please sponsor, and look out for Part 2: The Soundtrack

www.justgiving.com/jefferydoesahalfmarathon