Michelle Ross-Cope   GB Runner

 

April's Blog...
Posted 25 April 2012

Well how do I put into words the last few weeks, came back from Kenya in high spirits as the training had been going really well and apart from a bruised foot after going over on it during a training run everything was great and I was back home.  This was where my taper would begin.

 

I must admit I was wondering how I would adjust when I returned, with basically eating, sleeping and running for 4 weeks, to coming home to my normal duties of wife and mum. Well it didn’t take me long upon my return, I soon started my usual routine of the cleaning and school run etc. 

I must admit I don’t really enjoy the taper, personally I love to be busy and I love the feel of hard training. I was not feeling great and feeling really tired coming back to sea level. I did have a blood test to test my ferritin level, which came back high which showed that the altitude training had worked. I was assured that being tired and not feeling great was just normal in the first week coming back to sea level.

 

Well after having a somewhat strange run up to the Virgin London Marathon it was time for the big day.

 

We travelled down on the Saturday where we stayed at the Tower Bridge Hotel where this is the base for the elite marathon runners.  After an early start at 5am for breakfast and out of the hotel for 6.30am where we travelled to the start, the nerves were kicking in.  We do have a joke saying it is like going for your death sentence, as the marathon is such a cruel distance as you never know how your body is going to react!

 

Well the race started and I must admit the miles were passing pretty quickly and I was feeling good. I didn’t really have a race plan but to take it easy the first 18 miles or so and then pick the pace up. I was lucky enough to be in a good group of British girls where we worked well together. After passing half way we picked the pace up slightly and unfortunately my Achilles was not enjoying it. I tried to push on but by mile 16 my calf was tightening and the Achilles was so sore. I stopped and walked, stretched and jogged, this then happened for the next 10 miles to get me to the finish. I was asked at 22 miles if I would stop and this was not an option, I did not go to the other side of the world to be away from my family to pull out of this race.  Unfortunately this was the end to my Olympic dream of competing in the marathon!

 

I will now take the next week off and allow my Achilles to recover and to get treatment. Once I am healthy I will start back training and concentrate on some shorter distances. If things go well I may try and go for the track over 10,000.  

 

To find out more visit:

http://www.rosscoperunning.co.uk/

twitter@rosscoperunning

 

Well the weeks are getting nearer to the Virgin London Marathon and I must say it's been a really frustrating couple of weeks!

 

As I said in my last blog, the weather was being kind with very little ice and snow; I think I spoke to soon!  It snowed really heavily, unfortunately it fell at the inconsiderate time when I have to do my longest run of the week!  I did manage to do the two hour run, however 800m from home I did a fantastic dive in the road!  I ended up with bruised and cut knees, cut hands and a cut hip!

 

The next day was just unbearable to run, so until I saw my physio I was advised to cross train.  I love to cross train, but not when it is substitute for the miles on the road.  After seeing him I was able to run, but again within a couple of days the pain had kicked in and was causing me some real issues.

 

As any athlete knows being told to rest is the worst thing anyone can tell you.  At present I am trying to run as much as possible, but continuing with the cross training.

 

I have made the decision to go to Kenya for altitude training in March, the final preparation for the marathon.  This will be tough leaving my husband to contend with 3 girls!  Luckily I have a supportive family and they have all agreed that it would be good for me.

 

I think the main benefit of going to training camps, is for the recovery time too. I spend most of my free time doing family chores and not getting the full recovery that I need with the marathon training.

 

Until next time when I will be telling you all what it is like in Kenya.
     

To find out more visit:

http://www.rosscoperunning.co.uk/

twitter@rosscoperunning

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January's Blog...
Posted: 22 January 2012

 

Well here we are and it's nearly the end of January already.

 

I must say I am pretty pleased with the weather, not much ice and hardly any snow!  It does make running so much easier without the ice and snow.

 

Christmas was lovely with the family, my 2 youngest girls had new bikes so as you can imagine we were out on the bikes Christmas Day.

 

Training over Christmas didn’t slacken off at all, I just enjoyed more recovery time without having to do the school run each day.  I managed quite a few sessions down Birmingham with my lovely coach Bud and some of the other athletes.  I do enjoy training in a group as often as possible as most of my training is done alone and in the dark (all the time as it seems at the minute)!

 

New Year’s day started with a long run, start as I mean to go on I guess!

 

I was aiming to race the Four Villages half marathon on the 22^nd of January, a race I have done for the past few years, I usually try and use this race just as an indicator as to how my training is going!  However, we had quite a busy week with a trip to the theatre on Thursday and my daughters rowing awards on Friday!  My usual ritual is to take a day off before I race which I did, even had a bit of a lie in bed!  I must say I very rarely go out due to my training load and family commitment, so was looking forward to a chilled Saturday night in!  This was not due to happen as my husband told me we were going out and it couldn’t be rearranged!  I was a bit shady with me racing as I tend to keep it to myself and announce it a week before!  We went out to find that he had arranged a surprise party for my up and coming birthday at the end of the month. This was a lovely evening so I decided not to race as it put me out of my routine.  I’m sure most people will not understand this but as an athlete I find this very important to myself.

 

My husband and eldest daughter had been arranging this well before Christmas, and I must say a big thank you to them as well as my mum and sister in law.

 

Hopefully my next blog I can say that I have raced, until next time.          

Posted:  20 November 2011

Well here we are getting closer to Christmas and it always seems constantly dark at the moment!

 

Since my last blog training had been going well and I was all geared up to do the Great South Run, well that was until my back decided to cause some issues.   

 

The week coming up to the race I was preparing as normal, I went and did one of my normal sessions at the gym and all seemed fine but not long after I’d got home my back completely locked!  This was extremely painful and I was finding it difficult to even walk.  I contacted my physio and we agreed to leave it a day to see if it got better, it eased a little but it was obvious I needed treatment asap.  I have to say the treatment he put me through was as painful as child birth! I do think that physiotherapists should allow you to have gas and air during treatment and I personally feel that they get a kick out of seeing me in so much pain.

 

The day after the treatment my back was feeling considerably better and I was actually feeling more pain from the bruises I received during the treatment than from my back.  Over the next few days I gradually increased my training back up to normal levels, unfortunately I had to withdraw from the GSR!

 

So here I am again wondering what race to do next and to fit it in around the children’s activities with the lead up to Christmas.

 

One special event this past month was being a guest at the Sports Makers Launch at Staffs Uni, it was a great event and I got to meet a lot of really nice people from a number of organisations who were geared up for improving sport in Staffordshire and hopefully

giving people on the way up a helping hand. While there I also found out about the Olympic Torch coming through the area, it had been announced that morning. It’s definitely great news for the area and will be something that will probably never happen again in this generation. Hopefully everyone in the area will get out to see it pass through the streets and cheer it on its way.

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October's Blog...
Posted: 19 October 2011 

 

Well I am pleased to say that training has been going pretty well, or should I say I am staying on top of my achilles problem!

 

Over the past few weeks I have seen the other British Girls getting the Olympic A Standard in order to compete at London 2012 Olympic Marathon, which is incredibly good for the British team as I don't think we have ever had so many athletes achieving it.

 

I myself have still yet to do a marathon this year! Which is really frustrating but nothing to worry about at the moment as I still have time to compete.

 

As I previously mentioned I am taking it week by week with training and will possibly run a marathon in late November or December. However, I will be doing the London marathon next year.

 

During the next few weeks I'm aiming to do some shorter races and have decided to compete at the Great South Run, on Sunday the 30th of October. This is an event I enjoy, its 10 miles, however in the previous years I have done it, it has been like running into a car wash!  Running along the sea front with the waves crashing over and extremely strong winds. So hopefully this will be 3rd time lucky and the weather will be nice!

 

Over the last few weeks all my morning runs seem to have been run in the dark, the joy of winter I guess! Having recently moved house I was enjoying the trails in the morning, however I seem to be looking for runs where it is well lit now!  It is quite daunting to go out in the dark, but I get such a great feeling running home in the lovely sunrise.  The reason for going out so early is due to my children and getting them to school, it also gives me recovery time for my lunch time session or going to the gym.

 

I run because I love it and it is a big part of my life, going back for the last 20 years I would never have dreamed of running for GB, but if you put the hardwork and determination in you can live your dreams, until next time ....

 

To find out more visit:

http://www.rosscoperunning.co.uk/

twitter@rosscoperunning