We are now entering the four busiest weeks in terms of training volume; this is terrifying as well as exciting and good practice for April 26^th!

My 2 hr 10 min run went really well: I was hoping to complete 13.1 miles and hit that half marathon mark but that Sunday was so windy and slowed me down by about 15 seconds per mile. The result was that I fell short by a mile but I still ran 12.1 miles that day. This took its toll on my knees which decided to cramp up the minute I stopped moving for longer than 30 seconds. This was a bit of a shock when I stopped to cross the road and waited for the traffic; getting going again must have been amusing to watch and I am sure my facial expressions were quite amusing ! Luckily I wasn’t far from home and able to head back and collapse into the bath!

The interval training has got a little easier and I found comfort in talking to somewhat of a running expert recently (who is hoping to complete this year’s marathon in 2 hrs 20 mins) who said that he even finds Tempo running a bit difficult. This is because finding a speed between your marathon pace and a sprint is so hard to do; however, I feel like I’m getting there and there have certainly been no more tantrums by the side of the road!

Last week saw an easier week with just a little 7 mile jaunt on Sunday and I suppose this lets your legs recover somewhat. It also culminated with our first sports massage which was HEAVENLY and has really helped sort my legs out: they are raring to go again.

This Sunday is 2 hrs 30 mins; I have a 14 mile route planned out and am hoping for a less windy day. I am being strict on my diet to make sure that I am fueling well for these runs and we are building up now to our longest run on Easter Sunday of 3 hrs 25 mins. Hopefully that’s only an hour or so less than the time I am hoping to achieve on the day.

Thank you so much for all the donations so far, I absolutely love the ones that have come in from guinea pigs themselves – who knew the little critters were UK tax payers and could claim Gift Aid? See, piggies really are the best pets!

If you are able to donate I would really appreciate it; I have already reached my initial £300 target but I am going to keep pushing and see if I can reach £1000!

The last two weeks have seen some interval training, instead of just long straightforward runs.
I was looking forward to the interval training as it was something different and also I know it’s a good way to burn calories!  There is a reason for this, as I was soon to find out: it is so hard!
My first set consisted of 30 seconds’ fast (sprinting) and then two minutes’ recovery, which I repeated eight times. By sprint five I wanted to cry; I was shattered but I got through it and managed to do all eight before crawling home again. Worse was to come: tempo running! 
Tempo is a sustained cruise pace, it should be mildly uncomfortable but sustainable. The first lot consisted of five minutes’ steady running and then five minutes’ tempo running, repeated three times. Again, by round three I was close to tears. I am not a fast runner; I like my pace but again I made my way all the way through and was proud of myself for it. The interval runs will make my overall pace quicker and will make me stronger. Although I feel sick doing them I know that they are worth the effort!
We completed our long runs at the weekend and I busted out 10 miles in 1hr 45 mins! I was very proud of that, it was a strong 10 miles and I very much enjoyed it (as well as burning over 1000 calories before breakfast!).
Last week went a bit sideways; after a weekend away and some change with hubby’s work we left our training until the end of the week. This turned out to be a mistake. We did 1hr 45 min run and then some more tempo running on Friday (cue tears and sickness) but come Saturday we were both shattered and void of enthusiasm and energy so made the decision to listen to what our bodies were saying and rest up for the weekend. 
We are back on form now and are looking forward to a 50 minute run on Monday morning; this coming Sunday sees a 2hr 10 min run. I am hoping to complete as near to a half marathon in that time as I can: watch this space!

In anticipation of the proper training starting in January, myself and hubby (who is also running the LM) decided to start getting our running and fitness a bit sharper. We spent November getting up at 5am and running three times a week – mostly 2 miles or 5k’s – but as December came and went (and so did various Christmas parties) we weren’t as dedicated as we perhaps could have been!

However, on Jan 5^th and in line with our training plan from the London Marathon magazine, we donned our gear and set the alarm for 5am to head out the door for a 20 minute run.

We have been running four times a week for five weeks now and the runs have been getting steadily longer; that first week culminated in a 1 hour run on the Sunday but four weeks on that was 1 hour 30 mins and I managed to run nearly 8.5 miles, I was very happy with that!

My running is getting stronger, I am getting fitter and this morning saw me run a 10.05 minute mile! I am very happy with the way training is going and this week sees some interval training begin so that will be fun to do. I shall let you all know how I get on next week!

My name is Aimee Lovejoy and on 26th April I will be running the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon in aid of April Lodge!

I will be raising money for April Lodge Guinea Pig Rescue and for Guide Dogs for the Blind. I’ve chosen April Lodge because over the past three years I have become a slave to three guinea pigs and they have completely stolen my heart!

Turk & JD (named after the main characters in Scrubs) were my first piggies and, boy, did I learn fast – mainly that they liked their breakfast early!

Turk & JD were a huge part of our lives for three years, they had free reign of the flat (indoor pampered pigs), I bought them beds, they had a Cosy Cave, various treats and all the hay and veg they could eat. After a year JD was poorly with a bladder stone and although the vet must have offered us euthanasia three times that evening, we made the decision to have him operated on. It was a success and we got our guinea back to full health less than a month later.

Sadly last year we discovered a tumor in Turk’s ear and whisked him straight down to the vets to have it removed. The surgery was a complete success and the vet said she was really happy with how easily the tumor had come out. But after a few days we know our piggy wasn’t right and it was then that we discovered that Turk had suffered some brain damage due to the anesthetic. But again we soldiered on thinking that with extra love and care we were confident we could take care of him. It was not to be, and Turk had to be put to sleep two weeks after his op. This was the hardest decision I have ever had to make and I miss his fluffy bottom even now and the way he used to sing to us with that lovely warble that only a guinea pig can make!

So, we were left with JD; he seemed unhappy so we went to our local rescue Squeaky Guinea Pigs in Wickford and came home with Shaun, a rescue pig who had had a bit of a rough time with his brother. Shaun and JD bonded and got on well, although we’re not too sure how happy JD was about sharing his cosy cave!

However, luck was not on our side: we discovered that JD (Or Dizz as I often called him) had developed another bladder stone. So we were off to the vet again to get it removed. Again, the procedure was successful and, an empty bank account later, we all settled down to become a new family. Six weeks later and Dizz had another stone. I was devastated; the vet advised it wouldn’t be fair to operate a third time. Sadly, Dizz was put to sleep the week before Christmas and we were heartbroken.

Since then we have talked about another rescue but Shaun (or Beany Boy as he is often referred to) seems to be fine on his own so we have decided to leave him that way, therefore being the luckiest piglet in Essex with a huge cage and more beds and cosy things than he knows what to do with. He is a very spoilt pig  – and shall continue to be!

As you can see, I am passionate about piggies and it would mean the world to me to raise some money for April Lodge. Knowing that I can do something to help the rescue will be what gets me through that 26.2 miles on April 26th.

My VirginMoney sponsorship page will be up and running soon. I hope you will take a moment to sponsor me; every little will help and I want to turn a little into a lot!

Best wishes,

Aimee

Many people ask how they can support April Lodge. Of course, many are happy to give the charity a donation but often we are asked whether there is anything specific that they guinea pigs need, such as feed or bedding.

We are delighted to announce that we now have an Amazon Wishlist, meaning that you can now purchase items that you know the charity really needs. We have also explained why each item is needed:

Please follow this link to browse the items we are wishing for and see if you can help make a little piggy very happy! Prices start at just 60p, so there is something to support the charity and to suit every pocket.