In a sudden flash everything has become very real.
Forty-one
days to go and I’m starting to forecast what the weather might be like and what
kit I should wear. I’ve devised a fuelling plan – before, after and during - and
have spent this morning browsing the internet for affordable post-marathon deep
tissue massages.
This
weekend’s training run was 16 miles, and as I trotted across the virtual finish
line a terrifying thought dawned upon. I’m
going to run a marathon. There’s no way back. 5.8 weeks to go. That's forty-one days; only 980
hours; a mere 59,040 minutes.
So far my
trek to the starting line has been littered with obstacles.Both of my
illiotibial bands suffered stubborn inflammations almost as soon as I commenced
training last autumn, and as they recovered, my right sciatic nerve flared up,
turning even sitting still into an arduous and painful ordeal.

I’ve
clocked up 90 kilometres over the last four weekends, and - coupled with my
shorter runs and hill intervals - I’ve hit around 150 kilometres. That’s equivalent
to the distance between London and Bournemouth, a third of the distance between
London and Dublin!
I’m doing
well to balance my calorific intake – and when I say balance, I mean eat enough
to satisfy a lion’s appetite.
One of my
colleagues is torturing through the faddy 5:2 diet, and when I
realised that the energy I burn on one long run is equal to three times what
she eats in one day, I didn’t think twice about eating both brownies...and
another for good measure.
I was
afraid that at this point I might start to get bored. I’ve read about training
fatigue and the mental hardship of lacing up every weekend and not coming back
until three hours later, but – touch wood – my mind’s still feels fresh.
The secret, I've learned,
is to keep routes varied.
This
Saturday I chose a circular, starting with a loop of Hyde Park. Then I picked
my way from Chelsea all along the Embankment, through a dormant concrete-kingdom
City and across Tower Bridge onto the bustling Southbank where I navigated an
assault course of gormless tourists and toddlers.
The
previous weekend, I headed to Richmond Park – deserted but for runners, cyclists
and rollerbladers – and completed at least half of the 25 kilometre workout
without so much as touching a slab of concrete, just squirrels and trees for
company.
I’m still
savouring each run. Often I’ll set aside Sunday for the long one. Come Friday evening,
though, I’ll be so keen to head out that I end up running on Saturday instead,
and then basking in post-workout bliss for the lazy remainder of the weekend.
I enjoy it
so much, that a number of times I’ve caught myself wondering what it will be
like once The Marathon experience is over.
It’s been
such a dominant project – a hobby if you may – over the last weeks and months,
that I’m sure there will be a void when I cross the finish line. I’ve developed
training routines and habits that I’ll no longer have to stick to, freeing up
weeknight evenings and Saturday morning.
Deep down
inside though, I know how I will fill that void: I’ll choose my next challenge. Another
marathon? Perhaps. But maybe I’ll turn to triathlon or opt for another avenue
all together: learn a language, write a book.
Either way,
in six weeks time, when my weary toe finally crosses the finish line, pulling a
battered and bruised body behind it, I will inevitably be crossing a starting
line too; a new chapter, a new
challenge, and a whole endless score of new exciting opportunities - further even than 26 and a bit miles.
(Image courtesy https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/gradlife/files/finish-line.jpg)
fab post! I wish i could have more varied runs, unfortunately I love in the countryside which means stick to the known paths or risk death by lorry! Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteP.S i've done triathlons and if you like a challenge then they are sooooo much fun!!
kirsty x
www.kirstyfriend.com
Thanks Kirsty! Nothing beats a countryside run - I totally agree! Would be super keen to try a tri. Is there a particular one you recommend for a first-timer? x
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