Monday AM
A few months ago, Marathon was just a word. I had heard about its origins, about the Greek soldier who had run miles from the battlefield to deliver a message before collapsing and dying on the spot. To be honest I tried not to think to hard about it, it was only myth, a legend, it couldn’t be true? A marathon couldn’t be that hard, Could it?
When my training started, it remained just a word, used to describe a day watching Netflix or tales of endurance that other people subjected themselves to. In physical form it was a crusty old chocolate bar of the 1980s. It was all of these things as well as a race I was going to run, I was just in denial about that bit.
It remained that way for the first few weeks. I continued on with my training and would occasionally (ok maybe quite a lot) drop into conversations that I was running a marathon. Most would look at me as if I was slightly mad suck in a deep breath and say something along the lines of "you would never catch me doing that" I would convince them that it would be, “Awesome fun” still blinded by blissful ignorance about what I was actually trying to do.
That’s all changed these last couple of weeks. The longer runs have jolted me from my daze, flashing up in big neon lights the reality of what I am about to do.
A MARATHON IS REALLY BLOODY FAR!
I was meant to start this blog at the beginning of my training but owing to production dramas (a little term I’ve used to cover up the fact I re-wrote that first post god knows how many times) I have missed documenting the blissful ignorance stage of my training. You join me in the ‘Oh holy shit what have I let myself in for’ stage.
The word marathon is starting to develop a meaning to me now. My longest run of 16 miles was over three weeks ago, training since then has felt like a bit of a slog. Life seems to have got in the way. Work has been busy, I’ve picked up the inevitable winter cold and when I have got out of the door my legs have felt stiff and heavy. I’ve felt tired. Each run seems to come accompanied with a different pain, a little reminder that all the miles and extra hours are starting to take their toll. These little frustrations are starting to play on my mind, making that finish line seem just a little bit further off in the distance. But then who said it was going to be easy. I’m starting to have a new found respect for my friends who have completed a Marathon.
The high of the early training has worn off and I'm back down to earth starting to find out just how much of a marathon a marathon really is. I’m sure that everyone goes through this stage of doubt and questions what they are doing and if they can actually do it. It’s just a natural part of the training, something that I have got to get over.
Time then to get back out running. I’ve got a day off today and there’s another long run just waiting for me. Who knows when I make it back, 26.2 miles may have just got that bit closer.
Monday PM
So that was this morning. To be honest with you I was nervous about heading out for the long run today. The more time that passed since the 16 mile run the more I listened to the aches, pains, tiredness and self doubt. The more I started to wonder if I could do it.
As I write this the endorphins are still flowing and the high from today’s run has yet to wear off. My left calf feels like someone is jabbing scissors into it and I've got a slight headache nausea feeling going on but I don't care because I've cracked twenty miles.
I was never meant to go that far, it was just going to be another long run. It's been one of those days though. One of those spring days when the air is still cold but you can feel the first distant rays of summer reaching out, reminding you that there is something other than the wind, rain and sometimes sleet that you have been accustomed to. It was a day where you just had to be outside, to turn back home and head indoors felt like a crime.
So I ran, then ran some more and kept on running. I took in my favourite trails, parks and views. I ran on tarmac, gravel and grass skipping over puddles and sliding through the mud. I got half lost, then very lost. I found new unexplored paths, scrambled up banks and turned down lanes that I was only half sure were in the right direction. It felt like an adventure. I didn’t care if I got lost, I could just spend more time outside, more time running. I had started off apprehensive, wondering about how far I could go how I would feel. As I went on I relaxed, I felt in control, comfortable in my pace. I started to forget everything I had said at the top of this page.
It’s amazing what one run can do. The finish line that this morning seemed off in the distance had suddenly come into view. I can now imagine those last few meters, the banner across the road, the bag of free stuff, the post race burger. Twenty miles was a big barrier, suddenly it now seems possible again. The words I wrote this morning seem like they are from a different person. Let's be honest, one who was a bit of a drama queen. I guess that's just the ebb and flow of training for a race like this, there will be good runs and bad. On those bad days I just have to remember why I run, I have to remember days like today.
So that was this morning. To be honest with you I was nervous about heading out for the long run today. The more time that passed since the 16 mile run the more I listened to the aches, pains, tiredness and self doubt. The more I started to wonder if I could do it.
As I write this the endorphins are still flowing and the high from today’s run has yet to wear off. My left calf feels like someone is jabbing scissors into it and I've got a slight headache nausea feeling going on but I don't care because I've cracked twenty miles.
I was never meant to go that far, it was just going to be another long run. It's been one of those days though. One of those spring days when the air is still cold but you can feel the first distant rays of summer reaching out, reminding you that there is something other than the wind, rain and sometimes sleet that you have been accustomed to. It was a day where you just had to be outside, to turn back home and head indoors felt like a crime.
So I ran, then ran some more and kept on running. I took in my favourite trails, parks and views. I ran on tarmac, gravel and grass skipping over puddles and sliding through the mud. I got half lost, then very lost. I found new unexplored paths, scrambled up banks and turned down lanes that I was only half sure were in the right direction. It felt like an adventure. I didn’t care if I got lost, I could just spend more time outside, more time running. I had started off apprehensive, wondering about how far I could go how I would feel. As I went on I relaxed, I felt in control, comfortable in my pace. I started to forget everything I had said at the top of this page.
It’s amazing what one run can do. The finish line that this morning seemed off in the distance had suddenly come into view. I can now imagine those last few meters, the banner across the road, the bag of free stuff, the post race burger. Twenty miles was a big barrier, suddenly it now seems possible again. The words I wrote this morning seem like they are from a different person. Let's be honest, one who was a bit of a drama queen. I guess that's just the ebb and flow of training for a race like this, there will be good runs and bad. On those bad days I just have to remember why I run, I have to remember days like today.
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| On the finishing straight in my first 10k. I'm hoping I feel like this at the end of the Marathon. If I feel less knackered it would be a bonus! |
Here is a link to my just giving page, raising money for Action for M.E.
Another great read tom! Thos negative thoughts are always gunna creep in... just run away from them! :)
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