I am writing this short blog as a confessional - and as a motivator too.
In the late 70's - early 80's marathon running took off as a mass participation activity. The first London Marathon was in 1981. Like millions of others over the years I am sure, I thought I would like to face the marathon challenge - to run over 26 miles - and I was sure I would at some point. Every year when the London Marathon comes around I have felt a sense of respect for the runners and increasingly frustration with myself as I had not got around to doing one.
The problem with running a marathon apart from the very obvious one - the run itself - is the training commitment - at least 6 months worth of hard miles - probably running 30 plus miles per week - week in - week out. Long distance running is of course draining and very difficult to combine with doing other activities - it becomes all consuming by demand is my experience. While I have run lots of half marathons over the years - it has never come easy - (my build is stocky - hardly pared down - ha!) I have found it impossible to fit the necessary marathon training in as I have maintained other interests more important to me - initially football and then for the last 30 years - squash. Marathon training drains your stamina - blunts any speed you might have - it takes it out of you and for many actually changes body shape - not good if you want to play decent squash for instance.
Anyway - I said at the outset of this blog this was a confessional - so here goes. While everything I have said in the last paragraph is true - 18 months or so ago I decided the time was right (now or never) to finally have a go at a marathon. I enrolled in the 2015 Paris Marathon and started training for it. See my blogs 13.4 mile plod 7/10/14 and Great West Run (22/10/14). The Great West Half Marathon was a struggle - these are my own words from the blog I wrote on its completion -
"My mind quickly turned to the April 15 Paris Marathon. Ridiculous to feel a marathon would require another lap of the same. To be honest that seems impossible - and I initially decide to be sensible and rule it out.
However a couple of days have passed. I feel good (touch wood). I have entered in the Paris Marathon. I have said to myself I will do it. Am I going to bottle it. Am I going to give up the immense emotional feeling that will get if I cross the finishing line on the Champs Ely-sees. How can I ? So that's it. 6 months to prepare to run 26 miles. Terrifying !"
And here is the confessional - in the end I DID BOTTLE IT - I did give up the training - I made excuses to myself about damaging my knees - argued with myself I have nothing to prove - don't be a fool - what is the point etc etc. My family agreed with this objective decision too - it made sense. But ever since a part of me knows I gave up - it was a relief initially - but then it became an irritant - if not quite a running sore. I knew I had let myself down and that I will never have that dreamed about sense of achievement of running up the Champs Elysees or The Mall to a marathon finish. Pathetic.
Last month I went for an interview to secure a place on the 2017/18 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race ( I am doing Leg 6 - to cross the Pacific from the East Coast of China - to West Coast of USA - but I digress). During part of the presentation the Clipper spokesman said to us - "for instance anyone of you could run a marathon - it just comes down to how much you want to do it - how much you are prepared to put in". I know this. This was true - but very confronting to hear him say it. I hadn't been prepared to put enough in. Millions of people have. I chickened out. The monkey is on my back. I have to get it off. I have enrolled for the Paris Marathon - April 2017. I have started some short runs. This time my mind is clear. It is just one foot in front of the other. I walked 26 miles last month - I now just have to jog it. Stuff the time - not important really - my goal is complete the marathon course - with no stops or walks. That is my focus and it feels a relief. Happy days especially if you have a masochistic tendency - ha!
In the late 70's - early 80's marathon running took off as a mass participation activity. The first London Marathon was in 1981. Like millions of others over the years I am sure, I thought I would like to face the marathon challenge - to run over 26 miles - and I was sure I would at some point. Every year when the London Marathon comes around I have felt a sense of respect for the runners and increasingly frustration with myself as I had not got around to doing one.
The problem with running a marathon apart from the very obvious one - the run itself - is the training commitment - at least 6 months worth of hard miles - probably running 30 plus miles per week - week in - week out. Long distance running is of course draining and very difficult to combine with doing other activities - it becomes all consuming by demand is my experience. While I have run lots of half marathons over the years - it has never come easy - (my build is stocky - hardly pared down - ha!) I have found it impossible to fit the necessary marathon training in as I have maintained other interests more important to me - initially football and then for the last 30 years - squash. Marathon training drains your stamina - blunts any speed you might have - it takes it out of you and for many actually changes body shape - not good if you want to play decent squash for instance.
Anyway - I said at the outset of this blog this was a confessional - so here goes. While everything I have said in the last paragraph is true - 18 months or so ago I decided the time was right (now or never) to finally have a go at a marathon. I enrolled in the 2015 Paris Marathon and started training for it. See my blogs 13.4 mile plod 7/10/14 and Great West Run (22/10/14). The Great West Half Marathon was a struggle - these are my own words from the blog I wrote on its completion -
"My mind quickly turned to the April 15 Paris Marathon. Ridiculous to feel a marathon would require another lap of the same. To be honest that seems impossible - and I initially decide to be sensible and rule it out.
However a couple of days have passed. I feel good (touch wood). I have entered in the Paris Marathon. I have said to myself I will do it. Am I going to bottle it. Am I going to give up the immense emotional feeling that will get if I cross the finishing line on the Champs Ely-sees. How can I ? So that's it. 6 months to prepare to run 26 miles. Terrifying !"
And here is the confessional - in the end I DID BOTTLE IT - I did give up the training - I made excuses to myself about damaging my knees - argued with myself I have nothing to prove - don't be a fool - what is the point etc etc. My family agreed with this objective decision too - it made sense. But ever since a part of me knows I gave up - it was a relief initially - but then it became an irritant - if not quite a running sore. I knew I had let myself down and that I will never have that dreamed about sense of achievement of running up the Champs Elysees or The Mall to a marathon finish. Pathetic.
Last month I went for an interview to secure a place on the 2017/18 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race ( I am doing Leg 6 - to cross the Pacific from the East Coast of China - to West Coast of USA - but I digress). During part of the presentation the Clipper spokesman said to us - "for instance anyone of you could run a marathon - it just comes down to how much you want to do it - how much you are prepared to put in". I know this. This was true - but very confronting to hear him say it. I hadn't been prepared to put enough in. Millions of people have. I chickened out. The monkey is on my back. I have to get it off. I have enrolled for the Paris Marathon - April 2017. I have started some short runs. This time my mind is clear. It is just one foot in front of the other. I walked 26 miles last month - I now just have to jog it. Stuff the time - not important really - my goal is complete the marathon course - with no stops or walks. That is my focus and it feels a relief. Happy days especially if you have a masochistic tendency - ha!
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