It is Friday 7th April. I have done my final preparation run. We are getting ready to head for Paris. I run the Paris Marathon on Sunday. It is finally here.
To explain the full motivation behind the run and this blog you could read the previous 6 "monkey on my back" blogs - but particularly #Marathon "monkeyonmyback" PT1 which I posted 17/6/2016. In a nutshell - I have never done a marathon but always wanted and expected to at some point as it is a huge test and a big achievement - but the time never seemed quite right to commit to the training. In what seems like in no time - lo and behold - I am approaching 60 - time is running out/has it run out!? I better get on with it if I am going to try to do one! I sign up for the 2015 Paris Marathon. However for a number of reasons - mostly objective (knees etc) I pulled out after running the Exeter half marathon (just!). Put another way - I chickened out - and it has bugged me ever since - a "monkey on my back". I knew/know it will only lift if I run a marathon - hence Paris 2017.
In a couple of months I will be 63. Plenty of men and women of my age and older still run fantastic marathon times - unbelievable ones - but I think most have a long distance running pedigree and their bodies are pared down - ha! I have always been active - but I am not really built for marathon running - this is not an excuse - but a reality - my weight has been stubborn around 14 stone. But millions of people have run a marathon - so why can't I? I should be able to do it - it is true my knees (who have been so faithful to me - bless them) actually do hurt and get sore and stiff (shock absorbers that are no longer quite absorbing the shock) - but is it really a deal breaker?
So I have been trying to prepare. The running I have found has quite a big impact on day to day life for 2 reasons - 1) the training schedule is always hanging over you - and it is time consuming and 2) more significantly I have found the running draining - and as a consequence energy for other things is affected. Having said that I have really loved the feeling of putting the effort in and the feeling you get from being depleted but sated at the end. It is a truly wonderful feeling if you have never felt it - being so tired - so stiff - but smiling and content because you have done it.
Training is of course physical - but mainly it is a mental thing - going for a run when it cold or wet - keeping going when you are out there doing it - not finding excuses (and there are always plenty of those nagging in your head). On finishing the distance you set out to do without stopping - my personal reminder - the only thing that keeps you going is not stopping. That is it.
Since the start of the year I have kept a record of the runs I have done. I have not followed any particular plan but just done what I could manage and what felt about right.. Here it is :
To explain the full motivation behind the run and this blog you could read the previous 6 "monkey on my back" blogs - but particularly #Marathon "monkeyonmyback" PT1 which I posted 17/6/2016. In a nutshell - I have never done a marathon but always wanted and expected to at some point as it is a huge test and a big achievement - but the time never seemed quite right to commit to the training. In what seems like in no time - lo and behold - I am approaching 60 - time is running out/has it run out!? I better get on with it if I am going to try to do one! I sign up for the 2015 Paris Marathon. However for a number of reasons - mostly objective (knees etc) I pulled out after running the Exeter half marathon (just!). Put another way - I chickened out - and it has bugged me ever since - a "monkey on my back". I knew/know it will only lift if I run a marathon - hence Paris 2017.
In a couple of months I will be 63. Plenty of men and women of my age and older still run fantastic marathon times - unbelievable ones - but I think most have a long distance running pedigree and their bodies are pared down - ha! I have always been active - but I am not really built for marathon running - this is not an excuse - but a reality - my weight has been stubborn around 14 stone. But millions of people have run a marathon - so why can't I? I should be able to do it - it is true my knees (who have been so faithful to me - bless them) actually do hurt and get sore and stiff (shock absorbers that are no longer quite absorbing the shock) - but is it really a deal breaker?
So I have been trying to prepare. The running I have found has quite a big impact on day to day life for 2 reasons - 1) the training schedule is always hanging over you - and it is time consuming and 2) more significantly I have found the running draining - and as a consequence energy for other things is affected. Having said that I have really loved the feeling of putting the effort in and the feeling you get from being depleted but sated at the end. It is a truly wonderful feeling if you have never felt it - being so tired - so stiff - but smiling and content because you have done it.
Training is of course physical - but mainly it is a mental thing - going for a run when it cold or wet - keeping going when you are out there doing it - not finding excuses (and there are always plenty of those nagging in your head). On finishing the distance you set out to do without stopping - my personal reminder - the only thing that keeps you going is not stopping. That is it.
Since the start of the year I have kept a record of the runs I have done. I have not followed any particular plan but just done what I could manage and what felt about right.. Here it is :
| MARATHON TRAINING RECORD | |||||||
| DATE | COURSE | DISTANCE | TIME | TIME | CALORIES | TOTAL | TOTAL |
| (MILES) | PER MILE | MILES | CALORIES | ||||
| 2017 | RUN | BURNED | |||||
| JAN | |||||||
| 3 | SEAVIEW FISHBOURNE | 10 | 1.55.00 | 11.35 | 1171 | ||
| 5 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.43.05 | 10.45 | 489 | ||
| 6 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.41.43 | 10.28 | 482 | ||
| 9 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.45.34 | 11.27 | 477 | ||
| 10 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.45.34 | 11.27 | 477 | ||
| 11 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.47.05 | 11.41 | 474 | ||
| 13 | ALDERBURY | 10 | 1.48.40 | 10.47 | 1201 | ||
| 16 | HAMLIN LANE EXETER X 3 | 4 | 0.45.48 | 11.27 | 471 | ||
| 17 | HAMLIN LANE EXETER X 3 | 4 | 0.47.29 | 11.45 | 464 | ||
| 19 | HAMLIN LANE EXETER X 1 | 1 | 0.15.53 | 11.26 | 167 | ||
| 21 | HAMLIN LANE EXETER X 1 | 1 | 0.16.07 | 11.36 | 167 | ||
| 22 | FARNBOROUGH HALF | 13 | 2.21.09 | 10.43 | 1547 | ||
| 28 | SHIDE SANDOWN RETURN | 17 | 3.40.03 | 12.57 | 1705 | 81 | 9292 |
| FEB | |||||||
| 1 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.45.19 | 11.27 | 471 | ||
| 4 | ALDERBURY | 8 | 1.34.00 | 11.17 | 966 | ||
| 8 | RYDE GOLF COURSE | 7 | 1.10.14 | 10.44 | 782 | ||
| 9 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.41.09 | 10.22 | 477 | ||
| 11 | SANDOWN NEWPORT RET | 16 | 3.05.50 | 11.35 | 1817 | ||
| 19 | BRAMLEY 20 | 20 | 4.11.18 | 12.30 | 2117 | ||
| 22 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.42.49 | 10.41 | 480 | ||
| 23 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.43.41 | 10.57 | 484 | ||
| 24 | SANDOWN NEWPORT RET | 10 | 1.44.30 | 10.27 | 1210 | ||
| 26 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.45.31 | 11.21 | 481 | ||
| 27 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.43.54 | 10.49 | 485 | 85 | 9770 |
| MCH | |||||||
| 1 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.43.03 | 10.49 | 485 | ||
| 3 | SANDOWN NEWPORT RET | 16 | 3.09.25 | 11.50 | 1799 | ||
| 6 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.39.20 | 9.56 | 472 | ||
| 7 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.38.04 | 9.36 | 471 | ||
| 9 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.41.03 | 10.16 | 484 | ||
| 11 | SANDOWN NEWPORT RET | 20 | 4.08.11 | 12.25 | 2084 | ||
| 18 | SANDOWN NEWPORT RET | 8 | 1.31.07 | 11.25 | 946 | ||
| 19 | SANDOWN NEWPORT RET | 16 | 3.01.00 | 12.00 | 1940 | ||
| 21 | RYDE BOATING LAKE | 4 | 0.41.22 | 10.22 | 480 | ||
| 24 | HAMLIN LANE EXETER X3 | 4 | 0.42.04 | 10.30 | 486 | ||
| 26 | HAMLIN LANE EXETER X3 | 4 | 0.41.30 | 10.23 | 479 | ||
| 27 | HAMLIN LANE EXETER X5 | 7 | 1.09.30 | 10.21 | 804 | ||
| 29 | WOODS | 2 | 0.21.47 | 10.51 | 236 | 97 | 11166 |
| APR | |||||||
| 1 | RYDE GOLF COURSE | 7 | 1.08.16 | 10.25 | 785 | ||
| 3 | WOODS | 2 | 0.22.07 | 11.08 | 236 | ||
| 5 | WOODS | 2 | 0.21.20 | 10.40 | 236 | ||
| 7 | WOODS | 2 | 0.21.12 | 10.38 | 236 | 13 | 1493 |
| TOTAL | 275 | 31721 | |||||
Ps so I have run 275 miles this year and burnt over 31000 calories (according to my Garmin watch).
So how do I feel about Sunday? There is not a static or clear answer. In all my training I have never found it comfortable running. Rarely have I had an easy mile. My times have not improved much but the distances have increased. I have run 20 miles without stopping - albeit chronically slowly. At times I have dreamt about finishing in under four and a half hours. That is not going to happen. I will be ecstatic if I can break 5 hours - I think 5.20 is more likely. I have decided not to use a watch. I don't think it helps. There will be mile posts. I am just going to run it the best I can. My mantra will be to never stop - nothing other than run - however slow the pace. It is now - really only about finishing, While I feel like I am going into an exam having not done enough preparation - I can do this - touchwood. I read something the other day in a book about the Clipper sailing race - a quote - it is general to life. It captures brilliantly - encapsulates what I know. Made me feel emotional. It was " the rewards for those who persevere far outweigh the pain that must precede victory " (Ted W Engstrom).
I am looking forward to running around Paris and I know finishing up the Champs-Elysées and under the Arc de Triomphe will be amazing whatever the time - as long as I finish having done my best - it will mean a lot to me. I feel nervous - a bit anxious - a bit scared even - a bit foolhardy maybe (especially if it goes wrong) - but I said to myself years ago I was going to run a marathon - so I feel I want to do one to get what has become a monkey on my back - off my back - and I will be very satisfied to achieve it - because stating the obvious - it is still a real challenge for the average person. And Engstrom's words above are true. Fingers crossed. Touch wood. xxxxxxx
So how do I feel about Sunday? There is not a static or clear answer. In all my training I have never found it comfortable running. Rarely have I had an easy mile. My times have not improved much but the distances have increased. I have run 20 miles without stopping - albeit chronically slowly. At times I have dreamt about finishing in under four and a half hours. That is not going to happen. I will be ecstatic if I can break 5 hours - I think 5.20 is more likely. I have decided not to use a watch. I don't think it helps. There will be mile posts. I am just going to run it the best I can. My mantra will be to never stop - nothing other than run - however slow the pace. It is now - really only about finishing, While I feel like I am going into an exam having not done enough preparation - I can do this - touchwood. I read something the other day in a book about the Clipper sailing race - a quote - it is general to life. It captures brilliantly - encapsulates what I know. Made me feel emotional. It was " the rewards for those who persevere far outweigh the pain that must precede victory " (Ted W Engstrom).
I am looking forward to running around Paris and I know finishing up the Champs-Elysées and under the Arc de Triomphe will be amazing whatever the time - as long as I finish having done my best - it will mean a lot to me. I feel nervous - a bit anxious - a bit scared even - a bit foolhardy maybe (especially if it goes wrong) - but I said to myself years ago I was going to run a marathon - so I feel I want to do one to get what has become a monkey on my back - off my back - and I will be very satisfied to achieve it - because stating the obvious - it is still a real challenge for the average person. And Engstrom's words above are true. Fingers crossed. Touch wood. xxxxxxx
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