Saturday 13th February 2010 - 71 days to go



Why write a blog on my impending tilt at the London Marathon? I have been inspired (Kay) and intimidated (Russell/Michael) by the blogs of others and also the casual "just knocked out an 18 miler this morning" posts on facebook (thanks for that Russ). I admit it I'm a confirmed pessimist, I guess I want to record my experience of marathon preparation just in case (a) I fail to make it to the start line or (b) I get nowhere near my target time. Also there’s a bit of self-justification as well; Mick Brearley has drawn up a training schedule for me and already I’ve failed to stick to it. I’ve missed my first four Sunday long runs as I’ve raced instead – two PECO cross country races, a 10k and a half marathon. I reckon I’ve just about got the half marathon out of my legs and can now get on track with the training schedule.

I know my limitations enough to know I can’t run the level of mileage that others are aiming for. My training schedule is based on:

Sunday long slow run
Monday recovery run/strength & conditioning
Tuesday group session with VARR
Wednesday rest
Thursday group session with Mick
Friday strength & conditioning
Saturday 5k time trial at about marathon pace

I’m aiming to gradually increase weekly mileage from about my usual 15/20 miles a week to 40/50 maximum. OK, I admit that the Monday recovery run has so far been aspirational as all I’ve managed is a recovery limp at walking pace. Strength & conditioning sessions with Tony have been more about stretching, massage and knee rehabilitation to keep me going through races rather than building up core strength to get me through the marathon. The physio was very dismissive of my “weak core”, so I need to do something about that.

I’m bound to be the world’s worst blogger. I can’t seem to stay on track anymore and it’s getting worse. I have the concentration span of a retarded goldfish. When I was awarded a London marathon place I blithely told anyone who’d listen that I’d probably got no more than ten marathons in me at my age. Subsequent injuries, contemptuous physios and the plummet into winter depression have caused me to downgrade this to one or two. I’m determined to record my first marathon in as much detail as possible.

I have no idea what my blog will be like. Presumably some sort of variation on Bridget Jones’s Diary. I’m ok with that. I feel an (undeserved) sense of ownership as I remember reading it when it was a newspaper column. That was before The Independent became unreadable, of course. Decide to have some house rules. No quitting - I’ve started so I’ll finish (Magnusson not Humphrys); no swearing (except where strictly necessary). Can’t think of any more house rules. It won’t have any running insights; I don’t know anything about running so how could it?

So where to start? I know. I’ll put down all the thoughts that I have (& can remember) on my first long run. At the end of a training session I can’t remember anything that I’ve thought on the way round. Ask other runners and they can’t either. Sure, they’ll give you some guff about checking pace, looking at HRM etc, but how long can that take? If I’m going to be out for 2 hours 10 minutes and I’m on my own I must be thinking of something.