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Adelaide Marathon Campaign - Week 2 of 16
Ay, well here's the rub. The tricky part of running is this: a week ago, I ran 11km comfortably in 61 minutes. Today, I jogged a painful, suffering 12 km in 85 minutes... much, much slower and with considerable distress and discomfort. What's the difference? Why the drastic change in such a short span of time?
I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that when I analysed it, I did actually run it physically quite well - it was only my head that wanted to quit. My brain it seems is the weak link.
Of course it wasn't helped by the fact that at the very same time as I was running, the Australian cricket team was being demolished by the West Indian bowlers in the closing stages of day three of the first test. But that is just an excuse. The reality is that I ran into my first major mental hurdle of this campaign; and I'm pleased to report that somehow I managed to survive. 12 km in 85 minutes is no great feat of course, but actually running non-stop for 85 minutes when your mind is screaming "Nooooooooooooooooo" isn't actually too bad an effort, so in that regard I am happy.
Even better, I felt ludicrously, deliriously buoyant for the rest of the day, as if I'd scaled Everest or something. In fact I was dangerous! Regrettably, no-one asked, and I had no reason to tell anyone of my great achievement, so you, gentle viewer, are the rare recipient of this good news that running is indeed a brilliant, mind-altering experience that can transform your day into abject amazingness. It is now some 15 hours since I completed my humble, yet transcendent run, and I am still buzzing with the effort.
Sometimes, it seems the best-fought fights are with yourself!
Week 2 Totals:
Run: 26 km
Bike: 60 mins
Walk: 30 mins
Weights: 15 mins
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Adelaide Marathon Campaign - Week 2 of 16
