luck on the day

[El Gordo]

Hey Suzie, don't beat yourself up about it. I hate to see you disappointed, and I really do sympathise. But there are many things we have control over, and the weather ain't one of them.

I think I should remind people that Suzie has casually mentioned in the past that she trains in conditions where her water bottle freezes in her hand. I remember temperatures of minus 25 degrees being mentioned.

I've always been amazed at how you well you do considering the training conditions you have to tolerate.

Weird, but one of the things we seem to like about this activity is its unpredictability, and on that day, you got dealt a bad weather hand. It happens. Like you, I can't stand the heat. For all that, you stuck at it when it got intolerable. Isn't that what the marathon is all about? You may be disappointed, but I still think you did really well in the circumstances. And you're not the only one to have struggled with the temperatures on the day.

At least you managed to enjoy some of the occasion. A bit the same with me in Boston (yeah I know, I really must post that report... :o). Tough experience but the event itself dragged me through. Mile 15 I was finished. Then ten miles of blankness. At least I was luckier than you with the weather.

Are you serious about it being your last marathon? I know you said it before, but you were turning in some very long runs in training. You seemed to be in pretty good shape. I'm also wondering whether I'll do another. They knock me for six. Maybe it'll be half marathons max from now.

Anyway, well done, and I hope we'll see you next year, in Almeria or Connemara. I agree with Antonio. A sub-2 half is a nice target for... for the senior members of the forum.