April 2012

[marathondan]

Went out for a quick tarmac mile last night to check progress. The "foot issue" is still definitely there, twinging with every step, although I was able to run evenly and fairly comfortably. So I think I'm going to go with Plan A and just hope it holds out for the day. I guess I'm not the first person to go into a marathon with a touch-and-go injury worry, and I won't be the last. I'm aware that such stories often don't have happy endings, but there's a time to be conservative and a time to go for it, and I feel this is the latter. With all the other twinges I've had this campaign, it wouldn't hurt to have 6 months off running, if I can just make it through the day.

After starting gently I moved up to a steady clip, at what felt like target race pace, and the speed didn't seem to have much effect on the foot. But it is affected by steep cambers, nasty bumps and sudden changes of direction. That might not be compatible with the ducking and weaving I need to do to make quick progress in the early stages of London. But Sweder's heroics at Brighton have re-convinced me that it's possible to go out at a much quicker pace than in training, and hang on. That is, if I have the staying power of the "Lewes Machine".

It's surreal that this wasn't even on my radar until a fortnight before the race. Until then, I had my back earmarked as the likely cause of breakdown. But these things happen, in running and in life.

But after a week of no running, and another such week to come, I feel fresh as a daisy. Let's just hope I can do the basic thing of putting one foot in front of the other on Sunday.