I was too despondent to post a message last night as my run had gone so badly. The plan was 10 miles, but I started to droop after just a mile or two. I actually felt sleepy while running – that has to be a first for me. It set me wondering. You hear about people falling asleep at the wheel of a car. Has anyone ever fallen asleep while out running? Suddenly woken up in a bush or a ditch, and realised they’d dropped off a half mile back?
I’d struggled on for another mile before I had to stop and walk. I never found any rhythm and instead of a 10 mile run it turned into a 5 mile run-walk, with the 10 miler pushed onto today instead.
But what a great run this evening! Not especially fast at 1 hour 55 (that’s 11:30 a mile) but the first hour was splendidly warm and sunny, and the second half dark but still pleasantly mild. For most of the run I felt strong and steady. I tired towards the end but this was probably down to dehydration as much as anything. Now that I’ve had the experience of running two organised half marathons with water stops, I’ve come to see the benefit of fluid intake on longer runs. My body needed a drink after 5 miles but didn’t get one till I got home – another 5 miles further on. It has a debilitating effect, both mentally and physically, I’ve no doubt.
This was the longest midweek run in the training programme. On Sunday I have my longest weekend training run before the race itself. Twenty miles. I’ve entered a 20 mile road race in WOrthing, on the Sussex coast. Mixed feelings. The sea air should make it a different experience, though the course is one 5 mile circuit run 4 times. This may be a mixed blessing, helping to break it down into chunks. Psychologically important. But the distance itself is formidable. I felt tired when I got back this evening, and Sunday’s race is double that distance. But a run of this distance is, they say, critically important for marathon trainees, so it has to be done. And with better preparation and regular watering, it probably won’t be as bad as my nightmares suggest.
After Sunday comes the taper, the period when the mileage drops to prepare the body for the exertions of April 14th. I’m approaching this 3 week period of relative tranquility with an almost Buddhist-like sense of philosophical acceptance. The calm before the storm.
Fortunately, I love a good storm…
