2019 - will one thread be enough for the whole year?

[marathondan]

That's a fine pack o'pods, EG. I don't have any commute these days and it's only the long, slow efforts where podcasts work for me during exercise. As the long runs get up to 3 hours and more they do get a bit boring, so it's good to have some entertainment. It's a great time for ears to be alive.

The >800k on the Erg does indeed sound impressive. I'm sure I speak for everyone (not just on the forum -- I mean in the entire known universe) when I say we'd like to see the return of your blog. For anything to be an interesting read, there does of course need to be some jeopardy -- there was no shortage of that in your running days, of course (not least: has he left enough time for the drive to the event?). Hikes and football matches? Hikes to football matches? Hikes in football match prices? All sounds like good blog fodder to me.

You're right that there will be no fancy dress this year and also no fundraising. After pushing beyond my limits last year, I just felt like doing it for myself and trying to enjoy it. There have been times this season where the training has felt very tough and I've wondered whether I should start rattling a virtual tin after all. Even in this age of ultras and mass participation of tough-mudders, there is still something magical about the 26.2 miles that compels people to put their hand in their pocket. So I might still do that at the last minute.

Now back to the training report... since the disappointing 19 miler, I have -- not for the first time -- been reminded what an amazing body I have. Yeah, I know! I was utterly exhausted and everything creaked, but after a couple of days I was fighting fit again and have since banged out a solid interval session and then this morning 10 miles at tempo pace. I have oft opined that this is the most satisfying run of the campaign, as a few months ago I couldn't run 10 miles at all, and now I can smash (most of) them out at a high effort.

Just the 20 miler to go, and it will be taper time. Given the two weeks' holiday break, I'll push on a little more during the taper. 3 weeks to race day.

As for the physical and emotional battering... sorry for that becoming my catchphrase but it does neatly summarise the draining aspects of the job -- whether that's stomach muscles aching from raising my voice all day, or desperately trying to avoid unleashing a torrent of verbal abuse at a persistent offender. Despite all this though, I still maintain that it beats the hell out of sitting at a desk all day, and I find it hard to believe that my daily routine just used to consist of pushing a mouse around for 8 hours. Now I get paid to play Countdown and explode hydrogen balloons. The coming term will contain huge challenges on a daily basis, and I will often feel like quitting, but overall it does feel like I'm living the dream. The yearly teaching cycle is beginning to feel a bit like my yearly marathon cycle. There seems to be something about my personality (bloody-minded, perhaps, to use an old-fashioned phrase) that suits both.