2 Days To Go - Definitely The Last One

Date & Time : 23/04/10 18:00
Distance : 2.5 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 563.5 miles
Route & stats : Home from Work

Just one more run.  Hadn't planned to run this week, apart from Sunday that is, however have been hitting the carbs hard this week and was feeling a little carbo overloaded so decided to run home from work.  Glad I did as it was nice to get the legs turning over again.

I went to the Expo on Wednesday and got my race number and timing chip which all makes it feel so much more real now.

The bags are packed and we're on our way down to London in the morning, then it will be a case of relaxing in the afternoon while Lorraine and the girls go off to the Science Museum and then out for a pasta meal with my fellow Virgin Money runners then hopefully a decent nights sleep before a very early start on Sunday morning.

Final mention in this last blog entry before the race must go to all the friends, family and colleagues that have so generously donated to my fund raising page - at last count the total including gift aid was £1,824 which is just amazing ..... so once again thank you all so much, if you ask nicely I might let you wear my medal for a day.

7 Days To Go - The Last Run

Date & Time : 18/04/10 08:45
Distance : 10.5 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 561 miles
Route & Stats : Big Broad and White Horse Lane

At last the training is finished.  And what a great way to sign off with a run around the Big Broad on a glorious Sunday morning - such a contrast to some of those winter runs in snow, hail, sleet and rain.  Fortunately for me and unfortunately for them Issy and Ellie's hockey tournament was cancelled so I could get out before it got too warm.  Apart from the first mile which was a bit laboured, the run went really well and I was surprised at how quickly the miles ticked by.  I managed a nice steady consistent pace pretty much bang on the pace I hope to complete most of the marathon at - 9m 40s per mile.

I found a marathon pace calculator online, the output of which is below.  So if all goes to plan I will be finishing in 4h 21m 28s on the basis that I run the first 18 miles at 9m 40s and the last 8 miles at 10m 40s per mile.

With regards to setting targets, several experienced marathon runners have told me that it's a really good idea to set yourself some objectives for the race, so here are mine in the order of priority,

1. get to the start
2. get to the finish
3. smile as I cross the finish line (very important for the photo apparently)
4. run across the finish line
5. run the the whole race (i.e. don't walk)
6. finish in less than 5 hours
7. finish in less than 4.5 hours
8. finish in less than 4 hours (don't think this is achieveable but got to have a stretch target)

Now if I managed to achieve objectives 1-7 then I would consider that job done and done well.  However, I will be pretty pleased just to complete 1 and 2 to be honest.

One final piece of news to report - virtually all my niggles, particularly my dodgy right knee have all but disappeared, only to be replaced by toothache - come on marathon gods, give me a break!

11 Days To Go - Don't Panic Mr Mainwaring

Date & Time : 14/04/10 18:15
Distance : 4.5 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 550.5 miles
Route & Stats : Big Broad

Just a short leg loosener tonight around the Big Broad at Whittlingham Lane.   It was a lovely evening and a delight to run in the late evening sunshine.  I'm pleased to report no knee problems either and I am becoming less and less worried about my knees as each day passes.

However, I am pretty much worrying about everything else as the big day get's ever closer.  I wonder if every marathon first timer goes through this period of self doubt?  Here are just a few of the questions that are constantly going through my mind.  Have I done enough training?  Will I make it to the finish?  Will I make it to the start?  What if I get ill or injured in the next few days?

And the worst thing is from a training point of view I'm past the point where I can do anything about it.  There is no point doing anymore long runs now it won't make any difference, in fact it will be damaging.  The wheels are in motion and cannot be stopped.

However, there are other positive things that can be done. So now I am concentrating on preparing and planning so that nothing is left to chance and that I get to the start line next Sunday without any last minute drama.

Here are a few of the things I am doing,

• I decided weeks ago exactly what kit I am going to wear on the day - I have two variations depending on the weather, both of which I have practiced in
• I know exactly what I am going to eat on the morning of the race and I have practiced that too ... many times
• The night before the race I am eating in Zizzi's - it's been booked for a few weeks, and on Saturday night this week guess where I am going out to dinner?  Yep, Zizzi in Norwich and guess what I am going to eat - exactly the same as the night before the race
• I am stretching religiously everynight, particularly the backs of my legs - calves and hamstrings
• I am going to the Expo on the first day it opens next Wednesday to get registration out of the way as soon as I can - one less thing to worry about
• This Sunday I will get up at exactly the same time as I plan to on the day of the race and go through exactly the same routine as next Sunday (except the Tube journey to the start, I'll have to improvise that)
• I've started rubbing surgical spirit onto the bottom of my feet to toughen up the skin
• I've even become an obsessive collector of safety pins - I just can't walk past one without picking it up and putting it in my running kit

You might think that all this is a bit over the top and you'd probably be right, but as I said above I can't do anymore long training runs, but I don't want to have any other excuses for not being as best prepared as I possibly can come 9.45am next Sunday morning when the gun goes.

I will probably look and feel like one of the cast of Dad's Army when I cross the line next Sunday, but all that matters is crossing the line ...... so don't be a stupid boy Pike and don't panic Mr Mainwaring!

    

14 Days To Go - Come On You Yellows

Date & Time : 11/04/10 10:15
Distance : 12.5 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 546 miles
Route & Stats : Colney and Back

I didn't run during the week to give me knees a chance to recover a bit. So I was bursting to get out at the weekend for a decent training run.   I decided to run out to Norwich City's training facility at Colney Lane to watch my nephew Tom play for Norwich under 12's against Arsenal.  It also gave me a chance to catch up with my brother Harvey, who I haven't seen for ages.  It gave me the opportunity to remind him that he hadn't sponsored me yet - it worked!  Thanks for the £50 bruv.

It was a good game.  Norwich played well and initially took the lead, but to be fair the Arsenal lads were a class above.  Their passing and moving one and two touch play was a delight to watch and some of individual skills on display were excellent.  Final score was 3-1 to Arsenal.  Tom has been a regular in the the U12s this year and as far as I can gather, he's been one of the best players in the squad.  He finds out on Wednesday this week if he is going to remain in the academy for another season, so fingers crossed.

The run itself was great.  Weather was perfect, bright blue sky, not too hot and a nice cooling breeze - give me this for the marathon any day.  I looked a bit of a state with both knees strapped and an ankle support, but the extra support around the knees worked really well and I didn't feel any pain or discomfort at all.  My average pace for the 6 miles out was 8:42 min miles which is pretty good for me and it felt great.   I took it a bit slower on the way back but again it was a reasonably good pace averaging 9:02 for the full 12.5 miles.

This was just what I needed, a really good solid run.  No injuries or niggles (well nothing a quick ice pack on my right ankle couldn't sort out).   Not sure if I'll run during the week again or just stick to a couple of cross training sessions.  I'll definitely be out at the weekend though for my last, yes last, training run before the big day.

I also managed to complete another major task this week - I ironed my name onto the front of my running vest without screwing it up - result.  I fully expected to lash it up and/or melt the vest, but it actually worked out really well - maybe, just maybe, running this marathon is going to be OK!

23 Days To Go - The Long Good Friday

Date & Time : 02/04/10 09:30
Distance : 18.5 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 533.5 miles
Route & Stats : Trowse & Whittlingham Lane Loops

So this was it, the last long run before the much awaited taper towards the marathon.  I was a little apprehensive going into the run having had a sore knee following last weeks off road run along Wherrymans Way.  Joining me for this last long one were fellow marathon hopefuls Michael and Moses from work, and it was great to have some company, as these long runs have become ever more tedious.

I had loaded up with carbs the night before, demolishing a huge bowl of wholemeal pasta.

 

I woke to find that my knee was almost completely pain free and by the time I had gone through my normal pre-run routine - cup of tea, two rounds of toast and marmalade, a bowl of cereal, two ibuprofen, two immodium and a bottle of lucozade sport body fuel - I was feeling pretty good.

The route we had chosen was basically a figure of eight from Whittlingham Lane out onto the Kirby Bedon road and back and then out on Martineau Lane and back down White Horse Road.   This meant we could leave drinks at the cross over point and take a few minutes breather between loops.  However, I'm not sure stopping is a good idea as it really is a struggle to get going again, especially after the 3rd loop at 16 miles.

I had intended to do 20 miles, however at about 17 my right ankle really started to hurt and I decided to call it a day at 18.5 miles to avoid making it any worse.  This is annoying because I haven't had any ankle trouble for a few weeks.   After icing it and then a hot bath the pain had completely gone so hopefully no lasting damage.

Still it was a decent run and considering the number of hills along the route it was probably worth more than 18.5 miles.   So now it's the taper.  10 miles next weekend, 5 miles the weekend after that, then lots of rest, lots of food and probably lots of nerves as the big day approaches.