Sunshine

This time in two weeks it's all over!! Eeeeek!!!

Friday was the last of the big runs. It was a bit of a departure from the schedule but having missed the long ones back during Footgate I just felt I needed to get one more decent distance under my belt. So I did a 13 miles in what was yet again freezing cold, wind and yes, you've guessed it....snow. I mean, really?! It was quite hard going which worried me a bit - how can I do twice the distance if 13 feels so tough - and feels way tougher than when I did the half marathon all those weeks ago and am supposed to be fitter than that now? Hmm. Will just blame it on the weather I think. 

A nice route though on the Groombridge to East Grinstead cycle path. A flat route. Flat is good!! I was momentarily distracted from my weather related grumpiness when I ran past a field of people camping. Camping???!!!! I happen to like camping but seriously - it is waaaay too cold for that kind of thing. Camping is for August. People of Britain - snow and camping equals not ok. Get yourselves somewhere warm with some walls.

Also felt very bad on that run as had been very grumpy due to snow before leaving the house which was very unfair to my lovely Mum who was spending that few hours looking after the boys and dutifully making sock puppets and keeping them entertained. Sorry Mum! Mum also brought me one of those sporty restore your energy type drinks to try - which was very nice of her, but again I was all grumpy and said "but it's blue". I'm sure it's fantastic stuff but I just can't see how something blue could be good for me. But it was actually quite good. Only drawback was it made me, um well, burp a bit. Sorry to say but no other way to put it. So might have to shelve the blue drink just in case I happen to get stopped by the BBC as it would never do to burp at Sue Barker - that's like treason or something?!

Back to the schedule since then and that meant a 90 minute run on Sunday. Knees were a bit unhappy with all this running about so I did half of that on the cross trainer. And now, rather excitingly, I don't have to do more than an hour. I like this tapering malarkey. And now I'm the kind of smug arse who says things like "only" running for an hour. "Just an hour. Pah!" Still, it won't be long before normal service is resumed and the prospect of running for an hour has me reaching for the biscuits/excuses/other pressing matters that are way more important than exercise.

Of course there is also one more run that is quite significantly more than an hour but am trying not to think about that. Pace wise my running app kindly informs me that I am running at around 9.30 per mile (that's minutes, not hours) so looking at taking about four and a half hours. My, that sounds like a long time to be running!

Donations and messages have continued to come in in a way that has been profoundly moving and heartwarming and I couldn't be more grateful. I now have so very many reasons to get round this thing - it has been unbelievable. Thank you.

Some great advice coming in with those too. Alan, your advice regarding ensuring that in the unfortunate event that all thpse miles gets a bit much I am well prepped to aid bystanders who are trying to help me while the emergency services are on their way has all been noted. I will wear said white shirt with arrow pointing to where my heart is. Alan also gave me the following advice. 

"Also, you may want to think about putting an X over your lips w/ the inscription "Don't even think about it!" since it has been shown that mouth-to-mouth (M-T-M) resuscitation isn't necessary or more beneficial than chest compression alone.  Plus, you don't want to start gagging when some old guy w/ a beer breath is trying to administer M-T-M."

I'll be taking all the advice on board - thanks Alan. Although I will have to add a make exceptions for Ryan Gosling clause to that last bit. You never know...

A few of you have asked whether Craig is running too and the answer is sadly not. We had always hoped to do this together but he has quite literally found his achilles heel so long distance running is out for him at least for now. He has a plan to do his big thing though. And to be honest to have both somehow got this training done would have been really tough - just not enough hours in the day. So on marathon day Craig will be having to keep our boys entertained in the middle of a huge crowd where it's miles to the nearest loo / place to eat / something that would entertain a child - so believe me he has by far the hardest task on the day! Friends and family will be with him though so am sure it will all be fine!

It was sunny today! And yesterday!! This is good. Not too much sun - a heatwave would be unhelpful. But sunshine makes me actually feel like going running rater than wishing I was on the sofa - so more of that please. Marathon or no marathon we are all enjoying the sunshine!

It's getting late and my pact with myself is to be in bed by 10pm in the lead up to this. So off I jolly well pop - see you soon for a getting ever closer update!

Night
xx