So my friends, I seem to find myself in the strange position of being less than three weeks away from a marathon. How did that happen? Ah, yes I remember, just under two years ago I watched all those thousands of people on the mall making to look easy and I thought, why not? and just for good measure I'll raise some cash into the bargain.
Yesterday I did my final long training run. The picture above shows me in an ice bath, a desperate measure to help my poor aching muscles, who alas are suffering from the high mileage. I'm not sure I needed to bother however, as whilst running to the owler bar roundabout in the hills above Sheffield, I was treated to a hale storm of biblical proportions. I had planned to do twenty one miles, but a combination of hills, poor weather and sheer fatigue led me to cut the run short at just over nineteen miles. I am so very very tired. The reality of fitting marathon training around being a full time doctor and mum of three is daunting, and to be honest, I am bloody proud of myself. I haven't had the time to do any extra fund raising events, and this makes me feel very guilty, especially when I receive Team Tommy's updates and see the staggering amounts raised by my team mates. I will try and raise extra funds after the race, however, for the time being I have to use all my energies on getting round in one piece!
So I now enter the Taper. This for non runners is the slow process of reducing mileage to prepare the body for the sheer challenge that awaits it. My long run next week is only 12 miles, the week after only six. Yes, you did read right, I said only 12 miles. Marathon training does strange things to you, it messes with your distance perception. My good friend Sonia (currently training for the Paris marathon) and I laugh at how we find ourselves doing half marathons on a weekly basis and these are our shorter runs. A year ago the distance was a big ask. Like I said, I am proud of my body, and what it allows me to do. I am trying to help it as much as I can, I have lost half a stone, am stretching every night and aim to use the extra time from reduced mileage to do some strength training. I have booked a sports massage at a local physio for three days before the marathon, and I have got some treatment for my niggles that are appearing on a daily basis.
I almost felt ashamed when I wrote above that I only managed nineteen miles, but hey, I RAN NINETEEN MILES! I got up, had breakfast, put on my trainers and ran nineteen mile in 3 hrs and 26 mins. Yes it hurt, but I did it, and I kept going no matter what the British weather threw at me. So while I sit back and enjoy the taper, I would be really grateful if you could make it all worth while by helping me reach my £3000 target. I am about £500 away, so every penny really counts.
Thank you as ever.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1
