Last Long One

Ok, so this weekend is the start of Tapering, and for those that don't know, this is when you start to ease off the running to let your body prepare for the actual marathon.  

The idea is that you have done all the training you need to do by now, and the next 2 weeks the body can replenish some of the carbs ready for the run and rest the muscles in preparation.  However, at various points during the day I have a deep desire to go and do a long run, these times normally coincide with me thinking about how ill-prepared I am for the marathon, or when someone asks how the training is going.  But I've been told that I should taper, and that going and running 18-20 miles now will not help.  I really do wish that I'd done that long run.

Still, at the weekend I met my schedule halfway and rather than (as I wanted to) push myself onto my longest run yet, I did 14 miles, which was a bit more than the schedule said to do, but less than I wanted to, and I did it and felt pretty comfortable.  In fact (and I may regret this) I actually felt like I could run a marathon.

My route was different too, and I think this might have helped a lot.  We were staying in Poole, for the Mother-in-laws birthday (don't worry mum I won't mention your age here), and as the party didn't start until 2:30, I took myself off in the morning for a very gentle (as the schedule said) run down to Poole Quay, and along the coast.

This proved to be a very nice route (with the exception of low tide and a smell that nearly had my toast reappearing) along the quay, through Poole Park, and up Evening Hill with it's lovely views of Brownsea Island and the beach.  The I turned round and ran back home.

The run back was less fun, 1) because I'd seen it all on the way out, 2) because the streets were busier, and my invisibility cloak seems to work in Poole as well, as no one could see me, and 3) because the last 3 miles were up hill.  

The good news:  no chafing of the thighs (thanks to all at bodyglide for there tireless research), no bleeding nipples (thanks to all at elastoplast for their tireless research), but stupid here forgot his socks, so whilst breaking in new running shoes for the marathon, I sustained a blister to the end of my big toe and took the skin off the back of my heal just around the top of my trainer, luckily though I didn't notice either until I got home, and I guess that should be them broken in.

I wasn't fast, but I did it, in about 2:30, which still has me on target for a 5 hour marathon, but I have decided that I am really going to be looking for inspiration from the crowd to lift me on to the finish, probably from about mile 2!