Written by Phil Cairns
I’ve been procrastinating over this post (as ever, sorry Amber…) as I don’t have much to write. It’s been an incident-free last couple of weeks of training so I don’t have a lot to report. The most notable event was having an incredibly early first marathon anxiety dream. About 10 days before race day, I dreamt I arrived at the start and was first in the pen, and then got anxious about where in the vast, empty pen it was best to position myself. In hindsight, I perhaps should have been more worried about why there was no one else there.
I did my final long run (18 miles) three weeks out. I still felt a bit fatigued post-Riverside 20, but it went fine. I put in another reasonably solid following week, culminating in 14 miles that included the Sunday morning club run. And I’ve finished with a 2-week taper where I’ve done very little.
I have to say that I find getting to the taper, finishing the training injury-free and earning the right to taper, almost as satisfying as finishing the marathon itself. 16 weeks of training is such an epic commitment, and fitting it in around work and life stuff is never straightforward. A different form of marathon, but very much its own marathon effort, and I always feel so thrilled and relieved to hit that marker.
But of course, the thrill doesn’t last long. After about three days, the guilt kicks in that I’m not doing enough. Swiftly followed by the anxiety whenever anyone coughs or blows their nose in a 30-yard radius of me. Is it too much to attend the Expo in full hazmat gear?
As a London Marathon first timer, it was good to have a quick chat to Harry Claxton at Gunnersbury Park Run last weekend about gel strategy and how much of a bunfight the water stations are. The weather forecast for Sunday seems to be getting warmer as the week progresses, but I think I’m still going to stick to plan a of taking my own gels and relying on the water stations to hydrate.
I’ve run 513½ miles since Liz Ainsworth sent me the message from the Christmas party to say my name had been drawn out of the hat and I’d won the ballot place. Thanks to all the coaches who ran track sessions through the winter. Thanks to everyone who’s kept me company on club runs over the last few months. Thanks to anyone who’s read or commented on one of these blog posts. And thanks in advance to everyone coming out to mile 23 on Sunday. I hope I can still muster a smile of appreciation by that point.
And best of luck to everyone running at London or Manchester this weekend. Excited! Let’s do this!