Only 10 days to go now and we’re still not halfway through the mileage yet. I’m keeping that information from my legs and just telling them that, by next Sunday, they’ll be done.
Popping out for a half marathon before breakfast will become a regular event over the next 10 days. This alone would be a daunting prospect if I didn’t have 230km on the legs already from the start of the month. Best not to think about that and take each day as it comes. Starting with this morning which was a beautiful morning again:
I honestly don’t think I could do this in the winter. The light mornings and warm weather are really helping me through. Mind you, in a week’s time, I expect I’d wish I’d done it in February and not in a leap year either.
So how are my legs? They can certainly tell they’re being put through the ringer at the moment. It’s quite different from a single ultra race though. Taking the Thames Path 100km last September, I started knowing that at some point my legs would start hurting and then deteriorate over the run. For that reason, it seemed easier to run slowly waiting for impending doom.
This is so much more of a slow burner. The distances are quite achievable on their own and I wouldn’t necessarily expect the legs to drop away 100km-style towards the end. That is if the runs are in isolation. This time though, it’s a bit like a frog not noticing the temperature of the water heating up around him before suddenly realising he’s sitting in boiling water. I’m expecting the pain to slowly creep in so one day soon my legs will just decide, “Hang on, enough is enough, what on earth are you trying to do to us?”
I could definitely feel the fatigue in my legs this morning. Then again, I only finished yesterday’s miles 12 hours previously. I’m fully running vested up now with drinks and snacks, stopping once this morning for a cereal bar and banana, by the church in Paulerspury. Also, given the state of my lockdown bed hair, the pic below is showing me in my best light:
Suddenly, being able to say that next Sunday is the end makes it feel like I’m really getting through it. After tomorrow’s 22km I’m even over halfway through the mileage. Don’t know if that’s a positive or soul destroying!
Thanks for continuing to keep track of my progress, it’s getting serious now!
Here’s the usual reminder of why I’m doing this:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/tomfanthorpe2
longruntom 
Wow… halfway through the distance with a quarter of the month to go… I can see the dilemma.
I thought about your runs this morning while I was out plodding through my measly 5K… I’m no where close to your league (and have no real desire to be); but was still motivated to keep pushing through this reconditioning period.
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Excellent, thanks for that, even if I know I’ve helped one person have more of a spring in their step then it’s all the more worthwhile.
Good luck, have you a goal in mind in terms of where you’d like to get back to?
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After last year’s half training, I thought the optimal “long” run for me is the 10K. I managed to meet/beat my goal with my first/last one the previous September. So I thought I’d try to get back on that track to improve my 10K times.
There is/was the Garden of the Gods 10 miler that I’ve thought about doing, so I may venture into that mileage.
Overall, I’d just like get back to really enjoying running… so I just have to power through the reconditioning.
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