I’ve had a very busy week at work and home with not really enough sleep but even so I have managed to cram in a decent amount of miles running. On top of this I have a grotty cold. So this morning I was finding it very hard to get out of my warm bed into the cold bedroom before even starting to contemplate getting ready to run a marathon. Part of me was saying don’t bother, you need a rest and wait to get over your cold before going for your next run. I did stay in bed an extra few minutes but then ignored the negative voices and crawled out of bed.
Shortly after setting off to the race and just before I got onto the M6 near Warrington a red warning light appeared on my car dash board. I have quite a technically clever car (which sometimes makes it very annoying), today it was telling me I had a flat tyre. Was this fate telling me to turn round, go home and back to my warm bed? Cutting a long story short I changed course into Warrington, found a petrol station checked my tyres. One of the rear ones was a bit low, I pumped it up. I was now running out of time to get to the race, should I take a chance and go or listen to the little tired voices in my head saying go home and rest, don’t take the risk. I silenced the gremlins and drove to the Holly Challenge Marathon in Telford, making it with only 10 minutes to spare. Luckily the tyre didn’t go down again.
This race is 32 laps of a pretty little lane with 2 hills in each lap which makes for 64 small hills and one pretty tough marathon! During the first half I got myself in a steady rhythm which I pushed on with during the second half to produce even splits. I was pleased my cold didn’t interfere too much with my running and I finally finished in 3 hours 48 minutes, coming a surprising 3rd! Today has shown how sometimes it’s not just the physical fitness that is important to run a marathon but a strong mental attitude. I could have easily and justifiably quit at several points today but didn’t.
This is what 10 marathons in 10 days training is all about, we need to prepare our mind to be mentally strong enough so we never give up even when we are extremely tired and our bodies hurt all over, which is where most normal people would probably throw in the towel. Yes we still have to do the traditionally expected training of many long runs and marathons but preparing mentally is also extremely important. And today was one of those mental training tests.
I feel the need to also mention my most enjoyable moment of the day which was the 80’s music being played at the check point as I passed each lap. Well I suppose it was actually 31 moments. I really enjoyed reminiscing to the tunes and calling out the artists to the ones I could remember, which I pleased to announce was most of them as I passed each lap.
Tomorrow is Grizedale marathon so it is 2 marathons in 2 days which moves my training up a notch both mentally and physically for the 10 in 10 which is now only 3 month’s away.
