Run Fatboy Run. by arminakas

So its been two weeks since I last posted on here...  Needless to say, working away from home is not condusive to updating the blog; there's not enough hours in the day.!!

Any hoo... I did it, I did it, I did it...  I got around the Half Marathon, proof is here, in the respectable time of 2'20"27.  Although my goal was for a 10min/mile result, I figured if I get round, its just as good a success. 

Oh My God.  The nerves were a nightmare.  I'd taken my family for support, for which I'd like to thank them for coming to support me in the freezing cold wind on Mothering Sunday.  I'm still not sure who was more nervous, them or me!! There seemed to be more clothes than you could shake a stick at

The first lap was great, couldn't help but laugh at all of the blokes that took any and every opportunity to relieve themselves at the side of the track, even on the first bend!! Maybe I was a little over enthusiatic having overtaken the 10 min/mile marker after 2 miles.  Having said that, once the course veered off around the grounds and out-houses, all perspective was thrown out of the window.  The 10 min/mile marker overtook me at around 6.5 miles mark, followed a mile later by the caterpillarrun team.  I got the sudden realisation at 12 miles that I could walk as fast as I was jogging, but then the Fratellis kicked in followed by Guns 'n' Roses - Live and Let Die.  Just what I needed for the last mile, I'd found my 13th wind!! Muscles screaming, I kicked it back up a gear to the finish.

Wasn't quite expecting the rush of relief at the finish line though...  Emotion overload.  And that's before I put the medal on.!!  If that's what I get for a half marathon, I can only imagine the blubbering wreck I'm going to become after the full marathon...

I think the only downside of the day was the rather sporadic sprinkling of marshalls dotted around the track giving a half hearted rally to the runners. I can seriously understand why people wouldn't want to give up their Mothering Sunday either pampering or being pampered in order to sit/stand out in the middle of a racetrack with a freezing cold wind blowing through the soul.  Still, my heartfelt thanks goes out to those people too.  I know how cold it was out there and to stand around in that for 4/5 hours must have been an endurance test in itself.

So I think it's fair to say that I now have an inkling of what to expect from the marathon.  I know that I have a whole load more training to do and I need more stamina in the backs of my legs to keep going the distance, but I know that at the very least I'll finish.

As for the pains..   Well, my achilles seems to have improved massively with distance use by some strange quirk of fate.  Certainly it doesn't hurt any more than it did before, although I think there may be some delayed onset occuring.  Other than that, my back and the top outside of my shins hurt so much it stopped me from walking for the day after Silverstone, but it seems to have died down now.  Its definitely improved with use.  Putting all things into perspective, I've recovered from the half marathon quicker than I recovered from the 9 mile run the week before.

Fingers crossed...