Twenty-four days to go

Hello!

So, there are twenty four days to go before the Virgin London Marathon. Phew.

So far this year (basically since I found out I had a place, and according to my Nike+ – more on that later) I’ve run a total of 374.81 miles in 55 runs and burnt 42,803 calories. Norwich to Edinburgh is 360 miles.

Training had been going pretty well, using my Nike+ as a guide to pacing and distance along with that all-important ‘time on your feet’. My longest run was a couple of Sundays ago where I managed 19.2 miles in 2 hours and 55minutes. My target time for the marathon is between 4 hours and 4 hours 30 minutes, so that gave me over 90 minutes to do the last seven miles, more than enough.

Last week on a speed session, I noticed that my running compadre’s Garmin and my Nike+ were showing different pace by around 30 seconds. I was safe in the knowledge that my Nike+ was around 8 minute miles, and yet the Garmin wasn’t registering below 8.30. We calibrated the Nike+ on a 1km stretch of road at the beginning of this week, and found that it was showing .67 of a mile when a km is .62.

Not to get too geeky about the stats, but this meant that on my 10 mile run yesterday, after being comfortable at 9 minute and even 8.30 minute miles for the last six weeks of my training, I discover that my comfortable pace is actually 9.30. Added to that, it might mean that the long runs I’ve been doing have been short.  Not by much, but 30 seconds for each mile is ten minutes over 20 miles.

I’m really trying hard to see the upside:

• At least I didn’t find out on marathon day, and was disappointed when the mile markers crept farther away.
• I tell myself that I have not lost 45-60 seconds a mile overnight, I’m exactly where I used to be.
• Besides, one long run last night when I’ve had a really tough weekend is not indicative of pace for every run.
• Also, I’ve run a really long way, further than I had ever thought possible.
• My parkrun PB is now sub 25, so the training I have done has improved my speed beyond what I thought I was capable of.
• My fundraising page  for Mind   is showing that the target is within reach, and I have been blown away by the generosity of people. Even if I have to walk the whole thing, I’m doing it, for them, for Mind, for all of the people affected by mental illness who are too ashamed or afraid to speak out.

I’ve got one last long run to do, on Sunday, of 21 miles. I’m going to run it nice and easy, ignore the pace numbers and see how I feel throughout. As I said, it’s all bout time on your feet, right?

Before that though, I’m doing the National Lottery Olympic Park Run!

I’m pretty excited about it – it’s a 5 mile run through the Olympic village and it finishes in the Olympic Stadium. Inside, on the track! I plan to get Mr Charming to take lots and lots of photos. Well, as long as we’re allowed. I’ll definitely take a photo of me in my t-shirt, probably with the medal too.

Sorry about the whingy post! I’ll make sure the next one’s a bit more upbeat.