Tuesday 3 July 2012

151.22km

151.22 km. That’s how far I’ve run in the last 10 weeks. I have been on 42 runs, for a total of 20 hours and 22 minutes. Small runs that add up to quite a lot and I’m pretty proud to have stuck to it.
Or at least I was. Then I had this conversation:

Me: How many times have you actually been out and done a road run in the last ten weeks?
Steve (evasive): Oh, a few. Ummm. I’ve been to the gym quite a bit. You know. Treadmill

Me: Sure, but not for ages. And anyway, treadmills are different. How much street running have you done?

Him (still evasive): Yeah, some. <Sigh> Ok, about 4
Me: 4?? Long runs?

Him: ‘Bout 30 minutes.
Me (bit worried about his knees): I really think you should go out today and see how you go – we only have a week left

Him (resigned): Yeah, good idea. I’ll go now
50 minute pause

 Me (Shrill): “9k in 50 minutes? After 4 training runs and the odd trip to the gym? I HATE YOU” <Sobs>
Him (Like a man drowning): “Wow, your legs have really changed shape, you know, they look lovely.”

It really doesn’t seem fair that after 10 weeks of grinding misery with flashes of only a bit awful to keep me going I am still not 100% sure that I’m going to be able to run the full 10k whereas the git I’m married to does a few half-hearted jogs around town and somehow retains a level of running ability that I am unlikely to see in my lifetime.

And don’t give me any tortoise/hare shit because although it’s true that Steve could sleep on a fencepost if he wanted to, he isn’t likely to in the middle of the 10k and will prance happily over the finish line a good 20 minutes before I do.
Mind you, considering how much I’ve hated the training so far, the 10k has come round mighty quick and I find myself wishing for a few more days to prepare.
It’s next Sunday. The longest run I’ve done in my preparation (and possibly the best run I’ve done, if it’s possible to rank 42 horrible things to find a best) is 67 minutes. Although I’d dearly like to achieve my target of 1 hour 15 minutes, I’m not expecting to do it on this occasion – I shall be happy with 1 hour 20 and have signed up for a second 10k in September that I hope to do faster.
And I guess, despite the misery and the fear that I’ll fail and the grinding boredom of the training, it has actually helped to take people’s advice and look at how far I’ve come.* I began my training with Walk/Run of 3 minute intervals. When I started, I had never in my life run for longer than 30 minutes. 5 weeks ago, a 25 minute run had me puking in the gutter. Today, 25 minutes is my ‘short’ run. I am a little bit faster. I can run for a lot longer.
And there was this one time....just one.... I was 45 minutes in to a 67 minute run about 10 days ago, and I suddenly realised that I was on autopilot. I realised my breathing was steady, my legs were fine and I was just getting on with it. I only about 67%** hated it, I could probably keep going for a very long time*** if necessary and I was actually…well…reasonably comfortable****.
Of course every run since that point has felt worse than ever, because running appears to be a bitch that way. But I hold on to that moment and I think I can do a 10k. I’m nervous and anxious and feel a bit sick. I’m stressed about the fact that I still don’t have my race pack because the ‘organisers’ of the Great British 10k would struggle to organise their way out of a paper bag (“Powered by Nike” my arse, powered by two idiots in a basement without a clue about customer service is more like it) but I am not going to give up and hide under the duvet.*****
And if I can’t run all the way this time, I will try again another time. And again, until I do. And then I’ll do the half marathon. And if I don’t get that right the first time I’ll keep going  til I do.
And, incidentally, my legs are looking bloody great******


PS Thank you so much to those of you who have sponsored me so far - I really appreciate it. I'm running for Brook - more info in the top right corner there - and you can sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/hilliershitthetarmac



 



* You see, Steve, Anna, Penny, Huw, Vicky, Dave – I do listen.
** 98%
*** A bit longer if I really had to
**** Not weeping
***** Probably
****** Apparently

1 comment:

  1. Love your footnotes – love the sparkly asterisks - when you run, puffs of colourful asterisks chase each other around in the speech bubbbles above your head and, as each foot lands, multicoloured sparkling asterisks burst and light up all our lives. Thank you!

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