Half way. Half way to Berlin.
Really, it’s over half way as this week I’ve finished my 9th week of a 16 week training plan. Only seven more weeks to go. Now, a race that seemed so far out in the future it didn’t seem real is truly becoming a reality. Hotels have been booked, plane tickets purchased, and in the past 9 weeks I’ve accumulated enough miles to have run from Oxford to France.
Not surprisingly, it’s been pretty quiet around this space lately. One thing I’ve learned about marathon training over the recent weeks is that it is time-consuming, a big commitment that pushes other things down the to do list. When I’m not running or working or looking after the little man, I just want to go to sleep. Rest up, recover, and start again the next day.
I look back on my training for the half marathon and it feels easy. And I’ve already had moments of panic when I wonder WTF I was thinking when I signed up for this. But when I confess my doubt and panic to Coach Julia, she first says “CHILL OUT”, followed by reassurance that Yes, I can do this.
“I promise you that in a few months, years, you’ll look back and feel slightly nostalgic about the whole preparation – so enjoy!”
So the next 7 weeks will be all about enjoying the journey. I mean, I’ve been training for 9 weeks and have not had to run in the rain once. In England. Surely this is a positive sign?
And, as an unexpected bonus, marathon training has transformed the way I consume books. To combat the boredom on long solo runs, I listen to audiobooks and catch up on reading I wouldn’t have time for otherwise. (Most likely because I would just fall asleep after a few pages.) Books like the excellent but weighty Shantaram which transports me magically to India through its lyrical prose. Only 30 hours left to listen! My challenge is to finish it before Berlin.
Bring on Week 10!
