I did the usual thing after the race in 2015, I swore that I would never run a marathon again. I fell short of declaring that I would never run again and in fact was back running two days latter with my club. I did manage to stay away from the marathon though, but only for a year. This year I hit the big Four-Oh and I felt it was right to mark the occasion with a big run, or two, or perhaps three.
Of the three marathons that I entered for this year York should have been the third and final race, but after a summer of injury and a glut of DNSs it will only be my second marathon and due to injury I'm not sure that I'm ready for it.
The year started off so well taking 12 minutes off my York Marathon time in Milton Keynes. I had visions of pushing on with my training and going for 3:45 this time around. However my knee gave out two weeks before the second scheduled marathon and all bets were off. By the time my knee had rested and recovered my training schedule was down from 16 weeks to 10, (including tapering) and I honestly thought about throwing in the towel. But on this occasion I let my heart rule over my head and persevered.
The training has gone well, but I know my body and by the time I had ramped up to a 20 mile long slow run I was feeling drained. I normally allow rest (shorter) weeks after increases in distance but time just didn't allow for it.
I am now well rested, but I feel like my last long run was a lifetime ago. My short steady taper runs, resistance runs with the buggy, and faster runs at parkrun have all gone well and I'm confident that I can hold and maintain the magical 9:09/mile pace required for a 4 hour marathon, how long I can hold it for is another matter.
Relative fitness aside, I am really looking forward to Sunday. I can still envisage every twist and turn of the route from two years ago and that is a massive advantage I have over the me of the past. Injury aside I actually think that I am fitter than I was in 2015 although my general fitness and marathon readiness are two very different things, but at this stage I'm as ready as I can be so lets see what Sunday holds.
I'm running the Yorkshire Marathon to raise funds for St George's Crypt and support the great work that they do to help the homeless and needy of Leeds, if you can help it would be very much appreciated.
