I needed to go and run 13.1 this week for the Codopoly virtual race. As I was too ill to run Groundhog marathon I replaced it with two virtual races ( as per the rules, which I made up but still have to stick to) from How Hard Can It Be Events (My second one is May the 4th and I’ll be running it on a brand new cruise ship called Ovation of the Seas). After a couple of failed attempts I ended up having to do it the day before Liverpool 2 Manchester (47 mile ultra) so when I saw a post on Victoria Park Running Club about a social run I couldn’t resist the chance to actually run with people again.

Vicci, Allan, Kevin and Phil. I’m a big fan of all four of them at the moment because they were all very nice and waited for me ever time I slowed the group down. It weren’t even that fast, couldn’t keep up with 10mm because I’m so unfit at the moment. The problem with not doing any training runs and running races much slower than my natural pace is that you forget how to go fast. My lungs were screaming and I’m pretty sure my legs went on strike just cos I tried to get them to do a little work (not that slower runners don’t have to work, they work just as hard as fast runners, but me personally going slow doesn’t go past conversational level in terms of linking your effort to how much you can talk).  Pretty much, I’ve become a lazy runner and I really hope I can kick the habit at the end of the year because I do want to go faster at some point.

Image owned by Kevin Larkin

Today did humble me a little bit though, it’s been a while since I was at the back having people waiting on me. It’s hard not to beat yourself up for it. A kind person telling you it’s OK and dropping back to run with you can make all the difference (Thank you Kevin).  I will remember to pay it forward the next time I’m not the one struggling but I think it’s important to remember that we all have different places in the pack at different times for whatever reason (Favourite quote: “fast runners need slow runners to make them look fast”). From now on I shall try not to care where my position may be (and do more training runs with people cos it’s fun).

Anyway, another 13.1 miles are done. Hopefully in like 27 hours I’ll be past 25% which is crazy. When I cross the finish line I’ll have raced 263.8 miles (348.5 in total, really need more training miles).  I’m going to have a party at mile 33.2 miles when I reach 250, a quarter of the way. 3 miles before will be my longest run too.

I’m pretty terrified about tomorrow (early on in the week I was seriously thinking that a broken leg would be good) but everyone has been so supportive, I’m looking forward to seeing people along the route and then I’ll have to finish because everyone took the time to come and watch. I wouldn’t be able to do half the stuff I can do without the amazing people I know who keep telling me I can do it. I’m very lucky.

I stole this off Adrienne (the brilliant lady behind the Race Angels).  She posted it for everyone she knows doing L2M tomorrow and it’s pretty apt I think. Will try to remember it in the last miles when there’s less people coming to watch.

47 miles is going to give me a lot of time to think so I’ve decided that I’m going to come up with 47 things to be thankful for, one per mile. It’ll be interesting to see how long I can keep it going.

Thank you everyone for the support already. I think tomorrow will be interesting, tough and crazy but I’m not going to quit (unless I get pulled for being too slow).