7 days to go!
With the last long training run done and the final countdown in full swing, Its fair to say I’m spending most of my time torn between major excitement, and cold, fearful sweats! Can I do this? Will the wheels come off? Will I make it within the 8-hour cut-off? .., we’ll soon find out!
Until we do, lots of you have been asking me questions about our marathon effort, from the deep to the practical! So, I thought I’d cover some of them here, in case they offer wisdom (or even a few laughs), to anyone else embarking on a marathon journey of their own!
Q: why Brighton?
A: Well; that was my cousin Drew’s fault (bless him!). Like most marathon hopefuls, I stuck my name in the London ballot, and didn’t get in. When Drew heard, he suggested Brighton. We had planned to run it together, however we quickly realised that wasn’t going to work, given we’re at opposite ends of the country, with busy jobs and lives, making joint training almost impossible. I probably would have dropped out at that point, but the amazing Peter Williams stepped in; and we’re running it together! We’re excited though; Brighton has an amazing vibe, so we’re hoping for seaside breezes, great music, banter and crowds to get us through the course (and some great food at the other side!).
Q: Can anyone guide run a marathon?
A: In theory, yes! But ideally, you’d want to know each other, be able to practise together in advance to build the trust and partnership you need to get through a marathon. I’d also suggest doing some larger races together in order to get used to running in crowded spaces. Also, while it may seem obvious, but your level of fitness needs to be somewhat in sync. A guide runner might be fitter/stronger than you (definitely true in my case!), but you both need to be able to cover the marathon distance, and agree how you’re comfortable doing that (running/walking, combination of both etc).
Q: what have been the best/worst parts of marathon training?
A: everyone says marathon training is tough, but nothing prepares you for how tough it is! Training takes over your life, you’re exhausted, sore, and if you’re not running, you’re working! I’d say that’s been the toughest part about it, having to run in wind, rain, snow, run when you have nothing in the tank, run when all you want to do is lay in bed with a chocolate cake! However the flipside is you discover strength and resolve you didn’t know you had. Seeing my strength grow and my parkrun times improve has been a tremendous boost and really helps me believe we’ll make it, along with the incredible support of all the parkrun family and all those who have donated to us, it’s a trust and a responsibility I take really seriously, and want to make them all proud.
Q: what’s something no one told you about marathon training that you think others should know?
A: Your female bits hurt! Amazingly so after a long run! (can’t comment on male bits for obvious reasons!), not much you can do about this, other than buy yourself buckets of Vaseline and bathe in it!
Q: What are you most looking forward to after the race?
I know it’s a cliché, but there is nothing like crossing the finish line! I know we’ll be tired, drained, cold, filthy and overwhelmed, but the joy of knowing we made it and the relief of being done will be so special. That is closely followed by the joy of the pizza we’ll hoover as soon as we’ve recovered!
Q: Do you think you’ll do another marathon?
That’s quite easy to answer: in short, no!! mind you, like any savvy media person, I say no with a caveat! While I can’t see myself doing another one, if @stevehellercornwall ever wants to run the Eden marathon as my guide, I’d be 200% up for it! I think running around Cornwall singing some of his Cornish bangers would be a perfect fit for my Cornish language journey and overall madness, and a great way to raise funds for a good cause, but that really is the only exception! Its just such hard work; and I’ll be more than happy to enjoy my local parkruns for the time being, with the odd bit of touristing and 10K events thrown in.
