Time to stop typing and start running.

730 miles, numerous bottles of water, 2 pairs of runners and 3 weeks of injury - it’s time to stop typing and talking and time to start racing. The beginning of June I started my current training program and to say it went without a hitch would be a lie. This was to be my most ambitious training program to date covering 18 weeks and a total of 900+ miles. A mid way a hiccup put me out of training completely for 3 weeks and meant I had to take it easy for the following few weeks of planned hard training. To be honest, looking back it could have been a lot worse and now I look at it as a rest period. Seldom do any of my plans go without a problem mid way.


Now I’m down to the last few days. From my previous experiences I decided not to drop my mileage as I would have done up to now. My taper started 2 weeks out and it was a 30% drop in mileage to 37 miles. This week has been a lot easier and I reckon a 3 mile stretch the legs jog on Saturday morning will finish off a 15 mile week. I started the week with a sports massage which was a welcome relief and although the muscles were tender for a bit the body is feeling good now.

Last local run this morning and Dublin bound I go later to catch my flight. At this point running is the last thing on my mind and it’s more about what to pack. Apart from me wanting to bring the kitchen sink (Never know it might come in handy) I am just doing my usual Noah’s Ark prep - 2 of everything. My flight is with good old Ryanair so to put my runners into the booked in luggage or carry it on? Hmmm.. dilemma. Only time my luggage has ever got lost was on a flight from Dublin to Shannon. Dublin Airport doesn’t fill me with confidence so maybe the runners might be best travelling in the cabin this time.

Lastly I suppose my plan is to go out and try to keep an even 7:15 pace on Sunday. Hopefully the legs hold up and it gets me close to 3:10. Anywhere close and I will be happy. The last marathon I ran I wrote the times of where I should be every 4 miles on my arm and found it handy. Shorts, Singlet, Runners, Gels and Biofreeze packed. It’s time to go. Oh yeah, lastly my Garmin. (Auto lap on or off?) Not sure.

Paudie