Running in the Real World

About 13 miles done this week, with 3 @ mp midweek. It seems like nothing... I love taper, I feel so energetic

Little kids packed off to my brother last night, so today is MY day. Except for bigger kid who arrived home from college to 'support you in the marathon' (AKA allow me to buy her drink in McG's after ) and has been pestering me to take her shopping/driving/etc... discovered that giving your 22 year old daughter a driving lesson is a great way to distract from marathon nerves :eek:

Last year, I thoroughly enjoyed the HH1 training, not surprising since there's not much to it. And had a miserable day... this year, I've had my ups and downs with the training, but I'm reasonably confident that I'll have a better day tomorrow

So my goal going into this was to do better than last year (4:43 and miserable experience). I’m essentially a novice v.2. Even though I haven’t done the ‘Meno Plan’ justice and have been patchy at times, I’m definitely in better shape than this time last year – way more miles done, more LSR’s (compared to 1 x 20 miler in HH1 last year), no illness or antibiotics in the last weeks (got the lurgy out of the way earlier)… the big difference is, I know I can do the distance, because I did it last year. I’m less fearful of that stretch from Dolphins Barn to Fosters Ave, having covered it recently on tired legs. I’m not worried about the weather or anything I can’t control. I’m really, really looking forward to it now… I love the buzz of it all.

And oh yeah, target… Following D’s guidance here – he says if you can do the 14 mi @ MP session at PMP, then that’s your MP. So that was at 4:10 pace… I think I’m going to go out just behind the 4:10 pacers tomorrow and see how I get on. If I can come in under 4:15, I would be ecstatic, anything under 4:30 and I’ll be happy enough. I want to enjoy the experience this time!

Meno gave great advice yesterday at the Expo... based on his many DCM pacing gigs, he says that the first 6-7 miles tend to come in behind target (more turns, etc.), but don't be tempted to speed up, it will even out. So, will try hard not to go off too fast!

I’m thinking of the course in chunks, getting to these milestones… the park, Chapelizod, Dolphins Barn, Walkinstown Roundabout, Orwell Park, Clonskeagh, Fosters Avenue, Merrion Road… McGrattans!

And I will be muttering this to myself all the way round: Focus, commit, believe, achieve!!!!!

It's great to know how many of you will be shouting support along the way... and the encouragement from Boardsies has kept me going on several long runs

So thanks everyone, looking forward to meeting some of you for the first time tomorrow, and seeing some familiar faces along the way too!

I'm smiling to myself, at the idea that running 26.2 miles with 15,000 people in god knows what conditions is something to look forward to and be thankful for

So it has been noted by some (ahem) that I didn't give due credit to my bestest training buddy, the inimitable aquinn, who got me thru many long runs and also a 5k PB, talking all the way. Her advice on how to manage without her tomorrow?:

...Just bitch and moan to any randomer but keep going!...

Wise words A!