Reflections

117 Days to Go

So the first week is safely out of the way. Consultation of 'The Plan' shows that completing the first one should be done without feeling too tired. I agree with this assessment, the legs are still slightly sore but that is probably due to this morning's attempt at the Shakespeare Half Marathon.

I had the race booked in before I decided on this ridiculous marathon based course of action, but seeing as the training called for 15 miles today I thought that doing 13.1 quickly would be about the same. It also helped psychologically - last year Stratford was my final tune-up race before the Liverpool Marathon so I reasoned it would be good to do it at the start of this training cycle to gauge whereabouts I stand in the scheme of things.

Pretty well as it turns out - a PB by 46 seconds was unexpected but very pleasing. Managing to roughly maintain the pace over the majority of the course (except for the ridiculous hill) shows that the stamina is heading in the right direction and passing fellow Harrier Jon Hammond - who is usually much quicker than me -  after 10 miles confirmed it. As it happens I was only passed once, and that was by the obligatory elderly marathoner with the leathery teak skin.

The only note of concern (there has to be one, it's in my nature) was how energy sapping the final three miles along the Greenway were. It was completely flat and a bit dusty, which will be similar to the final 10k at Reykjavik. I was struggling this morning so dread to think what it will be like in similar conditions after 20 miles and then twice the distance. I'll have to be in decent shape if I'm not going to fall at the last hurdle.

A job well done then. Tomorrow I'll be taking advantage of the complete lack of supervision at work to finish off the final Uni essay of the year. In the evening, acting class starts again for the final term with the terrifying prospect of an actual performance at the end of it.

I know nothing of what is planned - except that it is likely going to be a bit of Brecht. As a vaguely uncultured Northern type I also know next to nothing about his oeuvre, but as long as it can be performed in a Preston accent I should be ok...