I'm tapering! That's the official term for running less mileage per week in the two to three weeks immedieately before the marathon. It's not that obvious this week. I run a 5-mile, a 4-mile, a 5-mile in the middle of the week and 12 miles on Saturday. The change in mileage is more noticeable in the penultimate and final weeks.
Still ... I'm tapering. Three weeks to go, I'm excited about it. Three weeks to go, I don't have anxiety. Three weeks to go, the marathon seems possible. This won't last. Mark my words, this won't last, but I (perhaps I should say 'we') shall enjoy my positivity for now.
As for last Saturday's long run, it came and went amdist the process of preparing for my part on a panel in a national radio programme on Robin Hood, which was broadcast live last evening. I had never done that before (radio thing). Let's just say, I could be happier about both performances, but I'm only going to talk about the run. I was on my own this weekend (a question of division of labour) and had decided to run in the Phoenix Park, but with the State visits of the English Queen and American President there are a lot of security operations already in motion. Instead I headed to Maynooth and the Royal Canal. Again, I had intended to run 5 miles towards Leixlip, 5 miles back to Maynooth, 5 miles out to Kilcock(and beyond a bit) and 5 miles back making a figure of 8 with Maynooth at the centre.
Typical me, I changed my mind. It was such an effort to get going and I was in cold rain, that by the time I got to Leixlip I decided that it might be safer to keep running in that direction as far away from Maynooth, and the refuge of the car, as possible. So, a bit like Forrest Gump, I just kept on running. It also kept on raining! By the time I arrived opposite Clonsilla Dart Station, the cold wet and the quietness of the bridle path put me off. I turned around. (Rhetorician, I think you are braver than me on this issues. I like to know there are other people around me). It gave me just under 8 miles, but I thought (judging by my time) that it was closer to 9 miles. I turned around, the sun came back out, I was almost in 'the zone', but not quite. I was enjoying the lushness of the canal surrounds and the several families of ducks (cute little duckling's and all), I had only occasional lapses of fretting about Robin Hood(!) I even dried out again. As I arrvied back in Maynooth, however, the debate began: "Will I make up the extra miles?" "How will I make up the extra miles?" "Don't think about making up the extra miles, just yet." "I have to do it, it's my last chance." And so on. So, I arrive back at the bridge in Maynooth, I know by my watch that I am well short of 20 miles (I was running 2 hours 50, I think). I thought about heading out towards Kilcock, but I just couldn't quite get the courage (in broader sense of that word) to do that. Then it came to me, I headed under the bridge, turned right into the town, left through the college gates and did two laps of the college, stopping just short of 3 hours 20. If only, I had done one more lap!
When I came home, I took out the Running Ahead tool for measuring distance. By my reckoning I barely did 18.5 miles. I was really disappointed. It's daft, I know, but it almost (still had all the endorphins and some sense of achievement), but I really felt I sold myself short. I was also disappointed by my time. I was giving myself 10 minutes per mile. This is not a 10 minutes per mile performance. It's going to be a very slow marathon! I have not quite reconciled myself to that yet. I still dream of some kind of stellar performance below 4 hours. That is not, absolutely not going to happen. Still, I can't quite let go my disappointment about that; I need to deal with it. It is an unreal expectation, the expectation of a novice runner.
On a more positive note, there was a time when running 2 laps of the grounds of Maynooth college was a good run! As for running 18.5 miles, I have to remind myself that I did it. I was drifting through some older posts over the weekend (there are so many ways to procrastinate on the internet!) and I was struck by my sense of achievement for 11 miles, 13 miles and so on. I kind of dismissed the 18.5 as a fine achievement, but "nothing to write home about"! I didn't do much lounging around recovering as I did earlier in the programme. And that's all in a few months. It tells me that practice, effort, training does work. My body is getting used to the distances. I do appreciate that, greatly.
I'm not sure how dead on accurate the Running Ahead distance tool is - unless you zoom out a lot, you can be a good bit out on a long route. I am obsessed by it, needless to say. I thought you used i-phone GPS? Surely that's more accurate than drawing lines on maps? this is one of the many reasons why I want a Garmin.
ReplyDeleteRe: canal - I left here at 8am on Sunday, and over the 20k there and back met the sum total of 6 people (1 of them twice) and 3 dogs. Also saw lots of ducklings. I like it, not least because it's easy to clock off the landmarks (2k from Ashtown station to the M50 viaduct etc) - and whilst it's flat, the terrain is often quite tricky ('technical' as the trail-runners say). I know what you mean about perception of distance - from home to Coolmine and back (16k) now seems like a 'short' long run; I'm going to gradually push my long run up beyond the half marathon distance (to get the same effect, I guess!)
on the taper (as opposed to the tear!) too - it feels odd and a bit disconcerting. 2 runs to go - a 5 miler and a 3 miler. Then the drive to Clare (which I am looking forward to - no small child, motorway...), the run, the drive home (it will be interesting to see if I am able to get out of the car).
I always go out with a definite idea of my route - a very different approach to yours!
You are SO hard on yourself. One of your characteristics. Did I do that to you? I worry about that. You are FANTASTIC. I am S O proud of you. Well done!
ReplyDeleteAh Dad, easy now. It's just enthusiasm really! I'll still be happy that I did the marathon and all that. It's just that the more you get into something, the more you see the possibilities. Surely, that's growth? The goal posts shift. That's what's so much fun about all of this ... about life? It's a hobby, but engaging and keeps me feeling very alive! The experience I had, when lost in East Cork, comes to me from time to time. "If I were you, I wouldn't start from here." Rhetorician, so much here. I do use the i-phone app, but there are spots where it loses coverage, including along the Canal. Also on a long run the battery could die and I might need it for a call, plus, last Saturday, I was listening to podcasts. (I was also very uptight/fragile on Saturday and not sure of what I could achieve given my energies were going in another direction. I thought 'softer' might be better but, that said, felt so much better and did so much better work after the run) which is a great bonus from last weekend. It's another tool for coping, yay! Strangely enough, I do like the plotted out day too, just knowing that this is your distance and so on. It's just with the longer runs I don't find so easy to figure those routes outs; it takes a bit of trial and error. That's more of it really. I am not fully confident of a route until it is both mapped and run (like teaching)! It's only with this programme that I have begun to build up a repertoire of varying distances which is kind of cool. I have followed half-marathon programmes, but not in the same detail. It seems I need the larger project to be this disciplined and focused. I have learned so much (and know how little I know too) through this. Do I like the canal? I don't instinctively like it, but I appreciate it, if you can see the difference. It feels a small bit closed in, I prefer larger vistas. There is a peacefulness and lushness to it too. D'you know what I am really looking forward to doing, but couldn't figure it this time, a long run around my native West Cork (Red Strand, Long Strand etc.) Some day, we might do that for the craic, a nice 18-20 miles. I'm going to do it over the Summer, just for fun, have been dreaming about it.
ReplyDeleteif that's actually miles, then I might have to pass, if km, I'm in!
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