22nd April 2010 Day 107

Thursday morning, there is 2days 23 hours 22min and 45, 44, 43 seconds to go

Restless is probably the best word to describe how I have been feeling this week

Emotional is another word that fits

Very busy is what I have being

Organised? – Not at all but I’m off today

Race ready? Yes I am!

Week Sixteen so far

I was going to blog each day this week but it just hasn’t happened. My mind is doing strange things, the Marathon has never been far away from my thoughts yet it seems as far away as it did 16 weeks ago. I know it’s this weekend but when someone said on Tuesday are you ready for Sunday I looked at them blankly and asked why, when they said the marathon it freaked me out, oh god is that THIS Sunday?

I am not nervous or excited but at the same time I am! Eh?

I think this in part has been due to the fact that work has been demanding of me in terms of time, emotion (on Wednesday I came across and had to deal with every human emotion possible) and energy and that this has distracted me in some way from the Marathon. Probably a good thing!

I believe in the final week of training it is about your mental and emotional preparation that is the key to success. In the gaps when my thoughts have turned to myself, I have, I think been what I call a little needy, one of you out there will know what I mean by that and has had to put up with that side of me, for the rest of you I’m not sure how to explain that really. I guess it’s the selfish side of me that for a change wants someone to look after me, to take control for a while rather than me looking after others, maybe it’s about coveting a little attention or just been spoilt!

I was brought up with the believe system that to be selfish was a bad thing, I was always told “I want never gets” But I don’t believe this, if you don’t know what you want how can you go out and get it! And sometimes to get what you want you have to be selfish, but if this brings you happiness that you can then give back to others how can this be wrong?

I was also told “Little girls should be seen and not heard” apparently I used to chatter on and on then and this was just a way of getting a little peace and quiet. Have to say I often find myself biting back these words with Adele!

Sorry gone off at a tangent, (which is a reflection of my mind this week) so to bring it back to my Marathon training, what else have I been doing this week to prepare myself.

Well on Monday I went for an easy Lunchtime swim, but still ended up doing my normal 40 lengths though it did take a few more minutes than normal, my mind wandered from my work to do list to my marathon to do list and back again.

Tuesday I took group two on my favourite summer run along the canal, Liz had to guide a stray horse off the tow path at one point, around Kirkstall abbey which is full of flowers, back along the railway track (this is a model railway track not used on an evening) over the railway bridge which you have to take big stride across from sleeper to sleeper and then back on the canal, great company, great conversation, a lovely evening and a lovely 5.5 mile run effortlessly done.

Wednesday I rested, got home and Adele has made buns, would have been rude not to eat them!

In addition to this as part of my mental preparation I had a coaching session with Tom on Monday evening. Just the thing I needed to focus my mind, to look at the positive side of my training and understand the not such good sessions, we talked pre and actual race strategy, nutrition, mind set, kit, self believe and many, many other things. I know there are many things I could have done different or in deed better in my training. Nutrition is definitely an area I can still improve in, stretching has generally being nonexistent, and all the work I was going to do on my core just didn’t happen. However I have done most of the runs I had planned to do (though some of them shorter) I have dropped some of my cross training but this has usually been around ensuring adequate recovery rather than can’t fit in / be bother.

But I think I have put in the best training I could whilst still maintain a (reasonable) balance with the other areas of my life.

I am stronger and fitter than for my previous two marathons.

My race will be what it will be
 
The only question left is . . . .Will that bottle of champaign I was promised be waiting for me when I get back to Leeds?