Sunday, April 12, 2015

Only 12 Weeks To Go

Only twelve weeks to go till the Gold Coast marathon.

I say 'only' a little facetiously because 12 weeks is still a pretty long time and it feels like I'm only just starting to up my weekly kilometres.

I hit 28k for my Saturday long run last week. Actually it was 28.5k - all those extra 500m's count don't they? It's a little daunting knowing that that will be my shortest Saturday run (minus the couple of half marathons I have scheduled) for the next couple of months. It's lucky that I actually really enjoy doing them.

For most of you this would seem really strange. How is it possible to enjoy something that involves you getting up before 4am in the morning, running for two and a half, three or three and a half hours, the very real chance of blisters, chafing or black toenails and the desperate need to spend the rest of the day either eating or sleeping? It's a strange and wonderful paradox.

I was actually pondering that precise question on Saturday morning when I woke up at 3:10am. My alarm was set for 3:45 but I'm a bit of an over-achiever. It would have been so, so easy to switch the alarm off but I'd arranged to meet a couple of people at 4:30am and it would be mean to not turn up at that hour.

And that  was the only time that morning when I had any regrets or negative thoughts about the run. The morning was crisp and cool. The roads were quiet and dark. We ran through them like we owned them. Then the skies gradually lightened as dawn broke. There's a little bit of magic for the runner who is out at that hour. The stillness, the peace, the beauty, the birdsong. So worth pushing through the lure of the warm bed and a few extra hours sleep to give yourself the best gift.

We ran and talked. Or didn't talk - especially up Dornoch Terrace. We stopped for water, to go to the loo and for more water and then we'd get going again. For 28.5 kilometres. For over two and a half hours. And by the end my feet were tired. My shoulders were tired. My legs were tired. But I felt really, really satisfied.

Another good session at the end of a week of good sessions.

Not every week will be like this. I know that. I'm going to get tired and cranky. I'm going to need to miss sessions and that will frustrate me so the weeks that go right I'm going to appreciate. Just like I appreciate this strangely beautiful smile.



13 comments:

  1. I'm one of those people who doesn't understand how you could enjoy it, but love that you do. I can't even get myself on a 10min walk so I can REALLY appreciate your commitment.

    xx

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  2. So awesome that you had friends to meet up with to help you get up and out there!!!
    Hopefully the cooler weather will make all the long runs nice!!!

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  3. To run a good race you need to put the week together, so here's hoping...

    one week at a time
    Good Luck

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  4. Glad you are able to really appreciate the beauty of an early morning long run, and hoping you'll have another 12 weeks of really good runs coming up!

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  5. That smile is amazing and hilarious. I used to get up 4:45 and go for an hour WALK. I loved hearing the birds wake up and seeing the sunrise. I should start doing it again. I could never run 28 kms though. That's phenomenal Char!

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  6. I totally get the enjoyment of a day spent like that! It sounds lovely. And that picture is hilarious!

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  7. Glad you had a great week!! Hope this week is amazing for you!

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  8. Ah 12 weeks. Seems so far away but we all know how time flies. My favorite part of long runs is having them DONE!

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  9. I think I might have just dry heaved when I read 3:10am. Facts like this prove that us runners need therapy.

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  10. I might sound weird coming from me but I do understand you. Back in the day when I was training for a half I could appreciate the long runs too. Today I don't even want to think about it but maybe one day.

    And if you have a "bad" run one day, that smile will make you smile the minute you get home.

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  11. Ahh, the deep satisfaction of a good long run session. (Those tend to be few and far between, so savour the good ones when you can!)

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  12. You certainly are an early bird. If I get up before 7am I need a snooze at about 4pm, I don't know how you manage a 4am alarm call!

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  13. Wow that's early! Like you my upper body gets tired and achy running those long runs. I've been adding planks into my routine every day now.

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Thanks for taking the time to comment. I love hearing from you.