Tomorrow is the BIG day!

Tomorrow is the BIG day!  This week started with the bombing of the Boston Marathon on Monday.  It was such a senseless, shocking and sickening thing to happen.  It made me think about all the people who are planning on watching me tomorrow.  My husband, kids and lots and lots of friends will be spread out around the route.  Their support really keeps you going and distracts you from whatever ache or pain you have.  Can you imagine the guilt a runner would feel if their child, partner or friend died, lost a limb or was injured because they’d come to watch them?  All these practical questions came into my head like how would you get your bag back?  Not really significant when people are injured and dying but how would you get your phone to let people know you were ok? How would you get home or back to your hotel?  It puts into proportion the closure of platforms 1-10 tomorrow at Waterloo station! If must have been horrific and will take a long time for people to recover.  I will be wearing my black ribbon tomorrow to remember those who were killed and injured.  My mum’s not too pleased with me for running.  I hadn’t actually told her (she worries about me because of my heart and lung thing) and then there was a bomb.... Well that was it!  I’m still doing it though, sorry mum!!!

I plan on running the whole way with Deirdre.  We’ve done all our training together and bar anything unforeseen we should finish together.  Stacy will be with us too.  This is Stacy’s first marathon and she is a bit worried as she’s had a problem with her knee.  I’m sure she’ll be able to stick with us, if not zoom off and leave us for dust.  We will run the first 6 miles and then run/walk 9 minutes run and 1 minute walk for 20.2 miles.  We probably won’t talk all the way but most of it!  This reminds me of something someone once said to me.  It was a few years ago and I can’t remember what race we were discussing but she asked me what time I was aiming for.  I said something like, “I don’t know, I’m running with so-and-so and we’ll just have a nice run”.  Her response to this has stayed with me to this day: “People like you only say that because you are embarrassed about how slow you are.”  I was pretty upset at the time but I confess, I am slow.  I am aiming to finish in between 5 hours 15 minutes and 5 hours 30 minutes and I will be proud to finish!  I run because I like it, because I enjoy it and because it is fun.  I like to run at a comfortable chatting pace, I like to take in the crowd, the sights and be part of an occasion and lets face it, London is the biggest occasion! 

We had great fun at the Expo on Wednesday when we went to register and pick up our numbers.  I bought more kit (that I don't really need) and GU chomps (that I don't really like) and picked up maps for my supporters.  Deirdre loves the music!! This marathon malarky is so emotional!!

I’m just off to get my kit and my bag ready.  I have butterflies but I’m good nervous..... BRING IT ON!


Tuesday: 4 miles
Saturday: 3.1 miles parkrun
Total miles this week 7.1
Total marathon miles to date: 336.65