I had forgotten all about this.
The local running club, the Gade Valley Harriers, have for several years organised training runs to help the build-up to the London Marathon. There are three, a month apart, that cover 12, then 17, then 20 miles. It is a friendly informal affair whereby you pay £5 on the day.
It is a good institution but I am so far out of the running mindset I had forgotten the 17 mile run was happening today - otherwise I could have gone down to give encouragement and take some photos. In the end I passed the clubhouse just as people were packing up and in the picture you can see a couple of marshals wending there way back.
Irrespective of missing the runners, I was a little irritated with myself for messing about in the morning and being late out. The weather turned form sun to lumpy rain and February grey reasserted itself.
One of the reasons for the delay was that I was sorting out my Garmin as both the watch and footpod needed new batteries. Up till now I have measured the distance of my walks using Gmaps Pedometer but for the next 4 days I will be away from home and have to rely on my foot pod and so I wanted to check its accuracy. Today it was exactly the same as Gmaps. Success! but I had half expected it to flash up with a message saying "Really! I am not going to bother if you can't go faster than that.", but in the end it was completely non-judgemental and I can use it when i am away.
Although that last sentence was a joke but it is based on a mental weakness that has been with me all of my life: I never believe anything I do is good enough. This is actually inhibits doing things in a wholehearted fashion and is the reason I could relate to this TED talk be Brene Brown
Strangely this talk says a lot about why I have found running satisfying - your learn to accept where you will finish in the pack and the sort of time you can make. You do not have to be the fastest; you can take satisfaction from the effort and knowing you have done what you can.
So if any of you reading this are preparing for a marathon - embrace your vulnerability and be wholehearted in all of your efforts.
Good luck.
2 comments:
Some more hi-vis runners there. I always picture you as someone who enters into things wholeheartedly, all or nothing. Your current challenge is certainly showing commitment!
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