I’ve just filled out the form for my charity place for the 2018 London Marathon.
That’s right, marathon fever is starting early this year! To make sure I stick to my training plan I’ve already signed up for the Brighton half marathon in February and the Bath half marathon which is in March. I’m now just looking for either a half or 10 miler for early April, just before tapering.
I was meant to be doing the marathon this year but I freaked myself out. I freaked myself out of training, I made myself believe that I couldn’t do it. I won’t let that happen to me again, for 2018 I’m going in prepared. I don’t plan on falling below the half marathon distance in races for a while now. I’m going to work on my stamina because I know I can do it. I just know I can.
So why is 2018 so important? Well, firstly I’ve always said that I’ll complete the London marathon before I’m 30. Next April I’ll be 29. Secondly, as a run leader I feel that I should lead, or rather run, by example. If I just give up on the marathon distance then who am I to tell the women who come to my group that they can do a distance when they say they can’t? Thirdly and probably most importantly to me, I’m a proud Londoner, if I’m going to do a marathon I want it to be in my home city. I want it to be at home. At the marathon which I’ve cheered others on at since a child.
So how am I going to be prepared?
• Signed up to half marathons in preparation.
• Build distance and training regime up slowly as to not scare myself too much!
• Use parkrun as speed training.
• Mix up cross training so it’s fun.
• Plan long runs so they’re ‘tourism runs’, going sightseeing around Cardiff, Bristol and London.
I strongly believe that you can do anything you put your mind to so I plan to focus on the ‘end goal’. I can’t wait to get to mile 10 and see my club’s cheer station, to cross tower bridge and know I’m halfway or to finally reach the top of the mall and know I’m going to part of that 1%
One of my friends once described me as a ‘Rottweiler in a dress’ because I’m so stubborn and once I’ve started something I don’t like to let it go. So yeah, I guess this is a bit of a Rottweiler run, a bit of two fingers up to epilepsy and another two up to anxiety. The stubborn part of me taking on the challenge, just because I can but isn’t that just as good a reason as any other?
I’m sure it’ll be hard, I’m sure there’ll be tears, swearing and probably lots of times when I start to think I can’t do this but overall there’ll be that voice at the back of my head telling me I can, because this year I know I can and I will. So look out London, I’m coming to get ya!