Friday 28 November 2008
Confused about Marathons
Having taken up running regularly, sacrificing my legs to my conscience, I’ve begun to be troubled by the thought that I should perhaps be planning to run a Marathon.
I’m far from persuaded that it’s a good idea. For example, the London Marathon goes from Greenwich to Westminster Bridge. For a few pounds, you can do the trip much more pleasantly by boat up the Thames. You're even regaled over the loudspeaker by anecdotes about Judge Jeffreys or Christopher Wren or other people connected with places on the route, some of which may well be true. Why spend four hours pounding the roads instead?
However, I still feel the compulsion at least to think about training for a marathon, a prospect so tiring even to contemplate that it has until recently been causing me some anxiety. That was until I had what I thought was a brain wave.
My reasoning was as follows. The worst part of a marathon must be the end. Well, a marathon is 26 miles 385 yards long. So I’ve taken to practising getting really good at running 385 yards, on the basis that once I got to the last stretch I’d be fully prepared to complete the race. And it’s been going well – I’ve even been getting quite quick.
But now I’m assailed by doubt again. Have I got this wrong? Have I actually been practising the first 385 yards?
Does anyone have any advice?
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3 comments:
You must be mad!
Personally I'd practice the screaming in pain and sitting down at the end part ...
I think people usually hit a wall at around the 30 km mark, so maybe you should start practicing for the last 12.2 km. You could start slow with a 10km race, up to a half-marathon, and then on to the big thing. Could be fun - in a sadistic sort of way.
Sadly I hit a wall at around 3 km. Getting to 12.2 is I fear going to be more than I can manage. As for doing 30 km before I even start on them - what a nightmare!
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