Motivation: Gillian’s View

Gillian

Well I knew I would never be Paula Radcliffe but one can always dream. The creaking knees are giving me some gyp this week and at mile eleven on Sunday Hazel offered, rather churlishly I might add, to stop the run when apparently my face stopped smiling and turned into a grimace. Of all the things I thought I needed to worry about during my marathon attempt I hadn’t factored in my facial expression. Gosh Hazel is a tough training partner sometimes. I wasn’t even moaning. Nobody ever seemed to criticise Paula Radcliffe’s facial expression.

Hazel had promised me at the start of the week that this was the beginning of “the taper” and having looked this up in Runners World, I got the distinct impression after building up the miles over the past year that I was finally going to be able to wind down, put my feet up and eat lots of cake and not feel guilty for once in my life. I was so looking forward to this that I didn’t realise this still meant us clocking up thirty one miles this week. My knees were in shock and decided to revolt by mile eleven on Sunday. If it hadn’t been that I would have to walk the last two miles home, I would have told Hazel were to shove her training plan and taper. To be truthful, looking back, I think I might have reached “the wall” for the first time. Basically, I hadn’t had enough to eat before we set off. It was a strange feeling. I just wanted to lie down. After refuelling at mile ten I suddenly felt much better and was able to end the run in style.
In addition to this, our taper includes Hazel and the running husband deciding to prepare their house for sale this week, two weeks away from our marathon attempt! Consequently we have been charging around like headless chickens between the last three runs making their house look ready for photographs and possible viewings. I bet this was never part of Paula Radcliffe’s training and taper plan either. Onwards and upwards.
Never a dull moment or lack of a challenge in our family and truth be told I wouldn’t have it any other way. So get your act together knees, get on with those exercises and no more grimacing. Guilt free cake and fudge eating can wait until next week.