Confessions of a Marathon Runner: Races before the Brighton Marathon

I'm really excited, as we're well and truly on the countdown til the Brighton marathon now, with only 2 and a half weeks to go! Training has gone very well, and I’m really hoping that I’ve done everything I can to achieve a PB – and even better, a sub-5 hour marathon. I’ve done a 26.2km “kilomathon” training run at 15 seconds faster than marathon pace, and have managed 20 miles at bang on marathon pace. Now I just need to taper, not get ill or injured, and hope for perfect conditions on the day. Cool, bright weather with a very light sea breeze would be perfect.

I’ve done a few days recently too, the Surrey Spitfire 20 last weekend, and the Bath Half Marathon at the beginning of March. Both went well, but couldn’t have been more different. I had a great weekend in Bath, having felt nice and rested from an easy week (thought I had a cold coming on so backed off the training a bit) and settled into a very comfortable guesthouse just a stone’s throw from the runner’s village. I’d even met another girl on the start line from St Albans – what are the chances of that! The weather was horrendous, cold and very wet, but it didn’t stop the crowds from coming out in their tens of thousands! I love the Bath route too, it’s fast and mostly flat with loads of spectators along the way. I was really pleased with my finish time of 2.19 and I didn’t even go all-out for it. I enjoyed an evening at the Bath Thermae Spa afterwards, which was the perfect place to relax and recover.

The Surrey Spitfire 20 was by contrast a hot and hilly race. It was three weeks out before Brighton, and myself and 4 other friends all went down road-trip style for the day. It was held on the Top Gear test track, at Dunsfold Aerodrome and was 2 laps of the airfield and surrounding roads. Most of us did the 20, as we all have Brighton or London (or both!) coming up, and Rich did the 10 mile option. I managed this one in 3.54, a few minutes slower than last week’s 20, but was pleased with this given the build-up of fatigue, the heat and the hills. I got chatting to a follow Brighton runner on the way round as well, and we paced and encouraged each other round. It was quite sociable, as MP3 players were not allowed due to open roads, so more people were talking than usual. Have to admit, after a few hours, I did miss my music and my easy conversation and chit-chat was just turning into grunts and mutters come 16 miles as I starting to struggle! There was a brilliant medal though – one of my favourites – so this made it all worth it!

I’ve got the Hastings Half Marathon this Sunday, so that will be my last long run. Then I’ll really be cutting back the training, with maybe 6 or 8 miles a week out, with some short runs and cross training to keep active, but no more long or hard runs. Hopefully by the 6^th April I will be feeling fresh and ready to run the full 26.2! And I really want that PB – so I’m going to give it my all. Even if it means really hobbling round the London Marathon the following week!

Finally, speaking of London, I’m really excited about this as well (well, I have been even since I got my charity place confirmed!). My final instruction magazine arrived on Saturday after I got home from parkrun, and I read it cover to cover. Now I’m thinking about when to go to the Expo to pick up my number – being near to London I should go on an earlier day, but I think my friends are heading there on Saturday, so will see. I can’t wait, it’s going to be one epic street party!

Road trip time! Ben, Wai-Meng, Rich, me and Esther