Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Time To Taper

by Russell Turner - 16:53 on 09 April 2019

The final long run is over. What should have been my big confidence booster last Friday was beset by more wind so I did neither the distance nor the time I’d hoped. But I’m still optimistic about my second London Marathon when all being well I’ll knock an hour off the first finish time.

So today’s was the first run of the taper, which found me covering four miles in a very sensible 44 minutes: a pace that would get me around in under five hours. But I thought I’d do that last year. Time will tell.

I returned to a frantic greeting by cats as I walked up The Rural Retreat’s driveway. The Pride was indoors – the pair of capering pusses which assaulted my feet was Rafi and Leo, followed shortly afterwards by a more stately Percy, all eager for food and/or company.

Percy was so keen for companionship that after I went indoors he jumped on to the kitchen windowsill, then the living room windowsill, to stare longingly at the warmth and comfort he was denied. Pandora responded with banshee yowls, Maia by punching the window in an attempt to drive away the ginger interloper who showed his contempt by climbing down slowly and carefully. If he could roll his eyes I’m sure he would have done so. Willow lurked on the stairs.

There’s a happy ending. Neighbour Rory returned in the afternoon, bringing with him sunshine and a guitar with which he serenaded his kittens while seated on his doorstep. Percy ate his lunch inside, safe from marauding mini-mogs.

Pandora and Willow also enjoyed the sun for a while, lazing on heated stones at the front of the Retreat out of sight of the rival gang. Maia took no chances; she stayed indoors. You never know when cat burglars will make another attempt to break in.

I have my race number – you can follow it on the London Marathon app.

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