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.

Making Time For Her Majesty

by Russell Turner - 10:30 on 18 September 2022

The Queen and Steve Hackett have combined to disrupt my final run-up to the London Marathon – now a mere 14 days away.

In one of the most recent reshufflings of run days I’d rescheduled the Week 14 long run for Monday, failing to predict that a momentous national event would take place the same date. As I wish to watch Her Majesty’s funeral and associated ceremonials on TV, I replanned the run for today, although more in hope than expectation because City Limits played at a wild Portmahomack wedding last night.

Predictably (some things are easier to guess), today I’m not up to the required 13 miles, especially after waking at 2.30 and only just fending off cramp in the right calf. Rather painful, and I can still feel it today.

So the 13 miles, which will probably end up being 10 (I am tapering, after all) will now take place on Tuesday; today I’ll settle for an afternoon stroll to stretch my calf. This leaves half a week to fit in some of the Week 15 runs, complicated by a trip to Glasgow on Friday for a date with Steve Hackett and the Foxtrot at 50 tour. Good job I’m flexible.

I’m still unable to predict whether I’ll finish in under five hours or endure another 6+ London epic, although I’ll have a good idea by the time I cross Tower Bridge. At least, barring disaster, I won’t be the last to complete the 26.2 miles: recent panicky posts on the London Marathon Facebook page include some from people whose longest run has been 13 miles (because of illness, injury or life) and a couple of others who took 3.5 and 4 hours to complete the recent Great North Run – a half marathon.

Anyway, most people don’t run the London Marathon for the time; the atmosphere and experience are what counts. That’s what I’m telling myself, anyway. Two weeks to go. It will be fun.

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