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.
When The Going Gets Tough...
by Russell Turner - 16:07 on 29 January 2026
My Manchester prospects are hanging by a thread after a dismal failure yesterday to complete the latest long run. At 14 miles, it was to be less than a mile further than the recent 13.1-which-should-have-been-12; in the end, I could manage only seven miles. I’d expected things to get tough when I reached the 16-mile run, not now.
I set out certain I’d go the distance but four miles later I knew completion would be unlikely: no energy, possibly overdressed despite a cool and breezy day, little motivation to keep trying. Maybe my diet needs improving or I need to do more between runs. Or both. More likely is that Manchester, entered on a whim after London ballot failure, isn’t inspiring enough. The friend who entered with me has already dropped out, which doesn’t help. Manchester’s six-hour cut-off also looms large, combined with memories of the Edinburgh debacle last year.
I’ll try 14 miles again next week (if I can bring myself to do it) but what’s more likely now is that I’m working towards the Virtual London Black Isle A-Z, for which I can get away with not doing silly distances in training.
Could this be the end of my marathon career? I hope not. A London ballot success would definitely perk up the legs, or I could risk a charity place to help motivate me. Summer training for another trip to York also appeals, although October gigs mean it wouldn’t be until 2027, when I’m 69. Tempus fugit.
In the meantime, I’ve six 10ks in the diary, plus a few more pencilled in, and Middlesbrough HM in just over four weeks. There’s still a lot of running to do.
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