I can hardly believe it. I didn’t dare look to see how far I have left to run. I have just updated my map and done the calculations. I am within 200 kms of Madrid ! My original target was finishing the challenge just before the Madrid marathon which is on 25th April – just 11 weeks away. I now need to average out at just 18kms a week (approx 11 miles). Convinced that I should do that if I stay injury free.
I start a 12 week marathon training programme on 5th March.
Out of the mist we ran. Two runners. One common goal. A marathon in May.
It has been a long winter. I have lost fitness and form but I have continued running. Only a little but I have kept going on my virtual run to Madrid.
I just want to put this challenge to bed now. I don’t know how I’ll feel when I reach Madrid on the map. I think the run lost its focus when I decided not to run the Madrid marathon. First I substituted Brighton for Madrid believing there were no local alternatives but much to my surprise I discovered in December that there was an inaugural Chester marathon in May and so now Chester it is.
The thing that surprised me the most after Fleetwood was not the physical exhaustion but the mental exhaustion. Stiffness lasted for an extra day (2 days) but the following day I found I couldn’t remember things and sometimes couldn’t express myself or find the words I wanted. I took my car in for service and couldn’t remember my own phone number !
I took two weeks off then started again but as the winter evenings closed in I was less and less motivated to run sometimes running just once a week then even just once a fortnight. I got away with it until January but then suddenly felt a total loss of form. I was now struggling to run at all – even 3 miles required an effort.
Over the last two weeks I feel I have regained some fitness and managed a 9 mile run today in the mist without feeling totally washed out. It is a start.
On my map I have passed Burgos in Northern Spain and am now heading south towards Madrid. Marathon training starts with a vengeance once there is light in the evening then I can eat up the miles.
Still my pride and joy !
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