20 MILES; TIME 2 HRS 51 MINS; WEEKLY MILEAGE 52
Yeeeeesssssssssss!!!!!!! Finally he's done it. The Prince of Procrastination. The King of Manyana (however that's spelt) The God of putting it off, has finally 'Man uped', and knocked out a cheekly little 20 miler.
After putting it off for weeks (readers I've had several opportunities to go long really, I've just stopped on 14,16 and 18) i had to do it today. There would be no going back. 4 weeks until marathon day today and 20 milers simply have to be done.
Sometimes you can fool yourself into thinking you can scrimp on the ultra long runs if you've done a few marathons before. But then you remember the pain and wall of last year, when i imploded on 19 miles because i simply hadnt done enough mileage.
You can do 13 miles all day long in training, feeling comfortable, but on a marathon it really kicks in on the 18-20 mile point, and if you haven't gone through it, you enter a world of pain similar to that of an S&M dungeon. It's not pleasant. And it spoils the magic of the day.
So, i need to do two 20 milers, to feel i am in good shape for it. It looms on my mind and i really don't want to do it. Finding almost any reason not too. Niggle, conserve energy, next week, not right conditions blah blah blah. It's all self induced bullshit and the magic monkey mind trying to deter me from what's needed. Standard practice on Radio Nick Evans FM.
So, i put all that to one side, hit an early morning meeting, ate 4 oat cakes, a banana, some water, tea, lucozade sport, strapped on the tri suit and took an old school Kendalls Mint cake with me. No music. No distractions. Just me and the mileage. The sun was shining. the temperature was 15 degrees. No excuses.
I had decided my route. I went along Barnes riverside to Richmond, again, up Richmond hill (the best view in London from the side of Pete Townsends gaff , the Wick, overlooking the Thames from Richmond Hill Terrace) to Richmond Park. 7 miles, 56 mins. Stop, drink, nibble, then lap of Richmond Park, 7 miles, 1 hour. Struggled a bit but otherwise OK. Mentally it's tough and the hard part is mile 14-18. Stop at end of park, piss (which is hard in a tri suit as it does look like you are pulling one off in the bushes because you have to crouch to get the old chappy out), drink rest of drink, finish off Kendall Mint Cake and then back along where i came from, past Richmond riverside (packed) and along the towpath to Barnes.
Instead of dodging mobility scooters like last week in Llanelli, today it was massive Baby Buggies, like 4x4's with confused little babies in them wondering why they need a £600 buggie for a 300 yard walk. Such an obvious sign of wealth and demographic breakdown in areas between the two.
I hit a dodgy patch near Kew Bridge on mile 16/17, but then weirdly got faster and stronger for the last 3 miles of the run and 30 minutes. I was pleased to see Barnes Bridge and finished at the cafe on 2 hours 51 minutes. 20 miles. Done. Legs hurt. Body sore. Toes hurting. But fuck me, yes i'd done it. Result.
I managed to remember stretching, collapsed indoors then went out for an enormous Sunday lunch in the Red Lion pub garden and ate my own body weight in Sausage and Mash, veg and chunky chips. I was having a carb fest. It was sunny. i'd done 20 miles. Man wanted Man food. Caesar salad just wouldn't do. Man food would.
Mate Burge came round in the evening, he unloaded his life with 3 kids under 3, how little sleep he got, mess, building work. He said his life on hold for 5 years until they go to Nursery. I'm never moaning again. I have it easy compared to him. But he did say he has 3 beautiful children and nothing can ever compare to that. bless him. But i'll pass on the kids thing for a while anyway. I can barely manage to decide on breakfast let alone bring up a little person.
Then i let my good work down by eating lots of junk late at night, custard, crumpets, biscuits, ice cream, malt loaf. Christ Malt loaf must be a bulimics nightmare, like trying to bring up brickwork. Best not do it kids. I think because you exert so much, blood sugar levels drop so much, that late on you crave so much food, sugar, energy. I would have walked across hot coals for Taste the Difference Vanilla custard. Instead i drove the the 24 hour garage and got some. I like living in London.
I Fell asleep exhausted. Custard stains all over my mouth like a child. Happy i did the 20 miles, unhappy i binged. On one hand the lord giveth, on the other he scoffs the lot the greedy sod.
Onwards and upwards tomorrow camper, i feel a day of restricted movement coming on
xx
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