I have been training for a Marathon for the last 6 months. In less than 2 weeks time all my efforts will come together when I take my place on the seafront at Southsea for the first Portsmouth Waterside Marathon. The training has been long and hard but I am pleased to say that I have completed every mile and not taken any short cuts. I have missed a couple of runs but managed to reschedule them so I could keep on track. I have been running at 5.30am for 4 days out of 7 using a training plan from David A. Whitsett’s excellent book The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer. The book has been excellent as it helps with both the physical trauma and the psychological trauma of running long distances. Before stating training I had only run a maximum of 4 miles so the thought of running 26.2 miles was quite frightening. The training plan was really good building your miles and fitness each week until you reach the two biggest runs of 18 miles. The training focuses on the minimum amount of miles you need to do to complete the race maximising fitness but not risking injury. So far I have found the training really good, hard at times but extremely fulfilling and exhilarating when you look back after a run to see what you have achieved.
I am in my mid 40’s, 6 foot tall with my weight wavering around the 15 stone mark. Before running I was fairly fit but now I can really see a marked difference. I have lost around 8 pounds in weight but gained muscle on my legs and upper body. I feel fitter, stronger and happier about myself than I have felt in a long time so whatever happens running has been good for me. I started running seriously because I signed up to run a 10k race for Cancer Research UK in memory of my Mum who sadly died of Cancer 2 years ago. The running bug caught me and encouraged me to sign up for a Marathon which I hoped would enable me to raise more funds and ultimately make my mum really proud of me. Since May I have run a 10k race in Portsmouth, a 10k race in Southampton, a Half Marathon in West Sussex followed by a final Half Marathon in Gosport. I have enjoyed every race and although each one was hard I am pleased to have completed them all.
Running is hard for me. I am too big for long distances but I am determined and stubborn. On some of my long 18 mile training runs I have been out for over 4 hours but I never gave up and ran all the way. I am slow but I am steady and I know that in the end my determination will get me to the finish line. Running on your own is lonely and extremely hard work. Physically the runs are relatively easy if you keep to the training plan but physchologically they are phenomenally hard. I think training for a Marathon is 25% about your body and 75% in your head. Once you can prove to yourself you can run and break through your own psychological barriers the running becomes easier. Getting up on these cold winter mornings seeing all those miles ahead is daunting but when you complete it you get such a buzz which makes the effort worthwhile.
Running kit has proved to be important to me. In my early days I just ran in an old pair of sorts, a t-shirt and my old football trainers. As I have got more serious I have invested in some running clothing which has made a big difference to my comfort. My first and most important buy was my running shoes. These were the first running shoes I had purchased so I was not sure what to expect. The transformation was instant; they were comfortable from the start and gave me a spring in my step which helped propel me forward. I felt more like a runner and I am sure my posture and running style must have improved greatly just from this one addition. Next I brought a pair of anti-blister, padded running socks that I wore under my old running socks. They too were brilliant and kept my feet comfortable throughout my training runs. My next investment were some tight running shorts and a body moulded t-shirt. They also proved to be good although when they arrived they looked the same size as some of my 2 year old son’s clothes. Luckily they did stretch and in the end fitted really well. They do take some getting used to but after 6 months I honestly wouldn’t consider running without them. I also purchased some running shirts, a pair of lightweight running shorts, gloves and a warm hat which have all served me well in my training.
Now I am only 2 weeks away from my biggest challenge. I am running with my best friend who I know will motivate me and keep me going through those unknown last few miles. I also have the support of a lot of friends who have sponsored me and given me lots of encouragement. Also my wife and son have been brilliant. Standing in the cold at all my running events waiting for me while runner after runner passes the finish line before Daddy staggers home some time later. Also on the runs themselves I have met a lot of great people struggling at the back of the pack with me who despite their own pain have taken the time to give me a few words of encouragement Thank you one and all. I have the running bug now so hopefully with all these people behind me in a few weeks I will be crossing the finish line and then I can proudly call myself a marathon runner!
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