Signs the taper is starting to have rejuvenating effect: you actually manage a little sprint for the tube on a Monday morning. Six days to go until Berlin marathon, and a weekend of pretty low mileage. On Saturday I did Fulham Palace parkrun. A pre-marathon parkrun has, it seems, become something of a tradition for me. Note to self: if you have done enough marathons in two years to develop a tradition, is it time for a break, perhaps?
Of course, a 5k race is hardly a good indicator of your actual marathon time, but I was very pleased to knock quite a hefty 20 seconds off my PB (now 18min 50sec) which at least shows I’m on good form, albeit at a rather different event. Actually, the best bit for me was that it meant I finally cracked the 80% WAVA age grading barrier that I’ve been working away on. There are some advantages to getting older ...
Then a mere 10 miles yesterday, with six at marathon pace (first three: “Oh, this is so easy!”. Second three: “Oh my God, I have to do this for 26.2 miles, HELP!”), and that’s it really. A few miles here and there, a tiny combined speed and marathon pace session at the track tomorrow, and I’m pretty much done, bar the carb-loading. Then bring on the beer drinking and the post-race cake-scoffing. Anyone else in Berlin, see comments below for the post-race meet-up plans. Wearing of medals is obligatory.
Now to the important stuff. As always, I want to hear about your weekend triumphs and disasters. Did anyone race the Reigate half marathon – one I thoroughly enjoyed last year – or the 10k? Or are you still nursing injuries and desperately longing to get back on track? Come and share as usual below the line. If nothing else, it might distract me from the obsessive checking of the Berlin weather forecast …
