Sharing the Experience

Although the approaching Games is rather nerve-wracking, it’s also quite exciting. I have realised that I am in an incredibly lucky position to be actually taking part. I am sure that many of my friends would have been there themselves if it were not for illness, injury and other things outwith their control, and many more would love to have had the opportunity to be a part of it.

For this reason, I’m going to try to write about my experiences when I can  so that we can all share in the journey.

While I’m not coming down from a big block of training, I still realise that I must ignore the temptation to do too much at too late a date. If it takes about 3 weeks to see a benefit from specific training, then squeezing an extra session or run in now will just make me tired with no benefit and so actually be detrimental on the day.

Even the top runners must start to doubt their training and themselves as the race approaches, so I’m trying to stay positive and accept what my sensible self (and others) are saying in that I’ve done all I can. At the end of the day, an event such as a marathon can be a bit of a lottery – no matter well people have prepared, some will have a better day than others, but it’s a case of getting to the start line in the best shape you can. 



How coordinated?



Kit trials for a shy runner

Tapering is almost a swearword to some people, but it does give you a lot of time to get everything else sorted. In the past few days, I’ve managed to catch up more with family and friends than I have in a while – no, not big nights out, but skype and phone calls, coffee and cake dates etc. I’ve been to see the physio to get a stretch of my ever tight hip flexors (actually, if I’m honest it was really to eat his birthday cake!), I’ve retaxed my car, had meetings at work about job interviews, paid my tax bill, made the decision about whether to cut my hair neatly for the Opening Ceremony or keep it so that it fits into a ponytail (function wins over fashion I’m afraid!), cut the grass, watered the plants, and eaten up most of the food in the fridge. I even found some less populated area (the local track and a local back road) to try out my kit without being seen (much!), and have realised that my race kit is so colour-coordinated that even my Irish friend Nicola would be impressed (she always seems to match in races!).

Now all that remains is to get sorted with the packing, and avoid any patients with infectious D&V in my last surgeries and on house visits before travelling up to “Holding Camp”.....