Sunday, Week 14 of 15

Run: "12 Miles, Slow"
Time Taken: 98 mins
Total Mileage So Far: 499.5 miles

Week 14:
Total Weekly Mileage: 30.5 miles
Time running: 3 hrs 54 min

Great last long run.

I've done almost this distance on some of my midweek runs, but it was still really good to get it out of the way, having taken it nice and easy with no problems at all.

Two years ago, on this run a week before my first marathon, I suddenly got a sharp pain by the side of my right knee at about 11 miles and had to stop. Even walking brought the pain on, and I was sure then I would have to pull out of the race. With help and advice from a sports injury expert at work (i.e. he's always got one), I managed to get to the race and not even feel the injury until the 21st mile.

So this year it was good to run across the park in the last half mile feeling fit and well, knowing that I have three easy runs left before next Sunday, and even missing all of them would make no difference to how I do in the race.

It's all down to mental preparation now I guess. I've spent lots of time at visualisation. You may (and probably will) laugh, but my two favourites are:

1. Imagining myself as a tall, willowy Kenyan runner, skipping along at 5 minute miles. Only works if I don't catch sight of myself in a shop window.

2. Imagining a string connected from my stomach to the finish line, and me being hauled in like a large fish. Best not to think too deeply about this one as it's a bit weird all round.

I've also pictured myself at various points on the course, and imagined how I will feel at each point. As long as i can put up with the crowds at the beginning, and keep positive (unlike Dewsbury and Wilmslow in the last couple of months) I think I will do fine.

I WILL ENJOY MYSELF.