Well less than 2 weeks to go until Windsor Half Marathon. This will be my second half and my first time ever running around Windsor Great Park.
So, back story, running since June 2016. Did the London Big Half in March 2018 at around 1hr 40min. I regularly run 30-50 sometimes 70kM a week and have run over 21Km a good few times.
So the Windsor Half will be easy really!
Unlikely!! I put effort into everything I do and yes I’ve managed to run half marathon distance or more on a number of occasions it is always something that takes it out of me. It would be great to say that now I can run over 30Km that a little 21Km jaunt around Windsor will be a piece of cake, but that’s not the case. It’ll be hard, there will be sweat!! There will be some tired limbs. But ultimately there will be a sense of achievement when I cross that line.
I would love to beat my other HM time but who knows. The course is hillier but I’ve trained more. I’m competitive so a bit of me really wants to improve times. But the other bit wants to just finish safely and continue to prove to myself that I have come a long way in the 15 months I’ve been running. Runnings marathons etc had always been on my bucket list but I never realised how much fun I was going to have achieving that one!
So prep up until now has been using the 10 week Strava HM training plan which I have blogged about on ridgewayrunner.com also. This has been a mixture of easy runs and various types of speed run – ie Fartlek, progression, tempo, intervals etc of varying distances and durations. It’s been hard work and with family commitments and work I’ve not always hit every workout square on. I’ve also compensated (in my mind) by throwing some even longer long runs in – partly as I know I have marathons and an Ultra planned next year and want to test myself!
So am I ready? Well I have to be really. Only got 13 days! But really? Well I suppose so. I’m naturally pessimistic and usually look for the negatives in things as well as the get out of jail cards to avoid this sort of thing. Being my third ever public run I’m still petrified. I worry people will laugh and point as I go by, and that I will be utterly hopeless. I expect I look to others like an uncoordinated mule on roller skates as I run and that if I don’t trip over and faceplant the floor I’ll be amazed.
I guess that sort of thinking takes more than 2 public races to get beyond – if indeed you ever can.
What I will say is this, I know I can run, we all can. I know I can run that distance (We all can if we put our minds to it!). And I really know that my running style is fine.
I know people will clap and cheer, not point and laugh. The thoughts will always linger but I known on the day the experience will drown them out. The reality will always surpass the worries.
So as I begin the final two weeks of trying to make sure my legs remember how to move quickly for long enough to finish the race I am left to wonder what the experience will be like. It’s a great location with Windsor Castle as a back drop – doesn’t get much better! And you get to run sections of the park not normally open to the public!
Am I ready! I have my number 747! And my race number magnets courtesy of Runr . I have my kit and the smart watch will be charged and ready to go. I have Family in Windsor so that helps with travel arrangements too.
Next week is taper week the bit I hate most. I fear that in a week of little running I will lose all fitness and forget how to run. But on race day I know the taper will leave me feeling refreshed and race ready. Bring on the Castle!!!!!
Ridgeway Runner 