Posture & pacing

Today's run took me to Windsor Castle and back.  A funny thing about how I'm running now -- reaching out towards marathon distance -- is that my pace is gradually approaching that at which I used to run during C-2-5k days.  I'm slowing down drastically -- today it was around 12:30 min/mile -- in order to keep my form, with lots of steps (literally picking up the pace even as I slow down), straight back, chest out, and head up.  It's also the only way to ward off the pain of running so far, for so long.  Concentrating on pace & posture keeps the pain at bay.

Now, today was lovely, the fields and river were bright again on the way back, and I started to really get into it once I'd reached Windsor itself (i.e. past old Windsor) and turned the corner to the castle.  Here it became properly social with all ages participating in the spectacle: little kids on bikes just ecstatic to be alive, alongside sporty/sprightly seniors with hiking sticks and smiles on their faces.  This is the spectacle of the long walk, it's that stretch across space that links a vast stretch of landscape, and pulls together so many bodies in a visual performance.

I reached the gate again and stopped, checked my watch.  I'd hit 11km, by a bit of route engineering, at just under 1.5 hours.  I was on track.  My goal in all this training is simply to finish a marathon at the future specified date (22 April 2018) -- but you also need to come in under around 6 hours I think or there will be no-one there when you finish (I'm sure I'm exaggerating here).

I got some great advice from a fellow runner who said, "you just need to get to the start line."  I honestly hadn't been thinking about it that way.  We're basically ready, the rest is just mental, and avoidance of injury.

Today's run was about psyching myself up.  Since running my first 18.6 km I've had this niggle of doubt about being able to do it -- any long 15+ mile run really.

But my wife keeps coming through for me too.  She's showed me some stretches to work on my tendon (the hip-knee connection that hurts quite variably, but much more in the knee right after I stop), and last night she talked me through getting back out there to train through the pain -- by helping me formulate the strategy of pacing to minimise the pain.  Go as slow as you need to, to keep it comfortable, and then just push through at pace.

So, the thing is, I pushed along up to almost 14 miles and I can now visualise myself doing Windsor and back twice at that slow (sub-6 hour marathon) pace.  But will my body agree?  I seized up after waiting for a train, but was ok after some stretching.  Now, at home resting, there's no pain and not a hint of swelling (there never has been).  All is well, right?