This week I am genuinely excited to be starting the 16 week programme that will enable me to run 26.2 miles on the 18th of October. I have got new shoes, ordered a GPS watch, bought “The Ultimate Marathon Guide” and have been counting down the hours until I can go on my next run.
I am super happy to be doing this. I have plans to run along The Thames, the Majorca coast line, Brittany’s beautiful beaches, the streets of Krakow, through Robin Hood County Forest, Fleet, Hitchin, The Chilterns, Warrington, Lisbon… so many adventures waiting to happen and I just want to get on with it already!
**Feel free to remind me of this when we have to run 20 miles on week 10 in scorching summer heat and there is a gradual incline**
However at the moment I’m like an eager exuberant puppy when it hears the word “walkies” whispered conspiratorially by its master, as in, I have endless enthusiasm for running and all things running related. It’s a complete U-turn on where I was last year and even I think it’s surreal. For people who haven’t seen me in a few months the transformation must be quite jarring.
I am not an athletic person. At school teachers assigned me to the “allergic to running” group during cross country season. And until August last year I had not run for more than a few tortured seconds at any given time and exclusively for emergency purposes only. But somehow I have ended up here, planning on running a marathon, 14 months after tying up my laces for the first time.
So why a marathon? Surely there are other races more suited to my beginner status? Well, maybe, but I have already run 5 K, 10 K and 21 K so a marathon is the next most logical step. Maybe I still don’t quite trust this change of heart and I hope this will cement running in my life forever. Maybe I still have something to prove. Maybe booking a race is the only way I know to stay motivated. Maybe because I had written myself off entirely and the idea of running a marathon has suddenly gone from being absolutely ludicrous to something within the realms of my physical capabilities. Maybe because I believe I can and maybe, just maybe, my story encourages others in the same position as I was to try running too.
These are many good reasons to run a marathon.
Mostly though, I suspect, it’s because I want to and it would be cool.
KerryRUN 
Wow, saw your half marathon pictures on fb & thought it was amazing that you’d found the motivation to take up running. I kinda struggle to get off the sofa (am very lazy these days) but am going to give the couch to 5k a shot. Fingers crossed I can do half so well as you!
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That’s great! I will definitely put up a post about my first run soon. Laura (the narrator) is really motivating and seemed to predict my every feeling. Let me know how you get on! We can compare stories!
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Ha ha. Well 60 seconds never felt that long before! But you’re right, the narrators encouragement was strangely soothing considering I was being lapped by various running clubs! Hazards of running in the park I guess. Still felt quite satisfying to finish the podcast though
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