Blinded by the Light

Well here we are at day 29 of the Marcothon challenge and the light at the end of the tunnel is clearly visible. Make no mistake it has been tough getting this far.

The second week, day 14 was completed with our standard fallback position of 3 laps of the hospital after work.  It is somewhat alien to be spending Friday night out running in the rain soaked streets on the biggest party night of the year but that’s where we were.  The following morning we were back at parkrun running our normal course for the first time this month.  It was great to get back to a bit of normality but it didn’t last!  On Sunday we were rather ambitious, well I was and we set out to run 6 miles but it was a struggle for me and made me rethink the mileage I was attempting for the challenge.

Monday arrived and we were up bright and early to greet a new working week, much earlier than normal as we had to fit in our run before we went to work.  Dragging ourselves out of bed at such an early hour was as big a challenge as we have faced.  Needless to say the run was the bare minimum - 3 miles.  Challenge met, Moira was able to go to her works lunch and relax and enjoy it without her run preying on her mind. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we were back to JogScotland duty and completed our mileage with our group. On Friday, as many of our work colleagues disappeared off to start their Christmas holidays we headed out for our last run of the year at Little France – an old favourite – The Innocent Railway.

Saturday and Strathclyde parkrun brought with it another challenge, could I improve on last week’s performance?  The answer, of course was only just, but 7 seconds is 7 seconds.  Sunday was a struggle; it seems that Sundays are turning out that way at the moment.  The plan for Christmas Eve was simple; Moira was going out for a 10 mile run while I was at work and I would come home and do my run when I arrived back. As it turned out this was my hardest run to date. Why so difficult?  Running on your own, knowing that your team mate had already done her run earlier.

Thanks to Bob Marshall for Photo

Christmas Day, is always perceived as the most difficult day to fit in a run but thanks to Edinburgh parkrun, it was a doddle. We both thoroughly enjoyed Edinburgh parkrun.  There is something nice just turning up at a parkrun and just running it.  No pressure or responsibility.  I was rewarded with my fastest time since my comeback although I am still not running freely as yet.

Thanks to Bob Marshall for Photo

Boxing Day, however, was a different story.  Again I had to go into work and I was longer than anticipated. Moira managed to fit her run while I was at work and on my retrun we headed for the traditional boxing Day festivities with Moira’s family. So while Moira tucked into the second round of turkey with gusto, I was mindful of my pending run. We returned home and I set off for my run by torchlight in the sleet and snow that was falling round Harburn.  So Boxing Day turned out to be every bit as bad as Christmas eve.

The following couple of days were spent running the Camility loop at home, battling the elements. It was a relief to get back to parkrun on the Saturday.  As it turned out this was my favourite run of the month and for the first time I was starting to feel I was running with a bit more freedom, while Moira seems to be developing a sore knee!!.  The end is now in sight!