The thing about marathon training is that just getting through to the end of the training plan is as good a mental preparation for the race itself than anything else I can think of.  What with injuries, bad weather, colds and flu to mention but a few and I haven’t started on the list of things day-to-day life can throw in our way.

I’ve had to be adaptive, realistic and strong to keep going with strength work and cross training (I nearly came to like spinning) and not give up and sulk.  Fortunately Milton Keynes marathon is a few weeks after many of the other marathons so I have a little more time than others to play with.  I have jumped from week 6 of 16 week plan A, to week 2 of 12 week plan B and after 3 weeks off running, nursing my painful piriformis (backside) I’m back!

I missed a Half Marathon the week before last and was getting anxious about the Bath Half Marathon next weekend.  However I’ve built up my mileage over the past 10 days and managed a good steady 10 miles on Sunday so Bath is on, albeit with a new game plan, (based on 2 weeks training and a 10 mile longest run), to get round and enjoy it rather than chasing a PB.