After fairly awful weather with strong winds and rain the day before I was a bit nervous about the forecast. When we arrived at Preston Park it was overcast and raining a bit, gradually this stopped but it was still grey.
The first decision of the day was what to wear. This is something that I am quite indecisive over. I get very hot when I run but tend to feel quite cold for the rest of the time. When I get tired I also get cold... It can also be hard to decide what to wear when you know you are going to be out for 5 hours or more, the weather can change quite a bit in that time. Other things I don't like:
1. Running with clothing tied round me
2. Things that "bounce" when I run
3. Carrying more than I need, after all extra weight carried is extra energy used...
I wasn't sure what the wind strength would be on the seafront and if I would be cold in just my charity vest or if I should wear something underneath it. Looking round at the other runners never helps. You will always see people wearing far more or less than you would ever be comfortable with !
In the end I opted for just the charity vest and as it turned out it was the right decision. I do wish I had taken Amy's offer of suncream. When it has only just stopped raining and you are walking through mud to the start it is hard to believe that you will need it... but as it turned out we did and I'm just a bit pink today (the start of a summer tan ??)
Yesterday wasn't about getting a PB. For me it was about running with Holly and crossing the line together. If I'm honest it is far more fun running with someone, you keep each other going and it is someone to chat to on the way round.
I think I managed my water intake a bit better and only had two loo stops. On the first one the queues were so long I did pop in to a field so I apologise to anyone that might have been traumatised by the sight of my bum. The second time I did queue for the portaloos, fields are ok but the middle of a busy street is a step to far for me !
Before my next marathon I will be working on my drink intake, both amount and type, to try and make sure that I can get round without needing to stop. Last year I had to stop 5 times so this was a definite improvement. The advice of hydration has changed during this year. It has gone from making sure that you drink even if you aren't thirsty to drink according to thirst......
This was Holly's first marathon so crossing the line together was important to me. Holly has been asthmatic all her life and her asthma is classed as "chronic". There have been times when she was little and I was sleeping on a chair next to her hospital bed that I just wanted her well. I never thought I would see her grow up and train for and run a marathon so I see this as a massive achievement.
For me I felt far stronger running this marathon than I did last year. I felt as though I could have run faster, even in the last few miles, but I could see in Holly that she was giving it everything and really couldn't up the pace. I also remember how difficult I found the last few miles last year where just putting one foot in front of the other was a massive effort...
A marathon isn't just a race. It is a journey. You learn more about yourself along the way than you think possible. You learn how hard you can push yourself both mentally and physically. You learn that anything is possible if you want it enough.
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