Gone Running

I left the below post on time delay to be published over the weekend. However, the problems on Blogger last week prevented it from being published....

Before I ran the Sydney marathon last year, I said to myself that if I ran in under four hours that would be it. I'd hang up my proverbial hat contented.

However, within a few days of finishing I'd mentally signed up for another marathon. No longer was the goal four hours. I wanted to run sub three hours thirty.

This Sunday I'll be running the Great Ocean Road marathon. Being a hilly course, and three kilometers longer than a regular marathon, it's not one where you can aim for a personal best. So I'm stupidly planning to run the Gold Coast marathon in seven weeks time too.

This morning I hit 1,000km in training. It's been tough running through summer, sprinting up hills and pushing myself hard. I feel fitter and stronger. But that counts for nothing if you have a bad day.

The feeling is completely different to before the Sydney marathon. The fear factor of the unknown has gone. However, it would be completely wrong to say that I feel confident. I'm scared of the hills. Fearful of the extra distance. More worried about the nuances of running now that I understand them. I don't like the idea of not being in my own home the day before the run.

However, I love the feeling of clearing my mind and running. Thinking of nothing. Tuning into your body and the environment. Getting into a rhythm and seeing how far I can push myself. It should be stunningly beautiful to run along the Great Ocean Road.

Fingers crossed.