How to run a marathon (Post-race reflections) The marathon was three weeks ago and the body is slowly falling back into place. I can’t believe it’s been 19 weeks since I first embarked on this adventure. In the beginning it seemed an impossibility and it was with great trepidation that I began my training. But. . . I have always wanted to run a marathon and with age 60 looming large I knew it was now or never. I followed the schedule with the aim of increasing my mileage and endurance to the point where I could contemplate going the distance. The long runs became steadily longer - 60 mins became 70 then 80 then 90. Two hours loomed at the six week mark. The improvement was gradual and I tried not to think about the 36 kms that would be required at the end of week 13. While I learned to push myself just a little bit further with each and every run I still had grave doubts that my 60 year old bod would ever cope with 42.2 kms. The truth was, the runs were ha...
The day we ran the marathon The day before the marathon is a bit of a jittery affair. My friend advises me to hydrate but the more I drink the more I pee. It’s a case of ‘in one end and out the other’. I try to be careful with what I eat but I really don’t feel like eating much. Bread, bananas, a scone, almonds and a nice crunchy apple. I do some window shopping in New Market to pass the time. Then it’s a quick stop at the supermarket for last minute supplies. The race-pack-pick-up, in central Auckland, is more relaxed than I thought it would be. People have time to chat. We try on snazzy gear, take some pics, get talked into buying stuff. We grab brochures on future marathons - London, New York. . . Ha ha! Full of nervous optimism. I leave with several products designed to get me through the 42.2 kms - most notably a blackcurrant miracle potion that will ‘give me a boost and help me recover’. I’m all for ‘boosting’ of any sort, and ‘recovering’ sounds like a good ...