COUNTDOWN TO THE LONDON MARATHON 2017 - PART 4

In my last Countdown to April 23 2017 blog, I had managed 15 miles of  continuous running. I had reached the edge of inner Mousehole but had not yet got to the very heart of the port with its wonderful harbour views. And now - as of yesterday, Sunday 19 April, I have!

Mousehole - an idyllic Cornish harbour - in the distance the stretch of the run from Penzance to Marazion

But there was a glitch in the week before with no long run on Sunday 12 April. After a strenuous short hill run in very windy conditions, I developed a familiar sensation in my lower back that meant I had to switch to a routine of self-treatment - a combination of rest and walking and back rack exercises - for a few days, with a session as normal  from my physiotherapist, Ben Donaldson and an extra session with my chiropractor, Tanya. By Wednesday of last week I was fit enough to get another run on my local circuit under my belt - 3.5 miles  in a fast for me 34 minutes - followed  by a good gym session on Thursday. And then on Sunday I returned to the long run from Marazion out to Mousehole and back.

Here's a copy of my post on the Sally Army marathon runners website that I posted after the run yesterday.

'I'm back running and training! My chiropractic treatment on Tuesday confirmed my recovery from the lower back glitch and I had a successful and quite fast local and hilly circuit run on Wednesday (3.5 miles in 34 minutes), followed by a good gym session on Thursday. Today I set out from the Marazion car park with the desire to run for 160 minutes without stopping. The first 45 minutes saw




me at times reflecting on what happens when you lose the continuity of building up the ...stamina, long run after long run. Missing out last Sunday was making a difference - and it was still windy! But I persevered and got into the centre of Mousehole - for the first time - in 85 minutes.

I turned round enchanted by the views and hill-climbed out of Mousehole. Thereafter, the body took over and I was back - gratefully - by the car in Marazion in 162 minutes. Running all the way. So I guesstimate around 16 miles. Two more long runs to master: 17 then 18 plus. I won't attempt 200 minutes and 20; I'll settle for 18 plus and try to get to 20 at London and then switch to speed - walking and running. Every best wish to every one of you reading this post - may your training and runs be very successful.'

Grey-haired and red top - coming up fast on the outside - the start of the 10K at Broome in Suffolk in the summer of  2012

I thought I would use this blog to give you some images from 2012, the last full year we were in East Anglia before moving to Cornwall in January 2013. I was still a member of the Bungay Black Dog Running Club fresh from the personal thrill of my first marathon in London in April. Every summer,  the Black Dogs organise  a series of 10 K runs in the evenings around Broome. The images that

Still near the start and still feeling strong - it became harder!

follow are from the first of  those three races. I gave it my best shot but I could only manage a time of  61 minutes and 19 seconds. I remember being so disappointed. It had felt faster. I realised I would have to accept that my 59:40 for the Wymondham New Year's Day 10 K in 2009 was going to be the last time I would get under an hour. My fastest time had been in 2005, in the second of the Broome 10K series, when I recorded 56:49 shortly after joining the Black Dogs.

Heading for the finish line - fighting for every step - bloody-minded determination!

Here's a link if you haven't yet sponsored me in my Sally Army run - and would like to ...

My Virgin Money Giving website page is the place to use for donations if you would like to support  my run and the Salvation Army and their specific charity focus: the Swindon drug rehabilitation unit. Here is a link to this page: 


And a big thank you if you do decide to give to the Salvation Army!







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