It's time (well, nearly, anyway!)

T-8… or is it T-15?

The date is September 15. And not much long of it left, for that matter. Hmmm… not long now, is it?

Not at all. The Sheffield TenTenTen takes place a week tomorrow. I’m travelling up to Sheffield Saturday morning, which in itself is a privilege. Plan A was for Mrs S, Big’Un, Littl’Un and I to head up in the car together, but a fortnight ago Mrs S ‘suggested’ I go up on my own. Given that I can’t drive, the suggestion doesn’t leave much scope for manoeuvre…

…to be fair, at the time of the suggestion Littl’Un was going through a phase with which I bore you shall not, but which certainly made it hard to contemplate having him sleep elsewhere. And Mrs S is open about her dislike of driving long distances, and she would have had to drive there and back within little more than 24 hours. Now personally I don’t consider Sheffield to be far away, but then that is a biased, non-factual comment: I will grant you Nottingham is far, for example, but not Sheffield, even though the former is actually closer. It’s an emotional thing…

…anyway, Sheffield TenTenTen a week tomorrow. Bristol Half Marathon a week after that, if ever I receive my race pack: Jon got it on Monday and he lives five minutes away, I’m still waiting… I’ve chased the organisers, they reassure me all is well… so hopefully it’ll arrive soon, otherwise it’s just another thing to sort on race day. Either way, two races coming up in the space of the next eight days. What are my thoughts? Hmmm… let me gather them…

Providing I don’t injure myself, I have no concerns whatsoever about Sheffield. Since June 27, I have run 10k or more on 26 occasions, recently on trail as well as road. I am as unsure as ever about my time: I still haven’t seen the course, I still don’t know how the race environment will impact me, so I am not taking a sub-60’ time for granted in the slightest. Truth be told, I still expect to take longer than an hour. I will try to surprise myself, but I won’t be distraught if I fail to achieve my initial, simplistic target.

Now, as for Bristol…

…I am delighted Jon and I ran 22km last week. I already felt comfortable about managing the distance as a result of four consecutive weeks of my hilly 18.5km, but last Sunday gave me the confidence that I could manage 22k and at a decent pace (if accompanied). I ran 10k in Bristol on Thursday morning, at a pace just 5”/minute faster than with Jon (5’23” vs 5’18”), which also reassured me that I can sustain a faster pace than my legs may desire if my mind concentrates. Last but not least, Jon and I are heading off again for a ‘mere’ 16km in the morning, with the target of a faster pace. Suits me: it will be my last long run before race day and I feel ready. Again, I feel ready to complete 21.0975km, but not necessarily to do so in under 120’. Maybe bizarrely, I don’t know, I feel more confident about a sub-two hour half than a sub-hour 10k: I will have Jon for company, hopefully (if not Jon, any of the other thousands – let’s hope I pick someone running at the right pace), I won’t be running down trail and… oh I don’t know, I just do. Feel more confident, that is. But, even then, I’m happy to not pin my hopes too high.

So far this week, I’ve only run 37.7km. Thursday’s were the best: was staying in Bristol for work, got up at 6am and hit the waterfront area. I was not alone: indeed, following a couple of other runners did no harm in my quest to maintain a decent pace. Whether I need to do that on race day remains to be seen: it’s a double-edged sword and one I back myself to manage, if need be. Who knows…

…on Tuesday I ran on trail, on Wednesday my plans for a 12k pre-office run were literally halved by rain which delayed my departure and yesterday I again hit the trail for 11k. The trail coast path is a sort of treat for me: the fresh westerly wind, the scenic surroundings, the absence of cars… my feet and legs probably prefer the steadiness of asphalt (when I’m actually out there, anyway – long-term’s a different matter), but trail is a treat. I’ll probably hit it another couple of times in the coming week, for the benefit of next Sunday’s 10k. But the focus of my training has to be the Half, so I won’t be turning my back on the hilly roads nearby.

 Two shots from my trail run along the Portishead Coast Path. Not the worst of views…
…one day I may set off armed with camera and the acceptance I’m not looking to clock a decent time and take a few more!

All in all, though, it’s quite simple: I’m ready. To start, to complete, I’m ready. To hit any particular time targets, less so: but that’s OK, whatever I achieve will be a PB! But my mind is ready. And my body…

…as I texted to Uncle Richard (he who told me on May 8 that the TenTenTen would prove too difficult for me), “Since April 19 I’ve run 415 miles… that’s like Exeter’s ground to yours [S11] & back to mine… if I’m not ready for the TenTenTen now I never will be! x”. My body feels ready. And well nourished, too! I’m no longer striving to lose weight, haven’t for around a month. What I am doing is enjoying my food! If I do stray a little (and Mrs S isn’t approving of me having what she labels “a whole packet” of carbonara today – a gross exaggeration, I only had one plate, if a somewhat overflowing one!), I do so safe in the knowledge that I will run it off at some point. Mrs S has also been busy baking, and I’m less likely than before to turn owt down. What I don’t turn down, I’ll run off… sounds good, tastes better.

Anyroad… bye for now. Better get some sleep soon – 7.20am (and, by extension, Jon) will be round before I know it.