That's the last long run out of the way, very aware that I've missed 2 long runs & 1 med long through injury but I'm here now & have read a couple of articles this week with the strict instruction to forget about them & go with the schedule, so that's what I'm doing.

Started off after work on Sunday night when I secreted four lucozade sport pouches around the course of the run, under stones, benches, flower arrangements & under a bridge. It was all a bit covert, wouldn't have fancied explaining myself to the police for my strange behavior. Got home & found myself engrossed in the Andy Murray tennis final from Miami. It got to well after 2 by the time I hit the sack, which wasn't ideal prep for a long run the next morning.

Set the alarm for 9, showered, breakfast of porridge with honey, banana, yoghurt & lucozade sport (the same as last week when I hit the wall) cleared my nose in a steam bath & found myself on the toilet at 9:45 (race start time) when I had intended on setting off, hope that doesn't happen on the day! Set off in due course & found myself running into a strong wind for the first 3 miles. Decided to take it easy, just like at the start of the marathon where every ones jammed up, but it didn't happen. First mile in 7:57, told myself to slow down but again 7:57 and again 7:59. Course then changed direction with the wind blowing me along, felt great! Mile 5 arrived & the first pouch hidden under a bench. Sipped it down without a problem. Starts getting a bit bumpy at his point & really messes my rhythm up. Legs at this stage are feeling heavy & I'm glad to find the next pouch in a flower bed on Knottend seafront at mile 10. One more mile down the coastal path to half way in a time of 1:28:21. Very happy with that but now I've got the wind storming in my face. Hard work, got my first comment at his point, an elderly woman shouted "I wish I could do that Keith" how did she know my name I'd never seen her before. Then I realised I was wearing my race tee wiith Keith emblazoned across the chest. Put a smile on my face & was a distraction from the pain for a couple of minutes. From here in the pace really slowed, averageing above 8:30. Also drinking the lucozade pouches at miles 15 & 19 upset my stride balance, by the end I was sick of stuff, really sweet. The final 3 miles I felt like I was pushing it & was hoping for times of just over 8 mins but in reality 8:39, 8:38, 8:46. On a posative note I didn't hit the wall this time, which I put down to the Lucozade pouches & I hit mile 20 at 2:44, which was the same time as I did it before the hamstring injury. A lot of hobbling about today, wore my compression tights & socks under my chefs trousers tonight, got a bit sweaty but we won't go into that.

Feel confident that the marathon is do-able now, day off tomorrow so will get my begging letters sent off for the charity. Well done to all completing the final longs this weekend. It's going to be painful but I'm really looking forward to it.

Tags: London marathon

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