What am I getting into ?

I have read a little more about the Madrid marathon this week and it looks much harder than London.

In particular, on reading around on the web only 120,000 runners out of 200,000 who have ever run the marathon have finished within the deadline of 6 hours. That is not a great percentage. This is due apparently to the heat (even in April Madrid can be pretty hot), the humidity, the altitude (around 2,000 feet) and the challenging hills. I realised Madrid would be pretty hot but I think what has shocked me are the statistics - only 60% finish. When I have run races (my two half marathons when I was 17 and more recently the Hoylake 10k) I tend to finish races in about the middle ie in the top 50-70 %. So statistically as things stand perhaps I have only a 50% chance of finishing.

That is why I have decided to run in 2010 and not 2009. I think an even wiser decision than I initially thought. I am now aiming to ease up on the training front and want to be ready for a Blackpool marathon in early April. This would be my first marathon. I might be kidding myself but that is the target. We will see.

The Madrid marathon does look spectacular though just take a look at this picture :



I continued with my training today and am now up to over 8 miles without stopping/walking. I am quite chuffed really as my pace was 9 minute pace as well which is fine for me.

Up to now I have been running "clean"... no ipod, no water, no fancy gadgets. How running has changed since my earlier years. There is now a possibility of mild dehydration on runs due to the fact that I am out on the road for over an hour and so I have ordered a hydration system (posh water bottle to the rest of us). Will be trying it out next week hopefully. I am really excited about that as it sits on my bottom like a bumbag and comes with a very long straw. Let's hope I don't trip over it.

I have now finished running for my wife, Helen and am so grateful to her for getting the ball rolling with donations and for her 100% love and support. I am very lucky to have her.

The even better news is I am now running for my German mother-in-law Renate. I heard gun shots on my run today and I must say politically incorrect thoughts did cross my mind...

I am now suffering for you "Oma" - enjoy it while you can !!

Robert