Ten miles this morning. The sun was shining, there was zero wind and I ran a loop of my village which took in a spectacular stretch along the shore of Lough Neagh. It was so warm that I had to remove my woolly hat after three miles which has been surgically attached to my head these last few months. I won’t tempt fate and say winter is finally over as I’ve heard there is snow forecast for Easter.
The Belfast Marathon is just over six weeks away now and I’m planning a 20 mile training run over the Easter break. Today went so well that I’ve decided to run this loop twice next weekend. I’m pretty sure the second circuit won’t be as enjoyable as the first but embracing and accepting the physical and mental pain is all part of the training process. Better to come to terms with it during a training run than be totally unprepared come the day itself.
I’ll post a book update later on. Busy, Busy, Busy!
What training targets have you set yourself?
Are you still wearing your winter clothing?
Black Thoughts 
Run Commander, ruuuuun!!!
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Yes sir !!!
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Are you planning on increasing this distances on the long runs now that you are getting closer to the final day?
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I think 21 miles will be my limit. I’ve never went beyond that in the build up to a marathon.
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I see, it’s really hard, but I will go to it! Keep running and having fun with it
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It poured rain all day yesterday so I did 12.75 miles at an indoor track. 12 laps = 1 mile. I wish I could say that’s the farthest I’ve ever done in circles but my 50k race was a .8 mile loop and I did a 26 mile training run for it on a cruise ship in the North Atlantic Ocean. I’m crazy. My full is end of April with a half mid month. It’s a sickness I tell you!!
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No winter clothes here as we live in Mexico for half the year. Hubster and I will do the Los Cabos 1/2 next February. Good luck with your training runs.
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Thank you. That HM sounds like a hot one 😁
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It will definitely be a warm one, hydration will be the key!
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Awesome run!
I noticed you’re on Garmin Connect, I’ve sent you a “friend request” or whatever they’re called!
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Thanks Karen 🙂
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However do you keep yourself motivated? I’m amazed. what aboutthe days when you’d rather do something else? What about the stretches on the way when you’re terribly exhausted? What keeps you going… ? I’m really in awe of anybody who prepares for a, marathon .I didn’t know you live so close to the water. I’m actually a bit jealous now. 😇
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Yes it’s the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles or so I’m told. Fear drives me on. Fear of failure and returning to the person I was. Who I didn’t like very much.
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Good for you! Bravo! 🙂
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Thanks Lynn 😊👍🏻
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Good luck in the training. Sounds like it is going well so far….. Keep up the good work mate. Think it is an awesome thing you are doing.
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Thanks Matt 🏃🏻👍🏻
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Yes, still wearing the winter clothes. It snowed two inches early yesterday morning in the Seattle area but then melted later in the day.
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Yikes. Hope it warms up soon 😊
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Still winter clothes, but we have shed the heaviest of our coats out of sheer determination.😊
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Hurray 😂😂
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Hi Stephen – everywhere I turn I find we have things in common.
I am like you an unchurched semi detached Christian who likes to tell it as it is.
I am a runner. Have given up on marathons these days, focus on 5k and 10k but ran London Marathon 6 times. I am also a rugby fan.
I’m not Irish but from Aldershot, among other places, where we experienced IRA bombings for ourselves. My father was catholic, my mother Protestant.
My father was an army medic but fortunately never served inIreland.
I’ll be following your blog with interest.
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Incidentally your prep sounds spot on. A long run of 20 miles three weeks before the big day is ideal. From that point your weekly mileage should start tapering down. The week before the marathon you won’t want to be doing much at all.
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