Just three days now until the third marathon of the year. I seem to be back on track after last Thursday's scare. Earlier in the week I still wondered whether I'd be able to run a marathon this Sunday, but after a weekend of rest and ice, and a sports massage on Monday, all now seems to be ok.
I ran on Tuesday evening without any problem, but I was reluctant to run hard. Then I ran again on Wednesday evening with the Sweaty Betty girls, performing my role as coach, and I was completely unaware of anything being wrong with my knee. It's been a fairly uneventful week otherwise.
The next marathon, the delightfully named Bedford Clanger, should be a low key affair. It doesn't even have an exact start time. Anyone wishing to walk the route are instructed to start before 8.30am. Runners are told that they should start after 9.00am and before 9.30am. There are five checkpoints that we must run through, other than that there will be no marshals on the course and the route will not be marked in any way. Competitors need to find their own way around by following written instructions.
I'm not a fan of following instructions in writing. I personally prefer to follow a map. So I intend to buy the OS map for Bedford tomorrow, make a photocopy of the relevant section and draw on the marathon route. I also aim to start at about 9.15, assuming that slower runners will want to start first, giving me the chance to chase down and overtake people. I'll pull alongside and have a brief chat as I do so. I'm also aiming to take the marathon a lot easier than the last two. I dare say that stopping to read either the instructions or the map will slow me down anyway. I've been telling friends that I intend to get a PW this time (a personal worst). My plan is to take a little over 4 hours, but it might be a tall order expecting me to slow down to that time.
Bedford, here I come.
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