Memories and Mountains

This weekend I was determined to do 12 miles.  I’ve managed a couple of 10 milers, but I just needed to know I was capable of 12.

I had a vague route planned, which would start with a loop of Hyde park (the half marathon route) then head up to Clapham where I used to live and run.  It was a pretty victorious day.  I got pretty good at running up aound when I was training for my 10k, and now I feel so beyond a 10k I wanted to visit a few memories and experience my old routes in this new state.

After a loop of Hyde Park I made my first memorial journey, Hyde Park corner to Stockwell.  At the start of the year when I tried to get back into running, I used to attempt this route as a bit of a run-commute.  Back then I was struggling so much with running, I could only manage a difficult 3 mins run followed by 1 min walk, all the way, it never seemed to get any easier, I blamed invisible hills, and I was grateful for all the traffic lights and enforced stops.   So yesterday was a triumph sailing effortlessly along that route from start to finish, showing old me I could do it.

Back when I was training for my 10km (at my fittest) there was a road (I say road, it was more of a mountain) off Clapham Common towards Wandsworth Common, it’s a huge dip, so lovely to run down, but there was always the other side to run up. I loved and hated it, but never once managed to run the ups without walking, so I was keen to run this route yesterday to see how far I’d really come.  

Heading to Wandsworth was fine, as in that direction the up wasn’t as steep.  Then after a loop of Wandsworth Common passing the 10 mile mark, I headed back to the Big Dipper, and I’m happy to report I glided up the big up.  I was soooo proud of myself, in fact I think I’m more proud of that, than of doing 12 miles!  That really proves to me how far I’ve come on this running journey, how much my fitness has improved.  I might not be as fast as I was in July 15 (when I completed my 10km in 1.04), but I must be fitter and stronger.

The Clapham Mountain (the pic does not do it justice)

All that said, 12 miles was effing tough!  I think I’m finding my 5/6 milers easier in many ways, so much so that I’m forgetting that it’s still a very long way from 5/6 miles to 13.1 Miles.  I began to flag (mentally mostly) after about 7 miles, at times I almost cried and battled with myself and the why am I doing this argument.  When I did stop a traffic lights, I did feel like I was going to throw up a few times. And when I finished I felt really unwell for a few hours (reminder to me, not to do a long run that leaves me with an hour and half commute home, not good!)  I’m reminded that a half marathon is a big deal!  Am I ready?  I did question myself yesterday, but its too late now, only 4 weeks to go…