One sunny Saturday in London, and the last half of the marathon…

It’s a weekend so that means its run day. Since starting my training I was set on running the last half of the marathon so I knew what, after Tower Bridge was awaiting me. With only a few more weeks to go (3 weeks and a day!) the opportunity to run this was dwindling. Hence, I decided today was the day.

After arriving in Victoria I dumped my kit in the local fitness first (a gym I appear to be using more and more just for its shower facilities!) and set off. Maybe, given hindsight a Sunny Saturday during school holidays was not the best time to head to Buckingham Palace! Trying to avoid the mental crowds that were out I just put my head down and went for it – crossing a road when the little man was on red. This is the first time in my training I have ever been pulled over by a policeman! The guy told me not to cross on a red man as apparently it encourages others to do the same! It was early in my run, I couldnt be bothered to be lippy, and he was a policeman so I nodded and got on my way!

The first few miles flew by and running along the Thames with the sun in my face has to be one of the better reasons to run! Around docklands it was stunning and really nice to be out…that was before mile 10(ish).

At about mile ten my right quad started to feel a bit tight. The pain continued on in a similar vain for the next 7miles. However, I pushed on and actually maintained a fairly reasonable speed with most of the following miles averaging around the 9min mile kind of time.

So 17miles later I have run the last half of the Marathon (and some!). I know what is coming up, what things to look out for and milestones along the route. I ran past where I suspect my family will be standing twice and also ran part of the canary wharf bit (albeit slightly different).

Next weekend I *think* I may attempt the first half of the course as a 13miler so I have in essence completed the whole route. The miles need to start dropping now so that means I have, before the big day completed:

• 1 Twenty Mile Run
• 1 Eighteen Mile Run
• 1 Seventeen Mile Run
• 2 Sixteen Mile Runs
• Plus many many more shorter ones…

21 days to go…both exciting and scary!