The next chapter…

Obviously everyone who knows me is aware that the Sunday before last was a huge blow to me. Training for the London Marathon was a huge focus for me since the beginning of the year, but anyone that reads this blog knows that running has been part of my life for a number of years. After much reflection I realise it would be foolish to hang my trainers up for good.

Over the next few months I intend on pushing on. I have a 10km and a half lined up later on in the year and I will watch my training to see what else maybe possible to achieve in 2010. I want to spend time running with others, in particular those who have offered kind words of support over the last few weeks – you know who you are. I will also be looking at joining a club and seeing if I can get involved in some club running, hopefully helping me regain some confidence and learn where and what I am possibly doing wrong.

Before the marathon we had booked a relaxing recovery break in Tenerife for the Bank Holiday weekend. Having sulked a bit for a week Laura suggested I take my trainers in case I fancied a run. On Sunday morning when the sun was in (but temps still above 20) I decided to give it a go…

Tenerife is a volcanic island and the hotel is on a hill. The run was the hilliest run I remember doing – ever! It was tough and due to the hills it was slow – however it felt good. Pushing myself on and on I stopped at 6miles but could have carried on if water was available…time to forget about the past and look to the future.

I had a great email last week with a quote I really liked which I will post for others, however I will admit it does sound a bit like something Maximus should be saying in the film Gladiator…

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.

Till the next time…

Neil