yay! 20 miles v2 - done!

20 miles round the Isle of Thanet - Done.

i'm happy enough that i finished and very happy that i got round in 9 and a half minute miles - pretty consistantly. I'll need to go faster than that for my sub four hour marathon... another 30 seconds off each mile? i have 5 weeks more training - 2 weeks of hard work, and 3 weeks taper.

I think i can still lose a tiny bit of excess weight - (before you tell me not too - when did you last see me with my shirt off?) which i could feel wobbling while running. however, based on the fact that when i was going past the 19 mile mark, i noticed a chap who had already finished (in his shorts, medal round his neck) and he was about 16 stone, and was smoking a cigarette?

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

I'm 12 and a half stone - haven't smoked since a crafty one while very very drunk in hong kong (and that was a marlboro light - smoking one of them is only the equivalent to being in the same room as a joss stick) and i've been running for 4 years... (properly)

i know i still need to push myself more, and my most important aspect for the Paris Marathon is making sure i make every step count. never giving up, and RUNNING the whole thing.

but still - another step in the right direction - i'm not too bothered that i was a bit slower than 2 years ago over the same distance, as it was really hilly on the new course, and i think i did both my long training runs too fast before my first marathon.

i'll find a way of doing another massive run in a couple of weeks - i don't have any more races, but i enjoy the long ones home from work, dodging the tourists and bothering the taxis at crossings.

i'm sitting here with a glass of Cava, and about to watch a silly film. no running tonight - we're doing a speed session tomorrow, and i have a long one on thursday planned. add in a bit of cycling, and maybe a swim on wednesday, and i'll be a proper adonis before you know it.