Still Running (weakly). Issue 41

PAST – inspiration – Paula Radcliffe! What a runner! I ran the London Marathon in 2003, and someone had chalked up, “Paula 2:15:25,” at the finish, indicating the astonishing world record she had just run. Experienced runners who knew what it took to run even an hour slower, we all just shook our heads in wonder and admiration.

There are many stories about her that reinforce that feeling. There is the story that she once kept up with Paul Evans on one of his hardest runs. “I can’t let this girl beat me,” he thought, and he was a 2:08 marathon runner.

There is the story about Gerard Hartmann, the Irish physio known for treating some of the world’s foremost athletes. Sometimes he had to go as deep as possible into his clients’ tender muscles. Who could take the most pain? “With her mascara pouring down her face, Paula.”

And there is the story that, when she trained at Font-Romeu, her best friend, Liz Yelling, stayed nearby for a month. But they went for coffee together just once, such was Radcliffe’s commitment to her daily routine of training and napping.

PRESENT – perspiration – Talking of the marathon, Charlotte Purdue (2:22:17), Calli Hauger-Thackery (2:22:17) and Phil Sesemann (2:08:04) have run the qualifying times and been selected for the GB Olympic team in that event. They will be joined by others after the London Marathon on 21stApril.

Good luck to them. British women have never won an Olympic marathon medal, although females have only been able to compete in that event since 1984.

British men have never won an Olympic marathon gold. Our last medal was Charlie Spedding’s bronze in 1984, and our last silver was Basil Heatley’s in 1964.

But, as we have seen over the years, in the marathon, anything can happen.

FUTURE – suggestion – You may well be building up towards a spring marathon yourself. If you are targeting London, Boston or Paris, then your mileage, intensity and long-run distance should be reaching a peak fairly soon.

As you read this, perhaps feeling slightly intimidated by the demands of your tempo session, threshold effort and long run this week, remember that you are only in the “pain box” for so long. Perhaps the last 2 miles of your tempo session, the last 3 or so miles of your threshold effort, and the last hour of your long run will be “Paula” painful!

So, only about 100 of the 10,080 minutes you live each week – even at this peak period of your training – will see you having to work at your limit.

If you have doubts, focus on your goal – that marathon finish, a time to be proud of, perhaps a personal best – how much does that mean to you? That is why you are putting yourself through this. Embrace your time in the zone – not everyone can do what you do. Pain is temporary; pride is forever.