Eight weeks to go. The training is progressing though sometimes it feels like really hard work. I've been going through these gates a lot recently. But are they the gates of heaven or hell? Going one way leads through into the deer park. Past the church and the obelisk. It can lead to a wonderful world of antlered deer stags, ice houses, world heritage, buzzards, the foothills of the dales, and a cafe with scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Heaven on earth. But it also leads to a very long mile uphill - the 'Studley Mile', up to it's very own Barkley gate at the top which I have to touch to complete a strength sapping speed interval. Eight minutes of hell doing each hill effort. Only to have to turn around and repeat, again and again. Or onwards through those gates at the top to do another 23 miles to complete a back-to-back-marathon-long-slow-trails-weekend. The thought of doing it is daunting. Going the other way through the gate is usually good. It'...
As I keep trying to maintain my aerobic fitness despite not running (the knee op has been pushed back to next week), it feels like a constant battle to motivate. On one hand I have all the positive drivers: 'there's still plenty of time'; 'I am learning (and practicing) psychological techniques to keep going'; 'my strength and core exercises will stand me in good stead'. On the other it's: 'there's not much time'; 'you're not even running'; 'you do know this is going to be impossible'; 'my knee hurts and it will take too long to recover'.
So, I've been trying to find some joyful positives to keep me going:
- Firstly whilst on a long cycle ride, when my mind was wandering almost as far as I'd ridden, I came up with a new mantra for my training based on my learning from talking to people who've been there and got the T shirt: More TOFU PASTA builds a LEJOG running master: More Time On Feet Using Psychological, Agility and Strength Training Always. That should keep me going for a bit until my mind makes something else up. (I couldn't fit Fuelling in there - any suggestions welcomed!)
- I've been trialling the carbohydrate/ electrolyte drink which is available at the pitstops when I do the LEJOG and it seems to be going down well. It's actually making me drink more. One of my weaknesses is that I often don't drink enough when exercising despite my need with no colon to keep hydrated. (Although I'm not sure how to recover from when a big box arrives on my wife's birthday and I have to explain it's not for her)
- I'm getting even closer to my dream spirit guide birds of prey. Not a farmer's kite this time. A huge buzzard on the road feasting on an unfortunate flattened hare doesn't notice me cycling until I'm almost on top of it. It's what-seems-like-more-than-six-foot wingspan takes it off as I fumble unsuccessfully to find my phone to capture the moment. Captured forever instead in my mind.
- This year's Run Brittania LEJOG cohort have just finished. The stories I hear and photos I see only reinforce my desire to do it. If they can do it why can't I? We're all only human. They're a source of inspiration and knowledge which I will continue to tap into. Consistent hard work and more TOFU PASTA is all that is between me and doing it in 47 weeks' time.
The more I think, there's lots of things to be joyful about. And that's before even remembering watching Mark Cavendish breaking Eddy Merckx's record (despite all his setbacks); England progressing in the football (despite their poor play); and a change of government (which has happily given me an earworm of Jarvis Cocker singing 'Something's Changed').
But today, as I stopped on the bridge over the motorway for a breather whilst cycling, a little lad in a car excitedly waves back as I wave. It makes me happy and helps to motivate me to finish the ride. A good reminder that rather than trying to over think things, sometimes it takes the simplest of things to create a wave of joy.
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