Countdown!

Well it's the start of week 20, THE last week in my 20 week marathon training plan!

I really cannot believe that 20 weeks have gone by and I have completed all the training I set out to do! 

Where did the time go?  The 6th April 2014 seemed such a long way off when I started training on the 18th November 2013!

With 6 days to go I am feeling particularly nervous!  

I just need to get through til Sunday without sustaining an injury or getting some ailment!

There is loads of nasty bugs and germs floating around at school at the moment which is a little worrying and my husband has very inconsiderately gone and got a cold and a cough so I am going be keeping away from him this week that's for sure! 

When I woke up slightly snuffly this morning he was so concerned that I might get a full blown cold and then blame him (which I would do!) he went out to Asda and bought me First Defence!  

Here's hoping it works!

If I come down with anything now I won't be a happy runner!  

Tonight is usually my Tri Club swimming night but I decided to have the week off in the name of tapering!  It is usually a very full on session and I don't want to exhaust my body unnecessarily! I am going to need all the strength I can save this week! 

Tonight's run on the training plan was a 30 minute easy run.  The weather has been lovely all day so I set off dressed in just three quarter pants and a T Shirt.  

No sooner had I set off into the warm clear evening and the dark clouds descended and light drizzle set in! Luckily it wasn't cold rain so I was still fairly comfortably dressed!   

I set off too fast for the "slow easy run" prescribed and when I realised I had done an 8:48 minute mile for the first mile I consciously tried to slow myself down! I wanted to stick to the plan and reminded myself about how my body is getting stronger during this week - apparently!  My second mile was a 9:12 minute mile and the third was a even slower 9:31 minute mile!

To be honest I found it really easy to slow down as I felt unfit and sluggish with very little energy!  Even my right Achilles decided to have a little grumble which sent fear through me!

I can't say I enjoyed the run but ran for 30 minutes 59 seconds and covered 3.36 miles at an average 9:12 minute mile pace.

I just want race day to be here!

These pre-race jitters are not doing me any good at all!

I'm starting to stress about everything!  

I am constantly googling the weather, unfortunately it currently forecasts rain. Then there's the worry about what to wear but of course this is weather dependent so I don't feel as if I can make this decision just yet!  My body seems to have been taken over by numerous aches and pains and my head is telling me I can't do this!  

I know in reality ...

I CAN DO THIS AND I WILL DO IT!