Running the Numbers

It's taken me ages to get started on this tonight as I was looking for an appropriate image.  And then I looked through Facebook and stumbled on this one, taken on the Beinglas checkpoint in last year's WHW race.  A picture tells a thousand words so they say.

 

This year's race is never far from my mind.  When I signed up in November, I wasn't sure if the 2015 WHWR would have the same influence on my daily thoughts as last year. 

I guess I thought I might think about it less. 

I don't. 

It's there, most of the time. 

Perhaps shaped slightly differently from 2014. 

But still there. 

And still a positive influence, and slightly surreal memory. 

I did that. 

Me!

 

Numbers seem to have been fairly prominent these last few weeks.  I'm sure there's probably some mystical reason for it, if you're into that kind of thing. 

 

Whether it was chasing a 50 miles run week a couple of weeks ago (needing to run precisely 8.6 miles (which I did, on the nose) on the Sunday after my 30 miler (which in itself was chasing the 30 mile point))....

 

Or the random conversations with strangers that land you on trying to explain that you can run 95 miles....in one go....(girl at the spa this week was gobsmacked...)

 

Or the seemingly ever present reminders that I'm turning 40 later this year.....

 

Or winning the lottery (don't get excited, turned out to only be £25)....

 

Or the numbers on the scales.....

 

Or the reminder on Facebook today that it's only 100 days until WHW race day!  100 days?!  Holy moly, that seems like nothing, and like there is soooooooo much to be done (in life, not just training) before then!  HOW can it only be 100 days??!!  WOW. 

 

I suspect it's all the more thought provoking as the first event of the year is on Saturday, with the D33, and there's a wee bit of pre-'race' nerves and niggles starting to kick in. 

 

Half-way through my time at the D33 in 2014 I swore I'd never do it again.....and here I am....George and Karen have set up an event perfectly timed to lure you back in...

 

I'm not following my usual pre-race week, as I'm actually on holiday this week.  Timing not ideal (usually I have the first week in March off (I'm getting predictable in my old age), although it will be interesting to see how a week without work translates into a long run. 

 

And I've not over-done the training this week, I'm mostly trying to just chill.  I also had a lighter training week last week (25 miles total running, a couple of spin sessions, one short gym session), so should be in an ok position come Saturday morning (unlike last year when I'd been away with work having fun learning about Irish Whiskey for 2 days before the race!)

 

I'm not sure what to aim for though.  There's always that desire to do better than before (which always makes going back to something that little bit harder), so anything sub 5hrs 28m would do that (running <10min miles for 33 miles seems somewhat laughable given the pace of my long training runs...but I must've been in a similar position last year...so, we'll just have to see!).  Numbers again, always thinking on the numbers.  Maybe I should run without the Garmin (ha ha ha ha ha......never going to happen!!)

 

All roads lead to Milngavie.  And Saturday is another step, and a few more days, closer.

 



 

 

 



Image by Ross Lawrie (hopefully he doesn't mind!)