Percentages

This is a short post to share a couple of things ...

100% - Last week due to the generosity, kindness and support of over 60 fantastic people, Iain and I passed our minimum fundraising target of £3,700 and are well on our way to smashing that to bits!

50% - And in a few hours time I will have completed half of my marathon training! As mentioned before my plan was to do the FIRST half marathon plan followed by the FIRST marathon plan and for the last week or so I have been on taper* for today's run of 13.1 miles (Half Marathon) at race pace. Even though this isn't a race, I actually feel quite nervous and the adrenaline is already pumping.  I think this is because every long run in the plan so far has been slower than race pace (9.58 min./mile) so this will be the first time I've run it this quickly (yes it's quick, for me) and a chance to prove that the FIRST plan works! The FIRST marathon plan follows the same principles with slower than race pace long runs throughout most of 16 weeks leading up to the marathon and I'm hoping that today will give me the confidence that providing the build-up of miles doesn't do me in, I should have faith that my plan will get me there.

Two sachets of banana-smooth-peanut-butter GGG prepared, hopefully worn in new trainers, good tunes ready, hearty breakfast consumed, water on board ... 
... wish me luck :-s

Alison

* taper = "a progressive non-linear reduction in the training load during a variable period of time, in an attempt to reduce the physical and psychological stress of daily training and optimise sports performance" (Mujika 2000) - or in other words, the plan gave me a pretty easy week and I felt like I was slacking big time!