Folks there is less than 40 days till my first ever marathon and i’m starting to get very nervous!

On my training plan, every 4th weekend my long run is reduced to allow my body to recover from the long runs that I had done in the previous 3 weeks. So last Sunday I ran 20km as it was a step back week for me. Can you believe I am saying that? That 20km is a step back run….. who would have thought!

As I set out for the 20km run I felt really good and my pace was a little quicker than normal. So I really had to slow myself down and not get too carried away or I might not make it back. I got into a comfortable pace and the weather was beautiful, perfect temperature for running and I was headed for Cronulla Beach (that’s my turn around or halfway point, roughly).

It was a very enjoyable run. I ran past many people out running, riding and walking who all said ‘Good Morning’ and had happy smiling faces. I did not have any issues with pain or tight muscles. I just took in everything around me and only stopped to take a few photos when I got to the beach as it was such a gorgeous day (see photo below).

As I turned up the Kingsway and headed back towards home I spent some time reflecting on my running over the past few months. I’m really happy with the progress I have been making and I am starting to feel more comfortable about the enormous feat that lies ahead of me. I’m still pretty scared, but knowing I’ve done a few long runs and that I have a few more before the marathon is getting me more comfortable with 42km…. gee that’s a long way.

Then again maybe i’m not. Can you ever really properly prepare for something this big when it’s your first time? I mean, it’s the longest run I have ever done, and probably will ever do. I guess I just need to trust that my body can handle it and listen to all the guidance and advice I’ve read and received from everyone since I started on this journey. If I play it smart I should be right, so i’ll stick to my gut instincts as they’ve never let me down in the past.

This weekend I have another 30km run, so i’m getting the liquids into me and planning a good diet with high carbs in the lead up. I’m also going to use another gel this weekend as I used them the past couple of runs. Not sure if I’ve mentioned them before but I’ve been using a brand that my friend Todd gave me called Isotonic. I just need to find out where he gets them as they’re great. You don’t have to have any water with them as they are watered down and they’re not heavy in your stomach like some of them can be. I highly recommend them.

So wish me luck for this weekend and please feel free to ask any questions and share any comments on my posts as I love to get feedback.

Happy running!