Romania Eve

I've just taken delivery of 5kg of chicken, 4 x 8oz rump steaks and 2 x 16oz T-bone steaks. I am planning to look after myself in the coming weeks. I've never had T-bone steaks before and decided to get them to finish the first two weeks as, hopefully, the end of week three will see me very close to the medal.

For anyone who's reading this and doesn't know me, I started running in 2012 with the goal of completing the London Marathon in 2013. I was fat, I needed motivation and this seemed like a good way to get moving. Couch to marathon in 11 easy months. After London I incorrectly believed that I'd be in a constant state of marathon fitness and be able to enter events whenever necessary, quickly finding my fitness dropping off as my training plummeted. It felt like a bit of a waste and so, as fast as possible, I entered a couple of half marathons in Plymouth and Exeter which kept me moving forward. After this I picked my training back up in time for the 2016 Amsterdam Marathon, after which I claimed on my social media profiles that I was an international marathon runner. This was a joke.

What wasn't a joke was how I actually started to feel like a consistent runner. My normal training regime now is a short run on Tuesdays and long run on Fridays with an hour of indoor biking on a Wednesday. I have completed the Brighton and New York marathons in 2017 and 2019 respectively, in between which I did the 2 mile Swim Serpentine event and Ride London, a 100 mile bike ride which earned me a London Classics medal. You might think all of this would make me feel like an athlete. It does not.

Looking back at my previous races (which I call events as I never race anybody, not even the clock) I'm a 75%er, which means I normally finish at the back of the third quarter. When I started running my aim was to avoid finishing last, something that I've managed to achieve up until now. However, I have since considered that this is not really an achievement as everybody who starts and finishes a race deserves some congratulations. Later finishers are now also being given better treatment following an incident in the 2019 London Marathon which saw marathon employees teasing and abusing those who were at the tail end of the race.

I have felt like I was going to come last on two occasions; both were in Falmouth, and the first was during Falmouth half marathon. I looked behind me on the third mile to see an ambulance which I mistook to be the back marker, picking up dead and dying participants as it went. It was actually just trying to get through, before which I picked up my pace and overtook as many people as possible. I then saw the vehicle pass us all and felt a bit daft. The second time was during a triathlon, after plucking myself out of the sea a good fifteen minutes after the second-to-last competitor. I must have made up some time on the bike and not noticed it as I started to thank the marshals for waiting for me during the run. When one of them told me I wasn't last, I again picked up the pace and kept looking behind me.

This lack of challenging myself unless I feel I'm bringing up the rear made me realise that, although I enjoy running and cycling to some degree, I will never think of myself as an athlete. I'm more of a Slothlete, hence the title of this blog. I cannot go fast but I endure, getting to the end of countless half marathons and four full marathons. I am signed up to do Newport Marathon in October and have been training, putting in ten mile runs on Mondays and Fridays over the past month.

The Ultra Race Romania has been teasing me for three months. I first saw the event on Facebook and looked it up, asking a number of runners if they would consider doing it. So far, every single one has said absolutely not. I put it out of my mind as it is 250km over 25 days - 10km a day minimum. I even entered Leeds Triathlon virtually as it coincided with the start, yet I finished that within two days and then saw yet another advert for URR. Being so close to the start and feeling good about my running strength I thought - what's the worst that can happen? I pull out after a week and think 'that's not for me'? I have to stay fit for the Newport Marathon and this is second string in my mind but...what if I actually made it, then went on to do Newport as well? So here we are.

I've just bought brand new shoes which will see me through, although if I make it all the way I will pretty much run them out and need new ones for Newport. The Coronavirus pandemic has meant that people have been buying up running shoes like they're oxygen, so my last budget pair were £90. The meat I bought for the extra protein was £55, although it also contributes to my mini goals which will be a necessity as I run. If I make the first week, I will have a T-bone next Friday. The same goes for week two. If I don't complete the required mileage, I will GIVE THEM AWAY. I do not share food so this is a massive incentive.

The ultra starts tomorrow at 8am and I was due to run 10 miles today. Instead, I have delayed that long run to tomorrow so that it counts towards my total. Already I'm cheating. This may mean delaying my next 10 miler to Tuesday unless I'm feeling really good on Monday and fancy a go at it. If I need to reduce my daily mileage to 10 or 11km afterwards I will do so. Those two 10 milers will hopefully keep me ahead of my daily total, though.

I will endeavour to post every day if I can, even if it's just to confirm totals. I do tend to get a bit 'head down' when I'm racking up mileage but I hope you'll follow me on this journey which will most likely finish me off. At the very least it will turn me off ultra marathons and give me my life back.