16 DAYS TO GO!

"I used to run to get to where I was going, but I never thought it would take me anywhere."

-Forrest Gump 

Just over two weeks until marathon day, and nearly 6 months since I started training and fundraising. I'm not going to lie, it's been tough. There have been injuries, tantrums, ice baths, horizontal rain, more ice baths and crusty nipples. I'm not going to even mention the time I threw up on my own shoes. Between finishing my PhD and running 100+ miles a month I don't have a lot of time for anything more interesting than sleeping and eating, and occasionally waking up to eat some more.

My social life is non-existent, and when i do catch up with friends the conversation centres around running: how much my knees/hips/ass/foot hurts, or the even more exciting topic of how to make protein shakes taste less revolting. I've bullied my poor boyfriend into running a half marathon with me, and my housemate fetches me hot water bottles and blankets when my legs ache so much I can't face the stairs. Even the dog doesn't want to run with me anymore (20 miles? Nah I think I'll just hang out here in my nice warm basket thanks).

I'm going to describe these last two months of peak training as my "moanapause", typified by the predominant emotions "hangry" (panicky grumpy moodiness which occurs pretty much whenever I haven't eaten for 20 minutes) and "mardy" (epic sulks generally triggered by things I have no control over such as the weather, pedestrians who refuse to share the pavement, or my shoelace coming undone).

I'd like to say a sincerely massive thank you to everyone that's tolerated my grumpy face over this period of near constant whinging (Sarah Wake, Jen Walke, Kath Mortimer, Mike Godard, Mum and Dad). The worst is over, and normal service will be resumed shortly. See you at the finish line guys, the drinks are on me.

But I hope they and you agree its all been worth it. Just by dedicating a few hours a week to running, I have already raised enough to start making a difference to people with far greater problems than achy muscles and the occasional blister.

Together we have raised £7310.18 for Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support. In less than 6 months. That's £44.30 per day since October 21st. 

And that makes every single second of running worth it.