The Lure of 26.2

It's Ballot Day...

All around the world people are filling in the online form for the London Marathon. I've filled it in 3 times before and not got in, so get to enter early... Fingers crossed, I've no more chance than anyone entering today but looking at the list of Facebook friends who've entered makes me smile and try and work out why 26.2 tantalises and lures us in...

It's the legendary distance... almost a palindrome 26.2

You can be fast or slow it doesn't matter... its 26.2

You earn the right to say you've run it, like no other distance... it can only be 26.2

You get the thousand yard stare as you recall the pain... of the 26.2

This isn't just a run... its 26.2

This isn't just a run, for 3 - 6 months its your life... the all consuming 26.2

You become an expert on nutrition, hydration and chaffing... all to finish the 26.2

You know yourself, your body and your mind as never before... all for the 26.2

And then once its done, you feel empty... Your focus has been absolute, your desire harnessed and driven for those few hours when all of what you've done and trained for comes together...

So you find another challenge, and for a few months you keep your promise of never again... and then the siren call starts again... and you start wondering, can you put yourself through that again...

I start my training for the Liverpool Marathon in 7 weeks, and about the same time as I run it I'll be finding out about the 2012 London Marathon... 16 weeks of training, 26.2 miles...

And in case any of you think this is all too serious... I'm putting together a team, a team of nuns... for a run... yes, its a nun run... We've first-timers, seasoned runners, speedies and slowsters... all dressed as nuns...

http://www.bugruns.org.uk/?p=196

TTFN and good luck in the Ballot one and all...

Paul

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