Race Day Minus One

It’s gotten colder. And windier. The sun hasn't been around for a few days. We've got a hung parliament. It feels like autumn. Running doesn't seem quite as much fun as it did when the sun was out a couple of weeks ago.

It's been a quiet week on the running front: nothing on Monday while Tuesday saw a trip out east with Chris G. We both did three-minute repeats. Chris seven. Me two. Curious as to why the traffic was backed-up along The Highway I following the roads back from Shadwell Basin. A suspect vehicle outside Aldgate tube turned out to be the cause. The police had closed the roads but were happy to allow pedestrians to roam free. Perhaps they believe human flesh it tough enough to protect from a blast and the accompanying shrapnel.

Wednesday had me running through Paris. No not the Paris to be found 98 miles northeast of Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas. And not even the Paris to be found 20 miles west of Euro Disney. This Paris, with its glorious parks, fabulous architecture and gangs of scruffy youth loitering menacingly can be found in the open space between Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade. Hold on. That’s St James Park. But everyone was speaking French! Niall would have been in his element.

On Thursday I substituted the evening's Assembly League Big Tent race with a pre-race hair cut (proven to increase race pace by approximately two seconds per mile) .

And today I did three easy miles over to Tower Hill, down to the Wobbly Bridge and back via St Paul's. It sure was bone chillingly windy out there but also surprisingly warm when sheltered. The legs still feel a but stiff but as long as I warm up properly tomorrow I should be OK.

There's nothing else I can now do. I've followed the seven-week training schedule closely with just a couple of easy runs dropped in favour of rest days. Tomorrow I'll have porridge with honey and banana for breakfast and then a bagel bang on one hour before gun time. I've done my best to change the variables I have control over. Unfortunately the weather isn't one of them. It will be what it is and I will deal with it.

So long and thanks for all the fish.