Dreams

One of the best running experiences I've had was the Manchester Marathon.

On that day I got a massive marathon PB almost breaking 4 hours (and lets face it any other conditions and I would have done - but it's still something I want to prove). I battled the elements of sleet, light snow, gale force winds, and flooded paths / roads ankle deep in water. When I got that medal round my neck it really felt well earned. But that's not why Manchester was the best.

At the 3 or 4 mile mark at Manchester, I was jogging along some industrial roads, and there were a few spectators around clapping as much as their frozen hands would allow. Then on the side of the road, I saw two raincoated figures jumping around like lunatics.

Them: "NATALIE....NAAAAATTTTAAAALLLIIIIEEE!!!!"
Me: <gapsing in shock> "OH MY GOD!!!!"
Random Bloke running next to me: "So you know them then?? Hahaha"

Two of my lovely friends Wendy and Heather from Dudley Ladies had got in the car on the Sunday morning and driven up to Manchester to come and support ME. They were fully aware of the forecast, and it didn't put them off. No one has ever really done that sort of thing for me before. It was so unexpected and I cannot describe the complete rush of emotion that went through me when I saw them. From that point onwards it kept my mind active thinking would I see them again out on the course, would I see them at the end. I figured they would probably be somewhere at the finish. They were, they saw me power over the line (well I was in my head...), and after collecting my medal they saw me cry. I hope they know what a difference they made to me that day. We went for a meal afterwards and they just simply made it one of the best days ever.

I have literally just woken up from a weird dream that a similar thing happened in Ireland, in a nutshell on the last day of the Quad familiar faces from various areas of my life were there on the course. I know this isn't gonna happen, I mean flying to Londonderry and ending up finding me on the course / in Moville on the last day is an expensive and time consuming jaunt.

I had an odd experience on Sunday that brought home the mental side of long distance to me. A van had parked half across the pavement as I came back round the village green. This was at about the 21 mile point (I cocked up my route planning and ended up doing 21.5). The fact that the van was there and I had to manoeuvre round it requiring extra steps and effort really pissed me off to the point where I felt like picking up a rock from one of the many well kept front gardens and smashing the screen, or scratching out "ILLEGALLY PARKED" on the side of it. Silly I know. Obviously I would never *do* anything!!!

So anyway I can dream, and mentally I might have to use that false "there is a slight chance my friends will be there" hope to keep me going. I think with something like this there are a number of head tricks one can use to keep on track. I'll let you know what they are afterwards!!!