JUGGLING A JOB WITH THE DEMANDS OF TRAINING IS NEVER EASY. ANNA BONIFACE REPORTS ON THE PRESSURES FACED BY ATHLETES
Friday February 5, 2016: 77 days to go until the marathon
“I’M ALREADY late rushing off the wards to get my handover for the weekend. Friday afternoons are always manic on the acute assessment unit of the specialist respiratory physiotherapy ward where I work. I’ve not had lunch. I normally stay to chat but I need to hurry off. I’m on-call Sunday night, so tonight is the only time I can fit my long run in.
“I’m only halfway through my 10-day week but I motivate myself to get my trainers on for the second run of the day. I run an uninspired 16 miles along the A40. My bag is heavy and my legs are tired from my track session last night. I can’t break 8-min mile pace. I manage 30 minutes of conditioning in the gym before running to the tube to go home. I’ve run 21 miles today. I eat my dinner and go to bed, hoping the weekend won’t be too busy.”
WEEKS like this weren’t unusual leading up to my first marathon in 2016. Running was taking up more and more of my time since I made the decision to increase my mileage to step up to the longer distances.
Two years ago I would finish somewhere in the middle of the pack at cross country races and my fastest park run was outside 20 minutes. But after 18 months of dedicating my life to running, I found myself running 2:45 on my debut marathon.
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