10 in 10 Day 4 - 4'26

Today was a new day and a new week, so I was treating it like Day 1. It's easier to handle the concept of the whole 10 days if you simply don't think about it. Since it's a bit too late to get any more preparation in, the most I can do is put off thinking about the marathon until the moment the gun goes. Then, during the race itself, to think only of that race. Thoughts of having to do it again 6 more times, having already done it 3 times, would just be too much to cope with. One mile at a time and enjoy the scenery, as someone once told me. 

Luckily there are a dozen or more ways to divide this race up: my usual 10 + 10 + 6, 5 to Hawkshead, 2 to the monster hill, 3 to a gel, 4 to seeing my family, 3 more to the end of the killer switchback section, 3 more to another gel, 5 to Ambleside and the last 1.2. That stretch from half way to 17 miles is an absolute monster, and really got to me today in mile 16. I must have crashed straight into the wall, an incline that is nowhere near the most severe brought me virtually to a standstill, and my heart and breathing rates went right through the roof. It was the worst wobble so far, but the thought of Catherine and Mum less than 1/2 a mile ahead with a cup of tea and a warm hug got me through it. Catherine also donated her dog walking gloves, I'd been incredibly cold today (think the depleted reserves means all the energy is used for running rather than generating heat) so they were most welcome.

There was a notable milestone today, we passed the 100 mile mark at the top of the "speed bump" at Miller Howe at 21 miles, where I celebrated with a swig of beer. My approach to nutrition is becoming more and more low tech. Having had a wobble yesterday with regards to food, I'm feeling better about it. I had a great dinner yesterday with lots of deep fried starters, curries full of coconut milk and mountains of rice, and a glass of red, and felt properly full. Today I managed one of my 2 gels, but otherwise had water, beer, whatever was in a bottle close to hand and half a jam sandwich. And when I crossed the line, my family had supplied me with two cheese and onion pasties from Greggs that I washed down with a chocolate milkshake. Poor Robin from Team Nutrition would be tearing his hair out if he knew (oh, he does now). Electrolyte drinks, carb loading drinks, sports gels, dried fruit bars, Trek bars (I've just had a discussion about these, we don't know what's in them but they're meant to be good for you), vegetables, bananas etc etc. No thanks, there's not much of me and cheese and onion pasties work for me. You can take the girl out of the north........

Dibbing to record my time at the finish, and sporting pink kinesio tape on my knee