Day 76 – Raring to Go and Enjoying the Miles

-

Back on the Road

After yesterday’s rest day, I was absolutely raring to go this morning! There are few things more satisfying than feeling properly recovered and ready to get back to training. I got up in good time, brewed a much-needed coffee and set off for The Math School with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for people discovering an extra biscuit in the tin.

On arrival, I checked my watch and was pleased to see a 46-minute base run on the schedule. With the daylight already staking its claim over the morning—a welcome shift from those cold, dark starts—I decided to extend my run by another ten minutes. My route took me through Borstal, across the Medway Bridge and into Strood, a journey made all the more pleasant by the fact that, for once, my legs and lungs were in quiet agreement about the pace.

Running with Purpose

It was wonderful to enjoy a morning run where every step felt purposeful, rather than a grand negotiation between body and willpower. These steady runs are where endurance is built, where the foundations for marathon day are laid, and where you remind yourself that, actually, you do quite like running. With the London Marathon looming ever closer on Sunday 27th April 2025, each mile carries a little more weight.

I paused on the Medway Bridge for a quick photo, but as ever, my phone failed to capture the majesty of Rochester Castle and the cathedral in the distance. Some views are meant to be experienced rather than photographed, much like a well-timed joke—try to pin it down, and all the magic vanishes. With heart rate firmly in check, I crossed the historic Rochester Bridge and climbed up Maidstone Road, eventually arriving at school feeling refreshed and ready for the day.



A Training Day of Two Kinds

Today happened to be a training course day, so my visit to school was brief—just enough time to shower and change before heading off again to Strood Academy. Nothing quite like a morning run to make sitting through a day of professional development feel justified. After all, when you’ve already achieved something before breakfast, the rest of the day feels like a bonus round.

Running for a Reason

As you may have seen yesterday, I am now running for two causes:

  • My friend James's nomination of The Brain Tumour Charity.

  • The Sittingbourne Carnival 2025.

Both of these mean a great deal to me, and any support would be deeply appreciated. Every donation makes a difference, and together, we can turn miles into meaningful change. If you’d like to contribute, you can find all the details on my JustGiving page. Thank you for your support! 

Now, on to the next run—because marathon training never really rests.


Location: Sittingbourne, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 117: The Countdown Begins – With Bubbles, Cable Cars and Freeze-Dried Yoghurts

-
Image
An Alarming Rest Day The first of my rest days arrived with the cheery chirp of a 6am alarm, because apparently, my brain hasn’t received the memo about the whole “rest” part. Still, there was a strange satisfaction in rising early knowing I didn’t have to pound the pavements today. That satisfaction was slightly dampened—much like the weather—by a particularly excitable pollen count. Despite the persistent drizzle, the air was clearly full of microscopic mischief. The antihistamines made their valiant appearance and were taken with gratitude and a mild grumble. A Journey Worth the Cable Car This afternoon marked one of the most exciting rituals in the London Marathon build-up: collecting my race number. It involved a drive to the O2 followed by the delightfully surreal experience of sailing across the Thames in a cable car, which felt a little bit like commuting in a Bond film if Bond wore Asics and carried a protein bar. Upon landing on the other side, the Excel centre welcomed me...
Read more

London Marathon 2025: The Final Chapter

-
Image
Morning Light and Marathon Dreams Today was the day I had been building towards for months. Every cold morning, every soaked pair of socks, every long, lonely run came down to this — London Marathon day. The alarm clock chirped far too early, but I was already half-awake, running through the plan for the day in my head. After polishing off two cinnamon and raisin bagels (because clearly one was not going to be enough) and a strong coffee, I packed up my bag of gels, SaltStick chews, and hope and we set off. The drive up to Blackheath was filled with that strange, electric mix of excitement and anxiety. My parents did their best to drop me as close to the start as they could and I waved them off with a grin that hid the fluttering nerves underneath. I made my way to the starting area, ticking off the necessary pre-race rituals — most importantly, joining the epic pilgrimage to the toilets, where I was reminded once again that there are few places in life where dignity is checked at t...
Read more

Day 30: Canterbury 10-Mile Race - A Yardstick for Progress

-
Image
The Morning Rush Sunday races always mean an early start, and today was no exception. Arriving in Canterbury at 8 am, I was immediately thrust into the trifecta of pre-race rituals: parking, collecting my race number, and navigating the inevitable toilet queue—an experience that can feel like an endurance event of its own. It was a bitterly cold morning, hovering around 2 degrees. Dressing appropriately for a race in such conditions is always a gamble: the first few minutes will chill you to your core, but once you’re moving, layers can become an unnecessary burden. After a quick, if not particularly effective, warm-up, I bumped into a friend, Ben Holliday, whose detailed analysis of local cricket diverted my attention from my frozen fingertips. Perhaps distraction really is the greatest warmth. The Race With over 1,200 participants, the start line was a jostling crowd, all shuffling for position like biscuits in a tin. The initial bunching, while slightly frustrating, provided some re...
Read more