Day 15: A Late Start and a Frozen Pond
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A Morning Without the Cockerel’s Call A welcome lie-in graced Day 15 of my London Marathon 2025 training. The luxury of waking up at 8 am on a Saturday—rather than the usual pre-dawn scramble—felt like a rare indulgence. Perhaps it was the marathon gods’ way of reminding me that balance is as crucial as discipline. There’s a unique comfort in having time to sip your morning coffee whilst assessing the frost outside, instead of gulping it down like a hurried apology. The Great Easthall No-Go By the time I ventured out at 11 am, the icy grip of winter had not loosened its hold. The nearby Great Easthall pond, usually a picture of serene ripples, was a frozen expanse—a perfect metaphor for my reluctance to leave the warmth of home. Any thoughts of testing my winter courage on the ice were swiftly vetoed. If my training plan suggested a base run, it clearly did not include a re-enactment of a 19th-century polar expedition. A Steady Pace in the Chill The training plan’s wisdom prevailed, an...