20 Mile club training run

Yesterday I ran 20 miles with the club and I was spot on with my target time of 3hr 15 mins.

I had a very restless sleep the night before; believe it or not I was extremely nervous!  I wasn’t sure what to expect, having never ran this distance before and also to be running with the club and other local clubs I was worried about my performance! That being said this wasn’t a race but a training run planned and marshalled by the Datchet Dashers.

Thoughts after the run were how well organised and planned it all was, and not forgetting how lovely and supportive all the marshals were! I really appreciated all the jelly babies’ water stations! This is something I would never have had a chance to join in with or take advantage of if I hadn’t joined the club.

I’m still shocked I managed to run the full 20miles, and this isn’t down to struggling with running but more so the hills! I wasn’t prepared for the hills as it was a route I had never ran, so I wasn’t aware of the hills that were ahead. The route route took us through old Windsor, up towards Savills Court hotel, past the Polo Guards and around Virginia Waters Lake and back home through Old Windsor! It’s amazing how on the way back the dips in the road you hadn’t noticed seemed hilly on the way back!

It’s definitely an event I will try to run again next year or come along to help as a Marshall.

I was greeted at the end by some of the Marshals and runners and they were extremely encouraging and also gave great advice about the actual Marathon and assured me that it is not hilly like the route the club had just ran!

So this takes me to 5 weeks of training left till the big day. Below is my plan for the next 5 weekend runs.

March 20^th – Reading Half Marathon

March 27^th – 16 Mile Kingston Breakfast run

3^rd April – 23 Miles

10^th April – 13-15 miles

17^th April – Marathon Day!