Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Busy Doing Nothing

by Russell Turner - 15:37 on 10 August 2020

Yes, it’s been a month, but there’s been little to write about apart from the things I can’t write about. Those who need to know will understand. In that time Matchgirl and I have enjoyed a couple of cautious trips into the real world; cats continue to be lethargic or murderous, depending on weather and inclination; I’ve still not rediscovered my photographic mojo; Kawasaki San gathers more cobwebs; gigs, both as performer and audience, are still a long way in the future; and races continue to be cancelled, except for the Yorkshire Marathon, still scheduled to go ahead on October 18.

I can’t see it happening (a decision will be announced on August 18), and if it does it will happen without me: it would be either an unsocially distanced nightmare or a socially distanced shadow of the real thing. Even the London Marathon has finally admitted defeat, become an elites only race this year and scheduled the next mass race for October next year – a tacit admission by the organisers that they’re not confident things will be back to normal for the usual April date. We need a vaccine.

In addition to deferring their entry, disgruntled would-be London Marathoners can take part in a virtual race on October 4, when the elites do their thing in a bio-secure bubble without spectators. Many have said they’re not interested in virtual running (the extra £20 charge may something to do with it) so spare places will go on sale to the general populous on August 26, first come first served.

I’ll give it a go. After all, my current virtual marathon training is scheduled to climax only a week before Virtual London so I’d need to add in just one more week of effort. And if I got a place I’d be able to boast three consecutive London medals, assuming I finish. The only drawback is that I’d be tied to that date, whatever the weather.

My most recent long run was yesterday’s 16 miles which began warm and ended hot and windless. I did the sensible thing and made it an 8:1 run/walk, finished in a time which, if I’d kept it up for another ten miles, would have seen me run a marathon in 4:30 or thereabouts. We’ll see. There’s 18 miles to do next Sunday, a full-effort half marathon the weekend after that, then two weekends of 20 miles before the taper.

It’s either that or lounge around The Rural Retreat, reading, eating biscuits and watching TV.

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