Sorry for swearing

Running 20 miles on Monday gone and then that swift session in Gelt woods the next day was a tough start to what I supposed to be my final week of training/start of taper.

The next day I jogged for about 45 mins then Thursday I took as my one day off for the week instead of Friday. As Friday was (is) a bank holiday I got out early and did 4 x 1 mile reps in

5:38
5:38
5:40
5:33

My taper will see me reduce things even further now;

• this weekends long run will be 16 miles at any pace inside 7 minute miling that feels real easy - (hopefully 6:45 will feel real easy.)
• next weeks reps will be 6 x 800metres 
• and I might also do the fast Gelt run again on Tuesday if Plucky is going again.

In the past I would worry about doing too little in the final run up to marathon day but not this time.

I am 100% confident that I have the ability to run a marathon inside 2hrs 45mins without the need for additional training before the race. Keeping on running most days and doing ever shorter reps will keep me fresh and my legs used to what they normally do every day but without building up waste blood products associated with heavy volume mileage/training.

It's a shame I have ran so many bad marathons because historically/statistically I am more likely to have a bad run than a good one. However, thats not to say I am dwelling on the negatives.....

• Every day I visualise myself reaching 13 miles on target and then seeing 6:15, 6:12, 6:14, 6:10 etc etc on my watch all the way until  reach the Mall and finish inside 2:45. 

• I imagine myself spotting Milly in his usual spectating place on Birdcage Walk 800 metres before the finish line and instead of stopping to chat to him and his family like last year I will just point at the watch on my left wrist and he will know immediately that I am saying ' I've f.....g done it Mill'.

• I picture myself filling in the Championship entry form for the 2013 race and posting it at Christmas instead of entering the Good for Age in July.

There little to be done now except wait for two weeks and two days to pass and then go out onto the streets of  London and realise my potential.