Miles and Motivations

It's the time of year when a lot of nervous talk starts flying around about the first of the longer events of the year, the West Highland Way race. Have I done enough miles? How should I be tapering? What are the conditions going to be like this year? If you read all of this stuff you could get worried. Or maybe not.

I haven't done as many miles as I would normally have done by the end of May, a rib injury put me out of action for nearly six weeks, but that's water under the bridge, can't do anything about it now. But I've averaged around 2000 miles a year for the past six or seven years, that's more than enough in the bank. I haven't done many long runs this year either, the Hardmoors 55 and the Highland Fling are the only times I've topped 30 miles, maybe I should go out and do another one? Again, maybe not, I'm not sure what it would achieve, anyway I'm not going to worry about it. In fact I'm not going to worry about anything.

Don't get me wrong, I don't underestimate the event, 95 miles in one go is a long way, not the sort of thing anyone can do easily off the couch. It's just that I think I'm past sweating the small stuff. Unless something really unforeseen happens I'll make it from Milngavie to Fort William. It will be a great day out; it will feel wonderful at times and hurt a lot at others. There will be times that I'll wonder why on earth I started this journey, and others when I'll know the answer. I'll put a hell of a lot of effort into the event, but not "everything."  I want to do as well as I can, but not at the expense of getting wrecked for a few weeks afterwards, nor that of giving up things that I enjoy such as beer, coffee, junk food, rock climbing and whatever else runners more dedicated than me will forego to improve their performance. Maybe I'm a dilettante, maybe I'm getting old, maybe I'm just lazy, but I'm swaying more these days to the enjoyment and less to the achievement side of the hill.

Don't worry about your taper guys, you'll be fine.