But it all depends on your sense of perspective. When running, you burn around 150 calories per mile. This may not sound like much on it's own, but when you head out for an 18 mile run, it soon adds up to 2700 calories. Now that is a big number.
Today, as you may have guessed, I headed out for the first of my two long training runs, a nice long 18 miles. Although there was a bit of wind, it wasn't significant enough to upset me, and the bad weather managed to hold off until long after I'd finished.
Knowing just how many calories I would be burning I'd prepared for today's run by filling my waist adorning pouch with plenty of fruity jelly sweets, and stuck the energy gel I'd acquired in last weeks finishing bag into my pocket. With a bottle of energy drink in hand, and a second bottle strategically placed in the forecourt, I set off on the first of my planned nine mile loops.
After last weeks 8 minute mile paced half marathon, I was planning on slowing this run down a bit to something a bit more sensible. To hit a sub four hour marathon I will need to average a touch over 9 minute mile pace. To buy myself a bit of contingency though for the final 10k, I will want to complete the first 20 miles at around 8:40 pace, and so that was my aim for today.
The first 9 mile lap was largely uneventful, except for when I nearly got myself run over. Approaching a usually quiet road, I was surprised to see a car approaching. Being a survival loving kind of human I waited for the car to pass before crossing. Only when I was halfway across, did I spot the car that was following behind it and heading straight for me. Fortunately I crossed fairly swiftly, and so suffered nothing more than a flush of embarrassment. Top tip to anyone out running. Look before crossing roads.
On completing the first lap I slipped open our front gate and exchanged my near empty bottle for a fresh full one and headed out for more of the same. It was at this point I thought I'd give my gel a go.
I'd never tried a pouch of energy gel before, and I have to say it was an experience that I'm not sure I wish to repeat. The taste was incredibly sweet and fruity, but more than anything it was the texture that really disturbed me. The closest thing I can think of to compare it to is a crème brûlée, but obviously without the palette pleasing caramelised sugar. I think I'll stick to jelly beans in future.
The second lap was unsurprisingly much like the first, although this time without any vehicular near misses. Although I was grateful for the refuelling opportunity, I think in future I'll have to find two different routes to split it up into to break up the monotony a bit.
At points, the thought of extended the second lap to make it up to 20 miles did enter my head, but I'm glad I stuck to the planned 18. The last mile was very difficult, and my pace slowed to 9:13. I'm not sure that I was hitting the dreaded wall, but it was in the very least, a fence. I finished the 18.14 miles in 2:38.13. The thought of running another 8 miles on top of that is daunting to say the least. I have a feeling that the impact that the wall has on me, will make or break my hopes of hitting a sub four hour time.
In other news, I gave my fundraising another push at work at the tail end of the week, what with it being pay day and all, and thanks to some very generous colleagues, my sponsorship total has now broken through the £750 target to fund a cow!
It's fantastic news and I would like to thank everyone that has donated so far, but I'm not going to stop there. With six weeks still to go, there's plenty of time to push the sponsorship as high as I possibly can, and who knows, I might even raise enough to send two cows!
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