How not to run a half marathon

Daughter Ellie’s London Marathon training is on target: just as well, because the race is now only just over a month away.

She thought a useful test would be to run the Wilmslow Half Marathon along in the next county.  Malcolm and I were pressed into service as childminders (for ‘childminders’, read ‘providers of lifts’) and dog walkers.

The Pennines near Skipton.

As we drove over the Pennines to Bolton, the temperature dropped to -2.5 degrees, the windchill factor took it well below that, and the wind swirled something of a blizzard round the car.

A drive in the snow.

The race was still on though.  Once we’d arrived in Bolton, we sat around the kitchen table carb-loading (otherwise known as eating cake) and planning strategy. We had a quiet evening, packing Ellie off to bed at 9 o’clock for her before-6.00 a.m.-start.

But in the middle of the night, when Ellie checked on-line, the inevitable had happened.  For safety reasons, the run had been cancelled.

Brian takes Ellie for a walk.

So no race, no excitement, no challenge.  Ellie and I took Brian-the-dalmation for a long walk in the snow.  And that, dear reader, was that.

More Pennines near Skipton.

Very special and heartfelt thanks to those of you who have sponsored Ellie for running the London Marathon.  Because of people like you, she has raised nearly 150% of her target.  All the money raised will go towards research into osophageal cancer, a disease that is still little understood compared with better-resourced breast cancer. Thank you.  Thank you.

Even more Pennines near Skipton.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and living in North Yorkshire, where I walk as often as I can, write, volunteer, and travel as often as I can.

16 thoughts on “How not to run a half marathon”

  2. Fingers crossed that there’s no more poor weather to interrupt her training schedule (which I understand is essential). I don’t know if you heard it too, but there was talk, earlier this morning, of the possible return of the Beast from the East over Easter. That’s going to be very annoying and ruin all the friends and family trips if it turns up! Hope they are wrong.

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  3. I bet Ellie felt both relief and dismay that the race was canceled. It would’ve been awful to run in that weather but it also would’ve given her a good sense of her preparation and anything she might do differently. Does she have any other races before the Big One?

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  4. So frustrating for her. As the mother of two runners, I do sympathise. But very considerate of the weather and/or the organisers to delay the decision to cancel until after the carb loading. All that cake might have gone to waste…. 😉

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    1. Actually it MIGHT have been OK, but they were right to cancel. I was glad Ellie was there to walk with me. I’m out of my comfort zone dog walking.

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  6. Oh Margaret, pity you’re not here in sunny Spain, you could have walked the dog up the beach, carb loaded at the patisserie, and Ellie could have done a perfect practice run. But no such luck. I’m sure she’ll be fine on the day. She’s got the spirit to do it. Training and rest, very important, says John who’s done it 3 times. He says just under 4 hours was his best time, but there’s no easy way.
    Good luck and all the best.
    We’ll still be in Spain when it’s on but we’ll watch with interest, and I’m sure you’ll let us know how she gets on.
    Love from J & J xx

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    1. Oh, sunny Spain! You lucky things. I’ve come back from a Ramblers’ walk which was a bit of a mudfest. I didn’t know John had done Marathons. Good on him! You’re right, Ellie will be fine, and I’ll let you know how she does. Now ten, iuf you’ll excuse me, I’ll just get off and do my Spanish homework …. Love M x

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  7. Such a pity the run was cancelled but then again, the risk of slipping must have been great and who’d want to get an injury this late in the day? Best of luck to Ellie – I’m sure she will do very well.

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