Not this time...

This week I made the difficult decision not to run the Windermere marathon in May. Even though it's a couple of months away I don't feel able to put in the training that I want to due to work commitments and injury.

I'm sure I could squeeze in the training runs but at the expense of time to rest which I know from experience is equally important in the training plan. I've also been struggling with IT band problems, and while I was keeping them at bay (just), I haven't been confidently running more than 8 miles before I start to get some pain. I'm aware that I should be running 14 miles on Saturdays as well as several 5-8 milers during the week and to be confident on race day I know I have to have put the miles in now.

Racing is the fun part; it's the reward of all the hard work.

-Kara Goucher

So taking into consideration all things as they are at the moment I had to be honest and admit this isn't the race for me. Despite the fact that I'll be envious of all the runners, I still plan to travel to Windermere for the marathon to support my training buddy Lou and all the other runners too. This race I can enjoy being a supporter. There will be more races for me in the future, and hopefully another marathon along the line when I'm healthy and able to commit, so that I arrive at the start line confident in my training.