Tuesday 23 March 2010

CRUISING WITH THE POCKET ROCKET


 You know what they say about buses...you wait for ages.......then two come along.  Well having had helpful company on my run yesterday, today I was involved with a 24 miler.  OK, lower your eyebrows. I haven't suddenly jumped up from half marathon distance to nearly a marathon!   When I say involved I mean I joined in for 8 miles in the middle of  Sally Malir's penultimate long run in preparation for the London.  It's only now that I am starting to feel that I could run with her without slowing her down too much.  She said she appreciated  the company on her run of just over 3 hours 15 minutes even though I probably cost her a couple of minutes.

  Sally.....the "pocket rocket" as I affectionately call her
....is a superb example of a runner selecting a goal and then commiting to it.   Electing to run a spring marathon she builds up to over 60 to 70 miles per week whilst working part time, running a home and looking after a supportiver husband and 3 sport crazy young daughters heavily involved in running and hockey with all the travelling that their sports  involve.
  I don't think there is a runner out there who doesn't know someone who has attempted a marathon and heard that they have come apart from 20 miles or so;  "hitting the wall", "the wheels came off"  "reduced to a walk" etc etc.
 In contrast Sally has demonstrated over the last 4 years a tremendous consistency; her times only varying with the prevailing weather conditions or nature of the course.   3.10 and 3.11 in 2006.  3.12 in 2007.
A marathon win in 2008 at Blackpool in 2:58 only to have the distance declared "short";   a fact the organisers still dispute.  Then 3.06 last year in London.   Results achieved due to a careful, measured, dedicated approach commencing  in late autumn with focus on that April race throughout.
    Today's shots show her looking fresh as a daisy after her Barcelona marathon in 2006. I'm sure she will be rewarded with a well deserved top ten placing in the F45 age category in London.

1 comment:

  1. She sounds awesome! And I'm sure she loved having you along for company.

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