When it’s come to walking these past months, torpid has been my leitmotif.
But why?
Injury? No. Pressing social engagements? No. Sudden new calling? Sort of.
I decided to run a marathon.
The very talented artist, Eglantine Chesneau, was commissioned to illustrate the marathon stories of a dozen first time marathon runners and very kindly chose me. (http://eglantinechesneau.ultra-book.com/accueil)
So I ran and I ran and I ran.
I ran in the dark
and I ran in the light,
when the sun was coming up
and when the sun was going down,
when the waters were rising
and when the floods had subsided.
I ran through a vicious hail storm, soaked to the skin with icy water, when the rough, narrow canalside path turned to slippery mud
and I ran through the strong spring sunshine which burned my nose.
I ran with my wingwoman daughter
and I ran alone,
through scenes of great beauty
and some not so great.
I ran alongside main roads and down ways I never knew existed 
and I ran across every bridge I could find in Bristol (and still missed a few).
And then I pinned on my number 
and I was away.
Woman, walking 
A perfect example of how to do it. One damned foot in front of the other at least three times a week. The cartoons are great. You deserve to feel proud of your effort and your achievement as they go hand-in-hand.
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Thank you, Annie. The cartoons – there are 12 all told telling my tale – are delightful and on the eternal to do list is a note to print them out and frame them as a reminder of a happy time.
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That’s a fine idea.
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This is tremendous! Well done, Ceri! And Paris too, that’s how to do it in style!
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Thank you, Emma. The scenery, the food, and the wine were added attractions… Six of us went, two runners and four in the support team, and we had a lovely weekend.
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Did they give you champagne at the end? It’s a rumour I’ve heard.
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Alas no. Although I did have a glass or two later. And to be honest the catering was a bit lacklustre on the way round – sultanas, bananas, pretzels, and dry gingerbread (I may have been focussing on the wrong thing here) but I’ve heard there’s a marathon through the vineyards in the Medoc (?) where local wines are on tap at the fuelling stations. By the end, I’d neither know nor care if I’d finished.
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I am sure water was the only thing you were interested in. I am very impressed. many years ago I started training for a half marathon (a car accident threw everything off course and I never really returned to long distnce running in the same way) but I remember how hard it was (and how boring) all those miles!!!! Congratulations that’s a real achievement.
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You’re back! Great post, and congrats on the marathon xo
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Well thank you. And thank you for your kind comments on Monday which got me going again. Xx
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Well that’s a fine excuse to neglect the blog. What is it with women of a certain age and marathons?
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Thank you. That’s a good question, Heyjude. I guess there are as many reasons as there are middle aged women browsing the Lycra leggings section in M&S. For me, never remotely sporty, it was a case of wanting to see if body and mind could do it. Before the circling age related incapacities that I see felling my friends close in.
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I couldn’t do it now. Maybe in my early fifties, but all sorts of niggles are annoying me now. Like you I was never sporty after leaving school, though I was then, but you just take your energy levels and mobility for granted when you are young. Will you do any more?
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