A wise man once told me that it’s better to stand on the start line 100% healthy and only 80% fit – than the other way around.
These words are ringing in my ears as I speak as, in two weeks time, I will (hopefully) be standing on the start line at the Edinburgh Marathon.
I have always had glass knees and in this marathon build-up have suffered again at the hands of my dodgy biomechanics. Having managed ‘only’ one 16 and one 17-miler, this weekend was my chance to bang in a last long run in an effort to supplement my training.
But would it really have made any difference? Is that last long run more psychological than physical? And would I have just tipped my body over the edge of healthy and into the domain of ‘not really able to run’?
I remember seeing renowned sports doctor, Dr Mike Bundy, a few weeks before the start of the London Marathon in 2009. He told me that he sees more people in the three weeks before the marathon that at any other time in the year. Why? Because they’ve tried to bang in one last long run – rather than trusting their bodies (and their minds). “Why don’t they just leave it until race day?” he said.
It takes three weeks for any training to have a physiological effect – so anything I did this weekend would just be gloss rather than content. But it’s hard to take a decision to ‘leave it until the day’ when your mind’s telling you that there’s simply not enough miles in the training bank.
I’m sure I’ve made the right decision. If I had done a long run this weekend, I’m convinced that my knees would have (to use a technical term) ‘gone’. This way, at least I have a chance of getting to the start line 100% healthy. I might not be as fit as I want to, but at least I’m going to be able to run. And surely that’s the best result?
