Feeling the heat as the big run looms

A long run leaves me hot and bothered, and questioning my own fallibility

A hot day in Paignton

Holy smokes, it’s July already. You know that feeling where you’ve been planning something for so long, but it always seems far off in the future, but then, bam, suddenly it’s a matter of a few weeks away, and that’s both scary and exciting? Well, that.

I’m so close now to beginning my 1,600-mile run around Ireland that I’m almost ready to start tapering. I think I’ll do one more long run, but other than that, I’m done. I’m far from peak fitness, and I’m still a little niggly here and there, but compared to where I was just a month or so ago, when I seriously considered postponing - or perhaps even cancelling - the entire thing, I’m doing great.

This past weekend’s long run was both a fillip and a warning.