Mind Games

I realised recently that I had not sorted out some mind games to get me through the marathon, something I have done previously, then I read a ‘tip’ that someone had put on Runners World site and that was to dedicate each mile to someone.

Over the weekend I have compiled my list, trying to match people with mile numbers for a reason to help my memory on the day. Not everyone on the list will know they have a dedicated mile or even that I am running the London Marathon, but I will know and that will be enough to help me pass the miles.

• Mile One-The best running buddy in the world gets this mile as she will be starting from the Red start and will be in my thoughts, wait for me Elaine!
• Mile Two-The Millers running the marathon from the blue start, I admire that they have managed to both train for the marathon juggling twins, work and each other!
• Mile Three–Parkrun, can’t begin to tell you how amazing this organisation is and all run by volunteers, thanks to them all, I love trying to get a PB each week
• Mile Four–Louise queen of the parkrun, and conqueror of the Ultra!(each 5k strays in to the fourth mile after all)
• Mile Five-Younger Sharon who I worked with for five years at Sainsburys and who will be a lifelong friend as long as she does not keep reminding me that she is the ‘younger shaz’
• Mile Six-Target Tracker only right that I dedicate a mile to the company that pays my wages, that in turn enables me to enter races and buy trainers
• Mile Seven-Lesley my dear friend and Godmother of little Madam
• Mile Eight-Garb my friend and dog lover
• Mile Nine-The Higgins Family who employed me as a Nanny when I went to Canada and who have remained friends
• Mile Ten-Carla whom I ran the Sandy 10 miles with shortly after she started running, who would have thought she would still be at it, with a name like fortnightflo
• some two years later
• Mile Eleven-Little madam-she turned 11 this year
• Mile Twelve-Long suffering hubby-married 12  years this year
• Mile Thirteen-My friend Pam (and godmother to big Madam) without whom I would never had made it through my divorce-born 13^th day of May
• Mile Fourteen-Caroline F-anyone who has sat next to me for four years deserves a medal let alone a dedicated mile, born 14th May.
• Mile Fifteen–Natalie Jones paralympian swimmer whom I worked with when she was 15 and represented GB in the Sydney games she is a true inspiration as her team mates were during last year’s London Paralympian games
• Mile Sixteen-Dawn my oldest friend (and godmother to big Madam)  who is putting up with me for the night before VLM, we met when I was sixteen and she won’t mind my grumpiness or stressiness  (I hope)
• Mile Seventeen-my brother who ran the marathon in an incredibly impressive time when he was 19 years old, must get him to do another! He was born on the 17^th day of March
• Mile Eighteen-The pupils of Stanway Secondary school whom I worked with before I had little Madam, I think of them often and wonder what they are all doing now
• Mile Nineteen-Middle madam who is  19 years old
• Mile Twenty-Bloggers-I am not a fan of ‘social media’ but love that bloggers the world over offer encouragement and share stories, thanks to you all.
• Mile Twenty-One-My Grandparents who were married on the 21^st August and would be amazed I was running at all let alone 26 miles
• Mile Twenty-Two-Big madam whose birthday is marathon day along with the Queen’s and will be 22 yrs old
• Mile Twenty-Three-Alma who has just completed the Brighton marathon and will hopefully see me at mile 23
• Mile Twenty-Four-Shirley whose fault it is that I run
• Mile Twenty-Five-My Mum
• Mile Twenty-Six-My Dad gets the last little bit as he would have walked the same stretch just a few times in his life!

Now all I have to do is remember all of that!