The Last Long Run

Until I started training for this marathon, I thought a taper was a thin candle used by Victorian parlourmaids in pintucked cotton nightgowns taking themselves up the garret stairs to bed. I quite liked that. However, since I discovered that a taper is a planned reduction in the length and intensity of training runs in the weeks before a marathon, it has become one of my favourite words in the English language. Only 'rest' and 'day' (in that order) come ahead.

'Long' and 'run' (in that order) are really quite far behind. 'Long run' is down there with 'While You Were Out' or 'ADT alarm systems' or 'I'm sure I mentioned it to you.' From Long Run's position in the league tables, it can just about see 'Nits are about again' in the distance ahead. Long Run hopes that, if it works really hard, it might just catch up with the need to replace the hoover or the fact that the school's given dads a chance to go in with one week's notice, during the time that James is in Saudi Arabia. Long Run aspires to the position of Internet Connection Cannot Be Established or Password Not Recognised. It's got a long way to go.

But now, thanks to Taper, Sunday's Long Run was my last before the marathon. Not my last run, I hasten to add. But I don't have to run 21 miles again until Sunday 17th April. The fact that, on Sunday 17th April, I'll have to go another 5.2, really isn't important right now. Neither is the fact that those twenty one miles took me five hours and two minutes. I'm tapering now. I knew there'd be good moments if I stuck with it for long enough.