Yesterday I went for a little jog, you know to keep the legs moving. I ran 1.25 miles, some of it was muddy, some of it hills but it was only 1.25 miles and it was at 14 minutes per mile pace. That in itself doesn’t really matter. Slow is fine but I felt like I was dying out there. It was so hard, my lungs were burning and my legs were protesting. See, I can’t run.

After the initial ‘what the hell’ yesterday I stopped worrying about it and just thought it is just one of those funny things. I was tired after work, hungry and probably quite dehydrated. It was good to actually just get out and do a little bit. I was fine with that.

I’m not fine with that now. Nowhere near fine. How is it possible to feel that crap after 1.25 miles. What’s that all about. I’m never going to make it to 26.2. Aaargh. Ok I know I need to snap out of it. I know I need to trust the miles in my legs, the fact that I’ll be rested and properly fuelled and hydrated on the day, not to mention the adrenalin the occasion will bring. But FFS, 1.25 miles whatever the pace, I should not feel like my lungs are going to explode. It’s going to be a very very long 26.2 miles and the sofa and chocolate biscuit are ever more tempting.

Please share your taper nightmares with me here – it’ll make me feel better!