The Benefits of Training for the 10-in-10

As Lorna and I were out running this evening, I was reflecting a little on the benefits that training for the 10-in10 has given us.

We were running our second run of the day - a modest 5 miles to bring the total for the day to an also modest 13miles.
And I thought about how that statement could sound slightly ridiculous.

Or is it?

As human beings were are designed to be active. We adapt to it very well. The fact that running 13 miles seems, to most people to be excessive is more to do with the fact that we have become so much more sedentary in the last 50 years than we ever have been.

And I wonder whether this is going to benefit us overall.

Lorna and I discussed the fact that running would have to become something that was something we DID, rather than something we Trained For, to make ourselves robust enough to cope with the demands of the 10-in-10.
To make it part of our everyday lives.

And so we did!

We do a great deal of our running together, and THIS has been a truly excellent by-product of integrating running into our everyday routines. We get to spend significant amounts of time participating in an activity that we really enjoy doing together.

We have reached a point - by running twice a day most days, and sometimes three times - where we can run for a couple of hours - and we feel strong doing it.
Where we can do a 5 mile, or 6 mile, or 8 mile loop without really having to think about the distance, and just get on and do it.
We can decide to run the marathon distance on a whim - and know that we are in good enough condition to do it...... whilst respecting the distance, which remains a Very Long Way!!!!!!

From a personal point of view, the benefits have gone further than that.
The sheer volume of training that we've done has made a difference to my speed endurance over all distances.
With recent Personal Bests at 5miles, Half Marathon, and the Marathon.

Simply getting out there and running has done that.
No fancy schedules - no whizzy 'nutrition' - no Latest Gizmology - just running!

And being sensible with, and listening to our bodies.


So although the main reason for doing the challenge is to support the work that Brathay Hall Trust do with young people and children... a cause that we whole-heartedly support, and for which we were more than happy to part with the significant entry fee for that privilege...

It was also an opportunity to set ourselves a significant goal, and a journey to it.
And it has been an amazing journey thus far!!!

We are quite a long way down on our fund-raising goal at the moment, something we are going to have to address over the next few weeks. Because ultimately, the running is only a small part of the challenge!