CRUISING WITH THE POCKET ROCKET

 You know what they say about buses...you wait for ages.......then two come along.  Well having had helpful company on my run yesterday, today I was involved with a 24 miler.  OK, lower your eyebrows. I haven't suddenly jumped up from half marathon distance to nearly a marathon!   When I say involved I mean I joined in for 8 miles in the middle of  Sally Malir's penultimate long run in preparation for the London.  It's only now that I am starting to feel that I could run with her without slowing her down too much.  She said she appreciated  the company on her run of just over 3 hours 15 minutes even though I probably cost her a couple of minutes.

  Sally.....the "pocket rocket" as I affectionately call her
....is a superb example of a runner selecting a goal and then commiting to it.   Electing to run a spring marathon she builds up to over 60 to 70 miles per week whilst working part time, running a home and looking after a supportiver husband and 3 sport crazy young daughters heavily involved in running and hockey with all the travelling that their sports  involve.
  I don't think there is a runner out there who doesn't know someone who has attempted a marathon and heard that they have come apart from 20 miles or so;  "hitting the wall", "the wheels came off"  "reduced to a walk" etc etc.
 In contrast Sally has demonstrated over the last 4 years a tremendous consistency; her times only varying with the prevailing weather conditions or nature of the course.   3.10 and 3.11 in 2006.  3.12 in 2007.
A marathon win in 2008 at Blackpool in 2:58 only to have the distance declared "short";   a fact the organisers still dispute.  Then 3.06 last year in London.   Results achieved due to a careful, measured, dedicated approach commencing  in late autumn with focus on that April race throughout.
    Today's shots show her looking fresh as a daisy after her Barcelona marathon in 2006. I'm sure she will be rewarded with a well deserved top ten placing in the F45 age category in London.