Final Training session for London Marathon - Blindfolded

               

I travelled up north over the Easter weekend to have one last training run with my friend, Abbie, who will be my guide for The London Marathon. I was unsure that we would get another chance to run together, but I needed it, to feel confident with 3 weeks to go.

When I left London at 10:00am it was cloudy, pretty dull and quite chilly.  When I stepped off the train at 1:00pm at Middlesbrough, it was really sunny and quite hot. I really hadn't banked on the weather being like this.  It was Easter Sunday for god sake! It usually rains, rains and rains some more.  I was hoping for the park to be quiet, but it was far from quiet and in actual fact it was what I needed to experience.  The London Marathon is hardly going to quiet is it?!

This training session was the total opposite to the one we did a few months ago.  The obstacles that we faced where nothing like it.  It was very wet and cold the last time we trained together, and the park was very quiet as it was during mid week. Today the park was completely full of people.  Full of families enjoying their Easter Sunday.  Kids on bikes and scooters, old folk on mobility scooters, dogs of all varieties running riot, and parents with prams and buggies. We had our work cut out for us. Oh and there was a fun fair on too. Needless to say, as true northerners, we got on with it.

I had bought a new blindfold.  The one I used during our last run was no good, as the material was too thin.  The new one is much thicker and has padding a.  This was the first time for me trying it out.  It is much harder as it puts my eyesight into complete blackout.  The old one let in a little bit of light. This is so much more frightening. I can literally see nothing now.  We had to begin with a gentle walk just to get use to the swing of it.  I felt so scared, that I was unsure I'd be able to go from walking into running.  I had to just trust Abbie's voice and pick my feet up.  If you would like my professional analysis on what it feels like to run blindfolded, well this is it.  I feel like a Thunderbirds puppet!  If you imagine how they walk, well that is how I feel like I look when I am running.  I feel like Abbie's puppet, being controlled by a bit of string.  When she tells me we are turning right or left, it is such a bizarre feeling.  My brain is telling my body to turn, but I don't feel like I am turning at all, when in fact I am.  I really do not like it when we have to turn a corner. I am happier with a straight long path.  Then I am guessing it would too easy then.  Who needs easy!  

This park is not the flattest and does have quite a few cheeky inclines.  It was interesting not being able to see when they were coming and Abbie purposely didn't tell me when they were coming.  I could feel it in my legs when we started running up a hill.  I could feel my carve muscles working harder, but not being able to see the made it easier for me to run up them.  I think what I have taught myself here is that I can run up hills.  I need to stop being so scared of them.   

We did 2 laps of the park. We managed to pick up the pace on the second lap.  I stupidly wore socks that are on their way out, and they were rubbing very badly on my feet. I could feel the blisters knocking on my door! So we had to slow it right down. I can't have my feet full of blisters ahead of Brighton next Sunday! 

I can not tell you how much I appreciate my sight.  I am so grateful that at the end of my training session I can remove my blindfold.  There are so many people who can not do this and have to live this way every day of their lives.  Doing this is just making me want to do more to raise money for Sense, or even volunteer my time to help people who have a sensory impairment.  We can all lose our eye sight or sound at any time in our lives, especially in older age.  

So this calls time on our training.  We have done all that we can.  In 3 weeks time we will do this. We will not be looking to finish it in any kind of time.  We are prepared that it may take over 6 hours, but we will not give up until we have both crossed over that finishing line.   

See you in 3 weeks time Abbie!! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!  
   

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