It's how every project or endeavour starts. With a dream.
I can't say that running a Marathon has been a life-long dream, for the simple reason that up to two years ago it was beyond my dreams. I had never thought about it because it was something completely unreachable. But I have always enjoyed watching two particular events during the Olympic Games: the 100m sprint and the Marathon. One showcasing the fastest, and the other the most enduring, man on earth.
Slightly more than two years ago I went for my first jog. Had started doing the President's Award programme at the time, and part of the requirements were to do a physical activity at least one hour per week. Jogging seemed to be the easiest and least expensive thing to do. Together with my friend Warren, we went for first run. It was just 4km along the runway strip, and took us almost 30 minutes. That day, under drizzling rain, was our baptism into running.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, we started enjoying doing it regularly, and in time increased both pace and distance. We did some 10km races during that year, a sprint triathlon the following summer, and a half-marathon a year later.
The first time I thought about doing a Marathon was quite co-incidental. I had decided to do the Qormi 10k on the 7 June 2010. A few weeks earlier, my friend Cyprian asked me to join him trying the route out. I had just bought a new car, and the new number-plate showed my initials and birth-date: MAS 262. Jokingly, Cyprian asked me if it was a reference to the Marathon.
"What Marathon?" I asked. "The Marathon-distance", he replied, "it's 26.2 miles".
During that run I couldn't stop thinking about it. I knew the Malta Marathon usually took place on the last Sunday of February. Could it one day co-incide with my birthday? That would be a nice way to celebrate it.
As soon as I arrived home, I quickly checked my calendars. 2012. The 26th February of 2012 was going to fall on a Sunday. And guess what: it was going to be my lucky birthday! How many people have the opportunity to run 26.2 miles on their 26th birthday on the 26th February?
A dream was born. 26.2.12, my lucky birthday, was set to be the day I would attempt my first Marathon.
And since then, I have dreamt about it every single day. Not a day has gone by without thinking and planning what my next step would be in order to move closer towards achieving it. Because that's the only way a dream can become reality.
I am now in the last stage, only 11 weeks of preparation before D-Day. Still much to go. I have only run a distance of 25km twice in my life, in the third stage of my two participations in the Malta Challenge Marathon. There's still another 17.195km to add to that to reach the total Marathon distance of 42.195km, or 26.2 miles. But my mind is focused, my spirit craves for it, so I'm sure that with the proper commitment, my body will be prepared for it as well.
I have decided to share through this diary what I'll be going through in the coming weeks for two reasons: one is to help keep myself motivated, and the other is that by letting everyone know, I will add an extra reason why, come rain and shine, I will not let myself lose any training sessions, especially during the frantic Christmas and festive season.
Follow this diary by joining or subscribing to this blog. It should be one hell of a ride...or rather, one hell of a run ;)
I can't say that running a Marathon has been a life-long dream, for the simple reason that up to two years ago it was beyond my dreams. I had never thought about it because it was something completely unreachable. But I have always enjoyed watching two particular events during the Olympic Games: the 100m sprint and the Marathon. One showcasing the fastest, and the other the most enduring, man on earth.
Slightly more than two years ago I went for my first jog. Had started doing the President's Award programme at the time, and part of the requirements were to do a physical activity at least one hour per week. Jogging seemed to be the easiest and least expensive thing to do. Together with my friend Warren, we went for first run. It was just 4km along the runway strip, and took us almost 30 minutes. That day, under drizzling rain, was our baptism into running.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, we started enjoying doing it regularly, and in time increased both pace and distance. We did some 10km races during that year, a sprint triathlon the following summer, and a half-marathon a year later.
The first time I thought about doing a Marathon was quite co-incidental. I had decided to do the Qormi 10k on the 7 June 2010. A few weeks earlier, my friend Cyprian asked me to join him trying the route out. I had just bought a new car, and the new number-plate showed my initials and birth-date: MAS 262. Jokingly, Cyprian asked me if it was a reference to the Marathon.
"What Marathon?" I asked. "The Marathon-distance", he replied, "it's 26.2 miles".
During that run I couldn't stop thinking about it. I knew the Malta Marathon usually took place on the last Sunday of February. Could it one day co-incide with my birthday? That would be a nice way to celebrate it.
As soon as I arrived home, I quickly checked my calendars. 2012. The 26th February of 2012 was going to fall on a Sunday. And guess what: it was going to be my lucky birthday! How many people have the opportunity to run 26.2 miles on their 26th birthday on the 26th February?
A dream was born. 26.2.12, my lucky birthday, was set to be the day I would attempt my first Marathon.
And since then, I have dreamt about it every single day. Not a day has gone by without thinking and planning what my next step would be in order to move closer towards achieving it. Because that's the only way a dream can become reality.
I am now in the last stage, only 11 weeks of preparation before D-Day. Still much to go. I have only run a distance of 25km twice in my life, in the third stage of my two participations in the Malta Challenge Marathon. There's still another 17.195km to add to that to reach the total Marathon distance of 42.195km, or 26.2 miles. But my mind is focused, my spirit craves for it, so I'm sure that with the proper commitment, my body will be prepared for it as well.
I have decided to share through this diary what I'll be going through in the coming weeks for two reasons: one is to help keep myself motivated, and the other is that by letting everyone know, I will add an extra reason why, come rain and shine, I will not let myself lose any training sessions, especially during the frantic Christmas and festive season.
Follow this diary by joining or subscribing to this blog. It should be one hell of a ride...or rather, one hell of a run ;)
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