On Sunday I went to Luton for the marathon. For some reason I really like this one. It’s 3 laps near Luton, usually very windy and often raining too. (Last year it was canceled due to ice so I didn’t mind too much what the weather did as long as the race went ahead.) But somehow it’s a great event. Possibly it’s the smooth organisation and enthusiastic marshals that do it.

I decided to go by train as there was heavy rain and strong wind in the morning, making riding Haku [her motorbike] an unappealing transport option. There was a bus as rail replacement service, so I was surprised to arrive earlier than originally planned. Not sure how that happened. Anyway, I’d had a dodgy leg all week (I hardly ran at all, which is very unusual for me) so went for a pre-race sports massage which felt fantastic. I think I might treat myself to a massage more often. Mmmmm. 

There were loads of familiar faces there so it was all very sociable. There were 3 other Vegan Runners UK runners, all proudly wearing the vest, including Helen and Cedric in the full marathon, who did both did really well and finished smiling. My leg was sore for the first 7 miles but then the pain eased off and I really enjoyed the run. My final time was 4:32:59 – not nearly as slow as I had anticipated. We got a cotton goody bag and a medal, both rather nice.