In less than a week I’ll be lining up for the 2024 Cape Town Marathon. Less than a week… It’s hard to believe that by this time next week, the marathon I’ve dedicated so much to will already be behind me. The thought that I won’t run it next year makes me sad. (I’ve decided to focus on improving my 10km and 21km times next year, perhaps working towards a goal like a 2h30m half-marathon.)

As I reflect on my journey, I realise this hasn’t just been a few months of training; it’s been a full year – a demanding and rewarding one, and one I could never have pushed through without the support of my family, friends, and especially my running coach, who always goes above and beyond.

I’d be lying if I said marathon training hasn’t taken over much of my life. At least six days a week, I’m up before dawn, heading out to tackle workouts that often last more than an hour (sometimes even two or three). After that, I dive into a full day of work, being a mum, wife, and friend. This year, I prioritised sleep, getting to bed by 8 pm most nights. I cut out alcohol, reduced my caffeine intake, and was fortunate enough to avoid illness that could have interrupted my training. Other than two missed sessions after the Elands Marathon due to a niggle in my right calf, I’ve been able to follow my training plan consistently. It’s been a long, tough year, but I also feel incredibly blessed – I’m stronger and fitter than I’ve been for both of my previous marathons.

This year, age and mileage caught up with me. I’ve had more than my fair share of niggles: patellar tendonitis in my left knee, the occasional grumbling from my left ITB, and what seems like Morton’s neuroma in my left foot. I’ve even joked that I need a whole new left leg! Since that’s not an option, I’ve had to make it work with chiropractic care and biokinetic exercises.

Sticking to a training programme consistently doesn’t come without mental challenges either. I had to keep motivating myself especially whenever I wasn’t reaching my goals. Over the last few weeks, I’ve mostly taken it one day at a time. Every day, I try to give feedback to my running coach, but even that has dried up. I found myself saying: “I don’t know what to say about my runs. They’re not good, they’re not bad, they just are. I’m just trying to get them done and ticked off.”

I’m nervous about this weekend’s race. This is my third year chasing the same goal, and I hope it’s a case of third time lucky. I’m crossing my fingers for good weather and hoping all the hard work I’ve put in will finally pay off. I don’t have the best track record of reaching my marathon goal, and finally getting there would mean so much to me.

Last week, one of my running friends shared something that felt like the perfect summary of this year’s training:

“The secret is there is no secret.  
Consistency over intensity.  
Progress over perfection.  
Fundamentals over fads.  
Over and over again.”