It’s now been just over a week since I ran marathon number 43 on Rottnest Island and managed to grab a 2nd place. I normally give myself 2-3 days off after running a marathon but as I stay on Rottnest Island for a week post marathon I restrict my non-running days so I can take advantage of the running conditions available to me. Rottnest is a beautiful Island with no cars , bar the maintenance vehicles, and kilometres of undulating hills and trails, with little or no other runners. (  http://www.rottnestisland.com ) An opportunity like this only comes around once a year so I can’t just lay on the beach and frolic in the sea, that would be silly ? I may treat myself to an extra coffee and danish but other than that it is normal training,  albeit maybe just one run a day, I am on holiday.

The solitude of getting up early before the first ferry arrives and exploring the Island is inspiring and although the legs are complaining the views and atmosphere of the Island entice you along, adding one extra kilometre after another. Of course when I return home for breakfast it has to be a trip to Geordie bay for a large cappuccino and pancake stack with maple syrup and bacon, a match made in heaven.  No worrying about calories or nutrition the week after a marathon, your body craves all things nutritional and that includes sugar, carbs and fat (good or bad). The week after a marathon is a time to treat yourself for all the hard work that has gone into the previous months of training. I’m sure there has been times you’ve missed out on a night out with friends due to an upcoming long run or dessert as you’re watching your weight pre-race. Well all that goes out the window post-marathon,  albeit briefly. Meb Keflexighi, America’s greatest marathon runner, ( https://marathonmeb.com ) aims to put on 10 pounds after a marathon and enjoys ‘letting himself go’, his book ‘Meb for Mortals‘ is a must read and I personally thoroughly enjoyed it. Meb is retiring from competition at the New York Marathon this year and will spend his time training others. if you live in the States you can sign up for some Meb time from his website. Unfortunately couldn’t see a way to sign up with my Australian address. If anyone does sign up could they let me know how it all goes ?

There’s a great article from the running competitor website on marathon recovery which highlights several areas that require almost total rest for at least a week or more. As I said earlier in the post being on Rottnest for the week leaves no time for recovery, I’m having too much fun running and eating pancake stacks, but that could be the point I suppose ?

When I get back to the mainland I start to think about the next race, there is always a ‘next race’ otherwise what is the point ? I’m not one of these ‘I run for the thrill of being at one with nature’ type runners, no, no, no , for me it’s about the rush of competition and the bib on my chest which keeps me coming back for more. Don’t get me wrong I love the training and truth be told my favourite sessions are the ‘smell the roses’ type recovery/easy runs, but the pain box and competition is where its’ at.  Racing yourself and trying to go faster than you have ever ran before, c’mon you know this is why we do what we do. I certainly a Steve Prefontaine when it comes to racing and often recite his quotes pre-race to inspire me, he has a few.

Not sure how I started this post citing rest days and recovery links and then ended up with classic Steve Prefontaine quotes advocating suicide pace and today being a good day to die ? That’s a thing with writing, it’s like running on Rottnest, you never know where it’s going to take you, and maybe that’s the point.