Fail to prepare and prepare to fail....

It trips off the tongue easily but I've come to realise recently that "failure" isn't as straightforward as one might think.

I have, without doubt, failed to prepare properly for the Loch Ness Marathon.  Curiously though, I find I'm looking forward to it with much less trepidation than normal and fully expect to enjoy it more than normal tomorrow.  I guess I've already given myself "permission to fail" tomorrow so I'm not worried about my time.  Also, my wife is running the 10K so it's not as if my trip to Inverness is wasted if I don't try my utmost tomorrow.  Lastly, I'm also toying with the idea of doing the Pentland Skyline next weekend so I don't particuarly want to trash my legs tomorrow in an all out attempt.  (Check out the course here)

So yes, I probably will "fail" tomorrow in the sense of no PB, possibly a PW, but I have enjoyed a great race last weekend, hope to have a good time this weekend and with luck, be fit for next weekend to do something that I love so all in all, perhaps not such a failure.

When you hear about friends who can't run because of injury it brings it home to you that no run that you enjoy is a failure.

Good luck to all those racing this weekend.  Just remember, it's not all just about the times.