Today I decided I really need to start running outside, pounding the mean streets of Bicester. I've used the MapMyRun website to determine a few possible routes, starting with a circuit calculated at 3.5 miles here
The difficulty I found today, and am likely always to find, is that I don't really like running yet. If I get tired, or out of breath, my brain has no problem telling me to walk for a little bit. On a treadmill that's not really an option, but at least there I know that when I've had enough I am still home, so can keep going as far as possible.
On the road I don't have that luxury, and was aware that until I got half way, I was running further and further away from home. And there is no other way to put this, it was cold. Zero degrees was tricky for my first run outdoors.
You can probably tell I'm lining up the factors and excuses before I start. In the end I ran about one mile, stopped, and decided to turn round for home, walking for a bit then running again home. So instead of a 3.5 mile run, I just managed 1.5 miles or so and half a mile or so walking. Probably very similar to the composition of my Santa run in similar circumstances
I'm not beating myself up about it - it was an OK start, and the cold was so much that it has given me shortness of breath and coughing fits for several hours since! I think I now know my New Year goal, by the end of January I will try to run 6 miles (8 would be nice) outside on the streets, and I will look to run more and more away from the treadmill.
If anyone is reading this ... Happy New Year!!
Wednesday 31 December 2008
Sunday 28 December 2008
Forrest Gump
Following my earlier update, I am now back to blogging on the day of the run.
Well today I felt like Forrest Gump. I got on the treadmill, ran, ran some more, and didn't stop for an hour. I still can't quite believe it. I am full of turkey, chocolate, cheese and mince pies just like everyone else, so quite how I went fully 20 minutes longer than ever before, with such an inconsistent few weeks behind me, I don't know. But I do feel triumphant, and am telling everybody I know!
The most impressive thing is it was 1.8 °C in the garage, though the nerdy scientist in me noticed that 20 minutes of running had raised the tempereature in my garage by a full degree and a half. I at least now know that cold weather doesn't put me off though am yet to try sub-zero ...
I have to work out some runs and get outside - the main thing now is boredom. Today I thought about so many things and so many people. It was thinking about this that got me from 0-40 without realising it, though I must have run it all or I would have fallen off the treadmill. The things and people I thought about ... well that's not really for this blog but I don't know that I can do that every time, I don't have the imagination to sustain me for another hour if I do it again in a couple of days.
I will run again between now and the New Year and set new targets - so far, I have, to my amazement, hit them all, so ... so far so good. And now, like Forest Gump (tenuous reference alert) I am going to go and demolish a large section of our box of chocolates.
Well today I felt like Forrest Gump. I got on the treadmill, ran, ran some more, and didn't stop for an hour. I still can't quite believe it. I am full of turkey, chocolate, cheese and mince pies just like everyone else, so quite how I went fully 20 minutes longer than ever before, with such an inconsistent few weeks behind me, I don't know. But I do feel triumphant, and am telling everybody I know!
The most impressive thing is it was 1.8 °C in the garage, though the nerdy scientist in me noticed that 20 minutes of running had raised the tempereature in my garage by a full degree and a half. I at least now know that cold weather doesn't put me off though am yet to try sub-zero ...
I have to work out some runs and get outside - the main thing now is boredom. Today I thought about so many things and so many people. It was thinking about this that got me from 0-40 without realising it, though I must have run it all or I would have fallen off the treadmill. The things and people I thought about ... well that's not really for this blog but I don't know that I can do that every time, I don't have the imagination to sustain me for another hour if I do it again in a couple of days.
I will run again between now and the New Year and set new targets - so far, I have, to my amazement, hit them all, so ... so far so good. And now, like Forest Gump (tenuous reference alert) I am going to go and demolish a large section of our box of chocolates.
weeks 20-21
I'm ashamed to see I haven't updated my blog since December 12th when I ran 40 minutes. It looks like I already had my December excuses of exhaustion, business and party season, and I'm afraid I really let the training dip somewhat but I'm going to use the same excuses
This is, I think, what I ran in the intervening time
Sunday 14th: 20 minutes
Tuesday 16th: 30 minutes
Sunday 21st: 10 minutes
Wednesday 24th: 35 minutes
As I've neglected the blog somewhat (it seems I'm far more likely to update when I have something more triumphant to post) then I don't have detailed facts, figures and feelings to update, other than a real need to improve. In my defence ... something kept me off work 17th-19th December which hit my appetite and left me exhausted, and I think Sunday 21st was too soon to start again. And I was pleased to get back to 35 minutes for Christmas Eve but catching and passing my previous best of 40 minutes has really seemed a difficult barrier.
I have to get back to a minimum three runs a week, and the improvement I need to make is also pretty obvious. Still a long way to go though.
This is, I think, what I ran in the intervening time
Sunday 14th: 20 minutes
Tuesday 16th: 30 minutes
Sunday 21st: 10 minutes
Wednesday 24th: 35 minutes
As I've neglected the blog somewhat (it seems I'm far more likely to update when I have something more triumphant to post) then I don't have detailed facts, figures and feelings to update, other than a real need to improve. In my defence ... something kept me off work 17th-19th December which hit my appetite and left me exhausted, and I think Sunday 21st was too soon to start again. And I was pleased to get back to 35 minutes for Christmas Eve but catching and passing my previous best of 40 minutes has really seemed a difficult barrier.
I have to get back to a minimum three runs a week, and the improvement I need to make is also pretty obvious. Still a long way to go though.
Friday 12 December 2008
Week 19
Well it now seems a long time since I've run. After 2 miles of good-humoured struggling round Oxford in a Santa suit on Sunday, every day that has gone past I have been too busy, tired or hung over to run (well it is office party season).
Today was no exception but it feels like my progress is going backwards and if I'm to hit my minimum of three runs each week I have to run today (Friday), tomorrow and Sunday. I have been exhausted all day mentally and physically but there's every chance I'll feel like that on the day so I can't let that put me off.
Amazingly this was the easiest run I've done so far, despite the cold and the exhaustion. I ran 40 minutes right off the bat, and feel so much better for having done so. I really didn't think I'd make 20, but the only barrier today was boredom. There's a lot going on which gave me a lot to think about (but this is a running blog, not a blog about my life) and ultimately I managed to push myself to go to the full 40 minutes. I feel I could have done 45 certainly, so hopefully I will hit my target for the year.
Perhaps I should push for more. Run for an hour non-stop, or 6 miles, before 2009?
Today was no exception but it feels like my progress is going backwards and if I'm to hit my minimum of three runs each week I have to run today (Friday), tomorrow and Sunday. I have been exhausted all day mentally and physically but there's every chance I'll feel like that on the day so I can't let that put me off.
Amazingly this was the easiest run I've done so far, despite the cold and the exhaustion. I ran 40 minutes right off the bat, and feel so much better for having done so. I really didn't think I'd make 20, but the only barrier today was boredom. There's a lot going on which gave me a lot to think about (but this is a running blog, not a blog about my life) and ultimately I managed to push myself to go to the full 40 minutes. I feel I could have done 45 certainly, so hopefully I will hit my target for the year.
Perhaps I should push for more. Run for an hour non-stop, or 6 miles, before 2009?
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Santas on the Run
Well Sunday was the time for Santas on the Run, a 2 mile fun run through Oxford in a Santa suit, my first public run!!
It was a great and surreal day, I'm ashamed to say I did walk a little as I struggled in the cold (minus 2 was showing in the car as I drove to the event), but was pleased to see the clock ticking at 21 minutes when I finished. Given I walked a little that's probably 20 minute pace for 2 miles or a little better, which is what I kind of expected, but shows that the treadmill pace is not quite realistic. Of course the course could be a little less that 2 miles but let's hope not.
More pictures on facebook here
Sunday 7 December 2008
Saturday
Saturday morning and time for a run - because I am doing the Santas on the Run fun-run in Oxford tomorrow I've decided to recreate it and run 20 minutes.
It was still difficult and still 3.6 degrees in the garage, but ultimately 20 minutes was just about OK. So 20 minutes it was and not much else to write ...
It was still difficult and still 3.6 degrees in the garage, but ultimately 20 minutes was just about OK. So 20 minutes it was and not much else to write ...
Tuesday 2 December 2008
week 18
Well now I finally feel I can run for half an hour I'm probably ready to skip the treadmill and brave the public. But the thermometer outside (Tuesday) says 0.0°C, so no chance.
But it's a strange life I lead. I am now sharing the garage with 18 slices of decaying bread at varying stages. Still, this is a blog about training for the marathon, not studying for a science degree which I am also doing alongside 50 hour weeks at work and 70 mile daily commutes, it's just at times like this I wonder how and why I ever considered doing all three!
So back to the run - though I'm pleased with my progress I have checked in with how other Rhino runners are doing, and all are doing better than I am. Yes we all have different fitness levels and targets, and perhaps it's only those doing well who report on their progress, but it has reminded me that I can't stop.
The treadmill it is then, and in fact the temperature in the garage was still only 3.8°C, and I had no specific target in mind only to hit 30 minutes as a minimum and see what more I could do. As usual I felt fine after 8 minutes but like I'd done about 25 at that point. At 14-15 minutes I felt very heavy-legged, and into the twenties it seemed better, until 29 minutes when I wanted to stop. I don't mind all these mental and physical barriers but I can't help thinking they should be happening at 10, 20 and 25 miles, not just minutes in!
Still in the end I ran through and completed 33 minutes, a new best. I'd hoped for 35 or 40 but did start to feel short of breath - still treading that delicate balance between pushing myself harder each time and not killing myself!
But it's a strange life I lead. I am now sharing the garage with 18 slices of decaying bread at varying stages. Still, this is a blog about training for the marathon, not studying for a science degree which I am also doing alongside 50 hour weeks at work and 70 mile daily commutes, it's just at times like this I wonder how and why I ever considered doing all three!
So back to the run - though I'm pleased with my progress I have checked in with how other Rhino runners are doing, and all are doing better than I am. Yes we all have different fitness levels and targets, and perhaps it's only those doing well who report on their progress, but it has reminded me that I can't stop.
The treadmill it is then, and in fact the temperature in the garage was still only 3.8°C, and I had no specific target in mind only to hit 30 minutes as a minimum and see what more I could do. As usual I felt fine after 8 minutes but like I'd done about 25 at that point. At 14-15 minutes I felt very heavy-legged, and into the twenties it seemed better, until 29 minutes when I wanted to stop. I don't mind all these mental and physical barriers but I can't help thinking they should be happening at 10, 20 and 25 miles, not just minutes in!
Still in the end I ran through and completed 33 minutes, a new best. I'd hoped for 35 or 40 but did start to feel short of breath - still treading that delicate balance between pushing myself harder each time and not killing myself!
Sunday 30 November 2008
End of week 17
Well - I'm back on track, I've nailed it. 30 minutes again, and a smidge faster than I've done before, therfore I've run a smidge further than before. Maybe that's what I should do from now on - state what I will do on the blog beforehand, then do it! An hour on Wednesday perhaps?
It didn't feel too bad only that it is so cold at the moment, I can feel my lungs working harder. I have no idea if that makes any sense - I've never exercised before so I don't know if I'm doing anything sensible. Should I be wearing more? I still put the same shorts and T-shirt on every time and that's pretty much it.
And finally I have signed up for Santas on the Run - a 2 mile run through Oxford in a Santa Suit for Helen & Douglas House http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/features30.html. I'm not asking for sponsorship but if any of you are in or around Oxford it sounds like fun and I will post some action pictures here next week if I can!
It didn't feel too bad only that it is so cold at the moment, I can feel my lungs working harder. I have no idea if that makes any sense - I've never exercised before so I don't know if I'm doing anything sensible. Should I be wearing more? I still put the same shorts and T-shirt on every time and that's pretty much it.
And finally I have signed up for Santas on the Run - a 2 mile run through Oxford in a Santa Suit for Helen & Douglas House http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/features30.html. I'm not asking for sponsorship but if any of you are in or around Oxford it sounds like fun and I will post some action pictures here next week if I can!
Week 17
Don't you love technology? I've just posted a long post that has disappeared!
Week 17 so far has been a Wednesday run and a Saturday run. Wednesday started with the realisation that while I have now hit 30 minutes I'm still running woefully slowly. Problem is that in April I will have to run a fixed distance and not a fixed time and according to my treadmill I'm not even at 6ph yet which would be 10 minute mile pace.
So I've stepped up the pace a little but just ran 15 minutes. I don't think my heart was in it and could probably have struggled to run 30 at my usual plod anyway but at least I've made a start and upped my speed slightly. I think my next goal by Christmas eve has to be to run 30 minutes at 6mph though I think I will be varying my speed somewhat to see if I can go further than 30 minutes (OK, 31!) on other occasions.
And the Saturday run ... it just gets so late, after Xmas shopping, food shopping, cooking, eating, waiting for food to settle, and walking the dogs, the run suddenly becomes at 9:30. The first two minutes of the run felt awful, but I managed to ride it out to 15 minutes. However I didn't really have the desire to run any further so late in the day so stopped right there.
Feels like this week is stalling a little bit - I was so pleased to hit 30 minutes last week but I think I need to find that motivation back! I will announce now then that I will do at least 30 minutes tonight so as not to fall back a week.
Week 17 so far has been a Wednesday run and a Saturday run. Wednesday started with the realisation that while I have now hit 30 minutes I'm still running woefully slowly. Problem is that in April I will have to run a fixed distance and not a fixed time and according to my treadmill I'm not even at 6ph yet which would be 10 minute mile pace.
So I've stepped up the pace a little but just ran 15 minutes. I don't think my heart was in it and could probably have struggled to run 30 at my usual plod anyway but at least I've made a start and upped my speed slightly. I think my next goal by Christmas eve has to be to run 30 minutes at 6mph though I think I will be varying my speed somewhat to see if I can go further than 30 minutes (OK, 31!) on other occasions.
And the Saturday run ... it just gets so late, after Xmas shopping, food shopping, cooking, eating, waiting for food to settle, and walking the dogs, the run suddenly becomes at 9:30. The first two minutes of the run felt awful, but I managed to ride it out to 15 minutes. However I didn't really have the desire to run any further so late in the day so stopped right there.
Feels like this week is stalling a little bit - I was so pleased to hit 30 minutes last week but I think I need to find that motivation back! I will announce now then that I will do at least 30 minutes tonight so as not to fall back a week.
End of week 16 - message to my blog followers
OK I'm running behind now (no pun intended). Last Sunday, end of week 16, should have been my usual third run of the week. But I scrapped all that for a pig out and a day off the running and the diet.
So instead a message to my followers and well-wishers. Hello mother, hello sister, what would you like for Christmas?
I hope there are other followers or occasional dippers-in out there - if not this is all good entertainment and record for me so I don't really mind.
So instead a message to my followers and well-wishers. Hello mother, hello sister, what would you like for Christmas?
I hope there are other followers or occasional dippers-in out there - if not this is all good entertainment and record for me so I don't really mind.
Sunday 23 November 2008
Another PB
Well another run on the treadmill on Saturday morning and I wanted to prove to myself that my 30 minute run was no fluke.
This time though it felt easier - no dodgy minutes 1,2 or 30 and it really did feel that running is finally something I'm comfortable doing. I'm still not fast and have a long way to go but those mental barriers of running 4 or 5 minutes or whatever was so hard only a couple of weeks ago have long gone.
This time the last minute felt fine, and I genuinely had the "could go further" feeling. So I did, just one minute, to 31 minutes, just so I could leave the treadmill with another personal best. But I want to start pushing myself now as for the first time in a long time I'm not quite so daunted by this marathon as I once was!
This time though it felt easier - no dodgy minutes 1,2 or 30 and it really did feel that running is finally something I'm comfortable doing. I'm still not fast and have a long way to go but those mental barriers of running 4 or 5 minutes or whatever was so hard only a couple of weeks ago have long gone.
This time the last minute felt fine, and I genuinely had the "could go further" feeling. So I did, just one minute, to 31 minutes, just so I could leave the treadmill with another personal best. But I want to start pushing myself now as for the first time in a long time I'm not quite so daunted by this marathon as I once was!
Friday 21 November 2008
Breakthrough
Well it's only in getting lazy updating this blog that I've realised people are following this and wanting to know how I'm doing! So thanks again everyone for your words of encouragement. And if you can figure out how - get commenting!
Anyway it hasn't got me completely back into good habits as this entry, on Friday, is about my run on Wednesday. In fact just before I was getting changed to go for a run I spoke to my mother on the phone, who because of the lack of blog updates, wanted to know how I was getting on. I mentioned of course that I was running 20 minutes at a time, and that hopefully by the end of Novemeber I would do 30.
Then as I went to the treadmill in the garage I thought why wait 12 more days just because of a self-imposed deadline? It might have been November 19th, so why not now? It was the usual story really - minutes 1 and 2 were probably the most tiring, by minute 8 it felt great but like I'd run 20, the rest passed far too slowly but I did run 30 minutes, much to my amazement and pride. Minute 30 was probably the only particularly difficult one apart from the first one as it's so difficult not to clockwatch but I do feel like I've made great progress here. When I start talking about miles run and not minutes, then I'll have cracked it (about 3 I reckon!)
Anyway it hasn't got me completely back into good habits as this entry, on Friday, is about my run on Wednesday. In fact just before I was getting changed to go for a run I spoke to my mother on the phone, who because of the lack of blog updates, wanted to know how I was getting on. I mentioned of course that I was running 20 minutes at a time, and that hopefully by the end of Novemeber I would do 30.
Then as I went to the treadmill in the garage I thought why wait 12 more days just because of a self-imposed deadline? It might have been November 19th, so why not now? It was the usual story really - minutes 1 and 2 were probably the most tiring, by minute 8 it felt great but like I'd run 20, the rest passed far too slowly but I did run 30 minutes, much to my amazement and pride. Minute 30 was probably the only particularly difficult one apart from the first one as it's so difficult not to clockwatch but I do feel like I've made great progress here. When I start talking about miles run and not minutes, then I'll have cracked it (about 3 I reckon!)
Tuesday 18 November 2008
Last week update (week 15)
Sorry blog-followers, seem to have neglected my duties recently!
Well last week I did no midweek run as I was recovering from a cold, so just Saturday and Sunday to tell you about. A personal best 21 minutes on Saturday followed by 20 on Sunday means I'm being more consistent now. And certainly on the Saturday run I felt I had a little more in the tank
I need to break the 30 minute barrier by the end of the month, but let's aim high and say the end of the week!
Well last week I did no midweek run as I was recovering from a cold, so just Saturday and Sunday to tell you about. A personal best 21 minutes on Saturday followed by 20 on Sunday means I'm being more consistent now. And certainly on the Saturday run I felt I had a little more in the tank
I need to break the 30 minute barrier by the end of the month, but let's aim high and say the end of the week!
Monday 10 November 2008
End of week 14
I've missed a post - this is for my Sunday run ...
I actually felt good running today. Not for the first minute, that felt heavy-legged and difficult like it always does. But it never really got worse. Twenty minutes later and I was still running and I'd equalled my best.
Good thing about this run though is that I never really clock-watched. OK, I did, but less than usual. I really did feel I had 30 minutes in me, though because it was late I stopped at 20.
I might just do this, you know!
I actually felt good running today. Not for the first minute, that felt heavy-legged and difficult like it always does. But it never really got worse. Twenty minutes later and I was still running and I'd equalled my best.
Good thing about this run though is that I never really clock-watched. OK, I did, but less than usual. I really did feel I had 30 minutes in me, though because it was late I stopped at 20.
I might just do this, you know!
Saturday 8 November 2008
Thank you
I've heard a few people are reading this now but haven't figured out how to post comments. Not sure if there's something dodgy with the settings, or whether that just shows the general technological nous of my friends and family, but whichever is true, then thank you for sticking with it and all your support!
Well today I didn't feel so good, or perhaps I was just nicely full with a good pub lunch and a sneaky pint and a half of bitter, but I couldn't put the training off. Again I decided to run as far as I can on the treadmill.
Strange as I felt after 4 or 5 minutes that I wasn't destined for a long run, but as every minute passed I felt that however bad it felt I at least had another minute in me. At 10 I decided to push for 12, at 12 for 15, and so on until I managed to run for twenty minutes.
I think running just one stint is helping - I may only have run today the same as running 4 5-minute stints, but it feels like four times the achievement. I'm optimistic now that I'll be able to run for 30 by the end of November - I have to aim for it if I'm to push on. But who says I can't do it?
Well today I didn't feel so good, or perhaps I was just nicely full with a good pub lunch and a sneaky pint and a half of bitter, but I couldn't put the training off. Again I decided to run as far as I can on the treadmill.
Strange as I felt after 4 or 5 minutes that I wasn't destined for a long run, but as every minute passed I felt that however bad it felt I at least had another minute in me. At 10 I decided to push for 12, at 12 for 15, and so on until I managed to run for twenty minutes.
I think running just one stint is helping - I may only have run today the same as running 4 5-minute stints, but it feels like four times the achievement. I'm optimistic now that I'll be able to run for 30 by the end of November - I have to aim for it if I'm to push on. But who says I can't do it?
Wednesday 5 November 2008
Another PB
Another run yesterday and I decided to see how far I could go in one run again. I do need to find a way of entertaining myself as after a few seconds I genuinely find it quite boring. At the moment I'm getting a nice satisfaction at the end of each run when I hit my target or beat my best so far, but the rest I could do without. How will I cope with 5 hours of this?
Anyway a thoroughly impressive(?) 17 minute stint this time and again I'm pleased that I've run the furthest yet. I need to step this up and hit half an hour before long, so I'll revise my targets and tell you all that I'll hit 30 minutes by the end of the month.
I'm not sure why I write "you all" though, is anyone actually reading this rubbish or is just for my benefit?!
Anyway a thoroughly impressive(?) 17 minute stint this time and again I'm pleased that I've run the furthest yet. I need to step this up and hit half an hour before long, so I'll revise my targets and tell you all that I'll hit 30 minutes by the end of the month.
I'm not sure why I write "you all" though, is anyone actually reading this rubbish or is just for my benefit?!
Sunday 2 November 2008
End of week 13
I seemed to only get 2 runs in this week which is not very good. At least I'm making progress. Another pre-breakfast run today (though pre-breakfast on a Sunday means 9:30 not 6:30 thankfully).
It seems anyway that I've got over the difficulties of running for only 3-5 minutes at a time. Now my latest challenge has to be just to get out there for longer. Today I ran 10 minutes, walked for 2 minutes and ran 8 minutes further. All good progress I think. And it doesn't really feel like I'm gaining by stopping and walking for a little bit, which is at least acting as a good incentive for me to step up the running stints faster than I previously had.
Maybe that should be what I do on the big day, just run the whole thing. Is that what anybody else does?
It seems anyway that I've got over the difficulties of running for only 3-5 minutes at a time. Now my latest challenge has to be just to get out there for longer. Today I ran 10 minutes, walked for 2 minutes and ran 8 minutes further. All good progress I think. And it doesn't really feel like I'm gaining by stopping and walking for a little bit, which is at least acting as a good incentive for me to step up the running stints faster than I previously had.
Maybe that should be what I do on the big day, just run the whole thing. Is that what anybody else does?
Friday 31 October 2008
First mile
Ugh, what a week. Monday to Thursday have rolled by with each day working later and later, and just no desire to get the training run in. Still, as Thursday night passed I resolved to run on Friday morning before work.
6:30am and bleary-eyed I headed for the treadmill in the garage. There were some strange creaky noises as it was so cold and I don't know how much was me and how much was the treadmill, and as I started running I decided I didn't know what I was going to do. Eventually I knew I didn't have long before getting ready for work so decided to see how far I can run without stopping. After all, that's ultimately going to be a key part of the strategy for running 26 and a bit miles.
Anyhow let's not drag this into a great saga as I still need to remind myself I've got a long way to go. But I did run 15 minutes and was really quite pleasantly surprised. Nice thing is I genuinely think I could have done more. It doesn't seem like long ago when I was fretting over doing 3,4,5 minutes at a time. And even at my slow pace I've confidently doubled by PB (see I sound like an athlete now) and have run my first mile and a bit.
6:30am and bleary-eyed I headed for the treadmill in the garage. There were some strange creaky noises as it was so cold and I don't know how much was me and how much was the treadmill, and as I started running I decided I didn't know what I was going to do. Eventually I knew I didn't have long before getting ready for work so decided to see how far I can run without stopping. After all, that's ultimately going to be a key part of the strategy for running 26 and a bit miles.
Anyhow let's not drag this into a great saga as I still need to remind myself I've got a long way to go. But I did run 15 minutes and was really quite pleasantly surprised. Nice thing is I genuinely think I could have done more. It doesn't seem like long ago when I was fretting over doing 3,4,5 minutes at a time. And even at my slow pace I've confidently doubled by PB (see I sound like an athlete now) and have run my first mile and a bit.
Sunday 26 October 2008
End of week 12
I've just caught myself groaning out loud at yesterday's blog headline ...
Short post tonight as it's almost bedtime - good news is that yesterday's run was no fluke as I've repeated exactly the same today. As usual - for three quarters of the run I thought I could easily surpass my previous best and for one quarter I wanted to collapse.
But I'm genuinely pleased that I've repeated yesterday's efforts. Slow and steady progress is all I can ask for.
Short post tonight as it's almost bedtime - good news is that yesterday's run was no fluke as I've repeated exactly the same today. As usual - for three quarters of the run I thought I could easily surpass my previous best and for one quarter I wanted to collapse.
But I'm genuinely pleased that I've repeated yesterday's efforts. Slow and steady progress is all I can ask for.
Saturday 25 October 2008
Careless Wispa
Well it's so hard to find time to run and make sure it's long enough after food. This time I ran this afternoon but had a well known retro chocolate bar half an hour before - I completely forgot about my run. Actually it didn't make the slightest bit of difference, but I was just rather pleased with the pun in my title.
I decided to call my own bluff today - if I can run 3 stints of 5 minutes with 2 one minute breaks, that means I can run 15 minutes out of 17. So why not make the jump - 7.5 minutes followed by a 2 minute rest and another 7.5 minutes is exactly the same - 15 minutes out of 17, but running 50% longer at a time than I've ever managed.
Anyway enough of the arithmetic - I did it and I'm quite chuffed with that. In fact my break was 1.5 minutes so I beat my own target - though I'm not covering a great distance yet, I've made a big jump in the time I can keep going in one go now. My target now has to me to run for half an hout without stopping by Christmas.
My other target is completely different - I've decided to diet too, starting Monday. It's just got to happen so I can be fit enough to do this. Today isn't Monday though, so I'm eagerly awaiting a Chicken dopiaza and all the trimmings from Bicester's finest Indian restaurant tonight.
I decided to call my own bluff today - if I can run 3 stints of 5 minutes with 2 one minute breaks, that means I can run 15 minutes out of 17. So why not make the jump - 7.5 minutes followed by a 2 minute rest and another 7.5 minutes is exactly the same - 15 minutes out of 17, but running 50% longer at a time than I've ever managed.
Anyway enough of the arithmetic - I did it and I'm quite chuffed with that. In fact my break was 1.5 minutes so I beat my own target - though I'm not covering a great distance yet, I've made a big jump in the time I can keep going in one go now. My target now has to me to run for half an hout without stopping by Christmas.
My other target is completely different - I've decided to diet too, starting Monday. It's just got to happen so I can be fit enough to do this. Today isn't Monday though, so I'm eagerly awaiting a Chicken dopiaza and all the trimmings from Bicester's finest Indian restaurant tonight.
Wednesday 22 October 2008
Chicken Fajitas
Another late post here as my run was yesterday.
Didn't feel too good initially, and I was all set to blame a nice meal of chicken fajitas before my run. I even decided the title of this blog was going to be Chicken Fajitas, and as I can't think of anything else, I'm going to keep it that way. It's never easy to find time in the evenings long enough after the meal. Actually though it went quite well as I hit my 5 minute target not once but three times (so that's October's goal met). And no sneaky 2 minute breaks instead of 1 minute breaks.
Hard going at the end as I considered cutting the last one short by a minute. But my main reason for doing that would have been so I could do 3 complete reps next time and think I'd improved. Now it looks like I'm going to have to run for longer one way or another (more reps or longer stints). But I feel pretty pleased with this session - I almost thought I could have run further. Almost.
Didn't feel too good initially, and I was all set to blame a nice meal of chicken fajitas before my run. I even decided the title of this blog was going to be Chicken Fajitas, and as I can't think of anything else, I'm going to keep it that way. It's never easy to find time in the evenings long enough after the meal. Actually though it went quite well as I hit my 5 minute target not once but three times (so that's October's goal met). And no sneaky 2 minute breaks instead of 1 minute breaks.
Hard going at the end as I considered cutting the last one short by a minute. But my main reason for doing that would have been so I could do 3 complete reps next time and think I'd improved. Now it looks like I'm going to have to run for longer one way or another (more reps or longer stints). But I feel pretty pleased with this session - I almost thought I could have run further. Almost.
Sunday 19 October 2008
End of week 11
Same again today - but without cheating with longer walk breaks. I'm pleased with that because every run has been a very minor improvement.
A quick check of the official London Marathon website helpfully reminds me I have six months, six days and fourteen hours till the start (I'll spare you the number of seconds). In other words about 27 weeks. I've gone from 1 minute to 4 minutes in 11 weeks - can I go from 5 to about 300 in the next 27? Sometimes I hate that I'm a mathematician at heart, because if I apply things like this literally it shows me I've got to improve faster than I am at the moment.
Still waiting for that run when I get off the treadmill really confident that I've got more in the tank and will go much better next time. When that happens I'll write triumphantly about it! Come to think of it, still waiting for the time I'm confident enough to be seen in public instead of confined to the treadmill in the garage but that's another thing to write about entirely.
A quick check of the official London Marathon website helpfully reminds me I have six months, six days and fourteen hours till the start (I'll spare you the number of seconds). In other words about 27 weeks. I've gone from 1 minute to 4 minutes in 11 weeks - can I go from 5 to about 300 in the next 27? Sometimes I hate that I'm a mathematician at heart, because if I apply things like this literally it shows me I've got to improve faster than I am at the moment.
Still waiting for that run when I get off the treadmill really confident that I've got more in the tank and will go much better next time. When that happens I'll write triumphantly about it! Come to think of it, still waiting for the time I'm confident enough to be seen in public instead of confined to the treadmill in the garage but that's another thing to write about entirely.
Piece of cake
It's Sunday today but this is a blog update for yesterday's run.
There usually seems to be a time where it feels (relatively) quite good. Halfway into my second stint I was feeling optimistic and my mind was already wondering forward to this blog and how I would triumphantly write about my best run yet. I didn't chastise myself for over-confidence because I need to be positive after all.
And then one minute later I was clutching my ribcage and trying to run off stitch, wondering instead if I was going to be able to go much further. I'd say pride goes before a fall but at least I didn't fall off the treadmill.
Anyway things improved slightly from there as I managed to get 4 stints in which I think is an improvement, though I did have a 2 minute walk instead of 1 after my stitch.
I know the psychology - if I can run 4 minutes, walk 1, then run 4 more, then that's 8 out of 9. Surely then 5,6 or 7 minutes in one go should be a piece of cake? Mmm ... cake ...
There usually seems to be a time where it feels (relatively) quite good. Halfway into my second stint I was feeling optimistic and my mind was already wondering forward to this blog and how I would triumphantly write about my best run yet. I didn't chastise myself for over-confidence because I need to be positive after all.
And then one minute later I was clutching my ribcage and trying to run off stitch, wondering instead if I was going to be able to go much further. I'd say pride goes before a fall but at least I didn't fall off the treadmill.
Anyway things improved slightly from there as I managed to get 4 stints in which I think is an improvement, though I did have a 2 minute walk instead of 1 after my stitch.
I know the psychology - if I can run 4 minutes, walk 1, then run 4 more, then that's 8 out of 9. Surely then 5,6 or 7 minutes in one go should be a piece of cake? Mmm ... cake ...
Wednesday 15 October 2008
"I always feel better for having done it, but crap for just how crap I still am at it"
"I always feel better for having done it, but crap for just how crap I still am at it". That was my highly erudite description to my wife of my latest 9:30pm training session, and though I could perhaps have made it sound a bit better, if not then, then for the write-up for this blog, I think I'll leave it as it is, as it pretty much sums things up.
I've improved on last session as I can now run three consecutive 4 minute stints without cheating and extending my breaks, so I'm now considering any run where I've made a small improvement on last time as a good thing. I could perhaps have done a further repetition today but have decided to leave that as a goal for next time.
Actually who am I kidding - I'd have never have made that 4th repetition today ...
I've improved on last session as I can now run three consecutive 4 minute stints without cheating and extending my breaks, so I'm now considering any run where I've made a small improvement on last time as a good thing. I could perhaps have done a further repetition today but have decided to leave that as a goal for next time.
Actually who am I kidding - I'd have never have made that 4th repetition today ...
Sunday 12 October 2008
End of week 10
Well I'm desperately trying to maintain 4 minute stints at the moment and managed this three times in my run today. Unfortunately to do this I had to do three things:
1) cheat - by upping my intervening gaps from 1 minute to 2 minutes
2) run through the barrier past the point where I thought I'd have to stop
3) I can't remember what the third one was, I ran this afternoon and have only just remembered to update my blog
I can see now why Roger Bannister was so keen to get it all done in 3:59 - the thought of running for any more than 4 minutes at a time terrifies me at the moment. I'm kind of hoping for the day I get off the treadmill feeling good about myself and feeling I could have actually done more than I did. When that day comes there'll be a very triumphant blog entry. Until then, it's more of the usual self-doubting drivel ...
1) cheat - by upping my intervening gaps from 1 minute to 2 minutes
2) run through the barrier past the point where I thought I'd have to stop
3) I can't remember what the third one was, I ran this afternoon and have only just remembered to update my blog
I can see now why Roger Bannister was so keen to get it all done in 3:59 - the thought of running for any more than 4 minutes at a time terrifies me at the moment. I'm kind of hoping for the day I get off the treadmill feeling good about myself and feeling I could have actually done more than I did. When that day comes there'll be a very triumphant blog entry. Until then, it's more of the usual self-doubting drivel ...
Friday 10 October 2008
Aiming for 4 minutes
A 9:30 run after a long week was never going to be a classic, and indeed it wasn't. I do want to get off my 3 minute mark so I decided to push for 4 minutes at a time. After 3 minutes 10 seconds I wanted to collapse - a bit tragic really. Still I ran for 4 minutes, stopped and then ran for 4 minutes again. A few more reps needed though I think ...
Tuesday 7 October 2008
Bonus run
I have a day off today, ostensibly to revise for an exam I have tomorrow. So I don't really have time for (a) running or (b) blogging but I guess neither of them take very long. I was one run short last week so I thought I'd better catch up.
I was interested to see how I get on running at 3pm, as so many of my runs are later in the evening. It did seem to go quite well, to the point where I was considering seeing if the organisers could switch it to 3pm on the day, as I'm certainly struggling to find my optimum time (if there is such a thing). Downside of that is whether I'd actually finish on the same day of course!
At least I managed to take my mind of running by going through some of the things I need to revise. I think I've pretty much nailed the differences between the neoliberalist, radical and transformationalist viewpoints on the affect of globalisation on development, go on ask me ...
I was interested to see how I get on running at 3pm, as so many of my runs are later in the evening. It did seem to go quite well, to the point where I was considering seeing if the organisers could switch it to 3pm on the day, as I'm certainly struggling to find my optimum time (if there is such a thing). Downside of that is whether I'd actually finish on the same day of course!
At least I managed to take my mind of running by going through some of the things I need to revise. I think I've pretty much nailed the differences between the neoliberalist, radical and transformationalist viewpoints on the affect of globalisation on development, go on ask me ...
Sunday 5 October 2008
End of week 9
So, what about the Great North Run this morning - the women's race was exciting and right down to the wire, wasn't it?
And the football this afternoon - Man City and Everton both throwing away 2 goal leads, great games!
OK so I'm supposed to blog about my training run each time I do one, but as you can probably tell I'm going through a bit of a spell at the moment, and sometimes I don't feel like I have anything interesting to say about the running. For the record, the run was OK, no disaster like yesterday, it just seems like my personal "wall" is three minutes, and I'm sure conventionally it's supposed to be 22 miles. But I'll spare you the negative thoughts, at least till next time anyway.
And the football this afternoon - Man City and Everton both throwing away 2 goal leads, great games!
OK so I'm supposed to blog about my training run each time I do one, but as you can probably tell I'm going through a bit of a spell at the moment, and sometimes I don't feel like I have anything interesting to say about the running. For the record, the run was OK, no disaster like yesterday, it just seems like my personal "wall" is three minutes, and I'm sure conventionally it's supposed to be 22 miles. But I'll spare you the negative thoughts, at least till next time anyway.
Saturday 4 October 2008
Week whatever last week was plus one more
Lots to post about but as I'm only posting each time I'm running, the long gap gives the game away a bit. It's Saturday and my first run of the week so it's been a bit of a shocker. And it's been so long that I don't even know what week it is to put in the title.
I was going to get topical and mention the new world marathon record - Haile Gebrselassie broke the record with an amazing 2 hours 3 minutes 59 seconds. I wouldn't mind but it hardly seems fair - he'll only have to run for a couple of minutes over 2 hours whereas at this rate I'll have to run closer to five hours. He could do it twice and still have time for lunch in between. The most depressing thing? If he runs the London Marathon in 2009 he'll be 36. So will I. I can't even use age as an excuse for my ineptitude.
(PS, thanks to Wikipedia here for Mr Gebrselassie's age and spelling. There's a fantastic line there though, right at the top - "Not to be confused with Haile Salassie I of Ethiopia" ! )
Another reason I haven't run is I've taken up swimming on Fridays instead. It should be noted I'm as good at swimming as I am at running. Enough said. I can't swim. There have been a few lessons but I've just got the point where I can't get past that certain barrier of breathing properly and relaxing in the water, for several weeks I can't get past a basic point - the real frustration is the assumption that each week you get a little bit better, but now it's just not happening ...
No prizes for spotting the parallel with my running at the moment. Just now, I ran. For really not very long at all - another day just as bad as last Saturday night. I even sat on the treadmill for an extra 10 minutes so I could come back into the house and not admit to stopping barely minutes after I started, but I'm rubbish at hiding things, so my wife, and the two dogs, soon knew. And after sitting on the treadmill for 10 minutes there was a worrying beep, either to tell me I'd stopped running/fallen off, or was applying too much weight to the thing just by sitting on it. Either way, I got the hint.
It's been a hard week - I'm also working hard every day and squeezing in revising for an exam on Wednesday. My Saturday night isn't even over as I have an essay to finish on the extent of reframing development as amelioration of disordered faults of progress. So I have to understand why this week was a bad week and see light at the end of the tunnel this time next week. I think also I should set a target for myself and write it down for the world to see - by the end of October I will be running at least 5 mintues at a time for 4 repetitions. Watch this space for progress on my October 31st blog entry.
I've got to end on a positive - 14 stone 4.5 this morning which means I have lost 5.5 pounds since starting running. At least I can be marginally slimmer and rubbish at running.
I was going to get topical and mention the new world marathon record - Haile Gebrselassie broke the record with an amazing 2 hours 3 minutes 59 seconds. I wouldn't mind but it hardly seems fair - he'll only have to run for a couple of minutes over 2 hours whereas at this rate I'll have to run closer to five hours. He could do it twice and still have time for lunch in between. The most depressing thing? If he runs the London Marathon in 2009 he'll be 36. So will I. I can't even use age as an excuse for my ineptitude.
(PS, thanks to Wikipedia here for Mr Gebrselassie's age and spelling. There's a fantastic line there though, right at the top - "Not to be confused with Haile Salassie I of Ethiopia" ! )
Another reason I haven't run is I've taken up swimming on Fridays instead. It should be noted I'm as good at swimming as I am at running. Enough said. I can't swim. There have been a few lessons but I've just got the point where I can't get past that certain barrier of breathing properly and relaxing in the water, for several weeks I can't get past a basic point - the real frustration is the assumption that each week you get a little bit better, but now it's just not happening ...
No prizes for spotting the parallel with my running at the moment. Just now, I ran. For really not very long at all - another day just as bad as last Saturday night. I even sat on the treadmill for an extra 10 minutes so I could come back into the house and not admit to stopping barely minutes after I started, but I'm rubbish at hiding things, so my wife, and the two dogs, soon knew. And after sitting on the treadmill for 10 minutes there was a worrying beep, either to tell me I'd stopped running/fallen off, or was applying too much weight to the thing just by sitting on it. Either way, I got the hint.
It's been a hard week - I'm also working hard every day and squeezing in revising for an exam on Wednesday. My Saturday night isn't even over as I have an essay to finish on the extent of reframing development as amelioration of disordered faults of progress. So I have to understand why this week was a bad week and see light at the end of the tunnel this time next week. I think also I should set a target for myself and write it down for the world to see - by the end of October I will be running at least 5 mintues at a time for 4 repetitions. Watch this space for progress on my October 31st blog entry.
I've got to end on a positive - 14 stone 4.5 this morning which means I have lost 5.5 pounds since starting running. At least I can be marginally slimmer and rubbish at running.
Sunday 28 September 2008
End of week 8 ...
Well today was better than last time.
I'd quite like to leave it there but then this blog would be pretty short and pointless. Instead I'm aiming for quite long and pointless. Back up to 4 repeats of 3 minutes and I think I could have squeezed another one in. The depressing thing is that it's not really a very long time, and coupled with the fact I don't run very fast, I worked out my 3 minute runs are only one hundredth of the full distance of a marathon.
I feel I'm improving very slowly - but now knowing I need to up my game 10000% is somewhat daunting ...
All the training guides seem to think that once you've managed something for three times one week (in my case, one minute walk, three minutes run, repeat 5 times), then you'll instantly be able to do something harder next week. I think I need longer at three minute running times though before I progress (sigh). Oh well, it's a marathon, not a sprint ...
I'd quite like to leave it there but then this blog would be pretty short and pointless. Instead I'm aiming for quite long and pointless. Back up to 4 repeats of 3 minutes and I think I could have squeezed another one in. The depressing thing is that it's not really a very long time, and coupled with the fact I don't run very fast, I worked out my 3 minute runs are only one hundredth of the full distance of a marathon.
I feel I'm improving very slowly - but now knowing I need to up my game 10000% is somewhat daunting ...
All the training guides seem to think that once you've managed something for three times one week (in my case, one minute walk, three minutes run, repeat 5 times), then you'll instantly be able to do something harder next week. I think I need longer at three minute running times though before I progress (sigh). Oh well, it's a marathon, not a sprint ...
Saturday 27 September 2008
Bad day at the office
Last couple of blog entries were a bit behind as I've been away, but this one really does follow my Saturday run. And today I really did struggle.
I'm not sure I've mentioned this before but I don't really like running, and I never have. The fact remains I still don't. And I've always been rubbish at it. I remember coming last in the school cross-country, I was so slow that I think everyone else had finished, showered and gone back to lessons by the time I'd finished. Perhaps marathon day will be the same - everyone else will be home, hosed and back at work on Monday by the time I finish ...
Anyway today I just couldn't do it. In my first 3 minute stint my legs started to feel heavy, and in the second 3 minute stint I got stitch. So I had a bit of a moment, turned the treadmill off and gave up (no glamorous surroundings today, just sat in my garage). I had to tell myself not to kill myself , just give it up as a bad day. Though I did get up, turn it back on after about 5 minutes and run just one more stint. It's OK for today, what if this happens on *the* day, I'm not allowed to just stop a couple of minutes in because of a bad day, am I?
One silver lining is that being away and having a couple of midweek runs means I've got a bonus day tomorrow, a fourth run of the week if I want to do it. After today's failure I'll be glad for another chance.
In fact a much better idea would be to delete this post, and cunningly edit the blog to pretend today never happened. If I run tomorrow and all goes OK, that would still be 3 runs in the week, no dramas or crises, and nobody need ever know! Yes, I think I might do that ...
I'm not sure I've mentioned this before but I don't really like running, and I never have. The fact remains I still don't. And I've always been rubbish at it. I remember coming last in the school cross-country, I was so slow that I think everyone else had finished, showered and gone back to lessons by the time I'd finished. Perhaps marathon day will be the same - everyone else will be home, hosed and back at work on Monday by the time I finish ...
Anyway today I just couldn't do it. In my first 3 minute stint my legs started to feel heavy, and in the second 3 minute stint I got stitch. So I had a bit of a moment, turned the treadmill off and gave up (no glamorous surroundings today, just sat in my garage). I had to tell myself not to kill myself , just give it up as a bad day. Though I did get up, turn it back on after about 5 minutes and run just one more stint. It's OK for today, what if this happens on *the* day, I'm not allowed to just stop a couple of minutes in because of a bad day, am I?
One silver lining is that being away and having a couple of midweek runs means I've got a bonus day tomorrow, a fourth run of the week if I want to do it. After today's failure I'll be glad for another chance.
In fact a much better idea would be to delete this post, and cunningly edit the blog to pretend today never happened. If I run tomorrow and all goes OK, that would still be 3 runs in the week, no dramas or crises, and nobody need ever know! Yes, I think I might do that ...
Gym part 2
Well, not put off by Wednesday's first ever gym visit, I decided to go back again on Thursday. Busier and fuller of beautiful people, I began to regret it. And fit blonde was there again to my left, sprinting on the treadmill as if her life depended on it.
I allowed myself a moral victory as she gave up before I did - she may have already been there for an hour but I didn't care - I trudged into my tenth minute of jog/walking while she threw in the towel. Hah!
Not a great stint for me - I could feel I wasn't going to do very much, so I decided to up the speed to see if I could cope. I think I coped, but I soon stopped, so I don't know if that was the right test. I don't like those full length mirrors - every man likes to see breasts bouncing in a mirror in front of him, but not his own ...
(Eurgh ... I promised myself I wouldn't write that!)
And of course when I did give up only a few minutes later, I turned round to see the blonde pounding the exercise bike - standing up as if to suggest it couldn't go fast enough for her. Marathons are for wimps - we've got a triathlete on our hands here. Oh well, my next stint on the treadmill will be back to my enclosed garage at home, with no beautiful people, or mirrors, to act as distractions.
I allowed myself a moral victory as she gave up before I did - she may have already been there for an hour but I didn't care - I trudged into my tenth minute of jog/walking while she threw in the towel. Hah!
Not a great stint for me - I could feel I wasn't going to do very much, so I decided to up the speed to see if I could cope. I think I coped, but I soon stopped, so I don't know if that was the right test. I don't like those full length mirrors - every man likes to see breasts bouncing in a mirror in front of him, but not his own ...
(Eurgh ... I promised myself I wouldn't write that!)
And of course when I did give up only a few minutes later, I turned round to see the blonde pounding the exercise bike - standing up as if to suggest it couldn't go fast enough for her. Marathons are for wimps - we've got a triathlete on our hands here. Oh well, my next stint on the treadmill will be back to my enclosed garage at home, with no beautiful people, or mirrors, to act as distractions.
Gym'll fix it
I hate having to put titles to each entry - this one's rubbish but I've got to put something there ... it should describe my first and possibly last ever visit to a gym.
Monday-Friday I've been away this week in a holiday village down south (no Internet connection hence posting on Saturday). There is a gym there though which is free with the accomodation so I decided to try it on Wednesday.
At my induction earlier in the day the bloke looked somewhat surprised that I'd never been in a gym before. Perhaps not so surprised when he clocked my physique but it was a brand new experience for me. I've always thought i'd find them intimidating - this was no exception although it wasn't too busy. All the treadmills are lined up on one side opposite a full length mirrored wall, and all the other cross-training machines on the opposite side next to the windows. Either way, you are on full show.
I did my bit - stepping up to 3 minute runs straddling my 1 minute walks, and the metric scale (kilometres, not miles) made me psychologically thing I was going faster and further. I couldn't help being completely overwhelmed by the fit (literally) blonde to my left running at least twice my speed, sprinting in front of the mirror at breakneck speed.
I really didn't like what I saw in front of me in the mirror - I can tell that I'm a large bloke plodding, barely lifting my feet from the floor and jogging incredibly slowly. I know that a 10 minute mile is slow, and a target speed for a 4.5 hour marathon. I'm not yet running that quickly, and that's even for my short bursts at the moment. Suddenly April seems very close ...
Anyway 20 minues with 15 minutes running is a PB (see, I'm sounding like an athlete now).
Later that day my wife went swimming and mentioned that all the treadmills are on display in the swimming pool. Perhaps the full length mirrors are one-way mirrors? Urggghh.
Monday-Friday I've been away this week in a holiday village down south (no Internet connection hence posting on Saturday). There is a gym there though which is free with the accomodation so I decided to try it on Wednesday.
At my induction earlier in the day the bloke looked somewhat surprised that I'd never been in a gym before. Perhaps not so surprised when he clocked my physique but it was a brand new experience for me. I've always thought i'd find them intimidating - this was no exception although it wasn't too busy. All the treadmills are lined up on one side opposite a full length mirrored wall, and all the other cross-training machines on the opposite side next to the windows. Either way, you are on full show.
I did my bit - stepping up to 3 minute runs straddling my 1 minute walks, and the metric scale (kilometres, not miles) made me psychologically thing I was going faster and further. I couldn't help being completely overwhelmed by the fit (literally) blonde to my left running at least twice my speed, sprinting in front of the mirror at breakneck speed.
I really didn't like what I saw in front of me in the mirror - I can tell that I'm a large bloke plodding, barely lifting my feet from the floor and jogging incredibly slowly. I know that a 10 minute mile is slow, and a target speed for a 4.5 hour marathon. I'm not yet running that quickly, and that's even for my short bursts at the moment. Suddenly April seems very close ...
Anyway 20 minues with 15 minutes running is a PB (see, I'm sounding like an athlete now).
Later that day my wife went swimming and mentioned that all the treadmills are on display in the swimming pool. Perhaps the full length mirrors are one-way mirrors? Urggghh.
Sunday 21 September 2008
End of week 7
Well it's quite depressing - if I was following either of the two running plans I found, they both would have had me running 30 minutes without stopping after 8 weeks. Let's just say I'm doing this at my own pace ... but right now it's 2.5 minutes without stopping, and I'm finding it difficult. I know there's no rush yet so I'm trying not to be despondent.
So focus on the positives! I mentioned at the start of my blog that I was 14 stone 10, well now I'm between 14 stone 5 and 14 stone 6. Or I was after my run earlier. Today is also my anniversary, so I have since consumed large amounts of Bicester's finest curry with my wife (hence the desire to weigh myself after the run and before dinner). Marvellous.
We're disappearing for the week for a break. I'm going to keep up the run/walking but I don't know if I'll have Internet access, so the next update may not be for a while. Maybe I'll have hit the dizzy heights of running 3 minutes at a time by then.
So focus on the positives! I mentioned at the start of my blog that I was 14 stone 10, well now I'm between 14 stone 5 and 14 stone 6. Or I was after my run earlier. Today is also my anniversary, so I have since consumed large amounts of Bicester's finest curry with my wife (hence the desire to weigh myself after the run and before dinner). Marvellous.
We're disappearing for the week for a break. I'm going to keep up the run/walking but I don't know if I'll have Internet access, so the next update may not be for a while. Maybe I'll have hit the dizzy heights of running 3 minutes at a time by then.
Saturday 20 September 2008
Treadmill continues
Another late night on a treadmill - I sure know how to spend my Saturday nights. Not a great session as I was feeling a bit heavy of leg and full of stomach.
For my fourth running stint as I was struggling I decided to set the treadmill to 4mph and do a fast walk. This setting is not that much lower than what I usually run at, but although it seemed just as hard work to routemarch at that pace, at least it was less hard on the legs. Which got me thinking - I could walk the marathon at 4mph instead of running it, and I'd still get round in 6 and a half hours. Maybe I'll just do that ...
For my fourth running stint as I was struggling I decided to set the treadmill to 4mph and do a fast walk. This setting is not that much lower than what I usually run at, but although it seemed just as hard work to routemarch at that pace, at least it was less hard on the legs. Which got me thinking - I could walk the marathon at 4mph instead of running it, and I'd still get round in 6 and a half hours. Maybe I'll just do that ...
Thursday 18 September 2008
Week 7
I'm so determined to run three times a week, but it always seems to be the first one, to be run Monday-Friday, that's hardest to motivate for. I think by the end of the week I've usually done two in a row, and three in close proximity, and feel that I'm starting to make progress. But the first of the week and usually I've come down from that.
So it's a bit like three steps forward and two steps back. Anyway today once I was off and running (literally) then it wasn't so bad. I've upped the running to 2.5 minutes running for every 1 minute running, albeit only 4 reps. We can try and hit 6 or 7 reps by Sunday. Not earth-shattering but something I couldn't have done when I started. It's all good.
So it's a bit like three steps forward and two steps back. Anyway today once I was off and running (literally) then it wasn't so bad. I've upped the running to 2.5 minutes running for every 1 minute running, albeit only 4 reps. We can try and hit 6 or 7 reps by Sunday. Not earth-shattering but something I couldn't have done when I started. It's all good.
Sunday 14 September 2008
End of week 6
More time on the treadmill today - my problem is that when I'm training my mind just races on, and usually works against me as I think of how hard I am finding it. Today my mind moved on to the fact that I couldn't remember any famous current marathon runners except Paula Radcliffe - if I want inspiration from people I need to remember who they are.
I couldn't think of the famous male runners, being such a Westerner my brain hasn't held on to the African names. I thought of Haile Gebriesalassie, and I think one current runner is Martin Lel (perhaps the easiest to remember), and a South African called Henrik whose surname escaped me. I know now it was Henrik Ramala. Strangely I can remember two western runners through the ages - Rob Di Castella and Stefano Baldini, both cropping up in my head being pronounced in Brendan Foster's geordie tones. No matter, I started to remember others - even the very first London marathon which I'm sure was won by an American called Dick and a Norwegian bloke crossing hand in hand. I remembered the best British male runner in the 80s was called Hugh Jones who was a redhead who won a couple of times, and that a bloke with a beard called Mike Gratton won in the 80s (who I'm going to meet and run with as part of the Save the Rhino team, but I didn't allow that scary thought to put me off) before Charlie Spedding became the UK lead male runner and then I struggled after that. I think the best runner at the moment might be a chap called Dave ... but I remembered famous women runners like Liz McColgan, Greta Waitz, Ingrid Christiansen, and the point is before I knew it I'd run over two minutes on the treadmill without hurting, straining or wanting to stop.
Not quite sure how many mental challenges I can set myself in a 26 mile run in April but I then decided to remember all the Summer Olympic venues since 1896, which took me comfortably to the end of my 18 minutes. Not a spectacular time but for the first time since I started, I have done the comfortable majority running rather than walking.
Now I feel like I made a breakthrough today, that I can run significantly more than I can walk without killing myself, at least over the small distances I'm training. One thing that doesn't please me though, even though it helped today, is that for the life of me despite nailing all the others I can't remember who hosted the 1932 Olympics. Wikipedia awaits ...
I couldn't think of the famous male runners, being such a Westerner my brain hasn't held on to the African names. I thought of Haile Gebriesalassie, and I think one current runner is Martin Lel (perhaps the easiest to remember), and a South African called Henrik whose surname escaped me. I know now it was Henrik Ramala. Strangely I can remember two western runners through the ages - Rob Di Castella and Stefano Baldini, both cropping up in my head being pronounced in Brendan Foster's geordie tones. No matter, I started to remember others - even the very first London marathon which I'm sure was won by an American called Dick and a Norwegian bloke crossing hand in hand. I remembered the best British male runner in the 80s was called Hugh Jones who was a redhead who won a couple of times, and that a bloke with a beard called Mike Gratton won in the 80s (who I'm going to meet and run with as part of the Save the Rhino team, but I didn't allow that scary thought to put me off) before Charlie Spedding became the UK lead male runner and then I struggled after that. I think the best runner at the moment might be a chap called Dave ... but I remembered famous women runners like Liz McColgan, Greta Waitz, Ingrid Christiansen, and the point is before I knew it I'd run over two minutes on the treadmill without hurting, straining or wanting to stop.
Not quite sure how many mental challenges I can set myself in a 26 mile run in April but I then decided to remember all the Summer Olympic venues since 1896, which took me comfortably to the end of my 18 minutes. Not a spectacular time but for the first time since I started, I have done the comfortable majority running rather than walking.
Now I feel like I made a breakthrough today, that I can run significantly more than I can walk without killing myself, at least over the small distances I'm training. One thing that doesn't please me though, even though it helped today, is that for the life of me despite nailing all the others I can't remember who hosted the 1932 Olympics. Wikipedia awaits ...
Saturday 13 September 2008
uphill struggle
I really thought today would be hard - trudging to the treadmill in the garage at gone 9pm, just feeling sluggish and hard to find motivation. The cause, species conservation, is motivation, and the potential achievement is definitely motivation, but neither of these things managed to get me bouncing enthusiastically to the treadmill. I'd even allowed my mind to wander to this blog and how I'd blog about how hard it was today, before I'd even started the run.
So I needed inspiration, and it came from an unlikely source. Not from heroes of marathon running, or great motivational speakers of our time. But from my wife, who mentioned "Did you actually know that there are three levels of incline on the treadmill?"
My god it's easier on the flat setting. As you can guess - up to now I've always had it on the most uphill setting, and though I knew I was always running on an incline, I thought that was the only setting ... And I'd been wondering why just a bit of running was such hard work on the calves so early on.
So I feel a bit better now - 21 more minutes under my belt but my 1.5 minute run stints suddenly seem like they could easily have been longer, rather than such hard work as they had been up to now. Of course the small number of calories burned off have long since been cancelled out by the second glass of wine I'm now enjoying. Roll on April ...
So I needed inspiration, and it came from an unlikely source. Not from heroes of marathon running, or great motivational speakers of our time. But from my wife, who mentioned "Did you actually know that there are three levels of incline on the treadmill?"
My god it's easier on the flat setting. As you can guess - up to now I've always had it on the most uphill setting, and though I knew I was always running on an incline, I thought that was the only setting ... And I'd been wondering why just a bit of running was such hard work on the calves so early on.
So I feel a bit better now - 21 more minutes under my belt but my 1.5 minute run stints suddenly seem like they could easily have been longer, rather than such hard work as they had been up to now. Of course the small number of calories burned off have long since been cancelled out by the second glass of wine I'm now enjoying. Roll on April ...
Tuesday 9 September 2008
Rarity
The rarity I'm referring to is a midweek run - seems it needs planning with military precision. Well not really, but an equally rare occasion of leaving work on time and getting a chance to run before eating in the evening. I'm going to have to do this more often, perhaps once a week, if I'm to have any chance at this, and the way my job is at the moment that's going to take a lot of self-discipline.
As for the run itself, well the irony isn't lost on me. Taking the opportunity to get off the treadmill of long days at work ... to go on the treadmill in the garage. And as for the stats of what I'm actually running, well I'm quite embarrassed really. Still walking as much as I'm running. I'd start to feel confident if it was the 2010 marathon I was signed up for. But 2009?
As for the run itself, well the irony isn't lost on me. Taking the opportunity to get off the treadmill of long days at work ... to go on the treadmill in the garage. And as for the stats of what I'm actually running, well I'm quite embarrassed really. Still walking as much as I'm running. I'd start to feel confident if it was the 2010 marathon I was signed up for. But 2009?
Monday 8 September 2008
All run and no rhinos
As the title says - all so far has been about my running and nothing to do with rhinos.
I feel a bit like I'm doing the serious bits where they subdue the tone and ask for money in Children in Need or Comic Relief, but here are a couple of reasons why I'm doing this
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tKk-tIQ5FV8
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D5L4xo33fko
I feel a bit like I'm doing the serious bits where they subdue the tone and ask for money in Children in Need or Comic Relief, but here are a couple of reasons why I'm doing this
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tKk-tIQ5FV8
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D5L4xo33fko
Sunday 7 September 2008
End of week 5
Ahem, week 5 ends the day after it begins ...
On the treadmill again and in an effort to avoid clockwatching and take my mind off the task in hand, I went for the option of listening to the radio, as Andy Murray takes on Nadal for the US Open final. The idea being that it will be engrossing enough that before I know it I will have sailed through today's training.
Not sure that happened, though the tennis is good! Unfortunately as I write I'm long since back in the house and the tennis players who are far fitter are still going (which also means that Murray hasn't won the third set) but at least it's a massive 18 minutes more of run/walking under the belt. I might not know who wins now till tomorrow morning, let's hope there's a good omen for my future sporting efforts.
Before I know it another week will start tomorrow and I'm not ready enough to step up to 2 minutes running at a time yet. At least the London Marathon has a handy(?) counter that tells me I have exactly 07 months, 18 days, 10 hours, 27 minutes and 31 seconds before it starts. That's a lot of jogging and a lot of blogging to get through.
On the treadmill again and in an effort to avoid clockwatching and take my mind off the task in hand, I went for the option of listening to the radio, as Andy Murray takes on Nadal for the US Open final. The idea being that it will be engrossing enough that before I know it I will have sailed through today's training.
Not sure that happened, though the tennis is good! Unfortunately as I write I'm long since back in the house and the tennis players who are far fitter are still going (which also means that Murray hasn't won the third set) but at least it's a massive 18 minutes more of run/walking under the belt. I might not know who wins now till tomorrow morning, let's hope there's a good omen for my future sporting efforts.
Before I know it another week will start tomorrow and I'm not ready enough to step up to 2 minutes running at a time yet. At least the London Marathon has a handy(?) counter that tells me I have exactly 07 months, 18 days, 10 hours, 27 minutes and 31 seconds before it starts. That's a lot of jogging and a lot of blogging to get through.
Saturday 6 September 2008
Week 5
Hmm - my first run of the week and it's Saturday already. I did swim yesterday, but anyone who knows me knows I can swim as well as I run so I can't count that. I have at least stepped up the running stints to 1.5 minutes (watch out Paula Radcliffe!) although my training schedule says 2 minutes running at a time I didnt really fancy that at this stage.
The problem is finding time during the week. As it's Saturday and this is my first run of week 5 I'm clearly failing in that matter. Currently I'm working 1-2 hours overtime every day (close to 11 hours a day if you include the commute), trying to complete a degree course in my spare time (having finally nailed an essay on the role of empowerment in poverty alleviation this morning, three weeks late), and training for the marathon.
Common consensus is that one of them is just going to have to give as I don't have time for all three. It can't be the marathon. It won't be.
The problem is finding time during the week. As it's Saturday and this is my first run of week 5 I'm clearly failing in that matter. Currently I'm working 1-2 hours overtime every day (close to 11 hours a day if you include the commute), trying to complete a degree course in my spare time (having finally nailed an essay on the role of empowerment in poverty alleviation this morning, three weeks late), and training for the marathon.
Common consensus is that one of them is just going to have to give as I don't have time for all three. It can't be the marathon. It won't be.
Sunday 31 August 2008
Foggy start
After yesterday's lovely afternoon sunshine I thought I'd start early for a summer morning workout. Well it turns out yesterday was summer. Today I woke up to thick fog and a severe weather warning.
The problem with running, even run/walking, for as little as 20 minutes, is you spend the whole time thinking. Maybe I need a sports psychologist! Usually my mind wanders as far as thinking just what a big step up it is to a marathon ... so far I feel good, and 5% or so fitter than when I started. But I need to be 1000% fitter.
So far it's been 4 weeks at the current pace of 1.5 minutes walking and 1 minute running, with 8 repetitions. I'm just about comfortable with this but still clockwatch at the end of every minute - my body wants to walk, not run. It's hard to see how I can step this up but next week I think I have to. My training schedule is hidden away so I haven't dared look to see what I need to do ...
The problem with running, even run/walking, for as little as 20 minutes, is you spend the whole time thinking. Maybe I need a sports psychologist! Usually my mind wanders as far as thinking just what a big step up it is to a marathon ... so far I feel good, and 5% or so fitter than when I started. But I need to be 1000% fitter.
So far it's been 4 weeks at the current pace of 1.5 minutes walking and 1 minute running, with 8 repetitions. I'm just about comfortable with this but still clockwatch at the end of every minute - my body wants to walk, not run. It's hard to see how I can step this up but next week I think I have to. My training schedule is hidden away so I haven't dared look to see what I need to do ...
Saturday 30 August 2008
Hotting up
Just want to write this now as I may not get the chance again ... too hot to run today!
I know I can't bail out now as I won't get to train 3 times this week otherwise, but I've substituted it for a stint on the stepper instead (15 minutes/660 reps - of interest only to me but writing it down so I can beat it next time). Not ideal but at least I don't feel like I'm lazing out of a run too much. Earlyish night tonight so I can run in the morning. Hopefully.
I know I can't bail out now as I won't get to train 3 times this week otherwise, but I've substituted it for a stint on the stepper instead (15 minutes/660 reps - of interest only to me but writing it down so I can beat it next time). Not ideal but at least I don't feel like I'm lazing out of a run too much. Earlyish night tonight so I can run in the morning. Hopefully.
Friday 29 August 2008
Week 4
So here's the problem - the title correctly says week 4, but the reality is that every work day that passes another day slips by without running. So again if I'm to do 3 days this week it has to be Friday - Sunday.
But at least part one of that has been fulfilled. The treadmill has one readout that doubles both as "Age" and "Calories", and I'm not sure what's more depressing. In either case in moves inexorably from 1 to 61. If it's calories, that's a depressingly small amount burned off, although I'm sure I sweated an extra pound! (sorry, I'll not go into detail as if it's sweaty men you're interested in then you're on the wrong blog). If it's age, well that makes no sense but it did somehow reflect the age I started to feel, slowly moving through the 40s and 50s as I ran further.
I should add at this point that I haven't moved on to week 2 schedule yet - still inexorably working to get comfortable at 8 repetitions of 1.5 minutes walking and 1 minute walking. I've got time still on my side, haven't I?
But at least part one of that has been fulfilled. The treadmill has one readout that doubles both as "Age" and "Calories", and I'm not sure what's more depressing. In either case in moves inexorably from 1 to 61. If it's calories, that's a depressingly small amount burned off, although I'm sure I sweated an extra pound! (sorry, I'll not go into detail as if it's sweaty men you're interested in then you're on the wrong blog). If it's age, well that makes no sense but it did somehow reflect the age I started to feel, slowly moving through the 40s and 50s as I ran further.
I should add at this point that I haven't moved on to week 2 schedule yet - still inexorably working to get comfortable at 8 repetitions of 1.5 minutes walking and 1 minute walking. I've got time still on my side, haven't I?
Monday 25 August 2008
End of week 3
OK so it's the first day of week 4 but I have to call it week 3 so as to notch up my three runs for the week ... still at least I have stuck to that now. The big question is whether to step it up - right now I'm too tired to decide but if nothing else I'm proud of what I'll eventually do. Just not of what I do at the moment ...
A couple of days ago the official fundraising pack arrived from Save the Rhino, and the first advice for unfit non-runners is to ignore the training schedules you see in the books and magazines as you might not even be at the bottom rung of that training schedule, but just to go out and move for 20 minutes, even if that "moving" is just walking, or only running a little bit. So that's just what I'm doing at the moment, and I'm delighted that someone else has acknowledged that. Save the Rhino have got people through the London Marathon for years now, so if they can start people off from that stage, they can do it for me too!
A couple of days ago the official fundraising pack arrived from Save the Rhino, and the first advice for unfit non-runners is to ignore the training schedules you see in the books and magazines as you might not even be at the bottom rung of that training schedule, but just to go out and move for 20 minutes, even if that "moving" is just walking, or only running a little bit. So that's just what I'm doing at the moment, and I'm delighted that someone else has acknowledged that. Save the Rhino have got people through the London Marathon for years now, so if they can start people off from that stage, they can do it for me too!
Sunday 24 August 2008
Extended week ...
Well after failing to get myself running each day this week, suddenly there were only two days left to get my three days' running in ...
As it's Bank Holiday weekend, I'm cheating and extending this week to include Monday, so that I can run Saturday, Sunday and Monday. A treadmill session (yesterday) followed by my first ever morning run today and hopefully we're on track.
This morning was actually nice to run in cold drizzle - let's hope it's like that in April. Honestly the worst part is 20 seconds into my first run, I just want to turn round and go home. But today I made it as far as the Buckingham Road roundabout and back (which will mean nothing to almost anyone reading). My walk/run combination has taken me further today than before, so let's claim a small (tiny) victory. Morning running I like though, could be a good idea tomorrow.
As it's Bank Holiday weekend, I'm cheating and extending this week to include Monday, so that I can run Saturday, Sunday and Monday. A treadmill session (yesterday) followed by my first ever morning run today and hopefully we're on track.
This morning was actually nice to run in cold drizzle - let's hope it's like that in April. Honestly the worst part is 20 seconds into my first run, I just want to turn round and go home. But today I made it as far as the Buckingham Road roundabout and back (which will mean nothing to almost anyone reading). My walk/run combination has taken me further today than before, so let's claim a small (tiny) victory. Morning running I like though, could be a good idea tomorrow.
Thursday 21 August 2008
Week 3 ...
... and still no run. An hour and a half late at work, a 45 minute commute, making the tea, walking and feeding the dogs and then it's almost 9pm. Well I've resolved to run 3 times a week, so that means tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday three "runs" in a row. Watch this space ...
Sunday 17 August 2008
end of week 2
Heart not quite in it today - stint on the treadmill at least ticked the training box for today but it wasn't as far as I was supposed to run/walk. Still, at least Paula Radcliffe only came 26th this morning at the Olympics. So I only need to come top 25 in April to go one better ...
Saturday 16 August 2008
Uphill struggle
Another day and again it's late and dark so I've gone for the treadmill option with my combination of some running, lots of walking and a very small number of combined minutes.
The treadmill is inclined though, so it seems like more of a mission, and more of an accomplishment when finished. Or am I just imagining it and clinging to any optimism I can? At least the advantage is I can push myself and stop when I want to. Otherwise on the streets I need to decide when I'm half way to giving up, so I can turn round and go home again!
The treadmill is inclined though, so it seems like more of a mission, and more of an accomplishment when finished. Or am I just imagining it and clinging to any optimism I can? At least the advantage is I can push myself and stop when I want to. Otherwise on the streets I need to decide when I'm half way to giving up, so I can turn round and go home again!
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Week 2
I kind of thought when I got into this that it might be quite nice running on cool clear summer evenings. But frozen and drenched in mid-August is not what I was expecting, and that was just before I started, before walking the dogs!
Still, the treadmill has now seen its first use and apologies to anyone in suburban Bicester who may have heard loud whirring, puffing and panting noises from a garage down a certain cul-de-sac. At least they will have only lasted a few minutes ...
Still, the treadmill has now seen its first use and apologies to anyone in suburban Bicester who may have heard loud whirring, puffing and panting noises from a garage down a certain cul-de-sac. At least they will have only lasted a few minutes ...
Sunday 10 August 2008
End of week 1
Well another "run" and that's week one over. Only twice this week which is not good enough but let's not panic yet. Problem is my "run" consists of sessions of 1.5 minutes walking and then a minute running, and the minute consists of 50 seconds of anxiously looking at my watch, then 5 seconds of slowing down even further, followed by sneaking in a walk a second or two early, so as to have the full minute and a half to recover from the inevitable stitch.
If nothing else I'll be well prepared - add up the two pairs of posh running shoes, the heart rate monitor/GPS which I haven't actually used yet and now the second hand treadmill proudly folded up in the garage and you're looking at a pretty high ratio of pounds spend to minutes actually ever run ...
If nothing else I'll be well prepared - add up the two pairs of posh running shoes, the heart rate monitor/GPS which I haven't actually used yet and now the second hand treadmill proudly folded up in the garage and you're looking at a pretty high ratio of pounds spend to minutes actually ever run ...
Thursday 7 August 2008
Off and running
Well my facebook page says I think I might have made a great mistake ... I'm not sure that's really true as I'm more optimistic than that. But the truth is, that was difficult and it should really not have been such a challenge.
The phenomenal effort? - 6 minutes running in 6 1 minute stints and 9 minutes walking. I now know with confidence that I might have to work up to the 26 miles but can nail the 365 yards and only have to stop and walk twice.
I know a time will come when I enjoy this - I'll see the light and visualise the moment I trot over the finish line and Save the Rhino will be £1000+ richer. Probably that moment will be the moment I tell everyone about this blog! But I've got the training started again.
The phenomenal effort? - 6 minutes running in 6 1 minute stints and 9 minutes walking. I now know with confidence that I might have to work up to the 26 miles but can nail the 365 yards and only have to stop and walk twice.
I know a time will come when I enjoy this - I'll see the light and visualise the moment I trot over the finish line and Save the Rhino will be £1000+ richer. Probably that moment will be the moment I tell everyone about this blog! But I've got the training started again.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Monday 4 August 2008
Starting small ...
Well today should have been the first day - three days this week I need to run 1 minute, walk 1.5 minutes and repeat 8 times. I'll start tomorrow, or Wednesday. At least my Wii thinks I'm 32 now and not 65.
I will do this.
I will do this.
Sunday 3 August 2008
The beginning
OK so here are the facts ...
I've never run in my life. I don't know why, but in April after watching the London Marathon I decided to run in the 2009 event. People who know me will not be surprised to see I am running for an animal charity (well the running bit they will be very surprised about, but just not the animal charity bit), so I have resolved to raise £1000 for Save the Rhino International. All of which means I now have a guaranteed place to run.
I'm 5 foot 9 and 14 stone 10, quite overweight, and just can't seem to get started. But on the 3 occasions I've tried so far, I couldn't hit 2 minutes without stopping. And I haven't actually told anyone I'm doing this yet apart from close friends and family. Someone mentioned it was quite a "mid-life" thing to do, they probably got it absolutely right!
So I'm working on the assumption that the more people I now tell, the more likely I will be to actually start training and do the marathon in April 2009. Watch this space ...
Neil
I've never run in my life. I don't know why, but in April after watching the London Marathon I decided to run in the 2009 event. People who know me will not be surprised to see I am running for an animal charity (well the running bit they will be very surprised about, but just not the animal charity bit), so I have resolved to raise £1000 for Save the Rhino International. All of which means I now have a guaranteed place to run.
I'm 5 foot 9 and 14 stone 10, quite overweight, and just can't seem to get started. But on the 3 occasions I've tried so far, I couldn't hit 2 minutes without stopping. And I haven't actually told anyone I'm doing this yet apart from close friends and family. Someone mentioned it was quite a "mid-life" thing to do, they probably got it absolutely right!
So I'm working on the assumption that the more people I now tell, the more likely I will be to actually start training and do the marathon in April 2009. Watch this space ...
Neil
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
