13 August 2009

Ooops - I forgot about this blog.

I did the Bath Half Marathon - it was hard but fun. Since then I've completely forgotten about running. I haven't gone running once.

I still haven't answered my question - I don't know how to run a marathon as I don't have the will to dedicate myself to it yet. I've got a bun in the oven and a job and a house to decorate, and if I get those off my plate for a few hours I'm more inclined to go for a surf or play squash than run around for hours on my own.

I'm leaving this blog online as it isn't finished. I'll still run a marathon - I just don't know when.

18 February 2009

Oh dear. I can't even say happy new year, it's been so long. I have moved house, so that's a reasonable excuse.

I did end up running 10 miles - just before new year - and it was reasonably comfortable, too. Since then I've done one medium runs and a few short ones, and I feel fit enough. The only problem is that my goal - not my actual, stated aim but the thing I end up thinking about - seems to be shifting towards this half marathon rather than the whole thing. Must stop thinking like that.

I received a race number and timing chip from the Bath guys the other day. I feel like I have everything I need, but I'd love to be a bit more organised - I'd like to have a playlist on my iPod to hlep me round (I keep forgetting to even charge it at the moment), and I'd like to have a much better idea of things like what distance I can do in what time and how fast to run. But if I end up boging it and making it round in a decent time I'll be happy enough. After all, this is only the halfway run (remember!).

23 December 2008

In similar fashion to the high street shops starting their sales on Christmas Eve, I've already got my post-Christmas flab. 

I got an email from the Bath Half Marathon the other day, saying there was 12 weeks to go and I should be well into my training. Looking back over my blog, I was doing alright about 12 weeks ago - but a lethal combination of busyness and laziness has struck.

I will get back on track. I work better under pressure anyway.

7 December 2008

I'm glad I never set a schedule, because if I did I'd be well behind by now.

Last SundayI ran for the first time in a few weeks - with new running shoes and headphones and still the same level of beer belly, the phrase 'all the gear and no idea' might have applied. At 6.5 miles it was a good, solid run, if not an epic distance (I was hoping to do ten miles by now). I felt back on track, but I sandwiched the run between a surf on Saturday and football on Monday, and thoroughly overdid it and I've been a bit ill since.

All this was compounded when I met up with an old friend who is also training for a marathon. Not only does he have one booked, but he also runs around three times a week. That's OK, I thought, football counts as a run. But he plays football too. All in all, it makes my fortnightly slogs look pretty pathetic.

I'm still confident I'll get back on track - I feel fit (apart from being a bit ill), healthy (apart from being a bit ill) and happy (apart from being a bit ill), so things are on my side. Ten miles before christmas? I hope so.

15 November 2008

I haven't run since last week, but it doesn't seem to matter because I made two other major developments:

1) I bought some running shoes and some headphones that will stay in
2) I entered a half marathon.

I'm doing the Bath Half in March. It's billed as being flat and relatively easy going. I can't wait!

10 November 2008

8.5 miles!

Well, 8.4 to be more accurate. It felt good, though, and for the first half it felt like I was actually running. And I could still walk the next day.

I remembered to check my watch before and after, and it took me about 82 minutes, meaning I do a mile in just under 10 minutes on average. Although that sounds ok, if I was doing a marathon at that pace it’d take me almost five hours.

I still haven’t bought headphones that stay on/in, or trainers that work well for running. I’m sure that the two purchases will propel me magically into double figures and I’m determined to make it to the shops before I run again.

I'm thinking of doing the Bath Half in March. It should be quite an easy target to aim for.

27 October 2008

Boom and bust – just like the economy, my running distance soared to an unrealistic peak before shrinking quickly. On saturday I ran 5.5 miles.

It still seemed like a long way, and my muscles tightened almost immediately – surely I wasn’t still stiff from a week before? Or perhaps it does – I am very flat-footed. I could do with some decent running shoes. And some iPod headphones that don’t fall off. And I still need those running pants.

I have to miss football tonight due to some family visits (which counts as a run), and we have stuff on every night this week, so I can’t see things improving soon. Then again, the economy always bounces back in the end.

Perhaps it’s lack of morale through not running very far (I was thinking I might be able to break double figures soon), but suddenly planning a marathon seems like a lot of effort, and 26.3 miles seems like a long way again. Hats off to old Pheidippides who did it straight off, even if it did kill him. Perhaps it should be called a Pheidippides instead – if I achieved something brilliant where I live I wouldn’t be best pleased if it ended up being called a ‘Bristol’.