Week 10 Down - Some real miles to talk about..

Through this week I have been watching the documentary about Eddie Izzard, the English (Welsh?) comedian who completed 43 marathons in 51 days last year. Found it incredible, and very inspiring as I try to build up to just one! If you get a chance, I recommend watching it.

I hit 20 miles on the Saturday run this week. The start of the week was really hard as I had a very sore ankle, as I had aggravated the ankle sprain that signalled my retirement from football in the summer of last year. I iced it every night last week and it got better really quickly. I was back out on Tuesday night doing speed work around the athletics track.

I thought 20 miles would kill me, but surprisingly, I felt OK on Sunday (again with the help of an icepack in Saturday night following the 20). OK enough to get out for another 5 miles (although that might have been the pull of my ne running top and SKINS ankle guards!!). After this week, I am pretty sure I can bolt another 6 miles onto the 20 to complete a marathon. Not sure what my body will do after 20 miles though, that test will come with my 22 mile training run in 2 weeks.... I can't wait.....

Week 10 Target -> 35.5 Miles
Week 10 Actual -> 45 Miles

BMI 24:75, Weight 75.8 KG (11 stone 13 lbs) - still going down!!!

6 weeks (42 days) to go!!!!

The Song that reminded me of when I was young and would never dream of doing a marathon : The Housemartins – Happy Hour

Week 9 Down - Breaking the Back of It

The training got pretty intense this week, but to help that along, the sun came out!!. I completed 5 runs this week and I think 3 of them were in glorious sunshine. Incredible how much that helps – or at least helps you get out there. Once running, it still does not seem to get that much easier.
Sunday saw me run 18.5 miles. Obviously the furthest I have ever run. It was just over 2.5 hours of running. It actually did not feel as bad as I expected. I notice that at about 15 miles, it’s like someone had taken the ‘springs’ out of my legs… I can quite happily run, but there is no ‘bounce’ left. This means I certainly cannot accelerate, so that is a good note for the marathon – I want to put any pace on, it has to be in the first half.

I have been shuffling around the house this afternoon, as there are a few old injuries to my ankles from 25 years of playing football that are threatening to show… I will just ignore it and hope that they clear up tomorrow morning… rest day tomorrow…phew!

This week, I am putting a ‘thanks-you’ out to my long suffering wife and baby boy! Their support means everything to me (as do they) and I can’t wait to be around on BOTH of the weekend mornings, but that will have to wait unil May :-(

Week 6 Target -> 42

Week 6 Actual -> 41

BMI 24:85 (officially NOT Overweight now I am under BMI 25!!), Weight 76.1 KG (11 stone 13 and a bit lbs) - finally I crack the 12 stone marker!!7 weeks (49 days) to go!!!!

The Song that got me through a lot of solo training runs: The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die!! (I needed that aggression this week…. )

Until next week...... when I expect to report 20 miles done…

Week 8 Complete - Half Way Point

I have now hit the half way point of the training plan, Week 8 complete of the 16 week training plan. Feeling good so far, with fingers crossed, I can report that I am not suffering from any injuries, just a little tired and some sore toes, but nothing that will divert the training plan.

It has been a pretty wet week, but once I am out there, the rain does not really cause too many problems, its the wind that is the killer.

Mixed the training up a bit this week, with the Tuesday night 'technical night' taking the shape of a couple of miles run to the Basingstoke running track, then 5 x 800 metres fast sessions, then 2 miles run back home. It was a good feeling on the track... maybe dreams of London 2012 are not yet over!!!!!

Saturday saw my longest run yet - 2.5 hours, with a distance of just over 17 miles. There was one of my mother-in-law's legendary curries waiting at the end of that run, so it made those last few miles ploughing through Oakley easier to complete.

Week 8 Target -> 34
Week 8 Actual -> 40

BMI 25.21, Weight 77.2 KG (12 stone 2 lbs) - exactly the same as last week....

8 weeks (56 days) to go!!!!

The Song that helped me ignore the rain -> Kings of Leon - Use Somebody.

Week 7 down - Personal Bests Tumbling

A good training week now complete. Due to missing a couple of training sessions last week, I started this week with a run on Monday (usual rest day) and carried on the usual frequency through the week, so I ran 6 of the 7 days this week. Really thought I had an injury coming on through Tuesday with a tight achilles, but that seemed to disappear through the week.

Went out on Saturday morning and ran 16.5 miles - the furthest so far (this is a statement I expect to be able to add for most of the training weeks). I added a 5.5 mile run on Sunday lunchtime, as the recovery from the 16 + was OK. Seriously starting to believe in achieving the marathon goal now!!

Managed to dodge the majority of the rain that fell around the South of England this weekend... Here's hoping I dodge the wet in week 8.

Week 7 Target -> 38
Week 7 Actual -> 43

28BMI 21:21, Weight 77.2 KG (12 stone 2 lbs)

9 weeks (63 days) to go!!!!

The Song that kept me from wanting to sit down halfway round the Sunday Run: Numb/Encoure - Linkin Park feating Mr Jay Z.

Less Than 10 Weeks To Go....

Mixed fortunes this week - on Sunday I ran the furthest/longest I have ever done (15 miles ran in just over 2 hours on Saturday morning). It was tough, but the recovery was good. I did not feel the expected aches and pains on Sunday. Really feels like I have reached a milestone - being the longest run I have ever done and feeling pretty much normal the day after. The old legs/ankles/knees were fine, but got hit with a bit if a cold on Sunday, so that restricted the running to one outing for the weekend. I missed a run in the week as well as my kit was in my locker at work and on that day, I forgot my keys... (sounds like a schoolboy excuse for not handing my homework in...). Still feeling the cough/cold as we start week 7 of 16, but hoping it will disappear pronto.

Week 6 Target -> 30
Week 6 Actual -> 28

BMI 21:73, Weight 78.5 KG (12 stone 5 lbs) - which is up a pound on last week... 2 sessions missed - a lifetime on the hips...or something like that.

10 weeks (69 days) to go!!!!

Week 5 Complete - Progress Steady

Week 5 wraps up with a steady showing. Completed the miles as per the training plan. I would like to say it is getting easier, but is isn't!! It's just getting more 'manageable' I would say. The legs are feeling weary by Thursday (with the Tues, Weds, and Thurs consecutive runs). Still feeling very good though, and very much focussed on the goal... The countdown now reads 11 weeks - 77 days!!! Sponsorship has been amazing, with an overwhelming response! Can't describe how good that makes me feel and how much that truly helps with the motivation.

The Sunday long run was good fun, we took on a 14 + miles route that previously we had only completed on our mountain bikes. Needless to say, covered in mud, and the old pair of running shoes that I wore might have to see the dark end of the bin... not sure they will recover. Good 'cross' training though, dodging bogs, tree roots and rotting leaves.

Target for this week: 31 Miles
Actuals for this week: 38.5 Miles

BMI this week: 25.37; Weight the just a shade under 12 stone 4 pounds (78 KGs)
The Song that kicked me up the hills on Saturday : Eye of the Tiger - Survivor (in true Rocky style)

Goodbye Week 4, Hello Week 5

Yep - can vouch for that. A very cold this week - enduring memory is of skipping frozen puddles around the routes where I live. Recognising now that 5 days of running equals 5 changes of running kit.... Let's be honest - no wife in the world is gonna keep up with that washing schedule, so it you see me (us) out - don't get in the slipstream.......

Week Target: 30 ish miles with some speed/hill work chucked in.
Week Actual:35 miles

BMI this week: 25.44; Weight 12 stone 4 pounds (78 KGs)
The Song that helped me skip the frozen puddles : Everlong – Foo Fighters.