Solids are definitely the way forward

Well now. Our local newspaper, the Evening Argus, has invited me to join their team of bloggers. It's all too exciting. I promise to keep this blog going, too, but am being very lazy today and just reproducing my first published post from their site below. Follow me at: http://www.theargus.co.uk/blogs/blogs/brighton_marathon/profile/34535/

If you've not read my old blog and, let's face it, you haven't (but you should), you're probably quite rightly wondering what on Earth I'm going on about. Allow me to explain.

From the bio, you'll know I'm in training for my third fundraising marathon for Diabetes UK, which happens rather excitingly to be the first one ever n Brighton. I've created a full training plan (I'm a project manager by trade, not a total lunatic, by the way) to prepare for the big day, but I'm starting now to try to build up some level of fitness. I've spent most of my spare time since the last marathon in a vegetative state. Apart from a couple of sessions on the Wii Fit, which is now basically gathering dust. And that doesn't really count anyway...

So, two Saturdays ago I did a 10k run, which I prepared for by eating a curry and drinking a foolish amount of vodka the night before. It took me 57 minutes and 41 seconds.

I did another 10k last Saturday. I decided my preparation for the previous one probably had not been the best, so I changed some things. On the Friday, I ate nothing at all, all day, and drank even more vodka. This time it took me 59 minutes and 5 seconds. Not a lot of difference time-wise, but it was, like, really, really hard.

I am working from home today, which means if I get up at the usual time, I can wake up slowly and get a run in and still log on at the same time I would usually, if I'd rushed about, got the bus to work, arrived there and realised I'd forgotten my glasses and my lunch and logged in. So that's what I did.

Last night, I had a curry again. But, because even my tastebuds are a bit limp, it was a mild, red thai one. And I had a sensible amount of wine. While watching the Proms. It was actually rather gorgeous.

And the run today took only 55 minutes and 32 seconds. Now, that's not a massive improvement time-wise. But it felt so much easier. Absolutely no urge to 'do a Radcliffe', no dry heaves or retching. I won't say I floated along, because I quite simply am not and never will be built for that kind of ease of movement. But it all felt coordinated. It flowed. I could tell that my head and legs were connected. By what is not quite clear (see 'not floaty' comment above), but nor is it hugely relevant. I ran 10k and it felt good.

So, we have learned, food is very important and getting drunk is not advisable when you're trying to prepapre for a very long run. I shall call that a success.

I remember before my last marathon, towards the end I was dreaming of running, of passing Paula Radcliffe in a sprint finish, of 'negative splits' and being all thin-waisted and stuff. Last night, I dreamed that I had a pet fox that I'd trained as a kind of sheepdog, only with squirrels. And then I went to a meeting with my boss (I think it was my boss from about 4 jobs ago) and explained to her with a completely straight face why the Wii Fit was going to revolutionise the World and banish obesity, saving the governments of the World gazillions of £, or $, or whatever in healthcare, and allowing us to feed the starving while the fat became thin. And she told me if I could put it in writing as well as I'd explained it to her, I would win the Pulitzer. And I did, and I did.

Stick with me, people. Now till 18 April 2010 is going to be quite a ride.