Oh well. Never mind. And never again.

Brighton Marathon 2012 by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

Nowhere near the time I was hoping for or expecting.  But at mile 10 I knew is wasn't going to be.  I started getting the kinds of pain in my knees and hips I don't usually get until 15 miles+.  By half way, I was going backwards, gradually falling behind the 4 hours 30 pace guy I had been tracking - if I could just have finished ahead of him, it would have been a guaranteed PB.

At mile 18 I seriously considered dropping out and spent several minutes sitting at the side of the road or wandering up and down trying to muster the courage to continue.  Knowing my aunts and my hubby were waiting somewhere along the Shoreham Harbour stretch, I eventually got going again.  Only to burst into tears when I saw them and have another attack of the pathetics.

Having got that far, dropping out would have been pointless - I'd have to get to the finish to collect my belongings and it's a straight line from the Harbour to the finish line - no short cuts to be had.  Crowds, as ever, were amazing, but I was probably less responsive and appreciative than usual.  I was locked away in a contracting world of intensifying pain.  My pedometer shows a time of 5 hours 4 for the marathon distance.  But given the wandering off the course for deep breathing and crying, I still had half a mile to go when it stopped tracking my progress to actually get over the finish line.

I did it though!!!

My body is sending me messages I can't ignore any more.  I can't put myself through another one of these.  Triathlon research to follow and I hope to do my first some time next year.  Crossing the finish line at the end of a marathon is truly one of the greatest experiences anyone can have.  And these big city marathons are great for the closeness and enthusiasm of the crowds.  I may not be planning to repeat the experience myself, but if you've not done it I really believe you should, just once!!!!!!!!

Here we go, here we go, here we go!

Finally.  It's here.  Scared for now, expect excitement to kick in when I get to Preston Park.

Family efforts to soothe me so far this morning have consisted of 'You're only going out for a run, Lee'.  I expect the theme to continue through the race, with traditional family 'encouragement' consisting of things such as 'Hurry up, my feet are killing me' and 'How much longer, I'm starving'.

If you're running, congratulations and enjoy the day.  You are amazing.

If you're supporting, thank you.  You're pretty fabulous, too.

If you're doing neither, what the hell are you up to?  Get on board, you won't regret it!

I'm number 9726, wearing Diabetes UK pink and black.  My work friend Laura's also running today, for Albion In The Community.  She's number 10336.

Will be leaving to get the train in about 10 minutes.  Deep breathing all the way.  Yikes.

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG. OMFG.

Can you tell where my mind is right now?

Did my last training run on Thursday morning, a little 5 mile trot.  Collected my race pack from the Brighton Centre yesterday lunchtime.  Have been swinging wildly between excitement and terror ever since.

Given up on all the spreadsheets, charts and stuff now.  Simply can't be arsed.  But will include a link to the Garmin record of the big day tomorrow, when I pull myself together and upload it.

Hoping the weather's sufficiently good to draw some crowds tomorrow.  You really do make all the difference in the world.  To identify me, look for the image below and imagine it with a tiny crewcutted head at the top, a distinct midriff bulge and skinny legs sticking out the bottom.

P.S.  Eeeek.

30 minute slow-fast. Nearly there!

30 minute slow-fast by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

Intentionally slow-fast.  20 minutes of light jogging followed by 10 minutes of cough-your-guts-up running.  No idea why, I just do what the book says.  Another stunningly perfect day for running, we really need it to be like this next weekend.  I really, really can't wait now.  Going to make the most of this long weekend and do absolutely nothing (apart from 5 miles on Sunday), a couple of very light sessions next week and then away we go!

Totally off topic, but weighing really heavily on my mind.  I ordered a car through Tesco cars.  They secured me finance, and make a series of encouraging calls.  It was a great customer experience and we were both tremendously excited.  Then on Wednesday they called again.  I was expecting this to be the 'we have your car, the finance is ready and we will upload your photos so you can make your final decision' conversation.  No.  They actually said they had closed the site and the business effective Tuesday and I would not be getting my car.

Now, I was in a meeting at the time and in any event I tend to react to these things in a resigned, accepting way. But when I went to the site (www.tescocars.com - check it out), I read that they would complete pre-existing orders if the car was with them.  My car was due to be with them on the day they called.  I had not been offered this option, it was presented to me as a fait accompli.  I got angrier and angrier, eventually calling them and saying I wanted my car.  They said they'd call back that day or yesterday.  No news.  I do not believe they have any intention of even investigating the possibility of completing the transaction.  Their twitter customer service is giving nothing but stock 'sorry for any inconvenience' crap.  I am fuming.  Not only do I not have a new car, I also have a finance search record on my credit history that means I'll never be able to get a loan myself now.  And I can't follow up with the original loan company, as they don't lend direct to consumers.  And I don't know where my car is anyway!  So I'm never shopping at Tesco ever again.  That's roughly £12,000 in grocery spend a year that Sainsbury's will now be getting instead, plus goodness knows how much petrol.

Rant over.

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20 MINUTE interval. Damn technology

20 MINUTE interval by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

OK, so I blame the technology, but it's actually my own fault.  Today's run (chilly but still lovely this morning!) was an interval run, requiring 5 repetitions of a 3-minute-jog-1-minute-sprint cycle.  Only when I created and uploaded the workout to my GPS, I only set it to repeat 4 times!  So I may have actually run for longer and travelled further than the 2.16 miles and 20 minutes I've claimed.  I extrapolated this from the 1.73 miles and 16 minutes my GPS actually recorded.

Anyway, nice easy session to get me back into it this week.  Thursday, Friday and Sunday planned for the rest of the week.  VERY much liking the shortness of this week (and next) and hoping the weather allows me to enjoy the long weekend.

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10 miles. 90 minutes. SO ready. Bring it on!!!

10 miles by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

I wasn't pushing hard or anything, but this is 30 seconds a mile quicker than last time I did a 10 miler.  Last weekend's successful 19.5 really boosted me and the week's sessions have all gone well, but this was very unexpected.  I need to make sure I don't get carried away and set out at this pace on the day, or I'll really suffer.  Again.  I'm crap at pacing myself!

I like this taper phase of the training, it always feels like the hard work's done and I'm just looking forward to an amazing day.  If the weather on the day could be like today's, it would be perfect.  A lot cooler than it has been, but still gorgeous blue skies and bright sunshine.  Loved it.  Cannot wait.  Come ON, already!!!!!!

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I have no words

20 minute hard run by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

I think someone may have spiked my drink with drink.  Look at the map if you want. Ciao.

2 sessions in 1 update!

20 minute interval by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

30 minute flollop by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

I've been out twice this week so far.  Tuesday's session was delayed until yesterday due to circumstances beyond my control.  People need to learn how to drive, especially on bloody bus routes.  Nuff said.  It was a 30 minute jog, the traditional first session of the week to help get Sunday's kinks and strains ironed out, and it was lovely.  We've been really lucky with the weather, and although this means it's really hot by lunchtime when I'm usually stumbling to the finish of a Sunday jaunt, before work during the week conditions are perfect.

This evening's was an interval session, but only a 20-minuter.  It also went well, although the tendons in my knees that were really sore after the 19.5 miles on Sunday are feeling a bit tight again now.  Some more stretching and a writhe on the foam roller should resolve that, though.

I need to do a 20-minute hard run tomorrow and plan to do it before work.  It's very soon after tonight's, but I know after the Friday finish tomorrow I will have a drink and there's no point planning to run in the evening!

I can then have Saturday off again and do some more work in the garden, with 10 miles (which now feels like a warm up) on Sunday.  I think this gorgeous weather will have disappeared by then, but it might actually make for more comfortable running conditions.  I will also pass the 260 mile mark during that session.  That's 10 full marathons covered in training.  Blimey!

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Never again (?) (!!!) (?????)

Final long run by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

Can you sponsor me?  I now feel able to promise I'll finish the thing.  Any amount would be really appreciated.  Please hit my JustGiving page with whatever you can afford.  Sincere thanks.

Well, that's it.  The last properly long run in preparation for this year's Brighton Marathon out of the way.  Another stunning day, if what you have planned is a lot of lolling about.  Not so perfect if you're trying to drag your sorry great carcass all over the East Sussex coastline with limited fluids and even less confidence.

But in the end it all went rather well.  From the Shoreham end of the course, I could clearly see the Brighton end, which somehow made it shorter.  And my discovery of the public loos by the rather lovely Carat Cafe in the Southwick section of the harbour made that section much less stressful.  In fact, I did it twice!  This meant that when I hit Hove Lagoon for the third time I only needed to add a couple of short loops in Hove and Brighton to cover the full distance without having to ascend the cliffs by Brighton Marina.

Pace-wise, the first half definitely felt slower than I have recently been running.  This was not intentional, but means I now have a sense of what 10-minute-miling feels like on fresh legs and I faded a lot less than I usually do on long runs.  In the past, I've always set off at what I thought was a conservative pace only to find out when I uploaded and reviewed the data afterwards that I'd been shifting along at speeds much more suited to short sessions.  This has made me think I can't actually run slowly unless and until I'm incapable of running quickly.  A welcome change to my thinking and if there are pace runners on the day, I'll attach myself to mister 10-minute-miles and not lose sight of him come hell or high water.

Not running yesterday definitely helped with this, too.  Even with a couple of walk-stretch-cry intervals in there, I never felt I wouldn't finish and I completed 19.5 miles of my target 20 in 3 hours 21 minutes and change.  Not too shabby and just about on track for a PB over the full distance.  Factor in the amazing boost I always get from running with other people and the AMAZING crowd support on the day, I am really hopeful I will never, ever again have to complete a run of this distance with nothing but my music, my breathing and my own pain for company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It really takes it out of you mentally and physically, doing sessions like these alone, with only your own motivation and no real goal.  I burned over 2,500 calories and I'm starting to feel it now.  Doing my stretches a few minutes ago, I found myself completely incapable of counting to twenty!  Refuelling this afternoon and I expect to go to bed quite early tonight.

Work people, if I am late in the morning it's because we may have been a couple of minutes out when changing the clocks.  Getting to the bus stop at the same time as the bus is a bit of a precision exercise, I can't promise to get up early and leave myself extra time and if I time it wrong, I will not be able to run to catch it!!!  You'll see me when you see me.

I am feeling a lot more optimistic now.  I've been making 'this has to be my last marathon' type noises throughout training this time, mainly because I have not felt like I'd ever actually be capable of finishing, much less doing a decent time.  That's behind me now.  I'm not saying I will ever do another - I really do fancy the Hever Castle triathlon for next year - but I'm not quitting out of hatred of the experience any more.  Just out of a desire to try something else!

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Easy does it

45 mins by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

A nice post-work run on a glorious evening.  This week's weather has certainly been spoiling us.  I did this last night, but could not be bothered blogging then.  I can barely be bothered now, it's just too nice out there.  So this is a very brief 'I did it' post only.  I'm not running tonight as planned and I have no intention of running tomorrow - as I said in my last post, running the day before the long session is a no-no now.  So Sunday's session is next.   And, as I seem to have lost a week somewhere, it is to be my last mammoth training session before the big day, which means trying to hit 20 miles.  Eek.  If I can do 19 I'll be happy, 18 and I'll be satisfied.  Gulp, etc.

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Poweeeeerrrrrrrrrrr!!!

25 minutes maximum effort by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

Beautiful morning, stunningly successful run.  SUB BLOODY 8 BLOODY MINUTE MILING.  For me, this is a massive step forward.  I think helped greatly by obsessive stretching every day and the foam roller.  However undignified, uncomfortable and generally 'un' the damned thing is, it's definitely got rid of a few kinks and probably-years-old strains and scars.

I was on such a high after this session, and it hasn't worn off all day where usually I slump a bit after lunch having done one of these early sessions.  I think the 2 days off after Sunday's session probably helped, too, although that has become an established pattern of late so it can't have been the only factor in this improvement.  With this in mind, I am trying to replan the next few weeks to remove any Saturday runs.  Given there's only 3 weeks left, that shouldn't be too hard!

It has presented me with a little issue that there are only 3 weeks left, however.  I was planning to add 2 miles each Sunday, this week and next, to achieve the 20 miles that from past experience, and many conversations on the Facebook group for the Brighton Marathon, I think I need under my belt before attempting the 26.2.  But I don't have 2 more mammoth sessions left!  This week's is to be the last, after which I begin to 'taper' and try to store some sort of energy thing in my muscles by loading up on carbs.  So I have programmed my GPS for 20 miles this Sunday, but am not 100% sure I'll do them all.  Even if not, other people on Facebook are now chiming in to say a high teens miler before the big day will be more than enough to get me through the full distance, factoring in competitiveness and crowd surfing on the day.  I certainly hope they're being truthful and not just trying to calm down those of us who feel a little behind.  Or, indeed, themselves.

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3 week highlight report - 16 miles today!

Yes yes yes yes yes!

So it's been a patchy 3 weeks.  Or rather a crappy one followed by 2 where I did all the sessions I meant to, but not entirely successfully.  I had a bout of complete and utter exhaustion with accompanying snuffles, where 12 hours' sleep a night just wasn't anywhere near enough.  This meant I did nothing for a full week.

Since then, I've done a variety of sessions.  Last Sunday, I attempted 17 miles but only managed 13 before my ITBs in both legs started the knees collapsing and I had to stop.  Thank you SO MUCH to the lovely man in the very expensive car who came across me forlornly waiting for Colin to collect me from Hove Lagoon.  There are still some truly nice people in this world and it really cheered me up.

Tuesday evening I planned to run home from work.  I got about 100 metres along the seafront, when this gaggle of girls started screaming my name (which is prominently featured on the front and back of my running vest).  Fearing a lairy teenager plague, I kept on going, but they didn't stop.  When I did eventually turn round to see what was going on, there were three of them chasing me along the seafront, each waving a different item of clothing.  Including, yes, boxer shorts.  Bless them, too, and shame on me for jumping to conclusions.  Cheap rucksack could not cope and popped open again a few seconds after I reorganised everything and tried to start again.  So I got the bus.

Weekday runs are really improving, both the ease and the pace.

Today.  Now, today, I should really have been doing 18 miles.  But given my recent history on these long runs and the interrupted nature of my training, I decided I would be happy with 15 - 14 was my previous longest run, 3 weeks ago.

I decided to do the Shoreham Harbour thing on this run, which I've not done before, and do a series of loops up and down the Hove and Brighton proms.  I've seen a bunch of people on the Brighton Marathon Facebook group talking about doing the Shoreham bit in preparation.  I remember it was the most boring bit of 2010's course, when it lacked any spectators (there's nowhere for them) and any entertainment (so why would they go there anyway), but I believe it's been remedied since.  Anyway, the sun was beating down, there was a gorgeous cool sea breeze and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

When I got back to Hove seafront, I had covered a big distance already and this really lifted my spirits.  Once out to the Peace Statue and back to Hove lagoon, then back out past the pier and the wheel and I turned for home with about 5 miles of the 18 left to do.  Pretty perfect distance-wise and almost like I'd planned it!

But then, oh my god, my feet hurt.  I mean, really, really hurt.  And then I started to get really tight in the muscles in what I can only describe as my groin.  I walked a bit and stretched a bit and got going again, though.  This is about the point last week where I reached my 'oh my god I can't do this I must be mad!' stage.  I'm very proud of myself and I eventually covered 16 miles.  This brought me back to Hove Lagoon again and Colin came to collect me.  Warm glow of satisfaction is now (3.5 hours later) overtaking aches and pains.  I've done some intense stretching and the foam roller is looking at me.  I'll tackle that later.  No crying, no dying and no injuries.  Hallelujah.  Also very impressed with the new drinks belt.  Made a huge difference not having to carry 1.5l (i.e. 1.5 kg) of fluid in my hands.

I've also decided to try to plan to finish at Hove Lagoon from now on.  The bit from there back home is intensely unpleasant - lots of roads to cross, lots of kerbs to negotiate (does anyone else have trouble getting up and down kerbs after 15 miles or so?  They feel about 10 foot high to me.) and generally uphill, quite steeply.  I have tried to sweeten the 'you're going to have to collect me every week' pill with Colin by suggesting he gets as far as the pub down there and waits.  We could have roast dinner there!!!  Not sure it's worked yet.

Anyway, if I can add 2 miles each Sunday for the next couple of weeks I'll have done what I have ever managed previously in training and be as prepared as I'm going to be for the big day.  Got the e-mail with my runner's number yesterday.  It's all getting very real!  If the black and pink vest, with 'LEE' front and back is not enough for you to pick me out, I'm wearing number 9276.

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GREAT 30 minute thrash

I had one of the best runs for a long time this morning. 3.62m in 30 minutes, 8:17 minutes per mile average!!!!!!!!!

No link to map and stats, because for reasons I simply cannot fathom or, after extensive research, resolve, Garmin Connect has uploaded the data from my GPS (deleting it from the device) but denies any knowledge when I actually view my activities. Not the first time this has happened, and previously it appeared again after a few days, so if this happens again I'll put the link in. I am annoyed, because, as I say, it went GREAT. It wasn't half foggy at that time of the morning, which was pleasantly cooling and not too clammy. And then it turned into a rather gorgeous day!

I need to run every day now for the rest of the week to get all this week's sessions in. Am planning another tomorrow morning, then one Friday evening, then the usual weekend stuff.

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Another stunning Spring day. Ruined.

14 miles by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Just kidding!

Pace-wise, today's run ended up being identical (to within a second a mile) to last week's nightmare. But the experience could not have been more different.

At no stage this week did I feel like I was running particularly slowly, or labouring just to put one foot in front of the other. Last week, I never felt I was running particularly quickly and every step was an effort. This week, my pace and the effort I felt I was putting in felt very steady and consistent throughout ( the numbers back up this impression). Last week, I could barely move for about the last 3 miles and knew I was slowing down, despite never having felt I was pushing that hard.

I'm not going to claim to have enjoyed it, but it's definitely a step (or several thousand) in the right direction! I actually managed to notice people I knew this week, and raise a smile and a wave, rather than being locked in an isolation tank of pain and misery.

And, oh my god, what a beautiful day it is out there! It brought out the hordes onto the seafront, which did create some issues. Especially towards the end, when both my steering and breaking capabilities were rapidly running out and I almost stepped on THE SMALLEST DOG ON THE PLANET. But, this gave me the practice I usually get doing a competitive half marathon, which is actually quite important. When you're sharing a course with 15 thousand other runners (35 thousand if you're running London), you cannot ever, no matter how much you want to, run the shortest distance or anything approaching a direct course. You're hoppity-skippy-jumping constantly to avoid people, thrown bottles, etc. And negotiating the seafront today was the perfect rehearsal for all that.

All in all, much less horrible than it could have been and, if not quite convincing me a PB is on the cards this year, at least I now feel I won't humiliate myself. Beyond being out in public in lycra, obviously. And I passed another milestone this week at some point - training runs so far have totalled over a full day's worth of running!!! 24 hours plus!!! And the long Sunday runs are almost burning 2000 calories each. Just in time for Easter. Hurrah.

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Another half hour interval run. Nice!

Another half hour interval run by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Got shopping out of the way early this morning - bummer that 24 hour opening doesn't include Sunday, it would be great to be able to do this before the long runs - and drove down to Hove Lagoon again for another interval session this morning. By the time I got there, the rain had thankfully stopped and all that remained was a refreshingly light breeze.

To begin with, it didn't feel all that great. My last run was only just over half a day previously, so there was probably some residual tiredness still hanging about, despite extensive and repeated stretching sessions. And the first 3 minutes proved to be, on reviewing the session data, the slowest bit. After that, again, there's a pleasing and surprising consistency throughout. I'm definitely getting fitter and recovering more quickly from the high intensity blasts in these runs. This was different to Wednesday's, which was a 1-minute-sprint-1-minute-recover, with some 5 minute jogs. Today, it was 3-minute-sprint-3-minute-recover, 6 times, no extended jogging. And I did cover about as much additional distance as I was hoping I would. Overall pace almost down to 9-minute miling.

A restful day with plenty of food ahead, I hope, ready for the 14 miles tomorrow. I REALLY hope that goes better than last Sunday. Almost couldn't bear another run that horrible.

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1 hour again - not quite as good as last time

1 hour again by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Felt really good again, though! I think the difference was running in the evening this time, after a full day (week, indeed) of work and multiple cigarettes. Last time it was a morning run and I seem to perform better in the mornings - which is good, given the start time of the Marathon itself.

I've had 2 decent runs this week, which have somewhat restored my faith after last Sunday's nightmare session. I'm hoping for another encouraging interval session tomorrow morning, to set me up for this Sunday's 14 miles.

Settling down for Friday-night-type things now. Basically, watching telly and sipping (to start with at least) brandy. While keeping an eye on work e-mail for some weekend outsourcing excitement. I like weekends, I do.

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P.S. Don't know if it was just me, but all the public toilets seemed to be closed this evening. Before 6pm. They're usually open much later, I think. The start of things to come? Green Party 'you make us freeze council tax, we're cutting back on services' kicking off?

30 minute interval session - wet and wild

30 minute interval session by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Actually, not that wet, but REALLY wild. Man, is the wind blowing this evening. I drove down to Hove lagoon to do this evening's run, which probably put me in the teeth of the worst of the wind. But on interval sessions, it's nice to 1. be on the flat and 2. not have to cross any roads. Nothing worse than doing your best Usain Bolt impression and having to stop to let a car go by.

And there were loads and loads of brave and (fool)hardy souls out training this evening! I'm well impressed. And I have decided to give up for Lent...finding excuses not to run! Timing is perfect, as it takes me right up to the start of April, by when I will be on the cutting-down-in-preparation-for-the-real-deal bit of the training!

Pace-wise, it was not too bad this evening. It seems my 'Level 4' pace these days is on a par with my 'I can keep this up all day' pace from my teens, but that's no huge surprise. At least I remained consistent, rather than getting slower and slower, which kind of suggests my body's getting better at recovering. As suggested in a previous post, I will be giving this week's Fartlek a miss, so the next session will be on Friday - an 'easy' hour. I'm not sure I can possibly bring myself to get out of bed early enough to fit this in before work, but this Friday is the monthly finish-early-for-a-drink-and-socialise Friday at work, so I may miss the drink and socialise and just come home to do it in the evening. I have enjoyed the early morning runs I've managed to do and they've really perked me up for the start of the day, but tonight's was a refreshing change and perhaps a bit of variety will help with the not looking for excuses thing.

On the weight loss front, no change. Although I am fairly sure I look a different shape head on. I definitely taper a bit from shoulders to hips, where previously I was all slab-sided and straight up and down. It's just when I turn sideways on, there's still this 'what the hell are my nipples doing down there and where the hell did all THAT come from' metamorphosis into some saggy, baggy, lardy heifer thing. Will keep exercising and monitoring.

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Half marathon hell on Earth

Half marathon by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

So, I didn't enter the Brighton Half Marathon that happened today. As previously mentioned, I have run it twice, in appalling conditions both times, and wanted the option this time not to do it if it was nasty again. ANd it turned out to be the nicest day of the year so far. Typical. Like it or not, however, I absolutely had to do a minimum of 13 miles today to get back on track with the programme. I've missed the last 2 long runs and the last one I did was 10 miles, 3 weeks ago.

But I was very optimistic about today, after yesterday's session went really rather gorgeously. Today's run was a bonanza of shattered illusions, crushed hopes, pain and childish tears. I absolutely hated it. I ran West along the coast today, to avoid getting caught up in any of the madness that can accompany the official, organised events. The pavements out that way, I have to say, are in appalling condition. In some areas, they're missing altogether, which is when being six foot wide and wearing a pink Diabetes UK top comes in handy.

Anyway. I never at any stage reached the blissful state of floatiness that made yesterday's run such a pleasure and a success. It felt ploddy from the start and got worse from there. Mile 9...GOD how I hated mile 9. Once I passed 10 miles, my previous furthest distance, I got a bit of a lift for mile 11, but miles 12 and 13 were unmitigated vileness. Knee lift non-existent, knees and quads a mess, calves spasming and, yes, tears streaming. Also, big toes on both feet were agonisingly painful and numb AT THE SAME TIME from about 7 miles in. Sounds impossible, but I swear it's true. Almost 3 hours later, they still hurt and sensation is just returning. Does anyone know what I mean and can you tell me what's going on?

The only thing I am really proud of today is that I completed the fucking thing. 12 minutes slower than the last time I did this distance, and 20 minutes slower than my PB.

Tomorrow there's supposed to be an interval run. I can't really see this happening. It's another 5-run week, but one of the sessions is a '50 minute Fartlek of your choice' and, given my opinion of Fartleks and the interval session to start the week, my choice is likely to be sitting down drinking coffee.

I have learned 3 valuable lessons today, if we're going to try to find a positive.

1. Long runs on an empty stomach DO NOT WORK.

Simple solution here. I watched a programme earlier in the week about how milk aids muscle recovery more than these sports drinks thingies. So I will make sure at the very least on the morning of these Sunday slogs, to have a smoothie of milk, bananas and some Options hot chocolate powder.

2. On a gorgeous sunny day (another positive!!!) 500 mls of fluid is not enough to get you round.

Ditto on the simplicity. I will pour my sports drinks into one of my 750 ml bottles and take that.

3. I really hate long runs.

There could be a teensy tiny issue here. And, to be honest, I hate them a bit less now I've had a long soak in a Radox bath. But expect more Sunday whingery.

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GREAT 1 hour

1 hour by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

That went REALLY well. I know there's rain due later, so headed out earlyish this morning. There was a blustery wind blowing, changing direction all the time and making things a little unsteady - I'd just get used to leaning into the wind to make any progress at all and it would die, or swing around and I'd be leaning on nothing and almost go head over heels. However, the pace I managed to set today was really, really pleasing and didn't strain me at all. As on Thursday, all smooth and co-ordinated and, if obviously not effortless, really easy.

I almost broke 9 minute mile pace and it's the longest run I've managed to sustain anywhere near that kind of pace on. It bodes really well for tomorrow's half marathon, which I should complete now in something close to 2 hours. Given the patchiness of my recent training, this is hugely encouraging as I enter the last 2 months leading up to April's big event!

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Finally made it out!

40 minute jog by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

I've been suffering with a horrendous gum infection all week. I think the antibiotics have finally kicked in, as the painkillers are finally starting to work, but they're also playing merry hell with my digestion. The less said about that, though, the better.

So this week's going to be very backloaded and busy, rather than the easy 4-session week I've been looking forward to after a couple of heavyish 5-run ones. This morning's session actually went very well. My legs have obviously had plenty of time to recover from the last run and it was all nice and fluid if not blisteringly fast. I'm not seeing any noticeable weight loss right now, but I definitely feel trimmer and there's a lot more co-ordination between the various bits of my body that should be contributing to my progress - including, finally, my arms and torso. I'm getting a twist through my previously frozen-facing-forward waist that should help my waistline return from wherever the hell it's been for the last couple of years and my arms are driving me forward rather than flopping around uselessly.

The next session is a cross-training (i.e. not running) one that I'll complete tomorrow morning before work. In my own unique and deeply special way, I will be approximating Zumba. Then it's an easy hour on Saturday. And on Sunday I WILL WITHOUT ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT BE ATTEMPTING 13 MILES. I'm not running the Brighton Half as I usually would as part of my build up to the big day. I've done it twice and, while the first time was just Februarily cold, last time was a full on blizzard with snow, hail and howling winds. Typically, the forecast for this Sunday is actually pretty good. In order not to get caught up in the event and shouted at by marshalls who fail to realise I'm not wearing a number, I shall head West for a change and inflict myself on the unsuspecting residents of Shoreham and, possibly, Lancing and Worthing. I'm not really sure how far along the coast I will get.

Good luck to all the fundraising charity-running heroes on Sunday!!!!

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The agony and the agony

Another 25 minute threshold session by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Late post about yesterday's run. Less bitterly cold than other recent sessions, partly I guess because it was later in the day than the 6am ones I'm squeezing in before work. And blimey, what an improvement. Sub 9 minute miling. Sub, in fact, 8 minute 30 miling!!! A great boost and really made me hopeful for today's long run.

Which, I regret to say, is not now happening. I just can't face it. I was diagnosed in October with advanced periodontal disease and was referred by my dentist for a second opinion before he went ahead and removed what he said was a large number of teeth. The referral never resulted in anything and, after some chasing, the dentist has referred me again. So potentially another 3 months of waiting. And all week one of my back teeth has been giving me serious pain. Eating is actually an eye-watering experience. It's spreading down my neck and up to my ear. Couple this with a tremendously fun but somewhat drunken evening yesterday with my dearest friends and I'm in no fit state.

Will be attempting the weekday runs before work, starting tomorrow, but 12 miles is entirely beyond me and I'm wrapping up on the sofa for some trash telly.

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Interval run in sub zero. Fun!?!?!

Interval run by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Another bitterly cold early morning. I finally caved in this morning and wore the full-length scare-o-tights. I know I've been whingeing about my hands and face, but that's only because my legs haven't really been able to get cold. They have been sort of moving. A bit. But I wasn't entirely clear this morning how far from the house I should venture in order to finish back close to it - these interval runs are quite complex in the planning and I would no way have been able to keep track of when I hit half time to turn round - so I was left with the prospect of a possibly fairly lengthy walk back from wherever I ended up.

Needn't have worried and, even though I didn't cover as much ground as I thought I might in the 40 minutes, looking at the detailed stats I'm actually pleasantly surprised. Overall, pace is a bit below where I'd like it to be, but my pace during the sprinty bits actually improved with each rep, as did the pace of the recovery phases. I do not remember this ever having happened before! I usually start slow and finish slower. So that's good.

I didn't enjoy it. Not at all. I hate traditional interval sessions and Fartlek sessions and only do them because I know they really, really do help. I cannot possibly fit in a run tomorrow morning, as I have an early meeting in London. Again. And I know that when I get back from London I'll be in no mood to do one. (It took me 3 and a half hours to get from Holborn to Portslade yesterday, just by the by. I mean, WHAT!?!?!?!?!) So, presupposing I can keep the reins on my alcoholic tendencies when my friends are down this weekend, the 2 on Saturday and Sunday will be it for this week. That's still 4 sessions in a week, which is pretty damned good, especially given the schizo weather.

Am feeling really rather good about things and am intending to quit smoking at some point on Sunday, too.

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35 minute jog - ROBBED AGAIN

35 minute jog by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

So after the anticlimax that was the weather at the weekend, back into another 5-run week this morning. About the only thing the snow did round here was take some of the sting out of the cold in the air, but even that has worn off now. It was utterly freezing. I wore the fright hat, so my ears weren't too bad, but my face and hands hurt like buggery. And so did the lungs, I'm really not good breathing sub-zero air, especially gasping for breath as I generally do. Almost finished Allen Carr's second book now, 'The Only Way To Stop Smoking Permanently', so hope to be back off the ciggies very soon.

Anyway, despite the freezing air the run itself did not feel bad at all. Only intensity level 2, basically a relaxed kind of pace, but I seem to be getting the hang of the right posture and the right technique even at low effort levels now and everything felt nicely connected and coordinated. So I was a little disappointed by the distance my pedometer reported. And, having uploaded all the data to the website, I find the dratted thing has robbed me of about a hundred meters. I started the run AND the timer right outside my house, but is that where it says I started? Is it hell. So it also suggests I was only moving for 33 minutes and some seconds, when I absolutely did not stop. Not once. Rude.

Another run tomorrow and one on Thursday, then a day off on Friday - another early morning meeting in London. I should be doing another on Saturday, and then a biggy - 12 miles (or 13 depending how I feel, which may not be great) - on Sunday. I have my loveliest friends from my uni days in Cambridge coming down for dinner and a light alcoholic spasm on Saturday night. More excuses! But I honestly don't think I can afford to miss 2 long runs in a row, so honestly intend to try to do this week's. Depending, it seems, again on the weather.

Global bloody warming my arse.

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Trainingus interruptus

Could not run Friday morning as, even getting up as usual at 6 a.m. I only had time to wash, iron and dress before having to run out the door to get a train to London for a client meeting.

Did not run yesterday as every weather forecaster was all doom, gloom and cataclysm and I did not want to get caught in what they were sure would be terminal arcticness.  What a load of fuss over nothing.

Having been assured we'd all be dead in our beds or at least trapped in our homes today, I pre-decided yesterday that I would not be running today, planning instead a day of sloth, liberally sprinkled with Nintendo.  And I'm sticking to it.

ANOTHER 5-run week next week, so will be starting tomorrow morning and getting back on track.  This will mean adding 2 miles on the long Sunday run again, but I've done that before.

Right now, Professor Layton, Mario Kart or Ridge Racer?  Decisions, decisions.

Half hour plod

Half hour plod by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Holy cow, it's cold and getting colder. I was so tempted not to bother this morning. In fact, I changed my mind numerous times and ended up not getting out the door until about 6.40. A clear day and a light breeze are lovely running conditions normally, but not when the wind chill factor's about minus 10. When the wind did occasionally gust, it actually hurt.

Fortunately, this was one of the low-intensity half hour sessions scattered liberally through the programme to give you a break without allowing you to return to the vegetative state you used to spend your whole life in. So there was no strenuous breathing going on and no sweat freezing as soon as it reached the surface. But I was so relieved to get home at the end and shut out the weather.

I didn't cover a huge distance, but that really wasn't the point today. I am in London for a meeting tomorrow morning and may well make the executive decision before I go to bed, having seen the scary-mode weather forecast this evening, not to even try another run tomorrow. But then I'm worried about being able to get out on Saturday and Sunday, too. What the hey, I can't be bothered thinking about it just now. There's the prospect of ironing and other looking-like-a-professional type things to get past. Shave, perhaps? No, that would be just silly.

It's a 'que sera sera' week and I don't know what I'll do the next few days. 'Wait and see' is the best policy for now.

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25 minute thrash - bloody freezing!!!

25 minute thrash by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

I missed yesterday morning's planned interval session. It was to be a 30-minute job, but having got up in plenty of time, actually got into the full kit and stepped out the door, my entire face went numb in about a millisecond and I changed my mind almost as quickly. I had coffee and watched the recording of the mens' final at the Aussie open instead. Side note, either Virgin or Eurosport has a recording protocol that is the very definition of crap. 4 hours and 25 minutes of recording and I therefore missed, allowing for the old lesbian and the personality-free Canadian droning on for an hour before the match started, about 2 and a half hours of actual play, including the bloody ending! Why does this happen? How hard can it possibly be for either the channel or the box, whichever controls these things, to continue recording when a programme is extended?

Anyway, only a supreme desire to keep up the good work of the past two weeks got me out there pounding pavement today. And it was well worth it results-wise, even if it was, if anything, colder than yesterday and breathing was like inhaling knives. This is the first run where my ace has been under 9 minutes per mile! Compare and contrast with the 20-minute session at supposedly the same effort level a little while back. It was quite late by the time I started - I was working from home today, so was able to take my time this morning without the bus commute - and so a lot more people were probably shocked into insensibility by my passing, including many I generally get on the bus with. But no matter, I ran and ran pretty well all things considered.

Much to my horror, this should be another 5-run week, so I could potentially be running every day for the rest of it. No promises though, especially if the weather makes up its mind to go properly cold; the forecasters apparently can't decide just now what is going to happen there.

My weight appears to be yoyoing wildly just now. At some point surely there must be a downward trend? Will just keep monitoring for now.

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10 miles!!!!!

10 miles!!!!! by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

God what a glorious morning. And I'm not just saying that through the adrenaline buzz of the run, that has completely worn off during the weekly Tesco trip. Really crisply cold, with a haze early on that burned off quite quickly under a lovely bright sun. Brighton and Hove seafront looked completely stunning, all the water calm and still and reflecting prettily.

Sorry to have inserted my less pretty self into that picture for those others of you that were out and about! This has been quite a heavy week training-wise, and I've been very much counting on this paying off at some point, preferably today. And it did, thank god. Soooo much better than last weekend's 8 miles. On that run I was dead, or wishing I was, at half way. I never hit that stage today, and my pace was a significant improvement as well. It's obvious that D-Day - either the Brighton Half in Feb or the full Brighton marathon and for some people probably both - is beginning to loom large for those of us attempting these things. There were LOADS of runners out this morning, most of them moving significantly faster than me and some moving at a pace that was frankly just a bit showy offy. As ever, a lot of nodding, smiling and waving passed back and forth. Or at least I hope it did. I was definitely smiling inside but it might not have got as far as my face. So apologies to anyone who felt blanked, I honestly thought I was beaming at you!

Apologies also to anyone who was frightened by some of the noises I was making. I have reacquired the ability to drink on the move over the last couple of weeks, but this morning discovered I'm also an accomplished puker-while-moving. Not fun, not intentional, but unfortunately unavoidable. Not entirely sure why, as this has never happened to me before. It passed quickly and didn't seem to impact the rest of the run too badly, if at all.

Tomorrow is an off day in the plan, so the spectre of Zumba looms large on tomorrow morning's agenda. Eek.

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Still going strong

Easy half hour by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

An easy half hour session today, to take the sting and stiffness of this week's more intense runs away. An if I'm honest, there wasn't a lot of either - it really is true that the more you do, the easier it gets!

It's important for this to be the case, as tomorrow I am attempting 10 miles. My first double-figure distance for many years. But only if the weather holds. I ran the Brighton half marathon in 2010 in a blizzard, and I'm not repeating that experience no matter good my progress is at the moment.

A significant milestone passed with this morning's run - I have covered 3 full marathons in training! And AND along the way I've burned over 11 THOUSAND calories. Going to have pizza now.

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Icy and slippy - and crap drivers everywhere!

Interval Session by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

It didn't feel any colder this morning than the last couple, but the roofs were all sparkly and I nearly went monumental-arse over shouldn't-even-have-them-tits getting down the drive. Good start, then. After that, though, it actually went fairly well. Ploddy, slow-paced bits were less ploddy than they have been and the harder intervals didn't strain my legs or breathing as much as similar levels of effort have been doing. Overall, the pace on this session was significantly better than recent runs have made me think I was capable of. Better, in fact, than the session I supposedly did at threshold pace.  Added risk introduced by the inability of people driving at that time in the morning to anticipate the presence of people on foot.  I know it's perhaps unusual and my slightly disturbing body shape and attire may not help, but open your bloody eyes and engage your brains, for god's sake.  Getting up and down kerbs is not fun at the best of times, but bouncing up and down the same one multiple times because some half asleep, drooling fool in a bad suit who clearly can't be in that much of a hurry to get to work because he hates his job else why would he have to drink himself to sleep at night and look like that in the morning..sorry, where am I in this sentence? - oh, yes, right - isn't sure whether he's turning this corner or not or whether he's going to let me go first or make me wait, is a confounded nuisance.

I'm also starting to see an encouraging trend in the body measurements. The weight's not exactly falling off, but I am losing it, and body fat. Deeply rude software still classifies me as 'Overfat', though.

This week is pretty packed with running - 5 sessions required all together, so this is sparing me the humiliating experience of further Zumba. Tomorrow's a low intensity session, followed by the 10 miler on Sunday. I'm hoping another couple of pounds could take flight before Monday! Getting up at 6 each day has posed no problems at all, so Zumba will be reinserting itself into my life next week on the non-running days. Maybe I'll get back my core strength and be able to change direction in a couple of weeks! It's all good and getting better. Yay.

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Hills, hills, hills sweetie

Hills, hills, hills sweetie by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

I thought today's session (which I had originally planned to do yesterday) was an interval one. It wasn't, which came as something of a relief after my rather gallumphing performance on Tuesday's Fartlek. The relief soon faded when I realised it was actually a hill session. Hills and I do not get on. But there are some fairly sharp, if quite short, inclines on the Brighton marathon course. As well as some very slight but interminably long ones. So I know this kind of training is pretty essential. An off I trolled at stupid o'clock to tackle some of the ups and downs near my home.

I actually failed spectacularly on the first uphill section, walking part of it. The top end of Chalky Road is ridiculously steep and hard to deal with after only about two minutes of warm-up running - on a footpath that is itself one of the long, gradually upwards bits. It's actually quite similar in incline and length to the horrid bit of the Brighton marathon course in Ovingdean, which I think they may actually have dropped in this year's course change. But I can't be bothered researching, so won't actually find out until I do the thing in April.

After that, it all went quite well. Not blisteringly fast, natch, but I did manage the return leg all the way up Foredown Drive (the other major slope I tackled) without stopping. As ever, the hilliness contributed to higher than usual levels of bosom ache.

TOMORROW is the interval session, with something else on Saturday and the 10 miles on Sunday. A 5 run week! Eeek.

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Knackering day started with apparently rubbish run

No way! by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Short but challenging run this morning, only 20 minutes but at 'threshold' levels. And I honestly pushed, pushed, pushed. Much harder than Sunday, I was out of breath very quickly and continued to run at that level throughout, concentrating on striding properly with high knee lift, etc. I wasn't exactly floating over the ground, but there was, I imagined, some power and dynamism. Like...a hippo? In water, obviously. But according to the GPS, and I can see nothing in the course map stored on Garmin for the session to contradict this, I did only 2.08 miles. 9:37 per mile. Which is, clearly, a bit on the chronic side and more like a hippo out of water. Very disappointed, even allowing for the minute or so I spent waiting for some daft old bint to work out what her steering wheel was for and actually turn the corner I was patiently waiting to run across.

An interval run should follow tomorrow morning. I'm obviously looking forward to it very much.

On a lighter note. Zumba. Colin was late home this evening, so I took the opportunity to watch and learn with the instructional DVD in the set I ordered and Amazon, damn them, delivered. In summary, if I don't die laughing I may get some benefit from it.

I'm not entirely uncoordinated, but I seem to have left all my core strength somewhere and have no control whatsoever over my direction of travel in a dancing scenario. They're going 'and now the other side' and I'm looking over my shoulder at the telly with my mouth wide open careering head first for the patio doors. It's embarrassing. It all sounds very fluffy, burning calories while doing what should be a lovely fun dance to some actually great music. But my arms don't talk to my legs, my chest does not stick out under any circumstances and I don't know what a booty is, or whether I ever had one. I looked like a member of Madness, or perhaps that bloke who gormed about the stage with the Happy Mondays. They even give the moves some exotic sounding names. I believe I only managed to absorb the 'Oh Really', the 'Avinga Larfa' and the 'Fuckiu say' before I gave in to the laughter. Which at least gave my lungs and diaphragm a damn good seeing to.

I will be trying to get up at 6 every morning either to run or to Zumba. Lovely colleagues, if I'm late for work I'm probably sedated in the Royal Sussex. Come find me, they kill people in there!

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Slow (very) and steady (not really)

8 miles!!! by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

Blimey and crikey. Today's run was more an attempt to get back on track with the adding-a-mile-a-week build-up training plan than one I actually expected to go well or deliver a particularly great experience. So in actual fact, it has served its purpose. It was still surprisingly hard on the legs (although, surprisingly, no trouble for the lungs at all). I think what it really proved to me was how much of this marathon running thing is mental rather than physical. Which really does beg the question, given my history, how the hell I have managed to complete not just 1 but 3 of these bitches in the past!!! About a mile into today's session, I was already questioning whether I'd finish it.

I have noticed during the longer sessions over the past couple of weeks that my body seems to go through a kind of 'reset' process a certain distance in. It's as if, once it's realised I'm not stopping, it pulls itself together and delivers me some previously unfound knee lift and great big bucketful of lung capacity. Last weekend, this happened about 3 miles into the 5 mile session. Today it kicked in around 2 miles. This may come as a surprise to anyone who saw me during today's training, as I'm fairly certain I wasn't striding out all that impressively. I set out a deliberately conservative pace to make sure I got round without stopping or walking today, and I think my technique changes at lower speeds rather than my stride length or turnover speed.

The first 4 miles passed without any great pain once I'd got over the doubt. It was quite busy down on the prom today, with lots of people out enjoying a crisp, clear day and lots of smiling and waving as I passed. Then, when I turned round to come home, there suddenly appeared this horrendous headwind, which I am 100,000,000% sure did not exist as a helpful backwind on the way out. Miles 5, 6 and half of mile 7 where spent head down, struggling to make any progress against (hyperbole alert) the most sever hurricane to have hit the South coast in many a long year. Honestly, it was really difficult and I'm sure is the main factor behind the stark contrast in pace between the outward and return legs of this run.

The main thing is that I've now done it. I might attempt 10 miles rather than 9 next weekend, to continue running at the harder end of the programme I'm following, but having added 3 to last week's long run today, I think I'll be able to avoid any more of these self-doubt episodes. I'm definitely 'getting back into' this whole running thing now. I'm entering the part of the programme where there a lot of weeks that require 5 sessions. One of these is next week, with a session in the plan for tomorrow. I'm really not sure about the wisdom of this, or any Monday sessions. I'll set the alarm and see what happens in the morning - I may swap the run (20 minute threshold thing) for my induction into Zumba or something if my legs are still feeling sorry for themselves.

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Recovery phase by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

Recovery phase by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

A low intensity, 30-minute session today to take the sting out of yesterday and prepare for tomorrow. Well, I say take the sting out, it actually piled pain on pain. But the pace was not hysterically bad - second half slower than first but, and this Garmin has saved properly the data to help me prove it, first half was downhill and second up!!!!!

I have to try to get back on track in terms of building up the long distances now, so I am going to make a concerted effort tomorrow to do an 8-miler. This may not go well.

Colin got up before me today, scuppering my plan to learn Zumba and use that as my warm-up. Will try again tomorrow.

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First Fartlek

Got up this morning early, again, and for the first time this week the weather and my body clock were in perfect harmony.  Yes, it was freezing, but there was little wind and it wasn't raining.

This is the first Fartlek session I've done in this training programme and it was every bit as horrible as I remember.  I made it through, though, without throwing up or damaging the pavement.  I did set a couple of dogs barking, but you get a different class of woman round here, so no worries.

The worst bit?  I connected to my Garmin site when I got back, and got a confirmation message that the session data had been uploaded - it was certainly deleted from my pedometer.  Then I had to wash up and leap in the shower.  And on accessing my online activity list this evening, I find the details of the run are not there!  The fatness data from my body monitor was uploaded fine, but the run information is missing and, as I say, deleted from my pedometer - irretrievable!!!  Massive annoyance.  I have manually added an activity for today (I remember the distance covered as 2.37 miles) but as you won't be able to guffaw at the slowness of the 'normal' running bits, or gasp in bewildered awe at the speed of the sprint intervals, I'm not bothering to link as I usually do.

The normal stats are below.

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Um. Ow. by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

Um. Ow. by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

This should have been 8 miles. But having run yesterday for the first time in, yes, months, my calves and quads this morning were screaming. Ambition and enthusiasm aside, 8 miles was not realistic, so I set out to do 5.

Beautiful weather again, although there was a definite bite in the wind. It wasn't quick and it definitely wasn't pretty, but my main aim today was to regain some confidence in my ability to run significant distances without stopping, puking or crying. On this basis, mission accomplished!!!

I only just scraped under 10:00 minute mile pace, but there's plenty of time to work on that. Calves and quads are now distinctly unhappy again, however. Much stretching and a long soak in a Radox bath coming up.

Next session is due to be tomorrow morning, but is one of the 'cross training' deals scattered throughout the programme. So I may cycle to work, depending on the weather.

Satisfactory outcome from the weekend is that I am running again. Smiling.

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REBIRTH by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details

REBIRTH by leecolgate at Garmin Connect - Details - link to map and stats

I can't quite believe it was 2nd November that I last went out for a run. I was very conscious during November of the lack of training, counting the days and then the weeks that I 1. Simply could not be bothered and then 2. Was poorly. But where the time has gone since then, I really don't know!

With the marathon now almost exactly 3 months away, all the getting-ahead-of-the-game I did at the end of last year (clearly not at the VERY end) is out the window and I'm again playing catch-up, theoretically 3 weeks into training proper. The weather has provided me no excuses this week, but it has been my first week back at work and, although I've managed to get up in plenty of time to do a run several times this week, the pitch blackness and occasional iciness have persuaded me that coffee in front of the telly was a better option.

No more time for excuses!!! I need to get back on the horse. So I have been out today. Perfect running conditions prevailed - weather-wise, obviously, my physical condition could not be less perfect - and were it not for my extreme lack of fitness, today would have been an absolute pleasure. As it was, I managed to do the 20 minutes without having to stop and walk, although I was already beginning to slow down noticeably towards the end, not a good sign with the mileage I need to be building up to!!!

I really can't see any blockers preventing me getting back into this in the serious way that is now required if I'm going to be ready. Everything is falling into place at work and at home I can't remember being this contented for a long time. So it's onwards and upwards from here.

Usual 'progress' reports below as usual.

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