almost ready for the next campaign

[stillwaddler]

I have just prepared my next Excel Running Log for 2011 and the Brighton marathon is only 23 weeks away, gosh, how time flies.

I'm a bit short of 600 miles for this year so far.

Mental note - drop half a stone before starting Hal's schedule on 6th December - (yeah right, that's really going to happen)

[marathondan]

600 miles is excellent. You're nearly 200 miles ahead of me for the year. That must take you most of the way to John O'Groats.

I too am feeling the anticipation of the start of the next campaign. I will probably drop into about week 4 of Hal's schedule around Christmas. December will be the month for getting back into the routine of running three times a week. So November is the month for thinking about running. Of course that doesn't really take a whole month. But my awkward side won't allow me to run unless I really need to.

[El Gordo]

Good on yer guys. The rest of us seemed have entered something similar to the 'dumb' or 'closed' period that very fine wines experience on their way to glorious, unforgettable, glorious maturity.

Me? I have 2 new pairs of shoes with me here in Zurich, and will be trying them out this weekend. If they don't help the calf problem, I'm boogered.

[stillwaddler]

What shoes have you got El G?? Have you had to go for inserts as well? Look forward to hearing about your first swiss outing. Are you both settling in ok?

As for maturity, I think I might be in the beaujolais class - peeked too early:-( down hill for ever after.

On a plus note we have got half a case of cru beaj in for Christmas:-)

[stillwaddler]

So – time to start the marathon training sessions again staring Monday, but this year the long runs will be done with Mr SW, it’ll be nice to have some company.
I felt I was running well up until a few weeks ago. I had a brilliant 4 miler one lunchtime, the air was crisp but not cold enough to burn your throat, it was brilliantly sunny, creating a quite blinding strobe effect whenever I ran past railings. I ran to the park and felt I could have run all afternoon no chance of course, had to go back to work.

Then I had a flu jab. My reasoning being that as the swine flu I contracted last year had made me feel so awful and has left me with chronic asthma it would be a Good Idea to circumvent the agony again this year. Big mistake, my arm was very painful only an hour or so after having it, it continued to ache for a week and then itched most horribly too and I also succumbed to a violent headache, swollen glands all over the place and an overwhelming sensation of exhaustion. Had to spend 3 days at home on the sofa, thus, no running for almost a fortnight. Started again on Tuesday with a 3 mile pipe opener, had to be on the treadmill as the pavements around here are lethal. Not much actual snow, but horribly icy. I repeated the exercise yesterday and feel OK except my thighs were a bit sore on Wednesday – a result of the enforced layoff I’m sure. So, onwards and upwards. I just hope we get a thaw sometime v.soon, I don’t relish running the long weekenders on the treadmill again like last year.

If the English weather continues to take a nose dive like this I might be forced to try an early Autumn marathon next time round. Any thoughts? I have resisted in the past as I don’t like running when it is v.hot, not that that would have been a problem this year of course.

[marathondan]

Robin Hood would be a good bet I think, although in Sept it really is early Autumn.

Very frustrating about the jab reaction (not to mention unpleasant for you). Glad to hear you are back on the road (or tready). Start slowly and enjoy the journey!

[Sweder]

Good to see you back out (in?) there SW.
Horrible news re: flu jab - sounds like you'd've been better off just having the 'flu. I missed two weeks with lurghie and like you am just now getting back into it.

Good luck. I recall you having a very nasty encounter with icy pavements last winter so good idea to stay on the tready until the weather warms up. I'm looking forward to more frolics in the Sussex snow with Ladyrunner. Hmm, not sure that came out quite right ...