Late '14 - Lightly Limbering Up for London

[marathondan]

Well it had to start sometime, and today is as good a day as any. I've successfully completed three weeks of sloth and torpor - let's face it, two of my key skills - but with a date in London next year I need to make a start sooner or later. The hard stuff will start around Christmas, but until then I'll get what I can in the bank.

So it was a couple of laps round the Bracknell mill pond this morning in the early light, three miles all told including the uninspiring plod there and back. A workmanlike effort, but it did the job.

All seems well on the tendon front. Three weeks of no running also means three weeks of no stretching, but I seem to be out of the woods. The most likely suspect at the moment seems to be the back, which has been twingeing a bit recently and made itself known this morning with the occasional loss of footing.

Life seems busier than ever. This weekend was typical - 1 voluntary activity, 2 scout activities, 2 music activities, 1 craft project, all needing parental engagement. I think I bagged one hour of me-time during daylight hours, which was spent mangling some basic guitar chords. And I have clients camped in my office till the end of the year, making lunchtime outings rather bad form. But having delved into the RC archives a little recently (more of which later), I would love to be able to find some new and inspiring routes. The trouble is, the lack of daylight hours in which to explore. Something for me to think about.

Hopefully this is part of the wider annual RC resurgence - looking forward to hearing tales from the South Downs and the Southern Hemisphere of others getting back out there.

[marathondan]

Another 3 miles this morning in drizzly Bracknell. It's a mark of the urban-ness of my run that almost all of it is visible on street view.

   
The grim bit


   
The OK bit


   
The relatively nice bit

[Charliecat5]

Another 3 miles this morning in drizzly Bracknell. It's a mark of the urban-ness of my run that almost all of it is visible on street view.

I know... it's a bugger...

   

[marathondan]

I know... it's a bugger...

It's just another excuse for me not to run consistently...

It does look great, but the fact is that I do most of my running in the dark so I wouldn't reap most of the benefit.

I did map out a new offroad route yesterday, to be done on the way to work, but wasn't in the mood for getting lost at 7am on a rainy morning. Maybe next week - or even tomorrow... (breaking my cardinal rule of never running two days in a row).

[marathondan]

Hmm, seems that was a false start.

Oh well, in two weeks' time there'll be no excuse.

18 week programme starts Xmas week. 3 week warmup starts Dec 1st. (Sunday of that week is a full moooooon.)

22 weeks to the marathon this Sunday.

[marathondan]

Got a bit lost on my late night torchlit effort tonight. Didn't make it as far as Field 1. See diagram.

[marathondan]

Only managed two runs last week. Was intending to go out for an hour on Sunday night, but just didn't have the energy. Goodness knows how I used to manage 3 hour long runs on a Sunday night. I might have to rethink my scheduling. Then again, maybe the buzz will come back. Either way, I need to start making time for running. Up early tomorrow morning for an interval session before the school run.

[marathondan]

Week -2 of 18

This warmup period is all about getting back into the routine of running three times a week, which I did successfully. Three outings, the holy trinity (interval, tempo and easy) - all offroad and all before dawn. On Saturday morning I successfully found the path from Field 2 to Field 1 in the dark and so was able to complete my long effort (only 6 miles). Having not eaten, I found myself consuming a lot of water (750ml in about 45 mins) so will have to take more in future and stash it. 

Maybe I'll be able to do most of my training early morning after all. It seems I'm less of an owl these days. Saturday morning was beautiful; a decent frost underfoot and stars and a full moon above, the faintest glow of sunrise apparent as I returned home just before 7am. And the good news is that we're almost at the shortest day already; the mornings may continue to become colder, but they'll also become a little lighter.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Well done Dan, it's great to see someone here actually in training, and in the middle of silly season at that. Even worse, it's winter on your side of the planet. I doffs my hat to you.

[Charliecat5]

Well done Dan, it's great to see someone here actually in training, and in the middle of silly season at that. Even worse, it's winter on your side of the planet. I doffs my hat to you.

A also doff my hat at you Dan.  

I prefer running in winter... the colder, wetter, windier and muddier it is... the better in my book.  

[marathondan]

Well done Dan, it's great to see someone here actually in training, and in the middle of silly season at that. Even worse, it's winter on your side of the planet. I doffs my hat to you.

A also doff my hat at you Dan.  

I prefer running in winter... the colder, wetter, windier and muddier it is... the better in my book.  

Indeed, the winteryness is a positive, not a negative.

Week -1 of 18


Another satisfactory warmup week in the bag. I'll be doing exactly the same routine for 4 weeks, which, might get a bit boring, but by week 2 I'll hopefully be champing at the bit to ramp up the mileage (by a whole half a mile - what idiot wrote this plan?). 

So yes, three more early morning plods, two frosty, one damp. Sunday for the easy run was particularly nice - I treated myself to a 6.45 lie-in and got out just at first light with the mercury around two degrees below. Perfect conditions. I guess, after over 13 years of running, I should finally invest in my first pair of trail shoes, as I'm now barely touching tarmac. Buy yes, I will remember to do a couple of long runs on pavement before race day.

A new development this marathon campaign will be THE AWESOME INFOGRAPHIC, which will allow you to visualise my progress week by week. You can see that, as always, my volume goals are modest. Quality not quantity. 

   

[marathondan]

Tis the season to read Whalley. Fell a la la la, etc

This article recently popped up in my feed. Having not read the book, I wasn't aware of his interesting biographical detail. Maybe everyone else knew that already.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

It's not FITC or BTR, but it's a good read. Enjoy!

[glaconman]

I loved his book Dan. Some thought he was too negative regarding other running. But I didn't mind. I liked the fact he was clear about what he valued and what he couldn't understand. Sometimes see him at Fell races. Indeed I've run the race in the Guardian article a couple of times as it's just up the road from me. Apparently there are some firm lines through the peat bog. I never found them. Let me know what you think.

[marathondan]

Just to be clear, I'm not planning on reading the book. I was just surprised to note that he co-wrote one of the all-time great / annoying long-distance running anthems.


A nice even square wave this morning at 0600. As Robin Williams said - "What's the O stand for? O my God it's early!"

   

[marathondan]

Liking your avatar btw, GM. Surely you've rotated that to make the incline look steeper?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Oh, please DO read the book Dan. It is worth it, definitely.

[marathondan]

Mild and breezy here at 6am for my tempo run, so I went out in shorts and a single layer top. Mild of course means slippery underfoot. Took a tumble in the mud, even before I'd finished my warmup. Which is a nice way to start the day. I'm beginning to see the attraction of cross-country.

Not a fast performance, but all grist to the mill.

[glaconman]

I'm beginning to see the attraction of cross-country.

Dan, you should definitely try cross country. If we're playing snakes and ladders with our fitness, XC is a big ladder.

[marathondan]

I'm beginning to see the attraction of cross-country.

Dan, you should definitely try cross country. If we're playing snakes and ladders with our fitness, XC is a big ladder.

Hmm, maybe something for next winter. Do you have to be a member of a club and registered with EA to enter county XC?