Ape-ril

[marathondan]

Just received a package in the post from a company called Funky Clubwear.

It's OK, it contained half a metre of fake fur. I guess that makes it alright.

Motivation has taken a bit of a dip so far this week, but I've got 6 days off work now so my mood will lift quickly. I nipped out at tea time for my 5 miles intervals today, to get the running week off to a belated start. 

[marathondan]

Out at 7 this morning for the 10 mile tempo run. Damp and muddy underfoot, but I persisted with the long offroad loop and gave my new runners their first taste of real mud. The mesh now has that perma-grime colour. It was shorts and t-shirt weather - it's great that conditions are perfect for running right now, and I have the fitness to enjoy it. This was a much happier outing than the same run last week. Stopped off at the corner shop on the way home to pick up some butter for Easter cupcakes. Deducting the downtime for that, I finished nearly 3 minutes faster than last week. Likewise, the Garmin tells me that this week's interval run was over three minutes better than last week's.

My domestic skills have been put to the test in more ways than one. Not only was I attempting to artfully pipe buttercream onto cupcakes, I've had the needle and thread out. I was delighted to find that my package from Funky Clubwear included enough material to make proper arms and legs for Gus - stitched onto the t-shirt and shorts so they look like they're hanging out. Already three quarters done - he's going to look even better than last time.

One day behind schedule now, so the long run is postponed till Monday.

On the audio A-Z today, we got Meltdown (Ash) and then Metallica (aka the black album) - featuring what must be my favourite hard running track, Enter Sandman.

On the subject of Metallica, see if you find anything odd about this Amazon page.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

On the subject of Metallica, see if you find anything odd about this Amazon page.

Erm, yes, that is rather odd. Not as odd as running a marathon dressed as a gorilla, but odd enough.

Perhaps the allusion to Mr. B was a reflection of your recent forays into cupcake baking and sewing. Amazon might know more about you than you realised.

[marathondan]

Week 15 of 18

A workmanlike 20 miler completed last night on road. It was a pleasant, starlit night - no gloves required, even with a finish after 11pm. Time was 4 minutes slower than two weeks ago, but I guess you can't read too much into that. Audio was the now-familiar combo of marathontalk followed by Danny Baker. As last time, the sausage sandwich game came to a close with about 5 miles to go, but then he started an interview with Chris Waddle which was, while perhaps not compelling, good enough ear candy to keep me off the party tunes until the last moments. With around a mile to go, a full moon rose gracefully above the suburban roofline, and I just managed to get under 9 minute miling for the last quarter mile.

So, that's it folks. Taper time is here already. I think workmanlike sums up the campaign well; it's really felt like a job to be done, and in most cases I've managed to book the hours and get my time card stamped. There's been the odd spiritual moment, which may or may not have involved Cher and / or Huey Lewis, there has been mud, occasionally I've been in the mud, there have been surreal early starts and aerobic threshold work before I've had breakfast, there have been dull plods, there has been a groove worn even deeper in the perimeter of the field, and there have been a few plunges into woodland in the dead of night. 

Now the final stretch - sewing that costume, networking with sponsors, maybe even watching what I eat, then starting to think about race day logistics.

Can't wait.

   

[Sweder]

Textbook long run, Dan, replete with a swift finish and Chris Waddle. Scorchio!

Two Lewes fans - one a running brother - have, to my knowledge, taken part in the SSG. Both were triumphant, though I can't recall over whom.
Score was 2-1 in both cases, though. This is, although perhaps as thin as a well-stretched Kleenex, a good omen.

[marathondan]

Week 16 of 18

Not very much to report here. As soon as the last long run was banked, my motivation went into shutdown as my subconscious knew that the hard work had been done. As a result I was unable to get my arse out the door, and ended up skipping my two midweek runs. After a pleasant weekend I was sufficiently with-it again to go out for the tapered long one last night, 12 miles offroad. It's lovely to have reached the point where such a run feels like little more than a brisk stroll. If only I could maintain that level of fitness all year round. 

After a sunny day, the conditions were relatively balmy and I was in t-shirt and shorts despite the late evening hour. Going underfoot was firm, possibly even a little too firm for my liking. The moon wasn't yet up, the stars were putting in a decent effort through broken cloud, but by the end it was the darkest out there that I can remember; there were a few stretches of complete inability to see my feet. A serious fall or twisted ankle would be the icing on the cake right now, of course. But that will probably be my last dark outing on the rutted paths.

This is by far the most relaxed I've ever been, two weeks out from a marathon.

   

[marathondan]

Banged out 4 miles intervals in the dark last night. The moon is rising late at the moment; for some reason the spring darkness seems darker than the winter darkness. Still, my feet easily slip into the dog-walkers' track around the field and I can run the route on auto, counting steps in my head to measure out the intervals (170 steps is bang on two minutes).

Only 4 more runs now before the big one. I'm filled with child-like excitement. It's a bit like having tickets for Wembley. The date is booked but I have to be patient. It will be a glorious day out, but there's still a sense of jeopardy that the day might be a painful one.

[Charliecat5]

It's a bit like having tickets for Wembley. 

Except you don't get to sit on your arse for two hours drinking beer, eating pies and shouting at whoever needs a good shouting at...  usually the officials in my experience.  

[marathondan]

5 miles tempo today, my first lunchtime run for nearly 3 months. Funny how routines change over the course of a training campaign. Last time I was down this way, I was struggling to keep to the trail in the mud. Today the sun was high in the sky, the newly mown grass full of life, school-break kids playing and lunch-break workers strolling in shirt sleeves.

These hard runs don't get any easier, though.

Three more runs to go.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Yep, nearly there Dan. Watching with interest...

[marathondan]

Yep, nearly there Dan. Watching with interest...

That's kind of you. At this stage, preparations are rivalling the big EG / SP chess clash for interest levels.

Although I should mention that last night I sewed my legs on. Always an important job to remember before race day.

   

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Very fetching! I hope I am still at the JDRF cheer squad station when you pass to give you a special yell.

[Charliecat5]

Yep, nearly there Dan. Watching with interest...

That's kind of you. At this stage, preparations are rivalling the big EG / SP chess clash for interest levels.

Although I should mention that last night I sewed my legs on. Always an important job to remember before race day.

When are you going to put your costume on... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA



I'll get my coat... 

[marathondan]

When are you going to put your costume on... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

I'll get my coat... 

ROFLMGAO!

[marathondan]

Week 17 of 18

Race week is here. A trivial 8 miles easy round the small field last night. 

   

[marathondan]

Passing the time this week by scanning the internet for anything vaguely related to the marathon. It's unusual to see anything accurate or interesting in the mainstream media about it, so this and this are nice reads. I must say I've never seen #21 of the second article though.

The most worrying website at the moment, however, is the attached.

   

Buying jelly babies today. Expo tomorrow.

[marathondan]

Interesting developments today. Last week I popped into the local paper and got my photo taken for the annual marathon buildup feature. Today I'm on the front page. Local media have picked it up and tomorrow I'm being interviewed by... wait for it... Tony Blackburn. BBC Berkshire, 11:35am if you want to listen online.

[marathondan]

   

[Charliecat5]

Just in case I forget in my own excitement this weekend (and it doesn't get more exciting than going running with MLCMM and Billy Goat Gruff)... best of running luck on Sunday.  Not that you'll need it after all that amazing training.  Oook!

I am looking forward to the race report.  

[marathondan]

Thanks Charlie! Hopefully you're making strong inroads into the local sights with MLCMM by now. 

Interview here - tune in about 1h40, pop pickers.