Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote:After that very nice diversion to matters vinous, it was back to matters strenuous - two more short sessions safely in the bag so far this week, and feeling good with it. I've moved up to 4 sessions per week now, with the overall duration and speed up just slightly. It's all going very well, but I'm acutely aware that April is my bogey month - I've been injured in each of the last three Aprils, so I'm easing up the effort very, very gradually. But as I say, thus far it's all going very well indeed.
I've entered two short races in May - an 8km fun run and the 11km previously mentioned. I'll be treating these purely as training runs and certainly not looking for PBs or any such thing. Really they are just a welcome break from the treadmill and a chance to test out knees and things on the hard reality that is tarmac and concrete. But having entered (and paid), it means I'll be treating April with caution so as to not have wasted my money. 
Other good news - I've finally tracked down a copy of Julie Welch's 26.2, and am quite enjoying it thus far. Thanks to whoever it was who gave it such a glowing recommendation (Andy I think).
The forum is getting really quite interesting just lately, with runners of all standards getting stuck into training and a few races here and there. Some of you more talented runners make me wonder why I bother - I feel so utterly inferior reading of your triumphs and of weekly mileages that are the rough equivalent of my current monthly mileage, but then again, if it was purely about competition, 99% of us would have no cause to be out there at all I guess.
I have reached an impasse with my weight loss - down to 77kg and not budging it seems. And maybe it'll stay that way until my weekly mileage gets higher. Anyway, I'm pretty happy as I struggled for years to get close to 80kg, and now that I'm running again it melted away with comparative ease. And it has made a big difference to my joints, so it has been well worth the effort.
As ever, it's very much "touch wood", but I'm still a "beacon of optimism" and enjoying it all. Motivation really isn't a problem, especially with the forum going full bore here. If only we could get SP running again! 
And on that score SP, there's still a chance I could make it to Almeria, so you'd probably better think about starting your training anyhow, just in case. I believe Sweder could help you out with a couple of gentle hill climbs to ease into it. 
The Devil's Advocate put down his pint of Guinness and wiped his lips. "No, it's a good thing that SP has given up. He acts as a warning for everyone else..."
---
26.2 is probably my favourite running book, but it might not be for everyone. It's totally London-centric for one thing, which is one of the reasons it meant so much to me. I read it while I was training for London in 2002. I also really like Julie Welch's style. She is/was a better runner than me, but understands the plodder's universe. Last I heard, she'd stopped running and taken up long distance walking. There's not a huge amount of her in the book, of course. It's mainly other people's stories. One criticism I have of it is that it's a little lazy. All the runners come from her running club in Blackheath or Dulwich or wherever it is, or round there. A better, more inclusive FLM book would embrace the stories of people from all round the country and all round the world. But still a really good read. Out of print now, I believe.
I must read the Bono's Doppelganger book sometime. It's part of a huge unread pile by my bed...
March maundering.
