Sit up September

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Spring has got its claws into me dear viewers, as it does most years, with three more runs to report from the last few days, as well as pleasing progress in both the two hundred sit-ups program and also the one hundred push-ups program.

First run was a 30-minute intervals session of no great consequence, other than that I actually bothered to get off my lazy arse and do it, which was pleasing, but no great shakes otherwise.

Next run was a classic album affair - this time a firm favourite in the form of the supergroup Asia's self-titled first album from 1982. It's a heavily produced album, and therefore perhaps lacking in that simplistic grinding rock that is so good for running to, but it's still a great one for runners if only because most of the tracks are so appropriate: Heat Of The Moment, Only Time Will Tell, Sole Survivor get you off to a great start, and then just as you warm up along comes One Step Closer and Time (and time) Again. And so it goes on. The second half has the other wonderfully apt tracks Wildest Dreams, Cutting It Fine and the fantastic Here Comes The Feeling to end with! I tell you, it's like this album was made for runners.

So another great album done in the series - a tad over 6km covered.

Album du jour: Asia, by Asia (1982)
Track du jour: Here Comes The Feeling, for finishing it off just right.



Third run of the week was my long slowie, completed today (Saturday). This was to be a Sunday run, but a change of plans late yesterday saw me up early (and not in the best frame of mind) and off I set to tackle a two hour session, fortunately in ideal running conditions. Not a lot to say really: just a slow, steady plod completed without too much difficulty - 17 kms in 2 hours and 3 minutes. I'm happy with that.

Actually I'm very pleased with my endurance fitness which is returning despite a lack of commitment in recent months. I'm still very slow but that hardly matters at this stage. It's just such great running weather now that it's a real pleasure to run. I met up with my brother in law and his wife about a week ago, and they are pretty inspiring newish runners. He runs 20km every Saturday just for fitness and she is in training for the New York marathon in a few weeks time. They recently ran a half in 1h 45m, so they've got me motivated as well.

Am also making good progress with my sit-ups programme, now completing well over 100 per session. The push-ups are much harder, but progress is to be seen there as well.

No injuries, no significant soreness and feeling great with it - so I'll keep plodding on.

Aims and goals with all this? Well it does seem a little odd to be doing this much running with no goal. I guess I'll squeeze in a half marathon somewhere, and if I can get some serious hill training done over the next few weeks and tim e off work, the Point to Pinnacle might be feasible at the end of November... but we'll see. I'm just making it up as I go along at present, and for the moment that suits me fine.

Stay tuned.