January 2012

[Sweder]

Weren't you going to get some road miles in Sweder? I seem to recall you saying some tarmac training ahead of the spring marathon might be a good idea. Given the state of your hill trails at the moment, maybe now's the time? Bit of an issue with the hounds, of course I suppose.

I - ahem - 'missed' this (honest) in the melée. A good point well made. Funnily enough I got a good 5.2 miler in this morning ... in the hills. I know, I know, but, but ... it was Narnian out there; an impossibly white and fragile hillscape, sunshine, bone-chilling wind and, and ... ah hell, if I'm going to run I'm going to bloody well enjoy it otherwise what's the point? I LOVE these conditions. The low, watery winter sun teasing the frost out of the bare branches, shadows clinging furtively to their icy veil, puddles coated in a crunchy topping. Heaven.

The hounds are an issue. I take then out every morning, the perfect time for a run. I can't take them through urban areas as a) they will drag my sorry arse all over creation chasing cats and b) on frosty mornings the pavements around here are lethal. I can see myself ending up in the ER. And yet I do need to chuck a few road sessions in there don't I? Opportunities to run at all between now and Almeria are disappearing at an alarming rate. I'm off to Geneva this week, Aberdeen next and then we're there.

So here's my pledge. Almeria gives me 13.1 road miles, a handsome start to my 2012 Brighton Marathon Road Miles Campaign. At worst I will add one evening session per week thereafter. Taking a leaf out of BB's Aquilinos manual I'll run sections of the BM course - the long, boring sections - so as to get a feel for the challenge. How's that?

Oh yes, jumped on the bathroom scale this morning after my shower. 89.8 kilos. I'm very happy with that, though I'll have to see sub-90 every time I step on it from now until BM to be truly satisfied.