An apology

[marathondan]

"Looking up: the groove of a desperate prune"

Prune. Plum. Is this thing on?

Pearls before swine, as my English teacher used to sigh, as another of his quips fell on deaf ears.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I just slapped myself!

[Sweder]

*pokes head in, looks around, goes to leave*
What? A new post on the blog, you say? Hurrah!

[marathondan]

EG, as a fan of Guardian writing and German compound nouns, I thought you might enjoy this. (Or at least think "damn, that's another column I could have written if someone hadn't beaten me to it.")

Enjoy the comments, too.

I imagine there must be some good German running terms.

If you ever start running again, maybe we'll find out! Ha ha!

(sorry, this was originally meant to be a nice post...)

[El Gordo]

EG, as a fan of Guardian writing and German compound nouns, I thought you might enjoy this. (Or at least think "damn, that's another column I could have written if someone hadn't beaten me to it.")

Enjoy the comments, too.

I imagine there must be some good German running terms.

If you ever start running again, maybe we'll find out! Ha ha!

(sorry, this was originally meant to be a nice post...)

Let Twitter be my witness -- I mentioned Geschwindigkeitsbeschränkungen (though I had a feeling it was even longer than that - might have been a variation) with incredulity just a few weeks ago. Only just kept within the 140 character limit.

Enjoyed the article, thanks. Will get to the comments tomorrow. An early night required.

[marathondan]

Let Twitter be my witness -- I mentioned Geschwindigkeitsbeschränkungen (though I had a feeling it was even longer than that - might have been a variation) with incredulity just a few weeks ago. Only just kept within the 140 character limit.

Yes, I spotted that at the time, hence the connection. It's also a favourite of my wife's when conversation turns to the kids learning languages.

Early night - up early for an 8 hour autumn hike?

[marathondan]

I see something interesting has appeared on your signature, EG...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I see something interesting has appeared on your signature, EG...

Great Scott! You're right!

[Sweder]

Ah ... Paris. Such happy memories. That must be adjacent to Brighton/ London. Good to think some of us will be going through those pain barriers at roughly the same time.

[marathondan]

Well at least we know you weren't drunk when you submitted your entry.

I think we can all appreciate the deep and complex soul-searching that has resulted in the sound, rational and balanced decision "Feck It".

The big question EG, is how are you going to do it? (Not that I have any doubt that you will.) What do your calves have to say about this? How are the orthotics?

I hope to add Milton Keynes to the spring roll call of mighty metropoli, assuming I get the all-clear to resume training.

[El Gordo]

Well at least we know you weren't drunk when you submitted your entry.

I think we can all appreciate the deep and complex soul-searching that has resulted in the sound, rational and balanced decision "Feck It".

The big question EG, is how are you going to do it? (Not that I have any doubt that you will.) What do your calves have to say about this? How are the orthotics?

I hope to add Milton Keynes to the spring roll call of mighty metropoli, assuming I get the all-clear to resume training.

No alcohol since my London weekend, so I can confirm your first thought.

Man, I wish I could get into the habit of churning out more regular entries, and you wouldn't have to ask these very reasonable questions.

In brief, I had a reasonable summer -- eating well, very little booze, visiting the gym once or twice a week, a couple of hours walk on a Sunday. But no running. Felt pretty good, then September arrived . Not a good excuse but a couple of big leaving dos and summer parties came up at work, then a week's holiday, followed by my sister's demise and my extended weekend in London… things fell apart a bit.

But the day after the funeral I gave myself a pep talk. Worked out that I had 60 weeks until P2P 2013, and realised that something I've lacked are real goals. Anyway, these 3 weeks have been impeccable re healthy eating and exercise. Feel great. Have lost about 7 pounds (roughly half what I managed to put back on in my dip). Even had a couple of short -- 5km -- and painful runs.

Decided the best way to keep this momentum going is to set some interim targets. I really don't know if I have a spring marathon in me (mentally), or in my calves (physically). Unanswered questions. But I have the equipment and the knowledge and the will to give it a go. I have 7.5 weeks to the 18 weeks-to-Paris date. So I can only give it a go, and see how I get on in these next few weeks. If I can lose another 15 pounds or so, and feel comfortable running 5 miles at least, then I think I'll be good to go.

[marathondan]

It all sounds fabulously positive, and I really hope you make it up to 5 miles and way beyond. I don't think anyone would question your mental ability - if you're planning to go 60 weeks without booze, a marathon will be un promenade dans le parc by comparison. But you are sane (Seine) enough to know whether your calves will carry you or not.

And don't forget that there's always the run/walk option.

[Sweder]

Don't underestimate P2P. Even walking it can beat a man so close to death he can feel the Reaper's eager breath on his neck. Just ask SP. Nowhere near the mental challenge of a marathon, perhaps, but physically? It will fuck you up.

Don't read my race report on the P2P. I did last night, and am having ugly thoughts about not doing it again. But do read my Paris 2006 report. It gives a sense of the occasion, the joie de vivre that lingers in every corner of the City of Louvre. I read that and get all misty-eyed. Misty-eyed over a 26.2 mile street run. For goodness' sake.

[marathondan]

But do read my Paris 2006 report.

Anyone know where we can find that esteemed document? The link from this post is broken.

I got as far as this:

There comes a point during any torture session where the victim ‘switches off’. The pain is so great, the loss of human dignity so profound that a sort of peace, an ocean of calm, washes over them. They simply no longer care, taking a distant, detached view of their predicament. I came to this place now, arriving with the sense of relief one feels on stepping off a plane at the start of a long holiday.

but that refers to an altogether different trial...

[Sweder]

You should find a jumble of words on the topic here

[Sweder]

I take it from your recent blogpost you intend giving Almeria a miss next January. Understandable given events this year and your resolve to remain booze-free until P2P. I'm on a similar path, with a few built-in pit-stops/ falls. Christmas Day I'll have my usual Mimosa/ B52/ extravagant red wine indulgence, then straight back on the wagon. Sunday afternoon in Almeria will be treat number two. What happens after that depends on how I feel, but I could well return to abstainance until Brighton Marathon in April.

Good to see you on the trail again.

[El Gordo]

I take it from your recent blogpost you intend giving Almeria a miss next January. Understandable given events this year and your resolve to remain booze-free until P2P. I'm on a similar path, with a few built-in pit-stops/ falls. Christmas Day I'll have my usual Mimosa/ B52/ extravagant red wine indulgence, then straight back on the wagon. Sunday afternoon in Almeria will be treat number two. What happens after that depends on how I feel, but I could well return to abstainance until Brighton Marathon in April.

Good to see you on the trail again.

Well actually, that blog post was intended to give an entirely different impression re Almeria. Or at least, to leave the reader guessing. The temptations of the flesh, as it were, are of no significance. If I have to avoid social occasions because I can't trust myself, then I'm a beaten man. And I won't be a beaten man.

No, bigger considerations are taking time off work, as I need to store up extra days for the Antipodean jaunt, and the fact that Almeria is not a straightforward journey any more. Last year was a bit of a nightmare with Iberia twice failing to get me to my connection in time. Believe it or not, my best option would be to get there via Gatwick, and even that would involve an overnight stop in Blighty. We'll see.

If you can have a few drinks on Christmas Day or post-race in Almeria then get back on the wagon, good for you. Sadly, I can't seem to quickly get things back on track once the seal is broken. For me, it's better to keep it intact.

[Sweder]

Just noticed an Alpine avalanche on the main page.
How wonderful.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Back in 2013 when Mrs MLCMM and I visited and stayed with EG in Zurich I took this photo of his marathon medals. Having enthusiastically followed EG's running through the years it was fascinating to see the line up of bling representing many years of hard running graft.

In going through the holiday snaps today I rediscovered this and thought I'd share it here. I know EG would be too modest to share the photo himself, so here it is. I'm not sure what else to say about it, other than 'well done EG, a bloody great effort!'. And thanks, of course for the inspiration that keeps my own modest efforts alive.

Of course this was prior to his Berlin marathon the following year, so I guess a return trip is required to update the photo. Maybe next year?

[Sweder]

It's the one on the far right that has me pausing over 'no more city marathons'
What a fine piece of metal