Another lunchtime run, on the day that marks the start of the Hal Higdon training programme for runners of London 2003. I thought it was cold last week, but wow, I wonder how many novice marathoners are beginning to envy those whose rejection letters have been arriving in the last few days? Imagine taking a turkey out of the oven on Christmas Day and sticking it straight into the freezer. Today, I was that turkey. The small office I’m working in has a heating problem, and today the temperature must have been in the 90s. By one o’clock I was fed up with it, and decided to go for my run. And so a few moments after emerging from the … …
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Here I am, a marathon trainee without a marathon. And without any training to do, indeed. The very best thing about the Hal Higdon training programmes is that they start with a rest day. Tomorrow, and the two days after that, I’ll be getting out at lunchtime for a gentle 3 mile run, but today I am officially recovering from yesterday’s non-existent exertions. It’s my kinda training regime, this. Even better, getting into the car this morning, I was delighted to feel a slight twinge in my right knee. That could become a splendid excuse if the weather remains this cold. Had a just-fancy-that email from a fellow QPR fan, Nik Blowfield, this evening, correctly identifying the park/golf-course where I … …
Tonight, watched Paula Radcliffe winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for her amazing achievements. Strange to think that I took part in two of the five events that she won, including the one where she broke the world record. No running this weekend. I need to, er, prepare myself mentally for the new training regime beginning this week. I did allow myself some R and R yesterday by drinking loads of beer at lunchtime, watching the Man United v Arsenal game, then making parsnip soup and sweet and sour chicken in the evening. It was my response to the discovery that I am now more than 17 pounds heavier than I was 8 weeks ago. There’s nothing like … …
Just recently, I’ve been working at our office near Heathrow. It’s situated in a large park, with a golf-course, a couple of lakes, and a network of sandy paths, ideal for running. Today was the inaugural jog. I changed in the office and ventured outside at high noon. There’s something about being overweight and unfit and unwarmed-up that makes running on a chilly day seem like an unnecessary expedition into the Antarctic. Despite what the barometer said, this was a day cold enough to freeze the blood in my veins, and reduce my 2003 running targets to a cruel joke. I so wanted to stop and turn back. I wanted to turn back before the sweat started to squeeze through … …
Walking is for cissies. I couldn’t hold back any longer. I wanted to join the big boys’ game again. So before lunch today I got togged up, and went out for the mildest of jogs. A very easy pace indeed. The seven or so weeks since the marathon have reduced me to… no, have enlarged me to some grotesque, misshapen version of the elfin athlete who graced the streets of Chicago. It’s been humiliating, lumbering round the local streets like Frankenstein’s monster, the gasping villagers prodding my blubber with sticks. I hear them whisper to their incredulous children: “Some folk say he once ran a marathon, you know. Never believed it myself, mind…” It was time to act. … …
The excitement mounts. I really have to start jogging next week to prepare for the offensive Spring I’ve lined up for myself. And I mean jogging rather than running. The two words are not interchangeable… If all goes well I can step up a gear the week after. I’m thinking of following Hal’s marathon training programme again, but with a little more flexibility. If I was to do London, I would be starting the training next week in any case. All I really need to get to is a comfortable 10 or 12 miles by… well, by the first week in February if I’m to do Wokingham on the 9th of that month. Hmmm. That’s not too far away. I … …
Some good news today. I think. One of my planned 2003 half marathons was to be Bath in March. It’s become one of those halfs that everyone wants to run. Even people who don’t want to run it, want to run it. It’s the Glyndebourne of half marathons. Which is why it sells out so quickly, and why I missed the cut. And then today, while poking around under the sink in a dark corner of the Runners World magazine website, I came across an ad offering 100 first-come-first-served places. Gulp. Despite the trembling fingers, I got one. That was the good news. The bad news is that it’s on March 16th, a week after Reading. Which is a … …
Time to get going again. Seven weeks after Chicago, and I’ve not run at all, apart from a desolate, two mile jog about three weeks ago. Since the marathon I’ve put on at least 15 lbs. It’s time to act. My close season is over. I’ve lost all my marathon fitness. I’m fat again, and get out of breath walking up the stairs. Excellent. Once again, we have a blank canvas. A corpse waiting to be revived. This weekend I’ve entered three events for next year: the Silverstone Half Marathon on March 2nd, the Reading Half Marathon on the March 9th and the Great North Run on 21st September. There will be many more, though these are ones that are … …
Early one October Sunday, while the sensible half of the world is still comatose, a great serpent is winding its way round a frozen Chicago. The 25th Marathon is happening. I’m somewhere in the hindquarters of this snake. Unknown to me, it’s been steadily shortening for the last forty minutes, since Khalid Khannoucchi crossed the finishing line. Now it’s almost 10:30, and we’ve just meandered across some Interstate towards Mile 16. Against the cold air, my sweat feels hot. I’ve been running for almost three hours now without a break. Mile 16. It’s a big number, and it’s where it all starts to go wrong. The plan had worked well. Yes, my legs were weakening, but even that was part … …
Leaving Heathrow in a few hours, and the excitement has started to kick in at last. Feeling dangerously undertrained, but too late to get stressed out about it. I don’t know if I’ll be able to update this until I get back to the UK, in two weeks time, but a report will go up as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone for their emailed good wishes, and a special thank you to all who have pledged donations to the UK Brain Tumour Society. Must dash – I have a plane to catch!… …