New Shoes!

I splashed out on some new Adidas running shoes yesterday. My circa 10 year old Hi-Tech ones were getting rather worn, and probably weren't helping my muscle pains.

Thursday 15th January:

3 mile route (anti-clockwise) 30:15. Felt a lot better. Actually came back out of breath rather than being worried too much about hamstrings etc.

Having read some more about training and preparation. It is obvious that I have started far too late! So I plan to gradually build up my miles so that I can complete 10 miles at around end of Feb, early March.

This week I will aim to do the 3 mile route every other day, and continue stretching and exercises in between. Making 12 miles for the week. Then increase mileage the following week.

That's the "plan". Let's see if I can stick to it!

Steady......

Sunday 11th January:
5 miles (clockwise) 56:12. Same as Friday. At a gentle pace that I would hope to complete the half marathon at I felt ok, other than my right leg.
More stretching needed, I think. I don't think that doing 3 miles at the weekend is enough training though. Hence the 5 miles.

Gently does it!

Friday 9th January:
3 miles (anti-clockwise) 35:50 felt ok at this gentle pace, other than my right hamstring felt a little "tight".
I may stick to the 3 mile route for the next week and see how I feel, before regularly running further distances. I still have enough time to get fit enough to "run" the half marathon. So I need to make sure that I don't pick up an injury.

"Training" to Jan 6th

Wednesday 31st December:
3 miles mainly to keep up the habit. Felt OK, and could have gone further.

Friday 2nd January:
5 miles (Anti-clockwise) 51:30 felt OK

Sunday 4th January:
5 Miles (clockwise) 49:34 felt OK

Tuesday 6th January:
5 miles (Anti-clockwise) 56:14 felt a few twinges in my right leg. So stopped to stretch a few times and jogged quite slowly for the last couple of miles.

I may now stick to stretching and indoor exercises until the weekend. I have fear of pulling a muscle and not being able to continue.
Just looking at the above that is 18 miles in one week. Hardly Olympic standard, but still a lot more than I did the previous week. And the week before that for that matter. I am 47!

Marathon Man (well half anyway)

Having thought about it for a while, I have entered the Fleet Half Marathon which is run on Sunday March 15th.
I have been trying to get back into running on and off over the past few years, but have found that the years are catching up with my muscles and tendons.
I have been going out for 3 and 5 mile jogs for the last month or so. But now I have a goal to focus on.
Having read a few books, the main thing that I need to focus on is not doing too much too soon. Even though the "race" is only about 10 week away, I need to make sure that I can complete it and not worry about my time.

Also keep a diary of my training progress. Where else?.......

Is it me or is the Christmas Tree smaller this year?

That is what Zoe said a couple of weeks ago when we went through the ritual of assembling our "artificial" christmas tree. Artificial that is as opposed to a "real" tree that has been cut off at its trunk and will shortly die. Hannah and Daniel both agreed with Zoe. I just sighed and said that they must all be growing up so fast.

Think Bike!

An exciting thing happened whilst I was cycling to the station to go to work a couple of weeks ago. A car cut straight across the road and knocked me over!

I lay there in the road for a while just to check that nothing hurt too much (it didn't). Then got up to find the girl who was driving the car was in a right state. She was hyperventilating and in quite a state of shock.
Fortunately as we were outside of an estate agent there were a few people on hand with nothing else to do. So they kindly provided a seat and a cup of coffee.

In the end just a few colourful bruises was the damage to me. My bike's front wheel was wrecked though.

On a more Important note, Daniel has started Cub Scouts!
He has only been to three meetings so far, but appears to really enjoy it. He has done air rifle shooting which he wouldn't have done otherwise, and has started to learn map reading and a few other activities.