I'm leaving you

Dear marathon,

I’m leaving you. Sorry, but we can’t go on like this. I can’t offer you the commitment that you need. Your insatiable appetite for early morning action has made me sore. I feel that breaking up with you is the only way I can get back on track with my life. I have so much going on outside of running. I need to get back to my family, my kids and my wife.... yes I’m married. I know this is also news to you, but I have been happily married for almost 15 years. I have strayed to a couple of marathons in my past, but we have an open relationship like that. My wife is often caught thumbing through magazines, eyeing up her next race. I handle this only by knowing she comes back to me eventually.

Look. It’s not you, it’s me. I need more space. I feel the distance is too far between us. I will come to Brighton to support our Jaffa babies. I may even wander around the 10k. Don’t panic! There’s nothing going on with me and the 10k. We’re just friends.
I hope we can still be friends. I know what we had was special. But even you have to admit that recently I’ve been a little distracted. I thought buying new Saucony running shoes would spice things up....They didn’t. They just reminded me of what comfort felt like.
I will still run. I’ll always run. Just not twenty six point two miles. That’s just silly.
Always your friend,

Brian

Giving up "_______"

So for the new year I have given up Sugar and bread. Also trying to cut down on my caffeine.
So far in 5 days I have lost around 4lb. This is good but I know that the first bit of weight to go will be the easiest. It was just mince pie and general Christmas weight.
The first week of training for Brighton Marathon has been shit. I spent a lit of the week feeling very tired with no energy to train.
I had hoped to make the Jaffa track session tonight (Monday) but the wife didn't finish work until late so I had to sack that off. So then I set up the turbo trainer with the intention of spinning out 10 miles. But after a couple of phone calls had interrupted my flow I gave in after 5 miles.
Tomorrow is a new day. I hope I can really kick start my training with some good exercise. Fingers crossed.

Brighton Marathon 2016

Here goes. 205lb! And totally out of shape. Right now I'm really not sure how I'm going to make the start line of Brighton. But I will!
2016 please be good to me! I'm now off for a little trot.

Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements?

Well it looks like I've managed to finally upset my calf. Weeks of tentatively running have come to fruition by way of over exuberant form. Basically overdoing it.

Felt a little tightness in my calf the other day after running with Abby. I was wearing my new shoes, box fresh. The one hour run was too much in new shoes. I usually break them in with general walking with an added 1 or 2 mile run. But I was feeling good. So I thought "why not?". 3 miles in and I knew something was not right. I managed to get home, but that's when the tightness started. I did leave it a good 5 days and the tightness had subsided enough to make me believe it was ok. I thought I'd try a little run (1.5 miles ) to work. Barely a mile in and the stiffness had surpassed the previous feelings. I walked the rest of the way to work and proceeded to sulk.

I am now in for 2 weeks of not running. But I have promised myself that an intensive course of turbo training is in order.

I will be at the start line in Brighton. I will not be defeated. People have completed marathons with a lot less than I have. Their are people in the world who walk that distance for food and water. Surely I can manage it for a glass of prosecco and a doughnut.

We are the privileged few. Run for fun. Miles and smiles. Remember those who can't do what I/we do.

A Run Of Two Halves

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/721183753



18.63 miles. The first half  was terrible. Had to nip home to the toilet after 5 miles. But this gave me the chance to get rid of my coat and gloves.

Once up on to valley road. I felt hungry again. I then realised that I was burning fuel which I didn't have. A long mothers day shift at the pub meant I didn't really eat well in the 24 hours prior. My better runs come after big food days. 

I had an energy gel at the 10 mile mark and this was a real life saver. I was able to carry on and I was starting to enjoy it. I had deliberately included a few Hills into today's run because Brighton Marathon is not going to be flat. I think I dealt quite will with the inclines and at no point did I fell the strain on my calf or knee. Happy it's done now though. Bath and wine to follow.
Today's play list was:

Pharrell Williams album: Girl
Charley Bradley album: Victim Of Love
Rudimental Album: Home

Not two bad

TWICE! How does it happen twice? 1 hour 51 minutes and 17 seconds for the second time. I'm really not sure how I managed it, but at the Cambridge Half marathon I managed to match my previous "Personal Best"
I can't really complain too much. The previous PB was set after a solid winter training block and a race at Great Bentley. Whereas Cambridge was of the back of 4 weeks running after a layoff with a calf injury.
I really enjoyed the race yesterday. Although very crowded in the first few miles, the scenery was second to no other city race. Cambridge always delivers beauty.
The next race for me will be Brighton Marathon in April. I'm really looking forward to it. I now have the confidence that I will complete it. I was never worried about my time in Brighton, but it would be nice to get close to my 4 hour 11 min PB.
Always have a great laugh with the Ipswich Jaffa team. Lots of support and camaraderie. Perfect weather for running too.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/714296862

Hashtag Sad Face

Not going well at the moment. Last week at Park Run Ipswich I was forced into an evasive maneuver to avoid hitting a dog, which ran across my path. I felt a twinge in my calf and slowed up. I missed a lot of training last year through torn calf muscles and this felt familiar, though not as severe. I rested it for a few days and it felt a lot better. To the extent where I had completely forgotten about. Possibly because I was distracted by having ManFlu.
Once recovered I decided to head to JAFFA track session. 3 x 12 Minute intervals. I hate these sort of intervals. They may be functional, but I find them boring. Especially on a track. I lack focus at the best of times and I could not get motivated to enjoy this session. What with the icy track too....
Then I felt the calf getting straining. Time to sack this off. Called it a day in the third interval and went home to drink some wine.
Three days on and the calf is back to being non problematic. But I'll not run until the weekend just to make sure.