After Sundays Half Marathon my body is aching.....I give myself the Tuesday night off to rest.
Wednesday, Tennis and a run - no to the pub I tell myself.
We have What I can only describe as a 'Marathon tennis set', Jez and I against Rob and Jared...we are 4-0 up and then Jez's serve lets him down and our opponents are back in and gain momentum......4-4,5-4,5-5 all the way to 9-8 and then the break....over an hour and a half later we WIN 10-8!
Chaps go to the pub....I go home and run around the park....this is not my normal self.....pub or run ? normally the former, normally a no brainer !
One lap at threshold pace.....pushing myself I feel discomfort again in the left knee....Abington Park completed in 13 minutes....and ice pack to the knee.
In the morning I am in pain, my left knee has swollen and hurts to walk on....is this lights out ?
Friday morning, John Corrigan, London Marathon runner and IPSL Facilities Manager confirms a £ 150.00 Charity Donation to help kick start our fund raising....BIG THANKYOU JOHN....if your reading this and haven't donated...go on....GIVE !
Lunchtime, Lisa and I go to the SportsAID luncheon which we sponsor. We hope to raise some more money but fail in our attempts....I'll blame the credit crunch...not all bad as Lisa wins a REEBOK YOGA set....well done girl....and a client gives us the heads up on a large deal coming our way.
John, my business partner and I go to an Air Ambulance/Rotary 'Black Tie' event. I can't train so decide a night on the red wine.....helps to forget the pain, good fun and great company !
Saturday night and the knee is still not right.....a friend has given me a new deep heat product for my knee......I'll see how things are tomorrow.....fingers crossed....please,please sort yourself knee.....this was my main concern as my weekly training and mile bank increased......
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Half Marathon Day....
Friday in London to meet business associates where we share ideas and try and park the economic doom and gloom swallowing us all up.
Mr.Brown really needs to get a grip on the economy and bank lending.........it's a joke.......he is killing good businesses all over the UK.....banks can't make decisions, banks won't loan.......learn from the Germans and make swift, good, economic decisions to support business, the people they employ and families they help support. I'll stop here as this is a Marathon blog and not a business blog but as Claire Oram at work would say.....they need to 'Get A Grip'!
Arrived half hour late at the Verseermany, Regent Street Indian Restuarant...a little posh compared to my good, local curry houses in Northampton....the chaps had a drink waiting for me.
A slippery, slippery slope as one drink led too many and then more in Soho......I'd broken my no alcohol plan until after the Marathon....no regrets it felt great !
Sunday I take on the half Marathon in the gym......1 hour 59 minutes solid running - boredom and belief challenge again.......I'd done the Great North Run 2 years prior so as long as I did not get injured I felt confident I could do it.
I complete it just as my wife,Lisa, daughter,Isabelle, brother,Ian and family arrive for a swim......not a pretty site as I try and broker a conversation in a state of exhaustion.... I have quick steam and jacuzzi before joining them in the pool.
Well Done chap I tell myself.......your on target to do this bloody Marathon !
Mr.Brown really needs to get a grip on the economy and bank lending.........it's a joke.......he is killing good businesses all over the UK.....banks can't make decisions, banks won't loan.......learn from the Germans and make swift, good, economic decisions to support business, the people they employ and families they help support. I'll stop here as this is a Marathon blog and not a business blog but as Claire Oram at work would say.....they need to 'Get A Grip'!
Arrived half hour late at the Verseermany, Regent Street Indian Restuarant...a little posh compared to my good, local curry houses in Northampton....the chaps had a drink waiting for me.
A slippery, slippery slope as one drink led too many and then more in Soho......I'd broken my no alcohol plan until after the Marathon....no regrets it felt great !
Sunday I take on the half Marathon in the gym......1 hour 59 minutes solid running - boredom and belief challenge again.......I'd done the Great North Run 2 years prior so as long as I did not get injured I felt confident I could do it.
I complete it just as my wife,Lisa, daughter,Isabelle, brother,Ian and family arrive for a swim......not a pretty site as I try and broker a conversation in a state of exhaustion.... I have quick steam and jacuzzi before joining them in the pool.
Well Done chap I tell myself.......your on target to do this bloody Marathon !
Monday, 9 February 2009
Let it snow,let it snow,let it snow !
Last week saw the worst weather for 18 years hit the South west.......Northampton gets away lightly with just 6 inches of snow ! Only 9 of our 86 employees make it to work...beaten by the hazardous driving conditions....some 'soldiers' walk in....we all muck in together to deliver a good customer service......engineers and some colleagues worked from home and played a great innings in remotely supporting clients.
My training comprised just 2 of the required 4 visits to the gym....Fartlek training ( previously discussed ) and interval training for an hour and a half.........Claire from work was working out with her son,Luke......Claire,1 of the 9 above....our first employee 15 years ago and acs through and through....we love this girl....top,top girl !
Sunday.....the weekly miles in the bank run......one and a half hours this week and 15 km please.....half an hour into the run I'm seriously bored and thinking of stopping when Terry, a business associate and friend walks in....can't stop now....keep going.....10 minute 'bite size' chunks again.....I'm f*cked but have done it.... quick shower, Starbucks Latte and 10 minutes with the paper before meeting Lisa and Isabelle for lunch.....return home and rebuild Isabelle's melting Snowman !
My training comprised just 2 of the required 4 visits to the gym....Fartlek training ( previously discussed ) and interval training for an hour and a half.........Claire from work was working out with her son,Luke......Claire,1 of the 9 above....our first employee 15 years ago and acs through and through....we love this girl....top,top girl !
Sunday.....the weekly miles in the bank run......one and a half hours this week and 15 km please.....half an hour into the run I'm seriously bored and thinking of stopping when Terry, a business associate and friend walks in....can't stop now....keep going.....10 minute 'bite size' chunks again.....I'm f*cked but have done it.... quick shower, Starbucks Latte and 10 minutes with the paper before meeting Lisa and Isabelle for lunch.....return home and rebuild Isabelle's melting Snowman !
Sunday, 1 February 2009
A week on and a 2 hour Challenge !
Tough but rewarding week at work but only once to the gym . Should of done 60 minutes of Fartlek training - yep...Fartlek - a Swedish word to mean running fast, slow,fast, slow to develop stamina....nothing in the tank and I only achieve 40 minutes. Lisa's training seems to be coming along - she is focussed and had a good run at the weekend with her Brother in Law.
Friday comes, Ron Hadaway's leaving bash - a legend in our business for 14 years who is taking early retirement. Nip to the gym and do an hours run before showering and catching up with Ron and everyone for a drink.....LOVE THIS CHAP....real quality man.
I'm on the waggon until the Marathon.....everyone is quickly half cut and I offer myself up as the taxi man for the evening !
Saturday, Isabelle and I hit the park for the afternoon, babysitter then arrives and Lisa and I are off to Ade's 40th in Town...good fun and another Lime and Soda night !
Sunday morning we have breakfast together and I'm back at the gym. After 50 minutes I hit the know, familiar wall of boredom and belief.....just make the hour I tell myself and start again. I do but I'm f*cked ( apologies Mum ! )so reduce the gradient and the speed down to 9.5km/hour.....just make one and a half hours - you've done it before so can again I tell myself.....then 5 minute chunks....1.35,1.40,1.45 and I have that faint and dizzy feeling of last week. What's 15 minutes ? I tell myself - come on you can't give up now.....and then you now your going to do it and your body kicks in again and I increase the speed for the last couple of minutes.
My t-shirt is totally soaked...not a pretty site, quick shower and back home to chill and relax with the family........Lisa makes her best Sunday Roast ever....the girls learning !
Friday comes, Ron Hadaway's leaving bash - a legend in our business for 14 years who is taking early retirement. Nip to the gym and do an hours run before showering and catching up with Ron and everyone for a drink.....LOVE THIS CHAP....real quality man.
I'm on the waggon until the Marathon.....everyone is quickly half cut and I offer myself up as the taxi man for the evening !
Saturday, Isabelle and I hit the park for the afternoon, babysitter then arrives and Lisa and I are off to Ade's 40th in Town...good fun and another Lime and Soda night !
Sunday morning we have breakfast together and I'm back at the gym. After 50 minutes I hit the know, familiar wall of boredom and belief.....just make the hour I tell myself and start again. I do but I'm f*cked ( apologies Mum ! )so reduce the gradient and the speed down to 9.5km/hour.....just make one and a half hours - you've done it before so can again I tell myself.....then 5 minute chunks....1.35,1.40,1.45 and I have that faint and dizzy feeling of last week. What's 15 minutes ? I tell myself - come on you can't give up now.....and then you now your going to do it and your body kicks in again and I increase the speed for the last couple of minutes.
My t-shirt is totally soaked...not a pretty site, quick shower and back home to chill and relax with the family........Lisa makes her best Sunday Roast ever....the girls learning !
Boredom and belief day.......
I have been in the gym every 2 or 3 days since Lisa gave me a hard time. My breathing is more or less sorted as I run....no longer a concern of other runners !
I arrive at the gym to achieve the one and a half hour run.....at 36 minutes my heart and motivation sank as I realised I was not even half way and would need to dig deep. Man United ( my team - NB.I am from Manchester! ) and Britney were on the plasma's in front and definately helped me take my mind off the seconds, slowly, slowly, ticking along.
The boredom of running - that devil in your head telling me to give up,no one will know - fighting against your inner belief to keep going and believe you can. It's hard graft, I break the last half hour into three ten minute targets.
I did it....the last ten minutes I even increase the speed with the excitement of achieving one and a half hours. I have run 15km and over 1000 calories burnt.....not bad for a fat chap, non runner !
I feel like a drunk getting off the running machine. Dizzy, faint and unable to walk in a straight line I am not the best example of a potential Marathon runner.
Tuesday I find myself with Keith, my physio. I have seen him a little too often recently - he is a tri-athlete, a top bloke who is seriously fit. My left knee is swollen, giving discomort and needs sorting if I am to increase my running time. He makes me do certain exercises and then gives me 3 pages of exercises for home - it is clear to him I am not a runner and will need to take it easy to remain fit in my training and on the big day !
I arrive at the gym to achieve the one and a half hour run.....at 36 minutes my heart and motivation sank as I realised I was not even half way and would need to dig deep. Man United ( my team - NB.I am from Manchester! ) and Britney were on the plasma's in front and definately helped me take my mind off the seconds, slowly, slowly, ticking along.
The boredom of running - that devil in your head telling me to give up,no one will know - fighting against your inner belief to keep going and believe you can. It's hard graft, I break the last half hour into three ten minute targets.
I did it....the last ten minutes I even increase the speed with the excitement of achieving one and a half hours. I have run 15km and over 1000 calories burnt.....not bad for a fat chap, non runner !
I feel like a drunk getting off the running machine. Dizzy, faint and unable to walk in a straight line I am not the best example of a potential Marathon runner.
Tuesday I find myself with Keith, my physio. I have seen him a little too often recently - he is a tri-athlete, a top bloke who is seriously fit. My left knee is swollen, giving discomort and needs sorting if I am to increase my running time. He makes me do certain exercises and then gives me 3 pages of exercises for home - it is clear to him I am not a runner and will need to take it easy to remain fit in my training and on the big day !
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