Yeah but no but yeah but no but

At least I do it every day now and after four or five such marathons I can now make it all the way to the end of the path in one go. I actually feel fitter.

Al though at the moment I don't feel particularly fit. I do, however, feel very slightly pissed. That Stella's strong stuff.

I'd best clean up my act, the wife'll be home soon. Eek!

Marginally better than nothing

I ran from the bus stop to my house today. Half a mile. That's it.

I'm shit aren't I?

A study in beer as a pre-cursor to fitness training

I was supposed to be running a mile this weekend. I didn't go out on Saturday though, I was too busy looking after the kids and then later watching the mighty Shakers beat Accrington Stanley in the fog. Anyway, Accrington are shit, Bury are fantastic, we beat them 2-1 and if you want to know more about Bury I suggest you visit the club's premier independent website, http://www.mannyroadend.co.uk/. Besides I went out for a skinful on Friday night on my works do, I didn't really drink that much to be honest but had a curry and with a burning ring of fire I didn't feel like going for a run on Saturday morning. I then went out with my mate Tim on Saturday night and had four or five beers in The Brook, so probably wasn't in peak condidtion by Sunday morning.

Undeterred, I did the same route as last time. Its probably about three quarters of a mile to a mile. I ran a bit further without stopping than previously - managing to reach St Edmunds Hall Close and walking to Salmesbury Close before running the rest of the way.

The plan has got to be, keep doing that course until I can do it easily, then start extending my route. Sounds sensible.

I timed myself today. I was out of the house for an astonishing ten minutes. Oh fuck, I'm going to have to run for two and a half hours in less than ten months. Its a mighty challenge and no mistake.

Great Booze-Up, Edmund!

Speaking to my younger brother at a family wedding on Saturday and he's planning to do the Great North Run next year. I think i've always had a sense of rivalry with him although there's no good reason why. He's in the army, served in Iraq aswell and although still in the army, he now has a desk job in Epsom and isn't quite as fit as once he was - he does run though and in a fitness contest would wipe the floor with me, no question.

So that's my target, the Great North Run, on September 20th 2009. 13.1 miles from Newcastle to Gateshead and as such, I've realised that i'll need to plan my approach wisely.

At present I could run a mile if my life depended on it. In almost exactly 10 months time I need to be able to rattle off 13.1 miles without needing medical attention. Hmm, could be tricky.

So i've set myself targets of what mileage I need to be able to achieve and by what dates:

29/11/2008 - 1 mile
27/12/2008 - 2 miles
24/01/2009 - 3 miles
21/02/2009 - 4 miles
21/03/2009 - 5 miles
18/04/2009 - 6 miles
16/05/2009 - 7 miles
13/06/2009 - 8 miles
11/07/2009 - 9 miles
25/07/2009 - 10 miles
15/08/2009 - 11 miles
29/08/2009 - 12 miles
12/09/2009 - 13 miles

Baby steps is the way to go, so this weekend I'm going to run a mile. I am.

Crazy Man

I went for another run today. My wife, Jane, said I was a crazy man but i'd been stuck in with a poorly wife and two poorly children all day so I was probably going crazy anyway.

I went down the back path and up Whittingham Drive. I ran all the way to number 206 on Whittingham and then walked for a bit until just before St Edmunds Hall Close, then ran all the way home. Not only that but when I was approaching home, I felt like I could do more so instead of going back down the path, I carried on and went up Chiltern Road / Close back to my house.

So that's two runs in a week, and I can feel the benefits already. I only covered probably three quarters of a mile to maybe a mile but I ran much further without having to stop than last time.

First Run since high school

I'd been meaning to take up jogging for a little while. I've always had in the back of my mind the thought that one day i'd like to run a marathon. Perhaps it seemed like the sort of thing one should do. Some people aspire to write a book, some to swim the channel, some to see Bury win two games on the trot but I'd always fancied running for 26 miles in a single day.

A couple of my work colleagues did the Great North Run - 13 miles, a half marathon and then I watched the DVD - run Fatboy Run where our hero Denis Doyle (Simon Pegg) runs a marathon and I thought I'd rather fancy that.

I began to fantacise about my running. Marathons in London and New York, I could extend it to fell running as i've always enjoyed the hills and general outdoors. Then there was a news article on telly about a national fell run - it was a sign!

Finally, on Monday the 17th of November 2008, when i'd had the day off work. I was bored and something needed to be dropped off at a house at the end of our street I decided to put my masterplan into action. I said to the wife, "I'm going for a run. And I'll drop this thing round to that woman's house whilst i'm at it, then i'll take the long route back."

I went upstairs, put on my shorts, a tshirt and my old trainers and went for a run.

Its about a half a mile to the end of our street and I successfully ran about half that distance before becoming overcome with exhaustion. So I walked for a bit, then ran, then walked and finished off running. I reckon I probably ran a quarter of a mile, walked a quarter of a mile, ran about a sixth, walked a sixth and finished with a final flourish when I knew my wife and daughter would be watching. I scrapped the idea of taking the long route home. Seemed like hard work.

I wonder if i'll ever go for a run again. I'd like to think I will, but we'll see. This'll be a crap blog if I don't.