2nd Time Lucky?

Last Updated on Monday, 14 June 2010 06:36 Written by The Virtual Runner Monday, 14 June 2010 06:36

Well, I think I’ve narrowed down when and where my next marathon “attempt” will be.  Frankly, this event wasn’t my first choice for a second attempt but there aren’t that many local-ish marathons before the end of the year.

http://www.farnhampilgrim.org.uk/

The event’s route is described as “mixed and mainly off-road”… great.  However, I figure that if I put the training down then, so what?  I can’t wimp out just because it’s not perfectly flat.  Besides, do I really care how long it’s going to take me to finish?  My main goal is survival for my first marathon!

I haven’t actually booked it yet, and frankly if it fills up before I can register (like the New Forest Marathon!) then I’m sorry in advance, I will be delaying my 1st marathon attempt until April next year!  Yup, if I can’t get into this marathon then I’ve decided to push it back a full year until April 2011.  Bad-side:  I’ve had to put it back so far and people were expecting me to do one.  Good-side:  It will give me the opportunity to save more money.

Let’s be positive though!  I’m going to do the marathon on 19th September in Farnham!  I’ve even did a basic training plan for long runs as follows:-

• 20th Jun – 07 miles
• 27th Jun – 08 miles
• 04th Jul – 09 miles
• 11th Jul – 10 miles
• 18th Jul – 12 miles
• 25th Jul – 10 miles
• 01st Aug – 13 miles
• 08th Aug – 15 miles
• 15th Aug – 17 miles
• 22nd Aug – 18 miles
• 29th Aug – 20 miles
• 05th Sep – 15 miles (day before we go to Greece)
• 12th Sep – 10 miles (this one might be in Greece)
• 19th Sep – Marathon

I’ve also decided that running 3 days a week is not enough for me and I’m going to go back to running on Tue, Wed, Fri and Sun.  I will try and make Tue an easy 10km run and Wed/Fri will be some 40 – 50min interval and hill training each week.  Those two training sessions have to be the big thing and I want to focus on those as well as weight training on Mon and Thu.  This means Sat will be the only day I’m not actually doing some sort of exercise.  Too much?  Perhaps.  But I’m aiming high on purpose.

Wish me luck people!

Who you calling chicken?

Last Updated on Monday, 7 June 2010 11:10 Written by The Virtual Runner Monday, 7 June 2010 11:10

Again, I haven’t been running very much; which means I am really becoming a “virtual” runner because there hasn’t been much real running going on!  I’m completely lacking in motivation and I’ve let everything slip.  I think that the trip to Canada and not being able to do the marathon was a big part of it.

I haven’t really done any running this last week at all since the Bupa 10000 in London and I would’ve thought the great feeling from that run would’ve kept me going.  Nope.  I think it comes down to mind-over-matter and I just need to get on with it!  So, starting from today I’ll be putting in a big “push” and trying to get my running sorted out.

1)  I’ll need to update my running log with total mileage to date.  I’ll also need to keep a pad or something in the kitchen (easily accessible) where I can write down my mileage and duration each time I train.

2)  I’ll need to do more quality workouts.  They can’t all be easy or long runs!  I need some intervals and even hill-work thrown in there or nothing is going to happen and I won’t develop any further.

3)  I need to watch what I’m eating.  I don’t necessarily eat loads of “bad” foods but I tend to eat too much.  I love food!  mmmmm…. food.  So, calorie intake to decrease somewhat.  I’m not going to set myself any particular weight loss goals but I’d be overcome with joy if I was 20lbs lighter than I am now.  Ooops… just inadvertently set myself some sort of mental goal.  Great, pressure.  I’d like to get down to 199 lbs (90.26kg) and maintain that weight or less.  I’d be very happy if I could do that!

4)  Need to start doing some weight training a couple times a week.  I’m not sure when I’ll squeeze this in but I’ll do my best.  I think I’ll have to re-start the whole “100 push ups” challenge as part of this to make up for the days when I can’t get to the gym and use any weights. 

Sound like a plan?  I’m not sure how it is for others out there but for us average 103kg guys this whole running thing takes a lot of motivation at times.  Wish me luck!

As for non-running related matters, we’re getting chickens!  We’ve thought about it in the past and discussed it a bit and now we’ve decided to go for it.  We’re going to get 3 hens and a nice little coop for them to live in.  Hopefully, before you know it we’ll have our own eggs!  Chicken names have already been confirmed as Claudia (Schiffer), Elle (MacPherson) & Rachel (Hunter); all good chicken names.  We just haven’t decided what breed of chicken to get yet as there are so many.  My wife is inclined to get some ISA Browns as they would normally go to a battery, however this may all change when we go to the farm to choose some.  We’ll also take the advice of the lady who runs the place we are getting the hens because we want them to be docile.

It won’t be straight away, it’ll probably happen over the next month or so because we still need to discuss a few things and make sure the funds are available to do what we need to do.  Initial outlay is the biggest thing but I think it’ll be worth it.  It’s also good for our son (he’s 3 1/2 now) as we don’t currently have any pets at all and he will learn to take care of them too.

This means that the “non running” posts of my blog will now include information on keeping hens and what’s happening with them.  I apologise in advance if you find this boring or if there are too many “non running” posts.  I mean, I don’t just run do I?