Cold and cough

Despite hitting the gym last night in a kill or cure attempt, I just can't seem to shift this cold and cough. Its just after 8pm and I'm going to have to go to bed, I feel very tired.

UK 70.3 - 2007

Hopefully I will get into the London marathon in April 2007, after my 10th year of applying.

I had hoped to do a full ironman next year but I still unsure. Anyhow, while I dither some more, I've entered to do the UK 70.3

Sitting on a train

No training for the next couple of days as my wife is away on business to Spain. I'm on kid-sitting duties.
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Opening - Gustavo Santaolalla

Inspired from listening to the theme tune to Brokeback, I've pulled my guitar out from under the stairs and I'm hooked, I'm not very good, but hey! Alas, this is not helping my training for marathon in a couple of weeks.

In an attempt to get back on track I hit the gym after work, gosh the gym was packed.

I'm off to watch spooks, strum a few chords on my guitar, oh and have a cup of tea.

11 miles to Brokeback Mountain

I watched Brokeback Mountain on DVD last night ..... I've seen this movie before at a cinema in San Francisco ..... it's a great movie ......

Accompanying me on my 11 mile run this morning was the music from the movie by Gustavo Santaolalla. I was completely lost to the hauntingly beautiful guitar, clear blue sunny skies and the autumnal Oxfordshire countryside.

I hit a constant 9.11 minute mile throughout my 11 miles and felt that I could keep on going at this pace.

Only 27 days to go until my marathon, I feel that I'm on target for a good first marathon attempt.

Cough, cough

Blast, still feel like crap ... arrrggghhh I haven't been sick for years why now.......???!!!!!

Out for the count!

I'm down with flu, sore throat, cough and trouble breathing .... gosh I'm very tired. Hopefully I'll be back to training soon. I've only got 35 days until my first marathon.

7 week training schedule for marathon

So I have seven weeks left until I run my first full marathon. Rather than continue with my unstructured training, I'm attempting to use a plan from someone who knows what they are doing. Although I'm not entirely convinced but hey I'll give it a go.

Week 1
Monday: Rest?????
Tuesday: Easy Run - 3 miles at 10 min pace?????
Wednesday: Rest????
Thursday: Tempo run - 5 miles at 8:55 min pace
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Long run - 8 miles at 10:30 min pace

Hmmm does not seem very difficult, but hey its only week one. Lets see how I progress. My goal is to complete marathon in 3 hours 45 min.

You are half way ... said a ladies voice

This is great iPod Nike+

I pushed the center button on my iPod and was off for a quick lunchtime three mile run. Every mile in my headphones a nice ladies voice would call off the mile markers, a push of the centre button and I had my pace, its great, I feel like I have an onboard coach.

But what did make me smile was right at the end of the work-out as I pushed the stop button on my iPod ..... Paula Radcliffe congratulated me on my fastest mile, this was cool. Thanks Paula.

Fitness and diet

A wonderful morning for a run, it was a peaceful sunny Sunday morning and I left with iPod and new Nike+ ipod connector. It tells me via audio my distance and pace, its a great bit of kit. I kept to 8 minute pace for the last three miles, which was unusual for me, I guess it must have been the sunshine and great music that pushed me on.

Cup of tea anyone?

Its been an OK week for the running schedule, I just need to start and pick up the pace! Good news though I seem to be getting my fitness back and coming out of my slump.

Stepping up

Crikey this is tough. I've started to step up the run distances and frequency in preparation for my first marathon in October. This weekend I'm aiming for a 12 mile run.

Slump

For the past year I was focused on training for my first UK 70.3 half ironman. Having completed this back in June I now find myself in somewhat of a slump.

I can not seem to get back into the swing of training. I thought maybe not having a goal was the problem and so I have signed up for a full marathon in October. Hopefully I will snap out of it soon.

74 days to go (marathon)

Just returned from a long vacation a few pounds the heavier and I seem to have lost my fitness?!!!!

I need to get back into the swing of training for a marathon in October.

World Cup Final

Wahooooo I've got a VIP ticket to the football world cup final, Italy v France, sorry have to be quick as I've got a flight to catch.

Pictures from 70.3

What next?

Hmmm what next?

Since my 70.3 I've done a couple of short distance runs and a long cycle ride. On Friday I did a 21:15 for 3 miles, with my last mile run at 6 min 41 seconds?!! Not sure where that speed came from.

I have a "London three bridges" relay race on Thursday and then the London Chase Corporate challenge the week after.

Not sure what my next challenge will be ..... maybe a full ironman?!

Wonderful !!!!

Wow what a fantastic experience!!!!

I set two alarms for Sunday morning, one at 3.20am and another for 3.30am. I need not have bothered as I was already awake. Trying not to wake the wife and kids, I snuck out of bed into the lobby area of my hotel room. I put my clothes on and pick up my "white" bag and cycle pump.

I crept down stairs and into the lounge area of the hotel, it was a small hotel and the staff had laid out weetabix and milk and two glasses of OJ. At 04:15 my taxi arrived and 40 minutes later dropped me off at the venue.

"OK! I need to check my bike and pump up my tyres".
"Wow, everybody has the same thoughts".
"BANG !!!!"
"Oh cripes what was that" ..... somebody had over-pumped their tyres, poor chap. Fortunately a mechanic was on stand-by.

I finished with my bike and started to put on my wetsuit ..... Ooops I need the toilet. Hmmm .... a long queue.

We were all called to start the swim. The klaxon sounded and we were off. I was at the back of the pack and started to swim, but I was disoriented and could not stop swallowing water. After a minute I finally calmed down and got into a rhythm, a mixture of breaststroke and front crawl. The swim was tough, but I was so pleased to have finished and stumbled out 42 minutes later.

I ran through transition and out onto my bike. I hit the first hill after a matter of minutes. The cycle course was very tough, several 14% hills. During the descents I would zoom pass several people, I guess I was good at going downhill. This one chap shouted across ..... "this is the third time you have passed me on the descents" as we just hit the start of a long climb he added "I guess I'll see you later"???

With 10 miles to go I started to get cramp, I managed to push through and pulled into transition with a cycle time of 3 hours 45 minutes.

The run was difficult with a nasty hill climb. We did three loops of a circuit and the supporters and fellow runners were very friendly. I hit the 12 mile marker I started to smile, when I hit 13 miles, I was laughing, and when I came onto the red carpet and the finish-line, I was laughing and crying.

I don't quite know what was happening, but crossing the finish line was a tremendously wonderful feeling. I have not stopped smiling since.

1 day to go

This will be my last post until after the event. I am so very, very, very, scared. In my job I've presented to a room full of hundreds of people, I've managed projects that have tottered on the edge, I've been in the middle of critical IT crashes, but never have I felt so nervous about something than I do now. This is stupid especially as its something I signed up for?!!?!?

The swim scares me the most...... I just hope I can do this in under the cut of time. I know the bike and the run will be tough but I can handle those.

Oh flippin heck.

In 45 hours time I will be wading into a lake at 06:05am on Sunday, taking a deep breath and .......

2 days to go

I've struggled to find a taxi who was prepared to take me from the hotel to the venue at 04:30am on Sunday morning, phew finally found someone who would do it!!!! This way the wife and family can have the car and won't have to get up and drive me to the venue. Hmmm not sure why she's coming?