1 Month, 27 Days, 11 Hours, 52 Minutes to go.....
Today was run to work and back day, I nearly managed to run to work non-stop, I made it from home (Saltash) to Plymouth railway station non stop running, I just couldn't quite make it up that last steep climb to the bus stop, maybe next time! Despite running 95% of the route it took 5 minutes longer than last week, I guess I paced myself better to take on the hills.
Not much else happened on route, my knee gave me a bit of gip on the way home, but it is still only a graze and will stop stinging soon.
This week has been a bit of a struggle, with motivation, pain and the such, the fundraising total hasn't moved for a couple weeks, so if your out there and fancy popping some money in the just giving site it will give me a bit of a boost.
Anyway gotta go.
Cheers
Snooky
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Jog down memory lane
2 Months, 3 Days, 10 Hours and 9 minutes to go.....
Today was a change, we had to make a flying visit to Kent this weekend to pick up my daughter from her grandparents, which meant if I was to keep to my training schedule I would have to take my gear with me and go for a run around the Medway towns. Now, I thought the combination of all the towns were about the same size as Plymouth, but having now run it I discovered they are much smaller. I thought if I ran to Rochester Bridge and back from Rainham I would be close to 16 miles, I was wrong it was only 13.2 miles which I duly completed in 3 hours.
The route took me past so much of my history, it started by running through the country park where I often walked my dog, the next part of the journey was a route I used to walk to keep my fitness after my operations on my stomach. I passed the council buildings where our lives were interogated by social workers when we went tried to adopt a child. Then past the building where we had our Sunday league AGMs. I ran past a whole load of venues where I have gigged such as the Tap n Tin, the Crown, the George Vaults, The Medway Manor Hotel, the George Hotel, The Star, Gillingham Golf Club and one venue which I both gigged at and regularly played football at, which used to be Lloyds Social Club now called 442 club.
I ran past the pub I had my last pint as a single man and then past the church where I had keep that last pint in for two hours!! then finally headed back to the house.
I took a tumble just as I got to the furthest point of my route, I caught my foot on a raised paving slab and stumbled trying to keep my balance but ended up on my hands and knees, grazing my right knee quite badly and a little cut on my right elbow. Two cars stopped but I was soon back up on my feet and thanked them for stopping and limped on. The pain soon eased off and I got the pace back up.
As for the difference between the Medway towns and Plymouth, hills!!!! I could actually run most of the route because what I had thought were hills in the past were just slight inclines really, the only real hill on the route was Chatham Hill and that was evil, probably on par with Lower Forder Road in Plymouth.
Anyway I'm back in Saltash now and my knee is stinging a bit but I don't think there's too much damage.
Speak to you soon
Cheers
Snooky
Today was a change, we had to make a flying visit to Kent this weekend to pick up my daughter from her grandparents, which meant if I was to keep to my training schedule I would have to take my gear with me and go for a run around the Medway towns. Now, I thought the combination of all the towns were about the same size as Plymouth, but having now run it I discovered they are much smaller. I thought if I ran to Rochester Bridge and back from Rainham I would be close to 16 miles, I was wrong it was only 13.2 miles which I duly completed in 3 hours.
The route took me past so much of my history, it started by running through the country park where I often walked my dog, the next part of the journey was a route I used to walk to keep my fitness after my operations on my stomach. I passed the council buildings where our lives were interogated by social workers when we went tried to adopt a child. Then past the building where we had our Sunday league AGMs. I ran past a whole load of venues where I have gigged such as the Tap n Tin, the Crown, the George Vaults, The Medway Manor Hotel, the George Hotel, The Star, Gillingham Golf Club and one venue which I both gigged at and regularly played football at, which used to be Lloyds Social Club now called 442 club.
I ran past the pub I had my last pint as a single man and then past the church where I had keep that last pint in for two hours!! then finally headed back to the house.
I took a tumble just as I got to the furthest point of my route, I caught my foot on a raised paving slab and stumbled trying to keep my balance but ended up on my hands and knees, grazing my right knee quite badly and a little cut on my right elbow. Two cars stopped but I was soon back up on my feet and thanked them for stopping and limped on. The pain soon eased off and I got the pace back up.
As for the difference between the Medway towns and Plymouth, hills!!!! I could actually run most of the route because what I had thought were hills in the past were just slight inclines really, the only real hill on the route was Chatham Hill and that was evil, probably on par with Lower Forder Road in Plymouth.
Anyway I'm back in Saltash now and my knee is stinging a bit but I don't think there's too much damage.
Speak to you soon
Cheers
Snooky
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Still getting quicker
2 Months, 6 Days, 11 Hours, 53 Minutes to go.....
Run to work and back again today, bit damp this morning but quite refreshing. I managed to run most of the 5 miles in only dropping to walking pace for three hills. I beat my best time again, getting my 5 miles in down to 51 mins, but still can't get the return to under an hour.
Not much to report about the run really, same old same old.......
Cheers
Snooky
Run to work and back again today, bit damp this morning but quite refreshing. I managed to run most of the 5 miles in only dropping to walking pace for three hills. I beat my best time again, getting my 5 miles in down to 51 mins, but still can't get the return to under an hour.
Not much to report about the run really, same old same old.......
Cheers
Snooky
Monday, 16 February 2009
Can you over train???
2 Months, 9 Days, 11 Hours, 55 Minutes....
So how have you been? Sorry I haven't written for a while, I've been a bit busy lately. I missed the Thursday training session due to being too knackered after having to go to Newport with only 4 hours sleep the night before.
So along comes Sunday morning, time for the big run/walk of the week, still struggling a bit with a cold from my drenching last week, had a good stretch set off on another 16 mile jaunt. What I did find that having missed a training session my legs felt great and so I ran and ran and then got somewhat carried away and ran even further all the way to Marsh Mills only slowing to a walking pace for the steeper climbs. At this point I was an hour ahead of last week!!
Then as I started the journey into Plymouth, my legs and feet started to complain, and would you believe it, when I drove past where "that" puddle was last week was all dried up, but yep today it was back as big as ever. I gave it a really wide berth and got through dry, although I was clocking the car regs as they approached. There was another puddle further along, but there was no escape route, so I had no choice but to sprint past as fast as I could between cars, which after about 1o miles at that point was no mean feat.
The last 6 miles were a struggle especially as the majority of it was up hill, I got home in 3 1/2 hours that 1/2 an hour of the previous week and brings me almost into the 5 1/2 hour target range for the marathon. So progress is still being made.
As far as the weight is going, another 4lbs off this week so that's now 1 stone 5 lbs lighter in 6 weeks.
cheers
Snooky
So how have you been? Sorry I haven't written for a while, I've been a bit busy lately. I missed the Thursday training session due to being too knackered after having to go to Newport with only 4 hours sleep the night before.
So along comes Sunday morning, time for the big run/walk of the week, still struggling a bit with a cold from my drenching last week, had a good stretch set off on another 16 mile jaunt. What I did find that having missed a training session my legs felt great and so I ran and ran and then got somewhat carried away and ran even further all the way to Marsh Mills only slowing to a walking pace for the steeper climbs. At this point I was an hour ahead of last week!!
Then as I started the journey into Plymouth, my legs and feet started to complain, and would you believe it, when I drove past where "that" puddle was last week was all dried up, but yep today it was back as big as ever. I gave it a really wide berth and got through dry, although I was clocking the car regs as they approached. There was another puddle further along, but there was no escape route, so I had no choice but to sprint past as fast as I could between cars, which after about 1o miles at that point was no mean feat.
The last 6 miles were a struggle especially as the majority of it was up hill, I got home in 3 1/2 hours that 1/2 an hour of the previous week and brings me almost into the 5 1/2 hour target range for the marathon. So progress is still being made.
As far as the weight is going, another 4lbs off this week so that's now 1 stone 5 lbs lighter in 6 weeks.
cheers
Snooky
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
A stone down a few to go.
2 Months, 15 Days, 11 Hours and 15 Minutes.....
Today was a run to work day, a little earlier this week because of work commitments. So now running 15lbs lighter than when I started training I managed to knock another 2 minutes of my run into work, that's 5 miles in 54 minutes. The run back was not so quick and a bit of a struggle.
The weather was great this morning, if not a little milder than expected as I was wrapped up well, too well. It was nice to run in the dry for a change.
Not really much to report in either direction, apt from the music on the Ipod showed great timing today, as i got to the hardest section JR Walker & the Allstars blasted out with (I'm a) Roadrunner, quite apt really.
That was about the highlight of the run!
Cheers
Snooky
Today was a run to work day, a little earlier this week because of work commitments. So now running 15lbs lighter than when I started training I managed to knock another 2 minutes of my run into work, that's 5 miles in 54 minutes. The run back was not so quick and a bit of a struggle.
The weather was great this morning, if not a little milder than expected as I was wrapped up well, too well. It was nice to run in the dry for a change.
Not really much to report in either direction, apt from the music on the Ipod showed great timing today, as i got to the hardest section JR Walker & the Allstars blasted out with (I'm a) Roadrunner, quite apt really.
That was about the highlight of the run!
Cheers
Snooky
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Lost and Soaked in Plymouth
2 Months, 17 days, 11 hours and 28 minutes to go... (11 weeks)
Today was a day to push the boundaries once again, and it was another day of learning,
Today was a day to push the boundaries once again, and it was another day of learning,
- How far I've come and far I still have to go with training
- trust your instincts
- 4x4 drivers are morons
- pace yourself
- tape them nipples!!
So to how was today? it was cold and wet, I set off just after 9 am fuelled with a couple of bananas and cup of coffee. The planned route was to do the reverse of what I planned to do last week, my biggest route yet and feeding off my walk/run to work on Thursday I decided to run and walk this week so really stepping up again. You'll guess what...... yes I have burst out of my cocoon and now have a flourescent yellow coat!!!!!
I struggled to get started and walked the first mile or so just to get warmed up, there was a light drizzle as I headed over the bridge to Plymouth but instead of heading down into St Budeaux I took a quick left and headed off towards Crownhill, I ran on and off along Crownhill road and made pretty good progress, then I got to the end of Crownhill Road and onto the road that drops down to the A38, but I was on the path on the right-hand side of the road and the path turned away from the road, my instinct was to cross the road and carry on down the hill, but no I decided to follow the path thinking that maybe there would be a path down to the road or it was just going around a couple of houses and then carry on down. How wrong was I, it took me into a housing estate, I walked the full length of a road expecting a path or steps down the hill, the road turned out to be a close, so I had to back up, I went up some steps and tried another road and walked/run for ages to find I was now on a crescent that ended up about 20 yards from where I joined it. I finally found a road that went down to where I wanted to be and carried on to Marsh Mills.
By now the rain had picked up and the roads were getting wet, I moved on from Marsh Mills heading down the embankment, by this point I was managing to pick up the pace jogging most of the way. A gaggle of yellow coats came the other way, then I came to the worst point of my run. I was just reaching the end of the embankment and as I said the roads were getting wetter, I got to a little recessed area which had a massive puddle where it joined the road, I didn't think much of it but then along came a complete and utter moron in his 4x4 who drove through the puddle just as I was passing, completely soaking me from head to toe, I was already damp but this was a nightmare, just let's say the air was a little blue, I watched about another 15 cars or so go past and not one touched the puddle, so I can only assume he did it on purpose.
I got through the town centre without any further incidents and once I reached the station it felt like I was on the home stretch, the usual climb up Alma Road, to the Britannia Pub. I started off jogging onto Wolesley Road and just as it began to rise up from the Milehouse Service Station where I normally drop to a walking pace another runner crossed over and started running in front of me, he was of the yellow coated stick insect variety, in kicks the competitive streak in me, I kept running, I overtook the stick insect going up hill! but then I had to keep going, so I ran and kept running all the way to Camels Head junction, I was really pleased with myself especially as I was 3/4 of the way through my run. Then I started the climb up through St Budeaux and I started to regret the last run, my feet were really starting to ache and my legs had suddenly got very heavy an the nipples were starting to sting (when I got home they had been bleeding!!).
The last 2 miles were painfully slow, but I got home. 16.6 miles in four hours which is 6.5 hour pace. So how far have I come? In 6 weeks I have gone from struggling running for a bus, to running/walking 16.6 miles, but right now that is about my limit. So how far to go in the next 11 weeks basically I need to find another 10 miles in these legs and lose an hour off my pace.
Oh and get some plasters!!!!
That's it for now, cheers
Snooky
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Another goalpost passed.... ye haa!!
2 Months, 20 Days, 14 Hours and 34 Minutes to go......
Today was another "walk to work" day, but I made the decision to try and run and walk to work and back today, so I prepared in advance taking 2 days worth of lunch and a change of clothes and shoes to work yesterday so I wouldn't have a heavy backpack today. Well it done the trick, I got into work in 56 minutes, 5 miles of hills, my previous best was 1 hour 10mins, I was ecstatic, to put that into context it only took me 15 minutes longer than if I had driven and caught the Park n Ride! The weather was fine this morning, dry and not too cold and the buses were hunting me down in pairs to taunt me today!! the 1a and the 43 both pulled up alongside me at the same time!!
The return journey was not so great, it poured down with rain although when you're running it doesn't seem to notice too much apart from your clothes getting heavier. The return took an hour and 5 minutes (a lot more up on the way home) again another personal best for the journey.
To be honest the lungs are fine with the training, but the legs are struggling, they are feeling really heavy, but I guess it's always going to be hard on them with the amount of weight they are carrying.
I'm doing the Slimming World eating plan again so hopefully the pounds will continue to fall off.
Anyway gotta go, see ya.
Snooky
Today was another "walk to work" day, but I made the decision to try and run and walk to work and back today, so I prepared in advance taking 2 days worth of lunch and a change of clothes and shoes to work yesterday so I wouldn't have a heavy backpack today. Well it done the trick, I got into work in 56 minutes, 5 miles of hills, my previous best was 1 hour 10mins, I was ecstatic, to put that into context it only took me 15 minutes longer than if I had driven and caught the Park n Ride! The weather was fine this morning, dry and not too cold and the buses were hunting me down in pairs to taunt me today!! the 1a and the 43 both pulled up alongside me at the same time!!
The return journey was not so great, it poured down with rain although when you're running it doesn't seem to notice too much apart from your clothes getting heavier. The return took an hour and 5 minutes (a lot more up on the way home) again another personal best for the journey.
To be honest the lungs are fine with the training, but the legs are struggling, they are feeling really heavy, but I guess it's always going to be hard on them with the amount of weight they are carrying.
I'm doing the Slimming World eating plan again so hopefully the pounds will continue to fall off.
Anyway gotta go, see ya.
Snooky
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
What snow!!!
2 Months, 22 days, 10 hours, 28 minutes... My poor kids watched TV this morning seeing the snow all over the country and then looked out the window and we must live and work in the only 10 square miles of England that didn't get any snow over the last couple days.
I got out to run tonight, 3.5 miles again. Although it was cold it wasn't a bad run and I made good time, so I'm going to add a mile on the next run. It's getting interesting now as the stick insects are starting to recognise me, lots of acknowledgments tonight.
Well to be honest not much else to report, I only lost 1 lb this week and work is hard at the moment so I'm struggling a bit with tiredness, but I'll keep going because I know you're all out there willing me on.
Cheers
Snooky
I got out to run tonight, 3.5 miles again. Although it was cold it wasn't a bad run and I made good time, so I'm going to add a mile on the next run. It's getting interesting now as the stick insects are starting to recognise me, lots of acknowledgments tonight.
Well to be honest not much else to report, I only lost 1 lb this week and work is hard at the moment so I'm struggling a bit with tiredness, but I'll keep going because I know you're all out there willing me on.
Cheers
Snooky
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