Running from scratch

Just had a weights workout today before I go away for a few days. I have decided to enter the Godiva Half Marathon in Coventry on October 22nd this year so at least I have a short time goal to aim for....Write in a few days....Steve

Just got back from the 7 mile loop, Managed to escape being splatted by a whole host of white delivery vans who think it's funny to drive at 90 along country lanes as close to the hedgerow as possible. Wore the Polar running computer and heart monitor for the run and recorded 1hr 1min 32s 882 calories Max heart rate 177 bpm and Average heart rate 154 bpm. Got to work out all of the other features on the computer but I was pleased to shave off another three minutes from the seven miler. Will be away for a few days on Thursday and unable to train so will try to get a gym session in on Wednesday....Steve

Arms and chest are a bit sore from the gym workout and I never got chance to go on a run tonight, never mind, it will either be a 7 mile run in the morning or the gym for some more toning a row and a shortened run....Steve

Yesterday I visited the gym and decided that I would start toning up the body a bit and give the legs a rest. All this cardio work has seen thirty pounds drop off me and left me nice and slender (13 stone 5 lbs and 6' 2") I just need to start tightening up the abs and chest a bit and add some strength to my arms. I started off with a 2.5 kms warm up on the rowing machine then did 3 x 20 reps on 4 weight machines concentrating on the sides of my stomach, my chest, abs and biceps, At the conclusion of this I finished off with a 2 mile run. Tonight I ran a quick 1.7 miles to Stoneleigh then walked for 3.5 miles before returning home. Took delivery of a Polar Running computer and tested my fitness which fell into the 'GOOD' band.

Just got back from running the seven mile loop again, I managed to shave off over a minute and the weather was against me being very warm and sunny, I guess about 70 degrees. I seem to run a lot easier when it's cooler! I'm going to rest the legs for a couple of days now having run about 27 miles this week which is more than enough, thankyou. 6.5 miles on Monday, 7 miles on Wednesday and 7 miles today plus a couple of 3 milers either in the gym or on the roads. I still find it hard to imagine the pain and exertion a non stop 26.2 mile run would bring, that is all the runs I have done this week rolled into one GULP!!! Anyway got to go and paint a wall magnolia to match the front of the house (Deep Joy!!!) Time today was 1 hr 4 mins 09 secs...Steve

Woke up off nights today at 1230pm and saw that the weather was cool and overcast again so I pulled on the running shoes. I had been experimenting with something called 'Gmap pedometer' which allows you to plot routes and accurately measure them (www.gmap-pedometer.com)and had come up with another local loop of seven miles (Finham, Stoneleigh, Stareton, Baginton, Finham). A check in the car confirmed the distance to be exactly seven miles so, off I went. The wind was up a bit and there was quite a lot of resistance on some of the route, this coupled with the three hills, one of these being a real grueller I was expecting to be sapped at the end of the run. I have had a 48hr break since the six and a half miler on Monday and felt good today, I still had plenty left at the end of todays run and have decided to start pushing the speed up and not the distance. My problem is I have little confidence in going off quickly believing that I will be knackered half way round. I have invested in a good 'Polar' heart rate monitor which should help with pacing myself and measuring my level of exertion (this is due to arrive Friday). My time today was seven miles in 1 hr 5 mins and 29 secs. This is a little over nine and a half minute miles which I could get down below 9 minutes easily if I stepped it up a little. Anyway enough of my rantings, Going to have a rest day tomorrow and probably do the seven miler again on Friday or hit the gym...decisions,decisions!.....Steve

I got up this morning with the knowledge that I haven't got to be in work until 10pm tonight. I was also stranded at home for the morning because the man painting the outside of my house was due back to finish off and needed paying. By 10am he still hadn't arrived and so I decided to go out on a road run but this time I was going to 'UP THE DISTANCE' as the weather was perfect (Mid 60s with cloud and weak breeze) The other night I jumped in the car and drove a few scenic loops that extended from my normal 3.2 mile run and finally came up with one that measured 6.6 miles and included quite a bit of hill work. This would be the furthest I have run since I was a young and fit twenty something. Off I went and after I had ran to Stoneleigh (1.6 miles)I still had the option to turn round and run home like I usually do, however my legs felt great and so did my lungs. I ran over the ancient Stoneleigh bridge and up that big long, scary hill that made my calves burn a little towards the top. I carried on regardless and ran past the N.A.C show-ground turning right and up through Stareton village (more like a hamlet)I carried on round Stoneleigh golf course until I finally reached Stoneleigh village again (5 mile marker) and then resumed the last 1.6 mile return leg. When I got back home I felt fantastic and would have had no trouble doing a 7 mile, 8 mile or perhaps even a 9 mile course. I shall definitely be getting out there again on the same route. I did not stop once on the route and kept up a good steady pace all the way round until I was ambushed by a motorist half a mile from the end asking for directions GRRRRRR. I helped the young lady out and off she went (typical). As for my time, well it was one hour and 1 minute exactly, however I did forget to stop my watch when I was helping out the motorist so I am calling it one hour which equates to 9 minute miles. I am hoping to run the marathon averaging 10 minute miles so for my first extended run I am quite content. This run was not speed training but stamina training and is the first step in increasing my distances. I will need to be running regular 15 - 20 mile routes come New Year 2007 if I want to complete the marathon without problems. I know I could have pushed myself a bit harder today, either by increasing my speed slightly or distance slightly, I still had plently left in the tank when I got home and now I realise that it was the heat that was sapping me not my fitness. It feels great to get my first 10K run under my belt, in fact 10560 metres......Steve

I have missed a few days with one thing or another, however I have only missed out the writing not the training. I was back in the gym on Monday and Tuesday this week, I missed out Wednesday (RESTING) and back in the gym again Thursday afternoon where I recorded one of my best times on the treadmill. 28 minutes running covering 5.75 kms, most of it ran at 13.5 kmh apart from a 3 minute cool down at 8 kmh. Last night I got the running shoes on to do a road run to Stoneleigh village and was joined by Gregory, my nine year old. Greg has fantastic fitness being a very good footballer (Pacy midfielder who has just won the Under 10 League with his team) and he proved to be a great pacemaker for me. We got into Stoneleigh village (a bit further than normal at 1.7 miles) in 13 and a half minutes. We then went on a 3.5 mile walk and ran the same route back home to Finham after the walk. I felt on top of the world running back but Greg was flagging a little as we sprinted the last 100 yards. It was much better running in an evening summer breeze and has encouraged me to try it again on an extended route. I would like to build up to 4 or 5 miles over the next month. Hopefully completing 6 - 8 mile routes come Autumn. My friend and work colleague did the London Marathon in 4 hrs 58 minutes last year without stopping and reckons that I have enough time to get prepared for Spring 2007. I doubt it somehow but may still apply in August 2006, who knows??? Steve

Well I was back in the gym today for the first time in a few days and it was bliss, in fact it was air conditioned heaven after running along roads in the recent heat haze wiping bugs out of my eyes. Managed 5.3 kms in 25 minutes today before the 3 minute cool down when I added anothe 0.4 kms. Rowed for 5 kms and cross trained like a man possessed. Definitely be using the gym whilst this heat persists. It was nice to have the weekend off the training and the calves have returned to normal after their punishment last week...Steve

Yep, It was definitely too hot today plus I'm a little delicate from the BBQ and there was a small matter of football on the TV to consider too. My legs are grateful, I can tell, and it will give time for my tight calves to loosen up a bit. Might hit the gym tomorrow and start paying for Friday night's debauchery, who knows.... Steve

I cannot believe I have just gone for a run in 80 degrees of heat, I must have been mad, maybe the sun had already got to me before I pulled on my running shoes. I had some notion that the heat would be good conditioning training but instead it made me stop and tip water over my head three times in as many miles. I WILL NOT run in that heat again, it was not nice and it was not clever!!! The problem is that tonight it's the BBQ hosted by yours truly and I hadn't got time for an air conditioned work-out in the gym. I should have just knocked it on the head and had a rest day like I intended to. Maybe I have turned into an endorphin junkie already. I may go out tomorrow but it will be an easy run when the sun has gone to bed. Anyway, time to get busy with the BBQ preparations. Oh, as for todays run time, I stopped timing it after I stopped to walk for the second time but I guess it was about 30 minutes.....Regards Steve

Well, I said I wouldn't attempt any more road runs in this heat but I start work at 2pm today and I have got quite a bit to do for a BBQ at the weekend like mowing the lawn and stocking up on cold beer and steaks so off out I went at 9.30 this morning.
By the time I have driven to the gym, found a parking space, got changed, worked out, got showered etc, I have lost most of the morning so a road run made sense . The run today took 27 minutes and 36 seconds shaving a full 22 seconds off the run the other night. If I had rested on Wednesday I reckon I could have got nearer to 27 minutes but if I am honest I have over-trained a little over the last five days and my legs were a bit tired today. My times at the moment only equate to 8 1/2 minute miles which by anyones standards is very slow, I would like to get this down to sub 8 minutes before too long. I saw the 2006 London Marathon time for the winner, 2 bloody hours and 6 minutes, that's 26 5 minute miles, unbelievable. That guy must be super human, if I trained everyday for the next 10 years I couldn't manage ONE 5 minute mile let alone 26 and a quarter of them. Anyway the BBQ is tomorrow and it's gonna be a rest day for sure with plenty of cold beers, I might get out for a road run on Saturday, I'll have to wait and see how things pan out.......Steve

Due to the unexpected heat-wave in Coventry at the moment I have decided to continue running in the gym until it cools down some. I suppose I could have got out of my pit at 0600 hours and gone for a nice cool run on the roads but a 0900 start in the gym seemed a better prospect. I had no aches at all after the three miles or so on the road last night, perhaps I should push it up to 4 miles next time until it starts to hurt just a little, we'll see. I managed 5.6 kms in 28 minutes on the treadmill including the 3 minute warm down, I am actually running 5.1 kms in the 25 minutes running period which is a little over three miles. Did the same old routine on the rowing machine (2.5 kms at the start of the session and 2.5 kms at the end) plus a 5 km cross train after the run. I will try and get out on the road again soon but not when it's 70F degrees plus, that would put me off it forever. To be honest I'm looking forward to Autumn when it's nice and cool and the leaves are turning, hopefully I will be running over 6 miles by then.

Almost three months ago, the day before St Patricks Day in fact, I had a life changing panic attack about the state of my health and my body. I had reached 15 stone and 8lbs and could easily get out of breath running up a flight of stairs. I kind of wish I had started this journal of my mid-life crisis then, but I didn't, so here is day one of my brand new blog. I have never been very active, I am 42 years old and did very little to keep fit, well next to nothing if the truth be known, who I am kidding??? NEXT to nothing, I DID NOTHING TO KEEP FIT WHATSOEVER. Since that fateful day in March I have joined a gym and been there about 40 - 45 times over the last two and a half months or so. I have cut out cheese, chips, chocolate, MacDonalds, cake, biscuits, fat milk, sugar in tea etc etc and I now take brown rice with mackerel and vegetables to work plus a fresh fruit salad or I have a jacket potato and a couple of bananas. I won't bore you with a list of what I now eat, suffice to say it is a LOT healthier than the crap I used to pig out on. The gym was very hard work initially, I started off with 27.3% body fat (Shocking really) and the treadmill would finish me off after 5 minutes at 10kmh. Basically I walked the treadmill whenever possible, fannied about on the cross trainer and did a bit of cycling. Since those first few sessions I now warm up with a 2.5 km row on a Concept II rowing machine at Level 10 followed by a 25 minute run with 3 minute cool down, followed by 30 minutes of cross-trainer interval training (Level 5 rests with Level 10 activity and 3 minutes cool down), followed by a 2.5 km row at Level 10 to warm down. My best to date on the treadmill is 5.7 km in 28mins (this includes a 3 minute warm down at 7 kmh) My runs are mostly on the level between 12 kmh and 14.5 kmh. It is because of this massive improvement in my fitness and my TWO STONE weight loss (Now 13 stones 8lbs and 19.8% body fat) that I have decided to take the running aspect a bit more seriously and start road running instead of pounding the treadmill in an air conditioned gym plugged into an Ipod and watching MTV. Tonight I have done my first run outside a gym in a long,looooooong time and this blog will plot my progress and times in between running and gym work.....MY GOAL, well I am hoping to run the London Marathon in 2007 for Cancer Research. As for tonights first run, I ran 3.2 miles from Finham to Stoneleigh village, a few hills in between, Time was 27 minutes and 58 seconds and the weather was warm and sunny (70 degrees). I was plagued by little black flies that going in my eyes and down my throat. My next goal to up the distance to 5 miles and get that 3.2 mile course down to sub 25 minutes. A bit of long winded entry for a blog but I needed to get down the history of my fitness campaign from March 2006.......Regards to you all Steve