Recap and Restart.

It’s the 1^st January 2013 and 58 days since I got my place in the London Marathon 2013. In that space of time I have worked on general fitness in the first month and took part in a 24hr rowing marathon, then for December it was an easing in routine of running every other day and increasing distances when I was comfortable. “Time on Your” feet is an important part of any distance training, it’s not there for cardio, muscle building, core strengthening or stamina. It’s simply conditioning, training your body and muscles to understand what is going on and to get miles under your belt, physically and psychologically “time on your feet” can give you a great grounding and carrying on simple straightforward ‘runs’ throughout your training program can be invaluable! So that was December, running round in circles on an island in the Atlantic……at least until I had the idea of putting my weekly mileage down on a map, plotting from Lands End to Broadstairs, The mileage looked good for a 16 week training program so I tweaked it to add a bit and intend on “Calling In” on friends along the way.

The first two weeks were all over the shop. Escaping from West Cornwall and twisting turning to see so many friends and family, it looked like this,

Week three was a little more sensible, St Day, Truro and Probus, calling in on my past primary school headteacher and sleeping the end of the week on a roundabout at Probus.

Week four was tough…………… I was under the weather, had an aborted run and a three day “temple specific” headache which I am putting down to a cold. On top of that it was Christmas. Lack of road running found me in a layby just short of Grampound, 

however…….

Week five started on January 1^st and the first day of a 16 week training schedule. Easing back into it after a week off with a 3.3 mile run. Not comfortable, but no where near as bad as the last (aborted) one. A change of kit for today as well as I have had a nigh on neon orange T-shirt made especially for day runs by a friend in the states………

In terms of my Mainland Challenge, I’m plugging my way along the A390, heading for St Austell next and a visit to my old babysitter, Anne Double. If any of you live south of a line between Warminster, Winchester, Reading and Romford, drop me a line with your postcode and I’ll see if I can “virtually” call in on you, on my way through.

All being well it’s a week of “time on my feet” to get me back in the swing of things and then to fartlekking and hillclimbing alongside the mileage. It’s 58 days since I got my place, and 110 days to go until the marathon itself…….