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Training for the London Marathon: Week 4

January 31, 2010

posted in Life

On Tuesday, a chap next to me at the gym fell off his treadmill. He recovered himself pretty well and, after shooting off the back and into the cross trainer behind, got back on and carried on gingerly. Particularly impressive considering he was going at a fair lick of 12km/h at a hefty incline. It’s always been a big fear of mine – it only takes one wrong footfall to end up faceslamming the deck with significant force.

Obviously as the internet (and procrastionation) knows no bounds, someone has already created a playlist of You’ve Been Framed style treadmill capers. Watch and wince.

Things I learned this week:

Eating cherries can reduce muscle pain
94% of runners are College/University educated, and 20% say their favourite restaurant chain is McDonalds. This and other statistics from the 2007 Running USA Conference in San Diego can be found over at Dean Karnazes’ blog
Whilst running long distances, the body cannot, in fact, reabsorb waste water from the bladder, as my dubious running book told me. However, Frogs can reabsorb glucose from their bladders.

Next week: it’s all about the sponsorship…

Days to go: 84
Miles this week: a lowly 13, as I missed my long run last weekend…
Eating: an astonishing amount of pasta, and jelly babies (cherries aren’t in season)
Listening to: Four Tet – There Is Love In You

2010 London Marathon Training: Week 3

January 23, 2010

posted in Keeping Fit

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Time is flying by. Flying! This week started with a lovely 8-miler last Sunday – two laps around a beautifully crisp, blue-sky Hyde Park with Howard. We were quick on the first lap but slowed down a lot on the second lap, mainly due to my legs becoming a bit leaden.

Since then I’ve squeezed in two further runs, two body pump classes and some cycling, but today the achilles is complaining again, so I think I will tone it down for a few days.

So I need to start fundraising. My justgiving page is set up, but before I unleash it on the world I’m trying to think of other ways to fundraise. To complement my love of dishing up dodgy dinners to friends I’m probably going to host a Come Dine With Me style fundraiser, and I have another few ideas up my sleeve too, but I’m drawing the line at sitting in a bath of beans (I’ll just eat them all) or dying my hair red.

Days to go: 92
Miles this week: 15.5
Eating: eggs benedict (not necessarily the healthiest but DAMN good)
Alcohol: 18 units. Yikes! Not drinking is hard.

2010 London Marathon Training: Week 2

January 16, 2010

posted in Keeping Fit

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Compared with last week, this week’s training has been much more full-on. The achilles niggle was sorted after a week off pounding the streets, and I managed to get four pretty decent runs in. My body’s really not used to this sort of behaviour though, and I’ve been sleeping like a log, solidly, all week. No-one tells you that starting to train in earnest will drain your energy so!

I’ve also cut down the boozing which, when there’s an appreciable amount of wine and gin in the house, means I’m going to have to find new uses for all this undrunk alcohol. Bicep curls with Bombay Sapphire maybe?

Days to go: 99
Miles this week: 17.8
Eating: Thai Chicken Curry
Alcohol: Yes please! Oh. Um. 12 units.

Training for the 2010 London Marathon: Week 1

January 9, 2010

posted in Keeping Fit

2 Comments »

The first four months of this year are going to be nearly entirely focussed on getting fit enough to run the Virgin London Marathon on April 25th. I’ll be running for Shelter, the homelessness and housing charity, and my fundraising will be getting underway in earnest in the coming weeks. To keep me motivated and track progress I’m going to be recording my exercise regime and thoughts here until the big day.

This week
I’ve been hampered a little by a tender achilles tendon in my right leg. Contracting this injury in 2007 put me out of the Great North Run, so this time I’m determined not to aggravate it. With this in mind, other than following the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) philosophy, I’ve changed my workouts, switching to low-impact Body Pump classes and rowing instead of running.

Body Pump is essentially weight lifting to music, aiming to improve core strength. If you’ve ever seen one of these classes you may be mistaken in thinking they are an easy option. With the right weights though, these are pretty bloody tough work. The sheer ridiculousness of doing bicep curls to the sound of Bon Jovi with twenty other people (and the peer pressure) never fails to amuse and motivate.

I also discovered this week that I’ve gained 12lbs in weight since September, not all of which can be muscle, so I’ll be looking at my diet to cut out a bit of the fat.

Days to go: 106
Eating: porridge
Listening to: the slightly marvellous Running Trax compilation by Ministry of Sound
Sleeping: lots

Tap tap…

January 4, 2010

posted in London

3 Comments »

Is this thing on? So cold, so blue, so quiet…

Sweating through early summer

May 24, 2009

posted in Keeping Fit, London

2 Comments »

The weather’s hotting up, the running’s been continuing and I’m making reasonable progress, having run 61Km this month in all kinds of weather. The low point was a particularly windswept 7k in Finsbury Park in which I got absolutely soaked and shat on by a bird with greeny-coloured poo.

Today’s run was the longest so far – a 9-miler around Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill. All felt good, but the strength of the sunshine and the 22°C heat left me sprinting for the shade and wondering how those folk running ultramarathons in the desert cope. It’s surprising the difference even a couple of degrees makes.

Right. I deserve cider.

Running through the night

May 4, 2009

posted in Keeping Fit, Life

2 Comments »

At midnight on midsummer’s night, I’ll be attempting the midnight sun half marathon in Tromsø, inside the Arctic circle. The sun will hopefully be shining. There will only be a few hundred other people running. We may have to run across a runway.

Inspired by David’s marathon blog (and success!), I thought I’d post up a few thoughts here in the run up to the race. This will be my second half marathon – I completed my first in Windsor last September in lush, green, sunny and sweaty circumstances. It was a moving experience – reaching the finish line to the sound of Fleetwood Mac was euphoric – so much so that the following 10 minutes is some sort of endorphin-fuelled blur before being fed some Guinness.

Training began in earnest a couple of weeks ago, and immediately I started I succumbed to pesky chest-infection from hell. Things have picked up again though now I’m better and last week I managed a 4k, 6k and 10k set of runs as well as a rather misty Body Pump class.

So it’s onwards and upwards for the next 6 weeks or so – with sporadic progress updates here. In the meantime, Mr Jones and his knees are taking part in the Helsinki half marathon this weekend – and he needs your sponsorship goodness!

Flight Control for iPhone is more addictive than crack

March 29, 2009

posted in Computers

2 Comments »

I’m just saying. You should under no circumstances play it.

That is all.

How to: revive a washed iPod shuffle

March 21, 2009

posted in Keeping Fit

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I nearly cried when I found my iPod shuffle had been through the washing machine with my skanky gym kit. When it came out I could hear soapy water sloshing around inside it. Big sad face. However! I am now a happy gym bunny and my iPod shuffle is well again. Here’s my advice for those in a similar situation: