To say my running experience is minimal would be an understatement, recent activity is limited to running for the bus and I don't catch that very often! I play a wide variety of sports but my job involves allot of global travel so fitting it all in gets increasingly difficult. I have always tried to use running as a means of staying fit as it seems to work pretty effectively although until I decided to enter this years Great North Run this was starting to become a distant memory.
I ran the Great North Run last year but was completely unprepared, I was the perfect advert for how not to do it. I did not train at all for it, I did it the day after returning from a hectic travel schedule literally returning home the night before the race and to cap it all I had no food in the house so did not eat for approx. 24 hours before the race! Not the best preparation. I finished the race in 2 Hrs 11 mins but felt terrible and did not really do myself justice.
So this year some things will change.
- I will be training or at least trying to - I have started already as you might expect but it's still a bit hit and miss.
- I will be eating properly - or trying to (That means I need to learn to cook!!).
- I will be travelling allot over the next month with work and as usual will be flying back from the
- I will be looking to beat my time and hopefully feel a little better at the finish.
I dread the training which I need to immerse myself in over the next month but no doubt it will do me good. Getting out there after a day at work is probably my biggest challenge, once I get out of the hotel or my house if I'm at home I am fine. Last year Scooby- Do passed me in the race, yes I could not run as fast as a guy dressed as a cartoon character!!, This year with better preparation I will be happy if I see a few less people pass me in the race and I beat my time from last year.
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Last week was a mixed week with some good running in a variety of lovely places but a bad end to the week!
Monday and Tuesday saw me working in Irvine on the West coast of Scotland. Monday evening was magnificent with bright sunshine and the Isle of Arran framed in the low sun over the sea. I arrived at the hotel and my colleague asked if I wanted to join him for a drink in the bar before dinner. I have to run was the reply - he looked a bit shocked but off I went. I ran across the golf course at Troon and onto the beach, I headed off South towards Ayr in the distance determined to get a good run in. After about 15 minutes my way was blocked by a small river running into the sea. My first thought was to swim across and carry on running on the other side but I thought better of it. I turned around and headed back up the beach to the town of Troon before running back to the hotel. A stiff sea breaze added a little extra challenge on the home leg. My run was just over 4 miles mainly on the beach and was followed by a further two mile walk to the restaurant for dinner (It all counts)!
Tuesday was dull and overcast but the sea breeze was still there and I enjoyed my run doing about 5 miles on a similar beach route to Monday.
Wednesday I was travelling all evening down from Scotland to Cumbria after a day in the office so it was the M74 and M6 and no run - I will call that a rest day.
Thursday & Friday I was working in North Cumbria which meant I was able to stay at my place in Cumbria on Thursday and Friday evenings. The countryside to the East of Carlisle and into the Eden valley is lovely and largely unspoilt. I have a route of about 5 miles that I run here close by the lower reaches of the river Eden. The weather was great and it was a joy to run, I even felt pretty good when I had completed it.
Friday I ran my 5 mile route again in the morning before work and then in the evening after work squeezed in 18 holes of golf at Silloth golf club with some friends. My golf is a little rusty and so I tend to walk along way during a round. Great way to finish the week though, sure beats the M4!!
Saturday was another busy day, I went flying in the morning from Carlisle airport up into the Scottish borders (another hobby of mine!), the views were excellent. After a quick lunch I was off into the Eden valley for the last league cricket match of the season which lasted late into the evening. I did not manage to run on Saturday but played 45 overs of cricket instead. As an opening bowler with far to long a run up it is more physical than you might think especially on a hot day up the hill!
Sunday was not a good day for running as I could barely walk. All week I have had a pain in my right foot under the heal. Sunday it was really bad and I struggled to put any weight on it at all. I suspect it may be bruising but will rest it and see. I planned to have a long run on Sunday and then drive from Cumbria back to London. I did the drive but not the run – A bad end to an otherwise great week – Simon.
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