Phil runs London

Overdoing it

2010-02-16T13:02:00.000Z

Since I cocked up last year's attempt to run the marathon by buggering up my leg, I was determined it wouldn't happen again.The result?A summer of physio, and a new cycling regime to keep the fitness up without the pressure on my ridiculously feeble knees.Fitness-wise, it's going great – 22 mile round trip every work day has got me into fairly reasonable condition.Unfortunately it's also

Blogging's hard

2010-02-16T09:30:00.000Z

Last year, in my ultimately unsuccessful attempt to run the London Marathon, I managed to write oodles of posts of variable quality.I'm somewhat behind this time.Cycling to work means less time on public transport to write these missives, and more hectic work day means less time to post them – I don't have a dongle...Last year blogging really helped me reflect on each run, and the overall

Muddled week

2010-02-15T19:38:00.003Z

I've got this week off work so I've had a jiggle with my runs.Today's normally a rest for me, but I had that yesterday and did my long one on Saturday - which was odd, but a nice change.I did an 8 miler with 4 miles at race pace (3 easy, 4 hard, 1 easy) and I did it in my new Nike's.I've had better runs.Couldn't settle into a rhythm for the first 3 miles - don't know if it was the trainers, or

That was the week that was

2010-01-24T18:06:00.003Z

Another week over, another battle with my reluctant body won.Sort of.Last week was my first go at planning my training in a while, and it seemed to go ok.I don't mind hill reps at all, so that was all good, though my knee complains like mad the next day.I've also got back to the place where I can run solidly without my body persuading my brain to walk a short distance, which is a massive boost to

Alone once more...

2010-01-19T17:30:00.001Z

After several weeks of putting up with me (longer than I expected), Sally has unceremoniously dumped me as the protege she was steering towards London Marathon glory.Or, more accurately, until I can scrape together some cash for a Garmin so she can actually see how I'm doing to personalise my training programme, there's not much more she can do for me. With payday still too far away, and xmas

Late update - shock

2010-01-19T14:03:00.000Z

I've been a busy bee for a few days - I even cleared a load of crap from my garage so I can now almost fit a car in there. Not a proper car, probably one of those hideous G-Wiz things, but still I'm proud of my toils!My cross training on Thurs was forty-five mins on a bike - piece of piss! The weird squats and stuff afterwards were more an issue as I kept getting Vietnam-style flashbacks to PE

Soggy joggy

2010-01-13T20:11:00.002Z

Snow kicks ass - it looks good, is great fun to cycle through and generally cheers me up.Unless I'm running in it when it's a slushy mess.Tonight's run was a feast of slush.Preferable to ice?Yes.But still a bit too much cold squelching for it to get into the vicinity of a pleasant experience.It looked pretty straightforward on paper - just keep the legs turning over - but I'm going through a

In conversation with...

2010-01-12T19:49:00.000Z

...my trainer, Sally: For those wondering what it's like having an e-trainer, here's an excerpt from a typical conversation with mine. S: How did run go today?P: I ache and bits of me froze off. You're horrible S: Sounds really, really perfect P: Can I fire you? S: Anytime. Am thinking you're probably not fat enough that's why you're freezing P: You said I was too fat before! I'm zonked S:

Not a great start to 2010

2010-01-11T19:57:00.003Z

If I've started this year as I mean to go on, I could be in trouble.Last week I was down for about five hours in total on my feet, but the snow - well more the ice - scuppered that.Bugger.Doesn't bode well for the rest of the year so I need to get my arse in gear to prevent it becoming a cycle on procrastination.This week I've got:Mon: 60 mins FartlekTues: restWeds: 75 mins steadyThurs: 45 mins

Obligatory New Year post...

2010-01-05T12:30:00.000Z

As the Earth has completed another orbit around a gaseous ball of fire, it must mean it's time to look forward to 2010, and knuckle down to my third attempt to run the London Marathon.I've been laying the groundwork over the last couple of months with Sally but now my calendar says it's the same year as this marathon thing, it's time for the laser beam focus.My knee is complaining, but holding in

FFS...

2009-12-22T12:45:00.000Z

I'm beginning to get the familiar, almost comforting, sense of loathing normally reserved for my own shortcomings or particularly inept colleagues.This time, it's the former that's the subject of my ire.After injuring myself before London, I swore I'd make sure I didn't go through that again, so have spent most of the rest of the year trying to strengthen the knee with physio, exercises, and low

First fart tomorrow

2009-12-15T20:13:00.002Z

It was bound to happen - as inevitable as southerners making a massive fuss about a little bit of snow.Ever since I started this running lark it was clear, at some point, I'd have to have a go at "speed play" or, as it's more amusingly (to my juvenile mind) called: fartlek.Tomorrow is my first session of farting - 40 mins of giving it a bit of welly for a bit, then jogging for a bit, then giving

And now, back to our feature programme...

2009-12-09T08:58:00.002Z

One of the rules of successful blogging is apparently that you should never apologise for not posting in a while.Some people interpret this as meaning you should post often to keep readers coming back, but for my own purposes, I choose to interpret it as glossing over my tardiness in a slightly flippant way.So, non-apology over, what have I been doing?A lot!Sally - the personal trainer I won on

Marathon pain comparison

2009-11-11T20:17:00.005Z

I'm not gonna lie - running a marathon is not a pleasant experience.I've only made it round one, and it was horrible.But, the ever-soothing passage of time helps erase these painful memories and allows you to convince yourself that it wasn't actually that bad, so why not give it another go?That is why I tell people that whilst pretty much anyone can do a marathon with proper preparation, they

Pain is relative

2009-11-10T08:26:00.007Z

Like the really annoying uncle you never want to visitRegular readers will be giddy as a bunch of street drinkers in the Threshers sale to know I've managed not to accidentally hurt myself lately!The key word being 'accidentally'.I have had a minor operation to remove the remaining fragments of tooth that my ill-thought out attempt to stop myself falling from bike with my face didn't fully

Phils hills ills

2009-10-27T19:00:00.001Z

Tonight was my first attempt at 'hill reps' as part of my London Marathon training.Allegedly...Yes, I went to the park apres the bulk of my work day, but pres (I'm sure that's right) an evening meeting.Yes, I had spent the day mentally preparing myself to jog for 10 mins to warm up and have my first go at 5 x 1 min uphill, jogging back down.Yes, I even ate healthily through the day so I was well

Bike service resumes

2009-10-27T13:14:00.003Z

Following a few weeks off the bike due to gross stupidity, it was with mild trepidation that I once again donned the hi-viz and helmet yesterday.I know this is supposed to be a blog about running, but I've started to rely on the bike as a way of not only getting to work cheaper (and quicker!), but as great for my overall fitness and a good way to strengthen my stupidly lame knees.First thing to

Training while injured

2009-10-22T16:30:00.000+01:00

I figured that one of the few benefits of cracked ribs, amputated parts of hand and smashed teeth would be that I can take time out to chill from marathon training.The ribs are the main problem at the mo – though they only hurt if I do anything requiring superhuman effort like, say, walking.Or sitting.If I'm being honest, the last two attempts at the marathon were not exactly built on solid

I'm not fat, it's just big bones!

2009-10-13T09:17:00.002+01:00

I knew having a trainer helping me run the London Marathon wouldn't exactly be fun, but there's motivational, and borderline mean.After diligently filling in a few forms about where I am now and promptly sending them off it was dispiriting to see that the opening of the email response from my trainer Sally included the phrase:“Not really overweight either”There's nice!I'm about 11 stone 6lb. I

Failing to plan is planning to fail

2009-10-11T13:12:00.003+01:00

Unless you get someone else to do it for youIn the immortal words of Hannibal, I love it when a plan comes together.It's even better when you don't have to go through the hassle of actually making the plan in the first place!As anyone who has ever run a marathon knows, you can't just rock up on the day and run 26.2 miles – unless you're a freak of nature who's incredibly fit. In which case you

I won something!!!

2009-10-07T17:48:00.002+01:00

It looks like me terrible run of luck might, at last, be changing for the better!I've somehow won £500 worth of training for the marathon thanks to the (hopefully) lovely and kind @Sall_y via twitter.I've no idea what it involves (why trouble myself with such trifles!) so it could be another piece of bad luck masquerading as good fortune, but the unfamiliar glow that I assume comes from winning

Only 200 days to go!

2009-10-07T09:30:00.005+01:00

Today begins the 200 day countdown to the Virgin London Marathon.Nervous?Excited?Non-plussed?If you're running, I hope you're in a better state of preparedness than me - distraction, injury and general stupidity mean I'm not as far along in my training as I'd like to be.Thankfully, I've acknowledged this earlier than in previous years and have plans in place to get up to scratch. Hopefully these

Here we go again...

2009-10-05T12:09:00.003+01:00

There goes my lazy winter...

Post waiting depression

2009-10-02T14:46:00.004+01:00

I don't know what I did to the postman, but I think it must have really pissed him off.Not only am I still waiting for my London Marathon News, but other mags I usually get on a Friday still haven't turned up. I'm used to them turning up on Saturday, but it's now Monday and there's still nothing...Maybe it's because I've started remodelling my front garden?I've tried to make sure he's always got

Getting motivated for training

2009-10-02T09:34:00.002+01:00

Being a pain in the arse kind of bloke, no-one ever knows what to get me for my birthday.Thankfully this usually results in lots of book vouchers and my 30th this year was no exception!In a rare example of me trying to be helpful, I decided to make a list of books I fancied so people wouldn't complain at me. Predictably, I didn't get any of them, so, armed with vouchers I hit the bookshops.Top