I ran the Edinburgh marathon a week ago today. 

I don't want to say that running my first marathon was easy, because it wasn't. It was probably the hardest thing I've done. It's just that it doesn't feel like the 'ultimate accomplishment' like some people seem to look at running 26.2 miles.

I did feel a sense of accomplishment, don't get me wrong… but in the week since the marathon, bigger ambitions have been gnawing their way back into my mind. My Google history this week features searches like 'trail marathons', 'ultra marathons', 'desert runs' and even 'running around the world'. 

During the haphazard, unplanned training I did before Edinburgh, running the marathon didn't feel like the goal. Just another (admittedly quite big and well defined) step on the road to… what?

I honestly don't know where the finish line in my developing obsession with running is. It seems to be moving away from me faster than I can run toward it. What I do know is that I want to settle the next crazy milestone as soon as I can. I want to run a tougher, longer course.

After that… who knows. It feels like running could easily take over my life, and I think I may one day come to a point where I have to either let it, or walk.

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My arm is in a cast for another 5 weeks, but that doesn't stop me planning an epic road trip of the 7Stanes for March.

If my maths is right, it looks like around 130km of red graded trails. Most of which I've never ridden. Should be amazing. 

Hoping to do this the same weekend I run the Mighty Deerstalker.

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I got out of the hospital this morning, after the surgeons had sliced my thumb open, reassembled all the bits and pumped me full of antibiotics. 

Now I have 6 weeks in plaster to look forward to, just as I should be training for my costal half marathon in March and the Dyfi Enduro in May. 

After a few lazy days feeling sorry for myself, I expect I'll start sneaking a few runs in. Shh. 

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I've written up the full story of our Strathpuffer adventure
over on the howies blog. 

Check it out here. 

Photography by Alastair. 

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I'm going to give the book a week thing a damn good go in 2011.

Having a broken hand will probably help me get into the swing of things. 

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I broke my bike, and myself. 

Waiting for surgery to pin that little (but rather vital) bit of bone back in place. 

More on the race itself to follow. 

For now, the pain is being kept at bay by the rather nice 2nd place prizes we won. And Neurofen. 

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On Thursday, I will be heading up North with Hicksy. We're going way up North.

We're riding Strathpuffer. Probably the UK's most notorious 24 hour MTB race.

Along the way, we'll pick Alastair and Hazel, the other two members of our team.

The bike is oiled, it has new pads. I have some new thermal layers and shoes.

We have a great set of lights lent to us by Tom of Carbon-Monkey.

I haven't really been training, but my mind is ready to pull my body through.

It's mid-January, and very cold. Hopefully this will be a great way
to kick off an epic 2011.

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This week, I read 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' 

The book a memoir by Japanese novelist Haruki Maruakami, focusing on his experiences of running and writing. 

Personally, I felt at times while reading that this could almost be a letter to myself from the future. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that I like to believe I will have the same level of dedication and mental focus to one day lay my thoughts out so clearly and honestly as Haruki does here.

As someone who has begun running relatively recently, many of the things said in this book have been occurring to me lately, although they have never really taken any kind of written or spoken form, and almost certainly would not have been so poetically expressed if they had.

Ultimately, two things have come out of my reading this book. Firstly, I am inspired to run more and focus more attention on the discipline involved in training for long distances, and secondly I intend to read more of Haruki's work. 

'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' is a beautifully written and plainly honest window into the mind of a man who understands himself and his existence much better than most of us can claim to.

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These are my Nike Free 3.0's.

I got them after reading about the benefits of 'barefoot' running shoes.

So far, I'm impressed. 3 Half Marathons and a total distance of about 85 miles later I feel like they are much better for my feet than the stiff old trail shoes I had been running in. Certainly on road, where I seem to do the bulk of my running at the moment, but also on the trail. They weren't made for mud and roots and rocks and slippery moss, but thanks to the way they make you think about each foot-fall and consider your route more carefully than shoes with a ton of padding do, they are better than I expected. I'll wear them out and see if they've manager to make me loyal.

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Better get a move on with this weeks then...

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I never feel bad about buying a new book. 

I only feel bad when I find ones on the shelf that I still haven't read.

They sit there, taking up space. Waiting to be uploaded.

Books are for reading, and they let you know it.

The sight of an uncreased spine nags me the way a digital file never could.  

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So I said I'd do a book a week.
Here's the first. Reading now.

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Digital distribution definitely has advantages.

You can reach an audience of millions in a matter of moments. 

You save on materials, you don't need to employ drivers and delivery firms.

Your customers are contactable 24/7. Your shop is open all the time. 

You can operate from anywhere. 

But what are the downsides? 

Well, people don't want to pay very much for digital. 

Digital doesn't feel like a possession. 

Digital can't become an heirloom. 

Digital doesn't wear out faster the more you love it (advantage?)

Digital needs to be plugged in. 

The case for not selling your products online. Article on The Economist.  

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Recommended viewing - a special report on the Impossible Project over at Monocle.

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"This video has lots of fun dancing but also strikes an eerie note, since it focuses on the ideas that a) lots of people dance alone b) in their underwear and c) not many people look beautiful dancing, especially once they’re slowed down, sped up, or frozen. The result, however, is quite beautiful: Intimate, lonely, and still fun. The video was directed by DANIELS (Daniel Scheinert and Dan Kwan)."
-stereogum

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Sent from my iPhone

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Sent from my iPhone

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talk less, say more.

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