The end of another week

It was a tough old circuits session last night!  And I am sure it didn't have anything to do with the "race" I got into on my bike on the way home - the sprints are good for the quads.  Interestingly there was less pain in my knees doing things like spotty dogs and jumps than I normally feel -- so running on grass is looking like the way forward to increase the miles while minimising the impact as far as possible.  I am also doing plenty of IT-band stretching and other leg stretches.

I had a fantastic run around Greenwich Park this afternoon, though it could have been a little warmer!  Run time was about 70 minutes with some hill work and the last 30 minutes being a solid run at a good pace, the longest period I have run without a 30s walk for around 3-4 months!  Mentally, it is a bit of a milestone.  More importantly, the knees are still talking to me.

Today I also witnessed some of the generosity of people at work as the sponsorship/donation money started to roll in -- thank you all who have sponsored/donated money already; it somehow makes all the training so worthwhile and is strangely moving.

Total week's exercise:

56 miles on the bike
3 hours 45 mins running
1 hour circuits

Half term next week -- I think I should try to squeeze in a longer run 

Eight weeks to go...

If you look very very carefully, you can just make me out at the back of a selection of Diabetes UK runners, in the yellow top under the vest.  The man at the front is Joe Pasquale.

Sunday was a nice little run around Regents Park with other Diabetes UK runners.  And don't be led into thinking that it was warm with all that bare flesh on show -- there was a chill old wind blowing and Mr Pasquale's jacket was removed only moments before this shot!


Keen to stay on grass but too late in the day to get into the park, my Monday run was a couple of circuits around Blackheath common.... in the dark.  I ran for about an hour, doing longer intervals of around ten-fifteen minutes running, then 30 seconds walk.  Still very satisfying.  It was strange to see the heath so full of runners in the dark.  It was rather like turning over an old rotting log and seeing underneath everywhere teeming with life that isn't usually visible.


Tuesday was a rest day and some knee/hip exercises.


This morning I had a lovely run in Greenwich Park, again sticking to the grass, watching the sun come up...  An hour's worth of longer intervals, including some hill work and a 15 minute circuit at a reasonably fast pace.  It sets you up just right for the cycle into work!  And I have a new favourite ipod track: Alex Gaudino Feat and Crystal Waters' Destination Calabria that I have been singing all day.  Knees feel ok -- a bit noisey and some pain at certain points, but fine for running.

Welcome

Hi and welcome to my training blog.

After having a great time doing a half marathon in September, I decided I was ready for the next challenge.  I have watched the London marathon every year from the bottom of our road and always said to myself that I should give it a go one year.  Then in October I was successful in being offered a Golden Bond place to run for Diabetes UK in the Virgin London Marathon, now only eight weeks away.

At the time I was doing a lot of running at the weekends -- heading off for a 'short run', always enjoying it and thinking I would go just a little further, and then before I knew it completing ten to fifteen miles.  I was also jogging to work several times a week.  Then in late October, my knees said "no".  I had classic symptoms of "jogger's knee" and was physically unable to run for about two months.  What a disaster!

During the dark, cold months of December and January I have gradually started to get back into running.  At first I could only run for about 20 minutes in intervals of 1.5 mins running, 0.5 min walking.  That seemed a very long way from the 26.2 miles I would need to do in April.  I have also been doing a great deal of strengthening exercises and that has allowed me to build up to longer runs.  I am now running for about 45-60 mins, up to four times a week, on grass whenever I can, but still doing intervals of 2-10 mins for fear of harming the knees again.  And I can tell you that there are some really lovely sun rises to be seen from the top of Greenwich Park as the mist rises at 7am...!  The training feels to be going well and the knees, though feeling old and creaky, still seem to be holding up.

Today was a marathon training day at the Diabetes UK offices.  It was great to meet all the runners, but I soon realised that I was a long behind in the fundraising stakes.  Everyone has already achieved considerable levels of fundraising already while I am still to get off the starting blocks (it hadn't seemed right doing fundraising while I couldn't run).

But here we go -- I have decided to go for it.  62 days to go.  I am already incredibly excited about doing the run.  My knees are holding up (nothing that a few ibuprofen won't treat), no injuries from skiing, so lets bring on the 42 kilometers!

Matt