Week 1/17

Day 1/119

2014:
Well, here we are again. Three years later, definitely no wiser, I'm having a go at another Marathon

The last one has faded enough in my memory to give it one final attempt at breaking the 4 hour barrier

In truth there's every chance I've already left it too late. A bad back, bad hip and tight Achilles tendons means that before I even start, the odds are against me

Add these "challenges" to the fact I'm carrying the equivalent of Scooby Doo around my midriff and even I think I'm an idiot

This has all the hallmarks of stupidity v stubbornness and if I'm honest I'm not sure what I've got more of, we'll just have to see what happens

Day 1 is a 40 minute 8km/h jog but before that I thought I'd earn extra Brownie points by getting up early (05:30) to do a 30 minute Pilates session

I'd downloaded the video the day before so hadn't had the chance to view their specific A.M. session and it was a real eye-opener

At least 50% of the time I couldn't even get into the correct starting position!!

If that wasn't disheartening enough, once I'd somehow managed to heave myself as close to the right position as possible, the exercise was to then stretch further - yeah right, in my dreams

If this taught me anything, it's that if I'm going to achieve what I want, yoga and pilates are going to have to be my friends - if only they weren't quite so needy.......

Off to the gym then and as I was embarrassed to be seen jogging at such a slow pace, I covered over the speed readout on the treadmill with a towel

It was a little vanity that was completely wasted. What I actually needed was a towel to cover ME as I had to endure watching my flabby frontage bouncing all over the place in those cruel mirrors

I did have a brief respite as my stomach bounced onto and rested on the front rail and I loped along in true Homer Simpson fashion - all I was missing was a doughnut dangling on a fishing rod

The 40 minutes went by quick enough though and once the Achilles eased off after 10 minutes or so it was an almost pain free experience

That can't be said for the 30 minutes of stretching afterwards but in fairness I did feel much better having done it

OK, so it's day 1 and I've gone mad

To finish the day, I did the PM pilates episode and while there was an element of beached seal (I didn't say whale - that's growth, that is :-) ) dare I say it, the pain wasn't as bad as the morning ....

I told you, it's day 1 and I'm looking for the positives - we'll see what the mood is on day 91.....

Day 1 - Complete
Starting Weight - 84.4 kg

2011:
Today it was a 40 minute jog at 8.2 kph which I thought would be a breeze as I left work early to go to the gym. That was until after about 10 minutes when my right knee started to hurt. This can't be right - it's only day 1 and I've got 17 weeks of training left!!
Maybe it's just the shock of running after a 2 week rest....I hope.....

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Day 2/119

2014:
It's Kieren's day care today so I have to take him in for 9 o'clock which means I can't get to the gym first thing

Undeterred though I still got up early to do the AM pilates and I think it's safe to say it's too soon to see any real improvements

Today's task is a 30 minute cross-trainer which had to wait until after work - it sounded like a good enough plan but on the way I was yawning so much from the (only) 2 early starts I did consider whether they'd mind me just having a lie down on the stretch mats and having 40 winks

I chose the hill programme at level 14 which I will agree is a painfully boring stat but as this won't change for the remainder of the training I don't have to repeat it

I've set up music on my phone so that there is no chance I have to speak to anyone else and guarded the machine next to me with glaring stares - there really is no need to use the one NEXT to me when there are so many spare

Sit-ups followed, along with a 30 minute stretch and then the triumph of the day

It doesn't sound much I know, but I actually put my socks on while standing up !!!!

It was all I could do not to high five the muscle bound freak getting changed next to me - but that's not to be encouraged

Pilates again finished the day and I don't think I've ever regretted a heavily onioned cheese flan for tea so much - I thought I was going to explode at one point

That said, I know I will back at these opening days with fondness thinking "do you remember when I took this training lark seriously ....?"

Day 2 - Complete

2011:
I'm not sure if it was the jog yesterday, or the fact that I had to walk up 7 floors 3 times at work but my legs were killing me today. It was up at 6 this morning to get to the gym for a 30 minute cycle. It was SOO cold I hope I can keep the enthusiasm for these early starts going. I'm now the bagel king, following advice from my running Bible - for once in my life, carbs are my friend

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Day 3/119

2014:
I've only gone and made it a hat-trick of morning pilates' sessions

To be fair I think I slept through the first half of it but that still counts as far as I'm concerned

Today's task was 6 x 400m at 11.4 km/h with 2 minute breaks between "sprints"

I do wish the treadmills weren't at the front of the gym - if I owned a gym I'd have all of the cardio stuff around the perimeter of the building, facing out so no one is looking and I'd have them spaced out enough that you didn't feel someone else's perspiration falling on you as they went hell for leather

I'd also have the stretch mats not touching each other - it's as if personal space is an outdated idea!!

Legs performed well but after the 3rd sprint the bane of my gym life appeared - an eager gym assistant

He stood in front of me and I steadfastly didn't make eye contact, looking down at the treadmill display

To my horror, he then waved his hand in front of the readout - what the ....?

I had no choice but to look up and he started TALKING TO ME

Of course I couldn't hear with my earphones in so I pointed to them in the hope he'd leave

No, as thick skinned as you can be, he just spoke louder, inviting me to join his "gang" for a high intensity work out

"Does it not look like I'm working hard enough then?" I enquired

"I just thought you might like to do something else" he beamed

"No"

Jesus - other then wearing a "get lost" tee shirt I'm not sure what else I can do.....

The Achilles stood up well to the pounding of the runs and even the stretching seemed a little easier so perhaps I'm heading in the right direction by following the plan to the letter

The temptation to push harder is still there but I'm determined to not fall into the same traps as last time

Despite an unbelievably early night I managed to squeeze in the evening pilates accompanied by the usual groans and squeals of pain as I'm forced into quite obviously unnatural positions - much to the family's pleasure.....

Day 3 - Done

2011:
My legs seemed to be hurting even more today which didn't bode well for the speed training. I did 6 x 400m at 11.1 kph with 2 minute gaps between each run and by the end I was shattered. The main fear is that this is only week 1 - still, I guess the guy that created the training plan knows what he's doing - doesn't he...?

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Day 4/119

2014:
I honestly can't believe how tired I was at 06:00 as the alarm went off

Despite at least 8 hours sleep everything ached with tiredness

I got through the morning pilates but my back and legs seemed to have gone back to day one. So stiff and immobile - how can that be ?

Today's task was a 30 minute 8km/h and I had the rarest of treats to find a treadmill with no one running next to you, facing the only part of the wall not covered in mirrors - bliss

It took a full 15 minutes for the Achilles to calm down but apart from that all went well with that and the stretching afterwards

I'm also doing this 30 day ab training although I'm not sure why I'm bothering - why would you want a six pack when you've already got a barrel.....

At lunchtime I preempted my expected reticence to exercise in the evening with the World Cup starting by booking a squash court and did 30 minutes there

Sure it was slightly better than the morning but I think the only thing I really learnt was that pilates on a hard floor with no mat hurts - and in other news, the Pope is Catholic...

Day 4 - Done

2011:
Today, according to the schedule, I could choose between a 30 minute jog or a rest day. It was a tough decision made much easier when my 10 year old stabbed me in the leg causing me to collapse in agony. I say stabbed, by which I mean she accidentally brushed past my leg as she gave me a morning hug - I still had to turn my head though so she didn't see her dad cry. Rest day for me !!

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Day 5/119

2014:
I did it - 5 mornings in a row doing pilates

I have a genuine question to my future self - the one after 119 days of training: when I sit bolt upright with straight legs slighter wider apart than the mat, can I actually bend forward like the nice lady on the DVD or will I just be nodding at my feet like I was being introduced to an elderly relative

That's all I can do at the moment and it doesn't look like improving just yet

The task for today is 30 minutes doing something other than running - I did consider sudoku but then thought they probably meant something more energetic so I settled for the cycling machine at the gym

I could have hit the roads but there's a significant reduction in the chances of being run over in the gym, and there's the sit ups and stretching to be done, so was the best option

Having not used them before I had no idea what setting to put it on and in hindsight seriously overestimated how hard it was going to be so barely worked up a sweat

In fact, the 100 Achilles' stretched I'm forced to do was more taxing but at least it meant I'd completed the prelude to the first long run tomorrow - bring it on I say!!!

Day 5 - Done

2011:
Today I was able to put my shorts on without the need of painkillers and a belt to bite down on so the rest day was the right decision. Arranged to meet friends for a swift half after work so went to the gym first thing this morning. It was so cold that while I did my bike ride, the car froze over again - I just hope that the weather is better tomorrow. Left the pub at 7 o'clock which I was really pleased with and will be mostly drinking water for the rest of the evening

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Day 6/119

2014:
Last night I decided to charge the GPS watch up for the first proper run of the training and the "blinking thing" wouldn't start!!

Brilliant - these runs are meant to be slow as they are training your body to be on its feet for longer and longer times rather than seeing if you can run marathon pace and that way it's meant to protect you from injuries more - but I struggle to run at slower than my usual pace (which is slow enough anyway)

Today's task was a 7 mile run at 11 minute mile pace but without the watch I had no chance of knowing how that was going to happen

In fact I didn't actually know where the 7 mile cut off was but I knew where 8 miles ended so I decided to run close enough to that marker to easily be over 7

I was on the road by 6:15 and the temperature was already rising

My heels and Achilles were still giving me jip and despite slightly easing off as I ran I was never without that nagging ache

I kept trying to slow down all the time but when you are listening to a song you've put on your phone to help you keep going, it's difficult to fight the urge to push on

After about a mile I saw an old guy ahead of me running for a bit then walking and alternating like that - I was going so slowly I couldn't catch him and was very relieved when he turned off route

I was just glad the WI dog walkers weren't out and about as getting overtaken by them would have been the ultimate insult

I reckon I ran at 10 minute mile pace and despite it not being as slow as I needed it was still much slower than usual so I was pleased with that

I then reacquainted myself with an old friend - the cold bath

My memory is absolutely shocking but just putting my foot in brought back memories I'd long suppressed

This part of the 17 weeks I could definitely do without but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do - well me, anyway

I finished the day at the running shop to ask about GPS watches but I was simply unable to articulate to the buffoon behind the counter what the difference was between average speed ( which I want displayed ) and current pace.

So much so I wanted to grab him by the throat and drag the oaf over the counter and insert a water bottle where the sun doesn't shine

A mood not improved by his chuckle brother of an assistant who refused to have an opinion as to whether gel heal supports were beneficial or could cause damage but beamed as he confirmed they were for sale

I know that but at they worthwhile ????

Needless to say , I bought nothing

Day 6 - Done

2011:
So, I leave the pub early on Friday (difficult), drink gallons of water, go to bed early, get up at 7:15 ON A SATURDAY (very difficult), have some sensible porridge, start stretching for today's 7 mile run, opened the curtains and it's been bleeding snowing. I can't run on that - I'm not safe in the dry. Decided to watch the cricket - quickly decided not to. Can't get to the gym this morning so decided to go in the afternoon. My plans for the morning run were exacting, the plans for the afternoon run - not so much - had a huge lunch which meant that for the first 3 miles, as well as concentrating on my audio book I had to concentrate on not being sick. Tried one of these new gel food thingies half way and I made it to the end so I guess it worked. As long as I believe - that's all that matters

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Day 7/119

2014:
Rest Day - yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

2011:
No, this isn't me skiving through another day - it's in the schedule, honest. I like to think myself quite perceptive and intuitive and within this rest day, I am reading between the lines to see that what is also means is that I can eat and drink whatever I damn well please - so that's what I've done. The jog tomorrow could be interesting.....