Week 15 / 17

Day 99 / 119

2014:

Today was a rest day - but rest is for the wimps

Instead of taking it easy I did my pilates before doing a 30 minute jog

Sure, it's not much, but it has to be better than nothing.

The only fly in the ointment was the meagre weight loss - I knew it was coming though - I just wish I wasn't so weak where food is involved

It's been like that for 46 years though, so I really shouldn't be s surprised

Start Weight - 84.4 kg
Last week Weight - 80.0 kg
Current Weight - 79.6 kg
Weekly Loss - 0.4 kg
Overall Loss - 4.8 kg

2011:

Another morning that I couldn't get up early enough for the gym, so I went after work. I'm all for kids learning how to keep fit - but why do  they have to do it around me. There's something about kids mucking about around me that makes me come over all....violent. I did a 30 minute x-trainer today and although there were a few twinges I think it was pretty much pain free. I then went on to do some weights but found it very difficult to concentrate as a tattooed bloke with arms the size of my legs sat opposite me. How did he get like that?? It was a sight all the more incredible as he stood up - he was only about 4 foot nine. I spent the whole of my stretching session thinking, why would a small man need such big arms? - Maybe it's lifting himself up so that the barman can see him...or pushing people off him who think they're sitting on an empty seat - who knows?

========================================

Day 100 / 119

2014:

100 days - who would have believed it. All those days ago I'm sure I thought I would be fit and confident by now - but the doubts are still looming high

I still genuinely feel like I've not tried hard enough and not prepared enough

My back could still give way but I can't do anything about it - my left calf, however, could be nurtured and so I've bought one of those cylinders you roll over

It was blinking painful last night doing it - hopefully that's a sign it's working ?

Today was a 30 minute x-trainer and apart from some inconsiderate fool training next to me despite the huge array of free machines, it was a non-event

It looks like there's every chance of me lining up injury free on the 5th for that I am grateful - I hope I haven't just put the mockers on this ........

2011:

100 Days - who'd have thought it!! At this point in my "journey" my guess is that you would have expected me to have come to some sort of deep and meaningful understanding of myself - an epiphany, if you will. Well, no. What I have learned is that running hurts, and running further hurts more. Other than that - that I'm an idiot for even trying ;-). Rest day today, and taking full advantage of it

========================================

Day 101 / 119

2014:

As well as feeling absolutely shattered from watching the AFCB debacle last night, my body also decided that "Neil's Cold", as I'm now calling it, was worth sharing

I felt rubbish and as the alarm went off at 5:30, there was no way I was getting up for Pilates

30 minutes of trying to get out of bed later, though, and I was off to the gym

It was the 2nd of 3 30 minute jogs today and as I studied myself in the mirror I looked awful

So pale and drawn out

What made it worse was an amazonian women fresh from a sunny holiday decided to run next to me - the contrast couldn't have been more stark

All I was waiting for was the sound system to belt out "Ebony and Ivory" just to make sure everyone's full attention was upon us

I skulked away as soon as the event free 30 minutes was over but held it together enough to do a full stretch

To say that today has been "trying" is an understatement and I was glad to find the matchsticks in my desk to keep my eyes open...........

2011:

I did it - I fanally managed to get up early enough to go to the gym for a swim and weights session - what could go wrong? I'll tell you - the bl$£dy boiler at the gym has packed in again and there's no hot water. If I still swam and did weights, I'd be leaving the gym at the school run time to go home for a shower - so I shelved the swim. Instead, I did a 30 minute cycle and afterwards I took the name and email address of the manager - it's happening just too many times!!! Feel like I'm not trying hard enough this week - but if it gets me through 10 miles on Saturday - it will all be worthwhile

========================================

Day 102 / 119

2014:

It was a sad day today - not just because my gym card didn't work but because they traded my trusty old blue pass for a shiny new red one

It means that I no longer stand out as someone who's been coming to the gym for a long time - with a red pass I could be any Jonny-come-lately

How else am I going to feel superior to everyone else?

Certainly not through the x-trainer I did for 30 minutes because not only did I find  it incredibly hard, but my left calf felt like it was going to ping

That NEVER happens with a x-trainer!!!!

Not the result I needed so close to the event

What if it DOES go on the day, after all the work I've put in ?

It would be awful but not a lot I can do about it - except spend an hour this evening rolling over the cylindrical "muscle pummeller"

It hurt like mad at the time but after a bath it IS feeling a bit better - fingers crossed for tomorrow's jog.....

2011:

Had some house moving decisions to make last night and you can only make life changing decisions with a belly-full of wine - so as a consequence, today has turned into a rest day. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions as to why, but it's not difficult...........

========================================

Day 103 / 119

2014:

I did put the mockers on it a few days ago as today I woke up with a bad back and my left calf feeling just shocking

Just walking to the gym from the car was painful and all my fears for the day itself bubbled to the surface

Today was a 30 minute jog and as I stood on the treadmill I seriously considered just walking away thinking that maybe caution was the better part of valour

Then I realised people were staring as I clearly wasn't a rapid decision maker and they were all wondering what the blooming heck I was doing - which rather forced my hand

Off I trot and the first minute I sweated more than I normally do for the whole run, I was so worried that my calf was going to ping

But it didn't - I don't know why but was so relieved as it came to an end

It's a bigger test tomorrow but for today I WIN!!!

2011:

Rest Day - I left work early and went to Bournemouth for a sport's massage. I really wasn't looking forward to it and it turned out that my fears were completely.....justified. I tried to steer her to concentrate on my legs as they were causing me the most concern but she insisted on also doing my back as a lot of leg pains stem from the back. I have heard stories that people can fall asleep through a massage - LIARS!! The back session was an excruciating 25 minutes or so, culminating in a pain so severe that it actually only stopped when she slipped on the floor as my tears started to flood the lino. "Can you feel that?" she asked quietly "It should start painfully but ease off as you breathe into it" At this point I'd almost bitten through my tongue so answering was limited to a pathetic whimper. When she started to inflict the same treatment on my legs I managed to comment that she must have fingers of steel. She replied "No, not really, it's all about using your bodyweight - although for your back I did have to use my elbow" Yes, I thought, it did feel rather like she'd picked the hardest, boniest part of her body to help me "relax". 35 minutes, a man sized box of tissues and 2 breakdowns later it was all over, leaving me to hobble back to the car, sit in the driver's seat and just rest my head on the steering wheel until, several minutes later, I began to feel my extremities. This run had better be worth it!!!

========================================

Day 104 / 119

2014:

A 5:00 alarm and I woke up with both my back and my left calf hurting - brilliant

Paracetamol and an energy bar later, I set off into the pitch black for a 10 mile jog

I honestly can't remember my legs feeling so heavy throughout the whole of this training

Where's my fitness gone ?

How the flipperty flip am I going to run an extra 16 miles, all at a much quicker pace ?

My back felt like all the vertebrae were slowly fusing together with each step and my stride got shorter and shorter until it looked like my shoe laces had been tied together - yeah I looked a proper professional

That said, looking at the positives, although my left leg felt dodgy it didn't ping so I've given myself more time to pummel it into submission before the big day

Also I wasn't out of breath at all, so I think lungs and heart are ready, even if everything else is crumbling away

My race number came today, so I'm not making it up - this really IS going to happen - I just need to be pig-headed and stubborn - something I feel I was born to be :-)

2011:

It's been 2 weeks since I last ran. I've cycled, swam, stretched and iced. I've even had a sport's massage - and the difference it's made - bu$$er all!!!
3 miles in my knee started to hurt just as it did before and it never went away. I ran the full 10 miles to see if the pain got worse, which it did a bit but more worryingly everything else started to also hurt by the end. I think that's it - the dream of 1 race and a sub 4 hour run is over. I've got to face the fact that I've no chance of starting the run injury free - so the goal has got to be survival. No matter how long it takes - I want to make it to the end and not have done any permanent damage. Easier said than done for me - but I've got to be realistic. On the plus side I ran with music on my ipod for the first time today and it did serve to take my mind off things a little. It's difficult to say just HOW much it helped as this was  much shorter run - so the "wall" wasn't looming. I'm off to boots tomorrow for a knee support and I'm going to wear that to try to speed up recovery. I'll try a jog with it on to see if it helps next week but if not today's my last run before the main event - it was all going so well 4 weeks ago....

========================================

Day 105 / 119

2014:

It's a rest day - and I have rested - who says I can't follow instructions

2011:

Feeling blooming rubbish. My legs hurt hurt hurt. What's the point in all this training if I feel worse now than I did 2 months ago ;-( Uh well, rest day today, and maybe some more wine...........