147 Days To Go

Date & Time : 29/11/09 11:00
Distance : 13 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 212 miles
Route : Norwich Half Marathon

What a great experience. I was a little nervous before the start, but my preparation had gone well and even my pre-race pee was timed to perfection. The weather was foul leading up to the start of the race, but literally as the runners stepped onto the start the sun came out and it could not have been better conditions.

One mistake I did make was lining up too far back in the pack with the rest of the 2 hour estimates, most of whom were lying I found out and therefore spent the first 2 or 3 miles trying to get past quite a lot of slower runners, which I think probably cost be a minute or two.


The first half of the race went really well. I was pleased with my pace, averaging 9 min miles, which is about 30 secs faster than my normal training pace. I crossed the half way point exactly on the hour. As I started my second lap I got a real boost when I saw Lorraine and the girls and Karen and Anna cheering me on.

The second half also went well. At about 9 miles I started to feel it in my legs a bit, but thought back to some advice I had been given that morning, which was to relax and enjoy it. I found the inclines much easier to deal with than the downhill sections and found that I was making up a lot of time and ground on the runners around me. Must be all that up hill training that I do starting out from Trowse.

11 to 12 miles was a bit of a struggle up the hill, but once I got to the top I had a really great last mile into the showground for the finish, and really motored down the finishing straight. Last time I did this race, 10 years ago, I had a horrible last couple of miles so it was great to finish so strongly this time and it a great confidence boost for the marathon next April.


Overall I really loved it, and can't wait for the next one, if anything I wish I had started further up the field and gone a bit faster, then I might have had a chance of breaking 2 hours. I'll also take more Jelly Babies next time, I was giving myself a treat every 2 miles, but ran out after 8 miles - poor planning!


Time 2:00:19.
Position 1399 out of 2233.
Position in category M40 - M44 199.

149 Days To Go

Date & Time : 27/11/09 19:15

Distance : 3 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 199 miles
Route : Brackendale, Ber Street, Queens Road, Home

Just a leg loosener tonight in preparation for the half marathon on Sunday, which I am really looking forward to, which probably means it will be horrible.

CLIC Sargent came into Virgin Money today to tell us about what they do. I am so glad I am running for them they are an amazing charity. The following video gives you an idea of some of the great things they do. If you like what you see and want to support them, then why not sponsor me for a few pounds and then you will be safe in the knowledge that my months of hard work and (mild) suffering will be doing some good where it is really needed most.

151 Days To Go

Date & Time : 25/11/09 18:00
Distance : 7 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 196 miles
Route : Hall Road, Ipswich Road, Ring Road loop x 3

I joined the Virgin Runners for the first time tonight which was really good. We were joined by local running legend Paul Evans who is going to coach and advise us for a few weeks. It was a good run and just what I needed to get the stiffness out of my legs after my 10 miler on Friday and playing footie on Sunday. I'm pretty much all set for the Norwich half marathon on Sunday, although a short leg loosener on Friday or Saturday might be a good idea.

Sunday turned out to be a really interesting day. Got up very early to take Issy to her first ever Hockey tournament at Harlesden Hockey Club. It was her team's (Norwich Dragons U11's) first ever tournament and bless them they tried hard without much success. By the time I had to leave they had played 7 of their 9 games and a nil nil draw was the best result by a long way. However, they battled hard and seemed to be enjoying themselves, despite the foul weather. When I got home later that evening, Issy came running out to the car "Daddy we won a game", I was so pleased for her, made me feel very proud, then she said "the other team were really bad!", which made me smile as I gave her a big hug.

I went straight from the Hockey tournament to my football match, for my beloved Norwich Hotspur. I won't dwell on the details here, the game itself was great, however the circumstances of the afternoon led to both local and (allegedly) national press coverage of the game. Click on the links below to follow the story.

Norwich Hotspur Match Report

Norwich Evening News

156 Days To Go

Date & Time : 20/11/09 18:45
Distance : 10 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 189 miles
Route : Brackendale, Riverside Road, Inner Ring Road, Dereham Road, Earlham Road, Bluebell Road, Newmarket Road, Home

Running 10 miles on a Friday night. Dedicated or sad? Probably sadly dedicated is the answer. There is definitely a feeling of self righteousness as well as a bloody sore right ankle. I'll make up for it tomorrow night with a nice chinese take away and bottle of red.

This was my last long run before the half marathon next Sunday and I was hoping that I would be able to get round completely pain free which I nearly did apart from the last mile. Anyway I'll ease off a bit next week and just do a couple of 4 or 5 milers and then I'll be set fair for the race.

I have a Norwich Hotspur match this Sunday and we need to bounce back from a 10-0 humiliation last time out. We have a decent squad for the game and I am expecting a win. Will probably only play a half myself with one eye on the following Sunday.

159 Days To Go

Date & Time : 17/11/09 19:45
Distance : 7.5 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 179 miles
Route : Brackendale, Carrow Road, Riverside Road, Inner Ring Road, Grapes Hill (ouchy), Unthank Road, Outer Ring Road, Home

Felt really up for this one tonight and literally bound around the 7.5 miles feeling strong all the way from start to finish. Really starting to convince myself that sub 2 hours might be possible for the half marathon a week on Sunday, however I will need to be on top form for that and injury free of course.

I've been asked to play in a work 5-a-side tournament 2 days after the half marathon which will either be a great way to run the stiffness out of my legs or a bloody disaster. The team I am playing in is a mixture of experience and ..... um, errrr even more experience, with Ron The Cat Black in goal, Shutout Arnold and Chris No-Nonsense Holliday in defence with myself and Kev Cantona Parsons making up the numbers. In honour of Ron's hirsuteness and Kev P's passion for Man Utd, we've adopted the team name of Man Chest Hair United - genius.

161 Days To Go

Date & Time : 15/11/09 14:15
Distance : 9 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 171.5 miles
Route : Brackendale, Queens Road, Earlham Road, Bluebell Road, Eaton Golf Course, Hall Road, Sandy Lane, White Horse Road, Home

This afternoon was a real triumph of mind over body. Having had a great night out with friends last night at Pinnochios I was feeling less than enthusiastic at the prospect of pulling on my trainers and getting out their on the streets.

With the two older girls happily playing in their bedroom and Imogen having her afternoon sleep it was all setup for me to hit the sofa and have a nice afternoon snooze. We'd already been out for a family walk around the broad this morning so I could have easily have given myself the afternoon off.

But giving myself the afternoon off is not going to get me round 26.2 miles on 25th April, so out came the lycra, on went the anti-chaffing cream and trainers and 1 hour and 30 mins later I had a pretty good 9 miles under my belt.

163 Days To Go

Date & Time : 13/11/09 20:15
Distance : 4 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 162.5 miles
Route : Brackendale, Ber Street, Chapplefield, Queens Road, Home

I have learnt a key lesson about marathon training tonight - do not run 1.5 hours after eating a king prawn curry.

Here's a thing though - I found myself in JJB at lunchtime buying gum shields for Issy and Ellie. No they have not taken up boxing, but have started hockey training which I think is great. They've not shown much interest in team sports in the past, mostly into dancing and horse riding, so I am secretly quite pleased about it and hope they stick with it.

166 Days To Go

Date & Time : 10/10/09 20:00
Distance : 6 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 158.5 miles
Route : Brackendale, Carrow Road, Riverside Road, Inner Ring, Queens Road, Home

Not especially enjoyable tonight, felt a bit laboured and a tight left calf muscle was annoying. But nonetheless I got round and my work is done for a couple of days.

Listened to probably the most boring football commentary ever with Norwich playing at Swindon in the Johnstones Paint Football League Trophy Southern Section Area Quarter Final or JPFLTSSAQF for short. Dull game finished nil nil but we're through on penalties and that's another step closer to Wembley, in fact it's only 3 wins away from Wembley on March 28th - this League 1 football is not so bad afterall. The draw for the next round is on Saturday morning and I will be looking forward to who we get in the JPFLTSSASF (you see what I've done there!).

167 Days To Go

Date & Time : 09/11/09 19:00
Distance : 4 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 152.5 miles
Route : Brackendale, Ber Street, Chapplefield, Queens Road, Home

Do you know I actually felt like I was running for the first time tonight, instead of my run ugly slow jog. I averaged under 9 min miles and felt very good for the whole 4 miles. The problem is I'll start getting it into my head that I will be able to break 2 hours for the half marathon in 3 weeks time, which will probably only lead to disappointment.

I'm glad that run went well as my enthusiasm had started to curb in direct proportion to the air temperature. So I decided to take positive action and bought some thermal running gear today and it's great and it's called 'under armour' how cool is that!


And yes it looks exactly like that when I am wearing it too, probably.

p.s. well done to The Hayemaker and NCFC for great performances on Saturday.

169 Days To Go

Date & Time : 07/11/09 09:00
Distance : 9 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 148.5 miles
Route : Crown Point Hill, Whittlingham Hall, Big Broad x 2

Nice run this morning, very good first lap (4.5 miles) slightly tougher second lap. Feeling comfortable at this distance now. No real aches or pains, although the beginnings of a beauty of a blister on my left foot.

I entered the Norwich half marathon this week which is on 29/11/09 so will focus my training on that for now, I'd like to break 2 hours but will need to be at my best to achieve that. The last and only time I ran it was 10 years ago just after Isobel had been born and would have broken 2 hours then if it wasn't for that damn hill at the end. I believe they have changed the course now so that the hill is no longer part of the race - I hope that is true.

Going to enjoy the rest of the day, Norwich are on the telly at lunch time in the first round of the FA Cup against non-league Paulton, surely we can't mess that up, can we?

Then we've got friends round later for fireworks, hot dogs and a couple of beers (or mulled wine) and finally I'll settle down to watch the heavyweight world boxing fight David Haye v Nikolai Valuev - have you seen him, he's a monster. Come on 'The Haymaker'.

Remember folks - never return to a lit firework, especially if you got them from Homebase on 'buy one get one free offer'.

173 Days To Go

Date & Time : 03/11/09 20:30
Distance : 9 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 139.5 miles
Route : Brackendale, Ber Street, Earlham Road, Bluebell Road, Newmarket Road, Ring Road, Home

I ended up going a bit further than I expected, had originally intended to do about 6 miles and ended up with 9, mainly because I forgot to map the run in advance which is a bit of a schoolboy error. But saying that I was pleased to get another longish run under my belt.

Not quite so terrified of the prospect of the marathon now that I have got a few long runs in, in a short space of time - I've done 26 miles in 4 days this week without any real side effects, apart from gradually turning into a running geek. My friend Nigel keeps telling me "There is only one thing more boring than running, and that's listening to people talk about running". I think he is probably right, and there is perhaps one thing more boring than talking about running and that is blogging about running! However this is all part of my training methodology, so tough, I will persevere and I know that Mrs Nigel reads it and enjoys it - Karen don't forget to update Nigel on my progress!.

p.s. enjoy the "Highway to Hell" video over there on the right.

174 Days To Go

Date & Time : 02/11/09 21:30
Distance : 4 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 130.5 miles
Route : Brackendale, Ber Street, Chapplefield, Queens Road, Home

Just a short one tonight, tried to push on a bit to work on my pace and it felt great. Averaged just over 9 minute miles, not bad considering there is several climbs on this route. I like the fact that 4 miles feels like a short run now.

The only problem running at this time of night is that you don't get tired and end up staying up watching The Apprentice USA until 1am. Donald Trump has got nothing on Sir Alan, and as for the US version of Nick and Margaret - not even in the same league.

I entered the Norwich Half Marathon tonight so all my training will now be focusing towards the 29/11. Really looking forward to it, just hope I don't pick up any niggles between now and then.