The Walker With Heart

I was asked an interesting question by a mate at work today... Why do I pick the events I do? It comes down to 2 or 3 things... First will I enjoy them - yes despite all at pain, injuries, time and cost (of which more later) I do this for enjoyment and to keep myself fit and sane Classic examples - Santa Dash, local 5 and 10 k Second are those which are a "challenge", where its not just turn up and run but I have to plan for the training and build up to Classic Examples - Great North Run, Liverpool, long distance walks New example - Edinburgh Marathon, other Marathons... Third are the ones that capture my imagination... No rhyme or reason, they just gel with my mojo ... like this one https://shine.cancerresearchuk.org/ - the idea of walking all night to do a marathon, no running allowed, just makes me smile. I've also asked how I'm paying for all of my events - simply I'm paying for them, and my equipment (other than a couple of logo'd running vests) all of m...

And so the fates have decided... My first marathon will be next spring, and will be in 215 days, 23rd May in Edinburgh. Part of me is happy, part of me is going "OH MY GOD AM I REALLY THAT MAD"!!! To which the answer is yes, I probably am. 30weeks is a long time, and should be enough for me to lift my game again to take it from doing half marathons to doing full ones. Oddly, I'm more worried about managing the type II diabetes than the heart... Mainly cos I can feel and even on occasion hear my heart and know when to slow down, the diabetes is invidious, I can't feel my blood glucose being too high if I over correct. So wish my diabetic nurse well, she's going to earn her crust in a couple of weeks:-) TTFN Paul

Snowdon , a hill I've done before... But only once and the next 6 times I've been rained, snowed and clouded off! However, yesterday was near perfect conditions for a jolly little romp up the Pyg track and down the Miner's track. With the carpark being full if was an extra couple of kilometers from the the cars to the top and most importantly more ascent!!! Up and down is just under 7hours isn't bad, though my legs were complaining all the way up that they had done a lot the last couple of weeks, and wouldn't move out of second gear until on the flat coming back along the Causeway. Throw in a 6km gentle stroll this morning and I've hit the 30% mark - 300km. My legs are feeling this months efforts (a halfmarathon , a 10km and training in between) so another gentle week coming up - all day climbing tomorrow, swimming on Wednesday and then off to Cambridge to map out and plan the GUCH PA awareness event for next February. TTFN Paul

Well, the rest week begins!!!! It was the GUCH Annual conference this weekend, a chance to catch up with old friends and tell tall tales. To meet the people who inspire me to try new things, to keep doing what I do... If I ever do one of these drunk I may even name names... However, for now, just enjoy the fun! TTFN Paul

Well, 5km jogged yesterday (well 1 run, 1 walked, 1 run, 1 walked and a run to the finish) and a 8km walk today to stretch the bits out have proven that my gentle accumulation of injuries has reached the point where I need a small break before my next event... Given my next event is 1000m up and down in 12km to get up Snowdon and is the weekend after this definitely time for an easy week. So a gentle, traditional, 5km at the GUCH PA annual conference and then a week with my feet up - I'll climb my usual amount to keep myself loose but no running and no walking until after Snowdon . Lets hope best part of 10 days off helps the slight pull in the left hamstring and the aching right ankle! TTFN Paul

Yippee!!!! A nice cool run, bit humid under the trees, but 1 and a half loops of Sefton Park with 3000 others on a sunday morning was a damn good way to spend the day, despite the thumping headache (not alcohol induced, as normal I've not imbibed for the week before a run). The course is fairly gentle, though enough hills to make it interesting. And a bunch of surprised runners looked at me strangely as I went through the 1km point and bought up the 250km with a little cheer to myself. Photos should be out this week, and I'll put one up when they are - hopefully I'll look a lot better. 3 days off now, Florence via Ryanair TTFN Paul ps teh route and my run can be seen here : http://connect.garmin.com/activity/15285904

A good speed walk for 5 km to loosen the legs out, but not tire them out... Takes me to 249 km, quarter distance in 3 months so on target despite the colds, back ache, dodgy ankles and so on! Tomorrow is the Liverpool 10km, which I'm hoping will be more my normal weather conditions than the GNR was, I have a range of windproof tops that will keep me relatively dry while not overheating! Time ways I'll be happy with anything under 75min, which will bring me in before the backmarker (its a speedy race rather than a fun run, need to be finished in 90min max!). Apart from that I've found a marathon book that seems to cater for the slower runner - most are for sub5hours speedie with a just get round programme tagged on the end if you're lucky. I've also got the news that I'm not in the London Marathon, which is a bit of a bugger as that's the one everyone knows and would give me a 10hour window to do it in, the smaller runs have less time to finish in... Hey ...

Well, I never thought I'd be tense waiting for a magazine! However, this is one of two magazines - if I get one I'll be in the London Marathon, if I get the other I won't... Running a marathon is one of those things that nags at me, I can walk the distance easily (normally with some sodding great hills in the way) can I pick the legs up and get around in some semblance of order... So now its the wait for the magazine... If its a no, then I'll find another marathon, next spring... Longer, further and a damn sight slower than most, but its an itch I need to scratch. For those wondering what I look like at the end of a half, a very hot half, Apart from that, just resting for the Liverpool 10k on Sunday:-) TTFN Paul