Sunday 12 March 2006
6pm. Just home from a weekend sailing. Checking my emails before the week ahead and come across this:
From: Matthew Miller
Sent: 10 March 2006 17:25
To: Bolt Burdon
Subject: BB in NYC
Something to think about over the weekend.......
The New York City Marathon takes place this year on Sunday 5th November. That's in 239 days time. Some of the bigger charities have got guaranteed places and, if you can raise £1,200 - £1,500 personally, you get a free flight over and 3 or 4 nights' hotel accommodation thrown in.
If we can get a BB team together, we might get an even better deal. Anyone interested in joining me and Adam? Let me know and we can organise to meet up for some beers / protein milkshakes next week to discuss.
And before anyone asks, 239 days is a very long time to train / prepare. About twice as much preparation time as you need to get round the course comfortably. Honest.
Matt
First thoughts - surprisingly - Oh I wish I could do that! But decide at my age, weight and with my dodgy hip it just isn't possible.
But I can't stop thinking about it all night.
WEEK 1
Monday 13 March 2006
At the gym as usual and mention the email in passing to my trainer Kesh. He suggests I think about it!
Tuesday 14 March 2006
An email exchange - following on from a discussion about the three peaks yacht race
From: Lynne Burdon
Sent: 14 March 2006 10:58
To: Matthew Miller
Subject: RE: Three Peaks Yacht Race!
Oh xxxx - I was hoping you wouldn't say that!
Well this is a very very nervous expression of interest....
____________________________________
From: Matthew Miller
Sent: 14 March 2006 10:56
To: Lynne Burdon
Subject: RE: Three Peaks Yacht Race!
Absolutely. There is no criteria for how quickly people should run or what their target time needs to be.
_____________________________________
From: Lynne Burdon
Sent: 14 March 2006 10:52
To: Matthew Miller
Subject: RE: Three Peaks Yacht Race!
Unless of course you would be interested in a runner with a target time of less that 6 hours.....
?
_____________________________________
From: Lynne Burdon
Sent: 14 March 2006 10:33
To: Matthew Miller
Subject: RE: Three Peaks Yacht Race!
Good stuff
And I am in good spirits too - just had an email from Mike asking me to join them as navigator for the rest of the Spring Series!
I am certainly interested in a trip to New York - I just with I thought I could run 26 miles! (can't actually run around the block at present without pausing from breath!)
L
Found on my bookshelf a book I had bought years ago 'Running Made Easy'. Sat up half the night reading it - beginning to think this might be possible!
Wednesday 15 March 2006
Weight 90kg (yep - just over 14 stones!) - resting heart rate 65 beats per minute
You know I really want to do this - decide to try the first run in the book. Instructions are to run 1 minute and walk 2 minutes 5 times. I find I can run for one minute - but only just! At the end I am red faced and panting. A bit worried I might bump into someone I know!
I go to the gym as normal as tell Kesh and Dax (Dax Moy gym in St Alban's Place) that I am thinking about it. Without any hesitation they say well do it then. Is it possible? I ask - yes yes yes they say.
A top priority is to lose some weight!
Back to work, heart is beating with excitement. I really start believing I might be able to do this.
Today at work we start discussions about which charity to run for. I am very keen on Get Kids Going - a charity that provides sports wheelchairs for disabled children - seems very appropriate to me to put myself through this so that some disabled child that actually wants to complete a marathon can.
Friday 17 March 2006
Run 1 minute, walk 2 mins x5.
Beware Shin Splints!
WEEK 2
Monday 20 March 2006 - weight 88 kg
The plan today was to run 1 minute walk 2 minutes x6 but after a few seconds running I realised I had a bad groin strain - walked for 45 minutes by canal instead. No gym today.
Wednesday 22 March 2006
Run 1 minute walk 2 minutes x 3 - then groin strain too bad.
Go to gym and do some cross training instead.
Thursday 23 March 2006
Matt has put the entry forms in our trays - a meeting at 5pm tonight to hand them in if we are prepared to commit to this. Date I do it?
I take some time out this morning to look at the form - another problem - it asks what my predicted finish time is. I don't really have a clue - 6 hours sounds like a very long time and it was the number I first thought of so I put this. I have a vague idea that a brisk walk is 4mph (later learn that this is for horses not humans!)
I then decide to have a look at the marathon website - look at last year's results for women age 50 - 54. I discover there were 844 women who completed it in this age group - feel much better. Fastest 3 hours 10 minutes - slowest 7 hours 44 minutes. No idea if 6 hours is possible for me.
Oh well I am going to go for it - I like the idea of doing something difficult to benefit a disabled child.
Friday 25 March 2006
Run 1 minute walk 2 mins x6
1 hour in gym.
Saturday 26 March 2006
Walk to Finsbury Park - 1 hour 15 minutes
WEEK 3
Monday 27 March 2006 - weight 87 kg
Back and shins still a little sore from Saturday's walk.
Run 1 minute walk 2 mins x8
Then gym for one hour
Wednesday 29 March 2006
Give back and shins a rest - gym only
Friday 31 March 2006
Run 1 minute walk 2 mins x8 - then gym
Saturday 1 April 2006 - April Fools Day!
1 min run 2 min walk x8
Felt really hard - it was raining
WEEK 4
Monday 3 April 2006 - 85kg
Run 2 minutes, walk 2 mins x6
Quite hard - but I can run for 2 minutes - doubled my distance!
Wednesday 5 April 2006
Run 2 min, walk 2 mins x8 then gym
Friday 7 April 2006
Run 2 min, walk 2 min x 8 - very hard today - no gym
Saturday 8 April 2006
Highbury Fields with Kesh - ran around the top field, 4 laps running and 4 laps walking.
WEEK 5
Monday 10 April 2006
Stiff hamstrings today. Aimed for 2 min run and 2 min walk x 7 but couldn't do it - am I overdoing it? 1 hour in gym.
Wednesday 12 April 2006
2 min run 2 min walk x8 - have got a cold - don't feel good
Thursday 13 April 2006
Cancelled training - bad cold - going on holiday to Egypt on Saturday
WEEK 6 - ON HOLIDAY IN EGYPT
Tuesday 18 April 2006
Still not well but got up early - 6am to beat the heat and ran along the seafront - 1 minute running x5
Thursday 20 April 2006
Still not great - but ran seafront 7x (1 min each)
Give up! It's too hot here for running.
WEEK 7
Monday 24 April 2006
Kesh cancelled so I stayed in bed!
Really worried now - training has gone to pot.
Tuesday 25 April 2006
Got motivated!
2 min run 2 min walk x8
Almost did this - some runs a bit shorter, still not well.
After the run I feel great.
Wednesday 28 April 2006
Went to gym but back pain. Mostly stretching, gentle session.
Thursday 27 April 2006 - not motivated
Friday 28 April 2006
Not motivated again - feeling very down.
Today should be a day of celebration - Bolt Burdon opened its doors 20 years ago on 1 May 1086. A bottle of champagne did the trick and I felt much better!
Gave myself a serious talking to and resolved to get back on tract for this marathon.
Saturday 19 April 2006 - Weight 84.3kg - nice surprise after no movement in last couple of weeks
An early session in Highbury Fields with Kesh, 6 laps of the top field.
Note to self - must drink more water!
Second note to self - must drink less Champagne!
WEEK 8
Monday 1 May - Bank Holiday
Finsbury Park running track, first lap 2.34 minutes, walk a lap, second lap 2.39 minutes - exhausted - can't manage a third lap.
Tuesday 2 May
Gym today - worked hard and lifted some heavy weights.
Wednesday 3 May
A new PB (personal best)
2 1/4 mins running - 1 3/4 mins walking x 10
Feeling great
Thursday 4 May
Gym
Saturday 6 May
Top field Highbury - ran it 10 times with rests
Feel Great!
WEEK 9
Monday 8 May - my birthday - 51 today - Weight 82.7kg
Celebrate with a run around Highbury Fields with Kesh in the pouring rain - actually it was good fun.
Wednesday 10 May
2 3/4 run and 1 3/4 x 10 - good effort
Guess what - I was running around Barnsbury Square at about 7am this morning. I heard a pit patter of feet behind me. I look round because I thought a dog was following me - but it was a fox. It followed me for about 20 yards then turned round and ran back into the square.
Friday 11 May 2006
At the SIFA conference in Oxfordshire. Give me a medal someone - refused the Sambuca last night and got up at 6am this morning to run around the beautiful grounds of Heythrop Hall. First through wooded glades, where a wild stag ran across my path, then to the farm where I saw long haired cattle and lama, back past the river and the lakes then up the road the lily pond and the While Bone grotto. What a great morning. Probably ran / walked more than 4 miles - my longest run yet.
Saturday 12 May - Weight 83.25 - need to get back to the diet.
Highbury Fields - Stiff and tired after yesterday and could only run 1 lap of the top field. But kept going for an hour. BJ was there with his Kettle Bells so we borrowed one and had a bit of fun throwing that around!
WEEK 10
Monday 15 May
Gym
Tuesday 16 May
3 mins run, 1 1/5 walk x 6 - very tired
Wednesday 17 May
Gym
Arsenal v Barcelona - too much drinking!
Friday 19 May
8 mile walk - the firm outing to Aldebury - very big dinner!
Saturday 20 May Weight 82.75kg
Gym
Not a good week
Resolve to do better with the eating and drinking next week.
WEEK 11
Sunday 21 May
Regents Park - 3m run, 1 1/5 walk x 9
Tuesday 23 May
Not good - 3m run 1 1/5 walk x 3 - but then too many pains, hip, shins, calf. That pain I Have been dreading in my left hip has returned with a vengeance.
Wednesday 24 May
Having a rest day today but worried, hip is very sore and training is not on track.
Hope for more luck tomorrow.
Reset the intervals on my watch back to 3 min running and 2 min walking - maybe I am trying too hard.
Wrote the copy for my part of the website today - need to get that up so that we can start fund raising! Amazing how it adds up - I recon I have done 50 miles training now.
Thursday 25 May
This is better - 3 min run 2 min walk x 8 - ran them all!
Saturday 27 May
Regent's Park - 2 laps - 1 hour and 5 mins
A mixture of running and walking.
Good job!
This is about 5 miles - my longest run yet.
The hip aches a bit but not too bad.
WEEK 12
Monday 29 May - Bank Holiday - Weight 83.75 - not losing weight - I am going to regret this on 5 November!
Planned myself a little 3 mile run - to the end of Market Road and back. Time 35 minutes.
Look - I am now beginning to count runs in miles instead of minutes. This must be progress.
Friday 2 June
Didn't sleep well last night but made the effort anyway. Bumped into Alan Conisbee in Milner Square - reminded me its time to get on with fund raising.
Saturday 4 June
Ran with Kesh - agreed to do alternate Saturday's from now on so we can go for a longer run!
WEEK 13
Monday 6 June - weight 83.55kg - not losing weight - oh dear must try harder
Gym
Tuesday 7 June
3 min run 2 min walk x8
Wednesday 8 June
Gym
Thursday 9 June
Ran all the way to Clissold Park, once around the park and home - about 4 miles
3 min run 2 min walk x 12 (had to walk three of the ones I should have run!)
4 miles in 60 minutes
Saturday 11 June
The plan is to run 2 times around the park in less than one hour.
NOT a good day - only managed 3 min run 2 min walk x 4 - no energy
2 laps take 1 hour 15 minutes.
There was a 10k race going on in the park as I finished - wondering when I would be able to do a 10k race - this is a necessary part of the training if I am ever to get around 26.2 miles.
WEEK 14
Monday 12 June
Gym
Tuesday 13 June
Best run ever?
3 min run 2 min walk x 10 - ran all the intervals and felt I could do more. Light drizzle, warm, lovely.
Wednesday 14 June 0 weight 81.9kg - at last some progress
Gym
Thursday 15 June
Another PB - ran for 15 minutes with no walking breaks, then did 4 sprints in Thornhill Square - this is a good place to run.
Saturday 17 June
Resting pulse 66 (I always forget to take this!)
Regent's Park with Kesh - 3 min run, 2 min walk x 13 (walked no 12 only)
2 pals of the park - 65 minutes - 5 miles - good job
WEEK 15 - 20 WEEKS TO GO TO THE MARATHON
Monday 19 June
Didn't do good today - still tired from Saturday?
Tuesday 20 June
3 min run 2 min walk x 12
Clissold Park circuit - 1 hour exactly
Wednesday 21 June - Weight 80.25kg
Gym
Pulled a muscle in left butt! Can't walk.
Thursday 22 June
Rest that bum
Friday 23 June
Still resting the bum
Saturday 24 June
Best run yet. 3 laps Regent's Park, 3 min run 2 walk
Lap 1, 33 mins, lap 2 33 mins lap 3 34 mins
7.5 miles in 100 minutes.
Just over 13 minute miles. Oh look at this - now I am measuring miles and timing them too.
WEEK 16 - 19 WEEKS TO GO
Monday 26 June - Weight 81.65kg - going backwards!
Gym
Tuesday 27 June
Ran for 20 minutes non-stop - then 4 sprints.
Wednesday 28 June
Gym
Friday 30 June - 80.65kg
The Market Road 3 miles - 35 minutes
Sunday 2 July
MY FIRST RACE! THE LONDON 10K
A 10k race around central London with 20,000 other runners.
It was probably the hottest day of the year so far - temperatures soaring to 30 degrees. Drink water, stay hydrated was the advice of the day - so I did. What no one did tell me was that you can drink too much water. I should have been awarded the medal for the most toilet stops of the day - 3 x portaloos, Green Park Underground, Dorchester Hotel and after the race had started the Gents on the Embankment!
However I completed the course - a rather slow 85 minutes but it was very hot.
Home and to bed for a nap - hip hurts bad, upper back aches, shoulder blades ache, feel hot and heavy.
Hope for cooler weather next time.
WEEK 17 - 18 WEEKS TO GO - JUST ABOUT HALF WAY THERE
STILL A LOT OF RUNNING TO DO
Wondering how many miles I have now run / walked so far - estimate 126 miles so far!
Monday 3 July
'recovery run'
Tuesday 5 July
Still aching - rest day
Wednesday 5 July - 80.25 kg - get off scales and take shoes off - 79.90kg - hooray!
Decided to see how long it takes me to run a mile - answer 12 mins 45 seconds
I don't think you can just multiply this by 26 though to get a marathon time!
Gym
Thursday 6 July
Lynne's Clissold Park Circuit - about 4 miles - 56 minutes - 4 minutes shorter than last time.
Well done me!
Saturday 8 July
Regent's Park with Kesh - ran one whole lap - 2.5 miles - no stopping! 28 minutes. Then 4 sprints round the running track (not a full 400 meters) 2:28, 2:27, and 2:19
A high intensity session.
WEEK 18 - 17 WEEKS TO GO
TIME TO GET VERY SERIOUS
Monday 10 July - weight 80.4kg - oh heck - going backwards again
Gym
Tuesday 11 July
A new run for me today. Was woken up at 5.30am by my son and his friends returning home from a night's clubbing to got up and got going. Along the canal to Victoria PArk - a whole lap of the park and home. 3 mins running and 1 1/2 mins walking. About 7.5 miles in 106.75 minutes.
Getting longer but can't seem to get any faster - time for some speed work - Fartlek and Yassos for me now!
Friday 28 July
All in a dither - due to the horrid humid heat haven't done any running since last Sunday. Two problems - my schedule says I should do a long run on 10 miles this weekend but I want to go sailing! Nothing for it then but to set the alarm clock for 6am nd get out there and get panting. By 7am I am warmed up (that didn't take long) and all ready to go around Regent's Park. 4 laps of the park - 3 mins running 2 mins walking - 140 minutes. That last lap really did hurt, my legs were screaming. I am hoping some fresher air will make this easier! Still now I can go sailing with a clear conscience.