tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35720382011-12-15T03:39:21.443+01:00Countdown to the London Marathon 2005Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1108125738566854872005-02-11T13:36:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:10.731+01:00Wednesday saw my second run since illness and this time I did take it easy. I don't want to end up back on the sicklist so I will also be taking it easy on my long run this week keeping it at the half marathon distance and taking a couple of weeks to get back where I was with the 20 milers. Despite taking it easy on Wednesday I still managed to get around the 11 kilometers in 8 min 11 mile pace Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1107895159419823832005-02-08T21:21:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:10.526+01:00Im back in the saddle again. It seems like ages, I had only expected to be off the road for a couple of days, in the end it was a whole nine. I expect I have been pushing myself a little too hard in my training combined with my job and my wifes cold it was enough to push me over the edge. My wages are a combination of a basic wage and a piece work style bonus. Being the way I am I tend to push Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1106993280697098172005-01-29T10:33:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:10.193+01:00What the difference a few days make. If I had written a entry in the middle of the week I would have reported how happy I was with the way my training was coming along. My mileage was heading back towards where it should be, around the 50 miles a week plus area and as an added bonus my times were starting to see an improvement as well. The midweek medium/long run was starting to develop, this Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1106502079062491592005-01-23T18:40:00.001+01:002006-11-11T18:31:10.034+01:00A slightly lower mileage but at a faster pace this week. Good to get back into the swing of things after our hoilday but next week it back to buisness once again and proper training will resume.
Day Distance Time / pace info CommentMonday Rest
Day Cross training - Well a day of shopping
anywayTuesday Rest
Day Travel day - Returning to Sweden with a 3am
start Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1106329523692035972005-01-21T18:30:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:09.566+01:00You may have noticed that my blogging has been slightly limited this week. That could either mean one of two things. I might be out running so much that I have little time left over to actually write about it. Or I could be feeling too drained, not doing that much running and therefore feel too guilty to show my face on here. Sadly the truth is the second choice.
After being able to sleep in Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1106072659206675812005-01-18T18:58:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:09.419+01:00I managed a second run between dragged around the shops during our trip to England. 69 minutes around the winding country lanes taking my total for the last seven days to just under 2 hours. Not the best of weeks but during several months worth of training it is likely that these things will happen. So my running totals were down but that doesn't mean I didn't manage to achieve some cross Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1105644537426676172005-01-13T20:22:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:09.238+01:00Marathon training is again taking a backseat as we visit family back in old Blighty. I managed to get a quick 37 mins running in this morning but it wont be much more than that I shouldnt think. I now know that my long run on Sunday was done too fast. It didnt feel bad at the time but it took a couple of days to get back to normal again. I needed to get some extra sleep but didnt actually get anyJameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1105350130271295422005-01-11T10:31:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:08.535+01:00My target time is in doubt again. Just what should I be aiming for? A few people have been leaving comments saying that I am doing so well to have my long run up to the distance that I do so early on in my training. Well maybe, but the real reason is the Swedish winter, Snow and ice wouldn't have made for very interesting 20 milers come February. They might have even have been impossible. Best toJameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1105376957958298842005-01-10T17:28:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:09.092+01:00Rich posted a comment on yesterdays post which made me realise I have not included much details of my training over recent days. So to make amens and "prove" that I havent been a lazy boy below is an extract from last weeks training log.
Day Distance Time / pace info CommentMonday 10.9 Kms 56:15 - 5.09 per kmStandard route but a little faster than usual, felt goodTuesday 10.9kms 53:03 - 4.52Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1105087227558470542005-01-07T09:33:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:08.303+01:00If you say the world London marathon to a non runner, the first two questions they will ask is "how far is that then?" followed by "Which charity are you running for?" For me its a personal challenge to met the goals I have set myself rather than an event to use to raise money. However if money can be raised for a good cause while meeting the goals laid down then that cannot be a bad thing.
I Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1104792613828411212005-01-03T23:19:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:07.579+01:00I keep my old race medals in a jar tucked away in a cupboard. From small local races to marathons that's where they stay. To the causal observer they are nothing more than a tacky souvenir. The running equivalent of taking a trip to London and coming back with a small plastic figure dressed up as a guard of Buckingham Palace.
However each piece of metal has its own story. Whether its a new Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1104747614183795202005-01-03T10:55:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:07.376+01:00Happy New Year everyone! 2005 has arrived and brought with it a blank training log and the chance to start afresh with new goals to aim for and the feeling that the marathon is getting even closer. Its this year now after all.
So what are my targets for this year? Before I can set out this years targets I have to explain that my overall target is to be able to run a marathon in less than 3 Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1104401846495129492004-12-30T10:48:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:07.146+01:00End of year report
Total distance run : 1011 miles / 1619km
Total time on feet :148.2 hours
Average pace : 8.21 min miles / 5.11 mim km
New personal bests achieved in the year :
10km - 41:16 - Falu Marknad Loppet
Marathon - 4.42:10 - Stockholm Marathon
As another year draws to a close a little reflection on the years running cannot be a bad thing. All in all it has been a pretty sucessful Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1103452955494556232004-12-19T11:28:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:06.969+01:00My training has now started to progress into the unknown. Yesterday I ran this weeks long run which at 30kms/19.2 miles was the longest I have ever attempted. All started smoothly and for the first 3/4 of the run I was really relaxing into the run and enjoying myself. I am getting used to running my long runs slower, it takes a bit of effort but I think it is worth it so the rest of the week Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1103145516991344822004-12-15T22:09:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:06.771+01:00Wednesday 15th December - Back into the swing of things.
10.8 Kms - 49 mins 34 seconds - 4m 35s per km
The second run of the week and it turned out to be a good one. Again it was a bit of a struggle to make it outside of the door once again, a theme that is starting to get on my nerves slightly, but I made it out all the same. To make things a little more interesting I decided to make this a Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1102958862942166072004-12-13T17:51:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:06.540+01:00A week to forget. A total of 14 kilometers divided into 2 runs is the pathfetic contribution I provided to my training last week. Not something to be proud of but don't worry I have my excuses lined up. Monday, car battery totally flat, morning wasted trying to find a garage with jump leads and recharging battery. Tuesday, car battery still flat after a night of charging, first 7 kilometers run Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1102504885441729642004-12-08T13:17:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:06.409+01:00Its a good job there will be thousands of other people to follow and a dotted blue line to follow come April otherwise I might end up getting lost. I have spent the best part of the last hour looking for my door key. Every pocket, every surface, under beds, sofas anywhere a key could be dropped. Finally I found it... on my keyring. I dont think I should go out todayJameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1101660177881209792004-12-07T17:32:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:05.094+01:00It seems that year its Steve Redgrave turn to take up the mantle and use the London Marathon for a record sponsorship total. It all began with John Spurling raised 1.3 million pounds back in 1999, ever since then there have been attempts to take the upper echelons to an even higher level.
Last year Archer aimed to earn a pound an inch, or 1,661,220 pounds ($2,970,000) over the course, for four Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1102276030026723252004-12-05T20:25:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:06.208+01:00Sunday 5th December - There and back again.
28.7 Kms - 2 hours 45 mins 31 seconds - 5m 46s per km
A slow starter this one. The first 2 kilometers were a slice of hell and I really couldn't really see myself getting around. I gritted it out however and by the time the 4th kilometer was completed I had loosened up and was into the swing of things. It wasn't the pleasantest of training weather. Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1102146303802752802004-12-03T08:30:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:06.080+01:00Friday 3rd December - Just getting around.
10.8 Kms - 58 mins 38 seconds - 5m 25s per km
This week has been a tough one, in retrospect having a longer run on monday night prehaps wasn the greatest of ideas. Coupled with Work, having to run around the warehouse throwing 6 tons of food into cages all week instead of sitting on a forklift as last week means that I have come to the end of this Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1101923733946377922004-12-01T18:54:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:05.880+01:00Wednesday 1st December - Taking it easy.
10.8 Kms - 61 mins 0 seconds - 5m 39s per km
An easy paced recovery run today, had the stopwatch clicking over but wasn't concerned at what it said. I just wanted to have the data as I know I will kick myself in a year or so when I look back to make comparisons. The main highlight of todays run was the frost on the trees. Quite often I get to caught up Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1101785891000172292004-11-30T04:35:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:05.677+01:00Monday 29th November - Long runs are for Sundays.
17.4 Kms ? - 1 hour 41 mins 48 seconds
Stepping foot outside the door for a long run after having worked a full physical labour isn't the easiest of things to do. I noticed myself creating extra little jobs that had to be done before I could go out. I knew from the start it wasn't going to be a "full" long run as to attempt the 27kms that had Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1101700431044911032004-11-28T04:53:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:05.466+01:00Sunday 28th November - No go in the snow.
9 Kms ? - 52 mins 21 seconds - 5m 49s per km
This was meant to be my long run for the week. I set out of the door planning to run 27kms but came back having only achieved 9. So what went wrong? Hopefully this doesn't sound like a feeble excuse, but it snowed on a weekend. Had it been a weekday all kinds of folk would have been jumping onto snowploughs Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1101700403649093012004-11-27T04:36:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:05.210+01:00Saturday 27th November - Gentle evening recovery.
10.81 Kms - 59 mins 14 seconds - 5m 29s per km
Its official I am in. The pack has arrived so no need to worry if I had written a cheque, promtly forgotten about it and then confused it with the marathon cheque. So I now know that I will be wearing number 10219 accross my chest and starting at the blue start come April. All this on the same day Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1101507864547574562004-11-26T23:00:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:04.817+01:00Friday 26th November - Caught outside with my trousers down.
10.81 Kms - 50 mins 36 seconds - 4m 41s per km
Today was one of those days when I really didn't feel like going out for a run. To be honest the whole week has felt much the same. If I had to rate my chances of getting out of the door it would have been at best 50/50. As it happens I am so glad I did, some of the most enjoyable runs Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1101160713841558612004-11-22T22:40:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:04.621+01:00Last week I was pondering over whether I was running my long runs too fast or that my target time was set a little bit on the light side. I couldn't make my mind up so I decided to plug my best race times for the half marathon and 10kms into the numerous marathon finish time predictors to see if that would give any indications. These predictors of course are an oversimplification to which I bringJameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1100978955831353092004-11-20T20:27:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:04.174+01:00It seems there are plenty of running blogs out there, you just have to know where to find them. This directory would appear to be a very good place to start.
Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1100888337658588262004-11-19T18:50:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:03.989+01:00Its official winter has arrived with a bang. One of the neighbouring towns, Hedemora received around 50cms of snow just on Thursday! If you think you vaguely reconise the town name it might be because you watched the BBC's "Get a new Life" when a Scottish fireman and his family moved to Sweden. It is his new hometown that had the one powder dumped from above on it, just have to wonder if he is Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1100633832688235232004-11-16T20:27:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:03.529+01:00
Winter is looming. The weatherman has forecast 20cms of snow to arrive on Friday. So they may be wrong, but it is only just a matter of time now. Snow and ice will arrive, but come April so will the London Marathon, so as the saying goes, the training must go on. Slipping over on the ice and breaking a leg doesn't sound like my idea of a good idea so I decided to splash out on a new pair off Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1100369140128133832004-11-13T18:29:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:03.308+01:00Winter is fast heading to this corner of Sweden. We woke up this morning to sheets of ice covering the roads and a heavy frost showing on the lawn. Hardly the ideal day for a long run. If it were not for the fact that I am due to work tomorrow I would have happily swapped the planned runs around and head out for a long run on Sunday, as it was I just had to make the best of it.
By the afternoon Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1100208033255061282004-11-11T22:00:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:03.010+01:00I have had a slight case of the guilt of the long distance runner. Due to my wife and myself both working shifts we can at times be like ships that pass in the night. Usually this fits in well with my running, but there are other times when it feels like I am sacrificing our time together for my own selfish activities. It does not help that quite often my work will leave me so tired that at some Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1099863731963201632004-11-07T22:14:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:02.490+01:00The first week off training since I found out I had a place in the marathon is over and I wont pretend that it has been easy. There have been two or three times when really I didn't fancy placing a foot outside the door and the odd moment while actually running when I was considering the whole idea as being completely daft. Luckily my heart won over my brain and 73 kilometers or 45.6 miles have Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572038.post-1099753778385232912004-11-06T15:18:00.000+01:002006-11-11T18:31:02.300+01:00There's nothing like being organised, and sadly no matter how hard I try I am nothing like organised. I go through phases were I will make lists of what needs to be done, with the full intention of crossing items of as I go along but I soon lose interest and go back to my haphazard ways. I thought however I had the yearly event of "Mass hysterically checking of bank accounts to see if the people Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14224963854722090605noreply@blogger.com1