22 days to go - Orthotics return

Route#28 Distance : 4.0 miles Duration : 40 min 11 sec Energy : 362 KCal Max HR : 129 Bpm Av HR : 120 Bpm Mile pace : 10:02 min/mile Mission statement : 4 miles in approx 40 mins (easy pace) I retrieved my insoles from Ipswich and set about the run. I have to say that the modified right orthotic is still digging into my arch and consequently causing some discomfort. The weather was cool, bright and sunny but there was a pretty strong breeze, I hope it is a little calmer tomorrow.

23 days to go - Happy birthday Mole!

Mission statement : Rest It's Friday so its rest day. Building up my energy stores for the weekend long run. Looking forward to celebrating Mole's birthday this evening, and sending her this big kiss.

24 days to go - A good brisk run

Route #27 Distance : 6.2 miles Duration : 51 min 55 sec Energy : 624 KCal Max HR : 165 Bpm Av HR : 142 Bpm Mile pace : 00:08:22 Mission statement : 1 mile jog, then 4 miles in approx 32 mins brisk (08:00 140 - 150 - 160), then 1 mile jog. A great run today, as usual my right leg felt awful during the first jog, but the pain and stiffness disappeared once I lengthened my stride and picked up the pace. The pace during the 4 mile fast section was good and I finished the section in under 30 min with negative splits, bring on the 22nd! Running without my orthotics caused no obvious problems, and my feet appreciated the comfort of non modified trainers. I will revert to using the insoles once they return from modification as I believe they protect my back on longer runs, hopefully they will be more comfortable than they were!

25 days to go - Back to the podiatrist

Route#9 Distance : 7 miles Duration : 1 hr 2 min 45 sec Energy : 639 KCal Max HR : 139 Bpm Av HR : 129 Bpm Mile pace : 08:57 min/mile Mission statement : 7 miles in approx 65 mins slow (09:15 125 - 130 - 135) My left hip and knee felt like a bag of spanners for the first mile of today's run but, like yesterday, things improved as I got fully warmed up. The weather was great, warm, sunny and still, and I had a pleasant time cruising with phi-life cypher (pictured). I decided that enough was enough with the right orthotic. It is really sticking into my arch and I have developed a nice bruise to go with my blister on that foot. In an effort to improve things I revisited Suvanne this afternoon and she is going to reduce the height of the right arch support. This means I will be without the orthotics for a few days, I hope I do not do myself any damage - at least it will give my blisters a chance to heal.

26 days to go - Okay to continue

Route #26 Distance : 7.75 miles Duration : 01 hr 05 min 13 sec Energy : 803 KCal Max HR : 174 Bpm Av HR : 144 Bpm Mile pace : 08:24 min/mile Mission statement : 1 mile jog, then 5 x 1 mile or 8 mins fast, with 200m or 2-min jog recoveries, then 1 mile jog. My hip and knee were still sore this morning, but not too bad to stop me running. I set off gingerly, fully prepared to turn around if things got to painful. As it happens, once I was fully warmed up the pain subsided and I wound up putting in a good session. My pace during the fast sections was closer to 7 min/mile than the proscribed 8 min and I felt pretty good about myself by the end of the session. The warm sunny weather definitely helps keep the motivation levels high.

27 days to go - RICE Therapy

Mission statement :- Rest Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation - RICE. My left knee was very sore this morning and I spent the day feeling sorry for myself and doing my best to aid recovery. Lots of ice, a knee bandage and lying around on the sofa. Luckily by the evening the worst stiffness had passed and I could at least walk without a limp but I'd put my chances no better than 50:50 for tomorrow's interval session. Week 18 totals Distance : 45.85 miles Duration : 6 hrs 42 min 57 sec Energy : 4509 KCal Max HR : 173 Bpm Av HR : 136 Bpm Mile pace : 08:47 min/mile Av KCal/mile : 98 KCal Av KCal/min : 11 KCal Mbeat : 1.33 m/heartbeat Sponsorship Update Thank you to Joe, Fiona, Adam and Rachel who all have all done their bit for the cause. You are the tops.

28 days to go - BST and feels like it!

Route#9 Distance : 20.5 miles Duration : 2 hrs 57 min 12 sec Energy : 2053 KCal Max HR : 161 Bpm Av HR : 139 Bpm Mile pace : 08:38 min/mile Mission statement : 20 miles approx 3hrs 10 slow (09:30 125-135-145) Neg splits Okay, I know I went much quicker than I should have done, but the weather was so good I could not help myself. As usual I prepared for the long run with a breakfast of porridge, coffee and "vitamin I" and set up caches of Lucosade, Red Bull and Jelly Babies. I ran 3 laps of route #9 each faster than the last and have to admit that I was pretty bushed by the end. The pace I set today was almost exactly the pace I will need to do for a 03:45 marathon, will the big occasion give me that extra boost I need to cover the remaining 4.7 miles? I hope so. On the down side, my blisters have got much worse and my right knee was quite painful once I stopped. I really hope I can deal with these issues in time. Only 4 weeks to go! A big thanks to the Gods for a great supper and better company - cheers guys.

29 days to go - Brrr, not spring yet

Route#3 Distance : 3.6 miles Duration : 32 min 33 sec Energy : 303 KCal Max HR : 131 Bpm Av HR : 123 Bpm Mile pace : 09:02 min/mile Mission statement : 4 miles approx 40 mins easy. I had had it in mind to do the long run today rather than tomorrow, but the weather was not conducive to a long run - wet, cold and windy - so I stuck to the schedule and did a short recovery run. These are never my favourite sessions, the slow pace seems to amplify any niggles and both feet and my left hip and knee were less than comfortable and I was pleased to get in the shower. I hope the weather and my general well being improves for the long run tomorrow.

30 days to go - New headphones

Mission statement :- Rest A scheduled rest day, and much appreciated. I am pleased to report that my legs feel fresh, with no trace of last weeks stiffness. I am slightly worried by the blister problem, but I am confident that I will find a way to cope with that as well. My new sennheiser PMX 70 headphones (pictured) arrived today, I look forward to trying them out over the weekend.

31 days to go - Domino effect blister

Route#11 Distance : 5.3 miles Duration : 44 min 30 sec Energy : 521 KCal Max HR : 162 Bpm Av HR : 140 Bpm Mile pace : 08:23 min/mile Mission statement : 1 mile jog, then 3 miles in approx 24 mins (brisk pace 08:00 140 - 150 - 160), then 1M jog . The weather was much nicer today, still chilly but calm and sunny. Unfortunately the blister under my right foot was very sore this morning. This blister is a lesson in sticking with tested solutions. If I had not changed my brand of gaffer tape, I would not have had blister problems last week and I would not have been running without protecting my right arch this week, causing further blisters. Oh well you live and learn. The upshot of the foot problem is that I was forced to go without my orthotics today. I used the heel lift instead, I could not believe how comfortable my trainers felt! The run itself was pretty good, I completed the 3 mile faster section in 21:47 (07:15 min/mile)with a negative split and full of running. My left hip and knee were a little uncomfortable by the end of the jog, but I am putting that down to the lack of orthotics. Sponsorship news SecretSquirrel and DitchWoman dig deep for the cause. Their efforts have got me over the half way mark. Thanks to everyone.

32 days to go - Cruising with J5

Route#25 Distance : 9.45 miles Duration : 1 hr 26 min 5 sec Energy : 897 KCal Max HR : 147 Bpm Av HR : 131 Bpm Mile pace : 09:06 min/mile Mission statement : approx 85 mins slow (09:26 124-134) For some reason I am feeling the strain this week. The run went okay in terms of mission parameters, but it all seems harder than it did a few weeks ago. Oh well, at least my legs are loosing the last of last week's stiffness, maybe I can get enthusiastic about tomorrow's shorter sharper session. Looking forward to a good hot chilli with the Boingles this evening.

33 days to go - Hitting the fence

Route #9 Distance : 7.0 miles Duration : 1 hr 2 min 37 sec Energy : 735 KCal Max HR : 173 Bpm Av HR : 140 Bpm Mile pace : 08:56 min/mile Mission statement : 1 mile jog. 3 x 1.5 mile or 10mins fast (06:40 Maximal HR 160+), with 400m or 3-min jog recoveries. 1 mile jog. To be completely honest I was not confident that I could get 1.5 miles in 10 min once, let alone 3 time in a row. This lack of confidence, coupled with the cold windy conditions, may have contributed to the outcome of the run. I managed the first jog and got to the end of the first interval of 1.5 miles in 10 min 30 sec blowing hard and feeling slightly nauseous but pretty pleased with myself. I felt pretty good after the next jog and attacked the second 1.5 mile interval at the same pace as the first. The problem was that I completely ran out of energy after about a mile and had to stop for breath. I am not claiming to have hit the wall here, but I feel I may have encountered a small fence, try as I might for the rest of the run I could not muster better than 8:30 pace. I suppose the interruption to my training followed by last weeks full on effort and my recent less than spotless lifestyle have left their mark. Here's hoping I can do better for the rest of the week.

34 days to go - Enjoying more rest

Week 17 Totals Milage : 48.5 miles Duration : 7 hrs 5 min 41 sec KCal : 4918 KCal Max HR : 177 bpm Av HR : 136 bpm Mile pace : 08:46 min/mile mBeat : 1.33 m/heartbeat KCal/min : 11 KCal KCal/mile : 101 KCal It feels good to be the right side of a full training week again. My legs are feeling better already and my feet look worse than they hurt. For any interested mac users, I have updated my video pages to use the divX web player that is supposed to be cross browser/platform. I would be glad to hear if anybody not using IE/XP can see them. Click here to try. Looking forward to a full week's training next week.

35 days to go - Windy or what?

Run home from Stradbroke pool Distance : 4 miles Duration : 39 min 24 sec Energy : 362 KCal Max HR : 132 Bpm Av HR : 122 Bpm Mile pace : 09:51 min/mile Mission statement : Scheduled - 20 miles in around 3hrs 10 slow (09:30 125-135-145) Neg splits Revised - 4 miles in 40 min I am really glad that I swapped the long run to yesterday! Not only was it VERY windy with occasional rain and hail, but predictably we drank way more wine than was sensible last night and I would have to admit to feeling a little on the slow side this morning. We had a great evening with JD and Bats 1, 2 and 3 and, as you can see from the picture, Cuba has had a profound effect on JD. The run back from Stradbbroke was painful, my legs really need a rest, luckily it is a rest day tomorrow, and one I can enjoy without a fit of the guilts.

36 days to go - Making hay while the sun shines

Route#9 Distance : 20.50 miles Duration : 03:00:14 Energy : 2134 KCal Max HR : 155 Bpm Av HR : 136 Bpm Mile pace : 00:08:47 Mission statement : Scheduled - 4 miles in approx 40 mins easy Revised - 20 miles in approx 3hrs 10 slow (09:30 125-135-145) Neg splits Due to the fantastic weather today and the lousy forecast for tomorrow, I chose to do the long run a day early. I settled on running laps of the 7 mile route 9, set up some drops of Lucosade sport, Red Bull and Jelly babies for refuelling and once my long run breakfast of porridge, coffee and vitamin I (ibuprofen for my sore thighs) had had time to settle I set off. The first lap was tough, my legs were really stiff and my anti-blister duct-tape bandages wound up giving me blisters! However, once I had sorted out my feet and got the first Lucosade sport down my neck I felt much better and the second two laps were much easier. I managed to do each lap faster than the last and felt pretty good at the end. My pace was faster than specified, but I figure that this may go some way towards making up for missing the fast half marathon last week. I think I am going to include Red Bull in my race strategy. It really does give you a boost of energy and I think it will come in handy on the big day. Today's session has boosted my confidence and left me basking in a mellow post run glow. Which is great as we are off to JD's tonight for supper.

37 days to go - Catch up session and chicken soup

Route#24 Distance : 5.9 miles Duration : 50 min 24 sec Energy : 553 KCal Max HR : 166 Bpm Av HR : 136 Bpm Mile pace : 08:32 min/mile Mission statement : Scheduled - Rest Revised - Run 6 miles, Jog first mile then run each mile faster than the last. Officially I should have been resting today, but now I am back on the road and considering my recent activity (or lack of it) I decided to go for a run. My thighs were really stiff before I set off, but once I had covered a couple of miles they started to feel better. I managed to ratchet up the pace throughout the run. My last mile came in at 6 min 40 which I am pretty pleased with. The day just got better and better, we had a very pleasant lunch of homemade chicken soup with Mole and I followed that up with a great curry back at the Gods. Thanks guys. Here's hoping that the arnica helps my stiff legs through the long run this weekend!

38 days to go - Ooops found those thighs

Route #6 Distance : 11.5 miles Duration : 01 hour 34 min 54 sec Energy : 1210 KCal Max HR : 177 Bpm Av HR : 147 Bpm Mile pace : 08:15 min/mile Mission statement : 11 miles in around 95 mins (steady pace) Yup, no doubt about it, having a slack 3 weeks completely messes up your fitness! Not only did I find it hard to get the distance today, my aerobic performance was poor and my legs seized up during the evening. Oh well, only myself to blame. On the upside, the weather is still gorgeous and I was running along with a bee for beside me today, spring is firmly in the air.

39 days to go - Back on the road

Route #15 Distance : 6.6 miles Duration : 1 hour 45 sec Energy : 659 KCal Max HR : 163 Bpm Av HR : 134 Bpm Mile pace : 09:12 min/mile Mission statement : 6 miles in approx 58 mins (slow pace) I forced myself to get back on the road. A slow run seemed to be a reasonable start, but I really felt the lack of recent training. At least I got to bask in the post exercise glow for the first time in nearly a week and I feel a little better about myself now that training has resumed.

40 days to go - Still not going!

Mission statement : 8 miles, 1 mile jog, then 6 miles or 50 mins fartlek, then 1 mile jog. Things are getting serious, today makes 5 runs I have missed in the last 2 weeks, I must get my act together and put in some effort. Assuming I can make a start, I have decided to try to run everyday for the rest of the week. Hopefully I can make up for a little lost ground, and hit my weekly target for the week.

41 days to go - Sponsored to rest

Mission statement : Rest The weather was fantastic today, but my enthusiasm for running remained at an all time low. The program said rest, so I rested whether I needed it or not! I did spend some time making my Beaver Creek home video, anybody who can be bothered can watch it here. Be warned it is large (41mb) and it is encoded with divX so you will need to be able to deal with that. Sponsors from Bath Paul and Carmen you are stars! There has been more than a little running at your house recently I understand, good on you.

42 days to go - Are we tired?

Mission statement : Half-marathon Aim for sub-1:45 What can I say, I am asleep when I am meant to be awake, and awake when I am meant to be asleep. It turns out that Easterly jet lag is worse for me than Westerly, well that and the positively non-professional drinking and smoking I have been doing. I am annoyed with myself, this period is meant to be the most intense of the whole program and I have dropped the ball! If you had not guessed, I failed to run today!

43 days to go - That cat's back!

Mission statement : 3 miles in around 30 mins. (Easy pace 10:00 min/mile)

Yeah right, once we had got home from Heathrow and picked up the cat, there was no way you could get me off the sofa! Another training session missed :(.

44 days to go - Going back home

We left Eagle at 08:00 for out 18:10 flight from Denver International Airport. The drive down to Denver was very scenic and we arrived in town by about 11:30, leaving plenty of time for some serious shopping and lunching. Check in was stress free and the flight long but uneventful.

45 days to go - Last day at the Beav

Mission statement : 5 miles, 1 mile jog, then 3 mile approx 24 mins brisk, then 1 mile jog. Oh well, it has happened again, I have missed another run. The weather on the mountain was foul today, and for some reason my energy levels were at an all time low. The net result of this was that I had a snooze rather than a run after the last days riding. Back to Blighty tomorrow, and a welcome reunion with the cat!

46 days to go - Spring is in the air

Route Round Eagle Distance : 6.4 miles (Estimate) Duration : 58 min 41 sec Energy : 650 KCal Max HR : 150 Bpm Av HR : 135 Bpm Mile pace : 09:10 min/mile Mission statement : 9 miles in around 85 mins (slow) We had a great day at Beaver Creek today, the weather was warm and the pistes soft. I followed up the boarding with a run around Eagle. I had intended to run for an hour and a half as specified in the schedule, but had to cut the run short when the sun dipped behind the mountains and the temperature plummeted. My body felt the strain for the first time since we got to Colorado today, and I was pleased to get into bed after our evening pizza feast.

47 days to go - A visit to Vail and back on the treadmill

Treadmill Distance : 7.0 miles Duration : 1 hr 1 min 15 sec Energy : 723 KCal Max HR : 165 Bpm Av HR : 144 Bpm Mile pace : 08:44 min/mile Mission statement : 1 mile jog, then 3 x 1.5 mile or 10 mins fast, with 400m or 3-min jog recoveries, then 1 mile jog We decamped to Vail with Spencer and Bronwyn for the day today, via the Highway 6 Cafe for a fat boy breakfast. The riding was easy but good fun with our little 6 year old expert showing us the way. Once we got back to base everybody else went to Glenwood Springs and I did my interval session on the treadmill. About time I did some running! Another sponsor Thank you Charlotte you are a star! I'll make sure that your sisters know you beat them to the punch.

48 days to go - A long day in the sun

Scheduled rest day. Having fully recovered from my cold, I had intended to put in some running today to catch up on last weeks missing miles. Things just did not work out that way though and we ended up putting in a long day on the mountain, then rushing back to go out for a delicious meal at the Main Street Grill in Eagle with Beth and Spencer. The weather today was fantastic yet again. Unfortunately, I forgot to put on my sunscreen this morning and my face was the color of a well cooked lobster by the end of the day. I cannot decide if snowboarding is a valid substitute for running, I am sure that it is effective as a leg strengthening exercise, but I suspect it does very little for cardio-vascular fitness. I am beginning to think that this may be the first winter holiday I have had where I will get back home less fit than when I left!

49 days to go - More sun and some welcome warmth.

Another scheduled rest day. My head cold (Glammy says man cold) seems a little better today and I am relatively confident that I will be back running tomorrow. We had an awesome day on the slopes, bright sunshine in a cloudless sky and very much warmer, the temperature had risen to 32 Fahrenheit (zero Centigrade) by mid afternoon, positively sweltering after yesterday's Arctic conditions. Devilboy has bought himself a new board and bindings and is even faster now and grinning from ear to ear.

50 days to go - Sunshine and a thick head

Mission statement : 4 miles in around 40 mins easy pace. We had a long day on the mountain in bright but chilly conditions. By the time we had got back to base I was past running and feeling pretty poorly. I hate colds, and I seem to have a good one. I am afraid that this is one running session that has to be written off. I am trying not to feel too guilty as the snowboarding must be equivalent to a 4 mile recovery run, and standard advice is not to push it when you are ill, as that will tend to prolong the illness. Hopefully I will be back to full fitness by Monday after today's unofficial rest and tomorrow's scheduled rest.

51 days to go - A cold in the cold.

Today was an official rest day which is probably a good job as I seem to have developed a full blown cold. Thanks to the wonders of "Day Nurse" I managed to put in a full day on the slopes with Glammy and Devilboy and get out for a great steak in the Broadway Cafe in the evening. It was not exactly training but was fun all the same. It was really cold today, around -15 centigrade and very windy, so heaven knows what the wind chill was. Needless to say we all got chilled to the bone and were happy to get home into the warm.

52 days to go - Pow and Gypsum Rec

Track Distance : 8.30 miles Duration : 1 hr 12 min 6 sec Energy : 931 KCal Max HR : 165 Bpm Av HR : 148 Bpm Mile pace : 08:41 min/mile Mission statement : approx 77 mins steady (8:33 130 - 140 -150) A very busy day today. We got out to the mountain in good time, and rode until 2pm in wonderful snow conditions. The weather was cold, snowy and windy - the temperature was as low as zero Fahrenheit at the top of the mountain. Once we got back to Eagle, Beth and I went to the Gypsum Recreation center for a bit of training. The running track there in on the first floor and runs around the basket ball court and gymnastic floor. A bizarre experience but better than a treadmill. The track is short at 14.4 laps per mile an I have to admit that I found it difficult to keep track of how far I had run, so my distance for today is a little approximate. The altitude has certainly asserted itself, my heart rate was much faster than I would have expected for the pace I was running. The locals say that the third day is when the effect really kicks in and I would have to agree. I also have to report that once I had finished running, my nose started to run constantly. This is either due to the dry air or a cold, I will keep you informed.