BUPA Great Manchester Run I’ve run a marathon
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Overview

After a 21 year gap, 3 additional kids and 3 extar stone in weight, this is my diary of my efforts to run the 2010 London Marathon.

I'll be 45 in August. The last time I did this was 1989, running a time of 3:33. Back then I was pretty fit and didn't have any of the distractions that I have today in the form of a wife and 3 kids.

The target is to try and get as close, or possibly even beat, that 1989 time, and thus provide hope to lots of middle-aged overweight guys that like a good wine you can get better with age. The first target though must be to shed around 2 stone in weight. At the moment, the difference between then and now would be that doing it today would be the equivalent of running 26 miles with my young son on my back. When you think of it in those terms it's pretty scary how I've let my self go. Photographic evidence will be provided.

Of course, the other main motivation is to raise as much money for charity.

So....here we go.

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Update 7

Well, the original intention of providing a weekly update to accompany my (ahem) weekly training session has well and truly bitten the dust. I've managed to keep exercising pretty regularly, though it's not always been running.

Perhaps someone else can answer this though. When both parents work, and you've got 3 kids, how on earth do you manage to find room for "us-time" in the marriage? Short of stretching the day to 30 hours I'm struggling. Walkinground Asda at 11.30pm doing the shopping is not my idea of fun.

I'm pretty sure in in mid-mid-life crisis mode. I've taken up Thai boxing again after a 25 year gap. I first did this in Manchester in the mid 80s under the legendary Master Toddy. I looked him up the other day, to see that he'd decamped some years ago and was now a trainer to the stars in Las Vegas. In terms of a total body workout Muay Thai takes some beating, as it exercises your entire body, and the 100 or so sit-ups we do each session helps the waist.

Today was a really big day, as it was little Benni's first day at school. I'm never sure whether it's more traumatic for the child or for the parent. It just makes you realise that they are not babies for ever, and how precious that time is.

Anyway, the good news is that I've found the Polar Heart Rate watch, so I can start to monitor with a degree of accuracy as to how far I am running and the times. 4 hours for the Virgin London Marathon is looking a long way away at the moment!!

 

Tags: Master Toddy, Muay Thai, Thai boxing, first day of school

Post Views: 182

Comments

no such thing as us time when there's kids involved
i've just had the rude awakening of school re-starting and as well as the clubs,cubs,guides ect
good luck with the running

posted by moose10 on 9 Sept. 2009 3:31 p.m.

Time...well if we knew how to create more we would be rich.

Basically I fit in running as much as possible before others are up so long runs tend to be off at around 6 am at weekends...not great but leaves rest of day free.

Well done on the cross training but remember you are training to run a marathon and no substitute for getting the miles in your legs.

posted by Keith_L premium member on 9 Sept. 2009 3:37 p.m.

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