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No run yesterday and there won't be one today either.

To be honest , it's not a great time. There's stuff going on at home and I have a small health issue.  I could do with getting to the other side of both these worries. 

Sparks just rang (That's Sparks the charity and not you Sparks if you're reading this!) and offered me a Golden Bond place for VLM10 for a hundred quid plus two grand sponsorship. 

I said no.

Oddly enough though I am more convinced than ever that I'll get running , improve and eventually run a massive distance , non-stop and hopefully without too much difficulty. I caught up on a few blogs last night and it's definitely a world I want to be part of.

Just got some stuff to sort out first.

Keep it up guys. (Especially you Jo)

Back soon

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Next-door neighbour knocked this morning and declared himself "ready when you are" , so once my Crunchy Nut Cornflakes had partially digested I took him round my little course.

Now , while I was happy to have the company (it can get lonely running for sixteen minutes) I hadn't banked on having to chat as we ran. I found it barely left any time for my wheezing.

N-d-n is a smoker and claimed not to have run for three years but it was clear that my run didn't stretch him. I'd say there was plenty more left in the tank.

He seems up for doing it again next week though so I'd better re-fuel well this week-end and improve my performance.

So , I've run three times this week. My legs feel fine. Once my lungs are prepared to go a bit further my legs will be well up for it. 

Next run Tuesday probably.

Have a great weekend all

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I cornered my next door neighbour to sort out what time we were going to run.

He seemed less keen than before so I offered him a days stay of execution. 

My legs could probably do with not running today anyway. 

They're not going to get off that lightly though cos I'm going to go for a walk through the fields.

Cheerio (Where did that come from? I NEVER say Cheerio. Does anyone say cheerio? Actually , I think my Dad says it.)

CU

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Just a short , slow (as if any other pace was an option) run out this morning.

I'm running with the bloke from next door tomorrow so I'm preserving my energy in case I have to try and keep up with him.

I'd better have pasta for dinner and get an early night too , just to be on the safe side.

Now to get stuck into some more paperwork. 

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I'm at home most of this week and plan to get in two or three runs by Friday. If I have a healthy eating (and drinking) week too I reckon I should be back on track.

Just ran my course and was able to drag myself around the football pitch for a third time , equalling my longest ever run in recent history. Next week I shall try and add a lap (although it's already boring running around a football pitch) , or try and run for twenty minutes non-stop.

There's a Rec (Recreation ground) nearby , that this particular wreck (something which has been destroyed or badly damaged) would like to be able to run to , run around and then run home from , all without stopping.

That'd involve running for over half an hour I reckon. 

It might even be 5K. Then I could stick at that for a while , get my speed up and enter a race!

It all sounds so easy.

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I did indeed go for that run on Monday. Struggled but just about managed to keep going for around 15 minutes. One lap of the pitch less than the run before.

Tuesday I flew to Cyprus to work for a couple of days. Whilst there I drank some wine and smoked some cigarettes.

Due to what I can only presume was an administrative error , I had business class tickets for the flights home on Thursday. Blimey! That's the way to fly. No hanging around departure gates with the great unwashed. Rather a private lounge with free food , drink and , er , newspapers. First on and off the plane , nice wide seats and decent leg room. No pressing buzzers to try and get a miniature bottle of rubbish wine. The flight crew actually come to you and offer refills from a full size bottle. That's classy. I felt a bit like a rock star. I was even offered a hot towel on a pair of tongs.

My return home was quite underwhelming. I'm not sure if anyone in the house was aware I'd been away. The cats ran straight up to me but it soon became apparent that they just wanted feeding. 

Mrs TT threw a package at me and I became mildly excited when I saw a London Marathon kagool. It was , however , accompanied by a rejection magazine.

In truth , I was not disappointed for more than a second or two. I'm either going to be able to run a marathon or I'm not. If I get to the point I'm ready to run one then I'll just turn up at one that's easy to get into. And I'll keep applying for London until they have to let me in. I'm not going to chase down a guaranteed spot for 2010 either. What with the current economic recession I suppose I might struggle to raise some of the minimum amounts. 

But , I'll keep on (beginning to start) running and one day I shall run an organised 5K or 10K.

I ran for another 15 minutes on Friday.

My neighbour (who was having a fag outside his front door as I sped by) now wants to come for a run with me. We've arranged for Thursday. That gives me time to have a couple more runs to see if I can stop wheezing quite so much. I hope he doesn't expect to run for more than 15 minutes and I hope he doesn't want to go to fast.

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Hello.

Remember me?

Thought not.

I was hoping to go for a bike ride this morning but a problematic posterior pain made me think better of it.

So I went for a run.

Just like that. Kit on and out the door. After three months of so (S--t. That's quarter of a year!) of not running a run just happened. And in broad daylight too.

I went VERY slowly and due to this tactical masterstroke I ran 2 laps of the football pitch further than I'd managed before.

Over seventeen minutes of non-stop..... well , running.

I did catch up on a number of blogs last night and I've no doubt that reading about a couple of fantastic marathon runs and seeing people determined to keep running when "stuff" is going on in their lives and it would seem easier to just quit , helped make me get off my (sore) arse and back out there.

And guess what? 

I feel really good.

Which is what I knew would happen.

So why on earth has it taken me this long to do it?

Don't answer that question. It was to myself really. 

Next run on Monday morning probably.

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Oh boy! I wish you could have seen it. I am absolutely chuffed to bits. If pride is a sin then I'm the worlds biggest sinner.

As I got drenched while unloading the shopping from the car this lunchtime during the mother of all downpours , sporting excellence seemed unlikely , but only a couple of hours later , in glorious sunshine , I was reminded of those thrilling evenings watching Coe and Ovett , Budd and Decker and Kelly Holmes.

While I have used my summer work patterns as a lame excuse for piling back on the pounds and not running (I swear I'll be back in a week. Seven days! "Yeah , yeah" you say and well you may but Tuesday's the day) my twelve year old daughter led by example with a superb effort at her school sports day.

First up was the 800 metres. She reckoned she could win and win she did. Eighty metres clear I'd say.

Then the 1500! Not a chance she said. As she predicted the favourite had soon broken away but Eden (that's my daughter's name) was chugging along steadily and worked her way through fourth and third to edge into second with 800 left. I swear the leader was 100m clear but Eden was starting to close the gap. In the last 400 she went for it and with 50m left she got to within 2 yards of her. At this point the leaders classmates were racing towards her and screaming warnings to her. As Eden got on her shoulder she realised and put on a burst which was too much for my girl , but what a race! The girl that won had come second in the 800 but like I said , a mile back. And She was nowhere to be seen as my "Jill of all trades" offspring romped home in the 200 metres half an hour later.

The 4 x 100 relay was less successful. Eden held on to second place in the third leg but their anchor stumbled in the final few metres. She did well to pick herself up and snatch fourth and that could well have proved vital as moments later , 8H were pronounced winners of the sports day for the first time ever with the girls 1500 being singled out as one of the finest races the sports teacher had seen that track.

We celebrated with a footlong Subway and a cookie each. Guess who'll be a pound heavier tomorrow!

I'm not sure if the twelve year old me could have beaten the twelve year old Eden in the 200m. Maybe. Maybe not.

Probably not.

I'm certain that the twelve year old me would have had no chance against her in the 1500m.

But the forty year old me should surely be able to live with that pace?

Or at least be a useful training partner?

So that's my goal for this summer (other than to stop eating and drinking too much and actually go running) , to beat my almost thirteen year old daughter in a middle distance race.

And if I dont?

Well , it won't be a surprise. She has ability , heart , courage and a nine stone advantage over me.

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