I had a couple of great runs this week which have really inspired me to keep going.
On Tuesday I headed out across the Downs and probably hadn't been running for a few days, but for some reason it felt really good.
I don't mean that it was less painful less like one of Dante's cycles of Hell, but it was actually a good feeling, positive euphoric energy was coursing through me. I thought I might have to test myself for drugs at one point.
I have been to the gym a few times lately and I am lighter than I have been for quite a while, which will have helped.
But I've had the feeling before when your legs just keep going without having to think of every laden step and your body is happy working at that level, like a well-tuned engine cruising along the motorway. Perhaps I shouldn't get too carried away, but it was great because I knew that was the point when I went from somebody struggling to run a few miles and having to stop every few hundred yards to walk and rest, to somebody who can run some distance and is fit enough to keep going. It all clicked back into place.
I ran just over four miles and did it in 55 minutes, which is slow of course, but the key is I didn't stop.
At that rate it will take me about six hours to do the marathon, if I could even keep going at that pace. But I've always said I would be happy to finish with 12.
For the first time in years running was enjoyable again, it felt like everything was working properly. I had some fantastic tunes on my iPod, thanks to a Ministry Of Sound mega-anthem-mix or something like that, so at times it almost felt like I was dancing across the Downs. And most importantly I was wearing my favourite running shorts and Lycra running pants, which is probably not an image anybody wants to entertain.
I haven't even been able to wear the shorts for years so it was good to get into them again, and likewise with the Lycra cycling shorts which I wear under my shorts for comfort and to harness the power of my massive thigh muscles. And for comfort, which is important in my advancing years.
I went out on Friday to have another go at the run just to make sure it wasn't a fluke and managed the same thing again, although I wasn't quite as spritely as on Tuesday, and finished in 56 minutes. But it was good to do it again as I know I've got that distance to build on, and I really need to do that as the half marathon is only weeks away now.
I think if I add a mile a week to my training I should be okay, that's as long as I don't get carried away at my brother's wedding which is the day before, and decided to toast the bride and groom with ten pints of Stella!
I cut the slack a bit this week as a reward for training so hard and on Thursday I had BURGERS for dinner.
I just got a bit sick of a constant diet of fish, veg and salad. I think I've eaten more fish than a performing seal at Sea World lately. I'm in danger of going off it completely.
So I got a couple of the more expensive type of burgers and had them with cheese, on a bun, but there wasn't as much bad stuff in them as I thought there would be. Burger buns have got much more green on the wheel than bread, weirdly, and the burgers didn't have any red on them.
And last night, after quite a big plate of pasta with a carbonara sauce, I actually had two double chocolate chip muffins. I do feel a bit bad about that, but the Weight Watchers toffee flavoured yoghurts I've been trying to kid myself with really don't hit the spot.
But I guess it's back to the salad this weekend, really want to get down to 16st at Monday's weigh in and hit the 2 stone target.
No comments:
Post a Comment