New Shoes?

It's been a typically food and booze heavy Christmas and I've done very little beyond eating, drinking and eating some more.

To be honest I enjoy this and am in a happy rut, but Matt has bought me the very pair of Brooks Adrenalines which I had been looking at and James has come 'round, so I can hardly make a decent excuse.

We run up Stoke hill, intending to turn right at the top, but when we get there we decide on a longer loop and go through Poltimore and back through to town, a loop of 8.24miles by the pedometer (this doesn't take into account hills, so the fact that we start with SToke hill probably knocks it up to nearer nine - when we get a more standard route I will have to drive it to determine the distance more accurately.

Eight and a half miles isn't too shoddy for my eighth run really. I am quite pleased.

Google Map of Route

Short run

Long day today and an extended and not entirely uninebriated luncheon.

It's strange how a three and a half mile run seemed a long one only a week or so ago and now seems a short one.

Down May street, the back way to the clock tower, past the prison, then up the hill to the sports centre and back. Started slow and sped up at the end - I struggle up hills still, it's not pain but a lack of speed. Very fast (for me) back past the football ground and up Blackboy road where I couldn't keep up with Matt at all.

Not too tired though, which is pleasing, especially when one considers the beer in my belly.

Google Map of route

Brownland Smoothrides break - Pops' face a clear casualty.

Well, the Smoothland Freerides died on the way to work. and he had to spend a while in A&E. Long enough in fact that it had stopped bleeding by the time he had stopped waiting.

I feel bad that they hurt him like this and maybe we need to club together and buy him some betterer forks?

Anyay, they died.

Quarryman's Black Rat Bash

Well, this weekend I got drunk - the police were called out and Orion chased them away with carrots and I ran out of diesel (not in the tank, just in the engine - air lock) on the motorway last night so I had to huddle under a bridge with all the family.

Just about to order one of those booster packs as a spare battery.

edit - Spoke to my Mother - I think I am getting a booster pack for Christmas, so that's saved me finding one.

Run 6

Shorter today as Des comes 'round with James. Derron can't run in the end as he has a chest infection, but by the time we leave James has had 4 pints, so we decide not to do the long one again yet.

Matt is still a bit under the weather too .

We run through town, which makes for an interesting experience - James makes foghorn sounds intermittently and on two seperate occassions someone deliberately steps into my path. I'm wearing a Dundee United shirt and end up shouting 'I'm wearing bright orange, you can see me!' in a woman's face (as I pass, I didn't stop to be offensive ) I am very careful not to run into people and cannot understand why someone would deliberately do this.


Apart from James running into a barrier, being shouted at from a car and going the wrong way once, we make the quay in ridiculously good time. It is only when we reach the first hill that I slow.

By Magdalene road I have a stitch from hell and I carry it all the way home. Still, I recover reasonably quickly when I stop and I keep going - it's still not a bad time (good even) but we shouldn't have set off like mad hares.

I don't know why pedestrians make me speed up so much, but I must try and conquer this.

Just over three and half mile, but uphill all the way back.

Next run should be a longer one again - still running in Matt's old trainers, but with insoles (from other old trainers) so I have blisters on both feet again.

Google Map of Route

Long one

Well, tonight I went out to run the 2 mile route backwards, in order to find out, once and for all, where that damned footpath comes out.

When I got to the entrance to mincing lake valley park I just decided to run on up the hill and this has been my most pleasant run yet.

I did find the footpath entrance, I saw a Delica up near Sainsburys and I ran six and a quarter miles in under an hour.

I guess that puts me in line for a 2 hour half marathon?

Without question I could have gone on and run the loop again tonight - I am much more confident now.

Google Map of Route

Run 4

James comes 'round, so Matt, James and I are going to run a route I have devised to take in as many parks in a short distance as we can. I'll try and find the way into the footpath as well.

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This goes well until we start going uphill, I seem to have an almost endless ability to run on the flat, but the very first hill kills me - stitches are becoming a real problem now. I guess that's what comes of carrying 15.5 stone around?

There were a couple of glitches, the cemetary was locked for the night, which led to us running down a nasty, pothole ridden track in pitch darkness and I still didn't find the way into the footpath.

That said, we went at a reasonable pace, covered nearly four miles and I'm not too knackered.

As always, 14 press-ups and 35 sit ups to finish (Offspring number one's choice of numbers, not mine)

Feeling more like it might be possible now.

Google Map of Route

Run 3

That didn't go as badly as I thought it might, I am in minimal pain here, so I am going again tonight.

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A slightly longer run tonight, but still under 3 miles.

It's far easier running alone. I don't go much slower, if at all, but I have a steadier running pace. That said, on the day I'll have lots of runners around me to ruin that, so . . .

Google Map of Route

Run 2

Tonight nobody turned up, so I'm running alone.

I thought that I'd try and do the same route, but with a littl detour to see if I can't see where the footpath near Polsloe Bridge goes. I found the second Half of it, but I still couldn't find the way in, so I'll have another look next time.

Google Map of Route

6 days later I am still unable to walk properly.

Honestly, I believe that I COULD run the half marathon tomorrow, but it's going to hurt like hell and I need to train.

It's been a week, so I'm going again tomorrow.

First Run.

Well, I went on my first run since leaving the Army.

Two and a half miles and it hurt like hell.

Google Map of Route

Drunken Stupidity

Okay, I got drunk for SWMBO's birthday (as one must) and I have 'accidently' made fun of Rudi and Ami for doing The Great West Run. I believe that the conversation went along the lines of:

Manley: Running - I hate it.
Rudi : You're just old and fat. (technically this is true)
Manley: Nah, I could do it, easy. *belch*
Rudi : Go on then.
Manley: Right then I will.

Bugger.