North Norfolk Boot Camp

This bank holiday weekend has seen a removal to North Norfolk for the first round of the intensive training for the half-marathon.

It's only in the isolation of rural, uninhabited countryside that man and his pair of "technical" trainers (more of which another day) can really get acquainted. After all, this will become a serious relationship.

Apparently my trainers are to be my new best friends.

Having been quite "competent" (a comparative term) on the gym treadmill for thirty minutes continuous jogging, I felt it was time to see the road come up to meet me (or rather, a 5 mile combination of disused railway line, farms track and country roads making up part of the Weaver's Way). For those that know East Anglia, I've added an interactive route map here (to show I can) which tells the tale of Saturday's outing.

So, a combination of jogging and walking enabled me to complete this in 58 minutes, and the finish post was, conveniently, the 17th Century Banningham Crown . The road crew met up with me at this point and, although probably not a UK Athletics approved isotonic rehydration fluid, a pint of Woodfordes Wherry was quickly dispatched.

Now, I ran continuously for only the first 2 miles and thereafter did a walk and jog combo. A kind reader yesterday observed that this wasn't a bad strategy, but at this rate the route marshalls on the day would have taken in the cones and allowed the traffic back onto the course.

I can and will do better, for I have a Plan. And I will talk of the Plan in tomorrow's post.

Thanks for reading, and please take a look at my page for the good cause I'm running for.

A Day of Admin

So this is my first attempt at blogging as it is my first attempt at a half-marathon. But you're very welcome and thanks for finding this blog.

I hope, over the few days, to give a flavour of how an unfit 45 year-old prepares and trains for running 13.1 miles through the streets of central Cardiff to help raise £13,000 for a good cause.

So, today, finally I got around to registering for the Cardiff Half-Marathon on 18th October (just as well as the registration closes in just over a couple of weeks). How awful if I'd have done the training, but not been allowed to participate!

I also loaded my "JustGiving" donation page - only a grim photo so far but I see there's scope for putting video on. I'm thinking that I could do a series of shakey-cam clips which might be a little more engaging than yer average sponsorship page. Mmm.

Also got my first two donations - so we're on our way to the £1,000 personal target.

Oh, and I did a 4 mile hilly-ish route this morning, but disappointed that I (again) walked some of it.

Check back regularly for more updates, and let me know what you think.