Week 1 - And they're off!

Welcome to my blog!!

Week 1 - Jan 1st-7th '06
OK, I've thought about the longest distance I've run up to now. A couple of kms playing football, I guess, or probably 4 or 5km on a treadmill. That's it! It's going to be a LONG sixteen weeks... and I guess that's how long I'm going to keep up this blog for.

My training for this marathon coincides quite neatly with the start of the new year - so I guess my main Resolution for '06 is get fit and run a lot!

First purchase: 'The Non-runner's Marathon Trainer' (Whitsett, Dolgener, Kole)

I bought the book off amazon back in December and am ready to start usting it. So far, it has been very helpful. It gives me a training schedule for sixteen weeks which I have decided to stick to. Let's hope they know what they're talking about!!

First Run - 3 miles; 2/Jan/06

Ran around Paddington / Bayswater / Queensway on 2nd of Jan. Quite hard work but I enjoyed it. Nice and embarrassingly I stumbled on the concrete and grazed my knee right at the start. Doh! Made it through the 3 miles though. I have put the fact that I was meant to run on the 1st of Jan aside. It's onwards and upwards from here!

Second Run - 4 miles; 5/Jan/06

A bit down about missing my planned run on Wednesday morning AND evening. I couldn't bring myself out of bed at 5am to run before work on Thursday morning. In the evening though, I managed to get my longest run LTD (life to date!) done - all four miles of it. I did it on a treadmill so I was more certain of the distance I covered and readjust the pedometer and synchronised it so that I can now trust it!

Third Run - 3 miles; 6/Jan/06

I had to plod on a treadmill again, after work before a night out. My eating had been pretty sensible all week. Pasta, some 'be good to yourself' type of Ready Meals. The 3 mile run was enjoyable. At about 2 miles I got a bit weary but the end was certainly in sight and I finished it. Drank quite a bit afterwards and even ate a kebab. I don't even eat kebabs!! The shame!!

Fourth Run - 5 miles; 8/Jan/06

Half the battle was psyching myself for the run... it took me ages just to get ready. I did it though, another PB! I ran around Wandsworth Common with different routes around it. 5.33mls - get in! The book that I bought rather frustratingly doesn't go into the speed you should complete your training / the marathon in. So I am just trying to push myself without going over the top. I completed the run in 44.5 minutes. A very pleasing end to the week but it certainly wasn't easy. I now need to read what Chapter 2 of the book says for Week 2! Let's see how it goes.