50 Weeks to Marathon '09

cactus flower wrote:

Kate P wrote:

Quote :

Went for a jog this morning myself. Felt brilliant especially after a particularly decadent weekend. Might give it a go, or at least see how far I can take it. I have to worry about an ankle which can play up if I run too fast, so it will depend on that.

Nothing like a decadent weekend!

Be gentle with your ankle and yourself. There's no rush on either. The last thing you want to do is get an injury. There are probably lots of sunny Spanish marathons and half marathons that you could do too.

There's a wonderful 10k through Malaga City. Thousands of people, all shapes and sizes, including little children dragging their parents behind them.

Yeah I've seen them in Alicante too. 10km is no problem even now. As to the ankle Kate is right about rushing. Sometimes though when the andrenalin gets hold of you and you are feeling fit you just want to take off. I think losing weight helps, although I am not fat(13st, 6ft), I do find that just loosing even just a couple of pounds can make a lot of difference on the stresses and strains you put on your joints. I'll have to cut back on sweet things as well.

Have you a sweet tooth, Res? Sugar is as bad as nicotine - just as lethal and just as addictive.

Being fitter means though that you're less likely to want to eat junk. That's always my experience anyway; it's nothing conscious, it just doesn't taste the same.

Kate P wrote:

Have you a sweet tooth, Res? Sugar is as bad as nicotine - just as lethal and just as addictive.

Being fitter means though that you're less likely to want to eat junk. That's always my experience anyway; it's nothing conscious, it just doesn't taste the same.

I'm more a salt lover although I go over the top with choclates every christmas. Also like my beer. Your right about being fitter and not wanting junk. But I could never be a complete puritan all of the time and ban certain foods. I even went to MacDonalds a few months ago and had to remind myself how bad the food really is. Will probably go back again in 6 months. I dont know why?

This call to gird up our loins from Kate P has got me out into the garden for the last two days furiously raking the dead leaves from the grass. Its quite good exercise and I've ended up with a lovely heap of leaves for leaf mould and some interesting swirly patterns on the lawns.

Urgh, the leaves, that is my job for tomorrow.

johnfás wrote:

Urgh, the leaves, that is my job for tomorrow.

The wind will blow them away .... eventually.

I'd love to agree with you but in fact I am inaccurate in saying they are leaves. They are discharge from evergreens and they do need to be dealt with. Next door has one of those hoover yokes, might try to borrow it.

The secret of my enthusiasm is a wonderful bamboo rake I have. It is very strong and light and the raking is very easy with it. I can listen to the lunchtime news on the wind up radio, and then sit down and eat an apple off a tree and look at the river.

It isn't so bad into the garden. They border our garden and they fall into the bark around themselves inside the garden which is OK. It is the overhanging onto the road that I have to go out and deal with.

Marathons? *groan*

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

Marathons? *groan*

mmmm

Is that an Ice-Cream Mars?

When it comes to Burgers I'm a T-Rex

cactus flower wrote:

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

Marathons? *groan*

mmmm

*groan again*

50 weeks seems a long time away -even with the intention of covering 40km by the end of it. (There are some here who'd say they'd need the whole 50 weeks just to cover that distance anyway!)

So a short term goal is needed.

Last Monday I got out, but haven't done since (and yes, since you ask, I could be out now instead of doing this but I had a long, long walk in the rain in the woods with my best friend this morning and that's enough for now). I'm anxious that the time is just going to slip away on me because New York 09 seems so far away right now. Many of the books offer 16 week training regimes which would mean starting in June or July but why put that stress on an ageing body? Easy does it.

A 10k in March and a half marathon in the early summer should put me in good stead then for 16 weeks of serious training and preparation before the big event.

A 5km race before Christmas would be a good focus. The criteria have to be that it's manageable and fun.

This one organised by Donore Harriers to take place in the Phoenix Park on December 14 - a Sunday - at 11am, seems like it's just the trick. With a name like Jingle Bells 5k, it's seasonal and the prizes indicate that it doesn't have to be a serious event.

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Prizes
1st 5 Men & Women, 1st Junior M & W (U20 Born in 1989), 1st Wheelchair Athlete.
1st Walker, Highest Fundraiser, Best Fancy Dress.
1st & 2nd Men & Women Over 35, Over 40, Over 45, Over 50.
1st Man & Woman Over 55, Over 60.
Prizes

1st & 2nd Men & Women Club Team. (3 to score) Teams must be declared before race

Not that winning prizes will be the aim - rather to run the 5k and not keel over.

So I've entered online - E12, which is a fair price for 5 weeks of motivation (and maybe a tiny bit of fortuitous skinnying before the Christmas hooley the following week. ).

Any takers for this or other similar offers at a 5k near you?

I'll pass on the 5k but I'll commit to the marathon. Ever since working in Subway last summer I've had a belly I can't shake. I'm going to start going to the gym on a regular basis.

evercloserunion wrote:

I'll pass on the 5k but I'll commit to the marathon. Ever since working in Subway last summer I've had a belly I can't shake. I'm going to start going to the gym on a regular basis.

That's great news, ecu - or at least great that you're committing to the marathon - sorry to hear about the subway belly.

There are loads of short races after Christmas too if you feel the need for a short-term goal. Addidas run a series of marathon preparation races later in the year to keep you on track.