Monday 18 August 2014

Two half marathons and wobbly bums

So I've been quiet over the last few months, as I was secretly planning to attempt my first marathon this autumn. Chris, the coach at Lliswerry had very kindly put together a training plan which was going well, and I had taken my long run distance Sunday run up to 15 miles by the end of June. Then my injury curse struck again, initially shin splints, followed by a hamstring strain, then an almighty chest infection requiring antibiotics and steroids to clear it up. I ended up having to miss thunder run and the training plan was abandoned for six weeks. So the marathon plans are put on hold for another year....

It's not all doom and gloom though. The chest infection has cleared up, and I went out for a slow run yesterday and easily managed 7 miles at marathon pace. So not to do things the easy way, today I have signed up for the Cardiff half marathon in just under seven weeks, and the Exeter half in nine; I figured that I might as well make the most of the training and get two races in. 

And in an attempt to shift the extra few pounds that have taken up residence on my backside over my enforced layoff, I decided tonight to go along to an exercise class at the local leisure centre. I mistakenly thought that a class entitled "legs, bums and tums" would be full of slightly chubby women in their 50s gently bobbing up and down in time to some Abba music. In fact, I was the oldest person there by at least a decade and the fattest by at least two dress sizes. The class involved far too much bending my legs in directions that they are just not designed to go, and scary lunges and squats while waving weights above my head. Within two hours I am having to side step down the stairs crab-style, which is always the sign of a good workout and I feel like I have done something.

I have also signed up to a four week challenge on the dietbet website. This concept involves paying $30 into the pot, having your weight verified online, and then re-verified after 4 weeks. There is also a useful section where people can share their experience with the rest of the group, all a little too American for my tastes; lots of high fiving and good jobbing, but strangely supportive at the same time.  Everyone who has lost 5% of their starting weight in the specified time period gets a share of the pot. Quite possibly the only thing that will stop me stuffing my mouth full of chocolate on a daily basis is the thought of missing out on some bonus cash, so I'm hoping that the challenge will help me along the way a little.

I'll try to keep this more updated than I have been as I get back into training again, and I'll end with another motivational quote: