In preparation

So, tomorrow it starts. New year, new ridiculous challenge. Garmin is charged and linked to runningfree (just need to work out how to change the time on it... seems to have gone weird and thinks it's November). iPod charged and loaded with my best running music (also on iPhone in case of failage). Running kit at the ready. Choice of three routes for my first run, depending on how fragile I'm feeling.


I've not run for about 2.5 weeks which is long enough for me to be feeling as though I need to but past the point that I've got itchy feet about going out and doing anything. Plus it's cold, foggy, wet, blah blah blah.

Dug out my body fat monitor. Thought it'd be good to track how I'm doing that way too. So here are the vitals as at T-1.


Weight: 64kg (yikes!)
Fat %: 26
Muscle %: 69.9
Water %: 53.7
BMI: 20.1 (yikes again)

Runners Unite!

I went to my other half's work Christmas party last night. As is often the case with these things, I knew no one and I forgot the names of half the people I was introduced to. I spent a lot of time admiring the other women's dresses. There was one particularly slim woman in a chic black sequinned top who I was about to compliment, that is before she asked me "You're not the girl who runs at Frimley parkrun are you?"

Cue surprised pause...

Turns out she's my pacer from the last couple of weeks who was also geared up for Grim! Her hubby works for company and is also a runner. The know me as the Girl In Pink. Turns out the big boss man (who's completely lovely) is also doing Grim and was trying to persuade me to run the Fleet half marathon with him. Unfortunately it's the same day as the Reading half so I'll have to bow out, also I'm doing Grim in May now and not January with the other three. We all had quite a chat about running to the extent I think the OH felt slightly left out.

One of the reasons I love running... it's a great leveler and really does unite people. Even at office Christmas parties.

Janathon will be a shock to the system

It's December. It's cold. There's been some amount of snow. I've been for a run outside only twice in the past two weeks and I'm not sure if I've been to the gym more than once. Much to my shame many others have been running regardless of the weather and parkrun went ahead Saturday just gone (although I was on babysitting duty so couldn't have gone anyway). I'm trying to stave off a cold at the moment and at least three other excuses mean I'm losing fitness at a rate of knots. Colleagues of mine have been going to the gym or exercising every day and I feel quite guilty that I've not.

My first event next year is the Reading half so I should be training but I've lost momentum and some motivation. It is with joy and trepidation then that I acknowledge the approach of Janathon. Over 100 people are now signed up and much as I would adore to win a prize I don't think I stand much chance. What I am hoping is that the camaraderie will help to kick start 2011 fitness regime. I will be logging my runs on the RunningFree website and trying to support fellow Janathoners.

Why have I suddenly lost motivation for running? Can't all be Christmas related surely?

Polar Circle marathon

An article that piqued my interest about the Polar Circle Marathon, and the accompanying pictures. Just another daft event write up you may think, until you read that the author dropped over 4 stone from 18 stone 9 pounds and was tough enough to complete 4 3-month marathon trainin schedules back to back. I hope he goes on to run that sub-3-hour marathon.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/nov/22/running-polar-circle-marathon


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2010/nov/11/polar-circle-marathon-2010-greenland

Dark Side of the Lens

This gave me shivers, and hope. This sort of dedication and passion is what I aspire to.

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

There are no words

Tim Knoll BMX from Tim Knoll on Vimeo.

Grim revisited

It's all been sorted. The new dates for Grim have been announced (15th and 16th January 2011) and I can't make either of them. Luckily the organisers have considered this and are offering people the chance to defer entry to Grim 2011 or transfer to Beast in the East which is in Swanley in May.

After some consideration I'm transferring. I don't really want to wait a whole year, it'll help me stay focussed on training for my other events and the weather will be nicer. That said, the course is supposedly tougher although it's only 10km. I'm going to have to start embracing hill training.

I think huge thanks have to go out to the Grim organisers. They've handled this all extremely well and even though a lot of us have been whinging and whining about it, we're very grateful.

Micro Adventure - Al Humphries and the Fosse Way

The Fosse Way - a microadventure from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.

Danny Macaskill

This just blows me away. The things that people can do! It's just amazing. The first then the new video from the aptly named Danny Macaskill...

Grim Challenge

Well as the counter on the right says, Grim is tomorrow, except now it isn't.

For days and days, ever since the snow started, I've been battling with my conscience as to whether or not to go ahead with this. There were concerns about the state of the course, whether it would actually be dangerous for me to try and compete, whether I could get there safely and whether mum and dad would be able to get to me to support me, because if I'm honest there was no way I was going to attempt to do this without support in case I did injure myself or suffer from hypothermia or something.

I was still toying with trying to get there because a) I'd paid b) I'd run in minus temperatures and know I can cope c) I knew other people were all geared up and ready to go and I'd feel like I'd wussed out.

This morning I made a decision not to go ahead with it, and immediately felt rubbish. So it was with joy that I saw the recent announcement on their facebook site that it's being postponed, probably until January, land bookings permitting. FAN-tastic! I can relax, train some more, and enjoy my Christmas now.