Run. Fast. Escape.: A good day for running.

That last blog post, regarding the less than impressive training performance, should probably never have seen light of day. One bad experience in a training programme shouldn't be considered significant enough to blog about. I'll keep it up though so I can refer back to it in future months for a bit of a laugh.

Contrary to that particular post, I can already see the results when I track my stats. My last long run was a touch over 4 miles and I was almost certain I could have pushed harder and gone further - I chose not to as my training program suggested to just do 4 miles.

Today I have to try and do 5! It sounds pretty daunting, but then a few days ago so did 4. Actually, running for just 5 minutes used to make not want to even try! If I can run 4 miles and feel relatively comfortable at the end I should feel confident in adding just 1 more mile on today.

This morning's breakfast. 50g oats, 1 banana, 200ml rice milk, 50ml water.

I thought it might be interesting to add a little more information regarding my running history so that in a few months from now, after the Sheffield Half Marathon, I can look back and recall the journey using some stats rather than just be counting the aches in my knees and hips!

11th January 2012

My first ever run with the aim of improving my fitness. I ran around my block, a distance of 0.4 miles and I did it in a time of 4:12. I can remember quite vividly the burning lungs, the metallic taste in my throat and the jelly legs. It also took me over half an hour to stop sweating, even after a cold shower!

I didn't feel like a well man.

2nd February 2012

My second run, almost a month after my first. I don't recall my diet at the time but I can assume it was mostly made up of fat and booze because running just 0.22 miles was not the progress I was expecting. It took one minute and fifty-eight seconds and I only made it halfway around the block, the same route as last time. Same feelings of pain in the lungs and throat. Same jelly legs. Added disappointment.

14th February - 26th February 2012

During this time I was able to push my runs a little, adding another block of houses into the route, but taking a break for a walk when I felt I didn't have it in me (or my lungs) to go on. I'd catch my breath and start running again. I never ran more than 1.33 miles and it certainly wasn't at any kind of race pace. The reason for the training was to take part in the Mad Monk adventure race, of which I did a single circuit totalling a distance of 5k, with 2 river swims and a couple of simple obstacles to contend with. It was very hard. The swimming sapped most of my energy I think. A friend of mine who did it at the same time nailed it. He came round with me on the first route, then set off to do it a second time to make it 10k, and made it a negative split! That's where your second lap/section is faster than your first. Whilst he was swimming rivers and sprinting up hills, I was gasping in a car park trying to extract myself from my running clothes and wondering where my penis had disappeared to. It was a VERY cold river.

December 2012

December started well, running 6 days out of the first 8. On the 8th I attempted to run around Rother Valley and didn't feel quite right at the end. Spongey knee and an aching thigh had me running with poor form toward the end, despite several periods of walking. My knee would click every time I extended my right leg and it felt as though it was attached by a single string. I ended up avoiding running for the rest of the month to let my knee settle.

January 2013

The blog pretty much picks up from here. I'm running regularly but not always the same distances or times. I even manage a run round Rother Valley with no ill effect (allbeit with rests).

February 2013

February kicked off with another run around Rother Valley as the first workout in my training program on RunKeeper. It was 3 miles and I rested three times. I felt great afterwards. According to the program I needed to follow this with another 3 mile run and I was told that there was a 3 mile route in my local area called the Aston Triangle. Daunted by the fact that the last 'side' of the triangle was all up hill I didn't expect much from this run. It turned out to be my most impressive performance yet. 3 miles (well, 3.17 if we're being picky), with a hill finish, with no rests. I did it in a time of 33:56 and burned through 511 calories doing it!

The next run is detailed in the previous post. It was shit.

It was however followed by another 3 mile run, no rests, 3:09, and two days after that I completed 4.19 miles in 46:22!! So, despite the less than impressive run a few days ago I was still able to show progress.

I'm hoping that come June, when I should have a medal to prove that I completed the Sheffield Half Marathon, I'll look back and find humour in the numbers I've posted here.

Now, where are my trainers? I've got 5 miles to do.

Prediction: 1:10:00, 5 miles, one rest.

Result: 54:23, 5.03, no rest!!

This is an encouraging progression! I'm feeling more confident about doing the Dronfield 10k, which itself will be a good induction into the world of group running. That said, I haven't actually signed up for it.