Sunday 3 February 2008

Chocolate eases the pain


Not long back from a 12-mile run and I'm a hurting more than a bit.

If you don't know how this London Marathon training caboodle works, basically the organisers send you a magazine which includes three suggested training schedules - one for good runners, one for people who aren't necessarily good but committed and one for those who just want to get round. Each demands that you go out 3-5 times a week and so far my training has jumped between the latter two schedules depending on what's on the telly.

To be fair, there isn't actually a huge amount of difference between them with the main similarity being the "long run" on a Sunday. Last weekend I had to run for 80-90 minutes; this morning it was for 90-100. As it turned, I ran for 103 minutes or three laps of a four-mile course.

Apart from the pain and the funny looks you get from passers-by - I'm not what anyone would regard as a "natural" distance runner - the worst thing about the long runs is the boredom. Thank goodness for my iPod and its 800-odd cheesy tunes.

But when it's over you do feel good about what you've done. And then you've got a great excuse for eating chocolate, LOTS of chocolate...

PS Following events at Twickenham, perhaps my comments about the Irish rugby team were a little hasty - at least we won (ahem)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Barry, Im just home from Afganistan and i have just found out what u have been organising. The London Marathon are u nuts!!
Sebastian has been telling me all about u and making sure i get the local papers, as u are front page. dont know who is the bigger poser.
Barry i cant thank u enough for the massive effort and to run the London Marathan collecting for Clark Clinic is a very noble gesture indeed. So once again thankyou very much. Seb's Dad.

Ps, Seb says hello and what size are ur feet as he is going to JJB to buy u a pair of running shoes.

michaelgcurrie@hotmail.com