As you were

13.4 miles yesterday and 9 miles today - just about salvaged the training plan.  Also saw the Diving World Cup yesterday at the new Aquatics Centre (cycled there in under 10 minutes from home!) and the brilliant Pete Waterfield bagged the bronze in the 10 metre platform, a fantastic performance.

Not enough mileage..

Monday - enforced rest day, worked too late and didn't get down the gym.
Tuesday - 2km swim including drills with ELT (this feels a lot easier now my swimming is getting better)
Wednesday - Gym at lunch.  15 min bike and only a 4.5 km treadmill - all I could fit in!!
Thursday - 10.25k at lunch

It's looking like a seriously light week.  Need to do another 25 miles before Monday to stay on track.!

Brighton Half Marathon

Another roller coaster week.. was aiming for a 16 mile run on Sunday and all was going nicely up until about mile 10 ( about here ) when I realised my heels were being shredded by a combination of the uneven snow and ice on the ground and some rubbish socks that i should never have worn...  Hobbled home in a dreadful mood knowing that I probably wouldn't be able to run for a few days...  Did go swimming on Tuesday at Waltham College, long sets of 16 lengths and pull buoy drills between the ankles was a killer, and it made up for the day off on Tuesday..  Unfortunately I think I picked up a cold after the swimming which was another annoyance.   On Wednesday decided to go to the gym and do some running as the blisters were healing quite well - managed 20 mins on the bike then about 5 miles into the treadmill session when I was cranking up the speed to 14kmph my left hamstring felt like it twanged and I started getting shooting pains...  Didn't feel really bad but something had strained or torn.  Left gym in dreadful mood yet again and decided I'd just have to rest until Sunday and see whether it would be ok for the half marathon.

Went home to see Mum and Dad on Friday and did a lot of looking at old photos and sleeping seeing as the cold was keeping me up half the night..  Dad gave me a lift down to Brighton on Sunday and I had a massage before the race - which was absolutely incredible.  Without any prompting she found the hamstring strain and made it feel a lot better.  Didn't manage to meet up with Matty pre-race as and we missed each other while running unfortunately, its always difficult when theres 7500 people in one place...  For the first 30 minutes of the race I felt like I was running on air because of the massage and managed to get round in a respectable 1.29.25 - however it has transpired that the race distance was incorrectly marked at 13.42 miles so the time was revised to 1:27:16, which was nice.  Matty was chuffed with his time (1:39:19) also and we grabbed a post race coffee on the beach with Rebecca and their younglings George and Phoebe.  Absolutely glorious day albeit a bit cold early in the morning!

Bit of a topsy turvy week.  A cautionary rest day on Monday after the long Sunday run (but did a lot of walking to and from work).  Swimming on Tuesday with ELT at Waltham Forest College - really enjoying this now.  Wednesday lunchtime in the gym was 15 minutes on the bike then a fairly brisk 10km on the treadmill in 42 minutes.  Today has been an easy 10km round Vicky Park . Need to fit in at least another 25 miles this week to keep up with the schedule!

Snow running

Found the marathon open day yesterday to be very interesting and picked up lots of training tips and excellent advice.  Adidas were there with a BOGOF offer on trainers so decided to get fitted with a couple of pairs using their foot analysis whizzy technology.  Went for a 14.5 mile run in the snow before breakfast to wear in one of the pairs, they came through with flying colours, almost like running on a mattress (though the 5cm of snow probably helped with the cushioning also !).

90 minutes swimming with ELT yesterday night in Chingford.  Trying to keep up with my brother and  ironman swimmers is a bad idea, I almost drowned..  Cycled back from Chingford - which was another bad idea, 10 miles in sub-zero temperatures, was pretty badly dehydrated I think when I got home, 4 pints of water didnt seem like it even started to quench my thirst.  Day off today, hamstrings quite tight - the new niggle on the scene this week!!

Going to a "Meet the Experts Day" at the Institute of Education  tomorrow about marathon running, will hopefully find out all the things I'm currently doing wrong.  Here's the timetable:

10.00	Guests start to arrive - adidas footwear and Virgin London Marathon Official Souvenir clothing sales commence; FREE custom fitting of shoes with adidas foot scan machines & great offers - available throughout the whole day
11.15	Nick Bitel - the Virgin London Marathon's Chief Executive welcomes you and outlines the charity background to the event.
11.20	David Bedford - the Joint Race Director has news of great runners and famous faces set to join you on the start line.
11.35	Lisa Thompson, Mark Griffith & Andrew Smith - our Course, Start and Finish Directors present an expert perspective on what you can expect on the course (from start to finish) on Race Day
12.15	Sam Murphy - one of the UK's leading health and fitness writers, runner, coach and sports scientist, brings you "Ten Commandments" to steer you clear of injury
12.45	Jules Beck & Olivia Napier - from adidas, official suppliers to the VLM, with plenty of ideas on what to wear when training and racing
13.00	Refreshments break - adidas footwear and Virgin London Marathon Official Souvenir clothing on sale; FREE custom fitting of shoes with adidas foot scan machines & great offers - available throughout the whole day
14.00	Andy Dixon - Editor of Runner's World magazine - explains how the Pacer Groups can help you achieve your target time
14.15	Alex Heasley - from Virgin Money Giving brings inspiring ideas on how to maximize your fundraising potential
14.30	Jim Pimblett - from realbuzz.com invites you to be a part of the Virgin London Marathon website
14.45	John Brewer - Professor of Sport at the University of Bedford with vital advice on nutrition and hydration for training and Race Day
15.10	David Bedford - totally unique tips from the man once dubbed the "most colourful character in world athletics" - you'll see why! Not to be missed
15.30	Liz & Martin Yelling - elite marathon runner and elite marathon coach - bring you invaluable training advice for the months ahead
16.00	General Forum - your chance to put questions to the expert panel
16.30	Finish - adidas footwear and Virgin London Marathon Official Souvenir clothing on sale; FREE custom fitting of shoes with adidas foot scan machines & great offers - available until 17.00
17.00	Close

10 mins on the bike then 7 miles on the treadmill yesterday at lunchtime.  Brilliant meal round at Charlotte and Dylan's in the evening (no booze was driving... in fact I haven't had a drink since saturday, good for shedding a bit more weight hopefully.. ), feeling on form today, Achilles still slightly niggly - might just go swimming today and run tomorrow..

Hmm... I'm pretty sure Achilles tendons aren't supposed to feel like someone's twanging them like guitar strings..  unfortunately this seems to be happening before having a chance to stretch in the morning..  Decided to have Sunday and Monday as full rest days.  Back into it last night though with a 2km swim with ELT at Waltham College, boy was it difficult getting out of bed this morning..