I did it.

When I went round the final corner and saw the finish line, I cried

I was also close to tears at the start cos I was so unsure of whether this was the right thing for me to be doing. There were so many people, all shapes and sizes, all excited about getting going and you really can't fight that.

It was slow enough for the first few miles that I didn't get any of the niggles in feet and hips I'd been expecting so I really enjoyed the run up to about 7 miles.

Getting onto the Portway - the winners were coming past in the other direction - I had been overtaking loads of people cos I'd started very near the back and there were crowds coming past on the other side of the track all the way to the turning point (what a great place to get to!)

list of things
the start - too crowded by far - quite stressful wondering if I was going to get to the right place in time - but it started late so that was ok.

Set off after the walkers (I was very near the back) and that was annoying as I had to change route to get past - wasn't the only one!

Going through the centre was nice as there were loads of people cheering us on even though I got the feeling by the time I went past, they'd been standing there and cheering quite a long time.

It was hotter than the forecast had said so felt very red-faced for first few miles - especially after being kept waiting at the start.

The first water station was at 3 miles or so and it felt like along to time get there: I hadn't planned on drinking then but as it was hot I thought I would - it was odd having to drink when running - danger of banging gums and teeth on bottle. And why do we have to get a 1/2 litre bottle of water which you only need a couple of sips from??

Energy stations - hilarious - didn't want to touch the things after I saw someone throwing up a few 100 metres down the road from one. Also the road went incredibly sticky underfoot as all the sugar went everywhere. hmm, not a good feeling!

The route kept getting wide (good) and then narrow (bad as everyone crammed in together and suddenly we all slowed down too much)

Getting round town and heading towards the portway was ok - the miles seems to drift by slowly, but you have to keep remembering that every step you take is getting you closer to the finish.

Running under the suspension bridge was good - you rarely get the chance to see it from that angle (well, on that side of the road anyway) and it was a good point to think that when I came back in the other direction I'd be very close to finishing

Legs are beginning to ache a bit now - getting up to 7 or 8 miles. Am having water at every stop which I think was the right thing to do even if it meant chucking away heaps of those bottles.

Worryingly my left hip was beginning to stiffen up and I knew it could only get worse, but also reasured myself that I could stretch it out if it got too bad - but it held on, just. It really hurt by the end though.

Someone shouted out it was only 600yards to the turning point - and how good did that feel? I knew from looking at the map that after this it was the start of the home run. There was still over 4 miles to go but psychologically it was a good place to be!

There were lots of casualties by the side of the road - mostly heat exhaustion as it was fairly warm and there is very little shade along the portway. I felt very sorry for them.

Back under the bridge and it really felt like the end was in sight... This was at about 12 miles and the legs were feeling the strain - happily my feet seem to have managed quite well.

A friend who I spotted going up the portway was there at the end as well - she'd cycled into town a bit and was cheering me on which felt wonderful. In fact the final mile and a half was the best bit - felt utterly shot but the support was tremendous and I felt I had to put on a bit of extra effort to get me over the line in style.Found myself running just behind a bloke dressed only in devil horns and red posing pouch (and shoes) - he was getting lots of support (from the crowd not the pouch) but I sadly had to run past him!

So then I cried when I saw the finish line - it just welled up and I could have happily bawled my eyes out.

And crossing the line was just the best feeling - I couldn't stop running - I think it's like when you press your arm against a wall and it feels like your arm is rising all by itself - my legs couldn't believe they could stop...

A silver blanket, a medal and a rather shabby goody bag and I could go!

Walking back there were loads of very happy people paddling in the fountains and as I walked to the bottom of Jacobs Wells Rd there were other people finishing and I felt very proud of myself. I know that's a sin, but hey, once in while aint gonna hurt.

Boyf did 1h36m12 which he was disappointed with but he was running with a torn calf muscle and nearly pulled out at 3 miles so I think he should be proud (if foolish!)

And now my thighs ache, but otherwise I'm unscathed and on one hell of a high!!!

Oh, and my time 2 hours 5 mins and 25 secs. How chuffed!!!

Will I do it again? Unless I can find a good excuse, I don't see why I shouldn't...

I don't think I can do it.

It's the day before and I feel depressed about the whole thing.

In the overall scheme of things it's irrelevent whether I run tomorrow or not. Perhaps if I had decided to run for a charity it might be different, but I feel curiously nonplussed at the prospect of the event now. I expect I'll finish in some ordinary time, feel stiff for a couple of days and the world will continue to turn.

It doesn't help that the house is in turmoil with plastering happening on the hall and stairs when I would have preferred this weekend to be a big build up to the thing and a bit of anticipation perhaps. As it is, I'm just going to be stuffing myself with more pasta than I can really face and tomorrow I'll feel unprepared and distant from the other 14,998 runners who are no doubt going to enjoy a really significant day.

It's a Big Deal for me to do this - I've been training and it's something I never thought I would be capable of doing even this time last year. So why am I so negative about it? Is it cos I know I can (well, have) run 12 miles and this is just a little bit further or is it so that if I fail tomorrow I don't beat myself up about it? I have little enough self-esteem as it is without adding a very public failure to the score, so hopefully that at least will spur me on.

So, here goes. Perhaps this is better than feeling nervous. Perhaps it really is a non-event and anyone with working limbs could manage it with a little application.

Even if I do finish tomorrow, it's no big deal.

Ok I’ve done my last training run before the thing on Sunday and it wasn’t brilliant. I mean, my left leg seems to have rediscovered how to shrink its IT band until it hurts and my right foot feels deformed. Apart from that I feel OK.

I reckon by mile 3 I should be warmed up and the initial agonies should be done with. Then about 5 miles the troubles with the left leg start and by 7 the right foot joins in.
I haven’t had the shoulder spasms for a bit or a stitch, but they should kick in about 7 miles as well.

I am trying a ‘less bounce, more foreward’ style of running – it seems to make sense; you don’t want to bounce cos it hurts your feet etc and the point is to get further along the road. I feel a little self-conscious when doing it but then who is going to be looking at me?

And the weather…
Dark cloud with sunbeams and one raindrop. 22C. Could be worse: at least if it rains a bit you can’t see how much sweat there is…

I do have concerns about how well my various joints will stand the distance, but I also know that when I cross that finish line I will feel terrific.

My left knee hurts. My back's aching. My neck's stiff. I've got stomach pains.

I haven't run since Sunday and I won't until Thursday due to having too much work on at the mo. So Thursday will be my last run before the thing. Do I go hell for leather or take it easy? Easy, I think, safer.

Will I make it? I know that when I get to the far end of the Portway then it will feel like the home stretch (even though there will be another 4 miles or so) I'm sure it's all in the mind - let's just hope I'm not going mad.

This time next week it will all be over... How will I feel? Have no idea at all...

This morning's run should have been a 60-minute easy but I did an hour and half and included 2 laps of the steep hill and cross country section (sounds more gruelling than it is - it's only about 1/2 mile or so) and realised I have more muscles at my disposal than I have been using (the ones down the back of your legs - are they hamstrings?) so basically I could have been a world-class athlete if only I'd known...

Hey Ho.

The bad news is that the instep blister is back - despite wearing the 1000-mile socks which guarantee no blisters, there it was, throbbing away and making life very uncomfortable. Everything else which normally aches was hurting at the usual level so I guess I haven't done any permanant damage to myself over the past few weeks.

A couple more runs during the week, although I'm so busy at work that might be a struggle, and then it's the big day. I feel OK about it - nervous of course, but then isn't the unknown always a bit nerve-wracking?

I am so looking forward to finishing!

OK - I'm not sure how this is supposed to work, but this is what happened.

According to my scientific training schedule I was supposed to go on a 45 minute quick run today. So I thought I would do the normal 7-mile route but go faster. So that's exactly what I did. And it was fine. It was a little tiring but overall I didn't seem to mind it too much.
So is it down to the redbull type drink before I set off or is the training finally paying off?

Perhaps I shouldn't read too much into it.

I had a thought on the way to work this morning - it would be quite cool if you're watching one of these things to hang a sign out at the 10 mile mark - TIREDNESS KILLS: TAKE A BREAK.

It's very disillusioning to keep going on these training runs and for them to get no easier... The only difference seems to be that I feel less injured and pained when I finish. Is that what it's about?

I have become a hyper-hypochondriac - every little ache and pain has some dark significance - my heel hurts a bit this morning - obviously this is an achilles problem which will require surgery. The twisting foot thing is another operation and as for the cramp in my left hip, well nothing short of a hip replacement will sort that out.

It's going to be odd afterwards, when I can say 'I ran the Bristol half marathon' rather than admitting I'm going to do it but trying to play it down as I feel self-conscious about taking part. I think that's why I'm avoiding the sponsorship thing - I don't want to draw attention to myself. But it would make sense to use this effort to raise some dosh, wouldn't it?

I know it is a fairly good achievement, not everyone would do it so I shouldn't put it down and apologise for predicting a slow time - it won't be the slowest and only 15,000 are doing the run. It should be an amazing experience.

My worry today is what on earth am I going to think about during the run?

I am utterly used to having the radio or ipod to listen to and take my mind off the awful process of running. I know there'll be lots going on around me but that will all be to do with running, rather than something to take my attention away.

Perhaps the plan should be to make this part of my final-stage training - self-hypnosis to separate my physical being from the pain and boredom.

Also, the route takes in the Portway as usual, but that seems to be the second half of the race - I think psychologically, once the Portway is done, then you feel the race is almost run. In fact the race will almost be run - not sure if that's a good thing - I mean I'll have gone miles before even setting foot on the Portway. But then, so will everyone else.

And another thing - I don't want to be last. I know I'm going to be down there with the fatties, the oldies and the people recovering from operations, but I would hate to be one of the plucky red-faced freaks who end up featured in the amusing music montage at the local news coverage, getting a patronising pat on the head for being so brave (while everyone has a good laugh and wonders what on earth they were thinking of believeing they could take on the challenge of a half marathon...)

I haven't run today - on a 2-day rest from my magnificent 12-miler on Sunday.
Laurels thoroughly rested upon.

I ran for 115 mins this morning. I covered 12 miles. It hurts.

I can't believe that I haven't suddenly become extremely fit - I mean why isn't it getting any easier? I just kept going (I had to stop once to stretch out my left hip as it was in some sort of painful spasm) but it just kept getting harder. I somehow have to find another mile and a bit in a couple of weeks time - where is that going to come from?

I had an energy drink just before I left the house which made me feel sick - a lesson learned there. I also wanted a drink on the way round so I must remember to take water from the stations along the way.

My right ankle was aching, both feet were and this thing with my left hip is annoying - I mean it was almost too painful to run with - it eased a bit with a stretch but will I want to be doing that during the real thing?

There were loads of people out running - a lot of them I saw a few times as I repeated the circuits of the downs so I guess they were all on their training runs for the half marathon as well. Most of them were fast and looked very relaxed. I want to look like that but even though I was trying to relax I was feeling more and more knackered and just wanted to sit down and have a drink.

But I kept going - I did run 12 miles which is further than I have ever gone in my life before and is only 10 minutes off the complete race.

I need to work on my look - red face and frizzy hair does not make for a good photo-finish.

I reckon I will be doing the thing in 2 hours and 10 mins and I should be proud of that shouldn't I!

This time in 2 weeks I will be finished or at least in sight of the finish line.

It feels almost inevitable that I will do this run. I've even been toying with the idea of getting sponsorship. I don't know. But then if I am definitely going to run, why not try and fleece my friends and colleagues as well? (As in, why should I be the only one to suffer?)

There is a bit of me which wished I had gone with my first instinct which was to keep this whole thing a secret from everyone and just turn up at work the following day and announce I'd done it. But it's too late for that now.

I have discovered that the secret of making a training run painful and tiring and generally unpleasant is to go out for a drink or 2 the night before. So no drinking in the week before the event (but I kind of knew that anyway...)

So nothing more to report about today's early morning run - it was routine (if harder work than normal cos of the booze...) and I'm beginning to see the same people running round the downs each time I go out there. It's quite nice - I expect they're all in training for this thing as well. And they all look like they're better than me. But that's OK as I have resigned myself to the possibility I might not win.

I think I needed more than one day's rest to get over my amazing achievement on Sunday (slight exaggeration...) but I did do the 7 mile route this morning.

There is something wrong with my right foot: it kind of twists as I push off it. It's very annoying as I'm sure it's going to give out on me at some point. But what can I do other than make sure my shoes are tied up firmly and hope for the best?

Anyway, I think I've almost definitely decided to do the run. I wish I had a charitable motivation - then I would have no excuse not to go for it. Plus I'd feel a lot more righteous when hurling myself over the finish line for my glamorous photo and in the post-run interviews with the media I can tearfully say why I put myself through this ridiculous ordeal.

Hey ho. 2 weeks and 5 days to go.

Everything hurts. My back aches, my shoulders ache, my knees are painful, my thighs ache, my calves hurt, my hips are stiff as rusty hinges, my feet hurt, my blister's popped...

...but I've run 10 miles!

I feel I've acheieved something. It wasn't even as impossible as I thought, although I'm suffering now.

It's a case of mind over matter, keeping going when you know you're going to suffer later, when you're bored of running and when you fantasise about going back to bed with a cup of tea...

So can I do that again (and a bit more) next weekend (as well as do at least 2 7-mile runs during the week)?

It feels like this is now the final push which I'm pleased about. I wonder how much running I'll do once it's over. I am promising myself a shopping spree when it's done although I dare say I 'll have lost weight and so I'll have to make plans to stop piling it all back on again (keeping up the morning runs should do it)

But I'm not there yet - it's 3 weeks today - a lot can happen in that time...

Thank goodness I went out early...


Yes, I was up with the asthmatic larks this morning and running like a loon around the backroads and open spaces of the 'hood...
It was OK I guess - I still don't feel I am making progress but I guess that's normal. I'd have to do a lot more exercise to see any real progress for sure.

I checked with the training schedule for the 1/2 mara and apparantly I'm kind of OK. I need to go for a 100-minute run this weekend and a 115 minute run the one after and a few normal ones dotted in between and I'm there. I think I should be able to do it so long as I don't run out of steam - I feel sometimes I'm running on empty which is a little alarming but apparantly they dish out revolting energy things along the route.

oh, and as for why it was good I went out early - I got dressed in the dark and was wearing my running shorts inside out...

Horrible horrible horrible

I know a short run is better than no run - but to feel clapped out after 5 miles is really disheartening.

The forecast for this morning was for downpours (it was correct, too) so I thought I would run after work yesterday. I managed to drag myself round the 5-miler route and felt like poo. It's a horrible feeling, like all the hard work I've done has been for nothing. I am doomed to forever be a early-morning runner...

So now I don't feel like I even want to attempt the 1/2 marathon - after feeling so positive about it yesterday.

I mustn't crumble at this stage though (I will keep the baling out option open for a while yet though) I will run tomorrow morning and see how that goes. And then a longer run at the weekend. And then I shall be all positive once more.

Possibly.

It’s OK
Despite last week being rather sedentary (apart from longs walks around lovely Scottish moors and rivers) it seems I can still do the 7-mile route without expiring. (Hurrah!) So I guess I'm still on for the Big Run on the 17th September. I will have to run longer and harder for the last 4 weeks of training but I can now envisage myself running the race. Well, I can today at least, tomorrow might be a different story…

Mettle tested and found wanting.

Went for one run the whole week, felt tired and had to walk. I think the combination of too much food and wine and too many late nights and generally 'being on holiday' meant that running felt like a chore and therefore should be avaoided.

I've tried on various strategies to feel better about this slightly pathetic behaviour and am sticking with the theory that rest days are just as important as the training days.

Which means I have done a lot of very important work over the past week.

Hmm.

Back on the road again....

Having survived various symptoms of lergy (lurgy??) I am back on the long road to wherever 13 and a bit miles will take me...

It wasn't too bad, once the first mile or so was done. This bit is all slightly uphill, so imagine setting off at 0620, uphill, feeling a little queasy and a lot knackered and you get the picture... But despite allowing myself to think about cutting the route short and taking it easy on myself, I did the whole thing and felt like a real trouper (trooper??) when I got back to safety and managed to separate my feet from my shoes.

So there you have it - I'm still in the running, whether I like it or not.

Was chatting to a friend who has just taken up running and claims to love it: she goes for about 3 and a half miles and feels on top of the world. She knows a person who runs 13 miles for fun then runs home up a steep hill. That person is obviously unstable and is to be avoided. How can anyone get to the stage when 13 miles is a 'fun run'?

I see Nick Rose running round the downs a lot - I remember him from way back (can't be sure when) and he was a terrific international runner, winning lots of races and generally being a local hero. He still goes at a hell of a rate and I'm sure he's just jogging...

I'm off on holiday tomorrow but the trainers are coming with me. A week away from the routine will test my mettle...

3 days and counting...


Feel bad about not running - I'm starting to think I'm going to have a lot of ground to make up when I do finally get going again and that's really not the plan. There have been good reasons not to run, mostly to do with the lurgy which I think I have mostly shaken off. Felt like an utter wimp though when I had a call from an old friend who's been diagnosed with ME - now that's a proper reason to take it easy...

So tomorrow is the big day - a 7-miler before breakfast and cycle into work full of vim and vigor.

Watch this space.

It's been 2 days since my last run....

OK it's hardly the end of the world but when you wake up and try to walk and your right foot is telling you it's been mashed and broken, and your back's aching and your calves are hurting and... and... and... you don't want to go for a run.
Call me a wimp, perhaps, but the other side of the coin is going out when you're not fit to means you're likely to hurt worse and I don't like the hurting bit.

Still, tomorrow is another day and I have no plans for a lie in.

Eight and a half miles... woohoo!

I am exhausted.

I added on a little extra loop going round the downs and hey presto I've gone over the 8 miles mark. Can't say it was very enjoyable and I realise I am now going to have to keep doing this route at least once a week before upping the distance even further.

Beginning to realise (if I hadn't before) just what I've taken on. I keep having dreams about it and in these dreams I've finished and thought, 'well, that was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be'. That used to be OK but recently the dreams have continued with me finding out I've missed out the whole of the Portway section (about 7 miles) so they're not very encouraging dreams...

My ankles are aching. My shoulders are aching. My lower back is aching.

My instep blister seems to have hardened up (hoorary for running and boo hiss for wearing strappy summer sandals) but I have a new blister on my right middle toe. And I think I'm getting a black big toenail which I believe is a badge of honour among long distance runners.
So why I have one is anyone's guess...

The other thing is 'runners' face' - you wear a bra to stop your boobs heading towards your knees, but what about face fat? Jowls I mean - as you pound along you can feel every single bit of loose flesh which isn't packed up tight is wobbling - so surely it follows that eventually after a lot of running these bits will sag. Unless you lose the fat before this happens? Oh well. what it really means is that I must remember to smile (or grimace) as I hurtle along in order to keep my face firm against the ravages of pavement pounding...

Or am I being a bit paranoid here?

Arghgh

I am not unhappy about going out first thing and pounding the streets, I am not unhappy about getting out of breath and red in the face - I'm not even unhappy about being overtaken by geriatrics.
What is making me very unhappy is the blister on my instep - it's back and it's bigger than ever.

How am I going to get round it? I need to let it heal - but that will take weeks and then there's no guarantee it won't come back. I think plan B has to be to use my old shoes which didn't rub at all and hope this gives my foot time to heal and then try the new ones again.

It's weird this being disappointed about not being able to run... It's a new thing for me!

OK

It's fine - I am back pounding the streets at half past sparrow's fart in the morning and it's ok. Some days I guess are better than others.

Small personal advance: I have added a small amount of extra hillage into the run and I'm not taking any longer over it. Feel proud until I remember that I passed no one this morning - everyone and his dog ran past me. But the dog was struggling.

Just peeped into another 1/2 marathon blogger's blog and hit on the phrase, 'it's all about the photo finish'. At last I have a realistic goal - to cross the finish line upright, injury-free and photogenic.

I have my work cut out.

Influences on running

The obvious - physical well-being, the weather and the right shoes. But emotion?

I have had an awful weekend of feeling angry, disappointed, slightly fearful and miserable and today I am just plain exhausted. Too weary to even contemplate running. I know if I'd got up off my fat arse and just gone for a run it would have been fine, but no, I woke up 20 mins later than normal and that meant I would not be running.

It's no great deal this not running, I'm really not obsessed, it's not the be-all and end-all. I would be unhappy if I couldn't run cos of some injury or other but missing the odd day doesn't matter.
What does matter is that feeling highly emotional has meant that I didn't make the effort.

Perhaps I am just very weak willed and as such will never get round this flaming 1/2 marathon... I need some kind of inspiration which makes me ignore the tears and the anger inside and the aching muscles from overdoing the gardening and just get out pounding the pavement.

I feel really good!

Another early morning run and it seems to be getting easier and it seems to be more enjoyable and it seems to be making me feel quite, well, endorphin-like....

It's not life-changing, I haven't become a born-again runner but I might be beginning to see what people tell me about it making you feel better, more engergy, brighter etc etc.

It's OK, I do realise I sound like a moron (must be the effect of the class A endorphins...)

The weird foot bruise wasn't a problem which is good, but the left instep blister seems to be settling in for the long-term: it's not too bad, just there.

The other thing I noticed this morning is that I was listening to music rather than the radio and it's probably an obvious thing, but I run much faster to the Kaiser Chiefs than I do to the Today programme on R4.

Not that I'm getting competitive but the boyf was also running this morning - he set off 15 mins after me and finished 2 minutes after me. He's one of these natural runners who I try and avoid cos they make it look so easy.

I also realised, with a heavy heart, that if I was doing this 10 years ago I would be losing weight really fast (I need/want to lose 10lbs) - but the fact is I'm staying still. It might be a combination of eating out too much and too much dry white but I am slightly disappointed about the lack of flab reduction. Perhaps I'm bulking up with muscle instead? (attractive)

Current extent of aches and pains
right ankle - aching
left instep blister - deflating
weird foot bruise - kind of smudging around bottom of foot
Otherwise fine and dandy

Footsore
Nothing to do with too much running - this is a weird thing.

It felt like I'd trodden on a wasp - a stab of pain and a lump the size of, well, a wasp sting on my foot - but this morning I have a bruise on the sole of my foot, near my big toe joint. How strange is that?
Oh and it still hurts a bit too.

I suppose I shouldn't run on it if it's still sore tomorrow - but I actually want to. It's come as quite a shock to me to feel that way - is this what they mean by the endorphins kicking in? Obviously I have become addicted to endorphins without even knowing I was making them, and now it looks like I might miss a fix I'm getting anxious...
It's a double-edged sword and no mistake.

Peaked too early?
Another 630 run round the downs and another day of convincing myself it's getting easier and that I stand a chance of finishing this 1/2 marathon. Should I be worried or is this what happens?

They say a lot of it is in the mind - well that's true. I have convinced myself that even when I feel like I'm about to keel over, I won't actually die and in fact I will feel better for completing the run. Plus there's the boredom of going over the same old route with the same little devil on my shoulder telling me to walk for a bit and drink lots of wine of an evening (although that devil is getting quieter)

I know it's time to try another (longer) route but for now, 7 miles three times a week seems to be quite enough. I didn't think I was ambitious but I was disproportionately pleased when I realised I'm getting faster.

Perhaps 2 hours 15 isn't such a long shot after all...

La la la Tweet (the song of the early bird)
Once again I have confounded my critics and gone for an early morning run - can I keep this up?
My feet were aching by the end of 7 miles and my left hip hurt and the blisters are blistering but apart from that and the sheer exhaustion, I'm feeling quite sprightly. Oh and the small matter of my right ankle aching now I've stopped for a couple of hours: don't like the feel of that much.

So all I have to do is keep up with the 3 early morning runs a week, plus longer ones at the weekend - I need to get up to 10 miles quite soon (sorry feet) - and I should be there by 17th Sept... Suddenly it's not funny any more. I get bored slogging round the same old route - even if I reverse the circuit it's not very interesting - but I know I can do the distance: if I start heading off-piste looking for adventures down unexplored tracks and side-roads I have a worry that I will get lost and will end up having to run for hours to find my way home . (Except wouldn't that be an ideal way of upping the distance run? And overcoming my control freakery?)

More importantly is what I'm going to wear on the day - I think I'll go with the traditional race tee-shirt but which shorts? Sunglasses or not?

Oh and the small matter of sponsorship - if I can get some people to promise me money then it might give me more of an incentive to keep going. That's the theory anyway. Otherwise I will always have the option of being injured on the day...

Deja Vu
I was out with the larks and the milk floats AGAIN this morning. It works: by being so early you don't go through the 'I've just got in from work, I need to unwind before I go running' nonsense. In fact the first coherent thought I had this morning was 'blimey I'm out running'...

Sock shock
My previous tip of applying vaseline to blisters didn't work this morning - large blister on my left instep is now refilled with blister-juice. Perhaps new socks are in order.

Wot no Endorphins
Still waiting for those endorphins to kick in... Perhaps it's when you finish a run you get the warm fuzzy glow? I was hoping it was when I got into my stride, I would suddenly feel my life has a meaning and it is running. Perhaps I expect too much.

NRG
I really hope that there is a feeding station or whatever they're called at about 6 miles cos that's when my legs decide they need breakfast. At which point there will only be 8 miles to go. Glad it's a flat course.

Wobble
Of course I wear a sensible regulation sports bra, but what about those other little bits which need some support? Bum for one (not such a little bit) - it bounces as I run which is no doubt hilarious. Also flabby belly - but a corset might be taking it a little too far.
But could there be a market in active ladies' foundation garments? I could make a fortune. Just think - being wobbly is enough to put loads of women off doing bouncy exercise - so why not develop a range of hi-tech, firm hold clothing for wannabe active ladies? I am going to be so rich.

Plans, promises
I need to keep going on this early morning running - twice a week plus one longer run at the weekend. By 17th Sept I'll be fit as a racing snake. But not as scaley.

Early Bird
Well, I have finally done something I should have started doing months ago, namely running in the morning before work.
We're in the middle of a heatwave and going out any time other than sunrise is sheer madness... In fact it was almost pleasant being out at 630 this morning and I even ran a little further than normal.

Crikey this is sounding like I might actually get through this thing.

Top Tip
If you get the occasional blister, then dab a bit of vaseline to the blister before you run. It seems to do the trick. There is no charge for using this tip.

So with just a couple of months to go I'm feeling quite bushy-tailed about running all those km.

Well, I guess yesterday was a bit of a wobble, but I later got talking to someone who's done loads of the things and he gave me some words of great wisdom about doing the run.
He said - just do it.
Which seemed better than any of my reasons not to do it.
He reckons as long as I can run 10 miles I should be OK. Not 8, that's not enough, and 7 won't get me off the starting line.

But I didn't go running this morning as I was tired. I have heard that the best thing if you're feeling tired is to do some exercise cos it gives you energy - how does that work? Do you not use up all your energy when you take exercise? Isn't that the point, to prevent excess energy being stored as unsightly fat?

And another annoying thing/myth about running: there are all these inspirational stories of people who take up running, start with 5 mins, end up running the marathon des sables all because they get this endorphin high from exercise. I'd like some of that please.

It's 7th July 2006 and just over 2 months from the Bristol 1/2 marathon.

I decided in a moment of madness a few months back that this was the year I went for it. Perhaps I'm due a mid-life crisis or something (I'm 41).

It's not like I don't run ever - I can run 7 miles in one go (pat self on back) - but anything more than that feels impossible. I don't even go fast - about 10 minutes per mile I reckon - so I'm looking at getting round the course in about 2 hours 20 mins. I won't be the slowest I'm sure, but dare I say not bad for my age? (I hate thinking like that but being over 40 means things become harder)(and therefore I have to put in more effort to get round, therefore I am more of a hero than those long-legged skinny people who flow over the ground like a stream...)

Last run I did was on Monday, 4 days ago, in the heatwave. I had to give up and walk for some of the way - and that was a killer. Once you've stopped running once, there is nothing to stop you stopping again and again and you can't work out whether you really need to walk or if you're just lazy. It was awful, couldn't breathe, was so hot I was getting goosebumps...

I also cycle to work, so it's not like running is my only exercise I ever get, but it's the main sort. I do yoga from time to time but feel I need to concentrate on the running to make sure I get round the whole 13 and a bit miles.

What do I wear? What should I eat and drink? What if I have to stop for the loo on the way round? Is there life afterwards?

Still am undecided whether to take part.

Can anyone out there help?

http://www.bristolhalfmarathon.com/index.php