Proper run this morning - round the downs and around the camera obscura which makes for a very hilly run but I guess that's a good thing.

But I started off this morning with aching feet which was odd as there wasn't any reason for that. The when I set off I was aching down the back and outside of my legs. This aching was worse going downhill, quite painful in fact. But what can you do? The advice is just to keep going, keep exercising and take painkillers. So that's me for the next however long until the bloody thing stops hurting.

Grumpy

I guess I've officially begun training for the 1/2 marathon.

It was my first run since the 10K - about 2 and a half weeks afterwards and no excuse for not running before now. It was at lunchtime at work and it was horrid. It was quite warm and I'm not used to running at lunchtime as I'm usually in a bit of a slump really. And I hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast (but if I run in the morning then I haven't eaten all night...) So there are many excuses and none of them stand up really.

I am just not very fit. I cycled up Blackboy Hill to the downs and that was a killer cycle. Then setting off running just felt wrong - heavy and unpleasant. But I kept going and going and didn't let myself stop and got all the way round apart from the really nasty hilly section.

And I was so red-faced when I got back - that's the real downside to running at lunchtime - the beetroot-faced return.

And there was a massive spider in one of the showers which was off putting.

4.4 miles
6.66 km
407 calories (kitkat)

It feels like a long way off yet, but these things have a habit of coming round and biting you on the bum. I haven't run since the 10k ten days ago - still resting on laurels of getting round in under an hour I reckon.

(You can read my exploits of the 10k here: http://halfofhalfamarathon.blogspot.com/)

But I will soon be heading out - after I've got new shoes, new top, socks, bra, ipod earphones, hat, pants, jacket... Or I might just go for it. I know how good it feels when you're out there feeling no pain, just you and the endless pavement unrolling beneath your feet, the fog of exhausts fumes in your face, the screech of cars failing to stop at red lights, that sort of thing. marvellous.

Can I do it in under 2 hours? It's something to aim for but I will have to run at 10k pace all the way round and I struggled in the 10k - something to do with it being too hat and I seem to remember feeling very very nervous and tense before the start, I'm sure that had a negative effect. So perhaps I can do it - positive thinking and lots of training. Plus new shoes, top, socks....