September 10th, 2011, I decided it was time I went for a run.
Here I am, 95,000 calories, 190 activities and 916 miles (304 on the bike) later.
Back then, running 3.03 miles took about half an hour - at 10:32 a mile, mixing a bit of walking in there to keep me going, it was not fast. Now, on a good day, I'd do that same route in about 22 minutes.
Right now I'm running nowhere; last week I needed to have a bit of my abdomen hacked out, so it's all recovery for at least another week.
However, I can look back on some highlights;
Not counting a couple of days here and there, this is the first real break. In March my achilles were complaining a bit, so I took a couple of weeks where I concentrated on the bike. Then, in preparation for the Ride With Brad sportive, the cycling came before the running again in August. Outside of that, it's been mainly running.
What now? Assuming recovery goes ok, there are some targets worth thinking about for the next 12 months:
Here I am, 95,000 calories, 190 activities and 916 miles (304 on the bike) later.
Back then, running 3.03 miles took about half an hour - at 10:32 a mile, mixing a bit of walking in there to keep me going, it was not fast. Now, on a good day, I'd do that same route in about 22 minutes.
Right now I'm running nowhere; last week I needed to have a bit of my abdomen hacked out, so it's all recovery for at least another week.
However, I can look back on some highlights;
- An early morning run out of Portwrinkle in Cornwall. Sunday sun, no-one else on the road.
- Great Manchester Run; a 50 minute 10k.
- Running 4 miles in 30 mins; my objective when I started, broken in July - averaged 7' 20"
And on the bike:
- Ride With Brad; thoroughly enjoyable, opened my eyes to sportives and 'proper' road cycling. Might well be hooked.
- Grinding my way over Kirkstone Pass in the driving wind and rain.
Not counting a couple of days here and there, this is the first real break. In March my achilles were complaining a bit, so I took a couple of weeks where I concentrated on the bike. Then, in preparation for the Ride With Brad sportive, the cycling came before the running again in August. Outside of that, it's been mainly running.
What now? Assuming recovery goes ok, there are some targets worth thinking about for the next 12 months:
- Average 100 miles/wk on the bike - with a few sportives helping to make that up
- The 7 min/mile 10k
- The 8 min/mile half-marathon (1hr 44 mins)
- Some running in the mountains
- A quick (but not sub-24 hr) Bob Graham Round
Obviously the wheels could come off any second. But life's too short not to try.
