Week 6 - get well soon

This week started badly with confirmation that Ben had broken his hip which required an operation on Monday morning. He has now started physio on it to regain the movement and should be able to leave hospital in about a week so he can come back to Leeds and recuperate. I have been speaking to him daily and he is in good spirits and looking forward to coming home when he is fit enough to be discharged.

Running wise it has been quiet a steady week. Not as much distance as the week before but more quality in the form of interval training and speed work. Football was also called off again because of the weather so I could get the long run out of the way on Saturday (a steady 14 miles) which I did with my mate Gav who loves running so much he plans to run a three peaks race the day before the London Marathon (yes, he is completely insane). This week I will be doing more hill work and hopefully getting a game of footie in before a race pace half-marathon on Sunday.

9th - 15th Feb

Mon: PM: Rest

Tues: AM: gym 45 mins - PM: 40 mins intervals (5 x 3 mins fast - 9 km)

Wed: AM: gym 1 hrs PM: 1 hr steady (12 km)

Thurs: AM: gym 1.5 hrs

Fri: AM: gym 1.5 hrs (5 km) PM: 45 mins fast (10 km)

Sat: 1 hrs 55 mins steady (22 km)

Sun: Rest

Weekly total: 48 km - training total: 332 km

Week 5 - bad news, bad weather

We had some really bad news today as we found out that Ben is in hospital in Dundee with a suspected broken leg after falling on Saturday afternoon so we're just waiting to find out if he is OK and when we can bring him down to Leeds to recover.

This week's training plan had to be revised due to the large amounts of snow that brought most of the country to a standstill. I waited until Tuesday night before braving the conditions but quickly realised it wasn't too bad running in the snow. It also meant that football was off again on Saturday so I did my long run early - running to Bramham and back for my first 18 miler! This time I had a couple of drink stops and felt pretty good throughout. Due to my training plan constantly changing, I am now going to update it at the end of the week rather than at the beginning.

2nd - 8th Feb

Mon: PM: 1.5 hrs gym

Tues: AM: gym 1 hr - PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)

Wed: Rest

Thurs: AM: gym 1.5 hrs PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)

Fri: AM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Sat: 2 hrs 20 mins steady (29 km)

Sun: 60 mins steady (10 km)

Weekly total: 73 km - training total: 284 km

Week 5 - back in the groove

I had a really good week this week having recovered from last week's cold, running 75 km from Sunday to Friday including a hill sprint session which was hard work but enjoyable at the same time. Football was cancelled on Saturday so that gave me a much needed rest day but the Sunday run wasn't great - trying to run at race pace in the wind and snow flurries with heavy legs - I now know while they call them 'the hard miles'! 

Week 4 - playing catch up

Week 3 was a bit of a nightmare as I was full of cold so only managed one evening run on Wednesday and that wasn't really a good idea. I did make up for it on Sunday though with a 25 km run in 2 hrs 10 mins which is the longest I have run for and wasn't bad with a hangover! I also did as much running as possible at football on Saturday on a pitch that resembled a farmer's field, scoring a dramatic late equaliser in a 4-4 draw.

This week I will be trying to catch up a bit on the mileage, as well as doing some speed and hill work. I also want to thank my Auntie Julia for her kind donation - the total is now up to £736 so we are getting nearer to the magic £2k!

26th - 31st Jan

Mon: AM: 1 hr gym PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)

Tues AM: 1 hr gym PM: 20 min warm up run + 10x hill sprints + 15 min warm down run (12 km)

Wed: AM: 1.5 hrs gym

Thurs: AM: 1.5 hrs gym (inc 4 km sprints) PM: 70 mins steady (14 km)

Fri: AM: 55 mins steady (11 km)

Sat: Rest

Sun: 90 mins at race pace (20 km)

Weekly total: 69 km - training total: 211 km

Week 3 - more running!

Firstly, a big thank you to Uncle Malcolm and Auntie Freda and Uncle Philip and Auntie Joan for sponsoring me this weekend - the total is now up to £650 which is fantastic!

I have had a good week training wise - rested on Monday so did the gym before work and the running after on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday which was pretty tiring, followed by a rest day on Friday before the weekend. I played football on Saturday for Cross Gates WMC and scored 5 in an 11-1 victory (yes, the opposition wasn't up to much!) so my legs where quite sore on Sunday but still managed a steady 18 km with Gav my new running buddy. Next week is more than the same but with a couple of morning sessions and building up to an even longer Sunday run:

19th - 25th Jan

Mon: ILL

Tues: ILL

Wed: AM: 1.5 hrs gym PM: 50 mins steady (10 km)

Thurs: AM 1.5 hrs gym 

Fri: AM 1.5 hrs gym 

Sat: Football

Sun: 130 mins steady (25 km)

Weekly total: 35 km - training total: 143 km

Week 2 - Mid-week quality

I'm glad week 1 is out of the way and football was cancelled on Saturday meaning I could have a much needed rest day. I ran about 35 miles in total and felt pretty comfortable for the most part - especially in my new trainers and rather fetching tights (see picture) which kept me warm and visible in the evening frost!

Week 2 is similar distance wise but introduces some interval training to work on speed:


Week 2: 12th - 18th January
Mon: Rest
Tues: AM: 1.5 hrs gym PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)
Wed: AM: 1.5 hrs gym PM: 3 x 10 mins fast with 3 mins recovery intervals
Thurs: AM: 1 hr gym PM: 60 mins steady (12 km)
Fri: Rest
Saturday: Football
Sunday: 90 mins steady (18 km)

Weekly total: 54 km - training total: 108 km

Week 1 - Getting started

Hi again and a happy New Year to everyone. It is now time to start my 16 week training plan which has been adapted to accommodate the gym and Saturday football for Cross Gates Working Men's Club FC www.crossgateswmc.com 

During the week I will be doing all my running before work so will be in for some early starts (though as a self-confessed gym-addict I'm quite used to it by now) and the distance and intensity will obviously increase week-by-week so the first week doesn't look too daunting: 

5th - 11th Jan 

Mon: 45 mins steady run (12 km) + 1.5 hrs gym

Tues: 1.5 hrs gym

Wed: 60 minutes varied pace (12 km)

Thurs: rest

Fri: 60 mins steady run (12 km) + 1 hr gym

Sat: 90 minutes steady run (18 km)

Sun: Rest

Total: 54 km

To sponsor me, visit http://www.justgiving.com/nick 09 and check back next week to see what's in store for week 2...