Monday 2 January 2012

Once around the block...

Today I ran around the block. Yes, you read it here first (unless you've been on Facebook this afternoon, that is!). I haven't run outside for over 9 months and have done just a little running on the treadmill at the gym, but it was such a lovely morning, bright and sunny, that it seemed almost criminal not to be outside and exercising in the great outdoors.

I have to say, it felt bloody lovely! Nothing can compare with running outside, breathing in fresh air, hearing and feeling my feet hit the ground, hearing outdoor sounds rather than music pumped through the gym sound system.....fantastic. Okay, I only ran around the block and just happened to finish at Caffe Nero, where Neil and his cycling mates were having their post-mudfest coffees so I could partake of a hot drink, but the actual running was longer than I've managed at the gym and, while I was slow and wouldn't have been able to do much more, it didn't feel like as much of a strain as I feared it would.

And so - that's the start of my marathon training! Great oaks from mighty acorns grow and from this inauspicious start of once round the block I will get to 26.2 miles in April. There will be a lot of cross-training: gym, zumba, exercise classes, walking, because I know I have to build up my stamina slowly and my mileage even more slowly!  But I have started and that's the important thing.

Now I just need to shake off this nasty cough and cold I have developed over the past week and everything will be tickety-boo :-)

4 comments:

  1. Go Ali Go.

    *starts pompom waving practice* Can't wait to see you at Mudchute x

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  2. That's excellent, so impressive that you are running the marathon!

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  3. Fantastic Ali, that's so good to hear.

    Looking forward to giving you a huge hug at VLM, being careful not to spill your pink fizz in the process, obviously!

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