I’ve had a pretty hectic last couple of weeks so I’ve failed in the target I set myself of updating this blog once a week. Boo!
But on the plus side, I have managed to arrange a work quiz for my sponsorship effort. Hooray!
I’ve also been busy making the news. Well, sort of, much in the same way as the other 35,000 marathon runners I expect...
Anyway, less of that and more of this, here’s how February panned out in the world of Wood:
Miles run in the last month = 180
I’ve got to say that I’m amazed how well February has gone, especially considering I entered it with only one working knee. I’m still getting occasional pain in the knee, but it’s manageable (at the moment). My total of 180 miles is a full 60 miles further than I’ve run in a month which is a pretty good achievement, especially when you add in that a) it has snowed quite a lot, b) it has been absolutely freezing and c) it’s a short month.
The only slight negative is that I missed losing my ‘50-miles-in-a-week’ virginity by a tantalising 0.3 of a mile. Oh well, no need to be picky.
On a more positive note I’ve slipped nicely through the gears and have stepped up from 14, 16 and 18 to a long run of 20 miles last Sunday. I wouldn’t say it was anything other than hard work, but I made it, and that’s the main thing at this stage.
Time spent running = 25 hours and 18 minutes
Stating the bleedin’ obvious, that’s a whole day of February gone missing. So it’s a pretty good job it’s a leap year really…
Pre-6am starts in the name of running = 13
That’s almost a one-in-every-two performance. So it’s not entirely surprising that quite a few people have commented that I look knackered recently. That’ll explain it then.
I surpassed even my own stupidity yesterday having woken at 4am. I tried to get back to sleep but couldn’t, so read a book from 4.30 – 5, then got the super early train to Finsbury Park. A 6 mile run later and I was showered and changed and ready to start work at 8am.
Night’s out sacrificed = 0
I probably had a few more night’s out than your average marathon runner last month. But then it was my birthday, so that accounted for a couple of them.
I also had my mate Skinny down for a night out in Hitchin – it was sorely needed after watching Bristol City get thumped 3-0 in a relegation six-pointer with Peterborough. I think I wrote back in December that I was missing out on the McInnes revolution. Not any more I’m not, because the revolution has turned into that phenomenon that I’m much more accustomed to. Namely the false dawn.
Some of the things I’ve learnt this month:
- The wonderful world of the web, part two. I had a look at the search terms that people who have found my blog had used (I do work in marketing so these things interest me, sad I know). I imagine the person who searched for ‘scout motto dib dob’ probably didn’t get what they bargained for when they found my 'Dib dib dib, dob dob dob' story’… The blog ranks 8th on Google for that term, if you’re interested.
- The importance of brushing your hair. One of the benefits of marathon training is that you inevitably shape up a bit. But the weirdest thing has happened to me in the past 10 days. Since I started brushing my hair (for the first time in over 20 years, I might add) I have had at least 8 people say that I look like I’ve lost weight. No-one said it before I brushed my hair, but they’ve all said it since. So maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong all of these years – if I knew all it took was a brush, I’d have done it ages ago.
- Continuing along that theme, one such conversation led to a very funny comment. Shortly after saying that I’d lost weight, one of my mates quickly followed up with his next question - ‘you’re not ill are you?’
- I can actually run 20 miles without needing to lie down
This coming Sunday sees me off to Berkhamsted to do the half marathon. The race starts and finishes at Berkhamsted Cricket Club so if previous appearances there are anything to go by I’m in for a shocker. It’s an unlucky ground from a team and personal point of view as I can’t ever remember winning there or scoring more than 25! I guess we’ll see if I can break the mould this weekend…
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| The scene of many a poor performance from 'Fosters & Wood |
The thank you for good deeds to Ben Wood section
Lots of very nice people have sponsored me this month, so in no particular order I’d like to say thank you to…
Paul, Phil, Matt, Spamfox (nice comment), Scott and Alex (not so nice comment Alex!), Nicola, Louise, Mr & Mrs Ritson-Watson Pie, Geoff, Chas, Chris, Brackers, Andrew, Hassiba, Fish (who I remember skippered one of the huge defeats at Berkhamsted), Joe (played in a few losses at Berkhamsted), Naomi (watched a few losses at Berkhamsted) and Anthony (gave me out lbw in our most recent loss to Berkhamsted!). Fair’s fair, I was out though…
Thank you to each and every one of you, I really appreciate your kind gestures and support.
I’ll let you know whether I finally crack the Berkhamsted jinx next week…
And I’m telling you this because…
I’m running the 2012 London Marathon for the Hertfordshire Community Foundation (HCF).
Whilst many of you may not have heard of them, they actually provide help to many of the bigger charities that you are more familiar with, just on a local Hertfordshire scale. For example, they recently donated £2,000 to the Hertfordshire MS Therapy Centre to help cover the costs of the transport scheme that allows those with MS to get to the centre.
Whilst many of you may not have heard of them, they actually provide help to many of the bigger charities that you are more familiar with, just on a local Hertfordshire scale. For example, they recently donated £2,000 to the Hertfordshire MS Therapy Centre to help cover the costs of the transport scheme that allows those with MS to get to the centre.
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