Last day of Run December



Charlie gets in da groove


Well, it's done. There were times there were I wasn't sure I was going to finish it, but my natural stubborness kicked in right when it was required and drove me on through the snow with gritted teeth and a complete lack of self-preservation.

The rest of Team #FitTwits have all completed with smiles on their faces and happy hearts. We are invincible guys!

The final total for the month is 68 miles. Not far, but then Run December for me was never about miles, it was about mindset.

I have spent the past few months, since the marathon with the words "I don't have time. I'll run tomorrow" firmly on my lips. Run December was about shaking that up and doing something drastic, before the marathon training started in earnest.

So has it worked? Not 'arf.

And what have I learnt?

1. You can always fit a run in. You just might have to give it a bit of planning.
2. You can always run. If wind, rain, sun, snow and ice haven't stopped me, nothing else will.
3. I love rest days. And I will appreciate every single last one of them in the next few months.

The celebration of finishing has begun with a pub lunch, a pint of cider and now the breakout of Charlie, my xmas ipod-playing, groovin' monkey friend. And tomorrow I get to have a rest day and cheer the lovely Hughesy on round a New Years Day 10k. Ahhhh rest days.

Take it away Charlie... "I'm livin' for the weeeeekeeeend...."

Run December - Day 31
Distance: 3.54miles
Time: 36.38mins
Weather: Warm and dry, for  change
Surface: Triumphant

Here's a tear in your eye.

Day 28 of Run December

Hello all. 3 more days to go. Count 'em, 3. 3! 3!!!!

But enough of that, I'd better get a move on, as my Mum is impatient to read this and Upstairs Downstairs is coming on....

The post Christmas Crimbo Limbo period is causing a serious lack of motivation and the lack of a rest day is hitting home. But despite that, today's run was actually good. It was also massively faster than the previous few outings, mainly due to the 2 fruit pastilles I nommed down before heading out. All that has reignited my interest in nutrition and the knowledge that an evening meal of crackers and cheese probably isn't the best way to fuel a run. Ho hum.

So, my new year's resolution is to try to decrease the number of crisp-related dinners and increase the amount of pasta, rice and veggie related ones.

Now, that is a challenge.

Run December - Day 26
Distance: 1.41miles
Time: 18.08mins
Weather: Cooooooold
Surface: Frozen

Run December - Day 27
Distance: 1.03miles
Time: 10.25mins
Weather: Coooooolder
Surface: Frozenier

Run December - Day 28
Distance:  1.07miles
Time:  9.49mins
Weather: 0c... scorchio
Surface: Thawed

Here's (defrosted) mud in your eye.

Day 25 of Run December

Ho ho ho.

"And a jolly christmas to you to young lady!"

At least that's what I think the harrassed looking grumpy sod said as I breezed past today with a "Merry Christmas!" on my lips. In reality his response was more along the lines of "What?!? Bugger off you mental woman."

But despite this slight set back the run today was fun. I headed out from my parents house down to the beach and a deserted sea front. With a smattering of snow falling and the odd (some very odd) santa hat, it was a nice break from the endless eating, drinking and cracker jokes.

So that's day 25 done, and christmas day to boot. I'm off to smugly watch Doctor Who and eat 3 times more calories than I've burnt off in the past year.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Run December - Day 22
Distance: 1.9 miles
Time: 20:29 mins
Weather: All cold and icy
Surface: hilly and pavements

Run December - Day 23
Distance: 1.4 miles
Time: 14.53 mins
Weather: Cooooold
Surface: Icy

Run December - Day 24
Distance: 1.02 miles
Time: 9.39 mins
Weather: Sunny
Surface: snowy

Run December - Day 25
Distance: 2.2 miles
Time: 20.42 mins
Weather: Xmassy
Surface: Snowy

Here's christmas pud in your eye.

Day 15 of Run December

This week was always going to be a challenge for The Challenge, and it has not let me down. We're half way through and my body is starting to rebel. Let me take you through my day (I'll be quick).

If you read yesterday's blog post you'll remember that I was a tad tired. Well I managed to prove just how tired, by sleeping right through 2 alarm clocks and waking up at 8.53am. The odd expletive may have been used. This also meant that I didn't have time to sort out my kit for the run home from work.

The day continued to go downhill by including a missed delivery note from the postie to deal with *sigh* and a manic lunchtime shopping session which I returned from extremely pleased with myself for finding a cracking Secret Santa pressie, only to then realise that I had forgotten to buy any lunch *facepalm*.

So after work I had to:

1. Pick up the package from the Royal Mail Delivery Office
2. Make a pasta salad for 30 people
3. Wrap a load of pressies
4. Pack a bag with more outfits than Cheryl Cole uses in a week for tomorrow's Work/Run/Xmas party extravaganza
5. Do my hour BritMilFit session
6. Squeeze in a run for the challenge

Now, I am not a fool. I knew I couldn't fit all that in before 9pm, so I did the only thing I could do. I cheated.

The pasta salad came from Sainsburys. The pressies have gone into ready made boxes and bags. And I ran to and from the BritMilFit session. Badda bing. I AM INVINCIBLE!

(PS check out the pace of the homeward run after an hour of being beasted with the Advanced group. Think I could have walked it faster)

Run December - Day 15 (to BritMilFit)
Distance: 1.51 miles
Time: 14.46 mins
Weather: Quite nice
Surface: Hard.

Run December - Day 15 (back home)
Distance: 1.52 miles
Time: 15.48 mins
Weather: No change there
Surface: hilly pavement slabs

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 7 of Run December

Thought of the day - it's a hell of a lot easier to run on ice than it is to walk.

This thought hit me as I was jogging round the city streets tonight, getting a quick mile in after work and before going to dinner with friends. There are a couple of smaller back streets which still have icy pavements and due to the scrum of shoppers in the main streets, that's were I headed. I'd avoid these pavements like the plague normally, but when I'm running, my feet can slip and slide all over the place and I still continue heading forward like a particularly slow-moving missile. I'll be jogging to work until the ice melts*.

It was a nice run tonight and the first one I have taken around the city centre for a year. I headed through the Market Square, past the xmas market and the ice rink. I was even proud of myself for not stopping for a gluhwein en route. All the twinkly lights and xmas trees made the run so much more festive than my usual depressingly dark ring road or bus-packed main streets.

So, quick change in the office toilets and then I'm off to stuff my face at Bistro Pierre. Yummmmmm.

Run December - Day 7
Distance: 1.2 miles
Time: 12:03 mins
Weather: -2C
Surface: Running on the bodies of xmas shoppers who got in my way. Grrr.

Here's mud in your eye.

* If you believe that, you'll also believe that Elvis works in my local chip shop and Michael Jackson was actually a russian spy recruited to collate blackmail material on Liz Taylor. Fact.

Let's spend more at Christmas.

Now I am one of those people who are annoyingly chirpy about christmas. I love it and I don't care who knows it. Christmas is a big excuse to eat, drink and be merry while being surrounded by twinkly lights, carols and loads of Ho ho hoing Santas.

There are a lot of people who hate christmas. But invariably what they actually hate is the spending - the commercialisation. Well if this is all you see, then you have my pity. Yes, the commercialisation of christmas is depressing and sad. I can't deny that decorations and carols in October make me want to cry. But that is not christmas.

If you are one of those people who hate christmas, then I want you to try a new experiment this year. Spend more. Spend some time with people you like in the local pub without paying a fortune on overpriced meals or parties. Spend time looking for fun presents which cost little and mean more (? of present does not equal amount of love however much your girlfriend tells you it does). Spend time looking at the lights instead of rushing past with a scowl. Spend a few minutes listening to the carols and seeing the faces of small children when they get to meet Santa.

Let's see if we can't capture some of that wonder and excitement of christmas again this year and let me know in January if it works.

Here's mud in your eye.