One week done...

Right, that is the first week ticked off, a total of 23 miles run this week. A mix of running with Holly, the running club, friends and Millie.

Today Millie came out on her longest run ever; 6 miles cross country over the South Downs. For people that know the Steyning area I ran the Round Hill Romp route but took a slightly different way at the end to avoid the roads.

Millie had to learn a few new tricks..... how to get over/through a few different stiles and gates and how to push through branches that were blocking her path. We both ended up very wet and muddy but it was great fun. We stopped to chat to a few other dog walkers and people out walking, some people out walking just look at you as though you are mad. I don't think they realise quite how hot you can get when running; they are all wrapped up and I'm in a short sleeved t-shirt !

One good thing is that I managed to run up most of the very steep section, I still can't run up the whole thing but I'm now at a point where I can run far more of it than walk.... I can still remember the time when I struggled walking up it and had to stop quite often to get my breath...

So, just over a week until Christmas and not much of this year left.... it is that time of year when you look back at the highs and lows of the previous 12 months but I will save that for another post :)

8 miles done...

Well, that is the first 8 miles of the marathon training done... Only 457 to go until the finish line ! The temptation to do too much too soon is quite high, but I do remember what happened last year and would like to try and avoid injury if possible. At this stage it is getting in to the routine of the regular runs without getting carried away (if it says 3 miles then stick to 3 miles !)

Just doubled checked the training plan to make sure I hadn't accidentally scheduled a long run on Christmas Day... I haven't, just a 3 mile run !

Running makes me feel good and it makes me feel as though I'm achieving something and this helps me be more positive with the rest of life.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to more runs with Millie this week. I'm going to need to find some slightly longer routes that we can do together. While I'm marathon training I'm planning on taking Millie with me on the short 3-5 mile runs and doing these all off road. No doubt she will come back full of energy and I will be the knackered one....

So, this is a photo taken on one of our daily dog walks......

Yay ! I have a plan :)

Well, after much debate and writing / re-writing I have a marathon training plan.... the scary thing is that it starts next week... and I need to follow it religiously until next April.

It involves running a total of 465 miles.... now that is a long way..... it is about the distance from here to Edinburgh. If someone suggested that I run to Edinburgh then I would think they are mad. But I'm not just doing this for fun, I'm doing it to raise money for a cause that I really believe in, for an organisation that stand up for people whose voices may not be heard otherwise, for people that may stay imprisioned and forgotten. So, for each mile that I run I will be glad that I am free to run; and glad that we still live in a country that has free speech.

If you would like to see how I'm doing then click on the Brighton Marathon 2013 link at the top of this site; if you would like to sponsor me then click here :)