1 month, 10 days, 23 hours, 53 minutes and a few seconds to go

For those following my now changed schedule I ran 20km yesterday ( 2:03, av HR 130) as a LSR and am just poppng out for an 11km this morning. That puts me back on track. We were sneaky yesterday as it was once again blowing a gale so ran into the wind for the first 10 and wind behind for the last half. Now I am beginning to get down to the question of gels and which ones to take to FLM. I was a firm fan of Squeazy lemon and lime at Chicago and Berlin. I think a couple of those and a pocket full of jelly babies should do it. I can't wait for the support organised by runners world formites. Check it out as 17 miles will be a perfect place to have some well needed support.

I am relieved to record that after my slightly worrying post yesterday concerning the "pretend" demise of the riding stable and the fact that we "may" have to buy four horses, I took CB there yesterday, and eveything seems to be going fine. I was beginning to believe my own post. They seem to be doing well financially, with no threat of closure. Phew!

A cartwheel round off backward roll

I may be able to run a marathon, but I sure can't do a cartwheel round off backward roll. CB can - as well as a bridge walk over. Makes my long run tomorrow of 20km sound simple. Another day, another leotard and therefore another gymnastic move across the lounge floor that just has me saying "be careful" as I don't know what else to say! Gone are the days when I could do a back flip double round off before breakfast. (as I write this she comes flying past in a whirl of legs, hair and leotard....). Why is it children prefer being upside down than the right way up?

Anyway back to running. Ran a 12km last night at ave HR 147 so felt rather pleased. Moving the long run to tomorrow as it clashes with a locally organised race that Mrs. B is running on Sunday - I'm on kids duty. Looking forward to a weekend after working last weekend.

Oh and by the way, CB informed me that if the riding stable that she goes to had to close (just pretend Dad) and that they said every child had to buy four ponies, she would buy Kees, Colette, Robijn and Salty. There we go. That's reassuring - it could have been 5.

Dazed and confused

I can't quite work out how many times I have run in the last day few days. I know this sounds bizarre, but I have been away on business since Saturday and coupled with a large dose of jet lag, generally feeling extraordinarily tired, feeling very sick and fighting a major migraine, it's not easy. I do know that I ran three times while I was away (running machine 50 mins, outside 1 hour, and running machine 30 mins pace) so I think I am up to date. But I landed in Dubai at 01:30 Sunday morning, had four nights in a hotel and after an overnight flight last night on a 777, arrived home this morning, Wednesday. Work that out.

Pouring with rain tonight and feeling ropey so will not run, but looking at my schedule and assuming I haven't been on some kind of wierd time warp, I think I have to run about 60 mins tomorrow night. My schedule became confused after doing the long run on Friday last week.

Mrs. B, KB and CB all seem fine - lots of running, homework and playing (in that order).

I'm off to bed.

To hot to run

A hotel gym running machine 8km feels like about 15km normal running so I am claiming the latter on my training log after being bored out of my mind last night. Bored? how can people do the full training for a marathon indoors?. Mrs B will be pleased to hear that unlike in Holland, I was not asked to get off after half an hour. Tee hee.

Also sitting here, on business, in 24 degrees wall-to-wall sun, makes me thankful that I do not need to do a run at home today as it is snowing, sleeting and generally miserable in Voorschoten. I know this because Mrs. B told me as she was just about to brave the elements. More gym running tonight for me I suppose (well, it's too hot to run outside isn't it!), followed by an overnight flight back to the Arctic circle, previously known as Holland, tomorrow. Global Warming? more like global cooling if you ask me.

Mrs.B's day goes from bad to worse as I have a good LSR

After running nearer 34km than 32km, (3:27:16, av HR 137), I am feeling remarkably good. No real aches and pains and the vino tinto is tasting especially good this evening. Have to give full marks to my running partner NE as without him such runs would be intolerable. We must have talked all the way around - from a new internet idea, to the Champions League next week to the merits of various sports drinks. You name it we probably talked about it. The time really flew by.

Mrs. B I am afraid to report did not have such a good training day. Well, after all, it started pretty badly with a dash down the road with our bin this morning and frankly seems to have gone downhill from there, if that is possible. (That sprint this morning obviously took it out of her). But, being asked to get off a running machine as you have been on it too long, and doing a good time/feeling good, to be replaced by a WALKER is too much for anyone to suffer. See below to a previous post - they are called running machines for a reason.

So with a good LSR behind me, it's off on business tomorrow. Back Wednesday.

Correction: KB pointed out that it was Next that replied to her email. Is edited appropriately below. I apologise unreservedly for any embarassment caused which was not intented.

32km and who forgot to put the bins out?

Nice thick layer of snow on the ground today, sub zero temperatures and a wind coming straight off the Polar ice cap mean that it must be the day for a long run. I am actually running the LSR (long slow run) today as I am travelling this weekend away on business, somewhere hot, which means I stand nil chance of running more than about 8km on a gym running machine on Sunday when I would normally run my LSR. 32km to get through today so hoping for a quick blast of tropical air to thaw everything. Hoping in vain of course. As long as it doesn't rain it should be OK.

In fact I have just, inadvertently, checked the ambient temperature outside as we (read, Mrs. B) forgot to put our wheelie bins outside this morning which enabled me to make a complete fool of myself by running down the road in my rather un-trendy dressing gown at 07:45 with a bin behind me shouting "Hey, stop." to the driver of one of those industrial wheelie bin lorries. As we create more rubbish than the normal nuclear family (don't ask me why as I do not know) we have two bins and once I had stopped the driver in his tracks Mrs. B appeared with the other bin, in a rather fetching get-up of untied running shoes (dangerous don't you know), light blue dressing gown, a rather "modern" hairstyle and not a lot else. I can tell you it was cold.

Last night watched a TV program about 12 runners, all very unfit, training for Flora London Marathon. It was very inspiring as few of them could actually run one mile on the first program last night but each one had a personal reason to want to get to the start line in April. It just goes to show what people will go through to train for this. Good luck to all of them.

Catwalk gossip

According to the Hal Higdon training plan this week should be the week when you run the most mileage compared to any of the other 17 weeks. So, typically it is also the week that Europe decides to have it's coldest week since records began. The question is not "can I run the distance", but "can I run the distance without getting frostbite". As if this program of self induced masochism wasn't difficult enough without wind from the Polar ice cap threatening to derail the training. The only small mitigating factor in all of this is that in April, around 7 weeks time, I'll be on the start line (all being well) at FLM standing next to someone who has been through exactly this as well. Whoever you are, I look forward to meeting you and moaning about how cruel the weather has been to us elite athletes......

KB has decided to take an early career turn and has now decided that she wants to be a fashion designer (bit like a young lad wanting to be a footballer I suppose). Anyway, to her total credit she has infact made contact with Next in UK and they have emailed her and asked her to send her designs in to see what they think!! That's a far more promising reaction than I got years ago when I wrote to QPR and asked them if I could have a game. So, in future when you are shopping and Nike and Ralph Lauren look a little out dated, maybe you will skip along to the KB range of teens-wear. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Almost forgot. Ran a pace 40 mins last night (no HR monitor as I couldn't be bothered) but a pretty fast time. Off to run 85 mins tonight - watch out Paula!