T-13 - 2 Lards to Go

7.1 Miles (410.7 Total) - 2011 - 287.8 miles
65 Minutes (62 Hours 56 Minutes)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @LardyBoy2011.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates


Morning all


I had to bin the planned 14 miler this morning.  My ankle was pretty sore when I set out this morning.  Normally after a couple of miles it settles down but this morning it didn't.  It might have had something to do with setting out at 5.30 and my body telling me to piss off, but there we go.


I wanted to run 14 miles as though it was the first 14 of the marathon, slow and steady so that I was ready to run a quicker second half.  As a result the pace was down but aside from my ankle I felt very comfortable so that part is good at least.  I am not particularly concerned about the ankle, nothing that ice and rest won't sort out.


The plan for the next 13 days is as follows:

• From today - no booze at all except for a few glasses of wine next Saturday with the Durdles's's's
• A LOT of water
• 5 miles fast - Wednesday
• 14 miles at marathon pace - Friday
• 3 short runs next week
• Collect Marathon stuff from Excel Centre - Weds / Thurs next week

Because of my 1,000 mile challenge this year I feel like the marathon will be the end of the beginning rather than an end in itself but I really cannot wait and feel pretty much ready.  Whether I will be able to hit 4 hours is very much up for debate but the next 2 weeks is all about rest, recuperation and not getting man flu!

Anyway lots to do today so till next time!

LB

XXX

T-16 - PB Lard

6.3 Miles (403.6 Total) - 2011 - 280.7 miles
54 Minutes (61 Hours 51 Minutes)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @LardyBoy2011.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates

Afternoon all!


I have taken this tapering lark to the extreme by sitting on my arse since last Sunday's Kingston Breakfast 16 miler.  A combination work, child care and no small amount of laziness have combined to keep the trainers off.  This morning though I was determined to get back out there.


After a few hours of work and various calls I got myself sorted and went out for what was supposed to be a cobweb blower.  After a couple of miles I realised that I was off to a good start so decided to go for it and am delighted to say I got a PB for 10k.  I was rather shagged by the end of it because it is a wee bit warmer than it looks out there today.


Plan for the weekend is rest with a 12/14 mile run at the crack of dawn on Monday.  Then it will be a case of a few runs here and there before the big one in 2 weeks!


In other news I am now over 400 miles of running since I started training and approaching 300 miles in 2011.  So over a quarter of the way there in mileage with a quarter of the time gone.  I am again pretty pleased with this given the fact I have been injured for a few weeks of the year.  


I have rebranded my Twitter account to LardyBoy2011 and am pleased to show off my livery for the big day!  This should hopefully get a few shouts on the big day.  Does London 2011 is printed on the back.  Thanks to Hawkinsport for the freebie printing.

Also if you have 3 mins to look at it attached is a link to a video that this guy has put together helping you to understand just how far 20 miles is.  Remember that the marathon itself is another 6 miles on top of this; it really brings home what a commitment the training is let alone the marathon itself.  This conveniently allows me to remind you to visit my fundraising site.  I am tantilisingly close to my original £3k target before gift aid.  I now want to reach £5k but will change tack on the fundraising after the marathon is out of the way.


Have a great weekend
LB
XXX

T-21 - Kingston Breakfast Lard

16 Miles (397.3 Total) - 2011 - 274.4 miles
146 Minutes (60 Hours 57 Minutes)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @Rooster1972.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates


Afternoon all


Well I have to say I dealt with that.  This morning was the 2 lap 16 Mile Kingston Breakfast run at 8.30 this morning.  I probably finished way over halfway down the field, most of the runners are pretty serious and most use the race as final prep for the London Marathon.


But where I finished wasn't actually particularly important, the simple fact is that I wanted to achieve 3 things this morning.


1.  Run very much in control but recognise that this sort of distance should be pretty straight forward for me now - Check!


2.  Beat 2hrs 30mins - Check!


3.  Run the second half of the race quicker than the first - Check!


I am a happy Lardy Boy.  It was also nice to get some support as Mrs LB, the kids, my mum and my father in law came along to watch.  This and also my Gullane roomie, Rob 'Baz' Hawkins ran too, all be it a wee bit quicker than yours truly!


Anyway delighted by the run and now joy of joys it is taper time!  Although the plan is to run more frequently than lately as the ankle seems better.  The mileage though comes down a lot as we are now only 3 weeks from the big day.


Have a great week
LBXXX

T-23 - Hot Lard!

5.5 Miles (381.3 Total) - 2011 - 258.4 miles
47 Minutes (58 Hours 31 Minutes)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @Rooster1972.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates


Afternoon all


I wanted to get a short, sharp run in before the end of the week and the Kingston Breakfast Run on Sunday.  I must say I am pretty happy with the results.  My full mile times were:


8.11
8.39
8.41
8.40
8.36


Now for me this is bloody good, and if by some miracle this pace was to be carried out for 26.2 miles then I would knock off the marathon in 3hrs 42mins.  Now this is not going to happen let's be clear about that but it is nice to know I can fire up the after burners when I want to!


The other points of interest included how hot it was.  Blimey if it is like this on April 17th then it is going to be a right old struggle, still wonderful conditions for a quick 5 mile blast.  Also lots of people down on the towpath, cameras being set up etc for the boat race tomorrow.  Judging by the brewery lorries unloading at the pubs and marquees, tomorrow is going to be a big one!  Not for me though, abstaining tomorrow and hydrating ahead of the race on Sunday.


My targets for Sunday is a quicker second half of the race than the first and break 2hrs 30mins.  Simple!  Ha.


Have a great sunny weekend
LB
XXX

T-24 - Physio and Rest

0 Miles (375.8 Total) - 2011 - 252.9 miles
0 Minutes (57 Hours 44 Minutes)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @Rooster1972.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates


Well this morning is hopefully my final trip to the physio.  The ankle feels just about sorted and I want to get back out there!  After Monday's 20 mile slog I am planning on doing a 4 mile cobweb burner tomorrow morning and then I have the 16 mile Kingston race on Sunday.  After 2 days of gorgeous spring weather expect it to piss down tomorrow when I go out for a run!


With luck I can get back to a fairly normal routine for the last 3 weeks of training by doing some quick short runs as I taper my training back ahead of the big day which is now only 24 days away!  Very exciting.  Depending on the race this weekend I might do one more long run next week but then focus on 5-13 milers for the last 2 weeks.


I will reducing the alcohol consumption for the last couple of weeks but refuse to abstain completely.  What's the point of punishing yourself with 20 mile training runs if you can't have a couple of drinks now and then!?  I have already given up crisps and ice cream for Lent, and only allow myself chocolate on running days (!)


Before Gift Aids I am close to £3k for Cri du Chat and including Gift Aids I am over £3.5k so thanks all for your outstanding generosity.  Still plenty of time for you to donate if you haven't though so please click the link above if you can spare some pennies!  


Anyway have a fabulous Thursday and I will report back tomorrow on physio and a run with luck


LB
XXX

T-27 - The Last Long Lard

20.3 Miles (375.8 Total) - 2011 - 252.9 miles
203 Minutes (57 Hours 44 Minutes)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @Rooster1972.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates


Afternoon all


Well I heaped a ton of pressure on myself with another last minute decision to try a 20 miler.  I really have not exactly prepared myself for these but I appear to have got away with it to a greater or lesser extent!


I had originally planned to do my last 20 miler tomorrow morning early but an opportunity came up in the diary so I headed out at 11am this morning instead.  There were a few reasons I did it:

1. Not having to get up at 4.45am tomorrow
2. The sun was out and I do loads of running in near darkness and cold.  Given that it could be bloody hot / warm on the day I thought that some sunny practice would be a good idea
3. Running at the right time in the day.  The marathon starts at 9.45 and most of my runs have focused earlier, getting the body clock right is very important!

Well the first thing to go wrong was having too much kit, the Helly skin I was wearing was bit much for the conditions so I overheated a touch.  As a result I think I was pretty dehydrated for the second half of the run which really didn't help!

I wanted to do 2hrs 10mins for the first 13 miles (10 minute miles) and then see how I felt, and try to pick the pace up for the last 7 miles.  The good news is that at the 13 mile mark I was 20 seconds ahead of schedule (!), hows that for pace?  The bad news is that things started to unravel around mile 16 and the last 4 miles were brutal!  I had a new gel to try that is loaded with sugar and caffeine, it was a difficult to swallow and I took it a bit late so a lesson learned for the big day.

The good news is though that I ran through the wall and by the time I was back in Chiswick I think I was coming out the other side.  The time was not what I wanted but beggars can't be choosers and there is no doubt that when it comes to running I am a beggar!

Now I am planning rest with physio on Thursday, then the Kingston 16 mile run on Sunday.  Then joy of joys I have to taper my mileage so the last 2 weeks before the marathon I will run less!  Marvelous!

Anyway I am at 250 miles for my 2011 challenge, just the 750 miles to go!


Have a great evening


LB
XXX

T-30 - Half Lard Full Pace

13.3 Miles (355.6 Total) - 2011 - 232.6 miles
120 Minutes (54 Hours 21 Minutes)

DONATE: www.justgiving.com/jamie-ross
FOLLOW LARDY BOY ON TWITTER: @Rooster1972.  Please follow me on Twitter for additional Lardy Boy updates


Afternoon all,


What a strange 24 hours.  Yesterday afternoon I penciled in a 20 miler for Saturday morning.  By the time I went to bed I thought I might go this morning instead, I then woke up in an odd mood.  I decided therefore to can the morning run and tweeted as much.  I then got a motivational kick up the arse by my old boss (from 20 years ago!).  I am a very obedient person to work with (shut up anyone who has worked with me) and always listen to my bosses so thought I should get out today instead.  A gap created in the diary meant that a late morning jaunt was planned.


The 20 miler was not going to happen, you can't just slap the trainers on and chime out a 3 hour run you know!  I therefore decided to hit a half marathon and try to break my 20 year duck on a sub 2-hour half.  My official half marathon time of 1hr 58mins has left me rather smug and happy.  I don't think that there is a cat in hells chance that I can put 2 of these together on April 17th and do a sub 4hr marathon.  I am planning on pasting my 2006 time of 4hrs 46mins though!


More on big race strategies the other day. 


I got some nice feedback from people about my blog yesterday about top tips for the big day.  I now have another couple to add:


15.  If it's raining don't be shy to make like McEnroe and get a headband on.  The sweaty rain that fell off the head and into my eyes was a bit unpleasant to say the least.


16.  Don't put anything about vasoline in a blog and send it to your mates


The ankle update is quite positive.  It is definitely on the mend although still a touch sore.  I will need to look after it in the next 4 weeks.


My training plan for the next 7 days is very simple.


Monday at 5am I am planning on a 20+ mile run, armed with a gel that should apparently help with my wall issues (thanks Rose).  The plan is to get as close to 3 hours as I can but not kill myself trying


Then nothing for the rest of the week because.....


Sunday 16 mile Kingston Breakfast Run, for a final race before the big day.  Well I say I am running it but I have no race number yet so we will see.  The plan is to break 2hrs 30 mins for that.


Then it is taper time, which in my language means sitting on my fat arse more.  This is something I am good at!


Thanks again for the donations which keep coming in.  I have upped the target to £4k, including gift aids we are now up to £3,400 which is fantastic. Thank you all very much, it means a lot!


Have a great weekend
LB
XXX