Running progress..

In the last few weeks I've really stepped up my training for the 2008 Snowdonia Marathon. The knee pain that almost stopped me in my first week, has long passed. With barely five weeks to go I'm now trying to lay down some long runs and mileage, to ready myself for the ardure of race day..25th October!
This GPS device has been quite useful in my training, thanks to Tom for letting me use it!

One reason I've written less here than usual, is my pre-occupation with running. If I'm not actually running...I'm recovering from my last run...or thinking about my next one. Fatigue is a constant shadow in my life and I've done well to stay illness and injury free. When I last ran these sort of distances I was much younger and thought nothing of a quick ten miler...while the adverts were on, as it were. So it's been hard work, but I've been creative in my training and generally enjoyed my self inflicted pain
I "ran" up Snowdon itself, lurking in the mist, but it was a very hard lesson...

I've run far and wide..through muddy fields and slippery river banks. Stupidly thought I could run up a mountain and probably caused some concern to passers by with my red face and stumbling across misty rocky crags! So pavements and roads are now like a glide to my ever stronger legs. I seem to have put on a little weight..which I presume is muscle. My upper body is shrinking whilst my legs grow! Perhaps I'll have to learn to walk on my hands after this is all over, to redistribute things..!
At the top, the seagull in the picture was laughing at me and people were giving me concerned looks...but not making eye contact!

Someone from work thoughtfully let me use his GPS device to aid my training. So I've now become a collector of miles. If only it was money in the bank! However it's been useful to know how far I've gone. To date, eighteen miles is my longest run. This coming week I'm aiming to run four circuits of Marine Drive on the Great Orme. This will make a total of twenty one miles in similarly undulating road conditions. This should be the pinnacle of my training and I can then go on with confidence...The rewards being as much beer, chips, curry and icecream as I can eat!!
The descent of Snowdon was swift and my feet were on fire, so you can imagine the sensation of cooling them in Llyn Padarn, the lake by Llanberis where I'll hopefully finish my marathon.