Month: January 2013

I have a confession to make….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 11 Comments

Forgive me JogBlog for I have sinned, it has been 7 months since my last confession (some time during Juneathon to be more precise). I accuse myself of the following Janathon sins:

  • Failing to run on day 14
  • Failing to run or blog on day 22
  • Failing to run or blog on day 23
  • Failing to run or blog on day 24
  • Failing to run or blog on day 25
  • Failing to blog on day 26

Although I ask you for forgiveness, I also want you to understand. The last week has been a very hectic and extreme week: work, snow, dark nights, ice, work, slush, dark nights, work and quite a bit of work.

JogBlog I am very sorry for the sins I have committed and ask that all Janathoners forgive theses sins as well as any I may have forgotten to confess.

Day 26 mileage = 3.17

Today's mileage = 4.95

Total Janathon mileage = 101.65

 

Who said miracles don’t happen…?

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 8 Comments

The day started with a text message, just a simple text message. But one that on reading, had already become my most favourite text message ever. It was a short message of no more than 20 words, but two of those words stood out like a mound of carrots in a gravy drenched sea of mashed potatoes: school's closed.

Miracles do happen!

After several laps of the bedroom, accompanied with screams and woops of delight, I calmed down and thought about how to spend my 'snow' day. I had plenty of work to be catching up with, but equally a snow day means an 'extra' day, a chance to be reckless, a chance to do something different. So after careful consideration I decided to spend the morning marking! Rock and roll! Reckless or what!!?!

I actually had a very productive morning: finished marking some Y9 Gothic stories and a set of Y7 work. Did a load of bits and pieces that needed doing, before deciding it was time to get Janathon's run out the way, unusually early and in daylight for a change.

Today completes the third week of Janathon, it does seem to have gone very quickly, one minute it seems like you're gearing up to get started, the next your struggling to get out the door. And so to today's run, and due to the snow overnight I did manage to do something a bit different, some may even say reckless: I actually went for a run, in the snow.

But no normal run, things were a bit different. I began on the very icy paths, completing a few pirouettes on the way, before deciding to head for the woods. My thinking was that fresh snow, although hard work, wouldn't be quite as dangerous as the paths. The woods felt very different under a blanket of snow, weirdly strange and peaceful. At some stage, I must have clambered through a wardrobe and entered Narnia, although I don't actually remember doing it. The woods looked amazing, like a crystal forest….

However, it wasn't long before I began battling with the elements. The wind had picked up and as I ran through deep snow along the edge of fields…

…I thought to myself, is this how Captain Scott felt? Miles of snow fields and no shelter….

Yes, slightly overly dramatic I know, but it was bloody cold, and REALLY tiring running in the snow. Completed just over 6 miles in the end and on arrival home had the most wonderful cup of tea ever.

Today's mileage = 6.1

Total Janathon mileage after day 21 = 93.53

Total time running = 13.1 hours

 

Running, albums and idiots…

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 4 Comments

The weather is definitely attempting to thwart Janathon, we've reached day 19, but it is no match for these babies….

Only the third run with my new amazing 'Puma Faas 250' – yes a very strange name for a pair of trainers – but they coped fantastically with the snow and ice this morning. I think they are ready for a longer run in the morning, although not sure I am.

I drove up to the woods this morning and parked on the top road and didn't even consider taking the incredibly icy road down into the car park. However, various people did. It always amazes me how some people can be so stupid. When you stand at the top of the hill and look down the road into the car park it actually looks very dodgy, what makes people think it will be ok? Now I'm not one to say 'I told you so', and actually I didn't tell anyone, but I was quite pleased to see two cars stranded at the bottom of the hill and one in the ditch. Idiots.

I'd imagine that lots of blogs will contain a few snow shots, so why not?

And in other news……

Spring looks to be quite exciting, with the release of new albums from Frank Turner and Billy Bragg. Billy's new album, 'Tooth & Nail' is out March 18, followed by Frank's latest 'Tape Deck Heart' on April 22.

It has been a while since a Billy Bragg album, so I'm really looking forward to it. The few tracks I've heard suggest it's going back to what he does best: great simple melodies and the voice of an angel.

They will, of course, be touring to promote the albums. I've even pre-ordered the Turner CD to allow me to get in the ticket pre-sale for access to tickets 48hrs before general sale. With only a handful of gigs announced it looks I'm off to Birmingham.

Now I will be looking for volunteers to attend the Bragg gig – I struggle to find anyone to go with – can't understand why????! Have a listen…

Today's snow mileage = 6.36

Total Janathon mileage = 79.66

 

Janathon Day 17

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

I got home after a long day at work, full day teaching and Y7 parents’ evening, and with a heavy heart I changed and headed out for a run round the woods. Hat, gloves and rather fashionable head torch in place, this is what greeted me….

It wasn’t until I got to the woods that I realised I had forgotten my headphones. I very rarely run without music, but I have to admit I really enjoyed the run tonight. I was wearing my super cool new trail running shoes – so any ice dance running was at a minimum. So I was surprised when I got home to find I had a message from some fella called Mr Schofield asking me to appear on a TV show. Apparently he was impressed with my arabesque.

Tonight’s mileage = 4.73

Total Janathon mileage = 73.30