Month: January 2014

#janathon with Newton Faulkner

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

If I do end up failing Janathon it will be on a Monday. I find motivating myself to go out for a run really difficult on a Monday. Whether it is the first day back at work after the weekend or the fact that Monday at school just seems to be really hardwork at the moment.

But tonight I defeated the Monday Monster and got out for a run. It was late. It was short. But it was done.

Tonight I was accompanied by the fantastic Newton Faulkner. Downloaded a selection of tracks onto the iPhone put it on shuffle and set off. I was treated to, amongst others, 'Write it On Your Skin', 'Treading Water' and 'Aging Superhero'. Newton Faulkner is definitely on the list of gigs to attend. I've seen him a couple of times at Cambridge Folk Festival but would love to see him at an actual proper Newton Faulkner gig.

In other news….look who came to stay….

Today's mileage = 2.32

Total Janathon mileage = 46.61

 

Round and round we go….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 6 Comments

Janathon Day 12

I went to bed last night with the idea that I would get up early (ish) and complete a run round the woods with the dog. This didn't happen. After waking up at 11am the plan was to have a quick cuppa and then get the run done. This didn't happen. Instead I created a beautiful fry-up and then went shopping.

It wasn't until 4.30pm that I finally got my arse into gear. Pressure was on, the darts was on at 5.45pm. I do like a bit of darts, ridiculous nicknames and cliche after cliche. So pounding the streets of Bourne was the answer. I didn't want to venture too far so decided on trying to run along every street, avenue, way, close, walk, crescent, and road on the estate. I really didn't know what I was doing, the place is like a rabbit's warren*. Any Tom, Dick or Harry** would get lost. First half of the run was ok, I knew roughly were I was going. But it was a game of two halves*** and it all got very confusing in the second half. But, I think it was a pretty good effort….

5 miles in total.

Total Janathon mileage = 44.29

* see…cliche…clearly watching too much darts

** see above

*** see above

 

I think I need to plan…..

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 6 Comments

No this is not me dicing with the edges of educational blogging, as much as I'm tempted, I'm merely thinking about entering a few races for the coming year.

What's brought this on? Well, an email arrived yesterday from some crazy woman at school. She was following up on an email sent about 4 million years ago* that was inquiring whether there were enough people that fancied doing the Rat Race, and that maybe we could enter a team. I don't actually remember replying to the initial email, although as it was 4 million years ago that's not surprising, but apparently I was interested. This crazy woman is now looking for definite numbers and is on the verge of entering a team! And…..I'm in!

So….10th May…..20 miles….200 obstacles….yowza!

20 miles? That's quite a way! So I've been thinking about entering a few races before May. I've got a couple in mind that I've done before:

  • Spalding Half Marathon
  • Newton's Fraction Half Marathon

Although, taking part in Janathon is a good start for getting a bit of mileage in. Today is the eleventh day of Janathon which means, especially with all the rain, it is beginning to get a bit crowded at the back door…

Today was a 5-miler around the woods with the dog. Lots of people about this morning: runners, dog walkers and cyclists, including some particularly ignorant people about who refused to acknowledge my 'good mornings'. Sod 'em!

Total Janathon mileage = 39.36

* this may be a slight exaggeration

 

Sometimes you just get the feeling that the world is against you….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

Janathon Day 8

After yesterday's exercise, which took the form of running up and down the stairs, I was determined to get a run in. Although the world did it's best to conspire against me.

Firstly, my 20 min journey home from work took 50 min due to ANOTHER car accident on the SAME road as yesterday. So I did a lot of looking at this….

Secondly, on arrival at home Amy and J-Dawg had just started watching 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' so I joined them. So that was a couple of hours wasted. Although I declined the offer of joining them to eat popcorn out of the dog's bowl – apparently it was 'clean'.

Perhaps that's why he is called J-Dawg!?

Thirdly, when I finally managed to drag my arse of the sofa and change into my running kit I realised it was raining out. But by then it was too late – so I went for it. iPhone was on, RunKeeper was going, except no music was playing. Cue a stop in the rain to restart app whilst trying to avoid it getting soaking wet. Not the best of starts.

If that wasn't enough, 400 yards into the run and a car drove through a massive puddle and splashed me – full in the face.

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful pounding the rather boring streets of Bourne….

Job done. Sorted. Cushty. And relax.

Total Janathon mileage after day 8 = 29.11 (plus of course up and down 50 flights of stairs)