January 2014

[Sweder]

A kill-or-cure ten miler was taken in glorious sunshine this morning. It was a thing of necessity rather than beauty, a heavy haul across heavy ground to see what might be possible in the weeks ahead. The undefined lurghie still lurks, appearing as an excess of ejectum and a tightness in the chest. My bulk also remains, though that particular handicap has never stopped me before. After some thought, and a hearty Sunday lunch, I have come to the following conclusions.

A) a two-hour jog round Almeria is entirely within my (expanded) compass
B) there is no way I can run the Moyleman route this year

The first comes as no surprise amd no great blow. Most of us can bob around 21k without too much training, we know how to get it done. The second is a sad but honest admission. Work is ramping up, training runs will be fewer and further between, even if I wake up tomorrow feeling chipper. I shall shrug off the shroud of disappointment and assume the cloak of Race Director. Someone needs to keep the thing together. With Tom wrangling the marshals and Rob (running) and Duncan (lead bike) in the field my duty will be to start signing runners and to sort things out at the start and the finish.

Rob joined me this morning. He's going like a train, svelt, enthused, making light work of thick mud and slimy puddles. He scorched across an impressive 24k, well on the way to Moyleman readiness. We took the two longdogs with us, a first for Rob who expressed amazement at their turn of speed. Like their owner they were all but done in by the finish, trudging back, heads drooped, dreaming of a drink and a biscuit.

Decisions made I can now relax, work on fitness and diet and look forward to a wonderful weekend in Almeria.
As ever, on, on!