Yipppeee 2/3rds in!!

Day 244 Friday 31st August 3.8 miles : miles to date 1611.4 Today is exactly 2/3 thirds into this current leap year, with 244 consecutive runs in a row. I am trying hard not to blow my own trumpet - no jokes please, I've just run through them all and this is family viewing - but 244 consecutive runs suddenly seems a lot for some reason. The majority have been good experiences although inevitably there have been a few what's the point in this type. Fortunately those days have been a lot less than I thought they might be especially by now, so on the whole I'm a happy chappy. Having said that, I wouldn't have run tonight if it wasn't for the streak. I had to pull over on the way home when I knew a lovely big bag of fish and chips would be ready and waiting. As a result I set off too quickly just to get it done before slowing. I tried out the new Guns and Roses long player. Well I say new. It was new in the nineties when it first came out, but it was another one of my £2 purchases so who cares and lets get ready to rock. As I was mentally working the crowd into a frenzy in my mind with Axle Rose on back up vocals, I was flagged down by two young ladies bounding around the forest centre doing their own thing. I was ready to give them an autograph and then recalled that I wasn't actually singing with G&R's and they weren't groupies. Still, it was great to catch up with Lorraine and Katie Ruditis who is starting her training programme for the GNR, in er, two weeks. The way she has been hammering out the shorter runs, should still be a breeze for her. The fish and chips were worth the wait, although a glass of the red stuff would have been nice. Mind you got on the scales today for first time in ages and I'm spot on 12 stone. At 5 foot eight..and a half... I'm still classed as over weight on the BMI charts???? Its enough to drive a man to drink.

Grrrrrrr

Day 243 Thursday 30th August 3 miles : miles to date 1607.6 Grrrrr. After a very long day at work, which included nearly five hours in the car, I just could not get out to do the scheduled twelve miler or anything for that matter until gone 11 pm tonight. I watched the clock all night, my energy levels dropping. I hadn't totally discounted a late longer run but within a quarter of a mile I knew it was a non starter. I was due to run sub seven minute mile pace and as the street lights stopped and my head torch beam was so weak it touched the floor, that was it. I had trouble seeing where my foot was landing even with a full moon and it was apparent I would risk injury going full pelt. There was just no point in logging slow empty miles so for once I cut my losses and headed home, running my normal village three mile loop instead. I am a bit annoyed at missing the run, as I really need to get a few more 12 milers in at a quicker pace. I cant do it Friday instead, as I intend to do a twenty on Saturday and two hard longer runs back to back, wont fit. In ultra training mode, that would have been fine but in this brave new world - now that rings a bell fro some reason - I am trying to change vast miles, for half the distance at a much quicker pace. I also didn't fancy coming home at well past midnight, dripping with sweat and waking the household up. Grrrr.

Satnav takes the lead

Day 242 Wednesday 29th August 8.2 miles : miles to date 1604.6 Its quite nice to slip into a new hundred and ideally I can target the runs to finish in a few days time on 1666, to celebrate with a beer or three of the same name. The body temple thing isn't quite panning out as well as I would like. Or at all if I'm honest. I'm putting the runs in and limiting the vino to a bit at the weekends, but so far abstinence hasn't had the chance to make the heart grow fonder or stronger for that matter. I'm off to see the stage version of Chariots of Fire in London on Saturday for our anniversary and I suspect a glass of bubbly might be in order this weekend as well. I am starting to feel better in terms of pace on longer distance runs. I was joined tonight by Richard Jones, to whom I apologised for having collared him with the nom de plume of Satnav as half the club are calling him that now. We looped the forest centre which didn't require his now legendary navigation skills, covering the eight miles in an average of 7.25 mile pace. It was so much easier to get a good midweek run in with a mate and chat all the way around, which made the miles just melt away. I have a feeling we are going to get a bumper number of runners getting great times at Chester marathon in October, although the battle for first place in the club very much remains between George Arbuckle and Martin Beare despite the Voldemort schedule. It doesn't off course matter where we finish in terms of the club, as we are all running against the clock and not each other. Probably.

Trail running..Yippeeee

Day 241 Tuesday 28th August 6.6 miles : miles to date 1596.4 As I was coaching tonight, I had assumed I wouldn't be putting in the effort and encouraging instead. I was wrong. We ran over to an area where they are building a new Centre Parcs just outside Fliwick, which they are calling Woburn something or other as it sounds posher. Whilst the planners have destroyed an old trail, they have built a new three mile undulating trail around the perimeter which is even better. We met at the entrance for a lucky dip session. The coaches each had a card with twelve numbers on, with a time next to each ranging from thirty seconds up to four minutes. One of the group randomly picked a number and we then ran hard for the time next to it with a half time recovery before the next random number and time were selected. This meant that I had to run as well, whilst carefully watching the time and making sure we stuck to the right amount of recovery, including twenty two seconds only after the forty five second effort. We ran a total of twenty four minute efforts on what is quite a tough and challenging course. We ran twelve minutes one way, turned and came back. We somehow managed to save the thirty second burst until the end, which was on the steepest part of the trail. As it was only thirty seconds, we all ran up it hard so by the time we finished, the lactate was pumping all around the body. Speed sessions don't have to be on flat, even ground running loops around a track. This was a really interesting and engaging way to run a hard session and I wish I could take credit for it but I can't. I was just following orders. Now where have I heard that before?

M&M's anyone??

Day 240 Monday 27th August 6.1 miles : miles to date 1589.8

Fot the second day in a row, I headed off cross country to man up to those nettles. Voldemort had me down for a recovery five miles in forty minutes and I didn't fancy another plod along the roads at what is now a very comfortable pace even on tired legs. I have long realised that the thing I adore about x-c training is the ability to d

ive out the door and within a short time, be out on my own or with just my mates in a field with no one around and where, in my case at least, experience things I wouldn't if it wasn't for the running. I'll never forget for instance, the time me, Satnav and Robbie Craig were stuck in paper thin shorts and jackets at one am in the middle of nowhere in Scotland, soaked to the core through incessant rain that hadn't stopped in over five hours, unable to stop shaking with the cold and only thirteen hours into what would eventually become a non stop thirty six hour plus run when George Arbuckle called to let us know he had a beer or two and was off to bed. At the time it didn't go down that well as I was wrapping a cut up survival bag around my core to try to stop the shivering. Now, I look back and think of that as one of my best ever running memories which I just would not have, if I was a road junkie.
I love running the trails with my mates, but today it was just me, my i-pod thingy and a rather angry young chap called Eminem or M&M's or something similar.
I appreciate that this isn't exactly current in the music world but when your buying three CD's for a fiver, its what it is. I don't always listen to tunes and half the time I like to connect more with my running, concentrating on my pace, breathing, footfall and taking in more of the surroundings. Today though was a chill out day. Well I say chill out, it would appear that the young lad wants to do all sorts of illegal things, he can't recall his name in some of the tracks and the one where he starts to barf before spending the next four minutes swearing, wasn't conducive to me connecting with nature and enjoying all its serenity. And please, will the real Slim Shady please stand up? How many times does he have to ask?

Day 239 Sunday 26th August 6.2 miles : miles to date 1583.7 There was a time not that long ago where I had asbestos legs. I could run through waist high stingies and treat them with distain. All this road running has turned me into a right softie. I headed over the fields today for a proper recovery run, with no traffic or people in sight and just me and the long play i-pod thingy music machine for company. As I recalled my mis spent youth listening to the nutty, nutty sounds of Madness, I meandered over the trails without once glancing at the pace, mainly due to the fact that I was running at a little over walking pace. 
At one point I turned a corner and was confronted by knee high thistles and other nasties. In the old days - er, ok a few months back- I would have thrown caution to the wind and ploughed through inviting the pain to have a go. Instead, I pranced gingerly along doing an impression of Darcey Bussell pirouette-ing in the under growth. Oh the shame of it. Six more weeks of the Voldemort schedule before I turn back into a man's man, park the go fast shoes and don the shabby, mismatched and frankly smelly gear of an ultra-teer once more. Unless I miss the target time, in which case watch out Luton marathon as Mr. Wimpo will be on his way.

Day 238 Saturday 25th August 15.5 miles : miles to date 1577.5 I was due to run a half marathon this weekend, which I haven't done for about five years. My shorter races in recent times have been marathons, although on the Voldemort schedule I have had a crack at 5 and 10k's with a good reduction in my PB's for both. My current PB for a half is 1;41 something and I fancy I might beat that in a race. The absence of any close races meant that me and the Flying Scotsman plumped for a fifteen miler at around seven minute mile pace instead. As I parked up at the meeting point, I saw a shady looking character in the bushes so I locked the car door. As he emerged from the shrubs, having made a bit of extra room, I realised I was right. It was George. I declined to shake his hand due to the lack of hand wash and we headed off. Both of us weren't feeling overly strong as a result of some harder runs in the week and my school boy error of eating far too much last night, which sat in my stomach like a lead weight and made me feel very bloated. The first mile was around 7;15 I would guess and the next a bit slower, as we had to climb a hill which wasn't too bad. Once over the brow, we eventually picked it up a little, although still went through five miles in about 35:30 odd, a little behind. It was then just a question of trying to maintain a steady pace which we almost did, with some fluctuations. We went through 13.1 miles still keeping it steady around 1;32;22 and eventually came home in 1;45;44 at an average of 7:03 per mile. George finished stronger than me and had an average of 7;02, but he's a whippet. I would rather have finished sub seven, but there are positives in there. In the 5-15 miles section, we were only about 14 seconds off target pace in total in what were the harder miles. Without the harder runs, food, absence of race crowd, some nutrition on route ( we didn't bother with water bottles or food/gels) and with a taper, I quite fancy taking a bit more time off my half PB and get an official one as well. And heck, we were only three quarters of a minute off the target time so on the whole, I feel a happy chappy. It was far easier to run with George than try that on my own. When I felt tired in the second half, he kept the pace ticking over nicely, so thank you my wee haggis munching friend. The last half mile was a slow warm down around the forest centre when about five runners went past us. I tried to get George to pick it up again, but the poor young lad's joints had already started to stiffen up. The youth these days really have to get off the play stations and out the door...

The hills are alive...

Day 237 Friday 24th August 3.1 miles : miles to date 1562

I stepped off the schedule today, for two reasons. Firstly I wanted to get back to enjoying running without targets and secondly I have missed the trails. I jumped in the car at lunchtime and headed up the hill from the office, when within minutes I was out in the country. My original plan of hitting the canal or road went out the window 

and I enjoyed a wee wander through the woods, sheep that would not move as I ran towards them and squirrels who practically wanted a fight. I went out in my lightweight go fast trainers and they did not suit trail running at all. The soles are a lot thinner than my normal daps, limited cushioning and I felt every stone as I stepped on them. And squirrel/sheep droppings.
A couple of times as I emerged from the tree's and ran along the side of the hill, I just stopped to take in the view. It really was glorious being back out there and getting back to what I love the best in running terms. I just wish I didn't look such a numpty in my shinny white daps and road racing gear. Well, I say shinny. Mmm, bit of sheep coloured shoe dye has seeped through...

slowwww

Day 236 Thursday 23rd August 3 miles : miles to date 1558.9

Well, the only point to that run was to get the three miles in and no more. For various reasons, I couldn't run until 11.31pm, which gave me 29 minutes to get the minimum three miles in. I wasn't in the mood and having drunk a bottle of coke at tonight's high powered card game (aahhum), I did little more than trot around the empty stree

ts. I know that not a soul would know if I did or didn't do it but as I have said before, I would know and the challenge would be over. I set my stall out at the start of the year and being just over a week off completing two thirds, I don't want to stop now. I just hope this old boys body can hold out for another third of a year.
I finished in the end with at least a whole two minute buffer, despite running slowly in the dark. As I write this, I am tempted to go out again as its now Friday but I don't have the drive to do it, so will pack up the go faster daps and try to get some z's in.

Ten miles with the Flying Scotsman

Day 235 Wednesday 22nd August 10.2 miles : miles to date 1555.9 After last Wednesdays late night run, I was quite keen to make sure I made the meeting point with the Flying Scotsman for what was down on the schedule as an easy ten miler at 7:30 mile pace, which we eventually covered at an average pace of 7:27 per mile. The conversation meant the miles flew past. We talked about the fast man's normal subjects. The battle of Bannockburn in June 1319 or as he likes to call it in the Gaelic, Blàr Allt a' Bhonnaich, Jock Stein, The Proclaimers and deep fried mars bars in batter - which I have had and which are very tasty. I chipped in with my Welsh tinted favs, Max Boyce, the number of times Wales have won the Grand Slam in the last few years, Tom Jones, Owain Glyndwr and the battle of Bryn Glas in 1402. Coincidentally both battles happened to be against the sassenachs. Go figure? After the above were worn out in the first half mile, we wasted the rest of the run talking about pace, training schedules, target race times and the prospect of either of us making the mark in Chester, which is now a little over six weeks away and closing. It looks like we are going to try to crack out a fast one at the weekend to see where we are both and how far we still have to go. Oh boy, I fell tired already at the thought of trying to keep close to whippet boy. Needs must me thinks.

The whippet chase

Day 234 Tuesday 21st August 5.9 miles : miles to date 1545.7 It is with some relief - which is perhaps an appropriate word to use - that the No.2 title was passed at least temporarily to Tony Cole at tonight's club speed session. We all ran to the centre point in Chicksands Woods from where the coaches had set out routes. As we were being told about the session, Tony suddenly turned tail and ran up a hill. As we all watched, one of the coaches shouted to ask where he was going. For a poo he bellowed to us all. Crown passed. As for the run, it was another toughie. From the centre point there were five trails through the woods, four of which climbed from the start, with the fifth dropping for thirty seconds and climbing straight back up. Even with the others, once the initial climb was done, after a brief spell on the flat, they all dropped again on constantly undulating trails. Brilliant, far better than all the road running I have been doing even if it was gag inducing in part. We did two minute efforts out hard, minute recovery and two minutes back, times six. We split into groups and I gingerly sidled to the whippets, realising I was going to spend almost all of the sessions at the back of the pack, the only issue being how close I could stay on each effort. The reality is to run faster, you have to run faster in training. I felt it was better to be trying to hang onto the back of the whippets than pushing it at the front of the next group which was likely to be harder. At least with the fast boys - sorry, no girls in the mix tonight - I was able to focus on someone in front of me and try not to let them get too far away. I was as predicted mostly at the back although not in the last two efforts which did give me a bit of a boost. Right, I'm off to reclaim my title....

Running down Emma Else

Day 233 Monday 20th August 3 miles : miles to date 1539.8

As I set off for work this morning in the car, I rounded the first bend and could see a lady runner just ahead in a bright pink t-shirt and massive headphones. I recognisedEmma Else straight away and whilst I don't normally stop runners, I couldn't resist pulling along side, which caused her to panic like a rabbit in the headlights and a

lmost fall off the kerb. I didn't mean to disrupt her run so much, but it was funny so all I can do is apologise. And giggle a bit. Emma and her hubbie Neale are born agains, after significant fitness improvements and are both getting a lot fitter and faster. I certainly don't want to discourage the bug. That's runners by the way, not Christians.
Emma would have left me for dead on tonight's run. After the effort yesterday, I actually think I felt worse today than when I did an 82 miler earlier in the year. I suspect a lot of it is down to four harder runs last week, another still at sub 7.30 pace and just two slow. I was only down to do five miles at eight minute mile pace, but I had to listen to my body which said just do three, so that's all I did. I want to rattle back up for Tuesdays club speed session so for once it was the sensible option. I'm not sure I like it and would rather be racing buses, canal barges and long haired youths who think they can kick the old boy into touch. OK, so most of the time they can, but at least I'm racing and not plodding. Right, that's my mojo back. Or at least it would be if I knew what that meant. I am middle aged don't you know.

Oh boy, what a toughie

Day 232 Sunday 19th August 20 miles : miles to date 1536.8

 Now that was a tough run. Having eschewed the SMC for a bit of lonesome road work, I set off with my new running buddy Billy Nomates. I had plumped for a lay in, so was always going to be faced with having to make up an imaginary friend to help the miles go by today. The only problem was Billy ran faster than me and left me in the first mile, so I fell back onto the i-pod long play music thingy machine and turned up the sound, or rather I pumped up the volume as one of the artiste's suggested.

 As for the run, I was intending to do a twenty two miler in two forty five, which is seven thirty mile pace. I had to run before dinner, so was forced to go out at around 3pm, when it was around 26 or 27 degrees. I dislike having to take a water bottle as it's uncomfortable but of course did so. I found the pace quite easily and in truth had to stop myself from running faster. Within a few miles, my throat was dry and I had to take a sip which was not a good sign. Never the less, in the first hour I kept a very steady pace, going through eight miles around forty seconds ahead of target. By mile ten, my water had run out and I was forced into a change of route heading over to the Forest Centre where I know there is an outside tap. When I got there, I did pause the watch and drank quite a lot, as well as drenching myself with the water. When I was running I could tell I was over heating and I was parched, but I wasn't soaking wet. That was due to the sweat just evaporating straight away.

 Despite the water stop, the heat was really getting to me and when Foreigners Cold as Ice came on the player, I did chuckle to myself at the contradiction. I  struggled for the next few miles and when I ran out of water again at mile sixteen, I knew I was in trouble. By eighteen I was on my last legs, feeling light headed and cooked, so I made another detour and headed over to the water ski lake I knew Fi and Megan where and just about managed to limp in for twenty miles in just under two thirty one, slowing very badly in the last two miles. I just could not have made twenty two in that heat and I am a bit gutted that I missed the target. I sat in the lake water in my kit for ten minutes, although it wasn't exactly ice cold. Ho hum, on balance a good week but it would have been much better if I had made today's target. Still, its nice to be sitting still for once, which has a lot more going for it than people realise. 

Day 231 Saturday 18th August 3 miles : miles to date 1516.8

This Voldemort schedule is playing havoc with running with my mates. I have for the last five years run early and long on a Saturday, being a founder member of the Saturday Morning Club along with Satnav and not long after a few of the crew that are still out there now. I am still sending out the e-mails on a Thursday sorting out where 

to go and then not turning up. I can see from facebook that it was another great run in the sun today, with the SMC crew running cross country and spending well over three and a half hours just enjoying the countryside.
I had gentle run with Fi around our place. She has a longer run pencilled in for the morning and was happy just to trot up and down the trails, as was I. That was great and it was relaxed, without either of us once asking the time or the pace. Just what I wanted.
The only slight problem is that I am due for another Billy no mates long run on my own on Sunday, in the heat and on the road. And to make matters worse, I caved in on the BBQ front and had a few beers tonight, although nothing to write home about. Or on a running blog for that matter.

Day 230 Friday 17th August 4 miles : miles to date 1513.8

Whoooah, the legs just were not in the mood today even for a slower, shorter run which I guess should be no surprise after three harder runs in a row. Either that or like Samson, I lost my strength after this mornings go faster haircut. Or not as the case turned out. I headed out along the canal path which for once was dry, running past a

couple of pubs with their beer gardens full in the long awaited summer sunshine. Having been on the wagon for four days nineteen hours and twenty seven minutes or there about, the amber nectar looked inviting. Luckily the sweat, vest, smell and lack of money meant I had no choice other than to run past. At around mile three the lactic in the legs really came to the fore and I could easily have pulled up, limping back to the office instead at - shock horror - almost eight minute mile pace. Mind you, another mile and that might have turned into eighteen minute mile pace.

Day 229 Thursday 16th August 10 miles : miles to date 1509.8 Now that was in interesting run. I put my satellite tracker/pacer in a waist bag and tried to run ten miles at seven minute mile pace. I wanted to see if I could tell the difference even with a seven thirty pace and I could. After last nights nine miler in the dark, my legs were heavy and I was a little worried about running out of steam, but Voldemort needs to be obeyed. I struggled a little after a few miles running into quite a strong headwind on a slightly undulating tarmac route and was pleasantly surprised to find that when I checked at three miles, I was only seconds off target pace. I was already tiring and made sure that I pushed on away from the car to make sure I had to cover the full distance and not stop early. There were a few sections where my breathing was a wee bit laboured when I was probably around a six forty pace, which stopped when I went back to around seven minute pace. It did take some effort to maintain it in the last two miles and I kept telling myself that this is the schedule teaching me how to run longer at a faster pace, albeit it seven minutes is only described as "steady". I don't think so Mr. Schedule writer, not yet at least. Anyway, I ended up covering the ten miles in 69:24 at an average pace of 6:55 per mile, although I know that there were fluctuations in the pace due to a few hills that I didn't run up at that pace. It was great after to hook up with a few club mate's to watch Theresa Jackson, Martin Beare, Stephen Morales, Paul Newton and last but certainly not least (not in the race I hasten to add) Julie Pritchett in a local tri event. Well done all.

Day 228 Wednesday 15th August 9 miles : miles to date 1499.8 Oh no! Just noticed I am .2 off 1500 miles for the year. If I had known that, I would have done 9.2 tonight. Anyway, due to a very long work day and a late dinner with friends who are staying with us from Geordieland, I couldn't run until gone 10 pm with a full tummy, dodgy batteries in the head torch and tired legs. Luckily for me as I procrastinated before the run, my daughter starting watching the new series of triple Z list "celeberaties" on Big Brother which ushered me rapidly out the door, along with Theresa Jackson support on FB of "Arse,gear,door,out. Off you go Paul." The schedule had me down for nine miles in seventy minutes which I think is meant to be an easier run after last nights speed session. In places I couldn't see where to plant my foot and I was slow out, which was a hidden bonus as I didn't run too fast and as I tired at the end I was able to at least maintain a steady pace. To be totally truthful, it didn't feel like an easier run and I was quite happy to finish in around sixty nine minutes. I had arranged to go out earlier with my marathon mad buds, Satnav and the Flying Scotsman which would have made the run a lot more fun. I'm not sure which of us is the most running obsessed, although at the Olympic marathon on Sunday I did pull out my phone to show the lads a picture of my pride and joy. Yep, my new go fast training shoes. Before I claim the crown, I should mention that they both had a good look and we discussed the merits of lightweight racing shoes like true nerds. Looks like a score draw on that front to me.

Day 227 Tuesday 14th August 6.7 miles : miles to date 1490.8 At the risk of writing about running two days in a row, it was a lot easier to get a speed session in with the club tonight than on my own as I have done for the last three Tuesdays. The session was eight one minute efforts with a forty five second recovery, followed by another eight with a thirty second recovery over a slightly undulating grassy ridge. Straight from the start I decided to hang onto the coat tails of the whippets for as long as I could. At the halfway stage, I was in the mix albeit towards the back and stayed there for most of the second half. The last two efforts pushed me up to my threshold but being only a minute each I gritted the teeth and just made it. At this point the session was over and I decided to push on and do another eight, including two on a steep hill, at the end of which the lactic acid in my body was screaming at me to stop. At the risk of appearing self congratulatory, I then pushed on and got nine extra in. It wasn't just the actual exercise that has given me a bit of a high tonight, but the fact that after 227 days, I still have the desire to push the boundaries and go up a level. Hopefully this will last at least for the next eight weeks.

Day 226 Monday 13th August 5.1 miles : miles to date 1484.1 Right, the messing about is over. I have reached half way on my Chester marathon schedule and I now need to put in some serious training, dieting and my body is a temple type attitude. I made some good progress in the first quarter but the holiday has pushed me back a little. Given I should have been pressing on further, going backwards slightly or even for that matter standing still, is not good news for the Voldemort plan. So today's run marks the start of the next step up and almost predictably I ran it too fast. The schedule had me down for a slow five miles in forty minutes as a recovery run. As I laced up my go faster shiny new training daps, I only intended to do that. I set of around Willen Lake in Milton Keynes, recognising part of the MK marathon course. The long play machine had pure Dads rock on and before I knew it, the slow recovery run turned into a sub seven minute effort. It didn't help that there were lots of other runners out there, which made me think if I have shiny racing daps on, I had to look like a racer especially as I ran right through a group of boot camp exercisers in the middle of the path. As I did, Sergeant Rock pointed at me and said something. I hoped it was look at his short, quick, economical stride and take note booter's. It was probably make way for the old fat bloke who's going to blow up around the corner out of sight. Mmm, I didn't Sarge, although I did slow down intentionally to around seven twenty four pace as it was a recovery run, or should have been. Might have to choose when I wear my go fast shoes carefully from now on.

Day 225 Sunday 12th August 18 miles : miles to date 1479

As the alarm went off at 4.30 am, I did wonder why I was getting up at that time to go for a run. I suspect that I was still partly asleep, as twenty minutes later I stepped out of the door to get a run in before a train I was due to catch seven minutes past most people are still asleep am. I was on the way later to the Mall to watch the Olympic marathon and for various reasons, it was either run at that time or late afternoon, which would have been much harder.
It was dark as I left although quite warm and it was great to chill out with Ian Drury blaring into the ears and other similar eighties tunes. I was aiming to cover eighteen miles in 2:15, which would have been seven thirty mile pace, but I did struggle for a change and couldn't maintain the pace, eventually coming in at 2:20 and well over half a mile behind target which I was not very happy about.
I'm not sure what slowed me dow

n. Maybe it was the daft am start, trying to run sub 7:30 pace within twenty minutes of waking up, lack of breakfast, the undulating and in part cross country course, the hills at Millbrook, the soon to be lost beer belly, the rucksack on my back or the fact I had to run at that time on my own watching the clock all the way. Or perhaps a mix of the above. I was still not happy at being five minutes off target and despite all the above, it has given me a kick up the backside. Its time to get serious.
Having met the lads on the platform with a whole 42 seconds to spare, we travelled up to the Mall and spent a great day watching the pro's show us how to really run the marathon. The funny thing was that as they went past, they didn't seem to be running that fast but they were going at light speed. That was simply down to the fact that all of them ran with such fluency, effortlessness and grace that they made a speed that I could keep up for maybe half a mile, look like a trot in the park. It was a privilege to see them run and capped off an amazing Olympics.

Day 224 Saturday 11th August 3 miles : miles to date 1461

Brendan Foster has just described Mo Farah's second gold medal in the 5000 metres, as the best British athletic performance ever and I agree. I hope that he inspires children everywhere to put down the x-box and just get out there and do some sport. Being the true athlete I am, we watched the games with a large bag of fish and chips, balancing on my rotund tummy.
Fi had pushed me out for a slow recovery run across the fields which I did without checking the watch once for time. It was great jut to get back to running and not pace watching. Fi has been a bit of a slave driver on some of these runs. We started off together but when we found Megan and Daisy the dog, she walked with them and made me run off on my own telling me that non run miles don't count towards the challenge. Given I am having to get up at 4.30am on Sunday to get a long run in, another slower run was all the Doctor ordered today. I'm off to see the men's marathon and can't wait to see what sub five minute mile pace looks like in the flesh.

Day 223 Friday 10th August 4.4 miles : miles to date 1458 It was a tad warm as I strode out at lunchtime for an amble along the canal at warp factor very slow. What is it they say about only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun? Luckily I'm Welsh and after the French trip, I am now immune to heat. Ahhmmmm. A very slow trot was duly had, when in the last half mile I tweeked my thigh. How can that happen when I am running at that speed? I shall mull it over tonight whilst chewing the cud with some pals, bbq and beer. Oh and the Olympics. I have got tickets for the start/finish zone of the marathon on Sunday which should be fab. Still, beer to be had first and hopeless predictions about how fast I can run after a few too many. I am with three other runners so I guess they will as well. Lets see who is furthest off being right. My guess will be me.

Day 222 Thursday 9th August 10 miles : miles to date 1453.6 I had a good run tonight, which makes it two in a row although it was the reverse of yesterdays game of two halves. I set off aiming for ten miles in 01:15 which would have been a 7:30 average mile pace. As usual I set off too fast and whilst I want to get to the stage where seven minute mile pace is comfortable, I am not there and I made my self slow. I probably went through the first five quite comfortably in around 7.20 mile pace, but then decided to come back cross country which I have missed so much whilst away. The trouble with cross country is that it slows you down and the next five were constant undulations, hills and uneven foot placement. I moved from being around a minute ahead of schedule to behind and not wanting to go past 01:15, I had to push the last mile a bit to make sure I finished 22 seconds ahead of schedule. The stats of course don't tell the whole story of the run, which included me running headlong up a very busy A road and dodging very large fresh horse droppings shortly after I passed Dobbie along leg five of the Greensands trail. The only slight problem is that this was meant to be a semi recovery run and the second half hills did tire me out a bit in the last few miles. Still, I am recovering with Dr. Bud, before I hitch back onto the real training wagon and painfest for the next eight weeks.

Day 221 Wednesday 8th August 8 miles : miles to date 1443.6 Hurrah, the legs starting working today on the second half of what was a distinctly two half traiing run, covering eight miles in 55:28. I was inspired to run by three people today. Firstly Mo Farah, who ran a very easy five thousand in roughly a mile quicker than I can run. My mate Philip Horan who despite being a tad slower than Mo, was up at 5am this morning to get a run in before work. And finally, some long haired young bloke who had the audacity to overtake me at around six and a half miles when I was running at sub seven minute mile pace. The cheek of him. After last nights massioofff chinese take away for Meg's birthday, my swollen belly strained the belt I tad too much. I watched Mo and the others just cruise in and read Phils post earlier, so thought I would stretch the legs and do an eight at seven minute mile pace. The first three miles were fine and bang on time, but I then hit a second hill and just struggled, to the point I almost stopped to walk. The belly really is quite uncomfortable and I slowed to around a 7:25 pace. I went out four miles on a road one way, turned and came back. At the turn I was well over twenty eight minutes and slowing all the way to that point. I then noticed that I had been running up an incline and as the road declined, I recovered and rather surprisingly I started to feel comfortable and picked the pace back up. At the mid six point I could see a chap in front and could tell he was probably running around 7.30 pace. I was about 6.50 minute pace, so I couldn't blast past him. I was happy just to do my thing but he stopped to sort out his shoe and I had to go past. I tried to chill out to Bruce on the long play i-pod thingy machine and keep my form and pace. A short while later, the young whipper snapper had the temerity to run past me and then settle in around fifteen feet in front. No way was I having that, so I closed and ran around ten feet behind him for at least half a mile actually feeling very good despite the pace being around 6.45. If you are going to go past me, at least blow me out but don't settle in front like a numpty. I suspect he thought I was trying to race him and didn't think an old bloke like me could keep up with him. I then did something that makes me feel like a plonker, but also makes me laugh. In the last half mile, I did blast past him, running faster and faster until I was around the 5.30 mark and dreaming I was running like Mo. The only difference is that Mo blasts every mile much quicker and this was my last sprint. Blew out the young, long haired whipper snapper though. I love testosterone which rarely kicks in at my age.

Day 220 Tuesday 7th August 3 miles : miles to date 1435.6 As it's my daughters birthday today, the schedule and club run went out the window. I thought I might get a session in mid afternoon until I was dragged off to MK for a bit of retail therapy. Whilst doing so I popped into WH Smith and bought a copy of Julys Trail Running magazine, who had published a small letter and picture I had sent in about the club's John Bunyan 82 mile trail ultra back in May. On return home, the Olympics took over and given a tweek in my calf, I stuck to a slower spot on three miles, in around a seven thirty five mile pace. Despite the legs still being tired, the belly being very wobbly and a real need to get back on track with the training, it is still quite heartening to know that I can bang out a comfortable 5k in under twenty three minutes despite feeling very portly. I am a little worried though that I have dropped a few scheduled runs and really do need to get back on track.

Day 219 Monday 6th August 5 miles : miles to date 1432.6 Back in dear old bilghty, it was almost back to the same old routines save that Great Britain are having their best ever mid week position in the medals at the Olympics. I have so missed the games in closed rural France and just to feel the buzz back home is great. We really are doing ourselves as a nation proud. Not just by the sporting achievements of true role models, but the way we have supported and cheered on the best in the world even if they beat us. Of course we want our boys and girls to win, but if they cant, we then want the very best to win and to win well. When they do, we applaud and cheer them home, regardless of their creed, colour, religion or politics. I found myself shouting very loudly at the screen tonight as a bloke I don't know and haven't heard of before the games, won Grenada's first ever medal, and gold at that. Did it inspire me on tonight's run? Heck no. The schedule had me down for a slow five miles at eight minute pace, which has recently felt like I was strolling. The hedonism of the last two weeks and the concrete runs are in the legs and I very carefully watched the time to make sure I did nothing more than the allotted forty minutes. I am almost glad to be back in temperatures twenty degrees less than when we were away, with two straight days of rain. I'm not sure that will last though.

Holiday runs in France over last two weeks

Day 203 Saturday 21st July 19.7 miles : miles to date 1337.2

I have well and truly learnt my lesson about fuelling in preparation for a decent run after the discomfort of Thursdays run. I shovelled the food in yesterday and it paid off this morning. The schedule had me down for 16 miles in two hours, which was 7.30 pace and a little over 3.15 marathon pace. Having sent out my normal Thursday e-mail to the long distance boys and girls to organise today's run, there was a distinct lack of take up to join me, albeit the crew were still going to meet for the normal cross country. To keep that steady pace, I determined to steer clear of the trails and stick to the road which is not my favourite surface.

I decided against a total billy no mates run and met up with the crew for a few warm up cross country miles, before peeling off and doing my own thing. The slight hiccup was that we covered nearly three miles and my original sixteen at the right pace, didn't start until I peeled. When I did, I found myself running on totally new streets and routes. I know a huge number of trails in the county but because I don't use roads, I had no real idea which one to take in places, as I was in a new area. I eventually came close to the A1, which was the point to turn and head back. Fortunately after a few miles, I found a turn to take me back to somewhere I knew. I totally missed one village and the water tap I was heading for which meant I was a tad thirsty when I got back.

I covered the main 16 miles in somewhere just over 01:58 albeit I slowed in the last two miles as I had to go cross country to find my way back to the car, with a bit of an ease down for the last section. Good run, but it was great to finish with a wolfed down bottle of milkshake and bbq salami. Told you I learnt my lesson.

Day 204 Sunday 22nd July 6 miles : miles to date 1343.2

We have travelled to the Loire valley in France for our summer holiday today. A friend of mine has very graciously loaned me his house for free, which was an offer too good to miss. I am slightly concerned at how my thirteen and fifteen year old children are going to cope with no television, internet or any mod cons for nearly two weeks, but hey ho. The only down side is that we are missing the start of the Olympics in London although we will get back for the second week. The Flying Scotsman has also somehow wangled tickets for the start and finish area of the marathon which I am really looking forward to. The runners are being sent on a loop course which will see them run through the same area a number of times so I should be able to get a good view of how the pro's do it.

As for today's run, the schedule had me down for six miles in forty minutes which was always going to be hard after the best part of eleven hours travelling. Fi is also on her schedule, so I decided to go out with her and just check out the area. We arrived at the house, threw everything inside, put the kit on and went out. It was still warm and a great deal hotter than the temperatures we have had at home all summer. After a mile, Fi slowed and decided she wanted to go back and sort things out so we parted. I found myself picking up the pace and gradually I increased it until I was running around the pace I should have been on the schedule. Not knowing the area, I just ran three miles one way and came back the same way. I kept the pace steady, shouting a bonsoir at an older French lady who was staring at me quizzically as I ran through her small hamlet, in my best puffy accent. I let rip on the last mile and ran close to six minute mile pace until I reached our old, converted farm house. I'm not quite sure where that came from, but it amazed me to think that in a little over to weeks I'll be watching the pro's run a minute quicker for the entire marathon. Quite staggering really when you think about it.

Day 205 Monday 23rd July 5.2 miles : miles to date 1348.4

The second day of the trip and another very warm day, reaching twenty nine degrees late afternoon. We have been to plenty hotter places, but after the summer we have had so far at home, running in that felt like a furness. I was down for an easy five miles in forty minutes and I was determined to take the full time. I set off in another direction on what are quiet country roads. It felt a little strange to be running on the left hand side of the road and for the cars to be coming at me. I ran the first half around forty seconds too quick and had to force myself to slow down. I was hot, tired, uncomfortable and a little dehydrated which was not a good combination. I think my slow pace has moved up to around seven forty five per mile and I struggled badly to let it drop to eight minute mile pace, despite the discomfort I was in. It was good to get this one out of the way and back to the pad for a few chilled beers and bar-b.

Day 206 Tuesday 24th July 8 miles : miles to date 1356.4

Another baking day with temperatures in the thirties and the after effects of the French vino from last night, meant I put off today's run as long as possible. I struggle in the heat at the best of times and the last thing I wanted to do today was a solitary speed session in the middle of unknown countryside with cars being driven on the wrong side of the road. The schedule had me down for around eight miles, with a warm up/down and two eight two minute efforts sandwiched in-between. It didn't say how fast to do them, but essentially its puffing hard pace. I found what I hoped might be a quieter section of road and proceeded along it at some pace. I resolved to run ten or twelve efforts to partly test my will power. I also took a water bottle out with me for the first time in ages and I noticed the weight and the awkwardness of it straight away.

I pushed hard over the first five, with a minute recovery between each. At the halfway point, I allowed myself two minutes recovery and repeated. By the end of the second five, I knew that was my limit as my body was just screaming out to stop. I was also wary that the schedule is a progressive one and decided to limit the efforts to ten. By this stage, I was parched. I drank most of my bottle in one go, thinking I only had a mile and a half back to home. The problem though was having stopped to recover my bottle from where I had left it and drink, my legs became very tired and heavy. I ended up crawling the last section home, albeit I made myself take a different route through the village and at the end, take my shoes and socks off to wade through a weir at the back of the house.

I was so tired, the endorphins didn't kick in as normal and the usual runners high didn't happen. In order to replicate that, I had a large pizza with some exceptionally hot chillies on it which can cause the same reaction. It would be true to say that I am addicted to running and chillies in equal measure, probably due to the natural high they normally produce. So there you have it. You can run a marathon or eat something very spicy and you'll get the same effect. Or like me, you can do both and go for the double whammy.

Day 207 Wednesday 25th July 5.5 miles : miles to date 1361.9

It was another scorcher in the Loire Valley today and I knew that I was always going to struggle to cover anything close to the schedule either in terms of distance or pace. I'm not a warm weather runner and with temperatures in the mid thirties, it was exceptionally uncomfortable. As we are on holiday, the family came first and we spent the day doing tourist type activities checking out Samur Chateau and the area. I was out on my feet by the time we arrived home and it was all I could do to put the trainers on and get out the door. I knew instantly that the scheduled eleven miles were out of the window and I ploughed on up the road for as far as I could in what felt like an oven, such was the heat and humidity. The run was painful, hard and quite honestly I didn't enjoy a single step. I was very glad to get this one over with.

Day 208 Thursday 26th July 5 miles : miles to date 1366.9

Another day, another furness and another terrible run. This time we spent the day walking around what is the best Zoo I have ever been to, at Doue-la Fontaine. We last went there thirteen years ago and I was very glad to see that it was even better than I recalled. The Zoo itself is set within a vast area of excavated rock, so its below ground level and totally immersed into the landscape. The enclosures are very large and they undertake important breeding programmes. It was also the hottest day of the visit so far. None of us drank enough water in the heat, so by mid afternoon I had a headache and felt awful. The beers and vino I had last night added to my misery and I felt everyone one of my forty five years. Crumbs that sounds old. Its my birthday today and I have reached that milestone.

As soon as we arrived home we all just flaked out for an hour until I was presented by Fi with my new go fast running shoes. She was resplendent in her shorts and Ampthill and Flitwick Flyers running vest, looking every inch like a runner. I very reluctantly pulled on my kit and we set off up the road. It really was so hot, that when I breathed when running, I could almost feel my internal organs having to work overtime to cope with the extra demand. We managed just a mile or so up the road, when Fi wanted a walk. Now, we are both fit enough to run more than a mile or so, but I was also glad for a brief stop. Unless you have run in that sort of heat, its hard to describe just how uncomfortable it was. We decided that in order to keep my streak going properly I would run on a bit, double back and get Fi moving which we did then basically all the way out and back. Towards the end, it was all I could do to get it to the five mile mark at a snails pace and for the second day in a row, this was an un-enjoyable run. Bit of a shame really, seeing as how it's my birthday and all that, but hey ho it was, what it was.

There are a few benefits to moving into the 45 bracket in race terms. Whilst my club only has post forty, post fifty etc sections, some races will have a forty five to forty nine section, which might increase my chances of coming higher up in that category. Time will tell.

Day 209 Friday 27th July 7 miles : miles to date 1373.9

I am without doubt the only one in the family to be happy to see the rain arrive today, bringing with it cooler temperatures. I have never been one for laying around in the sun for too long and the last few days have made it crystal clear to me that I don't run well in warmer climates generally speaking. The heat seems to have zapped my energy and my legs have felt like stone the last few days. With a drop in the humidity, I felt a little like my older self - or should that be my younger self - and took off down the road trying to keep a steady pace going. Whilst this area of France seems to be almost entirely agricultural with vast areas of vineyards, corn and sunflower crops in particular, there are just no footpath signs going across the fields anywhere. I cant locate any footpaths on the maps we have and as a result, I have been stuck to the road. I'm also a tad uncomfortable as a result in running with headphones. Despite the fields being everywhere, there are only two main ways to go from the house and I am already bored with the road runs. I tried to change the route a little towards the end, coming back through a close by village on a road we had not previously taken. Still, there wasn't much to see at all. The architecture in this part of the world flips from inspiring in places such as Le Puy-Notre-Dame, to downright ugly in Argenton-l'Eglise which is near to where we are staying and the route I took back. All low level, flat identikit house's that look like they have been thrown up in a weekend. Still, if I wasn't out there running I wouldn't take this all in and it adds to my running experiences.

The cooler air did help and I was able to stick to a little under 7:30 pace albeit I didn't feel overly comfortable. I have also eaten and drank far more this week than I do normally and despite running every day I can feel the mixture rolling around me inside, like cement and water in a mixer. I do enjoy the high life but being a man of extremes, it doesn't mix with athletic plans.

Day 210 Saturday 28th July 3 miles : miles to date 1376.9

Far too much vino, watching the Blues Brothers until the early hours and then waking up at midday day was not a promising start and the day unfolded in much the same way. After a few hours trying to decide what to do, me, James and his potty uncle Sandy, decided to go and visit a huge tank museum in Samur which we proceeded to walk around for almost three hours. Another long afternoon without water, meant by the time we had finished I was totally dehydrated and on checking, my wee was very yellow in colour which only confirmed what I already knew. We returned home quite late, after visiting a local village where there was going to be a vintage car rally later tonight. We drove back home to see if the girls wanted to come and whilst the cheap and cheerful pizza's were in the oven I ran around the village for a spot on three miler. Even on a Saturday night the place just looks closed. There is one bar which seems to open for limited times, a Tabac and chemist looking place, both of which were closed. There were no people milling around and the odd few that I passed looked at me quizzically, almost as if to say what on earth am I doing? I wondered the same and in totally honesty, just ground out three miles exactly before returning home and then onwards to the much more enjoyable nocturnal rally.

Day 211 Part One Sunday 29th July 6 miles : miles to date 1379.9

I didn't touch a drop of the hard stuff yesterday but again still woke dehydrated. Fi had very kindly made me a nice cuppa and I eventually hauled myself up, only to catch sight of the other half wandering past the bathroom door with her kit on. This was meant to be a long run day for me and I wasn't even in the mood for going for a short one. Fi made me get my kit on and I decided to just go and see how I felt. I don't like running with a belly full of food and last nights pizza's were making me feel bloated and uncomfortable, although worse was to come. At home, I have been able to run quite long distances without a water belt and bottle and having to put one back on felt quite strange.

We set off along a road that runs by the side of a river and a mile or so later, entered a sleepy hamlet of what I would describe as typical classic French designed houses and farm buildings. The type of stone they use, the design of the buildings and most of them having shutters closed seemed to almost define the area. Again no shops of any sort and almost no one on the streets, apart from an older lady cycling up the road with a baguette stuffed in her basket who incidentally was not wearing a stripped top with strings of onions around her neck.

The fact is that Fi and I run at different paces. Just because I am quicker doesn't mean anything, as we all just run to our ability. The slower pace did help though to wake me up a little, until disaster struck. Last nights extra hot chillies which we had brought with us from England, just erupted inside and I was forced to a standstill on the side of the road with my legs crossed, holding on for dear life. I knew there and then that my long run plans had just been abandoned and I had to contemplate a No.2 there and then. The problem with rural France, is that at least in our section, the leaves on the plants that grow just are not as big as those back home and I couldn't find any suitable. I had no choice but to let Fi run on, let the moment pass and then catch her up until it hit again. Which it did around six times. I couldn't walk when it did and ended up running an unintentional fartlek section having to catch Fi up each time. She just kept a steady pace all the way, save the last half mile when she picked it up and I couldn't catch her. I don't think I have ever been quite so relieved to finish a run.

Day 211 Part Two Sunday 29th July 12 miles : miles to date 1391.9

Having wallowed around reading a couple of great books on running, I decided late afternoon to go out for a blast and aim for twelve miles. I have run so badly this week and I was feeling so bloated, that when I say blast I would have taken around a seven thirty mile pace happily. As I set out, for the first time in the entire week I felt fine and just pressed the gas a little until I found myself trotting quite happily along at under seven minutes a mile. I was quite mindful of the fact that I was still dehydrated, had run earlier this morning and didn't have a water bottle with me as my wobbly tummy was just getting in the way. It was cooler and the truth is that this mornings run hadn't taken much energy - sorry Fi, no criticism its just how it is. I was aware that I should have covered eighteen miles at seven thirty pace and choose a compromise. I decided to run a little harder and limit the run to twelve miles, which would give me an aggregate of eighteen at least for the day. I pushed out as far as I could, albeit I had to turn for home before the six mile mark as the road was going uphill to Le Puy-Notre-Dame and I was slowing already. At the turn, I suddenly found quite a strong headwind that I hadn't noticed in the slightest on my back on the way out. The route was entirely on the road as it has been all week and I ran through a couple of small villages which just looked closed as they always do, with hardly a soul about and most of the wooden window shutters that are everywhere closed. The lack of people worked in my favour to an extent, as I looked and felt so out of place. I did struggle in the last three miles as I tired and I stopped bang on twelve miles in a little under eighty four minutes, giving me an average pace per mile of six fifty eight which was a complete surprise but none the less very gratifying. And there were no No.2 issues the whole way around which was a bonus.

Day 212 Monday 30th July 3.2 miles : miles to date 1395.1

What an absolute stinker of a run I had tonight. I cant dress it up and say anything other than it was a grinder out and no more.

We had decided to spend the day in the French version of Walt Disney, a place called Futurescope just outside Poitiers. Now I am sure when it was built twenty five years ago, the futuristic designs may have been, well, futuristic but I'm afraid to say that the venue hasn't aged well. Never the less, this is a family holiday and I was determined to stay as long as the crew wanted, regardless of what ever time I was going to have to get the miles in tonight. We wandered around all day for around eight hours, easily covering I suspect three miles as we did. Fi and I had it re-confirmed to us that with age, our ability to be turned upside down, back, forth and generally be thrust in every direction on the rides, had long ago disappeared. The attractions played havoc with me mentally and the walking battered the body. As the day rambled on and we contemplated the late night fire works, a run up the road after in my sandals and cargo shorts became a real possibility as I would not have got home before midnight. Luckily hunger took over and we de-camped for a long drive and late night McDonald's.

Shortly after we were home around 10.30pm and I was straight out the door into the French countryside with the mist rising, my legs already pummelled, my belly full to the brim and totally shattered. This was one run I could very easily have missed. Fi didn't even contemplate me not going and almost pushed me out the door. The Owls were very loud, the full moon made the fog a tad scary, the place looked totally different in the dark and all I wanted to do was stop. I didn't and rolled in, nay fell into the back door well over twenty six minutes later unable to even keep to an eight minute mile pace. The way I felt, I wouldn't have cared if it was ten minutes plus. I don't mind admitting that all I wanted to do was get it done, which I did but only just.

Day 213 Tuesday 31st July 7.5 miles : miles to date 1402.6

As the song goes, it "feeeelllss good" to slip into the fourteen somethings, even if I am around fifty two miles short of the point I should be at to reach two thousand five hundred miles for the year. That seemed like a massive number to me at the start of the year, but it has faded into almost insignificance as a result of reading about Ron Hill in a book I have just finished mainly about the Hundred Marathon club in which he features. Ron is on a forty five year continuos running streak, clocking up a hundred and fifty five thousand miles in the process. Now that is a proper achievement and makes me feel quite wimpish in comparison. I'm not quite sure how to break the news to Fi that I've got at least another forty four years plus for this streak to count, not least because Ron doesn't look like stopping anytime soon and that catch up period can't start until he stops. What an achievement by a truly legendary British runner, one which should be far wider recognised in circles beyond us runners but the wider public at large.

It was another hot day which I mostly spent on a chair in the sun reading another great book about a chap obsessed with marathons, running very similar times to me, many of the same races, with two children, a wife called Fi and a mother in law called Stella (same as mine's). The comparisons between us are amazing. However, his book is witty, sharp and very well written which is where they stop. Fi and my erbert of a son, take great delight in telling me I'm not funny on a daily basis. Hmmpph. Having read numerous chapters and trying to pick up writing tips - which so far have not worked - when I tried to move my entire front was lobster red with my back being snow white. I was so engrossed in the book I had hardly moved and looked already like a neapolitan ice cream at my tan, er ok burn, line. I had to get out and run before the pain kicked in, so Fi and I had a mile trot around the village before I set off to run fifteen four hundred metre efforts each being around one minute thirty seconds. The chap in the above book hated intervals but had just clocked his fastest time ever after three months of doing them. I was always going to try and that little chapter just spurred me on a little. I counted up to eight, didn't stop at halfway and carried on with a minute jog in-between which probably should have been less. I kept up the efforts although I did slow in the last few to around a six fifteen pace as the sun, effort and lack of water took its toll (I had placed a bottle by a tree with Fi's, but some unhelpful children thought it highly amusing to totally empty the contents. Grrrr.) Fi also managed her own three miles in the heat and is bang on schedule for her first half marathon debut in around seven weeks.

Effort done, it was back to the business of re-hydration with beer followed by a wine tasting session where both of us decided we liked the bottle costing just over a pound the best. I've always been a cheap date. The bonus was that my radiation red skin attracted all the moths and kept them off the others, albeit the glasses of vino became hidden against my body.

Day 214 Wednesday 1st August 7 miles : miles to date 1409.6

If yesterday was an unexpectedly good session, today was an almost predictably poor one. I seem to be having more poor runs than good on this holiday, which is a reflection of a number of different factors conspiring together to beat me up. The obvious one's are the heat and the holiday vino/beer consumption. I am trying hard not to let the runs get in the way of the holiday, which means they fit in around us rather than the other way around. If the family feel like a day trotting around tourist places such as Saumur and local wine caves, so be it off we go as we did today. I am clearly walking a great deal more than I would do in a normal work day at home, when I am often chained to a desk. Our eating habits and sleeping patterns have changed, which is also effecting my running. We have been eating breakfast very late, which the means lunch is in the middle of the afternoon and dinner at gone 9pm most nights. Going to bed on a full-size stomach and already a little dehydrated inevitably means three or four wakes, to either have a No.1 or drink some water, so I am waking up still tired.

Combine all of the above with fairly dull routes on the roads meandering around us, meant that today I had another shocker. There is no point in trying to dress it up as anything else. The schedule had me down for twelve and by the time we got home, I had to alternate days and go for eight quicker ones instead at below seven minute mile pace. I kept that up for precisely two point four miles when I just gave in to my screaming legs and slowed before coming to a stop a little later. I just had nothing at all in the pins and after regaining some composure I pushed on determined at least to do the eight. In the end, I slowed so badly that when mile seven conveniently coincided with our front door, I just stopped. Exhausted, uncomfortable and more concerning disliking every blooming step. Yesterdays hard session contributed greatly to my poor run and I am experienced enough to know that some day's you can just do it and some you can't. I can't yet say that I am finding running at sub seven minute mile pace comfortable on every run, although I do find some cheer in the thought that sub seven thirty mile pace is becoming easier which has to be a reflection of an increased fitness level, albeit it one that I am seriously damaging with this holiday malarkey.

Still, its nice to enter month eight of the year challenge although I can't quite believe how quickly the year itself is flying by. And yes, the policemen really are starting to look younger.

Day 215 Thursday 2nd August 12 miles : miles to date 1421.6

After yesterdays run, last nights vino and my not overly enjoyable running history to date on the holiday, I had to resort to drastic measures. I swapped yesterdays run with today, which meant I had to run twelve miles at seven thirty mile pace when I just didn't want to run at all. The Garmin is an unforgiving piece of equipment and having committed to the Voldemort schedule I have accepted the high's with the low's. So in order to combat the effects of just too much holiday-in, there was just one answer. 1970's disco via the long play i-pod musical machine. And it worked, to an extent.

I picked a route and asked Fi to collect me up an hour and a half later in a non de-script seemingly closed French village in the middle of no where in particular. By now I had learnt the lay of the land and happily set off in the opposite direction, dodging as I did huge tractors with a seemingly unending supply of hay bales. To be entirely fair to the French, whilst they may not be terribly friendly towards the Brits, I was always given lots of room by the different variety of oncoming traffic, which included 2 CV's, lorries, mostly French designed cars and a mixture of farm traffic.

In contrast to less than twenty four hours before, I was able to run quite comfortably at around a seven fifteen mile pace in the early miles and even had to slow myself down for fear of later burnout. I eventually went through seven miles, four minutes quicker than last night despite running an average slower pace from the start, which is where the disco era kicked in and weave its magic. Despite the vino and the wobbly belly that I have grown rather quickly, a seven thirty pace appears on the whole to be a pace that I can sustain without real discomfort. That's not to say that I can whack out the miles at that pace endlessly, but certainly for today's run in the main it was fine. I held the pace as one great track fell into another. The Jackson Five, the Gibson Brothers, Imagination, Southern Freeze and Funkapolitian did their magic, amongst others to help the early miles fade away. I did tire in the last two and a half miles, which may partly have been due to a real need for water as I had gone out on purpose without a bottle. At that point, I moved onto rockier stuff and it was a little surreal to run through yet another apparently closed French village, with God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols bellowing in my ear drum.

Despite slowing at the end and running straight past Fi who was to early, I finished with a seven twenty two average mile pace in one hour twenty eight minutes and some seconds. Fine enough running, but no where near to setting my particular running world alight although after last night, I will take and embrace it with both arms. For now. And so, onto the vino. I am still on my hols you know, although the day of total abstinence and a proper diet draws near.

Day 216 Friday 3rd August 3 miles : miles to date 1424.6

Crumbs, the bones were not happy at the mile crunching today. Am I getting too old for this running lark? Mmm, I think not. One of the runners from my club that I admire the most is the amazing Dave Sedgley. Sedgers is now in his seventy first year and is slowing down a wee bit from the earlier years when he was around a three hour marathoner. Time effects us all and as I feel sorry for my self at a mere forty five years young, I drew on inspiration from thinking about the man himself as I ached around a mere three miler. In 2011, Sedgers finished his one hundredth marathon whilst running a one hundred mile race at seventy years of age. If you cant get inspiration from a man like that, you might just as well sit down and take up cross stitching, whatever that is? Still, I have to confess to a grumpily run and in truth a boring three mile run up the same road, to the same closed French hamlet where nothing moves, except dogs. The one thing that will stick with me from this holiday is that there are hardly any people in rural France, but there are plenty of small, highly vocal yappy mutts.

Day 217 Saturday 4th August 3 miles : miles to date 1427.6

The schedule had me down for a park run three miler as part of a five mile run, but in rural France they don't have parks. They have vast areas of farmland but no parks and certainly no obvious cross country trails. I have spent the last two weeks running on roads and the legs are starting to feel the pain of too much concrete. There was no choice this morning other than to hit the roads again. Its going home day and with a very long drive, lots of packing, a hangover and the constant dehydration it was either a slow run around the village or mull it over for eight hours in the car and run at home. I choose a very slow trundle into the centre of Argenton L'Eglise and with a lap of the village I pulled into the Tabac, hot, very sweaty and asking for once last "deux pains s'il vous plait" . I wandered the mile back trying not to perspire too much on the bread tried to enjoy the last run in what is the idyll where we have been staying. All done, it was just a little matter of a drive that took all day and boy was I glad when I got home that I had run in the morning.

Day 218 Sunday 5th August 15.4 miles : miles to date 1427.6

Home and knackered. After a very long drive yesterday, we arrived home late just in time to thrill in the UK wave of gold medals. Having been out of touch with the world without a television or any internet, we missed everything to do with anything and we spent the night enthralled in the opening ceremony and all the other things we had taped, over several cheap bottles of vino and a ruby murray. As a result I again woke late, having stayed up until 3am to catch up and I just didn't have the energy to run very far. I spent the day watching the women's marathon gobsmacked at the pace they can keep up for mile after mile.

I eventually tried to run at five o'clock, when the heavens opened and it poured. Ahh, its great to be home. I got stuck in-between types of runs. I was tired, overweight, under motivated and lacking in energy. I didn't have the drive to run twenty miles late on a Sunday after the last few days, but equally I had no choice but to do something more than just chugging out a few miles. As it happens, as soon as I started to run I felt fine and found that I was again running at around a seven ten mile pace. I intentionally slowed although still went through the first four miles feeling fine in under seven thirty pace, which for some reason alarmed me. Not that long ago, I would have been very happy to run four miles in thirty minutes, but being at home, the air being a lot thinner and no humidity, I kicked on and picked the pace up. At around five miles I closed in on another runner who was probably around an eight minute mile pace and intentionally stepped as I didn't just want to chunter past. I have no issue with faster runners passing me and it's not a question of being macho, but the simple fact is that I didn't want to have him behind me for the next two miles on the straight road in front of us, which meant I covered the next four and a half miles around two minutes quicker and beating my old 10k PB time.

At eight and a half miles, the third part of the run kicked in. I just knew I couldn't cover what I should be doing schedule wise and arranged to meet Fi, who had a seven mile run planned as part of her GNR training. I pushed hard to the meeting point and was very glad to see her. I hope she knows that I am enormously proud of her achievements and also grateful for the help she has given me this year. Without that meet and the knowledge that come what may I was out for another seven miles, I might just possibly have gone home. We proceeded to wander around a not unfamiliar route and as we did, I tired badly. My breathing was fine but my legs, knees and feet were sore and very tired.

I am a little concerned that over the last two weeks, all I have done is run on the road. Whilst I know that I have partied hard on holiday and the over indulgence's don't help, that hasn't caused my legs to feel just so tired and as sore as they now feel. I think that a significant reason for the way they feel tonight, is the fact that I have done no training at all on anything other than hard concrete and I think it has played a part in what I feel to be a slow down, alongside the partying.

At the start of the year I hoped to still be doing this as the Olympics unravelled. I dreamt of running long distances on the same day as the greats of distance running. To watch the women run the marathon today at a speed which I can only dream about, even if one of my all time heroine's Paula Radcliffe isn't running, was truly inspirational. I just don't think that your average television sports fan who doesn't do that much, can really have any idea about the level of sustained speed they have to maintain. Ladies, I am truly in awe on what was achieved in the marathon today and I am inspired. Thank you.