Bone Marrow Runner

New Years eve was the latest meeting of the inaugral team reading ruuning team for this years Reading half marathon.  Unfortunately for us it was not a hard training run or tactical discussions on nutrition and the most aerodynamic clothing.  No our team meetings involve copious amounts of alcohol (mulled wine in this case), meat and trying to cram 11 people onto a two bed house.  If you haven't guessed it yet, you're probably not too sharp, but this was our new years eve party and a great one at that.

All but one of our prospective team showed up and were it not for the late hour, we might have enticed the globetrotting Pinolona (of the Pinolona Blog) who may have had some more eloquent and philosophical posting for the page!

A great time was had by all (I hope) and if team spirit is the most important thing then we are doing just fine.  However given training is slightly important we will be having a proper run in january, with the possibility of  live tweetup, watch this space.

I was out for a long run on Sunday in the freezing cold here and my mind began to wander a little and meandered onto the thought of why I run.  At first though this seems like a very simple question with a multitude of simple answers.  Sure there are plenty of obvious candidates to lose weight, look better, feel fitter, compete with myself, but none of these rang true.  Shallow reasons of self interest could not explain why I was trudging through the mud and the ice with the temperature below zero, I just don't have the vanity or the body to make it worth my while.  It had to be something else, something deeper that drove me.  Was it the same thing that once drove me to play basketball for two hours a day in an extremely ropey Manchester neighbourhood and brave the cold mud and pain to play rugby in the UK?

Then it came to me, it was absolute nothingness.  Four miles in with aching legs and wet toes my mind went blank, no thoughts of pleasure or pain, just calm.  The serenity of being absolutely comfortable in what you are doing, feeling like you could go for miles without a care in the world.  In a way it’s like euphoria without the awareness that you are happy. This inner peace is what I had been chasing all these years and you could almost not notice it was there.

You could call this all sorts of names, the classic runners high, meditation, a trance or all sorts of things, but if you've been there or done endurance sports you must know what I mean.  Is it just me or is this the core of what all of us get out there and sweat for? Now my task is not to name it or put it into a box, but to go out and find it again, I can't wait for my long run .............

I managed to catch Sean's cold, so have been out of action these past few weeks. I am finding it really hard to get back in the swing of things and part of me just wants to give up. The thought of spending the next 5 months doing long runs every weekened does not thrill me, but I am sure I will get there. Just need a bit of inspiration,

If anyone is vaguely observant you may have noticed that my training log has been pretty empty recently, this is not through a lack of inclination though.  A nasty combination of seven 12 hour shifts at the hospital in a row and coming down with all the viruses that the snotty little kids (I love them really) can give me means I haven't been able to do anything for the last week.

 I'm not sure if it was training a little two hard a few weeks back, or the exhaustion from night shifts, but I just haven't been able to shift the flu which has been bothering me for a week now.  Things are looking up though, as I have three days to recover before work looms again.

The real problem is how far Helen is racing ahead of me, she's already upto eleven miles in her long runs! Thats just more motivation to get right back at it, I won't let her beat me .................

Anyone who has any bright ideas on avoiding  the flu, feel  free to let me know, I'll try anything.

I managed to run 11.5 miles today, the furthest I have gone so far. I am really pleased with that and I am hopefully on schedule for the Marathon. The route was really hilly (300 metres high) so not the best of times and my legs really hurt now but all in all a good effort. Sean joined me for the last 7miles, he was a good pacer and I managed to do the second half quicker than the first. It is a shame he will not be running the Marathon with me.

Helen

I have managed to convince eight of my friends to run the reading half with me next March, it will be great training for my full marathon but it will also be a brilliant opportunity to run with my friends and have a great day out. Maxine, Frank, Chris, Maria, Becky, Norman, Sean and me have signed up . I am really hoping they will all run for The Anthony Nolan Trust, they just don't know it yet.

Helen