Upping the running

Been busy trying to increase the amount of running I've been doing and have moved to four days a week with two days playing football.  Feel tired at night after the third run but I am experiencing massive upsurges in motivation.  Lots of energy to focus on small projects I have been putting off for ages and tackling a mountain of paperwork.

Been using the endomondo app for my HTC wildfire S to track my runs and although the endomondo system is excellent the phone seems to lose my running track around half way around the route which is frustrating.

Reading has been put off for now and have some overdue library books to take back (another small job). All the reading means I have been going to bed exhausted so as soon as my head hits the pillow I'm asleep.  I also guess that A passage to India hasn't gripped me yet.

Been working on some more WCF applications at work and learning all about SQL server, stored procedures and all kinds of WinForms technology.  Really impressed so far and things are fairly quick to develop. Its my first venture into managed code after years of C++.  Working on some interesting designs for a generic rules engine.  Going OK at the moment and the design seems scalable but will be soon adding some complex rules to test the design is robust.

Reading break

Struggling to keep interest in my current book. I've been so tired at night due to all the running that its a real struggle to keep.my eyes open when I get into bed.

Completed 4 mile run today and really went for it. 35.58 was better than yesterday but still no where near sub 8 min mile Target. Getting fitter everyday and set a Target of losing 11 pounds to reach an ideal bmi. Football tomorrow.

Hot run

Completed a 4.3m run during the hottest part of the day today and I reckon it must have been about 25c without the wind.  It was pretty tough going but I have felt a lot of fitter lately and apart from sweat blinding me I completed it fairly easily.  Looking to complete another 7m run at the weekend but hopefully if the weather holds we'll get to the beach at some point over the weekend.


Getting through "A passage to India" and enjoying the beautiful writing style of E M Forster.  I sometimes struggle with older texts because of the language but this has been fairly good so far.

Also have to write a best mans speech this weekend for next week so will be getting my head down for that.

39 Steps to fitness through football

I completed the 39 steps last night and found out today that the central character Richard Hannay appears in another five novels by Buchan.  I found that the story was really good and reading up on the history of the book it seems to have been used as a sort of blue print for a number of "Hunted man on the run" books and films.  I've started reading E.M.Forsters "A passage to India" and after reading a few novels on India I am really looking forward to it.  Books like White Tiger by Aravind Adiga and Midnights Children by Salman Rushdie really make me want to visit India but I don't think I would be able to convince my wife.

Played football at work for the first time today on the old style AstroTurf that will remove half of your skin if you fall over.  The ball seems to be like a balloon on the surface so control has to be spot on.  I much prefer the third generation  grass with the rubber pellets as it dampens the bounce of the ball and also is much better if you fall over.

Looking forward to watching the advertising task on the apprentice later tonight.

Longest distance yet

Went out yesterday for 7.6 mile run around some tracks between Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst.  I felt pretty tired after it was over and the calf was playing up a little but a good rest today should sort it out before 4.5 miles tomorrow at work.  I'm already feeling the benefit of all the running through having more energy during the day.

Watched the last parts of the fan made star wars documentary star wars begins.  Quality stuff as I am a big star wars fan.

On the final chapters of the 39 steps by John Bichan which I'll finish tonight and write a short review this week

Relaxed 5 a-side football

Played 5 aside football last night with my mates to loosen up the calf muscle I injured on Tuesday and it seems to have worked.  I'll probably pop out for a few miles tonight to test it out. 

5 aside is probably the best and most enjoyable exercise I do during the week.  Games can last up to 90 minutes and although we are nowhere near as athletic as we once were, many of the players still have bags of skill and the competive edge never leaves you.  I don't think I'll ever play the 11 aside game seriously again but 5 aside keeps my touch in.

I'm about half way through John Buchans The thrity nine steps at the moment and its keeping my interest.  For a short adventure story with an element of the spy thriller thrown in.  I'm sure there is a twist coming soon that is keeping me going. 

The Book List

Books, Running and everything else

Bonjour...

welcome to my new blog on running, books and everything else. I'm hoping to keep a diary of books read, runs completed and anything else that might be interesting.  

Books...

I've been working my way through the bbc big read top 100 books for about a year now and have completed roughly a quarter of it.  I've also added a number of books to my reading list when I've come across books I wanted to read.  I've just finished Terry Pratchetts Witches Abroad ( as part of the list I've been going through the discworld series).

Running...
I've been into running since my early twenties but I'm in no danger of being anything other than a plodder.  I've run a number of 10K runs around the local area and after a break of a few years am just getting the bug and bounce back. Completed 9.5 miles at the weekend, 4.5 Saturday night and 5 miles on Sunday. Mostly hitting the countryside around home and the site where I work.  On a break today to rest the Bursitis in my left knee but hitting the 4.5 mile route and home tomorrow night.