HALF MARATHON, TRAINING FRIENDS AND FUTURE GOALS

HALF MARATHON THIS SUNDAY!

After 28 miles last week, this week has been about tapering for my half marathon on Sunday, I have knocked out 9 miles not much, but with my achilles injury I thought it was best to err on the side of caution. I have taken extra care to ice and stretch and follow the physios instructions, now all I can do is eat well and drink lots of water, fuel well on the day and hope my leg holds together and I do not end up running like a crazed orangutan.

The race is 6 times round an area called Hackney Marshes in East London, it's a well run event, the organisation is always superb,  there is a steel band, bananas and bagels on the way around, and there is  always have plenty of water, and the marshal's are super enthusiastic calling out the names of the runners, and being very encouraging, now six times around anywhere is boring, but being that it is such a well run event and lots of fun,  well as fun as a half marathon can be, they are forgiven.

I have run this about 3 times, although not for a couple of years, last year my achilles ruled me out (yes I have been struggling for that long with it, the problem comes and goes, but fingers crossed with the right treatment it is now finally on the mend). Last year I marshalled and had a hell of a lot of fun but it turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year, and those runners suffered, like they were lost in the Sahara dessert, so I was happy to be encouraging from the side lines, checked the weather report and it looks like their might be a few sprinkles on Sunday, which is fine by me, I'd take a little rain over searing heat!

TRAINING FRIENDS


The last two weeks I have been training, a couple of friends, now these two girls are quite over-weight and unfit, but very enthusiastic, and it's been great fun working with them, last week I worked with the two of them  together, that was really just test their fitness and see where they were at. We had fun, and I really enjoyed putting them through their paces. This week due to a time mix up, I had two sessions back to back.

This week Kat went hard core, I set up a circuit of boxing, star jumps, planks, press ups, shuttle runs, skipping, squats with weights and lunges, the first girl only done the circuit once, I'm a bit concerned because she is quite big and has not worked out for years,and has a knee issue and with the extra weight running might not be the best thing for her, she agreed so for now only minimal running, until she has lost some weight, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Here are a few nature shots for you nature lovers out there, all the credit for the pictures goes to my other half, who helped me carry all the equpitment onto the tube and then hung around taking these snaps, all on his day off as well, thank you.

Then I trained the second girl we did the circuit  twice, one minute on each section then done a 15 minute run, one minute run one minute walk. We were in a public park and a few times people stopped and stared, now I know the girls were a bit put off by this, but at least they are doing something about their weight, at least they are fighting back, I say embrace the stares, you know why your doing what your doing, so do it, hold your head high, and work out like your life depends on it, because in all honesty it does.

You can see from the pictures what we got up to. I loved of it, I need to work on my own conditioning, and this is a great motivator, soon I will also set up a group once a week in the evening, as well that will be purely running, there are a good number of people interested, so I thought why not, pass on my addiction to others,why should I be the only one who suffers from this crazy running addiction.

I wish to share the joy and knowledge gained, I'm very proud of them both, because I did work them hard, I took no excuses and forced them out of their comfort zones, and they done it, yes there was a bit of moaning and groaning but I don't mind that, scream, shout, cry it thats what you need to do to get through, but just do what I say!

MY GOALS

I am happy with the way my own training is going,I have a lot of work to do and am trying to lose at least another 14 pounds, I really think that will take down my fat levels especially around my stomach, and my fitness levels up,

Latest picture of me above, got some work to do!



I am sick and tired of my belly jigging up and down, it's the only part of my body that now wobbles and I ain't happy about that. I need to put some hard work in, so after the half marathon on Sunday, I need to up my training a lot, and work on condition, sort out my core and get it nice and tight. If I could go down a dress size and lose a few more inches off my hips, chest and waist I would be estatic. I ain't trying to be skinny just fit, firm and athlectic looking.