Week Three

Well, that's week three over and done with, and finished on a positive note as well! I should have run on Wednesday, but this cold and ear infection has been hanging around so I waited until Thursday. I had a very very good run on the dreadmill and did the speedwork more or less as per schedule. Friday was not such a good one, I went out with the girls and struggled all the way. Rest day Saturday then the LSR on Sunday.
I've been following a thread on Runners World http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?UTN=151449&URN=11&SP=&V=1&cp=34&dt=4&lastunread=1&lastviewed=8282443#lvm which is giving some excellent advice. Now, I've not been taking water or any energy suppliments on my runs that are 10 miles or less. After reading this thread and following the advice, I took some water and a gel with me. I was able to top up the water and I took the gel at the 4 mile (halfway) mark. What a difference, not only did I finish the run feeling ok, I came home and did some sewing and knitting as well as the usual cooking etc. Most importantly, I got up this morning feeling full of energy and raring to go. Which I did. to an RPM class, where I've not had the mojo to go to for months. So, a good run, a not so good run (understandable the day after speed work), and a fantastic run. Onward we go.

I was thinking when I was pootling along yesterday about the marathon, the London Marathon in particular. I suppose it's on lots of peoples 'Bucket List' to do. Some will, many won't. But it's good to have goals and aspirations, my 'Bucket List' gets longer as I get older and learn of more things I would like to do before shuffling off this mortal coil. Mostly the usual things, like swim with dolphins do a parachute jump, cuddle a tiger (I just love the cuddly look of a tiger). I did have the opportunity last spring to tick one thing off my ever increasing list and that is to walk on the Great Wall of China. I have no idea why I have always wanted to do this, just that I don't remember a time when I first thought of it. The experience was indescribable. the group I was with were lucky enough to be taken to a remote part of the wall and to walk along about 3 miles or so. When I say 'walk along', it was a little more complex than that. Enough to say, I had my Garmin with me, it told me that we had climbed nearly 1000ft in a mile and a half!
Here is one of my favourite photos of that time, it gives an idea of the vastness of that structure and how much work and planning it must have taken. Bear in mind that we are miles and miles from the nearest civilisation