That doesn't look right

I have gone to extreme lengths to get out of the South molton run, a very long partly comical story involving trying to get my car Mot'd, new shoe inserts to correct my foot, and a train! Men and multi tasking don't mix. The edited highlights were ( full story starting in the paper on monday) use train as car in garage, goto work, easy. Repeat the process in the afternoon, 3 mile to house and the rain had stopped so far so good, hallf way back admire view to Dartmoor note baby buzzard sitting in the grass, shnick hobble walk, hobble walk, 5mins later not too bad so run again gently, view still good but no buzzard just a scrawny rook who has probably been in the grain store. Shnick crash bang whallop oh what a ***************** sillly boy roughly translated!The next few hours were somewhat distressing partly due to the pain but mostly because of the sights I saw attempting to get to A & E by people so called enjoying themselves on a friday night, thankfully faith was restored when in town some old man who was a complete stranger witnessed me trying to cross the road with my stick to get to the bank so I could pay for a bus into Exeter, he came and took my arm which was poised to give him a left hook !and assisted me across the road and onto the bank what a nice chap, then whilst waiting for the bus (why do you always need the loo whilst waiting for a bus?) another person walked past and gave me a valid bus ticket. Lost for words, but I did remember to say thank you. 2 hours later after 1 taxi and 2 buses, they drop me off at the wrong entrance, well they were polish. My foot now glows in the dark with all the x-rays it has had now, A & E on a friday night is not a pretty site so lets pretend at being asleep and hope that it will all disapear." Mr Moon would you like to see your foot it's a bit unusuall?" yes please, they can bring up the x-rays on a little tv screen where they can zoom in and out, all rather cleaver. Apart from muscle tears, atempting to bend it through 180deg tendon dammage etc, my ligaments have pulled a piece of bone away on both side of the ankle bone, cool!The last time I was awake at 3-30am I was working nights and I don't recall being attended to by a stern looking nurse either, at least she had warm hands.

Phase 2

Well I am inspired to blog tonight, maybe it is a running thing? Still it helps to get thoughts straight in your head. Having goals is good thing, but being flexible to adapt those goals is better that way you still get to do the things you want to, maybe not in the order originally planned or where previously thought, but you still get a sense of accomplishment. Two other things which also help are

1) Everyone needs a Sue

2) Talk to your friends – it helps to get a different perspective on things

When you are injured the mind does tend to wander what if? Is a common thought so you need to go back to the beginning start again and address points 1 & 2. and one must practise what one preaches! Bugger!

So here goes, the original plan was to complete a half marathon with the bigger picture hoping to complete a marathon. Now I think this,

To complete 4 half marathons

To complete 4 marathons – because I would like the prestige of being known as a Marathon runner , not being big headed or snobbish about it and enjoying the health benefits that my fitness will give me.

With a little more detail

1 x on a fast course to get a pb

1 x on a hilly course

1 x off road

1 x local event – I think it is important to support your local just like you would the shops and pubs

Lets see what tomorrow brings

In the beginning

It would be usual to start a blog explaining why I began running, instead of making it my second entry, well it is my blog and I will write what I want!
So I will, lets start with Nat West. They can only be likened to a bunch of chefs who cannot make pancakes - yes useless tossers the lot of them.
Back to the script, well I did ocasionally do a bit of running mainly in the summer and if there was a Z in the month because I thought it would keep me fit in between cycling, not becasue I enjoyed it. And there it stayed for a number of years, then one evening 4 years ago I thought what a lovely evening for a run, 2 miles and puffed out. Then I went on a blind date down to cornwall and surprisingly the person in question was a runner who specialised in cross country. So naturally I thought I would have a go. This entailed running over the coast path trying to cover 10km. Chuffing hard if your not used to it, but very spectacular sceenary. I liked it alot. I was definitely smitten, with both!
So naturally the right thing to do was continue............. running that is I never saw said female again, but I do know she is doing very well which is good. Whenever I run off road I always think of a sunny October day in Gwithian, mind mapping I think they call it these days.

Bristol half marathon

5 days ago I ran my first half marathon up in Bristol as did my good friend training partner and motivator Simon (http://runmebaby.blogspot.com/2010/09/lesson-from-bristol.2 little know facts about Bristol 1) It is a great place to view an urban fox 2) It is the centre of excellence for singing Sweet Caroline.

So, how did it go? well I / we enjoyed ourselves, partly due to the freebies at the start parlty due to wearing poncho's ( which are very effective against the rain) and partly due to seeing many pretty girls.

Bristol is a well run event but the scale of the event was much greater than I had imagined, one minute there were a few people milling about on the grass, the next 1000's snaking their way to the start pen.

How is it that running with over 16,000 people you feel so lonely? The plan was to run our own race and aim for a time of approximately 1hr 45 minutes, use one energy gell and keep sippng water, and for the first 7 miles things were on track. funny how seeing so many people having a toilet stop makes you want to too, so it is better to look for the Kenyan runners who glide or the amputee's for encouragement.

The last few miles of the course twist and turn in a random fashion, which is frustrating as you don't seem to make progress and the mile markers take an eternity to pass, so another gell is taken which is exhausting to devower and had little effect. From 10 miles on it was a mental battle with myself to keep going, not a race with the person in front or someone you need to dodge. Absolutly no energy for a sprint finish at the end but I crossed the line in 1 hr 49.50. My first competative half marathon was complete.

With a big event like Bristol the organisation has to be and is very slick. The handing out of T-shirts as a momento, the wrapping up in tin foil, which is as nice as a childs comfort blanket to the much need drink are all very welcome, but, when your are presented with a substantial medal by a stranger who talks to you as if they have known you for years, and says" very well done" the discomfort you were in suddenly dissapears.
You get medals if you have achieved something special, which is why it is right to give one to everyone who finished .13.1 miles is quite a long way.

ever since sunday many thoughts have gone through my head( what is running doing to me!)Distnace running is emotionally hard work, and for now I would like to improve, that is to say

- My techinique, some runners glide with the lightest of touches to the ground, I hope to do that

- My mental strength to get me through the tough times

- My training - to be better prepared and not run on total fear

- My outlook - be a better sportsman, offer encouragement to those you pass because they may pass you later

- Take part in a few more local events.
- Not get too fixated on times, they will come naturally if I address the above points
- enjoy running, try new routes and terains just enjoy the experience

Sure it took a lot out of me, but so many positives came out of the day which really was great and now I don't know how to end, except it was all good, just like the KFC afterwards.