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Amsterdam, red light spells danger
Week Seven

The week in numbers (so far)...

Miles ran: 36.02
Times I've been to the gym: 0
Alcohol drunk: 3 bottles
Chocolate eaten: 3 large Toblerones
Diets maintained: 0

Weight: 12stone 7lb

Monday 11th August

My hangover seems to have now fully lifted.

I'm working all day and then planning on going to the gym later.

Obviously I don't go to the gym, I'm way too lazy for that.

I also consider going for an easy run because the sun is shining but instead give Murphy a cuddle on the settee and there's a possibility I fell asleep with him for an hour although this hasn't been confirmed.

Well, my Garmin tells me I had a nap for 1 hour 13 minutes which whilst 'at the optimum time of day' was 'too long and may leave me feeling groggy'.

Garmin is correct.

Tuesday 12th August

I'm not working Weds or Thurs this week so I've got a very busy Monday, Tuesday and Friday this week to make up for it.

First appointment in at 8:30 today and then off to the club later.

My legs been a bit sore today, just stiff and tight and painful to bend it again, not sure why but I have been working a lot so could just be from being on my feet all day.

I pay for my Amsterdam hotel today, I'm definitely going and now I'm 99% certain I'll be running the marathon, we'll run/walking the marathon anyway. I'm upto 9 miles on a long run and got GNR in a few weeks so hopefully will steadily increase my distances and be okay.

Well not okay, but I'll get round.

Club in the evening and it's track. I need to warm up for this one so do a few miles and then get to the club. I need to set all groups off first before I start as it's a bit manic at the track these days and I don't want the group getting in the way of the sprinters.

Start everyone and then D team come through after their first 400m and I jump in with them for the their final 600, as they peel off I keep going for another 400 and plan to cut my recovs short until I can catch up with them again to finish the session.

Finish the 1000m and then a fast walk and off on the first 100, start getting closer and closer to D and on rep 5 I've caught them. Do the final 3 reps with the group who are going a second or two faster than I was. I really struggle with this session, I'm not a sprinter and 300's really knacker me, give me a long rep any day but my legs just don't seem to want up in the short reps and I'm always left behind.

Maybe I have small legs ? That's probably it, my dad was a tiny little fella and maybe I've inherited his dumpy little legs. I inherited his hands, the hands of a small child with little stumpy fingers. A bit like King Charlie and his sausage fingers, but mine are more chipolatas.

Anyway, back to the track.

We have the final 1000m to go.

Line up and C team with Michelle and Tony are just ahead, they start and 5 seconds later we start.

Naturally I start to chase them down, I catch Michelle and go alongside Tony, Tony picks the pace up and I stick with him. I haven't got the speed to go past and catch Matt but I can hold the pace Tony is setting. I hear someone from C say it's too fast, so it's definitely too fast for the D group I'm meant to be with.

First 400 feels okay, second 400 hurts but I stick with it and then the final 200 and I managed to run a 3:58 km. Pretty pleased with that but my legs aren't and I have to have a lie down as I'm wrecked.

Home, shower and a glass of red.

I've got 42 bottles to get through.

Wednesday 13th August

It's my birthday.

I wake up at 6am and get up and make a cup of coffee and sit outside listening to Nick Cave and watch the sunrise over the houses until it fully blinds me. The song Balcony Man comes in which is pretty perfect, the chorus of "this morning is amazing and so are you" repeats and it's a good start to the day.

I am 50 years old.

I have no real worry of getting older, it doesn't bother me in the slightest, turning 40 was fine and I see no issue with turning 50.

I had a good childhood with loads of fun.

I spent my teens eating badly and drinking and getting fat and having loads of fun.

I spent my 20's overweight, unfit and depressed.

My 30's were the start of me getting fit and shedding the weight.

My 40's I was fully integrated into the cult of running and the Poly.

And now, here I am at 50 years old.

My dad died in his 50's and my brother never even made it, dying at 49. So it is probably something of a poignant age for me if I actually think about it.

But I dont.

I'm having a lazy day today and then off out for a meal with the kids, Gail and my mum at Durano Lounge later and then a mini pub crawl home along the coast.

Thursday 14th August

I am slightly hungover.

I'm woken at 7am by Murphy being a twat downstairs, so I get up and take him for a walk to calm him down. He doesn't like the heat and gets stupid every year when it's too hot for him.

His ears cleared up so I've cancelled his operation which I'm pleased about and although he hasn't verbally expressed it to me, he is too.

It's club tonight and we're doing hills.

My leg doesn't like hills so I think I'll just plod about at the back on this one and nowt daft.

Friday 15th August

The downside of being self employed.

I've had 2 days off so now I need to make up for it and work my ass off today.

But as a bonus it's Friday and that means I can drink wine without any guilt. I have now managed to drag my birthday celebrations out to a full week and drunk an excessive amount of wine and I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

After this week I plan to go back to just drinking on weekends, and maybe Thursdays and because that's almost the weekend and a midweek drink on a Wednesday is probably okay.

But I definitely won't drink on a Monday or Tuesday.

Saturday 16th August

It's parkrun today and I have a cunning plan.

I have about 9 weeks until Amsterdam, this means I don't have enough time to do a full training plan which is good because I'm nowhere near mentally or physically ready for that.

I don't have enough time to build up to 20 mile runs so the new plan is to work on accumulative mileage, lots of longer runs over the week to increase miles and Sat/Sun back to back long'ish runs so I'm running on tired legs.

Today is part one of my Sat/Sun double header and how this goes determines how the rest of my Amsterdam plan goes.

Out the door for 8am to do around 6-7 miles before parkrun starts, I opt for my old loop up towards Deleval and back. I intend to run at 8:30 mile pace and then do parkrun at 8:00 mile pace.

First mile is 8:14, mile 2 is quicker. The plans gone out thrveibdow and I decide to just see what happens. Up to Deleval, loop round the houses and heading back towards the caravan park. I like running along here but the path is in a right start and is so narrow that you literally rub up against anyone else running the opposite way.

And that's obviously a huge bonus.

I run along here a lot.

Back towards parkrun and I've done just over 6 miles and they've all been too fast. Parkrun starts and I do the first mile in 7:30, again too fast. I blame Georgina for this, it's not remotely her fault but she has as standing near me at the start so she has to take some of the blame. Start to suffer a bit on lap 2 but finish parkrun in just over 23 minutes and then walk home.

Tomorrow's plan is 14 miles.

Sunday 17th August

Wake up early.

My leg hurts, it feels a bit numb which is my sciatic nerve being pinched behind my knee and my shin is a little swollen.

I did 10 miles yesterday and the same on Thursday and should be doing 14 today, have planned a route up the coast road and as I head out the door I decide I can't face it and will instead do the much more exciting up and down the coast route.

I also decide 14 miles is too much and to stick to 10 today and next weekend look to increase it. It's too hot and I'm not fit enough yet to jump from 10 to 14 miles.

It's busy, there are runners and cyclists everywhere.

It's also very sunny which seems to bring out the bare chested male runners. Now I'm not a fan of these fellas, they run along with no shirts on showing off their bodies and it's incredibly annoying.

Mostly because I wish I had a body like that and then I'd run around with no top on.

I'd walk around with no top on.

I'd do the weekly shop in Aldi with no top on.

Bastards.

Slim, athletic, muscular looking bastards.

Anyway. I do a Tynemouth loop and stick to my planned 8:30 pace all the way there. On the way back a bloke overtakes me and that naturally makes me lift my pace to 8:15 miles to stick with him. I get back to Whitley, loop round and start heading to Tynemouth again.

I've decided on 10 miles today so will turn back at the Durano Lounge and that should hit 10 by the Sandcastles. The pace picks up, I see more of those shirtless bastards, all glistening and athletic looking and then overtake one of them, yeah take that Mr no shirt. You might be slim and good looking and young but I just overtook you on a random Sunday morning running through Cullercoats and I'm 50 and a bit fat so fuck you.

Bastards.

All of them.

Finish the 10 miles with a nice 7:44 final mile and my highest weekly mileage of the comeback with 36 miles.

I think this is about my limit, my leg doesn't feel great and this week I've really felt it tightening up again.

9 weeks to go and in the next 9 weeks I also have GP1, Great North Run and North Tyneside 10k.

Shite.

Oh and I also really need to start my diet and stop drinking red wine.

Lovely, tasty, moresish red wine.

Oh and stop eating chocolate.

I bet those shirtless athletic fellas don't drink a bottle of red wine and eat a 2000 calorie Toblerone in one sitting.

And who would I rather be ? The slim, athletic fellas running around shirtless and not eating and drinking things they enjoy or me? A 50 year old bloke that eats all the wrong food, has a love of red wine and can still run marathons ?

Well obviously I'd rather be them. Did you miss the whole bit above me wanting to walk round Aldi with no shirt on ?

London 2023

Want to read all about my London adventure in 2023.

It's mostly about Ben, my sausage dog nemesis and wine.

LONDON CALLING

Yorkshire 2024

Enjoyed reading about London?

Now its time for York and reading about Bilbo, mushrooms and wine.

And Ben.

YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS

Manchester 2025

Well you've read the last two so may as well carry on.

Manchester, so much to answer for. Yeah Ben gets a mention or two

MANCHESTER - THE SECOND COMING