Thursday 20th November
Had a phone call from Anthony today offering me advice on training. From my entries here, he said, it was clear that my enthusiasm is waning, I'm struggling to juggle training with work and my writing, and generally my training isn't right for someone running the biggest and best race in the world in less than six months.
What he suggested was basically to concentrate on speed work for the next 3-4 works. Roughly 4 sessions per week, plus one long run of about 15 miles at the weekends. This way I could also fit in my RPM and body pump sessions, and as the sessions are essentially short and sharp, they should leave me feeling invigorated and with plenty of time for the editing process, which, for the time being at least, has to take precedence over everything else.
No time like the present to start a new schedule so tonight's session was a speed interval session on the treadmill, except it involved three minute intervals instead of two minutes.
2k to warm up, then 8*3 minutes @ 14kph. It was just like Anthony said it would be, ie the first one was hard work, the second was a bit better, by the fifth and sixth one I was working hard, and the last two took care of themselves. 1.6k to warm down, stretch and home. I can't recall the last time I sweated so much during a workout. Plus, I was buzzing after the session, so knew I was onto a good thing.
Friday 21st November
Complete rest. This is becoming my day for going to the supermarket.
Saturday 22nd November
RPM. I couldn't have done body pump as I had to go to Melksham for a contact lens appointment, but as it turned out Ali had his weekend off and there was no cover.
I thought RPM would be ok as it would just be a gentle session with Rich Jones. As it turned out, Shaun from Eldene was taking the class and he decided to do a full hour. I was careful not to overdo it on the resistance, but possibly not ideal the day before a 10k..
Sunday 23rd November
Competed in the inaugural Swindon 10k today. It was out at the go-karting centre near Wroughton, and organised by grass roots events (Steve Goulding). The weather in the morning was horrible, and when I arrived I seriously thought about turning the car round and heading to the warmth and dry of the gym.
As it turned out, the rain stopped, but it was very chilly and I hastily kept my jacket on. I wasn't aiming or hoping for a fast time, and although I started my watch at the start of the race I didn't look at it until the end and just concentrated on enjoying the run, which was a fairly flat, 2 lap course through the local villages. There were potholes and a strong wind to contend with, plus my legs were tired, so a PB was never on the cards. In the end I was pleasantly surprised with a time of 48:45 (48:55 the official time) given my form of late. Plus I won a spot prize which meant it was well worth the trip - a useful beanie hat, water bottle, a gel, pen, lip gloss and the usual flyers.
After the presentations I headed to the gym and managed to knock out 7 miles on the treadmill. It was at a much slower pace, especially as by this time I was starving so my body was having to use fat as a fuel. To be fair, I need to do a lot of that over the coming months. All in all, I had covered over 13 miles and got a much faster 10k time than I would have managed a year ago, so I had reason to settle back, crack open a beer and enjoy the shortened one-day cricket match on TV in the afternoon.
Monday 24th November
Feeling a bit tired today but still managed a speed session (indoors). 2 miles warm-up, followed by 8 * 2 minutes, speed 14-16kph (I think). No cool down, the session had played havoc with my stomach, so stretched and went home.
Tuesday 25th November
Hill reps tonight, wasn't sure whether to go to the ridge or jog out to Kingshill and do them there. Opted for the former in the end and did 20, which was a change in as much as I normally do 2 sets of 10 but tonight did all 20 on the bounce. That hill is definitely not challenging enough for me now, I even found at the end of the session I didn't need as long to recover before jogging back to the gym. Still, roughly 50 minutes on my feet and I am a lot faster going up that slope than I used to be, and it was a lot easier than the last time I did that session.
Took a night off from writing and went to the cinema to see "Zach and Miri make a Porno", a very enjoyable comedy which successfully mixes some gross-out scenes with a sweet and enduring love story.
Wednesday 26th November
Body pump tonight, no cardio. Good session however, used good heavy weights on all of the tracks including 2 reds (10k) on each end of the bar on the triceps track. And I must have done it right, because Ali didn't say anything.
Thursday 27th November
Speed session. 2 miles warm up, then 8*3 minutes @ 14-14.5kph, followed by 1 mile cool down. 7 miles total, so a good "all in one" session. Need to get those 3 minute intervals up to 14.5kph minimum. Still, this session already feels easier than it did a week ago.
Thursday 27 November 2008
Wednesday 19 November 2008
A few more days
Friday 14th November
Complete rest. Went shopping after work, bought a bottle of whisky, sugar and lemon juice and dosed myself up on hot toddies.
Saturday 15th November
Feeling a bit better, so went to body pump and then went for a run outside. Up the railway path and back through old town / town centre. About 7 miles. Made a nice change to go outside and run at a nice steady pace. Felt better for it.
Sunday 16th November
Wasn't really feeling up to it, but decided I needed to do a long run today. So I went to the gym, did 7 miles on the treadmill and then the same(-ish) distance outside. Stuggled with the last bit, but still, I wasn't that well and at least it was miles under my belt.
Monday 17th November
Really didn't feel too clever at work today so went home and relaxed in the evening, ie complete rest. Sometimes your body just needs it.
Tuesday 18th November
Feeling a bit better, so decided to do a speed session on the treadmill. 2 miles warm up, then 10 * 2 mins with 1 minute recoveries. Run speed was 14.5 - 16kph on the first eight, cranking it up in the last 30-60 seconds. Took the last two a bit easier at 14kph. That didn't feel too bad, which is encouraging as I need to be running about that pace to get a 40 minute 10k.
Wednesday 19th November
Just body pump tonight, as I wanted to get home and do some editing.
Complete rest. Went shopping after work, bought a bottle of whisky, sugar and lemon juice and dosed myself up on hot toddies.
Saturday 15th November
Feeling a bit better, so went to body pump and then went for a run outside. Up the railway path and back through old town / town centre. About 7 miles. Made a nice change to go outside and run at a nice steady pace. Felt better for it.
Sunday 16th November
Wasn't really feeling up to it, but decided I needed to do a long run today. So I went to the gym, did 7 miles on the treadmill and then the same(-ish) distance outside. Stuggled with the last bit, but still, I wasn't that well and at least it was miles under my belt.
Monday 17th November
Really didn't feel too clever at work today so went home and relaxed in the evening, ie complete rest. Sometimes your body just needs it.
Tuesday 18th November
Feeling a bit better, so decided to do a speed session on the treadmill. 2 miles warm up, then 10 * 2 mins with 1 minute recoveries. Run speed was 14.5 - 16kph on the first eight, cranking it up in the last 30-60 seconds. Took the last two a bit easier at 14kph. That didn't feel too bad, which is encouraging as I need to be running about that pace to get a 40 minute 10k.
Wednesday 19th November
Just body pump tonight, as I wanted to get home and do some editing.
Thursday 13 November 2008
Sodbury Slog and more..
Wow. Almost two weeks have gone by with no update. The truth is, I've been so pre-occupied with editing my novel, this blog (and my training, to an extent) has suffered. If there's one thing I've learnt this year, there's only so much I can take on before something has to give.
Sunday 2nd November
I took on board what Anthony had told me about keeping up my long runs, and decided to do the Swindon half route, starting from my house. It wasn't the best of runs, and probably not the best of days to do it. For some reason I decided to do it wearing my glasses, which was pretty silly - it was raining hard and I had to keep stopping and wiping them.
There were too many walk breaks in this run and as it went on I just ran out of energy. I had obviously done too much yesterday and tired myself out. Oh well, at least I got out there.
Monday 3rd November
A nice surprise for me today when my friend Lisa at the gym approached me and asked me if I wanted to go for a run outside. She hasn't run for about a year with a hip injury, so it was great to hear she is able to go out again. She only wanted to do about 3 or 4 miles, which was fine with me tonight. So we just jogged out to the lake, did a lap, jogged back, and had a good catch-up. Result.
I had no inclination to do any more on the treadmill when I got back. Time to ease off a bit, if only for one day.
Tuesday 4th November
Speed session with Martin on the treadmill. 3.2k warm up, then 8 x 2 minute efforts, 1 minute recoveries. 2k to cool down, so 10k total. Lowest speed was 14 kph, highest 15.5kph. Quality session.
Wednesday 5th November
Double classes tonight, body pump and RPM. Upped my weights in pump a bit, successfully. Ali commented that I had taken Steph's comments about his weights putting everyone else to shame to heart. Yes I had, but sometimes you have to push yourself don't you.
RPM seemed a bit flat tonight though. A run of some kind would probably have been better.
Thursday 6th November
Complete rest tonight. Went to Bath for a well-earned night out with Pete and a much overdue catch up. We haven't been out on our own since his wife had a baby in Megan so we had both been looking forward to it. Nothing heavy, just a couple of beers and a curry. And maybe a wee dram on the train home..
Friday 7th November
Just ran on the treadmill tonight as I had no energy to do anything else. Wanted to do 7 miles but ended up knocking out 10k. I had had a really shitty, stressful day at work and just felt drained. No wonder I'm burning the midnight oil in pursuit of a career change..
Saturday 8th November
Body pump, but missed out squats and lunges. Went fairly light on most of the tracks, resisting the temptation to try and impress anyone.
Sunday 9th November
Competed in the Sodbury Slog. I think this will be a regular event for me, as I really can't think of anything better to do on Remembrance Sunday (well, I can..)
Drove down with Andy and Steph, two "Slog virgins". Not sure they knew what they had let themselves in for. Anthony was also there, with his club the Brackla Harriers.
I had a good run, just staying with Andy for the duration of the course. I think he struggled a bit, his core strength perhaps not being as good as my own. Steph ran her own race and finished a few minutes before us. Fair enough - she went face first into the trench at the end and had to run to keep warm. Andy also had a nasty fall, going flat on his back, which knocked the wind out of him. I had a few close shaves but managed to stay upright (for once).
Not sure those two went home as happy as they should have, but I guess it's not everyone's cup of tea. As I say, I would do this event every year, by dint of the fact that it is excellent value and great fun and you go home with a fantastic long sleeved t-shirt for the winter and a more than decent goodie bag. I do hope though, that however good I get, I will only ever treat this as a fun event, and not worry about my time or position.
Monday 10th November
2 miles on the treadmill, then I did a really silly thing and went out with the running club. 7 miles and I struggled to keep up - I was more tired than I thought. To be fair, the rest of the gang admitted they wouldn't have been able to run the day after Sodbury. Maybe my recovery periods are getting shorted, which augurs well for London next year.
Tuesday 11th November
Speed session again, same as last week except I cranked up the speed to a low of 14.5kph and a high of 16kph. Must aim for 2 minute reps at 16kph, if not faster.
Wednesday 12th November
Just body pump tonight, then I went home and did some editing.
Thursday 13th November
Ran on the treadmill, 7 miles. Not feeling too good, have a sore throat. May be an incipient cold. I hope not; I've got enough problems without that.
Sunday 2nd November
I took on board what Anthony had told me about keeping up my long runs, and decided to do the Swindon half route, starting from my house. It wasn't the best of runs, and probably not the best of days to do it. For some reason I decided to do it wearing my glasses, which was pretty silly - it was raining hard and I had to keep stopping and wiping them.
There were too many walk breaks in this run and as it went on I just ran out of energy. I had obviously done too much yesterday and tired myself out. Oh well, at least I got out there.
Monday 3rd November
A nice surprise for me today when my friend Lisa at the gym approached me and asked me if I wanted to go for a run outside. She hasn't run for about a year with a hip injury, so it was great to hear she is able to go out again. She only wanted to do about 3 or 4 miles, which was fine with me tonight. So we just jogged out to the lake, did a lap, jogged back, and had a good catch-up. Result.
I had no inclination to do any more on the treadmill when I got back. Time to ease off a bit, if only for one day.
Tuesday 4th November
Speed session with Martin on the treadmill. 3.2k warm up, then 8 x 2 minute efforts, 1 minute recoveries. 2k to cool down, so 10k total. Lowest speed was 14 kph, highest 15.5kph. Quality session.
Wednesday 5th November
Double classes tonight, body pump and RPM. Upped my weights in pump a bit, successfully. Ali commented that I had taken Steph's comments about his weights putting everyone else to shame to heart. Yes I had, but sometimes you have to push yourself don't you.
RPM seemed a bit flat tonight though. A run of some kind would probably have been better.
Thursday 6th November
Complete rest tonight. Went to Bath for a well-earned night out with Pete and a much overdue catch up. We haven't been out on our own since his wife had a baby in Megan so we had both been looking forward to it. Nothing heavy, just a couple of beers and a curry. And maybe a wee dram on the train home..
Friday 7th November
Just ran on the treadmill tonight as I had no energy to do anything else. Wanted to do 7 miles but ended up knocking out 10k. I had had a really shitty, stressful day at work and just felt drained. No wonder I'm burning the midnight oil in pursuit of a career change..
Saturday 8th November
Body pump, but missed out squats and lunges. Went fairly light on most of the tracks, resisting the temptation to try and impress anyone.
Sunday 9th November
Competed in the Sodbury Slog. I think this will be a regular event for me, as I really can't think of anything better to do on Remembrance Sunday (well, I can..)
Drove down with Andy and Steph, two "Slog virgins". Not sure they knew what they had let themselves in for. Anthony was also there, with his club the Brackla Harriers.
I had a good run, just staying with Andy for the duration of the course. I think he struggled a bit, his core strength perhaps not being as good as my own. Steph ran her own race and finished a few minutes before us. Fair enough - she went face first into the trench at the end and had to run to keep warm. Andy also had a nasty fall, going flat on his back, which knocked the wind out of him. I had a few close shaves but managed to stay upright (for once).
Not sure those two went home as happy as they should have, but I guess it's not everyone's cup of tea. As I say, I would do this event every year, by dint of the fact that it is excellent value and great fun and you go home with a fantastic long sleeved t-shirt for the winter and a more than decent goodie bag. I do hope though, that however good I get, I will only ever treat this as a fun event, and not worry about my time or position.
Monday 10th November
2 miles on the treadmill, then I did a really silly thing and went out with the running club. 7 miles and I struggled to keep up - I was more tired than I thought. To be fair, the rest of the gang admitted they wouldn't have been able to run the day after Sodbury. Maybe my recovery periods are getting shorted, which augurs well for London next year.
Tuesday 11th November
Speed session again, same as last week except I cranked up the speed to a low of 14.5kph and a high of 16kph. Must aim for 2 minute reps at 16kph, if not faster.
Wednesday 12th November
Just body pump tonight, then I went home and did some editing.
Thursday 13th November
Ran on the treadmill, 7 miles. Not feeling too good, have a sore throat. May be an incipient cold. I hope not; I've got enough problems without that.
Saturday 1 November 2008
Meeting up with friends, old and new..
Friday 24th October
Complete rest. I was due to visit Anthony in Bridgend tomorrow, and wanted my legs to be fresh as I knew he'd want to see what I'm made of these days.
Settled down to a night in front of the TV, and particularly enjoyed Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. I had no idea at the time that it was quite possibly for the last time..
Saturday 25th / Sunday 26th October
I'd been hoping to meet up with Anthony for quite a long time by now. Apart from wanting to catch up with a good friend, I'd lost count of the number of times I'd said to my various running buddies how much I wish he could see the improvement in my running, and the weight loss that has been a major contribution, since he left Swindon over two years ago.
I had a fairly pleasant train journey to Bridgend, but started to feel nervous as the train pulled in. Would he be chuffed to bits with the change in me, merely satisfied, or even a tad disappointed?
He soon put me at ease, however, and drove me to his home in one of the villages on the outskirts of the town. We had a coffee and a brief catch up, and then got ready for our run before it got too dark. Then we jumped in the car and made our way to the infamous "big dipper" - Europe's largest sand dune, and the start of the Merthyr Mawr Christmas Pudding 10k (which I have signed up for).
We did a 10-minute warm-up, and then it was time for a real test of my physical and mental toughness. About two-thirds of the way up, I didn't feel too bad at all. A bit further however, and things were different; my legs were feeling the effects of running on sand and my lungs were on fire from the stress of the uphill struggle. I was reduced to walking more than a few steps, but feel I can be proud of making it to the top without stopping.
We carried on for about another fifty minutes, across more sand dunes, and out to the beach before heading back to the car. As always, I struggled on the downhill stretches, and I could tell Anthony was pushing me along - I was sweating profusely by the time we finished. He described me later on as "a massively different" runner from the one he had coached a couple of years ago, so I must have done something right.
Later, we had a very pleasant evening, sharing a bottle of wine and having a lovely chicken salad dinner before heading to one of the local pubs for a good catch-up and a couple of beers. Well, that was the intention - we ended up having about five or six pints each, playing on the fruit machines and at pool (I lost 2-0 - I never was any good).
It was a cracking evening and I think both of us were sad when it had to come to an end. The next day, before I caught my train home after lunch, we talked more in depth about training and my race schedule in the build up to the London marathon. He made it very clear that the only thing stopping me getting very good times now is my weight, and if I can get my body fat down to a minimum then a 1:30 half marathon and a 3:30 marathon should be well within my capabilities.
I didn't manage to get out for a run when I got home however, I was rather tired and felt a bit listless and depressed, mainly due to the realisation that my weekend had come to an end and it was back to reality. The clocks going back and the onset of winter nights didn't help much either.
Monday 27th October
Running club tonight. 7 miles approx with Terry, Kev and Marie. They picked up the pace after the first couple of miles and I struggled to be honest. It may be that I was tired from the weekend, it could also be that I struggle with the change in temperature until my body gets used to it. It's not as if I've no insulation..
Tuesday 28th October
Complete rest and time to meet up with another friend, only this time it was one I had never met before! Mike Gayle, one of my favourite authors and a facebook friend, was doing a reading in Reading which I found about from his myspace blog, and I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity of meeting him, getting some books signed, and maybe picking up some useful advice.
As it turned out, it was an almost surreal experience. When he entered the room he recognised me immediately (impressive when you consider my profile picture on facebook is normally one of Daniel Craig in his speedos) and even came over to say hello and shake my hand! I was too pre-occupied to notice at the time, but I wonder what some of the other attendees made of that?!
He proceeded to give a reading from one of his books, Mr Commitment (I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite - but if I'm pushed I would have to say this would probably be top of the pile), then talked in some detail about his career and how he came to be a novelist - which I obviously found particularly interesting - before finishing with an excellent short story and a question and answer session.
I hung around to get his latest book signed (which I will probably save for my holiday after the London marathon) and ask a few questions. He had a few questions of his own, about my novel, which was a bit mind-boggling; not long ago the idea of writing a novel was little more than a pipe dream, but here I was, chatting to a best-selling author, who almost spoke to me as if I was a fellow novelist, and a member of a fairly elite club.
But then to be fair, in a way I think it's fair to say that while I've got an awfully long way to go before I'm published, in a way I've already earned that sort of kudos. Mike mentioned in his piece on becoming a writer that most people either talk a lot about writing a novel and do nothing about it, or they start writing with great enthusiasm, manage about 15,000 words and then run out of steam. Little and often, he said, is key and that's exactly what I've done.
It's been awfully hard over the last six months or so, holding down a responsible job, doing my training, and then coming home in the evenings and having to sit down and try to knock out 500 words of a novel. But that's what I've done, and if there's one thing I'm bloody good at, it is the ancient art of not giving up. It occured to me later, as I enjoyed a few beers in a pub in Reading before making my way through the snow to catch the train home, that people like Mike Gayle and Matt Dunn must get a plethora of people asking for advice on writing a book, but they probably come across precious few who actually go away and get the first draft written.
It's precisely for that reason that I feel I can look forward to the future with a fair amount of cautious optimism.
Wednesday 29th October
Time to start burning calories, and it doesn't particularly matter how I do it. Body pump tonight, followed by 5 miles (8k) on the treadmill, steady. Managed to up my weights on a couple of the tracks which was good.
Thursday 30th October
I kind of feel obliged to go out with the running club on Mondays and Thursdays, but I need to be aware exactly where my priorities lie and protect my own interests. It doesn't make sense to work late needlessly or hang around the gym for ages waiting for 6.30 to arrive and the others to show up. So I got to the gym, had a coffee and a quick read, and got on the treadmill before 6pm. I know running outside would be better, but like I say, it doesn't matter how I burn calories as long as I do.
Knocked out 7 miles (11.2k), again at a steady pace, so plenty of calories burned, and got home at a decent hour which enabled me to get on with some editing. I've realised that this part of the writing process is not something I can do late at night when I'm tired, I need to have my wits about me when I'm doing it.
Friday 31st October
Complete rest. Had my kit with me, but I was itching to see the new James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, and there was a showing at 5.30, giving me an ideal opportunity to see it straight after work.
I certainly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes an action flick, but a follow up to the outstanding Casino Royale was always going to be fraught with danger. It was very entertaining, but seemed to lack any depth, both in terms of the plot and character development, and just felt too short for a proper Bond yarn. Or maybe I just need to see it a second time..
Saturday 1st November
Had a good lie-in this morning, and nearly didn't make it to the gym for 10am, but I had made a pact with Andy and Steph to do both classes, RPM and body pump. I was glad I did - no disrespect to Rich Jones, but Shaun from the Eldene gym was covering for him and he makes the class a lot harder. I guess some people are just naturally better at motivating others.
Enjoyed body pump, still using good heavy weights, and after a brief chat I also managed to get on the treadmill and knock out 5 miles (8k) even after both classes. Was tempted to make it 10k, but my dodgy hamstring was starting to hurt so I played it safe. Even so, good session and a massive amount of calories burnt - by the time I got home I should have made some inroads into those fat stores.
Complete rest. I was due to visit Anthony in Bridgend tomorrow, and wanted my legs to be fresh as I knew he'd want to see what I'm made of these days.
Settled down to a night in front of the TV, and particularly enjoyed Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. I had no idea at the time that it was quite possibly for the last time..
Saturday 25th / Sunday 26th October
I'd been hoping to meet up with Anthony for quite a long time by now. Apart from wanting to catch up with a good friend, I'd lost count of the number of times I'd said to my various running buddies how much I wish he could see the improvement in my running, and the weight loss that has been a major contribution, since he left Swindon over two years ago.
I had a fairly pleasant train journey to Bridgend, but started to feel nervous as the train pulled in. Would he be chuffed to bits with the change in me, merely satisfied, or even a tad disappointed?
He soon put me at ease, however, and drove me to his home in one of the villages on the outskirts of the town. We had a coffee and a brief catch up, and then got ready for our run before it got too dark. Then we jumped in the car and made our way to the infamous "big dipper" - Europe's largest sand dune, and the start of the Merthyr Mawr Christmas Pudding 10k (which I have signed up for).
We did a 10-minute warm-up, and then it was time for a real test of my physical and mental toughness. About two-thirds of the way up, I didn't feel too bad at all. A bit further however, and things were different; my legs were feeling the effects of running on sand and my lungs were on fire from the stress of the uphill struggle. I was reduced to walking more than a few steps, but feel I can be proud of making it to the top without stopping.
We carried on for about another fifty minutes, across more sand dunes, and out to the beach before heading back to the car. As always, I struggled on the downhill stretches, and I could tell Anthony was pushing me along - I was sweating profusely by the time we finished. He described me later on as "a massively different" runner from the one he had coached a couple of years ago, so I must have done something right.
Later, we had a very pleasant evening, sharing a bottle of wine and having a lovely chicken salad dinner before heading to one of the local pubs for a good catch-up and a couple of beers. Well, that was the intention - we ended up having about five or six pints each, playing on the fruit machines and at pool (I lost 2-0 - I never was any good).
It was a cracking evening and I think both of us were sad when it had to come to an end. The next day, before I caught my train home after lunch, we talked more in depth about training and my race schedule in the build up to the London marathon. He made it very clear that the only thing stopping me getting very good times now is my weight, and if I can get my body fat down to a minimum then a 1:30 half marathon and a 3:30 marathon should be well within my capabilities.
I didn't manage to get out for a run when I got home however, I was rather tired and felt a bit listless and depressed, mainly due to the realisation that my weekend had come to an end and it was back to reality. The clocks going back and the onset of winter nights didn't help much either.
Monday 27th October
Running club tonight. 7 miles approx with Terry, Kev and Marie. They picked up the pace after the first couple of miles and I struggled to be honest. It may be that I was tired from the weekend, it could also be that I struggle with the change in temperature until my body gets used to it. It's not as if I've no insulation..
Tuesday 28th October
Complete rest and time to meet up with another friend, only this time it was one I had never met before! Mike Gayle, one of my favourite authors and a facebook friend, was doing a reading in Reading which I found about from his myspace blog, and I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity of meeting him, getting some books signed, and maybe picking up some useful advice.
As it turned out, it was an almost surreal experience. When he entered the room he recognised me immediately (impressive when you consider my profile picture on facebook is normally one of Daniel Craig in his speedos) and even came over to say hello and shake my hand! I was too pre-occupied to notice at the time, but I wonder what some of the other attendees made of that?!
He proceeded to give a reading from one of his books, Mr Commitment (I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite - but if I'm pushed I would have to say this would probably be top of the pile), then talked in some detail about his career and how he came to be a novelist - which I obviously found particularly interesting - before finishing with an excellent short story and a question and answer session.
I hung around to get his latest book signed (which I will probably save for my holiday after the London marathon) and ask a few questions. He had a few questions of his own, about my novel, which was a bit mind-boggling; not long ago the idea of writing a novel was little more than a pipe dream, but here I was, chatting to a best-selling author, who almost spoke to me as if I was a fellow novelist, and a member of a fairly elite club.
But then to be fair, in a way I think it's fair to say that while I've got an awfully long way to go before I'm published, in a way I've already earned that sort of kudos. Mike mentioned in his piece on becoming a writer that most people either talk a lot about writing a novel and do nothing about it, or they start writing with great enthusiasm, manage about 15,000 words and then run out of steam. Little and often, he said, is key and that's exactly what I've done.
It's been awfully hard over the last six months or so, holding down a responsible job, doing my training, and then coming home in the evenings and having to sit down and try to knock out 500 words of a novel. But that's what I've done, and if there's one thing I'm bloody good at, it is the ancient art of not giving up. It occured to me later, as I enjoyed a few beers in a pub in Reading before making my way through the snow to catch the train home, that people like Mike Gayle and Matt Dunn must get a plethora of people asking for advice on writing a book, but they probably come across precious few who actually go away and get the first draft written.
It's precisely for that reason that I feel I can look forward to the future with a fair amount of cautious optimism.
Wednesday 29th October
Time to start burning calories, and it doesn't particularly matter how I do it. Body pump tonight, followed by 5 miles (8k) on the treadmill, steady. Managed to up my weights on a couple of the tracks which was good.
Thursday 30th October
I kind of feel obliged to go out with the running club on Mondays and Thursdays, but I need to be aware exactly where my priorities lie and protect my own interests. It doesn't make sense to work late needlessly or hang around the gym for ages waiting for 6.30 to arrive and the others to show up. So I got to the gym, had a coffee and a quick read, and got on the treadmill before 6pm. I know running outside would be better, but like I say, it doesn't matter how I burn calories as long as I do.
Knocked out 7 miles (11.2k), again at a steady pace, so plenty of calories burned, and got home at a decent hour which enabled me to get on with some editing. I've realised that this part of the writing process is not something I can do late at night when I'm tired, I need to have my wits about me when I'm doing it.
Friday 31st October
Complete rest. Had my kit with me, but I was itching to see the new James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, and there was a showing at 5.30, giving me an ideal opportunity to see it straight after work.
I certainly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes an action flick, but a follow up to the outstanding Casino Royale was always going to be fraught with danger. It was very entertaining, but seemed to lack any depth, both in terms of the plot and character development, and just felt too short for a proper Bond yarn. Or maybe I just need to see it a second time..
Saturday 1st November
Had a good lie-in this morning, and nearly didn't make it to the gym for 10am, but I had made a pact with Andy and Steph to do both classes, RPM and body pump. I was glad I did - no disrespect to Rich Jones, but Shaun from the Eldene gym was covering for him and he makes the class a lot harder. I guess some people are just naturally better at motivating others.
Enjoyed body pump, still using good heavy weights, and after a brief chat I also managed to get on the treadmill and knock out 5 miles (8k) even after both classes. Was tempted to make it 10k, but my dodgy hamstring was starting to hurt so I played it safe. Even so, good session and a massive amount of calories burnt - by the time I got home I should have made some inroads into those fat stores.
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