Beer run

Thursday 18th December
Speed session, 2k warm-up, then 8 * 3 minutes @ 14kph. 2 k cool down.

Friday 19th December
Was off work today and my car was in the garage having its MOT and a long-overdue service. So I decided to run to the gym from home and do Ali's 45 minute lunchtime body pump class, then run back again.

Really glad I did this as it turned out it takes me about 20 minutes to run from home to the gym. It really doesn't save me any time at all to drive, especially if I have to get the car from the garage (the one I rent for storage, not Cross Street Garage). So I think I'll just run from home to the gym for Saturday morning body pump from now on. Another bonus is that it will burn extra calories without tiring out my legs for my long run on Sunday, which will be handy when I start training in earnest for London in the New Year.

My car sailed through its MOT and service with no problems thank God. My last task for the day was to finish the last few chapters of my novel...

Saturday 20th December
I knew that Ali wasn't going to be teaching body pump this morning so I didn't feel it mattered too much to miss it. I was a bit disappointed when I later found out that Rachel was covering pump and Shaun was doing Rich's RPM class and that my friends Emma, Kathryn, Juliette et al were all in attendance and I missed the last opportunity to see them before Christmas.

The reality is, however, that there was no way I was going to be in any fit state to go the gym today. It was an incredible feeling to finally type 'THE END' and I was overcome with emotion and an irresistible urge to celebrate with champagne and any other alcoholic beverage I could lay my hands on.

And why not. Whatever happens, it was an incredible achievement, if I say so myself. To have knocked the idea around in my head for a couple of years, to have plotted and planned and dreamt up characters, and, more than anything, to have been disciplined enough to sit at my computer night in, night out, and knock out over 80,000 words and finally achieve something most people only talk about, well that is special.

My tutor likened the project to 'Fever Pitch'. Am I the new Hornby? Probably not, but even if that honour was bestowed upon me, I couldn't be more proud of what I've achieved.

Sunday 21st December
Finally managed a run in the evening at the gym. 9 miles on the treadmill. (3.2k, then a toilet break, then another hour - 11.4k). It was noticeable how much easier the session was than before I started doing all the speedwork. My dodgy hamstring was aching, but I wasn't even out of breath coming off the treadmill at the end.

Monday 22nd December
The running club had proposed a "beer run" for this evening. Basically a four or five mile route, stopping at four pubs on the way for a pint and then carrying on.

I wasn't too keen at first, because of a) the cost of it (the credit crunch has stopped even me from spending recklessly) and b) the logistics - I would have to leave my car at the gym and make my way home and pick it up in the morning.

When I was offered a lift home I threw caution to the wind and told myself that I needed a bit of fun. And that was exactly what I got.

Disappointingly, there were only four of us (myself, Kev, Terry and Gerry) but it worked well as we had to buy a round each and we stopped and had a good chat and a catch up at each of the pubs on the route. I'm really glad I went, and wonder why we don't do this sort of thing more often. Maybe I'll suggest it on my birthday, or when I get offered a publishing deal?

Tuesday 23rd December
Speed session. 1.6k warm up, 10 * 2 minutes @ 14.5kph, then 1.6k cool down. Probably my last hard session before Christmas.

Will hopefully be allowed to leave work early enough tomorrow to go to Christmas Eve body pump and definitely plan to run Christmas Day morning before going to lunch with the family. Other than that, will probably just do classes and easy runs over the break before training for London starts when I go back to work on 5th Jan '09.

Right now, there's a Rihanna concert on the telly and a vodka tonic screaming "come and make me."

That's enough hard work for one year.