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Week Eleven: 10 April 2006
At last, I have managed one-and-a-half hours of training - in one go!
With less than two weeks to go, this is not great but I am continuing to show progress and, after being injured for six weeks, this is as much as I can hope for.
Having spent the last week on the slopes, I can confirm that other forms of exercise have played a role in my life over the past week but running only made an appearance yesterday.
To play it safe, I adopted the walk-run approach and I am happy to report that this was the right decision. No pulls. No tightness. No regrets!
I woke this morning to the familiar aches and pains that accompany infrequent spurts of exercise. My lower back, buttocks, calves and feet have formed an alliance to remind me that I have to train more - more often and more intensely. That said, I am still pleased with my performance - the Achilles held up again and there's no hint of any further problems.
I am off to Seville today to continue coaching the Liverpool 8 rowing team. Now we have the final line-up, it is a question of hard work, commitment and dedication to qualify for Henley Royal Regatta.
I am hoping that, during this week, I will make significant inroads into my training programme by running as often as possible for as long as possible. Obviously, this is not the training programme I started out with. The original format gave me 14 weeks - the new, unimproved version is 14 days!
Wish me luck!
This year, Steve is attempting to raise £1.3m for a range of children's charities in the UK. If successful, Steve will claim the Guinness World Record for the most money raised by an individual in a Marathon anywhere in the world. Please click here to help Steve to reach his target...
Click here to return to Steve's home page
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Week Eleven: 10 April 2006
It's true. Miracles do happen.
It is also true to say that my life has been a little bereft in the miracle department up to now* but I can happily declare that there have been two momentous events during the course of 2006 that have renewed my faith.
The first is the work-in-progress that you have borne witness to over the last ten weeks - the actual miracle will take place on the 23 April when I cross the finishing line. I am not prone to hyperbole - 'miracle' will be a true and accurate description of this event!
The second miracle, and the most unbelievable, is the absence of cigarettes in my life. After twenty-five years of smoking [I started when I was 3, cough, cough] I am now a non-smoker.
Giving up smoking is my Everest. I am approaching this challenge in 'Lena Martell' style [that's 'one day at a time' for those of you too young to remember this unexpected number one hit in the 70s]!
I am aware that these are my first steps in a long journey and I will keep you posted but assuming I succeed, I shall be over the moon to drop the 2 from the first statement in the header of these diaries before we stop the updates.
That's the good news. Unfortunately, there is some less good news but I am hoping that it does not turn out to be tragic.
Yesterday, I embarked on a 9 mile run at Virginia Water Lake. As I neared the half-way point, I felt my ankle tighten. This was not unusual and I continued unperturbed but, this time, it didn't go away. In fact, it got worse. Fearful of the consequences of continuing, I decided it was prudent to stop.
I was hoping that a good night's sleep would see the necessary healing take place but, unfortunately, that has not been the case. I woke this morning to find that the journey from bedroom to bathroom was a little more arduous than I had hoped. I spoke to Steve who has recommended a visit to the physio. Hopefully they will have good news - I have come a long way and I have an even longer way to go - hopefully without the aid of crutches!
This year, Steve is attempting to raise £1.3m for a range of children's charities in the UK. If successful, Steve will claim the Guinness World Record for the most money raised by an individual in a Marathon anywhere in the world. Please click here to help Steve to reach his target...
Click here to return to Steve's home page
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