I have just got back from holiday and am now picking up the threads of normal life. Training initially went according to plan, a 16-mile run with Sally being the longest (she continued to complete 20 miles in preparation for the New Forest marathon, her first, on the 21st Sept). This was followed by some shorter runs with Eden on the Isle of Portland, including some dramatic cliff top views from the coastal path. It can be so exciting running without a map in a strange area! At this point I was doing more running than usual on holiday and after we moved to north Cornwall a run along the Camel Trail from Padstow indicated that all was going well for the forthcoming Langdale Marathon.


It was not to last however. While sat in a St Merryn pub devouring an enormous carvery the first signs a a sore throat were manifested. Two days, and two sleepless nights, later it was a full blown throat infection that was getting worse by the hour. That put an end to the running and resulted in returning home a day earlier than planned but not without an 11-hour drive back from Cornwall in Friday's monsoon and its associated flooding. Bumper to bumper from Exeter to Preston is not a journey I would like to repeat.

And so it was back home to find that FSS had to terminate his 55 at 55 with all the hard work done (surely given good luck with the weather he should succeed next time) and that the squad has been very active in my absence.

Immediate plans are to get back into training (I know its too late) for next Sunday's Langdale Marathon. It was a late decision to take part, mainly as a long training run, and I am reluctant to sacrifice my entry fee. How I feel over the next few days will determine whether I race or not. Given that I have a shortage of long runs in recent weeks I cannot hope for anything better that getting close to last year's time of four and a half hours or even keeping up with some of the slower half marathoneers on the first lap.

After that the Saturday runs should be:

Sept 20th: One 13-mile lap of the Bolton 40 course

Sept 27th: Resting for Macclesfied half

Oct 4th: Extended lap of Bolton 40 course (about 17 miles)

Oct 11th: Double lap of Bolton 40 course (about 26 miles)

Oct 18th: Mustn't get too tired for the Joss Naylor dinner.


I am open to suggestions for place and start times for any of these Saturday runs though early starts would be preferred.