John Wayne in a Penguin Suit

The week since my last post has been spent mostly walking like John Wayne following last Sundays Hastings Half Marathon. With only 3 weeks until the Brighton Marathon the main aim for the week was recovery and as such I took a few days off training completely before getting on back on the bike on Thursday.

Friday was my first run since the marathon, and with mum expecting me back for her birthday party that evening, the decision was made to do an easy 4 miles to loosen up the muscles before a longer effort later in the weekend. I would have to admit here that although the mind was ready to do the run, neither my legs or Garmin; which took 5 mins to find a satellite before promptly running out of battery, were prepared for the run, and I can only say I managed a slow plod around the route.

BUT run done and now Party Time! As I headed back home for my Mums party, a plan so cunning that even Blackadder would have been impressed popped into my head: To fundraise at the party! More specifically, coherse my sister to do the fundraising for me whilst I socialised (and only cost me the sum of two drinks).

Like a bull to a red flag, she took to the task admirably and at the end of the night she had raised a total of £150 from unsuspecting (and perhaps slightly reluctant) friends and family at the party. Her efforts left me free to be dressed up as a penguin and display my drinking prowess against my little brother – an unexpected surprise idea from my dad, who will be forgiven as he raised £350 sponsorship in one day!

Hockey Tour Antics at a Family Party

A combination of the late night, beer and lack of sleep led to the development of a brief bout of man flu on the Saturday and Sunday, meaning the weekends run was postponed until today (Monday). Instead of running, Sunday was spent watching the Tour of Flanders whilst completely failing to adjust the gears on my bike, instead making them slightly worse than when I started.

One of the talking points of Tour of Flanders...Sagan must have been speaking my friend Malfoy recently!

With only 2 weeks to go until the marathon, I felt that it was important to squeeze in a slightly longer run this weekend to get the training back on track. Inspired by the sunshine (its now apparently summertime), I was so excited by the promise of donning my new Oakley shades that I forgot to apply the usual dollop of Vaseline to the vital areas (runners will understand), and 12 miles later headed home with grated skin. Not the best run in the world but the first decent length run since the half, and despite the remnants of (very mild) man flu got some miles under the belt to remind the legs what they are supposed to do!