So, after two weeks of no running, football and any form of exertion (read into that what you will), I decided to go for a run new year’s eve; a run being a 3½ mile jaunt.
Normally a breeze, this time however it was not the usual easy call. Yes, the route has hills, but the way in which I laboured round and stopped multiple times you would have thought, come the end of it, I had just completed a marathon.
Oh wait, in just under four months this is what I will have to do, which works out as seven times the amount I ran on new year’s eve, FANTASTIC!
I am generally quite a fit individual as I play a lot of football, but running fitness is a whole different bag.
On Christmas Eve, I always go to my local pub where I used to work and I only seem to be in their on Christmas Eve every year but you see the same faces from when I worked in there. One regular, Jim (when I say regular, he is in the pub every day) told me he had run the London Marathon in the time of 4 hours 20 minutes last year.
Jim is quite a rotund man, but I was astounded by his time considering his drinking and shape, but he then told me he lost three stone in weight and was training three days a week with a running club. This is commitment and more than anything I now do not want to be at the pub Christmas Eve 2013 and telling Jim that he run a better time than me!
I am 26 and Jim is 10 years older and a few stone heavier – I must beat his time!
Training starts properly next week. I was meant to run the marathon last year for Bridge2Aid but unfortunately did ligament damage in my left foot about six weeks' beforehand.
Although this was unfortunate, I have grown to understand the work that Bridge2Aid do a lot more in the last year and am much more involved in the charity now; this for me is great as it gives me the drive for the next four months.
So, here’s to a gruelling challenge which will be worth it in the end!
If you would like to support me, donations are welcome at www.justgiving.com/James-Macdonald2.