My goal for 2014 came a little closer to reality today. You've probably already seen me mention the fact that I'm running my first
half marathon in March (yes yes, just the once or twice!). Well, today waiting for me when I got home was a package that contained this.
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| Well a marathon man needs a snazzy vest |
Yes, I am now the proud owner of my very own
Shine running vest. And all it is going to cost me is one Saturday morning where I will be dragging my body round a circuit of just over 13 miles. That seems fair, right? The truth is I'm pretty indebted to the charity. They were a helpful ear when we had so many questions about Spina Bifida after my son was diagnosed with it during pregnancy. They made a difference to our family, and do so for many others who find themselves in similar situations. I'd say that was worth pushing myself physically and drumming up some sponsorship in return.
Having received my lovely new bit of kit, I decided to take it for a road test. Yes, I went out for a run last night too but that ended prematurely due to the weather, whereas this evening the were no rainclouds in sight. I went out and ran just under 4km before I came to the conclusion that running with partially weary limbs into a headwind was counterproductive. I walked for a bit, then got bored and picked up the pace again, running for a further 2km before a final stroll home. Shine have the hashtag #WinnersWearYellow - from tonight's efforts I'd say the vest is fit for the half marathon but I've got some hard graft to put in to get me ready.
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| As selfies go, this is not a keeper |
One thing that struck me during my run tonight was just how many fast food joints there are nearby. I passed a kebab van, several fish and chip shops, a Chinese take away, lots of non-descript chicken/burger outlets, a
McDonalds, a
KFC, a
Subway, pizza parlours, not to mention several Indian restaurants. No wonder we're turning into a bunch of fatties in this country with so many high calorie outlets in close proximity. There was a time when I ate McDonalds every lunchtime. I can also remember a time when I ate a kebab pretty much every night. If we are to believe that we are what we eat, it really isn't any great surprise that I was a 24st tub of lard. Nowadays all of the above are a rare treat, but well off my agenda until I've got back down to pre-Christmas weight.
Tomorrow will be my first Wednesday weigh-in for a while. I've little doubt that I will have shed some of the Christmas excess but quite how much remains to be seen. The bigger challenge right now is getting myself ready for 22 March and those 13 and a bit miles. I've got my vest. I've got my motivation. The question is have I got what it takes to get to the finish. Time will tell.
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