That’s right 3 years after setting this blog up, 163 posts later I have finally made it big time! I feature in Runners World magazine and not just a little link to an article – it’s a fully fledged editorial piece explaining how things like blogs and technology are influencing runners.

I have never pertained to think my traffic was exceptionally high, compared to where I develop during the day the amount of traffic this site gets is pitiful.  But I’m aware the appeal of my site is small, after all who would want to read the poorly spelt and punctuated musings of a 20 something going on about running…?

My story is not unique. I’m not running across the world whilst juggling hamsters for charity nor am I competing for England (or likely to be any time soon). I’m just another guy with a love for running that happens to be kinda skillful with technology. I have owned a website for years I have just never stuck at anything long enough to consider writing about. I hoped one day it would be my CV, prospective employers could look at it and I could host any of my visions on it.

At the start of 2009 it went through a redesign, it was to be my hub for raising funds for the London Marathon. I blogged about my training experiences all the while crossing new running boundaries (see from the link how excited I was to run 15/16miles!) that all virgin marathon runners experience. For me it was good to write and it seemed some read it – even if it was just close friends and family!

It wasn’t really until the the summer of ’09, when I had a break from running after the Marathon, I realised that my running was causing me to lose weight - so I blogged about it . At that point I was unaware of the whirlwind that was to follow…

I will have a longer synopsis of 2010 once I have completed my last race of the yer in Stockport, but if I thought my running in ’09 broke boundaries then ’10 smashed them. My blog let people follow my many ups and didn’t shy away from my downs. Following the disaster that was the London Marathon in April I could have easily given up running and blogging for good. For all those who were watching to see how I had done it pained and embarrassed me to write about my failure. But I did and fortunately I held onto my trainers, held my head up and looked towards my next challenge. Six months later I crossed the finish line of the Dublin Marathon smashing my personal best, the 4 hour barrier and most importantly  exercising my demons. It was on this blog that I could share my joy and happiness!

The blog is a diary, something I write on my phone as I head home from work. It acts as a time line and a reminder for the future.

If you happened to have stopped by here because of the Runners World feature (hello!) please say hi below, follow me on twitter or contact me by clicking the link at the top. If you want any advice on setting your own blog up send me a message I want to hear from you!

It may appear that I haven’t done much running recently and compared to when I was working towards Dublin/London my kit has remained quite clean! However that isn’t to say I have hung my trainers up completely. During the last 7 days I have had two very tough sessions however neither focused on endurance.

Last Wednesday following a late tip night at work I headed to Horsegaurds to meet Rich and head out for a 6mile run. I was feeling good so took the opportunity to push the pace faster than usual. Six miles at a sub 8min/mi pace and at least 3 of those closer to 7:15. It was a tough run, my heart rate was racing but it felt good especially over a relatively short distance.

On Sunday I pushed myself again with a hill session. As I live so close to London I rarely do these but thought it would be a good idea as the Stockport 10 which I am running in under a month is apparently pretty hilly! Heading to Longfield, Kent following a far from healthy brunch at Altitude 360 I kitted up at 4pm for a 40ish minute session. There are certainly some hills there and looking at the Garmin almost all of the first half was uphill. I tried to keep the pace brisk and as a result my lungs were burning! After about 6miles I trotted home – a tough but fulfilling run!

For any runners out there that number may possibly sound familiar, why? It is the product name of the latest Skins range. A couple of weeks ago I was invited to go test them out, unfortunately it was on the run up to Dublin and officially during the taper period. I agreed on the proviso that I would not be ‘racing’ instead I would use it as a gentle jog.

On one chilly Wednesday night Rich and I waited at Kings X for the skins lot and all others who were running to turn up before jumping in a cab up to Archway Tube Station. Given the product name Skins had come up with a challenge to see how quickly it’s customers could run the length of the A400 from Archway to Trafalgar Square and we would be the inaugural participants.

Fortunately none of the other chaps that had turned up were stupidly fast and we decided we would stick together so the plan for it to be a taper run worked out fine. The other plus is that it’s all downhill, a massive bonus!

It was a good night, running with other people is always fun especially when they are so passionate about it. The skins were great too, looks wise they are much nicer in my opinion than the last range, much more subtle and less in your face (one of the key reasons I never bought the old skins leggings). It was also very cold by the time we started running so having leggings on was a great benefit!

I have just been sent the video – that is why I waited for this post to go up – I think it came out pretty damn well! I think over the coming weeks I will head back and run the course again whilst not tapering to see what time we can achieve then!

N

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Nike informing me the Grid was once again in action. From memory they have run one other similar PR campaign in April (although it could have been last year), all I know was back then it clashed with the London Marathon and ironically this time it clashed with the Dublin Marathon! The grid opened up for 16 days from the Friday before last.

The concept is pretty simple and actually quite clever. Nike buy advertising on 4 phone boxes in most London postcodes and you run between and dial in a code to say you have finished/started. Racking up various points for endurance and other reasons (due to my late entry they seem a bit alien to me). I was invited into team but wasn’t really aware of how into it they really were until later today. Sure, I knew they were keen but wasn’t aware just how keen!

So at 7am all kitted up I headed to the start point of my run (unfortunately still 3miles from the first phone box). Armed with maps and my own little strategy I found my first phone box – simples, or so I thought. The phones didn’t seem that responsive to button presses, not sure if there is a knack to it but slower was certainly better! First run logged two empty boxes found, this was easy! Then came the next leg and the third box, DISASTER, someone was using the box to make a phone call with calling card. He was no grid runner, how dare he, does this middle aged, overweight man not realise what he is doing? Clearly he is using the phone box for it’s unintended purpose! What was I to do, that’s 2 phone boxes I thought (due to grid niavity) I would have to miss out on and head to the final point. I would have to email Nike I thought, inform them the boxes were not being used to purpose!

As I swept between boxes and grids I gradually started to tire, evidently my Rice Krispy Square wasn’t enough fuel for an 11 mile run! I called it a day at kings cross feeling quite proud of my effort. Logging onto the group I could see I had done ok but others were getting more points. Surely people can’t be doing 9mile runs every morning I mean who are these people!

Hooked in by the bribe of runs being worth 5 times as much during 12-1 I went again. Heading for another jog of 6+ miles (definitely not a good idea in hindsight) but once again whilst I scored ok others seemed to be doing so much better – how? Are they all Ussain Bolt wannabees? After further investigation it clicked what was happening. These people were just shuttle running between 2 (probably the closest 2) boxes amounting much more points than I could hope to whilst covering much less distance. That is dull and not what I want to do! Perhaps had I got into the game at the start I maybe more hooked by the allure of big points but at this stage strategies have been formed and for me some of the joy I get from just going out for a quick run is gone.

There is a chance I could have really got into this had I have been there since the start, its a much better idea than the 1 day event they did last time but I do have to wonder how much it has helped Nike as there aren’t that many runners involved i dont think. Good luck to all those still running on the last few days, i’m sure some of them have racked up some large distances…

N

I doubt you would have noticed it but todays run pushes me over the 1000 miles ‘logged’ whilst running since the start of the year. With 2 months to go until the new year I suspect I will end 2010 covering about 1100 mile which is pretty mental really. I’m not going to get all deep and philosophical on this post – I’ll save that until the end of December but on the whole once again this has been a great year of running!

Following Dublin Marathon last Monday I have done nothing but eat and bum around. I haven’t put anything on that resemble sports kit, very odd for me – I don’t recall a time since Xmas where I have done NOTHING, even after April I had to go out for a run.

I say nothing, that is technically a lie – a while back I got sent a copy of Just Dance 2 for the Wii to play and review, I guess it relates to the fitness side of the blog which I rarely focus on. It has been on my side waiting for an opportune moment to come and on Sunday afternoon it happened. Anyone who knows me well will be aware that I am a legend on the dance floor and this game is a little bit beneath my ability. Strutting my stuff around the living room to all of the best tunes ranging from Avril to Britney through to the Monster Mash (rather apt as it was Halloween). I’m pretty certain my dance coach would be well chuffed at my ability to hit perfect almost all of the time, he will be ringing me any time soon to add me to the Justin Timberlake backing crew I’m sure.

Anyway, if you have made it to now I’d like to think you have seen through my sarcasm, when it comes to dance I have two left feet and have learnt all my moves from the movie Hitch (make the pizza, chalk the snooker cue etc). Actually that’s a lie, that insinuated I would actually get up to dance in the first place, which I wouldn’t. However, I did play this game and when in ‘duet’ mode with Laura it was actually quite good fun even if she clearly tried a lot more than me (apparently you are supposed to move your legs even if the Wii doesn’t know this!) I can also see how it would be quite good for keeping fit. On a couple of dances, even with my limited ability, I was breaking a sweat. Most of my Wii games get played and go back into the draw. I think this one will be out for Xmas Day 2010 in all its glory – that gives me about 50 days to get good at it

Anyways, think I’ll stick to running in the future, I *think* I’m a little bit better at that!