Becoming proper common sensible

Maybe it is because I am 40 and am becoming maturer, maybe it is because I am ultra cautious about injury scuppering the whole 'I am Premier League' challenge but I seem to be in danger of being labelled sensible if I keep making the same decsions I have the last few days... Has been sooooooooooooooo windy the last two days here, roofer is coming tomorrow as we have some loose tiles, where we are situated we always take a battering but have not had loose tiles in the 14 years or so we have lived here. Anyway I cycled into work yesterday as was a 'rest day' and planned to do an hour and a half or so on the way home. However coming over the estuary bridge I had to get off and push as was in serious danger of being blown into oncoming traffic. Made the decision at this point to go the shortest way home, it was, as I say a 'rest day' after all. Not sure if was as windy today but was running home from work and decided to turn inland after the same bridge rather than taking the coastal path as was like running in treacle. So was with this weather and tight calfs that I only ran 8 of the planned 12 miles and decided not to go out after tea to do the other 4 which I would usually do. Just lots of foam rolling now and in the morning then a short run tomorrow evening. Will possibly make the 4 up later in the week but if I don't hey ho, is already my biggest ever mileage month Is the most sensible I am likely to be.... In other news from Rogerson Towers things are starting to gain momentum for the challnge, interviewed on local radio this morning, local paper are taking photos and interviewing tomorrow night and another radio interview later in the week. This mornings station are going to interview me live every morning during the challenge Lots of other media lined up for during and post run too so hopefully will really get on the radar and help raise loads of lovely spondoolies for the charities, fingers crossed...

40 is soooooo old :-)

Megan was quite excited when I got back from the run from hell this morning as she had got a friend of hers to talk about my challenge on the local hospital radio. I guess at 16-17 someone who is 40 does seem ancient lol Take a listen, very kind though, thanks Brandon and Meggy http://www.youtube.com/v/dtz-UCrjiZU Was a tired run this morning, not looking forward to tomorrows 20 but have company so will be fine I'm sure Don't forget to vote for me here Like, Vote Matt, accept app and share :-)

I'm snow excited...

http://breathefitnessandevents.wordpress.com/i-am-premier-league/ We don't get much snow here in Sunny Llanelli, Laura says it is something about us being in the gulf stream, she watched a show about the weather once and is now like my own personal John Kettley, he is a weatherman. She is actually more Wincey Willis thinking about it. Anyway this lack of snow means the forecast for tomorrow means I am more excited than usual for the following reasons: 1. Hopeful snow day as the college will be shut. 2. The kids love it don't they. 3. I can try out my new yaktrax and get strange looks because I am running in the snow :-) 4. I'm going to build an igloo, don't know how but I love igloos (I'll take a photo) Will be nice to go out and run in something different, feel as if I am just churning out miles at the moment ready for the challenge but is very monotonous. Am scared f doing any spped wrk etc in case I do myself an injury. Is the same with entering races, some of my favourites are coming up and I have thought about entering them just for a training run but am concernced my competitive juices would kick in and I would start thinking about PBs and stuff as I stood on the start line. So yes I am excited, just watch it not bloody snow after all! Oh by the way I am still looking for accommodation in the places mentioned last time. Fankoo...

Choo Choo here I come!

http://breathefitnessandevents.wordpress.com/i-am-premier-league/ So I booked the train to take me to house of Flip and Anna today ready to start the challenge. Cost me £42 which I can cope with, I could have gone first class for another £300 , what exactly would that extra £300 give me I wonder. The benefits of privatisation eh? Bring back British Rail, this is the age of the train.... Had a few butterflies on booking the train, is getting more real by the day, and it also gave me a timely kick up the arse to keep pushing for help and support although I am sure you all thought I never stopped pushing. Today I am going to tell you where I am still struggling for accommodation, maybe you can help or know someone who can. I have contacted running clubs in these areas today but you are likely to know more than me. So here goes: Leeds - March 31st Coventry - April 9th Northampton - April 10th Four Marks/Alton/Bordon - April 15th Kingston Upon Thames - April 17th Thanks for your help and time once more. In other news training is going to plan there or thereabouts, been a little poorly last two days, sore throat and head cold so did 25 on bike and 6 run yesterday instead of an 18 miler. Thankfully today was always going to be a rest day. Will hopefully get 12 in tomorrow between running home from work and going out again after tea. Should be a 70+ mile week plus Veera miles. Eaten way too much chocolate tonight, start again tomorrow...

Noses are for breathing mouths are for eating

Sponsorship Link Am reading the Scott Jurek book, Eat and Run, and must recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it, is right up there with the best I have read, thoughful, insightful and an all round great story. Anyway along with many other tips in the book he talks in some depth about how much energy can be conserved if you breath through your nose whenever possible whilst running and concentrating on diaphragmatic breathing. Now I had never really thought about this, I just breath and quite easily too, I can get in from a twenty miler and apart form the sweat the OH wouldn't know I had been running by my breathing. Anyway I am willing to give anything a go so have done the last few days, it is not bloody easy let me tell you, well I don't think so anyway. Yesterday I was on Veera so was a little easier but after a couple of minutes with a strong headwind I did start to get a headache in the temple. I forgot about it on todays 10 mile run until the last half mile so made myself do it then and it was bloody difficult, all I wanted to do was open my mouth and gulp in large amounts of air. I can see the sense in it though, not least, as Jurek explains, because when running long distances it is often important to take solid fuels on and if you are breathing through your nose you can easily breath and eat at the same time. I'm going to give it a good go anyway and am off now to find some sights with breathing tips and exercises. I will take any advantage. Would love to hear any views you have on this and if you haven't tried it before give it a go and feedback to me Exhale.....

Looking back looking forwards...

I'm not making any resolutions but don't worry I'm not going to start ranting on about people making the same futile resolutions year in year out, if it makes someone feel better even if for only a couple of days then is all good right? 2012 was ok performance wise looking back now and I PB'd at every distance I ran with the following times: 5k - 20.29 (1 min 16 secs improvement) 10k 44.05 (52 secs improvement) 10m 1.13.28 (Bloody terrible run but first ever 10 mile race so still a PB :-) ) HM 1.34.55 (1 min 52 secs improvement) Mara 3.29.04 (19 mins 43 secs improvement) Not too shabby in all and plenty of miles done too hopefully finishing on around 1890 for the year which is only 30 miles short of last year and 40 shorter than 2010 which was my highest year ever. Factoring a broken pinky, no running for 4 weeks and a gradual build back up I am extremely satisfied with this especially when I think of the 2323 bike miles too, my previous highest was just over 400 miles. It may be construed as a little strange that as I sit here now thinking of all I have achieved I still a little underwhelmed. The good thing though is that I can pinpoint exactly why this is, I'm a man who likes structure, I love to have a target race and a plan to follow and basically since I broke my pinky in September and had to withdraw from New Forest marathon and Gower ultra the last 3 months have been a little directionless. Sure I have been getting the miles in ready for 'I am Premier League' (took me nearly 5 paragraphs to mention it :-) ) but without the structure I like. Have put together a plan with help from the legendary Andrew Murray now though so am happier :-) So 2013 and my hopes and aspirations? I feel I have reached a bit of a watershed moment in my life, whether it is to do with turning 40 I don't know but it may well have contributed but I am also getting inspiration from reading and hearing the stories of our Olympic heroes and at the moment Scott Jureks book and wathcing Bicycle Dreams (fantastic documentary film get it now if you haven't seen it already). So what am I getting from these stories and my increasing maturity? Basically that I am not doing enough in my life to get maximum returns for me or my family so am going to make a number of changes. 1. Eat so much better, not just 4 or 5 days a week, with at least 3 vegetarian days a week. 2. With number one in mind I will finally get round to sorting the garden out properly, is pretty big and all that has concerned me before is making sure it remains child friendly. I will have a vegetable patch by the spring. 3. I need to be in tip top shape for March so I am going to get back to doing at least an hour a week strength and core work to go with the running. Ten nminutes a day sounds easy doesn't it. 4. Do at least one job a day iin the house until it is all redecorated. The kids and pets are all older now so hopefully it will stay decorated. 5. Less time on Fetch and other social media sites. Half hour a night before bed and uploading time. So I hope to remain very busy whether it be training, doing the challenge, racing or sorting the house and garden out. In terms of training and racing aspirations I will aim for the following. 1. To be as fit as I can for 'I am Premier League'. 2. By the time I finish it at VLM on April 21st I think I will probably be at 1500 miles for the year running so have set my mileage target for the year at 2800 miles. 3. That is up in the air though as I have entered the ballot for Ride London 100 and if I get in will have to concentrate on more bike miles come May. Hope to convince work to join the cycle to work scheme. Hope to reach 1800 miles on the bike whatever. 4. An autumn attack on 10k, HM and marathon PBs. Just need to decide on the events to enter. So a busy and exciting year comiing up but the all consuming thing at the moment remains raising as much as humanly possible for my 'I am Premier League' charities so I will finish by asking once more to share my plans with as many people as you can, still need as much support as possible whether it be running partners, donations, items to auction or corporate sponsorship to help cover my costs (will be huge amounts of publicity for the comany that takes the plunge). Here are the links again, I have £435 donations already, question is whether between you wonderful people I can get it up to £500 by midnight tonight. Please help and share the links even if you aren't, understandably, in a position to donate right now. Website Virgin Giving Page Happy New Year my friends.

Kicking the crap out of man flu

I was talking about ruminations last time out and the one that was concerning me the most was whether I was doing enough training, well the questions remain in my head and although I was inspired enough by Ellie Simmonds speech on Sunday night to get out for 5AM runs Tuesday and Wednesday I wimped out this morning, despite getting up and dressed, because of a sore throat and head cold. True to form, and despite remaining under the weather all day, I have been berating myself because let's be honest I wont be able to wimp out come March 28th, head cold, man flu or whatever. Add this to the fact that I will be out on the pop with work from midday tomorrow and because of this, the hangover (I am 40 now, it takes a while ) and christmas shopping commitments probably wont be able to do anything of substance until Sunday afternoon I managed to head out for an hour on the bike in the wind and rain after tea. Not on two feet but I only had a 6 miler planned anyway and was out longer on the bike than I would have been for the run so feel happier with myself. is only man flu right? I tell you something else too, with three months to go still until i get under way I can honestly say this is the hardest challenge I have faced already, I can deal with the training but the mental side of it such as the organising, the constant questioning of my abilities and even more importantly how I can maximise the fundraising is already taking its toll. All i can say is thank the lord I have got so many great people supporting me in so many different ways. If you are taking the time to read through my insomnia curing ramblings you are probably one of them so thanks. i will sign off with a disclaimer for any drunken blogs or ramblings that emanate from this direction in the next 36 hours or, in fact, any time between now and the New Year. http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MattRogersonispremierleague