Holiday running

Kept on running on holiday in Northumberland. It was great running along the beach at Beadnell Bay - but yet again this was one of those times when I realised how much free-to-all green space there is in North London because the first time I went out for a run I kept following footpaths hoping to run along the shoreline instead of a road and the footpaths kept leading to dead ends because they went on to land owned by Seahouses golf course or the caravan park. It was the same a week later when we stopped over in Yorkshire - loads of countryside everywhere and most of it private or golf courses, so you have to run alongside busy roads.

Bored now

Off on holiday tonight to icy cold Northumberland - in a tent. The challenge is - how do I keep on jogging and resist eating pies to cheer myself up.
Been working at Take a Break this week so a couple of runs round Regents Park at lunchtime. It's lovely. Those geese get in the way though.

Too Far Gone

I was only meant to run 8 miles today but enthusiasm - and the fact that I got lost on Hampstead Heath - got the better of me and I ended up doing 11 and a half. Running from Kenwood House with the view of the London skyline ahead is one of the most beautiful feelings ever - not that I could remember it once I had to do the return journey uphill.
Thanks to all my sponsors so far. It really is very much appreciated. It's a bit embarrassing this sponsorship lark. I think we've all become a bit charity weary in recent times, the main culprit being those over friendly people on the street trying to sign you up to direct debit payments - so it's amazing to me that I'm not being totally ignored.
In the list of things I'm worried about connected to this race raising enough sponsorship money has slipped to third behind
1) Getting injured beforehand
and
2) Needing to go to the loo in the middle of the race
After todays efforts Being able to finish has slipped to number four, with Turning up too late a distant fifth and Blowing it all by gorging on pie coming in at number six.

First sponsor

Thank you lovely Mr Ian Wadey Wade for being my first sponsor.
Me and Ian worked together at the hilarious internet boom disaster company music3w. Oh what fun we had. Not that I can remember it right now - although I do remember quite a lot of money being spent on glass bricks.

And they're off

What's got me going with the running is two things.

1) It's nice being outside. Sounds obvious but running about in the open air is brilliant and it's really made me appreciate the outdoor space we've got around us.

2) Nike +. For my birthday Kath bought me this Nike/Apple gadget that goes inside your running shoe and connects through the wonders of technology to your ipod. You've probably heard about it. Lots of nice things happen, like the voice of Lance Armstrong tells you "congratulations that was your fastest ever mile" and back home you connect it up and it keeps a log of all your runs. And look you can stick a little thing on a blog too.

I've started so I'll finish

OK. So I've been here before. About eight months ago I started a blog called "From Sofa To 10K". The idea being that doing a blog would inspire me to leave the many comforts of a life based almost exclusively around sinking into our DFS living room sofa to one more based around preparing for the daunting task of a 10k run.
The fact that I completed not one entry of this blog might suggest that I failed in this transformation from sofa man to natural born runner. But you'd be wrong. I un-wedged my ample frame from the cushions and started going to the gym a bit more often (a bit more often in my case meant once a month - on one occasion I went three times in one week, oh yeah). I did the occasional sort of bit of running too. Then to gee myself along I entered the Hornsey YMCA 10K Run. I'd been here before too - for approximately five years in a row on the lovely summer's day when it's held I have boldly predicted that next year I'd be there. I meant it - at the time. Then the lovely sofa called me back.
But in 2008 I actually did it.
Since then I've given up the gym - for now - but carried on running. And now I find myself in the ridiculous position of being a still unfit 43 year old lard-arse who has entered a half marathon - The Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday 12 October 2008. There's no getting out of it as I've signed up to run for a charity — The Bone Cancer Research Trust.
It's only ten weeks away!
So join me as I attempt to get ready for the big event and blog about stuff that might have something to do with running. Share with me my highs, my inevitable lows and my dream of a giant man-sized Steak & Kidney Pie waiting for me at the finishing line.
Sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/johnnydee