The magic 800m - Lactate Threshold Running Velocity

One of the major predictors of running performance is your lactate threshold:

This indicates the maximum pace at which you can sustain, without a rapid deterioration of speed. This being a direct result of rapid increases in the blood lactate concentration levels.

The 800m is the perfect distance to put such a system to the test, since VO2Max and running economy are not major influences in the 800m.

To illustrate:

My 800m PB - 2mins 07 seconds
My current 800m - 3mins 17 seconds
Ratio: 1.5
My 10K PB - 38mins
My current 10K - 54mins
Ratio: 1.4

This is why even amongst distance runners, the fastest distance runner will also likely be faster over 800m when compared to his or her rivals!

From my own training, I know that at a HR of 170-175bpm. I can sustain my running for 10K without a major build up of lactic acid. At 180-185bpm I will have fatigued rapidly withing 5-10mins.

It is also worth noting that I didn't really write down my times, or have a record of all my PB's. This is generally because when i got them i always assumed that i would be faster next time!

So even although I am looking towards the half-marathon, the track sessions will still be an important part of my training.

Men's Health 10K 2008 (mhfs) Race Report

The "Men's Health 10K 2008"

race went without incident, my hamstring held up fine. I ran steady 8:50min/miles and completed the course in 54:09, well within my 56mins target!

The course isn't a fast course, and has a few small hills and narrow passages. Many people refused to run the hills, which further slowed me down! I had one incident where i ripped my number and had to stop and reattach it. But to be honest I wasn't that bothered about a second or two or ten.

Legs are a bit still a bit stiff, so i'm taking a day off before my hill sessions on Arthur's seat tomorrow.

So my next race is the St Andrew's Hospice 10K Road Race, on Sat 23 Aug 2008, held in Strathclyde Park. This is a FAST FAST course and is perfectly flat! So I am aiming for sub 48mins for the next one!

My weight is sitting at 14st 3lbs and i aim to break the 14st barrier by this coming Sunday!

1.5 Mile Run

Well my Hamstring still ain't, right!

So I decided to go a "fast" 1.5 mile run yesterday to see how likely it is to hold up for the 10K. In the end I went round the 1.5miles in 11 mins, which works out at 7:30min/mile pace. Though I found even the slightest incline difficult! Looks like Monday's hill session is still in my legs!

I'm not too dissapointed with that, and will aim to keep my pace for Sunday's 10K at the 9min/mile average. After 8K i'll take it from there!

Tonight's plan is to take young nephew to the track, jog round one 10min/mile, then do a fast mile on my own. Then that's me 'till Sunday.

BTW.... My weight is currently 14st 5lbs so i doubt it will be any different by Sunday!

Persistent Medial Hamstring Pain!

No running yesterday, only the Gym sesion. Was at the gym this morning too. I'm gonna try one easy mile tonight.

Medial hamstring pain is driving me mad, it even hurts when I sit! Not long 'till sunday!

Technorati Profile
Best Directory - Submit your Website

Enforced 10K Taper

I managed 7 hill reps on Arthur's seat on Monday, and finished it off with a two mile run/walk up and down the summit. In hindsight Monday's session might have been a step too far!
I only managed 1 ten minute mile yesterday, with young nephew. My hamstring is so tight and has a knot so big, a ship's anchor would be proud! It's one small movement away from pinging!

So I managed 9 days in a row, until yesterday.

I am now in an enforced taper! Was at the gym today just doing upper body, and 2K cycling. I am in a bad way! I "plan" to go out a 5K tomorrow and a wee track session on Friday, just to keep me ticking over!

Still these things happen!

Weekend Run LSD + Speed

Saturday's 10K Training Run (LSD)
Me, my wife and older nephew all went on a 10K training run on Saturday morning at 9 am. Nephew was hung over from night before, but still he gave us a 3 mins head start to our run! He had caught up with us by the second mile, and asked if he could power on ahead. He went round the 10K in 53mins with my wife and I jogging around in 1hr 4mins. I'm just trying to get more used to the 10K distance, with one more planned before "the race" next Sunday. Good to see that at least one 18 Year old doesn't know the meaning of LSD!

Sunday's Track Session
Me, my wife and young nephew all went on a track session Sunday morning at 9 am. This was my wife's first track session and she was pleased to run a mile in 7:15. The session was quite brief:

1 mile - (with little nephew)
1 mile
800 m - (with little nephew)
800 m
400 m

After the session I had lunch at my inlaws, where I was pleased to hear a few people say that they could see I have lost weight. I tipped the scales at 14stone 5lbs

Today's Plans
Well I'm just back from a 4omin gym session, and rued the fact i went at lunchtime as opposed to before work, when it is much quieter. At 4pm the plan is then to head to Arthur's seat for another repeat of our hill sessions.

To be totally honest I'm looking forward to tapering from Thursday onwards! My plan is to rest Wednesday, run Thursday, then rest Friday and Saturday. With the view of being 100% fresh for the race on Sunday. I would put my chances of reaching my 56mins goal at about 50/50.

Today's Gym + 2mile Run - Yesterday's 5K Roundup

Lets start off with yesterday's 5K:

I had planned to take it easy, but my wife had other ideas. She wanted to have a try out of my HR/GPS Garmin Forerunner 305. So she wanted to push it! We were running at just under 9min/mile pace for the duration and I felt pretty good! I'm fairly confident that I could have maintained that speed for 10K.

And Gym session this morning(35mins):

I was feeling some staleness in my legs, but still felt pretty good..If you are interested, here is a typical gym session for me..

45 Situps (using ab machine)

1K rowing (2:10/500m level 8)

2K cycling (5 mins 100-120rpm level4)

Dumbbells (15X10Kg, 15X10Kg)

Chest Expander(15X20Kg, 15X20Kg)

Vertical Chest Press(20X25Kg, 20X25Kg)

Shoulder Press (15X20Kg, 10X20Kg)

Dumbbells (10X12Kg, 8X12Kg)

Tonight's Run

Later I'll be taking my young nephew out a 1 mile run, and on the way back i'll aim to do two miles at 8min/mile pace, with the view to improving my leg speed.

My Weight?

I don't know whats going on with it. It seems to be sticking at circa 14st 7lbs, I am hopeful that this is related to my muscle development and water uptake in the muscles. I'm am not worried and suspect it will start to drop over the next few days.

Running Hill Reps in Edinburgh

'Twas a good training session last night on Arthur's seat. It consisted of 4 X 300m hill reps, then a small run, then a run/walk to the top of Artur's seat and finally to top it all off, another 300m hill rep! All in all a grand total of 4miles.
I'm not fanatical about charts and try to keep them off my blog...but here is the graph of the first set of reps, the pace graphing was all messed up due to the recovery stops...

Here is a table of the reps...

My apologies, like anyone cares! Today I thought my legs would have been struggling but they are fine. So my gym session this morning was a joy, and i'll be out an easy 5K later tonight.

First Sub 1hr 10K round the valley of fatigue

I was initially planning to take a day off from running today on account of me still felling pretty run down after Saturday's sluggish performance.

But I finally bit the bullet and ran my first 10K(6.21 miles) of the year, though I didn't feel too great, I managed to clock 59:14s.

Instead of satisfaction I was actually left feeling a tad disappointed, it is probably the slowest 10K I have ever clocked. The enormity of knocking 22 mins from that time seems like an impossibility. And the 56 mins I am aiming for, for the Men's health 10K on the 15 June, a mere 13 days away, is going to be tough!

I have a track session planned for tomorrow, and a few hill reps of Arthur's Seat planned for Wednesday. Both of these should help improve my speed, but I am now also aware of the need to run at least another two 10K s prior to the race.

At my weigh in the scales were showing 14st 6lbs, so I am also desperate to shift those 6lbs ahead of the race. If ("that's a big if") I can shift that weight, then a 56min 10K shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Friday, Saturday, Today

Friday's 10K didn't quite go according to plan, on account of me not actually doing it. Instead, I picked up a second hand mountain bike for £70, and by the time I had cycled the 4 miles home with it - at a fair speed - my quads were on fire and i was soaked with sweat. So i gave the run a miss.

Saturday morning I took my young nephew out a 1 mile run in the morning where he got a new "road mile" record of 11mins 24seconds, so i was pleased for him. I then finished the morning off with a 4.5 mile run. I laboured severely under the heat and plodded along at a very slow 10:35min/mile pace

So I am having a rest day today, thus I am rounding off my weekly mileage at 19 miles for this week. And for the period 5-31st May, my first month's training, i have clocked up 40miles running, not including the gym sessions. Though my weight is still sitting at 14st 7lbs and has been for a good few days. Hopefully that will change soon!

Easy 1 Mile Jog + 2 Miles Run

Despite my cold, I couldn't contain yesterday's run to just one mile with young nephew, 10:53....

Instead I also decided to go a wee two miler on my own, which on a mostly uphill course I managed to keep an 8.15min/mile pace, which though not that fast, still pleased me.

My wife is out on a works night out tonight, so I plan to do my first 10K training run tonight and see how I feel.

Hill Training Roundup

Yesterday's hill session was a bit of a wash out. Mainly on account of me being up all night with a bad cough and blocked nose.
Yesterday I gave the office a miss, the gym a miss, but not the hill session!
I souldn't have bothered.... I managed 4 reps in total, the last two involved me swapping insoles with my nephew on account of his shin splints!
Feeling slightly better today, but I will limit my activity to 1 mile with my younger nephew.

Body Mass Index - BMI Calculator

Here is a simple BMI claculator, which may be of use..

I suppose i should have called this blog the obese runner!

Speed Session + Lactic Acid (C3H6O3) = Empty Legs!

Yesterday's tack session was a good laugh. The team consisted of me, nephew age 19 and nephew age 11. The wife was doing a yoga session in our house with my mother in law, so a hard track session didn't seem like that much of a chore!

The session

1 mile - (with little nephew) - 9.46

1 mile - 6.51

800 m - (with little nephew) - 5.07

800 m - 3.17

400 m - (with little nephew) - 2.44

400 m - 1.27

200 m - (with little nephew) - 1.12

200 m - 37s

So with this being my fist speed session, there were a few interesting findings. With my weight at 4 stone 8pounds, and me 5ft 8, here are the results ;)...

1. My lactate turnpoint is probably around 7.30min/mile
2. My maximum sprint is 4.10min/mile over 200m

3. My physical maximum HR is 192 bpm

4. My "full out" sprint lasts for 20-23 seconds before ATP+Creatine stores are wiped out!

All rather uninteresting I suppose!

But on the plus point, this morning's gym session felt ok, though I will be doing an easy 5K tonight! As tomorrow is a Gym + Hill Sessions day!

Back on the roads & track

After the rest period I was desperate to get back out running; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were necessary but unwelcome recovery days.

My Saturday run was a joy! Nice steady 5K with the wife and 18 year old nephew. Then me and nephew broke off and extended it out to 5miles, at an improved pace. The last mile in sub 8 min pace. I enjoyed it so much, i finished with the "sprint then vomit" combination. Fantastic!

Sunday, was the easy day. A steady 4 miles and my heart rate at even 165 for the duration. And as an added bonus my weight was new low of 14 stone 8 pounds!

And for today, i'm shortly off to the gym for a weights session, then this evening, a speed session on the track to help blow off the cobwebs. 1 mile time trial, then 1 x 800m, 1 x 400, 2 x 200, and finally 2 x 100.

Easy 5K run tomorrow, then the hills on Wednesday! I'm looking forward to it!

Few of my chums are mulling about the "first monster" biathlon. http://www.firstmonster.co.uk/challenge.php

It is a week after my half, but i'm swithering, but i don't like having to rely on other people staying un"injured"..Aye

The PB Blues - Dreams of Past Glories

"To boast of a performance which I cannot beat is merely stupid vanity. And if I can beat it that means there is nothing special about it. What has passed is already finished with. What I find more interesting is what is still to come." Emil Zatopek

For the umpteenth time I am again trying to get back into shape, and sitting here typing with my sore aching limbs, the thoughts of past times and glories are never far from mind. Unfortunately the medals hanging behind my computer desk act a constant reminder, especially now that some are beginning to rust!

The "What's the point even trying?" philosophy never far away from my mind. How can I ever compete with the 9 1/2 stone 19 year old me, who would run 10K in the morning and then another 10K in the evening? The same person who would go out four a 4 hour run, just because!

Then I have a good dose of perspective, my goal is to improve tomorrow on where I am today.
The times themselves are irrelevant and more a symptom of my continual improvement. I will set my self challanging but realistic goals such as my sub 2 hr half, which I will then reassess as my training continues.

Either that or take up "egg and spoon" racing witht he view of getting some new PB's!

(Up) Hill Sessions = Speed Work

With me currently in rest mode and already feeling a bit twitchy, I thought i'd cast my mind to next week's planned hill session.



Before Rep 1





After Rep 8







Why hills you may add? Well running uphill recruits more muscle fibers due to the concentric action of your leg muscles, i.e. your leg is not fully extended when you have to "toe off" so the muscles have to work harder. It also works the quads, which get woefully underutilised when running on the flat. And finally it improves your general running economy by forcing you to drive with you arms and lift with your knees!

All this transposes to an improved speed when you drop back to running on the flat!

And to top it all off.... it may not seem like it but, you put around 1/3 less stress on your knees running up hill!

My hill sessions typically include 8 reps of 200m @ (20-30 degree slope) taking around 1 min -> 1.5mins

This means you can have a good hard training session in around 30-40mins!

However it is worth taking your time and walking down the slope after each rep and resisting the temptation to run down. Walking allows you to regain your breath clear some of the lactic acid in your legs and avoid the nasty eccentric contractions of downhill running which often lead to knee pain and DOMS.

Overtraining + The Performance Curve

My gym in the morning and run in the evening regime couldn't last. Over the past three days I clocked up 11 miles not including the gym sessions. Yesterday's run can only be described as the "super plods", with my 5K times being 1.5mins then 3mins slower over the past two days. Even though my time was slower, my heart rate was elevated and struggling to drop below 180bpm during my runs, always a good sign I've overdone it! And to top it all off my right knee and right shin were not tip-top to say the least.

On the plus side, if there is one, is that my weight has dropped to 14st 10lbs, and i plan to take the next two days off, to allow my tired limbs to recover.

So I'm hoping that "Super Compensation Phase" will take me right through till September's Half-marathon! OK that might be wishful thinking, but a couple of days off should do me some good. Though I'm running out of time rather quickly ahead of the Men's Health 10K on the 17th June!

I'm planning to get 3 hill sessions done before then, with a view to boosting my speed without putting too much impact on my knees! Though I think my best speed work would be shifting another 10lbs before then!

My top 5 "running" books

1. Survival of the fittest (Mike Stroud)

Mike Stroud, a doctor and expedition partner of Sir Ranulph Fiennes knows a thing or two about human physiology and combines his insight with a collection of stories ranging from Artic expeditions to ultra marathons in the desert. He also humbly highlights his own normal physiology and of what can be achieved with dedicated training and commitment. The general theme of the book being, the human is an amazing machine and can achieve much more than you would think!

2. Lore of Running (Tim Noakes)

Falls just short of my no 1. It is not for the faint hearted, with the first couple of chapters getting pretty heavy...Myosin, muscle composition, central governor model etc etc. Which may be enough to put off all but the most geekiest of runners. But call me a Geek! It really does help to further your understanding if training principles, dietary requirements etc. I have to say though that some of the best bits of the book focus on some of the greatest runners that have ever lived...Emile Zaptopek's interval training, Bruce Fordyce's immense distances and performances, all truly inspirational! His training programmes ranging from 10K to half-marathon are also pretty good, some of them nabbed from the legendary Jack Daniels!

3. Feet in the Clouds: A Story of Fell Running and Obsession (Richard Askwith)

A book written by a true enthusiast. His wonderful prose almost transports you onto the fell alongside him during the notorious Bob Graham Round! He discusses the history of fell running and about some of the greats like Joss Naylor and "Scotland's" very own Angela Mudge!

4. It's Not about the Bike: My Journey Back to Life (Lance Armstrong)

Ok, I hold my hands up! It is not a running book, but he does talk about those junior triathlon days! On a more serious note, he discusses in great depth the high and the lows of his battle against cancer and the motivations that kept him going. A real motivator when you are having doubts! He went from professional cyclist, to having mother and daughter passing him on their bike, to winning "the tour" seven times!

5. The Competitive Runner's Handbook (Bob Glover + Shelly Glover)

It's been a wee while since i've been anything close to competitive! But it's still a relevant book to all types of runners! Not as dense as "the Lore" but a cracking book from a pair of very experienced runners. Again the book combines training plans, diet, physiology and psychological preparation all into the one book. Some of the racing strategies are particularly insightful. Such as the one second too fast at the start of a race costs you two at the end, two cost four or more, four cost .... It does give some increased motivation for even pacing, since I'm especially guilty of starting too fast!

Notable mention

Ultramarathon Man (Dean Karnazes)

A great book, but a bit too sickly for many a tastebud. His running feats are impressive and his intentions noble, and this book can really get you in the mood for running. But his "I run from the heart" and self promotion might be a bit much for some people! He is a top quality athlete but isn't in the same league as some of the other ultra runners such as Fordyce and Brag

A 1 mile run....poor show!

I have been taking my 11 year old nephew out running every other day since the 5th of may, as a warm up to my own runs. It's a small 1.1mile loop, which he has now run a total of six times. His first run 14.48, and yesterday he clocked a 12.48. A 2 min improvement in 11 days! If he carries on at that rate.... who knows!

I knew something wasn't right with my right knee pretty much as soon as the run started. By the end of the run I was in a fair bit pain and decided it was best to give my own run a miss.

So yesterday was my first "complete" rest day. I didn't make it to the gym in the morning on account of waiting , for my new garmin forerunner 305 gps, which i have bought to replace my old handheld gecko 201.

Just in case you ever wondered just how erratic an 11 year old's pace can be see the graph below.

That level pace at the start was where i was pacing him, to which he complained "your going too fast!" And from that point onwards it was all over the place! :)

Are you a Runner or Jogger?

Many club runners scoff at those of us who aren't running 7min mile pace on our runs. They would categorise my 10 min per mile pace as a jog. And by their implication then....I'm a jogger.

Having run 5 min miles, all be it long ago; all i can say is that when you are 15st and struggling your way round a course, you are most certainly not jogging! ( Shuffling, yes!) Running most definitely!

If you are pushing yourself, then you are running! Measure that how you will... high heart rate? Sore legs? Double stich?

I think Jogging, should fall under the i'm moving faster than a walk but can chat to my friends, combined with the personal realisation that "i know i'm jogging".

So forget what people say about mins per mile etc. And you choose whether you are a runner or jogger!

Ditch the Calories - Calorie Expenditure

There is one "benefit" to being an overweight runner, and we have Newton to thank for that!

Us fatties have a higher calorie expenditure. For a 200lb runner you can expect to burn off around 400 cals per 30min run at 10-11mins per mile. Which isn't bad at all.

If you were to run (4 * 30min) runs per week, that is a burn of 1600 cals per week.
A sensible 1600 calorie a day intake provides a calorie deficit of 3000 cals per week.

3000cals + 1600 cals = 4600cals

With 3,500 cals per pound of fat, you could expect a weight loss of 1.5-2 lbs per week.

You will not only feel fitter, but also look better. And to top it all off, the more weight you lose, the faster and easier your running will become.

But a word of warning! But don't subscribe to the "all calories are good calories" philosophy. Alchohol and High GI (Glycemic index) foods won't fill you up for very long and play havoc with your blood sugar levels.

Stick to low to medium GI foods, with a hearty helping of protein. And you will feel full for longer.

However, If you start to notice that your times and performance deteriorating after a few weeks. It may be worth taking a few days rest, upping your calories, and checking to ensure you are not vitamin deficient. Take "1 a Days+iron" for about a week and see if that makes any improvement.

For runners the main culprit are deficiencies in:

Vitamin B6+B12 - Cracked lips, or splits at the side of your mouth
Iron - Feeling of lethargy during running, and slower times even at maximum effort.

I have suffered from both in the past and can testify to how debilitating they can be!

4.5K of Pain

Yesterday's run was a killer as I had arranged to go out with my 18 year old nephew. The very nephew who I introduced to running back in 1999, and whose first race was the junior great Scottish run. Back in those days he was best described as husky!

In my infinite wisdom, I have convinced him to run the Glasgow half this year too, so this was the first of our many training sessions.

But last night, i started to have regrets!. It started fast and just got faster! Thankfully he waited up for me when i really started to labour. In the end i managed to drag my 15 stone carcass round 4.5K in 25mins dead, a whopping 3mins 20 seconds faster than last week's time.

This morning's gym session was a struggle too, as i decided to put in a double session an account of me taking a night off to watch the football.

I rattled through, 1K rowing, 5K Cycling, 1K running @12.5km/h and then on to the weight training where I went through some double reps.

I think i'll take it easier tomorrow!

Insoles for an overweight runner

The insole is the cheapest part of any trainer and this is quite often evident after a few miles on the road. For the lighter more nimble runner, they might never notice, but for your larger big boned runner, the best advice is to seek out a replacement or additional insole for your running shoe. Larger runners are much more likely to suffer with overpronation related problems.


Pronation Control

As a sufferer of heel spurs, midtarsal faults, and splayed forefoot. I use the Ortha Heel Sport insoles

You can normally get them in Boots the Chemist for around £23. They provide a rigid arch and a shaped heel cup. The rigid arch might not be for everyone but if you are suffering from, heel pain, shin splints, IBS, or sore arches in the mornings, I would recommend giving them a try!

Shock Absorbsion

Having tried may different types of running insole including the sorbothane full strike and double strike insoles, i can testify that the best shock absorbing insole i have ever used is the Sof Sole Performance Propel Gel Insole , its like "party feet" for men, and at a mere £3.99 (online) is by far one of the cheapest insoles on the market! Its low profile means that i can use it as an additional insole inside my running shoes. Upon putting your feet into the trainers the comfort is evident, from the involuntary "ooo, ahh" sound that you make. You might need to trim it a bit to get it "just right" but boy what a difference it makes! I don't tend to use these in my running shoes very often on account of the lack of pronation support.

Trainers for the overweight runner

This is something, that over the years, I have come to view as crucial to running injury free.

Per mile. each foot will strike the ground around 800 times, with a force of 3 times your body weight. So at a body weight of 210 pounds that is 630 pounds of pressure per foot strike.

i.e. For 1 mile.....

630 * 800 * 2 = 1008 000 pounds(504 tonnes) of pressure on your feet !!!!

per foot strike * strikes per mile * two legs = pain and injury !!!!

So buy a decent "comfort + cushion" running shoe.

My current shoe is the Reebok Premier Cushion V

It is a great comfort shoe with a nice wide forefoot section and a neutral and forgiving ride. At around £55 it is not too expensive. I combine these trainers with my "ortha heel sports" insoles to give me the required stability

My other current shoe is the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8 £75, which has built in pronation support. This seems to offer just the right level of support for me. For severe over pronators, the Brooks Beast is certainly a shoe worth trying.

I often buy the Asics Gel Cumulus which has a nice mesh at the forefoot that allows my fat hobbit feet a bit more space. Again it is a neutral ride and offers great heel and forefoot cushioning. At £70 it is a bit more expensive. But worth it!

It is always worth going to a specialist running store to have a gait analysis performed to determine your running style, with regards to foot strike and pronation. It is worth noting that prices are normally quite a bit higher in store than you would typically get online! But like snowflakes the same trainer is not always identical, so if it fits you in the shop, it might be a safer choice than buying it cheaper online.

My training 3rd -13th May

Having done a handful of 2.5K runs throughout the year and by playing 5 a-side football twice a week my fitness wasn't too bad! But any runs over 2.5K my calf muscles seemed to seize up, such that each step, either walking or running, was agony. My solution give up the 5s and focus on the running. I don't know if the micro-tears in the muscle fibres from the football was causing the problem, but it made an immediate difference!

So since the 3rd of May, i've been doing gym (mostly upper body) for 40mins in the morning and 5K runs in the evening, with one rest day per week.

My diet now consist of approximately:

Breakfast - 1 post-workout protein shake = 120 cals

Lunch - A Boots Shapers Meal = 400 cals

Dinner - Typical dinner pizza/pasta/risotto = 1000 cals

Grand total = 1500 cals

My old unhealthy diet.

Breakfast - 1 cheese roll (300 cals) + 500ml coke (200 cals) = 500cals
Lunch - Lasagna (450 cals) + 500ml coke (200 cals) = 650 cal

Dinner - less healthy dinner (1200 cals) + 500ml coke (200 cals) + Chocolate (400 cals)= 1800cals

Grand total = 2950 cals

Shocking!!! - It is hardly surprising i had put on so much weight! And that doesn't include my 3 bottles of wine per week (1500 cals) and my 3 sneaky lunchtime pints (600 cals).

So now for the good news.....

With 1lb of fat consisting of a whopping 3500 cals, it was always going to be an uphill struggle.

But, this morning, I managed to hit 15 stone(210 pounds) at my weigh in. I am sure a few pounds will be water loss..but its heading in the right direction!

So 14st(196 pounds) is my next milestone for my next "race"... the Mens Health 10K on Sunday, 15th June 2008, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow. Im looking to cross the line in around 56mins. So I have my work cut out!

An Overweight Runner's Story So Far

Well to say i'm an overweight runner is possibly a slight understatement. The tipping point came two weeks ago when the scales were hitting 16st(224lb), with me at the mere height of 5ft 9 inches and at the relatively prime age 27 years, it was all too much. The likelihood of growing another 3 feet in height, it is safe to say, is pretty unlikely. So something had to give!

The solution...the only one i know... ditch the booze...ditch the full fat fizzy pop..and enter the half-marathon. So I have until the 7th September 2008, to get myself in shape and run the Glasgow half-marathon. I've run it a couple of times in the past at various weights and fitness levels.

The first in 1999, when it was the Irn-Bru XS Great Scottish run, the reason was again to lose weight. So in the space of 4-6 months or there abouts, i went from, "the not so heavy now",12st down to about 9 1/2 st(a bit on the light side!). I used to do a fair bit of club running in my early teens so the level of training required was not unexpected. I went from not having run for a few years, to running twice a day 5 days a week + regular gym work...I was pretty ripped by the end!

So in 1999, at the age of 18, i was running 37.30 10Ks and finished the half marathon in around 1hr 47mins (the first 5 miles,far too fast, in a mere 28mins). Something had to give and it did....

Chondromalacia patellae - Runners Knee. It got to the stage where i was at physio twice weekly and unable to walk less than 100m without having to kneel down "pop my knee back in". No more running!

By April 2000 I was 12.5 stone and for the next few years the weight gain showed no signs of slowing, i was back boozing and over-eating. I first broke the 15st barrier in 2002, and didn't really do much about it. Until, many years later...

The second half marathon in 2005. The fresh'n' lo Great Scottish Run. Now by this time married and doing a wee bit running, a few 5ks per week. My wife decided with about 6 weeks before the race that she fancied running a half-marathon. It was an epic struggle with regards to training, but we finally made it through in 2hrs 30mins. Though my 13st frame left my knees screaming in pain for many days!

I should have maintained the training after the race, but didn't!

So here I am back at it again!