New Year Resolution

Despite having flu for the last ten days ive finally made the first (hopeless 5km) training run of the year, on the icy roads, before the snow came back on again...I now have 3 months to get into super shape and fitness levels - if its not been snow/icy out, ive been down with flu, so im totally out of shape. However, this is how i plan to change that (got to act serious now - whether i can deliver, theres another story!)

1. January - Im in Scotland, London and Estonia (which is about -15 right now) After being out for most of December due to snow/illness/laziness, my aim for this month is to get back into basic good shape again. I've a chi-running lesson in Edinburgh this week, so i can learn to chi-run with the pack on.  Talking of which, the casino was nice to me last week, so i splashed out and bought all my kit online - i now am the proud owner of lots of dried chicken korma packets, compass, headlight, desert running shoes (they look great shoes actually) and a superlight raidlight backpack. It seems that my weight will only be about 8kg on my back which is fine.

2. February - Im in Estonia, Buffalo, then to Panama. Just in case anyone asks why, its because I am actually homeless, ie i dont have a home. Pretty weird feeling but ill sort that out after the Marathon Des Sable. I'll buy a tent or somthing. Again i'll be in frozen countries and i dont want to humph around winter kit but i think ill have to. I'll be in Panama, which at least will be above zero degrees, from 12th Feb so this is when my peak and most intense training will take place, im hoping by then to be in good enough shape to increase my running distance to 10km short and 30km - 40km long again, with pack.

3. March - Panama and Madrid. I'll have most of this month in the warmer and cheaper climes of Panama City, so ill be able to spend the first week and half pushing my fitness up and maybe looking at other things like speed and diet and so on, and tweaking any kit that doesnt work right. On 20th, ill fly to Madrid, Spain and try to get down to Morocco from there for the race. After 20th, i plan to wind down training and relax ahead of a lovely week long walk/run in the desert.

Fortunately ive been reading up about the Marathon Des Sables. It actually seems like a much easier race than i thought it was - it certainly is no longer the hardest race in the world, although i suppose its still in the top ten. But i imagine if im not careful it is still possible that my last vision will be a vulture plucking my eye out somewhere in the desert.

EUREKA MOMENT

I saw a stroke of Genius today. While doing an admittedly lame training 'walk' for 10miles, I was pretty encouraged to see quite a few runners, especiually out in the 'burbs, running with spikes or weird contraptions on their running shoes for the snow. But the smart ones - the few smart ones, were running in the cycle lane. Eureka! 

Of course the cycle lane on the main road was totally cleared of snow. And no cyclists are so stupid to go out in minus 5 and snow (only runners are so stupid) so you have a clear road to run, maybe a full 10miles worth, all through the winter. I think ill give it a shot tomorrow, instead of the indoor track. The only real danger here are cars - being in UK, no one bothers to get winter tyres despite a foot of snow, so i think its worth looking out for rear wheel drive BMW's careering my way.

My walking today wasn't actually so bad. I felt i got a workout at least, with the pack on. And the snow of course slowed me down and used more calories than it would normally. Now tomorrow night i'm off to London for a week, where I understand the weather is pretty crap - wet, cold, slushy snow. So i think a lot of walking will be involved there, and a fair amount of slipping. Seems everyone i know has a cold (Estonian wimps can handle minus 20 but not minus 3 in dirty London!) but luckily, unlike USA it is possible to buy fruit and vegetables in London.