Being a management consultant I like to find the positives in situations. So what can I find positive about being ill and not running? It was hard but I have found something.

I have been doing a lot of reading and devoured stuff I normal do not have the time to read. One such item was about David Haye's trainer. Haye is the boxer that beat that enormous Russian bloke (7ft 2in). Apparrently to give his boxer a meaningful sparring session the trainer wore big platform shoes so David could get used to throwing punches upward. He said you have to be prepared to adopt unorthodox methods to achieve success.

That made me think that is what I need to do. No, not wear platform trainers so as to have a greater stride length and therefore cover a greater distance with the same cadence (hang on there might be something in that), but adopting unorthodox methods.

We are all guilty, to a greater or lesser extent, of following the same old routine, following the same routes and running at the same pace. I am now planning a whole new training regime with lots of different stuff in it.

Watch this space.

Woe, woe thrice woe. I have been brought down by some sort of flu type bug. Think of a mighty oak being felled and that is how I feel. I have not run for eight days so am getting pretty cranky, I am not pleasant to be with. Which some people may find surprising, because I think I am a pretty laid-back type. Others might think no change there then.

My running was going really well so at least I have that to look back on. My last run was with someone who was getting her longest run in preparing for her first half-marathon. As she is young and pretty it was an extremely pleasant sprint for me. Oh the joy of running.

I should be doing the Eastnor 12hr this weekend, but that is definitely out.

I am going to crawl back into bed now.

I am back

I've not being very good about keeping the blog up to date. Sorry.

I have been blogging on another site, nothing to do with running. Take a look, I am quite pleased with some of the entries. www.forestersfriends.co.uk/pg/blo/main I post with the name EdwardC

My training is going well and I have found a secret ingredient to help keep it on track: CherryActive concentrate. Quite simple concentrated cherries. I was told about it by an amazing guy at the TCR show; he had a heart transplant in 2000 and this year plans to run the 56 mile Comrades marathon. Awesome. I am old enough to remember the first heart transplant in December 1967, the recipient only live for 18 days. Now it really is the gift of a new life. Have a look at John's website www.heart-transplant.co.uk and please thing about signing up to the Organ Donor Register

Anyhow, back to CherryActive - John explained that it was crammed full of antioxidants which are good for you and alleviated muscle soreness. He said if I took it after a tough run the following day I would notice the difference. John is a nice guy so I bought some. A few days later I blasted out a really tough hilly run and took a dose of CherryActive when I got back. I had to get up very early the next day and was half-way down the stairs before I realised they were not an issue. John was right I could really notice the difference. I have used it after every tough training session since (4). It works, I am a huge fan.

I will be in South Africa for the Comrades marathon and am looking forward to being there when John finishes. This year I am spectating rather than running.

Training Run 2

A nice long run today out from Ledbury (I am staying with Phillip over the weekend) and across the Malverns. Most of the snow had melted so it was pretty wet underfoot. The UK Gear PT-03 Winter shoes kept the water out until we reached a large flood where we had to wade through knee-deep water. Wrang the water out of my socks and carried on; my feet soon warmed up.

The people I was running with were all faster than me so I took a few short cuts. It all worked well and I would meet up with them from time to time. The best meeting was at a refreshment kiosk for coffee and rock cakes.

Probably covered 15 miles plus.

Training

Training was due to start on 1st January 2010, but a knee problem meant that did not happen. I did get some sessions in on a turbo trainer, cycling like mad in the kitchen and getting nowhere. Boy was that boring. Thanks Tina Turner, Cher and Beverley Knight for keeping me company.

I got my first run in on the 15th of January in the dark and the snow going over Frith Hill at the back of Ledbury. It was good to be running again. Thanks to UK Gear Pt-o3 Winter shoes and Wigwam Trail Trax Pro socks my feet were toasty warm. This was also my first chance to try out my new Silverpoint Runner Head Torch which was excellent.

Knee seems to be ok.

What's it about

In 2009 we suffered a few trials and tribulations during our charity challenges so this year we thought we would have some fun. We have sandwiched two fun runs in between two ultra challenges. The first ultra is at the begining of April and the second in September.

It looks like this.

Bread - 100km run from the west coast to the east coast of Scotland.
Filling - Fun run - details to be revealed later.
Filling - Fun Run - details to be revealed later.
Bread - 134 mile run from the west coast to the east coast of England.

We will once again be raising money for the charity Comrades of Children Overseas (COCO) www.coco.org.uk