Halfway there and time for an unexpected break.

Well the title is a lie. Not a big one but it may be! I will leave you wonderful readers to decide if the title makes any sense.

I’m off to London tomorrow, to work for a several days. I’m taking my running shoes and kit to run around the parks but feel training may be put on hold. Not a good move especially with only three weeks left until I run my first half and  I’ve only reached 50% in the fundraising goal but have almost exhausted everyone who I know. I may get some more last-minute takers, or people in London who would like to sponsor me but I think I might have to conclude that the money in the kitty is the amount that will make its way to the Cancer hospital.

I’ve now run my 11 miles, and feel I could do it on the day, I would like to run another 11, just to make sure as for some reason on mile 8 or 9 I suddenly sped up my pace and I was running quite comfortable until then. The break in training that I hope will not be enforced and the weeks after London where I find myself working extremely long hours will allow the last-minute run even if its only 5K.

I’m now starting to panic that I have not done enough training and I may end up walking some, but we will see. If I can go for a nice long run on the Sunday in London – a different route may inspire me to run those extra miles and work my body a little more ready for race day on the 18th September, and who knows I may really enjoy a half and carry on entering them or I may decide my toe nails are worth keeping and jack it all in.

Oh well off to pack.

If you would like to sponsor me then you can do so by clicking this link http://www.justgiving.com/thomas-Scott1

If you would like more information on my charity then please click here.

 

Going to Feel That Tomorrow

Never mind tomorrow, I’m feeling it now.

Today I went on a fantastic run. 11 miles. the last mile was a little hard as for some reason by mile 8 I had built my pace up and was running my normal 10K pace, so my legs went to jelly a little. Anyone I finished the run and now I can feel my calves tighten with every word I type. I have been out walking and did a good 30 minute cool down and stretch but I somewhat know tomorrow I am going to be very sore.

Wales has Competition

Well I never thought I would hear the day when those words would be spoken by me. But over the past two days i have been exploring the sights of North Yorkshire and by George there are a lot and they are extremely picturesque.

Now living in Manchester I am lucky as I have all of this on my door stop. If I fancy a nice walk in the Lakes, Snowdonia, Peaks, Moors or the Dales then all I have to do is drive a maximum of two hours and I’m there. Now if truth be known I am not a fan of the Lakes. It’s a little bit like Scotland all style over context. It’s the same. Oh look yet another big rolling hill with a lake. Granted it is nice, but there are no natural wonders or none that I have been shown yet.

Well I was about to see several at the weekend when I headed out towards Malham. As well as having a lovely walk, I saw a Limestone Pavement, plenty of waterfalls, several large caves, dry stone walls from hundreds of years ago and what seemed to be an untouched landscape.

I can not write what I saw so instead I have included pictures and links. To be honest you have to experience this for yourself.

We start off we the Limestone Pavement where one of the Harry Potter scenes was filmed at Malham Cove

Then we move to Gordale Scar

Finally before I headed back to the car I saw Janet Foss

What I didn’t realise was that the walk i had just done is the one recommended in the guide books. Its all very clear and is pace is very well signposted which is rather good as I didn’t take a map. I know my bad.

All in all it was very nice and greatly enjoyed the day and seeing the natural wonders of the North Yorkshire.

A Few of my Favourite Things

Well for those who know me, then you will know that I love steam trains. If you really know me then you will also know I love old bridges and viaducts. Well would you Adam and Eve it as on Saturday these two love interests were sewn together for every geek to come and see.

I am talking about one of these steam train tours that often travel around the UK. The one on Saturday was using the Settle to Carlisle line and thus would thunder over the Ribblehead viaduct.

So off I went to North Yorkshire to the Ribble Valley. I parked up and I took a walk around the viaduct and the surrounding areas and then waited for the big event. If I am honest then the event itself was a little under par, the noise and jets of steam and billows of smoke were some what absent as it made the crossing but the engine was still a magnificent beast.

My Next Run!!!!

Well my next run is in Newcastle and is 13.1 miles but my next one after that is something a little bit different. I am going to try and convince my friends and the new converted to enter as a team. I am off course talking about the Adidas T24.

http://www.tr24.co.uk/

How to Spend a Saturday

Now really I should be going out for a run being that my last one was Thursday, but I am taking five on the old running lark as I am giving my legs a rest of two days. So what is there to do on the Saturday???

Well lets look at two of my passions that are not running. We have steam trains, and we have bridges and viaducts. Together they equal good old English heritage. Bring them together at the Ribblehead Viaduct with Olivier Cromwell puffing away over the top and you have me with my popcorn in the front row.

I’m sure I will write about it later tonight when I return and see it come into Victoria with picture galore.

Oh well I better leave as I am bound to get lost.

Tonights Run

Well I went running with two friends. One of which I have run with before the other being his brother who is a little nipper. He also plays football. The run itself was good, but I had no water and really needed some after the first 3 miles. Also the footballer was running to fast to set a steady pace, so naturally I went at his speed, rather than my other mate or find my own pace. I still seem to be doing 7.30/mile I need to slow it down to 8 or 8.30.

Needles to say the run was too fast and I had to cut it short due to no water and tiring myself out.

I am now getting a little concerned that I may not make the 13.1 Miles, as I have not been able to do more than 10, and in recent weeks I find that 8 miles is enough. Maybe a couple of days rest will sort out my batteries as i have been doing over 6 miles four times a week as well as walking 4 miles to and from work, so hopefully on Monday I can attempt a nice long run after a long weekend of rest.

In other news a very nice man donated to my just giving page. Not sure if he saw my twitter feed or read one of my posts. But I would like to thank him for donating to a great cause. This also goes to some one else who had donated through the text system a couple of weeks ago. Over all the training is going far better than the fundraising, but hopefully I will reach my target.

http://www.justgiving.com/thomas-Scott1

Getting people running and being beaten to it!!!!

Well I run. We all know that! All we have to do it sift through the pages on the blog to see how much running means to me. The trouble is that other people and by others I am referring to a class of people who I spend several hours with. In simple terms my friends; they do not fully appreciate the running bug. While some have trained with me and have ran the Manchester 10K others can not be bothered or have left there running shoes hiding behind the sofa or scared on a bus doomed for the lost property bin. This may be unfair and is done in jest but I find it hard to get people to train with me. Not because I’m good or quick but because I am always training for some race so have to be strict about the time or length I spend running. But once a week in my schedule I do enjoy a fun run where time and distance are not a factor it’s just getting out there.

I have made it my mission to get people running and not because I care about their health but because I want company on my runs. There’s only so much music you can be forced to listen to on a long run and having some one who you can talk to and keep you company makes the run that all more enjoyable. As running can get lonely and it’s always fun to have some one to share the experience or shake up your routine that you become set in.

Now this is about how I have got one of my friends into running.  I know that this person reads this blog occasionally and might thumb through this post and feel that it is a little one-sided or indeed feels that it is not how it happened. But I’m the story teller so I have control of the events on how I recall them.

Therefore when I talked about running to a recent friend while driving to Wales/Scotland or the Lakes for our 3 peaks weeks he responded by saying he wants to try it, but he gets to out of breath or tired or can’t be bothered. I informed him and he may feel free to correct me here, as I may have imagined this conversation, but I said slow and steady. Run for a bit, walk for a bit. The aim is to run non stop for whatever time but your goal should be to be out there on the street for 20 minutes with running or walking. Then you can build it up and you won’t lose sight of the goal as you won’t be tired from pushing yourself. Three or four runs on he has run 5K in 32 minutes, well some of it walking. it just goes to show that anyone can run, you just need to build your body up to it and being that a large majority of people would be happy with a 30 minute 5K I think well done to him.

The post title refers to him blogging about his achievements before  I can brag about my involvement. But he does mention a friend was one of the driving factors. I like to think that friend was me. And the best part of it, is he is enjoying it so hopefully I will have yet another running partner.

This time next year!

This time next year, I want to have climbed all the possible routes up Snowdon. I don’t know why! I just do. Snowdon is my first real mountain I climbed and as such I have a love and fondness of it. I thought that there were only a couple of routes, but it turns out the list keeps growing. I found a website for some of the routes. I hope to get a couple of them done before the end of the year.

http://www.hightrek.co.uk/climbing/peak/routes.htm

Over done it, double booked, weekend and stuff

Well it has happened again, waiting around, and then it does not materialise. So yet another night spent in by myself for the fourth week and this week is the most boring as I am not even working during the day which means I want to go out and run like there is no tomorrow, except there is a tomorrow and it is filled with pain in the calve muscles. Yes I think I have been over doing it. I have not been running any longer runs. 8 miles on most days, with a rest break. I have done a 10 mile and a very fast 7 miles, but I have been resting and eating the right foods to restore my energy levels and repair the damage I have done.

But maybe I have increased my running too much and maybe I should take time off. I can afford to do it as I know I can run 10 miles and at the end of the day it’s only another 3 miles, which I felt I could comfortably do. However my legs are stiff and scream when ever I place my brooks on. So now I am in a debate with myself if I should go running tomorrow or leave it till Friday.

In other news I have doubled booked myself on the work front. Both jobs I am under contract for to re-produce the lighting design and they both fall in the same week. I’m still in talks with producers on how we can over come this issue. I’m sure it will be easy as one is just a re-light rather than a full-blown production week. So it may mean bouncing from theatre to theatre.

I’m about to do that a lot, as I am temporary moving to the big smoke for work but still have work up in Manchester so will be speeding along on my favourite train route (NOT) So as I tear myself in two to be in London and Manchester my training is going to be cut very short probably what my muscles need, but I do need to keep at it.

Which is why I need a holiday. I need it for this weekend. I want to go to Wales, and the cheapest option is camping. Except I have never been by myself, and the thought of those long nights will be spent is filling me with dread. I have looked at cheap hotels and my usual hotel is all booked up. I really do need to get away and climb some mountains again and see my wonderful Snowdonia again. A while ago I experienced camping and life under the canvas for the first time, and enjoyed it, but there I was with other people to stop the mind from going mad. I have just spent 4 weeks on my lonesome in the evenings I don’t know whether a weekend with a sleeping bag for company is the best medicine for my state of mind at the moment.

Oh well…. Back to it. Playing on my computer and sending emails and trying to organise how I can be in the Lakes in the morning and London town by the evening.

See you all later.