Monday 31st March 2014 to Sunday 6th April 2014

Monday 31st March 2014
Up very early (or at least it felt very early and was still dark).  Took dog walk and fetched papers.  Got Phil up.  Polished shoes for household (should have done that yesterday but was a bit jiggered.  Shave, shower, breakfast.  Watered plants in mini-greenhouse.  Took Doug six tomato plants. Into office for 8:30.  Long day today though - going to a group in Kirby-in-Ashfield after work. Got to work and learned that Geoff Whitworth has passed away on Friday night - such a shock, lovely bloke only in his early 60s as well.  After work normal I did a group visit up to Kirkby - got away about 8:30 and learnt some useful stuff.  Three bowls of cereal before bedtime wasn't a good move but such is life.

Tuesday 1st April 2014
Up at 5.45am.  Dog walked, papers fetched, Phil got up.  Watered stuff. Got bike stuff in car to ride in from Belper. 10 miles in a second under 54 minutes (with stops at traffic lights, roundabouts, junctions all over the place). Never mind can't beat cycling to work.  Cycled back - got held up all over the place, took a smidge under 52 minutes but not end of the world.

Wednesday 2nd April 2014
Only 10 days and a bit to go to London Marathon 2014 and weight is not coming off in time!  Yikes.  Will get it done whatever but it's going to be closer to six hours than five I fear.  Never mind, reap as ye sow and all that.  Got up at 5:50 - really had to drag myself out of bed - could do with an early night!  Took dog up town and got the papers.  Got shaved, showered and into work for 8.20am - lots to get done. Group after work - another 1.5lbs gone but tough work - this final week is going to be 100% commitment - no rubbish just back to the old ways!  Could really do with moving 4.5lbs to get me to where I was in 2010 marathon - that would be a real confidence booster but a bit unlikely!

Thursday 3rd April 2014
Up early dog walked, papers fetched - the usual.  Then off to Diane Copley's group in Kirkby-in-Ashfield to sort some tech problems out.  Then back to the office in sunny Alfreton.  Lots of good stuff covered off and home in goodish time too.  Good day food optimising-wise, I hope anyway.

Friday 4th April 2014
Up at silly o'clock as Phil's phone alarm went off downstairs, thanks very much Phil.  Dog walked, papers fetched did I mention nine days until the marathon - yikes! It will be fine and when it's done the running shoes will be hung up for all eternity (actually might sell em on eBay!!).  Anyroad, loaded car up and then cycled into work as I like to do from time to time.  Got stopped at every set of lights along the way - what a pain. Got there for almost exactly 9am but enjoyed the ride and that's what counts.

Saturday 5th April 2014
Up a bit late as waited for missus to come back from hospital as brother-in-law has gone back in.  Got up took dog walk.  Got Lucy up and ready for football.  Went up town to get Phil a photo for his Visa application.  Taking him to US Embassy in London for his visa interview next week.   Noticed over last few days that there is some work going on up at top of road for BT Openreach - hopefully they're uprating the exchange with fibre - we'll see.  Current bandwidth is a bit over 3mbits.

This is a new cabinet, you can see the old one in the background, I think it's still in play.

Sunday 6th April 2014
Up early. Dog walked. Fetched new loo seats from Homebase.  Fitted the beggars. Watered stuff.  Went up in attic to find receipt for toaster failed.  Took dog on another four walks over the day.  Visited me mum and dad for tea with Phil and Lucy, bosskat at Derby city Hospital.



15/11.5

Monday 24th March 2014 to Sunday 31st March 2014

Monday 24th March 2014
Went to bed really early last night and consequently woke up silly o'clock but I had to as was absolutely bone tired. Anyway, up at 5:20am (made sure the lad was up at 4.20 too) took dog up town -4 degrees centigrade the car said this morning or bloody cold in layman's terms.  Got papers, got back, watered the indoor estate and off to work early.  Have another visit to the Osteopath's this morning to get the knee lasered.


Am umming and ahing about another big run this weekend - there are some who say should be tapering down from now on in but would sooner have the confidence of having done a big run in my head.

However, I've also had a bit of a think about the difference between my training runs and the actual Marathon course.  These are the gradient profiles from my last training run and from the London marathon:

This is my 23rd March training run gradient profile with scale going from 500 to a 1000 feet

This is London Marathon gradient profile with the scale going from 0 to 50m 

I wonder whether I should stop panicing and just relax a bit? It's going to be pretty damn flat in comparison to where I've been training.

After normal work I went to Diane Copling's group in Kirkby-in-Ashfield which was good - found some problems and have recommended some solutions.   Got to bed at 10pm so all in all not too bad a day.


Tuesday 25th March 2014
Up at 4.22 to get the boy up, then up at 4.30 to make him get up.  Then up at 5:45 to take dog out and fetch papers what a miserable sort of a day.  Got to work for just after 8am - all going fairly well so far. Few jobs at home in the evening but not much to report.  Bad day for solar generation.

Wednesday 26th March 2014
Up at the crack of dawn to wake Phil up.   Back to bed then up at 5:40.  Dog walked and papers fetched by 6:40.  Changed and ready for a quick run and quick run it was.  The Jantastic target for March for me was 3 miles in under 30 minutes and I've been struggling with the iffy knee but I gave myself a mental kick up the back passage and went for it.

Managed to get round in 29mins 39seconds so mission accomplished!   Arch of my left foot hurting a bit but stuff it - it's marathon time in just over a fortnight so it might as well get used to it.  Into the office for just after 8.30 so everything ticking over nicely. Good day at work, meeting with IT Team in the afternoon, off to Hollie's group after work - 4.5lbs off, if could get a similiar result for next week I'd be in a much happier place for the marathon - keep on boring on I reckon!


Thursday 27th March 2014
4.23am woke Phil up so he could get off to work.  Back to bed, 5:30 and Lily started barking so got up got walk done and papers fetched early doors.  Got back, got changed, got out for another run.   This was just a bit of a jog round at a steadier pace but again better than it's been of late so well-pleased with it.  Pace was 10:25 miles which I'm happy with.  All good stuff. Feeling better about things now - have just had a look at my weight record from 2010 and two weeks before the 2010 Marathon I was only two pounds lighter than I was at group yesterday.  Therefore, I just need to put in another two good weeks and I might just be able to get to where I was on April 25th 2010!    It would be even better if could get a little bit lower which would be a cracker of a confidence booster!

Friday 28th March 2014
Day off work, up early, dog walked, papers fetched, car loaded, off to Anglesey. Got settled. in fire burning, bait dug, ready to fish!  First night caught a whiting and a dogfish, our Andrew had a coalfish, a rockling and a few whiting.  I had a whiting and a first for us from Church Bay - a bull buss (which is a greater spotted dogfish).

Winter storms made a mess of the slipway.

The Bull Huss what I caught!

L'il Rockling

One of many wee whitings

Saturday 29th March 2014
Exactly a year since we lost Pippy D, miss that wee dog so much.  Up fairly early - 6am'ish and then off running.  Only did 17.28 miles as was sick of the damn rain and not knowing quite where I was!

Traditional Windmill near Llanddeusant

Wind turbines a couple of miles on!

We went for a rock climb to a mark near Porth Dafarch - not the sort of place I'd usually climb down to and not great when you've got a knackered knee.  Such is life!  Me and our Andrew both caught small whitings but nothing else - still a nice spot - I should have got a picture.

Fished the usual beach from 8:30 until a bit after 11pm - more whiting as well as a rockling for me and a pouting for our Andrew - a first for us on this beach.  No bass though which was a shame.

Sunday 30th March 2014
Up at 6:30.  Stuff tidied up, stuff packed away.  Walk down to the beach to ring the missus.  Said goodbye to Church Bay again for a bit.  Our Andrew up about 10am off home by 11.20.

Saying ta-ra to Ynys Mon!

Back home by 2:40pm.  Some tomatoes potted, some dried out - should have got bosskat to water em - never mind.   Dog walked round the 1.5 mile loop




15/13

Monday 17th March 2014 to Sunday 23rd March 2014

Monday 17th March 2014

Up early. Dog walked, papers fetched, off to the office nice and early. Loads done. Left work at 5.15.   Got to allotment in time to unload weeds from a trug and the barrow into two more bags I'd got from home and then get the whole lot covered up ahead of the anticipated rain.  Visited osteopath at Selton at lunchtime.  Found out have got osteo-arthritis in my right knee which explains the pain I've been having since last September - ought to have had it looked out earlier.  At least I can retire from running with a proper excuse so there's a silver lining, I suppose. Had some manipulation and laser treatment on it.  

Tuesday 18th March 2014

Up early.  Dog walked, papers fetched. Bit of breakfast.   Car loaded up, cycled in from Belper - felt like every traffic light was on red, what a pain in the backside they are.  Any way actual cycle time was 53 minutes which is a bit quicker than the other week and starting to get something like. Reported a stray alsation to Amber Valley dog warden but someone had got in there first so that was good!  Cycled back nice and steady - again, seem to be hitting all the lights on red - very odd.

Wednesday 19th March 2014
Up early, dog walked, papers fetched, into the office 8:30. Group after work. Was going to go for a run this morning but couldn't find knee support so will leave that until tonight.   Good day at work with just three meetings.  Went to group after work - just a pound lost - could do with more than that, really.  After tea I took dog out then put together a new mini greenhouse.  In bed for 10am

Thursday 20th March 2014
Got up at 4.20 to make sure Phil got to work, back to bed then up at 5.50.   Dog walked, papers fetched, still a bit of time so have moved the sweet peas out of the cold frame and into the new greenhouse, move the coldframe and put the patio furniture back where the cold frame was.  All ticking over nicely. Into work for 8.20, clothes in gym ready for next cycle2work.

Friday 21st March 2014
Started taking Glucosamine Sulphate again on advice from the osteopath.  I also got some glucosamine gel yesterday so gave that a go after a three mile run - ran about 11 minute miles which is probably as good as I'll get these days. Got papers and took the pooch out first,  Phil was on a normal so he went about 6.30 looking forward to muck spreading (crazy fool).   Into the office on time and got a parking space at 8:50 which I think is rather good.

Saturday 22nd March 2014
4am Phil's alarm on his phone goes off - downstairs - great.  Back to bed, up around 6am as can't get back to sleep proper.  Dog walked papers fetched.  Potting tomato plug plants, sweet peas , general sorting out.  More stuff gone into heated propogator - couple of pumpkins gone into an unheated propogator - rest will follow if they get going.   Allotment - shifted five bags of weed and banged some lime down for the brassicas,  Golf at lunchtime - very average but a couple of birdies on 6th and 8th was nice, odd par here and there too so not bad considering how little I've played of late.

Sunday 23rd March 2014
Up at 5am.  Dog walked.  Going to go running - it's hailing and chucking it down, great.  Finally got off at 6.45, very slow affair, knee is a bit on the knackered side it's fair to say 20.58 miles in 4hrs 41m - very slow.  Can't be helped.

A rainbow over Thorpe - this was taken coming up the big hill out of Mappleton towards Thorpe

Looking back at massive scaffolding project held down with IBC tanks on Darfield Lane coming out of Tissington

Looking over to Bradbourne - wind turbines in distance

Bradbourne Mill Ford - saw a BMW come through this which was a bit mad at this time of year.

Geese in field near offcote - seen a lot of geese of late?

16/3.5

Monday 10th March 2014 to Sunday 16th March 2014

Monday 10th March 2014
Up early, dog walked, into office early.  Lots of good stuff done.  Out of office, Lotty before it's dark - row of onions in and more plans mentally made - going to put a row of leeks in near the onions, going to put peas and some more beans where the brassicas were when we got the plot last year and going to put brassica between where they were last year and the new bean pit.  Home, tea, dog walked, got some sharp sand for my heated propogator - that's tomorrow night's project.

Tuesday 11th March 2014
Lily's birthday, one today bless her.  Took her a walk up town early doors as always and got the papers.  Was all set for cycling in today but as usual something went wrong - got everything ready to go and then found out I'd got a puncture so going to do a five mile run tonight. Feck it.   When all done will be getting the heated propogator going.  Of course, that didn't pan out.  Purchased a heavy-duty tomato mini-greenhouse which will put some of the staging from the dead mini-greenhouses that got blown to bits.  Hopefully it will last a bit longer than they did.  Also bought a bag of compost - going to revive some of the tubs (also going to take another one down to the lotty for herbs I think.
Anyway, found out in the afternoon that Phil has got the job he went for in America, bless him.  So proud, of course he's playing it cool but I bet he's dead chuffed really.  So did his passport application when got home, might have to go down to Peterborough to get his passport if we can't get it back quick enough.   The company that he got the job with is called Haynes Custom Harvesting.

Was going to do the puncture but I think the problem is the valve more than anything so ended up putting the damn wheel back on after pumping it up to see what would happen - should really have put a new tube in and possibly even have replaced the tyre as well - am going to end up doing that tomorrow.  Such is life.

Wednesday 12th March 2014
Up at crack of dwan to make sure Phil got up.  Back to bed than up at 5:50.  Dog walked, apers fetched.  3.5 mile run, slow, no knee support - okay.  Stopped off at the lotty on the way round and watered the two rows as we've had three summer-like days in a row, it won't do no harm I reckon.   Into the office for bang on 9am.  Which I'm happy with - stuck behind a line of traffic behind a livestock truck that barely got above 40 mph for most of the way then a tractor!  Awesome.  Anyway, not a bad day in the office, left about 5.20 got to group in Belper about 5:45, 2.5lbs off so quite a good result all things considered.   Finished off the bourbon when got home so now am on a month's solid weight loss up to the Marathon.

Thursday 13th March 2014
Up early to make sure Phil's up and off to work.  Back to bed then up at 5:50.  Do walked, papers, fetched, bike tyres pumped up, cycle2work is the plan.  Not fixed the slow puncture yet so will need to pump it up before I set off home. No great hardship.  Anyway cycled in nice and steady.  Am pleased that on both occasions so far I've got up the Pentrich hill with no pushing (although I did stop today to pick up a bungee cord - as you do). Anyway 55 minutes again so a bit slow but not bothered it's about picking up the level of fitness in a month and shifting a stone in a month at the moment!  Cycled home in about 50 minutes so not too bad.  Did a little bit of work in getting the heated propogator ready to go - it will be switched on tomorrow without fail.

Friday 14th March 2014
Up early to get Phil off (will miss that when he's Stateside!!).  Got up 5:40, took the wee dog out and got the papers.  Two mile run in new Marathon shoes (Gel Kayano 19's - got them £15 cheaper than the Gel Kayano 15's from 2009!).  Was about to go to work on bike when noticed the slow puncture in rear tyre has got a  lot worse so that bugger is getting fixed tonight.  Will also get lights put on the road bike so I've got a spare for next time.  So went to work in car.  All good so far.  Home from office got rear tyre for Boardman UMB sorted out - why on earth I didn't do that from the off I don't know - bloody idiot.  Heated Propogator loaded with sand (as per Titchmarsh advice) and switched on.  So two little jobs done.

Saturday 15th March 2014
Up early as usual. Dog walked papers fetched.   Got the heated propogator going - loaded up the little trays with tomatos, sweet corn and something else that has escaped my memory.  Up town to piccy Bs for breakfast for missus, me and Lucy (Phil fetched his own the miserable bugger).  Golf in afternoon - have renewed subs like an idiot.  This year though it will be a case of assessing whether I make it value for money.

Sunday 16th March 2014
Up early.  Dog walked - 1.5 mile the farm loop is.  Then togged up and off for run 18.5 miles in about 4 hours - really not in shape need to work on fitness big style - 2,500foot of ascent though whereas London perhaps has 100ft - will have a look later..  Lawns mowed then down the allotment to work on the sections. I think I did two and a half hours on the lotty - digging out a sort of grass pathway - the reason being to make a bigger section so that there are four more or less equal sections to allow for crop rotation.  All good stuff.  Walked back from allotment - .95 mile from the lotty gates to our house.   Dog walking and in bed before 10am slept quite well.

Monday 3rd March 2014 to Sunday 9th March 2014

Monday 3rd March 2014
Up at 6am - lie-in!! Phil going to work in tractor.

Walked dog, fetched papers, about to have a shower and Phil rings.  His rear window on tractor has shattered can you come and clean up the glass.  Marvellous.   Still, into work for 8:25 best I can do.  Lovely views coming into work so stopped and took a snap or two but ought to carry a proper camera really.

Jantastic score for February not 100% but best I can do with the time I got and the troubles I seen (violins please)

Got home just before 6pm as had to take missus and a couple of friends to see some bloke out of Westlife at Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham.   Got home for 11:40 and into bed by 12.30 after a little snifter.


Tuesday 4th March 2014
Up early(ish), well a bit of a lie-in, really.  Out of bed for 6am, dog walked, papers fetched by 6.45am.  Into the office by 8:25 all good apart from some knob pipping at me for letting someone out of ther junction near the Excavator pub - must email Beresford Flooring later.


Wednesday 5th March 2014
Woke at 4am, didn't get up til 6am.  Dog walked, papers fetched.  Managed to get Lily back home without her bringing a stick with - which is a good result in my view!!

Into the office for 8.30, no-one pipping at me today. Good.  Lunch at Head Office for first time in 23 years!!  Went to Hollie's group a bit early as she'd had issues with the machine she's trialling for us - no issues when I'm there though - bit of reassurance goes a long way though so all's well that ends well.  Was surprised at only having put on 1.5lbs in the three weeks since last weighed - have been totally off track but am pleased with that!   Back home, dog walked, got cycling stuff ready as am Cycle2Working on Friday as we have visitors at the office to impress!

Thursday 6th March 2014
Up at 5.45 (only cause neighbour's dog was barking).  Got Lily walked, papers fetched.  Fruit'n'Fibre for breakfast.  Aldi before work to get some dog food.   Into the office for 8.40  Home in good time as had to go to see the Dublin Legends with the missus - this is 3 folks out of the Dubliners and a super-sub fiddler/banjo player called Paul Kerry - Irish Folk isn't really my bag but have to say they were entertaining and the atmosphere was fantastic.

Friday 7th March 2014
Despite getting back later last night I was up early and dog was walked by 6:15.  We have visitors from the public health arena visiting Slimming World so I thought I'd better Cycle2Work - bloody weather peed it down all the way in - still enjoyed it but will have very wet clothes for the ten miles back to Belper later. Such is life!  Anyhoo, Paul James let me put clothes in the boiler room and they were spot on by time was on way home!  Shoes a bit wet but you can't have everything.

Saturday 8th March 2014
Up at 5:25, took dog up town and fetched paper quick.  Got ready, put a couple of crumpets in and set off for the (well my) last ever Grindleford gallop.  Set off at 8.15, took 5hrs 25m to get round but get round we did,  left quad hurting but think that's from 20 mile bike ride day before.   Had bath when got home and left quad went into mega cramp, talk about painful.   Tony Audenshaw who plays Bob Hope off Emmerdale was there again - nearly bumped into him (literally) at Great Yorkshire Run last September.

Sunday 9th March 2014
Didn't sleep well - legs aching all night, at least no more cramps.  Got up at 5:55, took pooch out.  Nice time to be out too - dawn, streetlights blinking out, cockerels crowing etc.etc. Lil Dog picked up a massive stick and carried it all way home too.  That's commitment for you!

16/6.5