The six Ps

Anyone my age will have heard of the six Ps, that being ‘Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance'. And I can’t think of a better mantra to see me over the marathon finishing line.

I did come across a more eloquent way of putting it recently:

Everyone in life has to face these two choices, the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.  The difference being, the pain of discipline weighs ounces, the pain of regret tonnes.

I know the marathon is going to be the hardest thing I’ve done in my life.  Fact. And I want to try and make it as painless as possible. I’m not kidding myself that it’s not going to be painful. I know it will be, but I want to make the pain the difference between getting your bare foot trodden on by a shoe and being trodden on by a studded football boot.

So I’ve got a training routine,which I know I can’t waiver from or I’ll suffer big time on the day. 

Here it is:

• Monday – 5-6 miles at an uncomfortable pace.  This run will give me the extra legs when it gets really tough on the day
• Tuesday – no training, although I may start doing the Ryan Giggs' fitness video (yoga based), but don’t tell Brian who I bought it for!
• Wednesday – 9-10 miles steady comfortable pace (although there’s always a hill or two that gets me out of my comfort zone)
• Thursday – 7am:  45 minute circuit workout followed at 6pm with interval training.  The circuits will give me a strong core, which will make running easier. The interval training will give me the extra legs for when I’m flagging. Both sessions are tough going but I know they’ll help me on the day.
• Friday – 30 minute swimming lesson to strengthen my legs even more, but more importantly, strengthen my arms.  It’s too easy to forget how much your arms help with running.  And ‘yes’ I have tried running with my arms pinned to my side.  Comedy gold moment.
• Saturday – long run at a comfortable pace.  This run is about time on my legs, not time on the clock. The marathon will probably take me 4-5 hours, which is a long, long time. I think about those long shopping days before Christmas when my feet are killing me at the end, even with a few coffee breaks thrown in.  I have to get my body used to being up and working for that length of time if I’m going to make it over the finishing line.
• Sunday - rest day.  These bones need it!

The only change to that routine will be the miles on the Sunday run.  They’re going to go up!  I say that with fingers, toes, legs and arms crossed because I may get an injury or I may get the dreaded lurgy that everyone’s coming down with. But, I’m being positive.  I heard on the radio the other day that people who exercise for 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week are 46% less likely to get a cold than people who don’t. I've still got everything crossed though!

And in true Harry Hill style, I’m going to finish each blog off with………..

Training highlights of the weeeeeeeek (sung in Harry Hill TV Burp tune)

For the first time in my life, I swam one full length of proper front crawl (head in water, breathing to the side)! But it was just the one.  After that I drank most of the pool.

Heard a woodpecker on the long run.  The countryside surrounding Andover is full of wildlife.  No doubt wildlife will get lots of mentions on my highlights.  Here comes the next one.  We saw the most adorable Shetland ponies, which were only about two feet high. I wanted to stop and stroke them, but I didn’t think my training partner would’ve been too impressed if I broke our stride.  Instead we just made girlie gushing noises much to the embarrassment of Alan, her husband and our route guide.

That’s this week’s blog.  Hope you’ll come back again next week.