A Turn for the Worst

Well, well, well, what week are we up to and what's going on? It's easier to look at things from the other end now. I have four weeks before I'm running a half-marathon through Melbourne. Four weeks. And here I am on my couch without one run under my belt this week. In fact, I should probably loosen that belt a bit...

...ah, yeah that's more comfy. So what has happened to my rigid training regime? Well I could say that life got in the way, that I've been catching up on work, study, friends...and all of that is true. But I also perform better in all these fields if I take the time to run in the morning. So it really ain't much of an excuse.

No, I've just caught a case of the lazies. There is no doubt I need to shake them off and get back into it quick else those 21.5kms are gonna be bloody tough. The thought crossed my mind that I could downgrade to a simple 10kms but there is no way I'm letting my lazy self get it that easy. Half-marathon or bust!

Last week I made it out for two, pretty slow-paced, run/walks. To give another quick plug to the Zombies, Run! game: if you are feeling lazy, don't want to run (maybe walk at the most) then get onto the main Zombies, Run! app. Unlike the training app, the main app has long workout times void of instruction so you can go at your own pace. Make sure the zombie chases are enabled and you can go as slow as you like. I've been doing a fast walk with hand weights. Then, at random intervals, a zombie chase kicks in and you must run until you have escaped. A great way to go for a walk with sporadic bursts of agility.

So back to the running training. This is like that part of a Hollywood film where we have seen our hero struggle and fight to get ahead and then the penultimate scene where we think, for a flicker of a moment, that all the effort will be in vain. That our hero will fail after all. Cue the slow orchestral music of a maybe-victory, maybe-a-lesson-learned music a la For the Love of the Game and other such Kevin Costner films (think Field of Dreams, Tin Cup, Bull Durham):

And to be honest, I'm not sure what the outcome will be. Most likely our hero will be victorious and make the distance within the allotted time. Or maybe I've watched too much Hollywood and instead I'll end up over-exerting myself from lack of training, throwing up in public, then getting carried off the course crying on a stretcher. Either way, it's sure to be a show!

So open up those purse strings friend and get donating, if you haven't already. Plus, share this blog with your friends and get them donating. Then come race day why not bring a posse, some fold out chairs, and some popcorn and place your bets on how the story will end. It will be more 3D than Imax and I can promise a strong finale. Half-marathon or death! Huzzah!