Week 2

Well, week 2 was scary, but not too bad. I think I found the sudden intensity of Sal-training quite a shock. I mean, yes, I have been running more than ever before (bar the pre-half marathon, when, er, Sal was training me) - but only in a leisurely way. I embraced the different exercises as a challenge, first up was some interval work, the instruction was "warm up ten mins easy then run 6 x 4 at TH with 2-3 mins recovs. Jog to finish." "TH" is Threshold. Threshold isn't flat-out, but it's faster than "steady". The instructions said, if I tried to speak, I'd only be able to say a few words. Now, all I can say is, thank the lord Moustachioed Chris was around this week. What I have discovered about myself, and part of the reason that I wanted Sal's help, is that I'm basically pretty lazy. I'd first of all have to overcome the "I don't really want to leave the sofa", and secondly overcome my brain, which basically looked at that instruction and laughed. The thing is, I knew I could do it, because I'd already done a similar thing with Dave and Jon. Would I have done it on my own? I'd have tried, sure, because otherwise I'd have had to tell Sal I hadn't. But having Chris there was genius. He is really, so encouraging. Who would have known that Sal could project herself on to a funny guy with a curly mustache? He really tried hard to distract me from my pain, when - brokenly - (I was only following instructions) I'd pant out something that sounded, indistinctly like "Got to - stop - the - pain... how much.... longer??" and Chris would chirp, "Oh, we're over half-way" (-my brain saying, "of the first one") as he'd continue "and isn't it a lovely day? I must say, we are lucky with this weather. Really beautiful..." which indicated to me that he was in no way running anywhere near HIS threshold pace.

Anyway, we finished my exercise, with my final interval Chris saying "come on, there's some weird old bloke with a mustache running along next to you - better speed up!" - and I was immensely proud of myself.

On Thursday we had an hour's jog, which Chris also accompanied me for, as handily, we were both going to see John Heggly that night at the Key, so it made a good filler in between work and the show. We saw a young woman jogging ahead of us, and I rashly said "That looks like Summer, but it can't be, she's running too fast", only to meet up with Summer later and have her airily say "I went for a jog around the rowing lake earlier...." Oops.

Also, among Chris's other idiosyncrasies, I happen to know that he plays a ukelele. So when John Heggley joked "some of you may be wondering what this instrument is called... well, it's called Steve", I felt that Chris would be in his element, but when I mentioned it the next day, I discovered new things about musical instruments that I didn't know (although in fairness, what I don't know about musical instruments is a fairly wide arena) - apparently John H wasn't playing a uke, it was a mandolin. I do a good line in not looking too surprised (I've found it covers up how incredibly ignorant I am) but Chris was good enough to expand on his subject without encouragement. "Ukeleles don't have that many strings" he explained, "so although it is an unusual shape for a mandolin, that's what it was". So. There you have it.

On Friday, I had some more track work, although as Sal had warned last time I opted to run round the rowing lake, she would be giving me different distances to run. This time i had to face my demons, and go to the track. I'll give it this... it's pretty boring. I was a little concerned about being thrown off, but the two blokes walking round with some surveying equipment didn't seem to mind. I saw a very heavily myxied rabbit on the track, who I was able to overtake successfully (several times). I didn't have any means of dispatching it, so I had to let it be. I wasn't sure about the exercise and whether I was doing it properly; and didn't have time to do the swim afterwards. I asked Sal if I should do it the next day, but she said no, it was better to have the rest day resting. Which made sense.

I don't mind admitting that my legs were starting to ache a little bit. I was hoping that at some point, they'd get used to, and accept, the fact that they had a fair way to go yet.