However, the Half Marathon training plans starts with a 4 mile run, and that’s too much for me at the moment. SO, I’ve had to come up with my own plan, which starts with a 2 mile run on a Sunday (followed by 1 mile runs during the week) for 2 weeks, then 3 miles on Sunday (followed by 2 miles during the week) and building up gradually from there. Yes, it’s very little to start with, but that’s what injury does to you I guess.

So anyway, I walked down to Marlay park today (which is over a mile walk, and seemed like a decent warm up) to jog 2 miles. Iphone in it’s armband, all ready to go, when I found out there was no music on the iphone, as it had all been deleted when syncing with itunes. Bastards. I fired my my “may my run” app to log how long I was running and at what time/pace. Did the first mile in 8.5 minutes, an ok but not great pace, and felt like I was about to die. Kept going anyway, determined to make the 2 miles and I ran and ran and ran and ran. The app is set up to tell me every mile how far I have gone and how long I have taken. But the GPS must have gone offline or something, because when I eventually did reach 2 miles, I had been jogging for 25 minutes. If the app is right, I ran the first mile in 8.5 minutes, and the second in 17 minutes. Which is stupid, because my walking pace is a mile every 15 minutes, meaning I jogged it slower than I walk it.

So I’m not sure exactly how far I did jog in the end, but it was close to 3 miles by my reckoning. That’s great and all, but the whole reason for starting off REALLY slow with just 2 miles was to avoid injury to the leg, and sadly it’s really been at me since I got back home. Not killing me, but certainly not fine either. I’m doing all the exercises and stretches and massages that my resident physiotherapist told me to do, and I’m only due to run 1 mile on Tuesday, so hopefully by the time that comes around in wont be a problem, and I’ll be able to Run ryan, RUN!

Ryan Phillips is training to run the Dublin City Marathon on 25 October 2010. Over one third through the year now and he’s still not able to run more than 2 miles without getting injured. Things are starting to look a bit grim. Day 131 was Sunday 7 March 2010

I spoke to my Physio Friend Claire today, and she’s coming over On Sunday with some exercises for me so that I can try and strengthen my ankles and knees and not get injured when I start jogging regularly. I also found out that Brian Maher from the Zoo Crew on Spin1038 is planning on running the marathon for the second time this year, so I think I may have found a training buddy, albeit one who I am months behind in terms of fitness levels!!

I got on the scales after the gym and was 11 and a half stone. That’s roughly on target for where i wanted to be for Christmas, so I’m treating myself to a pizza and some junk food and wine tonight. Everything in Moderation of course….

My Weapon of Choice