OK so I'm reviving this blog, no more 5 k every day, lots more miles and some things to say

So it's been far too long since I've updated this blog. In fact the last time I posted was just before I tackled the Brighton Marathon back in April. What a scorching hot day that was! I finished it albeit an hour slower than I hoped for so I'm signed up again for next year because I've got unfinished business there!

So why am I suddenly reviving this blog now?

Good question, it's not like there aren't already a million blogs by running enthusiasts out there and most of them are far more accomplished runners than I. What the hell have I got to say that hasn't been written about in a thousand different ways already? Even the original concept of running 5km every day has been done and done and done. So why bother?

Well mainly as I'm well into my second year as a "runner" I'm pretty much committed, it's not a hobby that's going anywhere soon, not least because I keep signing up to events. I'm also thinking having my own log of my progress in more qualitative and subjective terms than the pure quantitative data in Strava and Garmin Connect might be interesting. And finally (and I suspect this is why there are so many of these blogs) when I'm out on the long runs (24 miles tomorrow btw) I sometimes need something to occupy my mind. Thinking "what would I write about this run" could be just the tonic. I've previously found myself drafting unwritten blog posts while plodding through the long miles.

So before I start getting back into this writing malarky a quick recap

• I started this blog to track a personal challenge as a very green runner to run 5km every day during October 2016 in aid of Cancer research. Read the old posts if you need any more detail than that.
• During that time I decided it would be a laugh to enter the Brighton Marathon so that's what I did.
• Shortly after the Brighton Marathon training started in anger (yep the traditional New Year 16 week programme) I thought to myself "be funny to do my first half, first full, and first ultra marathon in the same year" so I signed up for the Two Tunnels Ultra in Bath. I'm currently training for that one.

And here we are, hooked on running, planning on writing about it from the perspective of a really unremarkable athlete. Here are some stats to prove it

• 1 Mile: 7m 43s
• Parkrun (5km): 25m 04s
• Half Mara: 2h 14m
• Mara: 5h 21m

If I remember I'll update these to chart my progress. Sometimes the online running community seems to be full of people banging out 6 minute miles on a slow day so maybe writing from the perspective of someone still learning might be interesting. And I've learned a lot, I've got half formed posts on running shoes, Tough Mudders, playlists, hydration packs, your first big races, being right at the back of the field, n00b training, and how to recover from injuries as a 40 something with shagged knees amongst other things.