Why the blog?
I decided to set this blog up because at the moment I can't run. Nothing major, just a calf strain that will be gone in a few weeks (hopefully). But this spell of non-running has meant that I will miss two big races. Races I have been preparing for most of the year. And that hurts. It really hurts.
A friend and colleague, Scott Harris (a talented runner himself), suggested that I start a blog to chart my progress as I get back into running and through to my 2016 target race, the Virgin Money London Marathon. I will use this blog to track my training, talk about what has gone well and what hasn't gone so well, write about races that I participate in, parkruns I have visited and all manner of other nonsense.
My running history
In 2011 I was 33, I had a one year old baby who was just starting to walk and my middle-aged spread had started early. I wasn't exercising and, to be honest, I was fat and unfit.
It was then that my company, LV=, decided to sponsor the Brentwood Half Marathon and offer free entry to staff. A couple of the younger guys from my office were doing it and they basically dared me to sign-up. So I did.
I intended to start training straight away but laziness got the better of me and Christmas came and went and I hadn't started. So in early 2012, 12 weeks out from the race I started to panic. It was then that I asked the running club at my office, Westbourne RC, if anyone could help me train. Step forward Yvonne Loader. My own Mr Miyagi. She offered to train me, so from then on, 3 times a week, we ran.
At first I couldn't run more than half a mile without having to stop, sounding like an asthmatic Darth Vader. But slowly, week-by-week, I built up the distance until I could run 10 miles. The race was at the end of March and I loved it. I ran well and finished in just under 2 hours. From then on I was hooked. I did 3 more half marathons in 2012 (Swanage, New Forest and Blenheim Palace).
In late 2012 I decided I wanted to try and step up to the marathon so I signed up for Edinburgh at the end of May 2013. I trained hard through the winter and felt good going into the race. Edinburgh was a massive step forward but the occasion and the distance got the better of me. I went out too fast, on a hot day, and suffered later on. I finished in 4:48 but was disappointed as I knew I could've done better.
Later that year I ran the inaugural Bournemouth marathon, and again improved my time to 4:21. In 2014 I ran the Stratford-upon-Avon and Cheltenham marathons 
I then went nuts and decided that signing up and running my first 50km race would be a good idea. The run was from Runnymede to Henley along the Thames Path. I loved it and in a little over 2 and a half years I had gone from non-runner to ultra-runner. That year I also ran the Clarendon marathon, a trail marathon from Salisbury to Winchester. another fantastic event (one I highly recommend).In 2015 I decided I needed more focus if I was ever going to achieve my goal of a sub-4 marathon at Manchester in April. I worked my socks off for 4 months; I lost weight, changed my diet and changed my training. My training previously has been 4-5 lunchtime runs a week at a steady pace and one long run at a weekend. I created a training plan and included more focussed sessions, speed work and I put more emphasis on my long runs.
In the build up to Manchester I ran the Brentwood half again and smashed my PB running the 13.1miles in 1:41:01 (16+ minutes faster than 3 years previously). I also broke my 5km PB as well. I was in the form of my life.
Manchester went to plan and I managed to sneak a time of 3:57. It was my proudest sporting achievement.
I also went on to run the Ox trail marathon in May, however my other focus races, the Bath Marathon and the 9bar9x9 50miler have both been disrupted by a pesky calf injury sustained in August. Hence the reason for this blog...I need to get motivated again...I need a goal and I need to drive myself to achieving it. 
Throughout this time I have also regularly been running parkrun on a Saturday morning. I am a bit of a parkrun tourist having run 61 parkruns at 31 different locations (at the time of writing). I used to use parkrun as a bit of fun on a Saturday morning, which it still is, but it is now also part of my training schedule with the 5kms being used as a hard-effort speed session.
My aims and aspirations
Am I still relatively new to running and so still have lots of goals.
In terms of times I would like to try and go under 3:45 for the Marathon, under 1:40 for the Half, under 45mins for 10km and under 20mins for the 5km.
I want to run in as many new and varied places as I can. In terms of Marathons my dream has always been to run London and next year I will get that opportunity. I would like to run a Marathon abroad and I would like to try and do some more trail marathons.
Ultra wise I have booked to do a 50 mile race in Feb 2016 (as a replacement for the 9bar9x9 challenge). I would also like to run a 100km race and maybe, just once, a 100 mile race. I would love to run comrades in South Africa one day.
I have time on my side so as long as I train hard and am sensible I see no reason why I can't achieve my goals.
Lastly...the blog name.
Why is this blog called "Operation Beat Mike Pennock"? Mike is a chap who works in my office in Bournemouth. He is a great runner and a genuinely nice bloke. We are of a similar standard when it comes to running however all of his PB's are just slightly quicker than mine. Only slightly better but enough to make me want to push myself that little bit harder.
This year I broke my half marathon PB in March. In April Mike bettered it by 18 seconds (he later beat it by a further 5 minutes) I broke my 5km PB twice...both times, within weeks, Mike beat it. One day I broke my 5km PB in the morning and he went and beat it in the evening.
I'm not a competitive man (I am really...aren't we all?) however Mike's time make me want to improve. I know I can run faster and I know that I can improve. He, in a totally non-gay way, is my inspiration, and I will beat him (even if he then beats me right back)
Next Blog
In my next blog I will outline my winter training plan and how I hope to prepare for the 50 mile Thames Trot in February, Brentwood in March and London in April.
James
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