Project Half Marathon: thanks for the germs, Germany!

It’s May and almost a month has passed since I shared my first and so far last update on my personal road to Greifensee Run with you.

And a lot has happened since – but not on the running track. It all started with our team offsite in mid-April that meant the entire editorial team spent three days together in Germany. This put an abrupt end to my plan to do an easy to moderate run three times a week. And I stand by this, even if I bet a month’s salary that my workmate and fellow runner Oliver Fischer will double over with laughter when he reads this.

Excuses and sweets

To be honest, I had more than enough time and opportunities to go for a short run during the retreat – just like Oliver did. But I let myself be influenced by the weather app, which predicted rainy days in Germany. So I didn’t even bring my running clothes with me. As if a few raindrops were a real obstacle for someone who’s supposed to be preparing for a half marathon. But in my case, they were. Kudos to you, Olla. You really followed through.

You’d think I'd at least paid attention to my diet given I didn’t manage to move my backside out of the house or hotel during those days, right? Sure, I could have. And I might have, but there was an Edeka supermarket right next to the hotel. If you’ve ever been to this German supermarket, you’ll know it’s heaven for anyone with a sweet tooth. And as much as I tried to hold back, the mix of munchies and school trip giddiness led me to pay several visits to the sweets shelf. And these shelves were full of snacks with peanut butter... How on earth was I supposed to resist?

Confectionery + biscuits

Reese's Guetzli Reeses

1 pcs., 39.50 g

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Confectionery + biscuits

Reese's Guetzli Reeses

1 pcs., 39.50 g

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Combined with our team meals, which weren’t exactly light either, my daily calorie intake would’ve probably been enough to feed two to three people. Oh, and that doesn’t include the odd nightcap.

Shut up and go for a run!

Now it’s time to leave these culinary escapades behind me and get back into my running shoes. That’s exactly what I’d have done if it hadn’t been for a full-blown cold I caught during our stay in Germany. I had alternating headache, fever and aching limbs for days on end, which made me want to do anything but exercise. For heaven’s sake... Oh well, for the following two weeks, I was mainly busy keeping myself healthy with tea, lemon water and inhaling. Oh and my kids caught my cold, too. So we’ve been sharing this inhaler that’s suitable for children and adults.

Inhalers

Emser Compact inhaler

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Inhalers

Emser Compact inhaler

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But back to running: I’ve been feeling better for about a week now and have already done two running training sessions. Fortunately, my fear that my fitness level had dropped to zero after the break disappeared after the first few steps. I just concentrated on my pulse and enjoyed the fresh air and the rural tranquillity. And lo and behold, running felt great. Almost as if I’d never taken a break from it. So my motivation’s definitely back and I’m looking forward to doing the work – without colds and weather-related excuses, I hope.

By the way, I’ve decided to add some strength training over the next few weeks to help shed a few kilos. I’ll be using the Eisenhorn multi-gym I installed in my attic. As you can see, I’ve spared no expense or effort in the past to make working out as easy as possible for myself. Now it’s about time I started using this equipment.

I’ll let you know how I get on. If Eisenhorn doesn’t ring a bell, here’s an article on it:

And now I wish myself good health, lots of success and, above all, perseverance for all the training sessions that lie ahead of me. Here are my learnings from the last few weeks:

• You can run in (almost) any weather
• I’m a complete beginner – what’s three days without training anyway?
• I need to tackle the issue of sweets ASAP

By the way, what’s your exercise and fitness routine? Let me know in the comments how you keep yourself physically (and mentally) fit.

If you’d like to join Oliver and me on our half marathon journey, here are some insights into how we’re getting on.