“I will quote from the last words of Cleopatra to Mark Antony: if you liked it, tell your friends.”

Lurcio, Up Pompei

Monday 17th August – I’ve woken up with what feels like the beginning of a cold.

I’m not sure whether to be happy or annoyed.

Annoyed that I’m getting a cold. No one likes a cold. Whilst I’m not one of those man-flu blokes, I hate having colds. You know you’re not going to be really ill and it will go, but you also know you’re going to have a few days of snot and feeling a bit crap.

However, I’m also slightly pleased that my summer cold looks like it’s come early. I usually get it in September. If this is it and I’m getting it out the way now, then I’m happy with that.

Anyway, I feel a bit shite.

It’s my first day back at work but there isn’t anything pressing to do. I catch up on the several hundred emails and Teams messages I’ve missed, and deal with anything that’s quick and easy.

I mentioned in last weeks blog that my legs were a tired after my long run. 24 hours later, my quads are a bit sore. I’m convinced that I definitely did too much on the Saturday and am paying for it a bit now. 

I get me weights session done over lunch time, then my usual virtual yoga in the evening. Whilst I enjoyed my holiday, I do like being back into my usual routine. It’s my safe space.

Tuesday 18th August – The cold has now fully arrived and whilst not that heavy, my eyes are feeling it and the snot level is quite high.

Thankfully, work is quiet. It’s that time of year, the summer holidays, so things tend to be on hold, and people tend to be off. It’s usually the calm before the storm. I embrace these moments.

It’s club session night. The weather has its sensible head on at the moment, but my warm up is a bit of a slog. My legs still have a tiny bit of soreness in them, plus my energy levels feel a bit meh with having a cold. 

Tonight is a session down the sea front, which I feel I haven’t done in ages. It’s 14 minutes Threshold pace going out, turn and do 4 minutes easy, then 10 minutes Threshold back. 

As always, we go far too fast. However, it takes me mind off the cold and I feel better for doing it. 

I get back, have a shower, eat my tea, then hit a massive wall. Like all the energy has been sucked from me. I get an early night, hoping that I can sleep whatever I have off and feeling right as rain in the morning.

Wednesday 19th August – I wake up with peak cold. 

I’m full of snot, my eyes are heavy despite a good night’s sleep, and I can’t be arsed.

Its easy 6 miles this evening. A check of the weather reveals that we’re under a severe thunderstorm warning from 7pm to 10am tomorrow.

I head out about 6:30pm and it looks gloomy. It then starts to pour down. I can’t remember the last time I ran in the rain. It feels like months. I think it probably was.

If I didn’t have this stinking cold, I’d be whooping for joy at this stage. However, I really can’t be arsed and this whole run is a massive effort. 

The only good thing about the weather is that this is the quietest the Wagonway has been in months. I pretty much have it to myself. Unfortunately, I can’t even be arsed to enjoy that either.

It’s another case of shower, tea, and early night.

Thursday 20th August – Thankfully, I wake up feeling a bit better today. I’m far less snotty, and my eyes feel much better.

I’m still not 100%, but I’m confident that I’m passed peak cold and on the up. Which is just as well, as it’s Thresholds day and it’s a stinker – 1 x 2 miles, 2 x 3 miles. 

Weather wise, it’s a weird day. We didn’t get the thunderstorms, but it rained heavily overnight. In the morning, it’s dark, raining, and windy. It looks more like October than August.

That eventually clears, but there is a cool and quite brisk northerly wind in the air. So I expect it to be hard out, but on my back for the final bit. 

It’s probably the coolest I’ve felt on a run in a long time. That head wind is as manky as I thought it would be. By the time I start my last 3 miler I’m fed up of it and can’t wait to turn. It feels like the farmhouse takes forever to get to, even though I can see it well in advance.

It’s blessed relief when I eventually turn. The wind behind me really helps. 

Despite the head wind for most of it, and also feeling a bit under the weather, I complete these in quite a fast pace. In fact, too fast if I’ve honest.

When I finish at the Spanish City, the change in the weather is noticeable. I’m actually cold. No sitting cooling down on the grass tonight. There’s also no-one around. This place has been packed at this time all Summer. Tonight though, not a soul. It’s also noticeable getting darker. Winter is coming.

Friday 21st August – Today I’m tired. I went far too fast last night on the Thresholds, and the legs are feeling it. 

I also just can’t shake this bastard cold. I feel like I’m in the hangover phase of the cold, which can sometimes be just as bad as the peak.

That wind is still kicking about as well.

I do my weights at lunchtime, where the quads are still feeling it, then it’s off out later for the hills session.

I very rarely say this, but when it is time to go out, I proper can’t be arsed.

My legs have felt even more tired as the day has gone on, and this fucking cold will just not shift.

I actually feel cold when I go out. I can’t remember the last time that’s happened.

I head off down to the sea front and it’s amazing just how much a bit of meh weather chases off everyone. It’s dead down here, yet again.

It’s a struggle, but it’s done. I’m ready for a rest now and I’m thankful I don’t have to run tomorrow.

Again, when was the last time I thought that?

Saturday 22nd August – Unlike last week, I really won’t be overdoing it on my rest day.

Other than volunteering at Parkrun, the only other thing I’m doing today is visiting friends, which I’ll be driving to and then sitting on my arse once there.

Tomorrow’s big run is back up to 21 miles. I’ve felt shite and tired all week, so I really am taking it easier today.

I realised that, for various reasons, this will probably my last Parkrun volunteering before the Marathon.

I’m back on Tokens today, but this time handing them out. I manage not to drop them, and say ‘well done’ 600 times.

It’s been a nice experience helping out, and I’m sure I’ll do it again. I won’t just be fair weather either. I’ll do a couple in the depths of winter freezing my nuts off. It’s only fair.

Sunday 23rd August – The heatwave is well and truly over and it’s a perfect morning for a long run.

It’s 7°c when I set out, which is around 20°c cooler than two weeks ago, when I sweated my way round Menorca. That’s nuts.

We do still have a little bit of wind, but it’s died down a lot and feels a bit more westerly, which suits me.

So, 21 miles. The second longest run I’ll need to complete in the 16 weeks. I’ve worked out that I’ve now successfully run over 20 miles 8 times in the last year.

Before that, the thought of it would make me mildly queasy.

Today though it’s just another long run with a podcast.

I head down to the sea front and follow the coast all the way South to Tynemouth. It’s amazing how a change in the weather (ie not sunny) makes it much quieter down here.

Once I’m at Tynemouth then it’s my usual route inland, heading west, till I hit the fringes of the city and then turn.

The legs feel much better than last week. Taking it easier on the Saturday has definitely made a difference. Lesson learnt.

I end up completing 21.27 miles in 3:06:36. Around where I want my pace to be, a bit too fast if anything.

A well earned breakfast demolished, I then head off into town.

Because football is back. Oh joy! I’m a Newcastle fan, so every August tends to be 10 minutes of hope followed by 9 months of abject disappointment.

Anyway, we draw 2-2, and I drink far too much Guinness. It is full of iron. Probably.

Mood: Optimistic. Followed immediately by disappointment. Told you.