Brief History Overview

I Remember The Days...

I like to think that I was very fit as a teenager, from the age of 14 I got up and ran for hours in the morning delivering milk. From 4am-8am. Goodness knows how many miles I clocked up, but I could run and run..... but it didn't bother me much, I certainly didn't consider myself as a 'runner'. The positive affect on my health never crossed my mind, I was just delivering milk to make some cash.

Into my later teenage years, and my pace of life slowed dramatically, and I started drinking (a lot) along with other bad habits :)  Shoving in the food, along with not much exercise meant a sharp decline in my fitness. My job consisted of sitting at a desk all day, then driving home to munch food and watch TV. I got fat and lazy. I was never grossly overweight, just a bit chubby. I used to take little notions for going to the gym, but overall was too lazy.

Setback

When I was about 25 or 26 I had was hospitalised with Axillary Vein Thrombosis. The Internet defines this as 'an acute swelling, with pain in the upper limb due to occlusion of the axillary and/or subclavian veins by thrombus'. Basically a blood clot in the arm. I spent a while in hospital being treated with drugs, and then spend ages as an out patient getting weekly blood checks etc. This episode also led me to be less active.

When I was about to hit 30 I decided it was time to stop using my fear of a repeat of the thrombosis as an excuse to be unfit. I joined a couple of forums and sorted myself out with a Bodytronics fitness plan. The plan was a bit too brutal, and I never really got started with it, but the bodytronics forum was great motivation - where I 'met' a couple of guys who remain friends to this day. However life kinda got in the way of my quest to find fitness.

Failed Running Attempts

A few times I started running again, but I have always ended up try to build mileage too quickly and ended up injured. The lack of use of my legs has made the muscles tight, then running has made them tighter resulting in injury. 

Eventually with slowing mileage building and proper pacing I was almost injury free, and started training with the wife. Her slower pace was ideal for me (altho not her) and we planned to do the Great Scottish Run together. We both got injured in the run up and went on holiday instead :)

On return from holiday I never got back into running again.

Turning It Around

Into my thirties, married and have 2 kids. This along with starting my own company and being in a decent frame of mind has made me want to train again - it's ironic that pre-kids I would have had all the time in the world to sort myself out..... but it's only post-kids when time is limited, that I can get training again :/

During some point over the last few years, something happened. I can't exactly point out when this happened. But it did. The wife and I started to munch more healthy food, and this has just became the type of food we eat. Now I think we have very good food choice, althought portion size is probably a bit out.

I have been having ongoing bouts of 'get fit' along with 'be lazy' - but these have been every few weeks.... the result is that I am naturally a lot more fit just now.

Where am I NOW ?

Well technically I'm sitting at my desk in the office hehehe. Seriously. I'm a good bit fitter than I was, have a good frame of mind at the moment and actually want to train. I have been cycling to work a couple of times a week (16k round trip) and doing some running. But I feel that they are empty miles, and that I need to learn 'how' to train better..... I need some goals.

What Do I Want To Achieve ?

My latest 5k time is 26.18 - I would dearly love to get a sub-20 5k time. And as 26.18 is the pace my body is used to plodding at, I feel with some proper training I can certainly cut minutes off my time...... I may never get to a sub-20 5k, but it wont be from lack of effort.

I've also been a fan of triathlon since I was young, and used to record the C4 coverage at 3am. A couple of my friends have recently completed a triathlon, so I am pretty sure I will try a tri in 2012.

Short Term Goals

• Train more consistently
• Sub 25min 5k
• Learn to swim properly
• Finish a sprint triathlon or two

Medium Term Goals

• Olympic distance triathlon
  
• Sub 23min 5k
• Join Tri Team

Long Term Goals

• Sub 20min 5k
• Ironman Finisher