Running On Empty blog: 60 days to go (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Running On Empty blog: 60 days to go

7:07pm Wednesday 12th May 2010 in Pennine Lancashire 10K run By Paul Plunkett, Sports editor

I've been to Blackburn Rovers and Burnley's Player of the Year awards - glittering occasions when we celebrate true athleticism by getting insanely drunk.

Of course, as an athlete myself (well I have been training for this 10K for two months now), it's a delicate balancing act ... so I'm working on a strict miles to booze ratio.

The more I run, the more I can sup. A simple equation but one which Einstein would have been proud of.

It's Sunday morning, and as most people are still stirring with the Sunday papers, I've got the beige swimming shorts on and heading for the country roads.

Every mile will equate to a pint, so it's time to make a deposit in the Bank of Stella.

I opt for the three-mile course up to Worsthorne.

I've run this course several times but never made it up the huge hill on the final mile without stopping.

This time I keep my head down, calfs burning, and make it to the top. A rush of adrenalin carries me throught the final three-quarters of a mile, still uphill.

It's the first time I've completed the course without stopping, and it gives me a much-needed confidence boost.

Two days later, on the day of the Blackburn Rovers presentation, I finish work early afternoon, and spend that spare time on a second run.

This time I drive to Towneley Park, and run three laps - clocking up four pints, ahem miles.

I feel surprisingly fresh at the finish, and with two months still to go to the Jane Tomlinson Pennine Lancashire 10K, I'm on course.

Now for reward time, and the football at Ewood Park. As Sports Editor of the Lancashire Telegraph, I have to go on stage around 10pm to present the Goal of the Season award to young Swede Martin Olsson for his overhead kick against Aston Villa.

So I limit myself to two beers before the presentation, and a glass of wine afterwards.

Seems like I'm in beer credit going into Burnley's awards evening two days later.

Big mistake.

Despite the Clarets suffering relegation, there's a real party atmosphere at Turf Moor, and with complimentary wine on the Press table, I've drunk my 'running' credits within a couple of hours.

It's now 1am, and a group of fellow journalists and I go with the Burnley players to a VIP room in a nightclub in the town centre.

The players are in fine spirits, and the drinks are flowing. If only they played football like they drunk...

I leave at 3am, knowing the King of Hangovers will be visiting in a few hours time.

I've not only used up my 'running/beer' credit, I've run up a huge overdraft.

The players obviously recovered quicker than I did ... they beat Tottenham 4-2 on Sunday.

For me, I've got to get back into training or all that good work will be lost in an alcoholic haze.

This week I'm planning to run a full 10K. The course has been plotted and it's time I put this ageing body through a bit of pain to see how it reacts.

Gulp, I need a beer...

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