Since my last update, the focus has been less on clocking up running miles and more on making memories with my family. With the school summer holidays in full swing, training has had to share the spotlight with adventures, ice creams, and a fair bit of sand between my toes.
We had a brilliant week away on the Isle of Wight, packed with sandy shoes, beach games, and the kind of “training” you don’t track on Strava, like carrying buckets, spades, and two small children. Cornwall was more of the same (with the addition of pasties and cream teas that probably cancelled out any calories I burned). Which, by the way, raises the important question: is it cream or jam first? I’m firmly in the cream-first camp, while my wife insists it has to be jam. Answers on a postcard, please…
Me and my wife need this settled once and for all… On a scone, is it JAM first, then cream, or CREAM first, then jam? Vote wisely 👀 #SconeDebate #JamFirst #CreamFirst pic.twitter.com/tBs4CwFmHV
— Paul Dinham (@RunPaulDinham) August 25, 2025
Then came London: just me, my wife, and 90,000 strangers singing along to Coldplay at Wembley. The confetti cannons, glowing wristbands, and fireworks were spectacular, but honestly, the energy of that crowd felt just as powerful. It gave me a little taste of what I imagine the London Marathon start line will be like, buzzing, emotional, and unforgettable. And yes, I definitely danced enough to call it cardio.
That said, the trainers haven’t been completely neglected. Through August I’ve managed one run a week, nothing heroic, just keeping it simple by repeating the runs from Couch to 5K week two. The first one felt like my lungs were auditioning for a fire alarm test, but by the third I noticed I was breathing easier and even managed to enjoy the last stretch. Progress, even if it’s in baby steps.
Alongside that, I’ve been fitting in a couple of strength sessions each week, mostly squats, lunges, and core work. My legs are definitely stronger, though they have lodged a few complaints (mainly the quads, who now stage daily protests on the stairs). Hopefully, this extra work will help keep my knees happy as the miles increase.
One highlight came in Cornwall when the kids decided they wanted to “join in” a workout with me in the caravan. Armed with water bottles as makeshift dumbbells, they gamely got through the warm-up before realising exercise wasn’t quite as exciting as it looked. By the time I’d started the first round of squats, they’d already retired back to colouring books and snacks. Future athletes in the making… maybe.
Looking ahead, the plan for September is to step things up to four training days a week. That means kicking on with the Couch to 5K programme and, if my knees hold out, running three times a week alongside the strength work. More importantly, I’m setting myself a clear goal: a three-month training block that should (hopefully!) take me up to running for over an hour non-stop.
And that’s a big one for me. It would be the first time in over 20 years that I’ve run continuously for that long, the first time I’ll really feel like I’m “back” as a runner since those teenage days when running felt easy. Hitting that milestone won’t just be about fitness; it’ll be about proving to myself that this journey is moving in the right direction, one step at a time.
It feels like the right time to push on. The Bath Half in March is circled on the calendar as my big “dress rehearsal” before London 2026. Right now, the thought of running 13.1 miles is equal parts exciting and terrifying, but that’s probably a good sign!
And I’m really proud to say that fundraising has now passed the £500 mark! That’s over a fifth of the way to my target for the Meningitis Research Foundation. Every donation, every Memory Mile, every kind word of encouragement genuinely helps keep me moving. I can’t say thank you enough, it honestly feels like I’ve got a team running alongside me.
So here’s to September: back to routine, back to training, and hopefully a few less pasties and ice creams (at least until the next holiday). By the end of this three-month block, I’ll either be gliding through hour-long runs… or I’ll have invented a new event called Couch to Cup-of-Tea. Either way, the journey continues!