After Saturdays shenanigans at the Park Run and then celebrating my fathers 72nd birthday with him on Sunday I sort of found myself feeling a little umphless on Monday. The deteriorating weather didn't help and an initial lack of enthusiasm probably added to an absence of umph too. But then I realised that it was still a Bank Holiday and that meant not only no work, but a four day week to boot! I wouldn't say that my umph came sprinting back down the road, but it certainly peeked round the corner.
Wednesday soon arrived and I was busy prevaricating with myself about the weather when I got a text of my lovely friends, saying that both their daughters were back from France & Uni respectively, both were coming to the Hemlington run and did I fancy coming back to their place afterwards for a catch up and something to eat afterwards. Never let it be said that I would turn down free food and good company so despite the inclement weather (rain , lots of rain) I texted back saying thank you and yes!
Work finished and evening rolled around and sure enough it was raining as I drove over there. I should make a note at this point that it would be an ideal opportunity to mix two types of training, cycling and running, on the one evening. Sadly, they make me go to work and I just don't think there'd be quite enough time to get home, change and cycle back over there (whilst sorting out the Molly dog). Currently that is my excuse and I'm sticking to it. On arrival it became apparent that I wasn't the only one who had wrestled with their desire to come over their desire to remain dry (nb a small sense of satisfaction was experienced) as there where fewer than the week before. Indeed it was bad enough that Izzy commented that in all the time she'd been running at Hemlington, they had never actually run in the rain, this would be a first. But she was wrong, as we went out and started to warm up before setting off, the rain started to let up and the sun started to come out - it was significantly cooler for sure, but a lovely evening for running.
The speed merchants weren't there so as I made my round there was only one person in front of me, sadly he was so far in front of me that there was no incentive in trying to keep with him. But it was all good, except for the third lap, to be honest the third lap was bloody horrible, my legs felt as if they were full of concrete but with the added joy of short circuiting electrical cables running through them. It passed though, it's a strange thing running with a group, for me at least, I would have felt that I'd let them down if I'd stopped before I planned to. It's tosh of course, they wouldn't have minded, it's however far you wish to run, there is no target. But for me I'd decided I was going to do five laps, so if I stopped I'd have somehow cheated myself. Fortunately someone switched off the electric current running through my calves somewhere on the fourth lap, just about the same time as the concrete became malleable again. A storming (well slightly faster stumble) last lap brought me home in a time of about 39 minutes. Now having run 5 km on Saturday in about 28 minutes I was slightly disappointed in this, I had been told that the circuit was 1.1 km so 0.5 km more in an extra 11 minutes felt a bit bad. Then delight though, one of the gents who always does the run, told us authoritatively that the circuit we run is 1.4 km, therefore 5 laps is 7 km. 7 km in 39 minutes sounds so much better.
I find myself looking forward to Saturday and the Park Run again already... I appear to be enjoying this far too much, not only that but I appear to have signed up for a mini tri at Stockton in August as preparation for the Tatton Tri in September. I guess I really am going to have to get that bike out.
ps I think I run better without music...or perhaps Scooter was just a little to ambitious last time out...
Friday, 13 April 2012
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Losing my virginity (in a park, in the rain)
This week has been horrendous, nothing to do with the training - that's been easy, I haven't done any! Unfortunately life interfered fairly majorly in the worst possible way and resulted in me not even trying to train (Although I'll admit to freezing conditions and rain earlier in the week reminding me that sunshine is my preferred element). Friday night, for a variety of reasons, made me realise I needed to take control back again and move forward.
All of this lead me to send a text to my friends Izzy & Andy saying that I would see them Saturday morning for the Albert Park Park Run. For those of you who haven't come across Park Run as a concept, it is an international, volunteer run 5 km run that is timed, free and open to all ages. Its run every Saturday throughout the year and includes people new to running as well as local club athletes who use it as part of their training regime. There are something like 8,600 Park Runs run around the UK and 9,500 worldwide. The Albert Park run attracts such luminarys as Jo Jackson, Commonwealth Champion at the 20 km walk and multiple world record holder Sharon Gaytor (look at this woman's website, she is incredible and makes any petty efforts of my own look pitiful!).
So as I say, I committed myself to doing my first Park Run, part of the reason for sending the text was that it made not turning up on Saturday morning somewhat harder. Izzy's return text informed me that her and Andy were doing it in fancy dress to help raise money for the chosen charity Zoe's Place. I decided that losing my virginity in a public park whilst wearing fancy dress was possibly outside my comfort zone so said I'd just turn up in my normal running gear. Which I did. Walking across the park to the start at 8.30 this morning I realised a) that I really was going to do this, b) there were a lot of people there and c) it was bloody freezing and I didn't have any gloves. The route itself is fairly straight forward, a clockwise loop of quarter of the park, followed by two full laps of the park. Finish by the cafe alongside the Lake.
So we ran, Izzy in a wetsuit, Andy in a mariachi costume (no maracas disappointingly), a slightly overweight Capt Jack Sparrow, a significant number of bunny ears and a few other costumes as well as 200 or so others in a variety of running gear. I have decided I like running in a group, I seem to run better, it seems less difficult and although I don't do the conversation bit whilst running, there is a camaraderie about running round a Victorian park in the rain that is pleasing. Reflecting on it whilst soaking my legs in the bath afterwards, I think I'll do it again next week. I ran 5 km in 28.18 mins and felt comfortable, I was the 153rd man over the line and the 202nd runner over all, I have no idea how close to the back I was, but to be honest I don't care.
So I am no longer a Park Run virgin, guess I'll be doing the Hemlington Lake run on Wednesday next.
All of this lead me to send a text to my friends Izzy & Andy saying that I would see them Saturday morning for the Albert Park Park Run. For those of you who haven't come across Park Run as a concept, it is an international, volunteer run 5 km run that is timed, free and open to all ages. Its run every Saturday throughout the year and includes people new to running as well as local club athletes who use it as part of their training regime. There are something like 8,600 Park Runs run around the UK and 9,500 worldwide. The Albert Park run attracts such luminarys as Jo Jackson, Commonwealth Champion at the 20 km walk and multiple world record holder Sharon Gaytor (look at this woman's website, she is incredible and makes any petty efforts of my own look pitiful!).
So as I say, I committed myself to doing my first Park Run, part of the reason for sending the text was that it made not turning up on Saturday morning somewhat harder. Izzy's return text informed me that her and Andy were doing it in fancy dress to help raise money for the chosen charity Zoe's Place. I decided that losing my virginity in a public park whilst wearing fancy dress was possibly outside my comfort zone so said I'd just turn up in my normal running gear. Which I did. Walking across the park to the start at 8.30 this morning I realised a) that I really was going to do this, b) there were a lot of people there and c) it was bloody freezing and I didn't have any gloves. The route itself is fairly straight forward, a clockwise loop of quarter of the park, followed by two full laps of the park. Finish by the cafe alongside the Lake.
So we ran, Izzy in a wetsuit, Andy in a mariachi costume (no maracas disappointingly), a slightly overweight Capt Jack Sparrow, a significant number of bunny ears and a few other costumes as well as 200 or so others in a variety of running gear. I have decided I like running in a group, I seem to run better, it seems less difficult and although I don't do the conversation bit whilst running, there is a camaraderie about running round a Victorian park in the rain that is pleasing. Reflecting on it whilst soaking my legs in the bath afterwards, I think I'll do it again next week. I ran 5 km in 28.18 mins and felt comfortable, I was the 153rd man over the line and the 202nd runner over all, I have no idea how close to the back I was, but to be honest I don't care.
So I am no longer a Park Run virgin, guess I'll be doing the Hemlington Lake run on Wednesday next.
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Running with a group for the first time
This evening a friend took me to meet a group of people who run every Wednesday evening. They are the Hemlington I Run group and provide a friendly environment with encouragement and gentle competition to run in. They meet at Hemlington Lake which has a path running around it that is about 1.1 km long. We were free to run however many laps we chose and could stop whenever we wanted. The group ranged from some speed merchants who disappeared into the wild blue yonder, to several who simply walked the laps. On every lap though there was someone cheering you on with words of encouragement, a really lovely environment to run in. So my training tonight was 5 laps of the lake (about 5.5 km) in approximately 35 minutes, not too shabby considering it was 20 degrees Celsius, a tad warm for comfortable running and that I still haven't sorted out the rubbish water bottle situation.
Monday, 26 March 2012
Back to work, Sunshine and a Sleeping Bike
Gods but I didn't want to get up this morning, the alarm went off at 5.30 am, which of course we all know is really still 4.30 am after the clocks went forward, and good resolutions flew out of the window. I happily hit snooze and snuggled down for five (make that fifteen) minutes more. Sadly, will power alone is insufficient to hold back the demands of a dog that needs walking and a day at work, not just a day at work either, the first day back after TWO weeks off!
It occurs to me if I could harness the will power utilised in wishing for it not to be time to get it up and translate it into training I'd be challenging the Alistair Brownlee in September not just myself, but more of that later.
Shortly after tumbling into the shower I remembered that some idiot had booked training into my diary for 9 am, in York. Then as the water cleared the fog of sleep from my dozy brain, I realised I controlled the diary and therefore I was the idiot. I guess if the cap fits... Going back to work was made all the harder by the fact that with the start of BST, we seem to have summer, it won't last of course, British summers never do (apart from 1976 and that lasted at least 2 years according to my memory) It'll be warm this week, lull us into a false sense of security and then Bam! Snow for Easter, you just watch. Work worked despite my stupidity, made harder by the fact that the sun was shining outside all day and I was stuck inside for most of it, but hey, all bad things come to an end eventually.
I was good though, when I got home I took the dog out, got some shopping and then, with the temperature a balmy 19 degrees Celsius I went and ran. I ran the one and a half mile circuit and again managed it in 14 minutes, that means if I can keep the same pace up for 6km I will do it in 35 minutes, 5 minutes outside the guide given on the Tatton Triathlon site but I guess its a start. I find it more worrying that they reckon 20 minutes for the swim and 50 minutes for the bike. I haven't even managed to wake my bike up yet, let alone do 20 km in 50 minutes on it.
While I write this I'm listening to Neon Bible by Arcade Fire and have just discovered this rather wonderful site for you to play with that also plays the title track, click here for amazingness!
It occurs to me if I could harness the will power utilised in wishing for it not to be time to get it up and translate it into training I'd be challenging the Alistair Brownlee in September not just myself, but more of that later.
Shortly after tumbling into the shower I remembered that some idiot had booked training into my diary for 9 am, in York. Then as the water cleared the fog of sleep from my dozy brain, I realised I controlled the diary and therefore I was the idiot. I guess if the cap fits... Going back to work was made all the harder by the fact that with the start of BST, we seem to have summer, it won't last of course, British summers never do (apart from 1976 and that lasted at least 2 years according to my memory) It'll be warm this week, lull us into a false sense of security and then Bam! Snow for Easter, you just watch. Work worked despite my stupidity, made harder by the fact that the sun was shining outside all day and I was stuck inside for most of it, but hey, all bad things come to an end eventually.
I was good though, when I got home I took the dog out, got some shopping and then, with the temperature a balmy 19 degrees Celsius I went and ran. I ran the one and a half mile circuit and again managed it in 14 minutes, that means if I can keep the same pace up for 6km I will do it in 35 minutes, 5 minutes outside the guide given on the Tatton Triathlon site but I guess its a start. I find it more worrying that they reckon 20 minutes for the swim and 50 minutes for the bike. I haven't even managed to wake my bike up yet, let alone do 20 km in 50 minutes on it.
Shhh! Bike sleeping!
While I write this I'm listening to Neon Bible by Arcade Fire and have just discovered this rather wonderful site for you to play with that also plays the title track, click here for amazingness!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
A detour to the South West
So early on and already the excuses start I hear you say, and indeed there is an excuse. The last few days have been taken up with a trip to Cornwall to see my daughter Fiona. I did give genuine consideration to taking my running stuff with me, but then the memory of the steepness of the hills in Falmouth made me decide that discretion was the better part of valour and indeed, cowardice was the better part of discretion. So on Thursday morning I set off to drive the 433 miles to Cornwall in glorious sunshine and sure enough on the edge of Bodmin Moor the heavens opened. Now I have been driving to and from Cornwall since the 80's and I can probably count on the fingers of one hand how many times I've driven across the Moor when it's not been raining! That said it eased off as I travelled West and by the time I reached Falmouth it was dry albeit overcast.
I stayed at the most splendid guest house I have ever come across (discovered on a previous visit). It's called the Moonlight Guest House, situated a few minutes from the harbour and run by Celia, a delightfully eccentric Spanish(?) lady who gives all the profit to children's educational charities and animal charities. I have been there twice now and I have never seen Celia wearing anything other than pyjamas, she is unfailingly helpful and friendly and an absolute delight!
My main reason for going down was to see my daughter perform in her final school production before she starts Uni, the production was called Our Town, by Thornton Wilder - a 1937 play set in a fictional New Hampshire town. Fiona had two small parts - "Artistic Lady" and "Dead Woman" - both speaking parts (yes the dead speak in this play) and the first role destined to gain the biggest laugh of the night and the only individual round of applause. As you can imagine I did the bursting with pride fatherly bit throughout, made all the better after the production by meeting a number of other parents who were fulsome in their praise of my little girl, not just regards to her acting but of her as a person too. Drinks with the cast after the play just ended the day perfectly, a midnight finish but well worth the tiredness.
Friday dawned beautifully sunny and the morning was spent wandering around Falmouth, enjoying the sunshine and admiring the boats. My daughter informs me I should buy one, get a parrot and become a pirate so she can come and spend holidays with me on the boat, not that bad an idea apart from the parrot to be fair. The afternoon was spent with Fiona, talking and catching up and then in the evening going for a very lovely meal. Sadly the end of Friday brought with it the end of my short break and Saturday morning brought the drive home... Ah well, back down to see her soon.
Oh btw, the running starts again tomorrow!
In the mean time this boat would make a very good Pirate's boat!
I stayed at the most splendid guest house I have ever come across (discovered on a previous visit). It's called the Moonlight Guest House, situated a few minutes from the harbour and run by Celia, a delightfully eccentric Spanish(?) lady who gives all the profit to children's educational charities and animal charities. I have been there twice now and I have never seen Celia wearing anything other than pyjamas, she is unfailingly helpful and friendly and an absolute delight!
My main reason for going down was to see my daughter perform in her final school production before she starts Uni, the production was called Our Town, by Thornton Wilder - a 1937 play set in a fictional New Hampshire town. Fiona had two small parts - "Artistic Lady" and "Dead Woman" - both speaking parts (yes the dead speak in this play) and the first role destined to gain the biggest laugh of the night and the only individual round of applause. As you can imagine I did the bursting with pride fatherly bit throughout, made all the better after the production by meeting a number of other parents who were fulsome in their praise of my little girl, not just regards to her acting but of her as a person too. Drinks with the cast after the play just ended the day perfectly, a midnight finish but well worth the tiredness.
Friday dawned beautifully sunny and the morning was spent wandering around Falmouth, enjoying the sunshine and admiring the boats. My daughter informs me I should buy one, get a parrot and become a pirate so she can come and spend holidays with me on the boat, not that bad an idea apart from the parrot to be fair. The afternoon was spent with Fiona, talking and catching up and then in the evening going for a very lovely meal. Sadly the end of Friday brought with it the end of my short break and Saturday morning brought the drive home... Ah well, back down to see her soon.
Oh btw, the running starts again tomorrow!
In the mean time this boat would make a very good Pirate's boat!
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
I should start this by saying I have skinny legs, I don't just mean thing, I mean SKINNY! You know the stork that delivers Dumbo? Well I could have been a life model for the Disney artists when they drew him. I say this merely as a preamble to the fact that the thing preventing legs from being skinny is muscle, when over taxed, muscle aches, I have skinny legs ergo I have very little muscle in my legs, this being the case WHY DO MINE ACHE SO MUCH after one lousy 1.5 mile run? The whole of Monday they were shouting at me, rather loudly I might add, that I had abused them on Sunday and I'd better not do it again. I hadn't planned to, or at least not yesterday.
Yesterday I was visiting my God Parents (long over due) and enjoying a bit of countryside air. They are wonderful people, my Godmother would defend me to the hilt, even if it happened to be stuck in someone else's back and my fingerprints were all over it, my Godfather fascinates me with his knowledge of all things music and never lets me down with his diatribes about the Tory scum (his words) and the old fool on the throne (I think he meant the Queen). He describes himself as an Atheist, Socialist, Republican! But for me the sentence that will always sum him up is one he uttered about 35 years ago... Socialist maybe, Nazi never! (BTW Not quite sure how an atheist became my Godfather but I wouldn't change him for the world?)
All of this said I went and did the running stuff again this afternoon and again clocked 14 minutes for a mile and a half, I will admit to being somewhat hampered by a water bottle that would let any water out unless you shook it. Anyone who has ever drunk anything will be able to tell you that it is a most inefficient way of drinking, add running into the mix and the rehydration factor is about as effective as sunbathing nude in the Kalahari, but hey ho, I'll get that sorted I guess.
Yesterday I was visiting my God Parents (long over due) and enjoying a bit of countryside air. They are wonderful people, my Godmother would defend me to the hilt, even if it happened to be stuck in someone else's back and my fingerprints were all over it, my Godfather fascinates me with his knowledge of all things music and never lets me down with his diatribes about the Tory scum (his words) and the old fool on the throne (I think he meant the Queen). He describes himself as an Atheist, Socialist, Republican! But for me the sentence that will always sum him up is one he uttered about 35 years ago... Socialist maybe, Nazi never! (BTW Not quite sure how an atheist became my Godfather but I wouldn't change him for the world?)
All of this said I went and did the running stuff again this afternoon and again clocked 14 minutes for a mile and a half, I will admit to being somewhat hampered by a water bottle that would let any water out unless you shook it. Anyone who has ever drunk anything will be able to tell you that it is a most inefficient way of drinking, add running into the mix and the rehydration factor is about as effective as sunbathing nude in the Kalahari, but hey ho, I'll get that sorted I guess.
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Sunday 18th March - or do I really want to do this?
Well I did it, I discovered through careful research (prevarication) that there is a 1.5 mile obvious circuit around the block from my house and this morning at approximately 7.15 am I ran outdoors, on the road, for the first time in ages.
The Molly dog was unimpressed at being left behind, but perhaps wisely I decided that having my right arm ripped out of its socket every time she wanted to stop and squat (and believe me she does that far too much) was not the best idea in the world. Although I will admit that it did briefly cross my mind that a shoulder injury would prevent me from swimming...hmm I wonder?
The weather today, or at least at 7.15 am (did I mention it was 7.15 am on a Sunday morning?) was cold, not quite freezing but you could see the dew on the grass wasn't quite sure whether it should crystalize or not, but beautiful blue sky and no wind. Ideal! Yep, and bloomin' cold when your dressed in shorts and t shirt. Door locked behind me, ipod on loud (Stemm - Face The Pain seemed an appropriate choice) I set off, 14 minutes later (roughly) I was back, 1.5 miles run, breathing somewhat laboured, ready for a cup of tea. I guess this counts as the first step.
Next, a shower and a drive to wish my Mum the happiest of Mothers' Days!
The Molly dog was unimpressed at being left behind, but perhaps wisely I decided that having my right arm ripped out of its socket every time she wanted to stop and squat (and believe me she does that far too much) was not the best idea in the world. Although I will admit that it did briefly cross my mind that a shoulder injury would prevent me from swimming...hmm I wonder?
The weather today, or at least at 7.15 am (did I mention it was 7.15 am on a Sunday morning?) was cold, not quite freezing but you could see the dew on the grass wasn't quite sure whether it should crystalize or not, but beautiful blue sky and no wind. Ideal! Yep, and bloomin' cold when your dressed in shorts and t shirt. Door locked behind me, ipod on loud (Stemm - Face The Pain seemed an appropriate choice) I set off, 14 minutes later (roughly) I was back, 1.5 miles run, breathing somewhat laboured, ready for a cup of tea. I guess this counts as the first step.
Next, a shower and a drive to wish my Mum the happiest of Mothers' Days!
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