Overview

Well, a few days on, one thing is certain. I am starting the Reading Half tomorrow. Amazing for such a big race that there is no deferment policy, so having paid up front last October and added some more for the parking, I am at least going to turn up. I made it through the week at work, I may not feel great but I will “run” – or at least a very liberal interpretation of the word “run”

I don’t think I have ever been so unprepared for a race. And considering my usual preparation that is going some. I did manage a 10k of sorts on Wednesday to test the legs and the lungs and nothing fell off so  that’s good. I think I will be happy to finish. I will start at the back as usual and looking at the wind and rain this morning I hope to cross the start line, even if I don’t cross the finish line.

What’s more – the wife (who I feel gets some undeserved stick in this blog) has realised that just next to the start of the Reading Half is a big retail park, so she’s coming with me – that’s going to make me speed up – the thought of her loose with a credit card for 2 hours+….

Have a good weekend.

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I blame the wife. She asked me yesterday if I had a cold, and being the clever chap I am I instantly dismissed the idea. Should have known better really. After managing to run on Monday (piano practice route) Wednesday early morning, Thursday in the gym I should have been feeling good, but in truth the runs were getting harder and slower. Friday, I was just tired after a busy, long week. Didn’t run Saturday as I intended but went out Sunday. Sunday morning was out at 6:30 with the frost and the sunrise struggling round another 10k, came home just tired. Later in the evening everything just ached and nose started dripping. Slept well with Mrs Night Nurse last night. Today just feel achey with a thick nose and very tired. No actual fever, no sneezes or sore throat, but something is grumbling in the back ground. Meant to be doing Reading on Sunday, but just checked their website and there is no deferment.

Not sure at the moment whether to turn up or not. I have 6 days to recover I suppose, but it doesn’t really seem to have started yet. Even more annoyed as it’s not the cheapest race to do and I’ve paid for the parking as well!!

Grrrr….

Hope everyone else is well!

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Running down hill – not in the physical, geographical sense, using gravity to go faster, but in the metaphorical sense of a clock winding down and stopping.

Much has happened (running wise) in the two weeks since my last post.  The day after Wokingham I checked the results website and was quite pleased. Trouble was – I then checked it the following weekend and I was now 7 seconds slower. I know – because like a complete saddo I downloaded the first set of results. 7 seconds slower.  7 seconds!! To Usain Bolt that's about 80meters.....

I always thought  that the reason for wearing a “chip” in a race was so that you had an accurate time for the race, so I find it hard that comparing the times that were posted on Monday and then on Sunday to find that it was the chip time that had been changed. The bib time merely confirms that I started running 6 minutes after Liz Yelling started, once I’d got myself free of the pram pushers and dog walkers at the back. It doesn’t alter the fact that it was still a PB, but not by quite as much as I had hoped.

The week after Wokingham saw me run on Wednesday – a very early run into a strong wind. I managed 10k but it was heavy going. Friday saw me head off to a local industrial estate after work – I had an hour to fill before the rest of the family got home, and having found a 1km block to run round, I did so 5 times for a speedy (for me) 5k. I must confess that I did get some odd looks from a few people when I ran past for the fifth time.

Last Saturday was a beautiful day for running. Clear sky, sunny no wind. Sadly I was at work. Sunday  on the other hand was a dreadful day for running. Driving rain and wind. As we had to get our German exchange student to Salisbury for 7am it seemed a good time to run. Well, it seemed good till I stepped outside. Even though I wore a cagoule I was wet before Mr Garmin found his buddies in the sky and the country lane that always starts my runs was actually now a river – the ditches on either side completely full and overflowing. For the first time ever, having got to the top of the hill, I turned round and came home. Drenched is one thing, I can cope with that, cold and drenched is a different league but survivable. Freezing and drenched is the Champions League of misery, and that’s where I was.

Last Monday was back to the piano practice route –setting another quickest time for the three lap circuit and Wednesday was gym day – again some intervals on the dreadmill – even managed a bit on the concept 2 this time.

So to  this morning. I was out early (6:30 ish) and although the frost was still on the ground, I kept moving and eventually warmed up. Trouble was the pace that I had earlier in the week had all gone. I struggled all the way. I actually felt ashamed – having watched the programme on Eddie Izzard earlier in the week. If you missed it – try getting it on BBC Iplayer if you can. So I trudged round 12 and a bit miles today, no pace, no energy but at least I ran.

Perhaps the lack of pace will be OK – I got my Reading stuff through and I am at the back with the pantomime horses!

I suppose I am glad to have got a poor run out of my system and will be back doing the same routine this week in preparation to Reading two weeks tomorrow.

Take care where you are – sorry this seemed quite  a long post.

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There – the title says it all. You can go an read another blog, but you’re bored then read on….

6 days on from posting my fastest 10 miler for ages I found myself at the start line in Wokingham. A lot happened in those 6 days. (Avatar was brilliant). Wednesday saw me back on the streets for a 10k to keep the legs ticking over, and it too was fast (well for me). In fact my fastest 10 k round the roads here, ever…

Quiet afternoon on the allotment Saturday and I was ready for Sunday morning. The hours drive to Wokingham annoyed me – some miscreant (aka my son) had swapped my CDs for his in the CD changer in the car – trouble was the CD changer is in the boot so by the time I found it, I had no choice but to listen to Keane (OK) and some other band whose name I have no idea.

It was raining in Wokingham. And cold. So  I sat in the car and waited. Eventually it lifted slightly and I hauled myself down to Cantley Park – the start line. There were some changing rooms  so I stripped off all the rain gear and made for the Kit tent. So did 2700 others. To say it was a scrum was polite but I think most got down to the start line on time. The nice grassy field that the tent was pitched on was a quagmire. The only good side was that the queue for the loos was very short. I was slightly spooked as I made my way down to the start area. There were signs for sub 1:10, sub 1:20 sub 1:30 etc but they stopped at sub 1:50 – where were the sub 2:30 signs that I had signed up for. I lined up at the back next to someone who happened to be there walking his dog. He said to me, “I’m not running you know”, to which I replied “What makes you think I’m running”.

Off we went, I separated myself from the dog walkers and the families come to wave off their loved ones and eventually passed the start line. IT took me ages to warm up – I was wearing shorts but did compromise with a long sleeve top.

Like the idiot  I am, I was soon carried away with the running and starting to overtake people. First mile scared me at 9:24, second 9:32 then 9:38. I was trying to be sensible and slow down. The course was pretty flat and the marshals were generous in their support. I kept the pace steady fearing that I would have nothing left in the tank at the end, and by mile 7 I was still under 10 min miles and faster than my benchmark so far – the Royal Parks in London last April. I was even still sub 10 min miles by the end on mile 9 but thereafter the early pace began to tell. Despite the odd pause to walk as the legs started to tighten up, I was faster then the Royal Parks at the end of miles 10, 11, 12 and most importantly 13!

I took advantage of the showers on siteto clean up and change but by the time I got out the stall selling tea and soup was shutting up so missed out, shame!

I have no idea what my official time is for the timers at Wokingham and probably won’t know for a day or so. But given that the Royal Parks was 2:25, I reckon that Wokingham was 2:16 or thereabouts. 9 minutes!

I ought to be pleased but actually I know I have run faster and am annoyed that I went off too fast. Reflecting on it, I feel rather like the legendary Sergie Bubka – who realised that there was money in breaking the Pole Vault world record and did so 35 times, I will continue to eke away a few minutes at a time at this PB and now have Reading in my sights.

Hope you all managed some good runs this weekend - the mileage must be mounting up for you VLMers -  Saturday was glorious down here - shame I wasn't running then.

Have a good week everyone.

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So with my first race of the year less than a week way and several weeks of good running behind me, half term comes upon us and all the plans go out the window.

Firstly wife and I headed north for the weekend to catch up on my mother. It was good to see her again and my sister, and hear of my niece (who beat me in last years GNR but had better watch out this year). That meant leaving son and daughter in house alone for first time, so we were relieved to get back last night to discover house still standing. What’s more got picked up from station by daughter! All very nice but no running.

Due to  a mix up with wife’s work, she had to go in this morning – leaving me at home,( I have a couple of days off ) so promised myself a long run to make up for missing the weekend run, and then I might have something to taper from! Last Wednesday I had done 10k on the dreadmill at the gym so I knew I wouldn’t have lost too much mileage.

Didn’t actually get out of the house till 8:30 which was decadence personified, but did manage a 10 miler at about 10 min/ mile pace. I ran an out and back route as I couldn’t get the brain in gear as it was so cold. I think the temperature was about 2C, but it just felt bitter outside, and I struggled to keep warm. Though I had leggings on, I think I needed more than just a long sleeve top  - my tum has not warmed up yet!

Anyway, long list of jobs to do today, but they do include going to see Avatar with daughter this afternoon!

No piano practice run this evening as it’s half term, but will try and get a 10k done on Wednesday then rest the legs before Wokingham on Sunday.

More chaos next week as we have a German exchange student with us for the week – son went over there in the Autumn term so probably not much running then either.

46 days into the year 118 miles covered  (target 126)

Have a good week.

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Another Monday evening run.  3 loops of a residential estate while my son has a piano lesson. It was 0 degrees, gentle but cold wind and snow!

I had to run fast to keep warm.

Did the three laps 20 seconds faster than last week and over a minute faster than the start of the year. Progress!

Sadly had a chat with Martin the Mentor this evening – he’s pulled out of VLM with a recurrent calf injury. That’s the 2^nd year on the trot. To say he is gutted is an understatement,  - bad luck Martin.

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A whole week with no blogging, where has the time gone I ask myself.

Monday was back at the piano practice loop – this time blowing away the cobwebs of last Saturday’s rather negative run, and I completed the three laps (5.4k) in under the half hour. In fact it was 20 seconds faster than my previous best for the loop. Son was less than impressed at having to share the journey home with a father who was not so much glowing as dripping!

Wednesday I was back at the gym doing some more intervals – again 4 mins 9.2kph then 4 mins12.2. 10k in just under the hour and another trip home with the car windows open and steam coming out!

So to the weekend. Once a year the wife goes off with girl friends for a spa weekend leaving me and the children (I mean young adults) to fend for ourselves. We coped last night, I even found some beer left over from the daughter’s party to enjoy while listening to 5live and the commentary from St James Park. My intention was to run on Saturday and get out and back before the offspring stirred! (Easily done if you have teenagers!)

I left the house at 6:30am – needless to say it was pitch black and headed off on what I had mentally planned as a new route. The new route took me into a neighbouring village before heading back into town as far as the Sainsbury’s roundabout – and the run past Sainsbury’s and the wafting aroma of Hot Cross Buns being cooked – before heading home. I had no idea of my early pace as I couldn’t see the garmin and we don’t have any street lights round here. As the sun came up I could see that I seemed to be averaging 10 min miles or thereabouts. Not quite sure why but miles 10 &11 seemed to hit the buffers but found a few last drops of energy to up the pace to get home.

Mrs Nike – about whom I may have said unkind words in the past, and even threatened to leave her, repaid my faith in her by telling me that I did a half marathon (13.1 miles). Mr Grumpy Garmin only had me down at 12.9 miles. I fear that Mr G is probably nearer the truth, but for the moment I am glowing at having done another half (without really intending to! – I thought the route would be about 12 miles).

Still, despite marking me down on the mileage, Mr G still has me quicker that the Royal Parks in October.

My training takes a rather curious route now. Next weekend wife and I are going north to see my mother, (leaving offspring in the house….) so no long run next weekend but I do have a  few days off the week after so will try to get some miles in.

As far as the 1000 mile challenge goes, 37 days into the year my target is 101.3 miles – I have actually done 96.3.

Just got to avoid the coughs and colds before Wokingham two weeks tomorrow.

Take care everyone and have a good weekend

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I suppose that it was inevitable that after a series of really good runs and generally getting faster that at some stage the wheels would come off.

Well, they did. Here’s how:

1.       Saturday was always going to be a busy day so my only real chance for a run was an early one.  I left the house before 7. Stupid. I was still very tired and would gladly have slept on for hours.

2.       We ate pizza last night for convenience but not very filling so was running on empty this morning.

3.        It was dark – well – apart from the full moon and so sign of any sun even attempting to come up over the horizon. Trying setting your Garmin in the moonlight!

4.       What’s more it was clearly very cold last night – at noon coming back from town the temperature on the car thermometer was only 2C so at 7 in the moonlight and a clear sky it must have been low.

5.       There was a frost and some black ice and all the ditches were frozen over.  

6.       I had decided last night that I was going to run in gloves as my hand just get so cold, but I could only find one. My left hand was beautifully warm, my right hand was numb with pain after about 10 minutes.

7.       Mr Garmin was still playing tricks with me. All my runs from home involve going to the end of out little street and turning right, - I have done this hundreds of times and whether with Mrs Nike or Mr Garmin I know to the nearest bush where the one mile point is. Not today. Mr Garmin had me doing another 100 yds before the little buzzer went off.

8.        And where did the breeze come from?? In the valley the air was still and frosty but on top of the hills there was a definite breeze and it was in my face and very cold. Two tops, short and leggings and a woolly hat and one glove, I was still cold.

I bet Paula Radcliffe never has these problems.

The run itself wasn’t great either. I left the house in the dark and by the time I passed my mile marker with no peep from Mr Garmin my mood was not very positive. Still, I trudged on. The pace was not great but at least it was consistent. I had a gel at about mile 3, which gave me a slight lift up a long slow hill and then – by means of an experiment – tried some new fangled energy sweets – like a high tech version of jelly babies – at about mile 8. I had just done another long slow climb so though it would be a good idea. Well with one numb hand I failed miserably to open the packet where it should have opened so gave a big tug and spilt the contents on the road but managed to catch a few in the gloved hand, which I gulped down and was almost sick on the spot. No more of those! Trudge home weary and nauseous after 9.2 miles (probably more but had given up arguing with Mr G at that stage). Total mileage for the month down slightly from my predicted in the last post but reasonable enough under the circumstances.

Next week will be different. I hope.

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