For Christmas 2006, my dad bought me a T-shirt from Top Man. My girlfriend actually bought it on his behalf.
Tonight, Saturday 29th June 2013, I wore it.
Result!
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Thursday, 20 June 2013
"...but you helped save a life..."
I sit here with 6 months, 18 races and 1 half of The 36 Classics Challenge 2013 behind me and I can honestly say that it has been a pleasure. It’s been a logistical challenge and also a physical challenge, but it has been rewarding on many more levels. I am currently under the 13st mark for the first time since 2006. On January 1st 2013 my PB list looked like this:
· 5k- 22:26, Mystery 5k 2012
· 5 mile- 37:30, Sefton Park 2012
· 10k- 48:47, Mersey Tunnel 2012
· 10 mile- 01:16:53, Blackpool to Fleetwood 2012
· HM- 01:48:45, Windmill Half 2012
· Marathon- 04:47:51, Edinburgh 2011
I was training and running and racing and doing a superbly average job at having a go. I was still loving the running and all that goes with it but I kind of thought that there may be something more to give. I wasn’t sure...but maybe.
It wasn’t my main goal, to set new PB’s or go faster but I was hoping it would happen naturally. My main goal was to set a challenge and complete it. So far so good! Anyway, back to my times…on June 20th 2013, my PB list looks like this:
· 5k- 21:48, Mystery 5k 2013 (Unofficial due to delay in posting results)
· 5 mile- 35:49, Walton Hall Park 2013
· 10k- 45:11, Mersey Tunnel 2013
· 10 mile- 01:16:53, Blackpool to Fleetwood 2012
· HM- 01:41:38, Shakespeare Half 2013
· Marathon- 04:47:51, Edinburgh 2011
So, let’s see how my goals are looking. Do I have PLS G2 times at the classic distances? Yes, apart from the Marathon (watch this space). Do I have some nice new PB’s? Yes please. Do you feel fit and healthy? Yes, and lighter and less chubby. Do you enjoy running? Yes, more than ever. Oh, one more thing…this series of blogs I am writing has had over 900 views in 15 countries. That might not be a lot, I really don’t have a clue, but it blows my mind when I think about it! Thank you all so much for reading.
Part two requires a warning shot. This contains language and themes of a disgusting nature. Those who are easily offended or have just eaten may not want to read on. It’s just a little story about my pleasant Sunday, up in the North-West of England, in a lovely little village named Freckleton. Freckleton Half Marathon is the oldest in the UK and is the second oldest in the world. The only longer running Half Marathon on the planet is in Luxembourg and isn’t in my race diary for 2013. It’s another rural/village run similar to the likes of Shakespeare in Stratford upon Avon and Village Bakery near Wrexham. It’s a ‘bumpy’ flat course with absolutely no hills of note but very few flat sections, you are either going up a bit, or down a bit. The main difference is the fact that it is in June and has a 2pm start. I would love to know the answer to why it is run at the hottest time of day but I don’t.
My story starts at 1pm, 50 yards short of the car park entrance on Bush Lane, just off Clitheroes Lane. If anybody can spot the joke in that then we share a similar sense of humour as it quite literally made me LOL!! It was warm, the car thermometer read a splendid 19C and the traffic was moving fairly slowly. I had prepared well enough for the day, a nice breakfast of PB&J on brown and a light lunch of Chicken and Basil pasta (and half an egg sandwich that my daughter fallen asleep into). I had also taken on board about 750ml of coconut water as I had read about it’s hydrating properties. I was feeling pretty good, I had agreed a race strategy with my chimp and I was going to try and tick over at 7:42 min/miles, taking on water at every station due to the heat. I was getting close to the car park and I was getting close to ‘the zone’!! At this point I would like to pose a question to you. It’s an age old debate, a hoary old chestnut and one that I know the answer to. The question is this- what one thing takes you back to your childhood the most? Is it a toy? Is it a sweet? Is it a song or a smell? Which one of the senses is tickled when you get that wonderful, nostalgic feeling? Shall I tell you what the answer is? There is nothing that makes you feel more like a child than the tiny moment immediately after you do a follow through. When you trust a fart enough to have one without the notion it might have a sinister message behind it, that is when you truly remember what it was like to need your parents!! And that is not all, it carries another peculiar emotion with it, just like Pandora’s Box is supposed to have done, it brings embarrassment. I am a shameless character! I am ruthless and no holds barred. I can take it as I can give it. I have been with my partner for almost 10 years and I helped make my daughter so I shouldn’t feel embarrassed in front of them. They have seen and heard me at my worst, my lowest ebb. Yet, at that split moment when I had to utter the words to Nicola “I’ve just s41t myself”, I felt a veil of shame lower itself over me.
Shortly, afterwards the shame was replaced by fear. I have to run 13 miles very soon. What do I do? One piece of advice really didn’t help, “what would Paula do?” Unfortunately, my first little surprise had invited along a couple of friends so the pre-race confidence soon disappeared and left me on the edge of pulling out. I took on some water and had a little warm up and decided to give it a go but take it easy. I didn’t want to fall foul of dehydration on such a warm day.
The race was going well enough for the first 9 miles. I had managed to average 7:39’s but shortly after the 9 mile marker my batteries went. I was feeling dry and crampy and knew that the last four miles would be a run/walk affair. Now I have a genuine gripe and if I was a militant kind of guy I would make a very strong safety point. I don’t know much about race organisation but I do believe that a Half Marathon in June should have bottled water stations and not small plastic cups. There is just not enough opportunity to take on what you need and maintain your race pace. I raised this at the end of the race to part of the event team and he challenged back saying it was the responsibility of the participant to ensure they have enough fluids. I half agreed at the time but when I went back over it I realised that I disagreed with the gentleman’s point. The race advertised four water stops, equally spaced out through the race. It didn’t mention how it would be served. OK, rant over…but it does segue nicely into the final chapter of my story. At around the 10 mile mark I noticed a fellow runner about 200 yards ahead clearly showing some signs of distress. The guy then took a pretty heavy fall on to the tarmac beneath him. I got to him as other people had started to congregate around him and help in any way they could. The poor guy was out for the count by the way, a serious case of dehydration if I ever saw one. He wasn’t alone as just a few hundred yards up the road there was another stricken athlete. I stayed with the guy until the St. John’s man came and I found out later, from a local couple who had assisted, that when the runner had come around he told the paramedic that he had taken six paracetamol earlier on for a sore leg. Now I do agree that things like that are 100% the responsibility of the participant.
So, six months, 18 races, 1 half to go in the challenge and I am raring to go for it. I have some great races lined up. One that stands out is The Great North Run in September. To be part of the UK’s largest running event is going to be such an unbelievable experience. It’s set to be about four times the size of the largest event I have been involved in to date and I can’t wait to just see what it looks like!
July holds a couple of beauties for me with the Southport Half Marathon and a 10k in hilly Rochdale. One of the biggest questions for July is ‘Will I run on my holidays?’ I’ll take my shoes and see how it goes. Peace.
Sunday, 2 June 2013
"...just wait until next time..."
It's seems like a really long time ago since I last wrote anything about The 36 Classics Challenge. Over two months have passed in fact and what a mixed bag of results!! However, there is one result that stands out for me lately and that is how much I am enjoying my running. Not just racing either, the buzz I'm getting from putting my Nikes on for training is so satisfying that it is never a chore. Which, to be fair, it has been at various points through my time running.
I was really tough on myself at points through April and May and it's not until I took time to reflect and think about what the challenge is about, why I run and what should I realistically expect that I give myself a break. Let me explain if I can. In four of the six races in April and May I have finished and felt some level of deflation. No...wait...during these races I have felt deflated and running a race whilst battling your mind is not a great strategy. The first one of these outings was the Cheshire 10k in
Crewe, a small affair but well organised and friendly. As the event was a combined start of a 2.5k, a 5k and the 10k there was a really good family vibe. For whatever reason I was given number 1 for my vest and it didn't go unnoticed by the race announcer, no pressure!! The run itself was four laps of a park which was twisty, tricky and a little bit 'undulating' towards the end of each lap, near the boating lake. It was also quite a windy day and I'll be honest, I struggled. It felt like I couldn't get going, I felt slow and sloppy. I pushed on and ran a race that I thought wouldn't please me. It was 46:23 in the end and there was a bit of disappointment as I was aiming for sub-46 mins. But, later on when I had dissected events and realised it was my second fastest time at 10k ever and I came 17th overall! 17th...me…overall!! BOOM!
In to May, and the second race that got to me troubled was The Liverpool Spring 10k in Sefton Park. I hadn't intended to do this as I had a half marathon each weekend either side and contemplated a week off racing. I'm glad I did it in the end but not at first. This is an event with a great future. Well organised, great atmosphere, challenging course. The race attracted a national field but managed to harness a really 'local' feel which was interesting and pretty cool. Anyway, it was a glorious day. In fact it wasn't far short of a scorcher, easy 300C in direct sunlight!! And, I felt it. I'm still lugging a bit of timber and when the heat kicks in it can be a real drainer. I didn't go out too quickly which was my only game plan but I still felt some lag in the middle third. I also delivered one of the worst home straight kicks in the history of Homo Erectus. I went too early, slowed considerably, tried again and got a stomach cramp, and crossed the line in 45:56, an infuriating 3 seconds outside a PB. I seriously nearly vomited on my iPad when I looked at the official results. My novice approach to race tactics was possibly to blame for missing a PB, never mind, move on!!
The Mystery 5k was the third of the four chokers. This is 5k racing at its most basic. Three laps of the big field and finish where you started. It's flat and fast, and because it is hosted by Liverpool Harriers (and is only £2) the field is always talented. There was an inordinate amount of PLS there and for some reason, which I still can't understand, I went out with faster black and white vests and clung to them for a bit. My 1k splits were 4:10, 4:30, 4:40, 4:50 and 4:15. Not the way to run a 5k race, even I know that! I finished in 22:26 and as I was aiming for a sub-22, I was disappointed once again. I had a right cob on with myself for my second fastest 5k, which was 2 seconds faster than the same event last attempt.
The last of the heartbreakers was Leeds Half Marathon on May 12th, and it was a proper 'big city' race.
Well organised, great route, well supported with a good central start and finish. The medal, tee and goody bag were impressive too. I had been struggling since the Mystery on previous Tuesday with some pain in my left knee and I had let it get in to my head. At about 3 mile I had to walk. I had to walk at two points later in the race. I was starting to think that a sub-2 hour would be out of the question, never mind a sub-1:41. I got a bit of second wind at around mile 8 and managed a bit of a push for the end by playing hunt the vest. I finished in 1:47:24, my fourth fastest time at the distance. I still haven't got off my own back yet about this one but I might if I nail Freckleton in June.
On the flip side, I did have two excellent running experiences during this period that left me feeling on top of the world. The first was a return to my favourite place…Princes Parkrun. I had a Half Marathon booked in for the following day so I decided to use it as a ‘leg warmer’ a ‘tuner’ if you like. Never really been one for training strategies and such like but I gave it a shake. I went out at a very enjoyable pace and maintained it. Kept it steady up the hills and used the downhill sections as a little bit of recovery time. I finished in 23:24. Not quick at all but the fact that I knew I was taking it in my stride and I finished in a time that I used to have to kill myself to get was a genuine lift. And, I think it worked. The next day at The Shakespeare Half Marathon in Stratford-upon-Avon, I had THE race of my life. I’m going to say it…this is the best race I have taken part in and I would do it again. In fact it starts alongside the full marathon and I would even consider doing that!! It was scenic and pleasant and although there were only three hills of note, they were good hills. It had a great start and finish and the Mayor gave me my medal. He must have known that I’d smashed my PB by a mile. In fact, when I finished the race I had to check my watch to make sure it wasn’t a short course because I felt like I had plenty left! I bagged myself a Group 2 Half Marathon time of 1:41:38 as well.
To wrap up, I would like to tell you something that is worrying me. It started a while ago but the strength of this beast is growing. I know it’s my chimp in disguise but I think he’s been in the gym because he is much stronger on this one. I can’t seem to run alone. I can put one foot in front of the other but I don’t want to. I went out for a gentle 5k at 6.40 yesterday morning and I knew it was to see how my niggling calf was but the only part I actually enjoyed was when a man in a hi-viz vest left his house for work and had to run a few hundred yards to catch his bus/lift. I smashed him all over the place to be fair and it felt great!! But, is that what I have become? Is that who I am now? It can’t end well.
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| My Phoebe stretching out |
The mixed bag of results, and post-race emotions, began back in April with a Parkrun on a fine morning. I took my four year old daughter along for it as she had been begging me to take her to race after marshalling it together a few times. We soaked up the atmosphere at the start line and we did our stretches and I have never felt so excited about a race. Phoebe was getting plenty of attention as she is so small and she seemed to be able to brighten the mood of everyone around her. We ran, we walked, we stopped, we played, we drank and we called it quits at halfway!! She was absolutely overjoyed at the finish line as people were clapping her and shouting her name. She beat her Dad across the line and although we didn't complete the distance, I have never been so proud. Even though she is still talking about it, and still running everywhere she goes, she hasn't asked to do another race since so I hope the race hasn't broken her.
I was really tough on myself at points through April and May and it's not until I took time to reflect and think about what the challenge is about, why I run and what should I realistically expect that I give myself a break. Let me explain if I can. In four of the six races in April and May I have finished and felt some level of deflation. No...wait...during these races I have felt deflated and running a race whilst battling your mind is not a great strategy. The first one of these outings was the Cheshire 10k in
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| Numero Uno |
In to May, and the second race that got to me troubled was The Liverpool Spring 10k in Sefton Park. I hadn't intended to do this as I had a half marathon each weekend either side and contemplated a week off racing. I'm glad I did it in the end but not at first. This is an event with a great future. Well organised, great atmosphere, challenging course. The race attracted a national field but managed to harness a really 'local' feel which was interesting and pretty cool. Anyway, it was a glorious day. In fact it wasn't far short of a scorcher, easy 300C in direct sunlight!! And, I felt it. I'm still lugging a bit of timber and when the heat kicks in it can be a real drainer. I didn't go out too quickly which was my only game plan but I still felt some lag in the middle third. I also delivered one of the worst home straight kicks in the history of Homo Erectus. I went too early, slowed considerably, tried again and got a stomach cramp, and crossed the line in 45:56, an infuriating 3 seconds outside a PB. I seriously nearly vomited on my iPad when I looked at the official results. My novice approach to race tactics was possibly to blame for missing a PB, never mind, move on!!
The Mystery 5k was the third of the four chokers. This is 5k racing at its most basic. Three laps of the big field and finish where you started. It's flat and fast, and because it is hosted by Liverpool Harriers (and is only £2) the field is always talented. There was an inordinate amount of PLS there and for some reason, which I still can't understand, I went out with faster black and white vests and clung to them for a bit. My 1k splits were 4:10, 4:30, 4:40, 4:50 and 4:15. Not the way to run a 5k race, even I know that! I finished in 22:26 and as I was aiming for a sub-22, I was disappointed once again. I had a right cob on with myself for my second fastest 5k, which was 2 seconds faster than the same event last attempt.
The last of the heartbreakers was Leeds Half Marathon on May 12th, and it was a proper 'big city' race.
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| 0727 'Elite Athlete' |
On the flip side, I did have two excellent running experiences during this period that left me feeling on top of the world. The first was a return to my favourite place…Princes Parkrun. I had a Half Marathon booked in for the following day so I decided to use it as a ‘leg warmer’ a ‘tuner’ if you like. Never really been one for training strategies and such like but I gave it a shake. I went out at a very enjoyable pace and maintained it. Kept it steady up the hills and used the downhill sections as a little bit of recovery time. I finished in 23:24. Not quick at all but the fact that I knew I was taking it in my stride and I finished in a time that I used to have to kill myself to get was a genuine lift. And, I think it worked. The next day at The Shakespeare Half Marathon in Stratford-upon-Avon, I had THE race of my life. I’m going to say it…this is the best race I have taken part in and I would do it again. In fact it starts alongside the full marathon and I would even consider doing that!! It was scenic and pleasant and although there were only three hills of note, they were good hills. It had a great start and finish and the Mayor gave me my medal. He must have known that I’d smashed my PB by a mile. In fact, when I finished the race I had to check my watch to make sure it wasn’t a short course because I felt like I had plenty left! I bagged myself a Group 2 Half Marathon time of 1:41:38 as well.
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| Not sure what I'm up to here |
To wrap up, I would like to tell you something that is worrying me. It started a while ago but the strength of this beast is growing. I know it’s my chimp in disguise but I think he’s been in the gym because he is much stronger on this one. I can’t seem to run alone. I can put one foot in front of the other but I don’t want to. I went out for a gentle 5k at 6.40 yesterday morning and I knew it was to see how my niggling calf was but the only part I actually enjoyed was when a man in a hi-viz vest left his house for work and had to run a few hundred yards to catch his bus/lift. I smashed him all over the place to be fair and it felt great!! But, is that what I have become? Is that who I am now? It can’t end well.
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
A Tale of Two Cities
I am a runner. And, I have been a runner more over the past week than I have ever been before. I've managed one 5 mile run this week, it was ok. Didn't break a record, didn't break a bone...a rather uninteresting week of running in my shoes. But like I said, this week I have never felt more part of running, and running a part of me. The act of violence towards an illegitimate target during one of the longest standing and celebrated institutions in our sport shook me to the core. I don't know why the Boston Marathon was chosen as a target of terrorism. I don't know the motives behind the people responsible, in fact, I don't know much about the people responsible. I have purposely chosen not to read, watch, or listen to too much reportage about the event or the suspects. I don't need to process the media's diatribe about the people responsible in order to feel grief and sorrow. I wasn't there and will never fully appreciate the horror of what happened, but to me it feels like someone, with no good intentions, entered my clubhouse and ripped the soul from some of our members. I haven't been able to bring myself to read about the innocent victims. For this I am feeling uneasy with myself. I know why it is, I am protecting myself. I am a father and might as well be a husband, and I have grown increasingly affected by news of family tragedy. For the families who lost loved ones at Boston, for the lives that changed forever at Boston, for those who view the world differently due to the events at Boston, my thoughts are with you. They can't win, they won't win.
Six days later, the eyes of the world focussed on London. The running world had united in a show of solidarity that no other sport is capable of achieving. It was athlete's 'Arms Around the World' in a spectacle that glistened with respect, courage and maybe even defiance. There were no oceans, mountains or borders on Sunday in London. We were running for Boston, if that is possible? I say we and I wasn't even running, but WE were! And the people that lined the streets were cheering and clapping for Boston? They didn't stay at home 'just in case'...they brought their friends and families along by all accounts. The Marathon is often a very personal thing, a battle that is faced alone. The true goals of a marathon are often only known to the runner, set by them, for them. A time, an amount for charity, a promise made, a health challenge or a dare. This list goes on but this week there was something that connected every single athlete/runner/jogger/plodder/walker/cartoon character and it was symbolised by a simple ribbon, worn with pride on the chest. Do you know what, good on you all! Every single one of you. You did it...you made your difference and you showed the world! I am a runner, thank you for having me.
Six days later, the eyes of the world focussed on London. The running world had united in a show of solidarity that no other sport is capable of achieving. It was athlete's 'Arms Around the World' in a spectacle that glistened with respect, courage and maybe even defiance. There were no oceans, mountains or borders on Sunday in London. We were running for Boston, if that is possible? I say we and I wasn't even running, but WE were! And the people that lined the streets were cheering and clapping for Boston? They didn't stay at home 'just in case'...they brought their friends and families along by all accounts. The Marathon is often a very personal thing, a battle that is faced alone. The true goals of a marathon are often only known to the runner, set by them, for them. A time, an amount for charity, a promise made, a health challenge or a dare. This list goes on but this week there was something that connected every single athlete/runner/jogger/plodder/walker/cartoon character and it was symbolised by a simple ribbon, worn with pride on the chest. Do you know what, good on you all! Every single one of you. You did it...you made your difference and you showed the world! I am a runner, thank you for having me.
Friday, 12 April 2013
"...he's only done a 7 miler tonight."
I'm sat here on the eve of 'part 2' of my challenge to run a 5k, a 10k and a half marathon in each calendar month and I've been reflecting on the nine races I have completed so far this year. At the same time, I have been pulling my hair out searching for suitable races in the tougher months of the year, which for me are July and August as I am lucky enough to be able to take a two week holiday with my family.
Even booking my holiday had a hidden agenda, but don't tell the missus. It straddles two months to ensure I had enough available weekends in July and August to be able to fit the races in. Then came the online search for races abroad...very thin on the ground at that time of year. I did find a couple, but if I even attempted to convince 'the other half' that North Sweden or West Iceland would be the ideal summer holiday destination then my walking days, never mind my running days, would certainly be cut short!! I'm sure both of these regions are wonderful and charming in their own right but two weeks by the pool or a Spanish beach is the order of the day for us, and that is that.
Today was the first day of this year that made me feel the winter was behind us. The weather was pleasant and the Cherry Blossom has burst into life overnight almost. The biggest clue that spring has sprung is all the talk of the taper! That wonderful time of the year were your bottle goes as you realise how close the big day is and you doubt that you have done enough training!! The niggle becomes 'definetly a hernia', and as I have seen this week...you wear your running shoes to work!!! As I said last time out, marathoners are awesome...but you are a barmy lot!! And on that note, I have been granted training permission from the aforementioned 'other half' to enter a spring 2014 marathon so bring on the focussed barminess of the marathon training plan, can't wait!!*
(*The author reserves the right to adjust any claims that he may make that suggests he is looking forward to training for a marathon)
So, the winter phase of races is done and dusted. The tuning phase, the post-Christmas push. It was a real mixed bag of races that lead to a real mixed bag of emotions. January was a struggle for me as I had really switched off in December. It went a little bit like this:
1. Princes Parkrun, 5th Jan- 23:19
I'm not just saying this, but I love this event!! A tough little run made great by the friendliness of the organisers and volunteers. Every runner/jogger/plodder/walker should do this (or their local one) as the beauty of it is this...one week a guy can show up in his footy shirt and pumps and romp home in first place with a nifty little 17 minute effort. Next week...a Harrier with wings can come along and rip the record books up. You just don't know what you're gonna get!! Just don't forget your barcode...fair play!
2. Inskip Half Marathon, 20th Jan- 1:47:56 PB
The saviour!! I would recommend this race to everyone. Pleasant, flat and well organised with lunch and a goody bag better than most. Happy Happy Happy on the way home from this one.
3. Chernobyl 10k, 27th Jan- 51:41
Too hard for me this one on the day. Almost multi-terrain due to the weather (mega exaggeration!) with roads, toe paths, ankle deep puddles and woodland paths. I struggled on this last year but gave it another go, Andy 0-2 Chernobyl (aet). My mate nailed it with a PB by over 17 minutes though so it wasn't a bad drive home.
4. Princes Parkrun 9th Feb- 23:10
A slight improvement over the month but this was all about the Parkrun. It was the 100th event and had a turnout of 168!! Testament to the event and it's excellent organisation. I went home feeling nervous as I had a 10k race the next morning!!
5. Mad Dog 10k, 10th Feb- 48:19 PB
This event has a good future. It is well organised, even though there were some logistical challenges. There was a delay to the start but it was hardly noticeable due to the large indoor areas made available to all runners. I managed to scramble a PB but came away feeling a little bit deflated as I had fallen into the trap I set myself every time I go at this distance. Dropping into a nice, comfortable training pace in the middle third and then realising I feel quite good!! Go hard or go home was really starting to make sense. My club mates had a great day out with lots of smashing PBs and good comeback runs so the journey home was ok, should have done better.
6. Village Bakery Half Marathon, 17th Feb- 1:45:30 PB
Nearly the race of my life...if it wasn't for them pesky last 3 miles!! Quite similar to Inskip really. A beautiful morning and a scenic, countryside run near Wrexham. It wasn't flat, but it wasn't hilly but what incline there was, especially near the end of the race, seemed to really pull at your thighs. A PB by 2:26 which gave me some confidence to push for a sub-8min/mile half at Liverpool. Enjoyed my tea that day, think I had a pint to celebrate too.
7. Merseyvend 5k, 2nd Mar- 22:09 PB
A free event organised by the Knowsley Harriers that takes in Halewood Park before hitting a stretch of the Loop Line for a fast and flat out and back. It was an impressive field and I was nearer the rear than the front but I managed a PB. This drive home was short, I don't live too far away you see.
8. Liverpool Half Marathon, 17th Mar- 1:45:02 PB
I don't know exactly why I keep coming back to this race. I went 15 minutes quicker than last year on the new and improved course with the best start and finish area you'll get in Britain.
9. Salford 10k, 29th Mar- 45:53 PB
If it's natural beauty and eye popping scenery you are after in your race selection then this race is for someone else. It's hand is forced in many ways as the Salford area is what it is and what you get is a 'road race', just like you asked for. A two lapper which is mostly flat with long straights and a fast, downhill finish. This is the closest I have come to 'my best race' as I achieved everything I set out to. I went out quicker than I normally do and held it for longer than I normally can. I didn't enter the middle third lull, and I managed a decent finishing push on the home straight. My time also got me a group 2 time for my club, something I was aiming to do this year but never expected to do it in March. Proper good drive home, easter egg thrown in and I definetly enjoyed a nice beer with my tea.
So, tomorrow I run. The pull of the Princes Parkrun has me again, only this time it is going to be very different. You see, the running bug has spread in our house and my young daughter has become 'infected'!! We have marshalled the event a few times together and we did it a couple of weeks ago. Afterwards, my daughter was asking if she could join in next time as there were a few young ones taking part. Ever since then, if we walk anywhere...she is running. She has dug out her pink tracksuit and her Adidas running shoes and has had them on whenever she can. She has a barcode and a safety pin, she has a water bottle and tomorrow she might even have her very own 5k PB. We might not make it all the way around but no matter how far we go, we will surely enjoy it. I hope I'm not a pushy dad, I'll find out tomorrow won't I??
Something else that I have been pondering lately is the distance people run before they give themselves any credit. The 'only' distance. This is different for everyone and this certainly changes for people as they become better runners,get further into a program or their fitness improves. When asked, "how far have you ran?", how do you reply? When I first started running I didn't have an 'only' distance, everything was amazing!! The first time I ran 4 miles I was staggered that I had been able to do it. In fact, the first time I ran 5 miles I got injured and had to rest for a few weeks with Achilles Tendonosis. Now, at this current time, my 'only' distance is 8 miles or so. It has been higher than that but as I am not pushing past 13.1 miles this year, I don't seem to be training much more than 8 miles in a session. The funny thing is, when you hear your partner talking to somebody on the phone and they say things like "he's only got a 5k and a 10k this weekend" or "he's only done a 7 miler tonight" and you think, wow...I'm brilliant!! I'm overweight/underheight...whatever, I'm 35, I have dodgy knees and a bad back. I work full time and have a family with a home. If I run 100m I deserve some credit, only I have decided to set the credit cut-off limit at 8 miles. So, what is your 'only' distance? Is it a tool that can be used to get you somewhere? How do ultra runners do it? "I'm just going for a little run love, I'm only doing 33 miles...I won't be long. x"
Thanks for your time, whoever you are...now...go for a run!!!
Even booking my holiday had a hidden agenda, but don't tell the missus. It straddles two months to ensure I had enough available weekends in July and August to be able to fit the races in. Then came the online search for races abroad...very thin on the ground at that time of year. I did find a couple, but if I even attempted to convince 'the other half' that North Sweden or West Iceland would be the ideal summer holiday destination then my walking days, never mind my running days, would certainly be cut short!! I'm sure both of these regions are wonderful and charming in their own right but two weeks by the pool or a Spanish beach is the order of the day for us, and that is that.
Today was the first day of this year that made me feel the winter was behind us. The weather was pleasant and the Cherry Blossom has burst into life overnight almost. The biggest clue that spring has sprung is all the talk of the taper! That wonderful time of the year were your bottle goes as you realise how close the big day is and you doubt that you have done enough training!! The niggle becomes 'definetly a hernia', and as I have seen this week...you wear your running shoes to work!!! As I said last time out, marathoners are awesome...but you are a barmy lot!! And on that note, I have been granted training permission from the aforementioned 'other half' to enter a spring 2014 marathon so bring on the focussed barminess of the marathon training plan, can't wait!!*
(*The author reserves the right to adjust any claims that he may make that suggests he is looking forward to training for a marathon)
So, the winter phase of races is done and dusted. The tuning phase, the post-Christmas push. It was a real mixed bag of races that lead to a real mixed bag of emotions. January was a struggle for me as I had really switched off in December. It went a little bit like this:
1. Princes Parkrun, 5th Jan- 23:19
I'm not just saying this, but I love this event!! A tough little run made great by the friendliness of the organisers and volunteers. Every runner/jogger/plodder/walker should do this (or their local one) as the beauty of it is this...one week a guy can show up in his footy shirt and pumps and romp home in first place with a nifty little 17 minute effort. Next week...a Harrier with wings can come along and rip the record books up. You just don't know what you're gonna get!! Just don't forget your barcode...fair play!
2. Inskip Half Marathon, 20th Jan- 1:47:56 PB
The saviour!! I would recommend this race to everyone. Pleasant, flat and well organised with lunch and a goody bag better than most. Happy Happy Happy on the way home from this one.
3. Chernobyl 10k, 27th Jan- 51:41
Too hard for me this one on the day. Almost multi-terrain due to the weather (mega exaggeration!) with roads, toe paths, ankle deep puddles and woodland paths. I struggled on this last year but gave it another go, Andy 0-2 Chernobyl (aet). My mate nailed it with a PB by over 17 minutes though so it wasn't a bad drive home.
4. Princes Parkrun 9th Feb- 23:10
A slight improvement over the month but this was all about the Parkrun. It was the 100th event and had a turnout of 168!! Testament to the event and it's excellent organisation. I went home feeling nervous as I had a 10k race the next morning!!
5. Mad Dog 10k, 10th Feb- 48:19 PB
This event has a good future. It is well organised, even though there were some logistical challenges. There was a delay to the start but it was hardly noticeable due to the large indoor areas made available to all runners. I managed to scramble a PB but came away feeling a little bit deflated as I had fallen into the trap I set myself every time I go at this distance. Dropping into a nice, comfortable training pace in the middle third and then realising I feel quite good!! Go hard or go home was really starting to make sense. My club mates had a great day out with lots of smashing PBs and good comeback runs so the journey home was ok, should have done better.
6. Village Bakery Half Marathon, 17th Feb- 1:45:30 PB
Nearly the race of my life...if it wasn't for them pesky last 3 miles!! Quite similar to Inskip really. A beautiful morning and a scenic, countryside run near Wrexham. It wasn't flat, but it wasn't hilly but what incline there was, especially near the end of the race, seemed to really pull at your thighs. A PB by 2:26 which gave me some confidence to push for a sub-8min/mile half at Liverpool. Enjoyed my tea that day, think I had a pint to celebrate too.
7. Merseyvend 5k, 2nd Mar- 22:09 PB
A free event organised by the Knowsley Harriers that takes in Halewood Park before hitting a stretch of the Loop Line for a fast and flat out and back. It was an impressive field and I was nearer the rear than the front but I managed a PB. This drive home was short, I don't live too far away you see.
8. Liverpool Half Marathon, 17th Mar- 1:45:02 PB
I don't know exactly why I keep coming back to this race. I went 15 minutes quicker than last year on the new and improved course with the best start and finish area you'll get in Britain.
9. Salford 10k, 29th Mar- 45:53 PB
If it's natural beauty and eye popping scenery you are after in your race selection then this race is for someone else. It's hand is forced in many ways as the Salford area is what it is and what you get is a 'road race', just like you asked for. A two lapper which is mostly flat with long straights and a fast, downhill finish. This is the closest I have come to 'my best race' as I achieved everything I set out to. I went out quicker than I normally do and held it for longer than I normally can. I didn't enter the middle third lull, and I managed a decent finishing push on the home straight. My time also got me a group 2 time for my club, something I was aiming to do this year but never expected to do it in March. Proper good drive home, easter egg thrown in and I definetly enjoyed a nice beer with my tea.
So, tomorrow I run. The pull of the Princes Parkrun has me again, only this time it is going to be very different. You see, the running bug has spread in our house and my young daughter has become 'infected'!! We have marshalled the event a few times together and we did it a couple of weeks ago. Afterwards, my daughter was asking if she could join in next time as there were a few young ones taking part. Ever since then, if we walk anywhere...she is running. She has dug out her pink tracksuit and her Adidas running shoes and has had them on whenever she can. She has a barcode and a safety pin, she has a water bottle and tomorrow she might even have her very own 5k PB. We might not make it all the way around but no matter how far we go, we will surely enjoy it. I hope I'm not a pushy dad, I'll find out tomorrow won't I??
Something else that I have been pondering lately is the distance people run before they give themselves any credit. The 'only' distance. This is different for everyone and this certainly changes for people as they become better runners,get further into a program or their fitness improves. When asked, "how far have you ran?", how do you reply? When I first started running I didn't have an 'only' distance, everything was amazing!! The first time I ran 4 miles I was staggered that I had been able to do it. In fact, the first time I ran 5 miles I got injured and had to rest for a few weeks with Achilles Tendonosis. Now, at this current time, my 'only' distance is 8 miles or so. It has been higher than that but as I am not pushing past 13.1 miles this year, I don't seem to be training much more than 8 miles in a session. The funny thing is, when you hear your partner talking to somebody on the phone and they say things like "he's only got a 5k and a 10k this weekend" or "he's only done a 7 miler tonight" and you think, wow...I'm brilliant!! I'm overweight/underheight...whatever, I'm 35, I have dodgy knees and a bad back. I work full time and have a family with a home. If I run 100m I deserve some credit, only I have decided to set the credit cut-off limit at 8 miles. So, what is your 'only' distance? Is it a tool that can be used to get you somewhere? How do ultra runners do it? "I'm just going for a little run love, I'm only doing 33 miles...I won't be long. x"
Thanks for your time, whoever you are...now...go for a run!!!
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
"...I can barely recognise you."
The dust has finally settled now on what was a really great event, the Liverpool Half Marathon 2013. The thing that made it is such a great event wasn't the organisation- although pretty good- it wasn't the course or the support- which was ok- it wasn't the medal and t-shirt at the end- which was good. What made it great for me was all the reactions of my club mates to their own experience of the day. Some smashed PBs by ridiculous amounts, some got through it carrying injuries or niggles and some were happy to put the demons of 'last year' behind them. There was also a large number of first timers. And, by first timers I mean first attempt at the distance and also first time racers!!! Every single one of the people I spoke to, or read about did something that made them feel good about themselves on Sunday and that is what I believe to be the magic of running. No doubt the next time some of us pull on our running shoes we will be so disappointed with what we do that we will want to sling that medal and wear the t-shirt to gloss the door frames and skirting boards!! I was thinking of writing a mile by mile account of my race but the miles have merged and my tunnel vision has rendered my memory of the race, outside of 10 feet in front and 2 feet either side of me, a complete blur. I know who was cheering and pushing me on, I just can't remember where you were!! The synopsis goes like this: Aimed for 8 minute miles, got 8:01's. A new PB at the distance of 1:45:02, my third PB of the year at 13.1 miles. All thanks to fellow Strider, Rob, for doing a truly mind-boggling pace-setting job!!! Well done to everyone who took part and thank you for pushing yourself to the limit, so I could push myself to mine.
Talking of limits, isn't it funny how we ask our bodies to do things that they aren't supposed to do, or things they have never done before? I have been thinking about this a lot over the last three weeks or so and I am struggling to comprehend why I get frustrated or disappointed with myself when things don't work out. The Spring marathons are a matter of weeks away. Manchester, London, Paris to name but a few, are getting really close now and I know a lot of people who are training for one of these. I remember reading somewhere that the human body is only designed to hold enough fuel to make it move about 20 miles. So, if this is true, then every time somebody completes 26.2 miles, they have been able to persuade their body to do something it shouldn't. And then, not only do you want it to go further than ever before (possibly), you want it to do it in a time limit!! The investment in the training is a feat in itself. 12-16 weeks, maybe more, of complex plans, structured routines and personal sacrifices that can often impact your 'whole world' just so you can do it in 'sub-whatever'. Seasoned marathoners, improvers, or debutants- you all have my respect and support if needed. Most of all you have my best wishes...go and get 'em!!!
Earlier this month I asked my body to do something it had never done before and thankfully it responded with a resounding 'go on then...I'll give it a try'. At the start of this challenge I outlined two goals; 1) Complete a 5k, a 10k and a Half Marathon in each calendar month, and 2) Get a PLS Group 2 time at all three distances. The first part takes a bit of planning but is do-able. The second would take effort, training, discipline and a bit of luck. The times needed to achieve this part of the goal are 22:09 for 5k, 46:00 for 10k and 1:42:33 for the Half. To achieve this goal for the 5k distance I would have to make my body move faster than it has ever done before over a distance greater than 100 yards!! It would have to do 1000 metres in 4 minutes 25 seconds...5 times....back to back. It doesn't sound like an amazing feat does it? But remember, I have never done it before. I have actually never even asked my body how it would feel if I asked. Until 10am on Saturday 2nd March in Halewood that is. Crossing the line in 22:09 felt awesome, yes I was tired, yes I nearly fell over a bit but if I had...I would have looked up at the laughing faces with a broad grin on my dial!! Somebody described a 5k race as "take a deep breath and hold it, run, and vomit at the end". I like that. As I mentioned before, there is often disappointment and that disappointment is usually harsh and unfair on yourself. My disappointment came when I realised that the goal times I had set myself for the year had to be beaten, not equalled, to qualify for the illustrious PLS Group 2!!! Where did that 1 second go? How could I have ran that race differently? Why did I have that bag of crisps two Wednesdays ago? I've got nine more goes at it!!
I'm almost a quarter of the way through the challenge now and I am loving it! On Good Friday I am taking part in the Salford 10k, in which I am number 69!!! (Insert rude joke here) That will be 9 down, 27 to go. So far, I have hit 5 PBs, lost an inch off my waist and got a new haircut. Recognise!!!
Talking of limits, isn't it funny how we ask our bodies to do things that they aren't supposed to do, or things they have never done before? I have been thinking about this a lot over the last three weeks or so and I am struggling to comprehend why I get frustrated or disappointed with myself when things don't work out. The Spring marathons are a matter of weeks away. Manchester, London, Paris to name but a few, are getting really close now and I know a lot of people who are training for one of these. I remember reading somewhere that the human body is only designed to hold enough fuel to make it move about 20 miles. So, if this is true, then every time somebody completes 26.2 miles, they have been able to persuade their body to do something it shouldn't. And then, not only do you want it to go further than ever before (possibly), you want it to do it in a time limit!! The investment in the training is a feat in itself. 12-16 weeks, maybe more, of complex plans, structured routines and personal sacrifices that can often impact your 'whole world' just so you can do it in 'sub-whatever'. Seasoned marathoners, improvers, or debutants- you all have my respect and support if needed. Most of all you have my best wishes...go and get 'em!!!
Earlier this month I asked my body to do something it had never done before and thankfully it responded with a resounding 'go on then...I'll give it a try'. At the start of this challenge I outlined two goals; 1) Complete a 5k, a 10k and a Half Marathon in each calendar month, and 2) Get a PLS Group 2 time at all three distances. The first part takes a bit of planning but is do-able. The second would take effort, training, discipline and a bit of luck. The times needed to achieve this part of the goal are 22:09 for 5k, 46:00 for 10k and 1:42:33 for the Half. To achieve this goal for the 5k distance I would have to make my body move faster than it has ever done before over a distance greater than 100 yards!! It would have to do 1000 metres in 4 minutes 25 seconds...5 times....back to back. It doesn't sound like an amazing feat does it? But remember, I have never done it before. I have actually never even asked my body how it would feel if I asked. Until 10am on Saturday 2nd March in Halewood that is. Crossing the line in 22:09 felt awesome, yes I was tired, yes I nearly fell over a bit but if I had...I would have looked up at the laughing faces with a broad grin on my dial!! Somebody described a 5k race as "take a deep breath and hold it, run, and vomit at the end". I like that. As I mentioned before, there is often disappointment and that disappointment is usually harsh and unfair on yourself. My disappointment came when I realised that the goal times I had set myself for the year had to be beaten, not equalled, to qualify for the illustrious PLS Group 2!!! Where did that 1 second go? How could I have ran that race differently? Why did I have that bag of crisps two Wednesdays ago? I've got nine more goes at it!!
I'm almost a quarter of the way through the challenge now and I am loving it! On Good Friday I am taking part in the Salford 10k, in which I am number 69!!! (Insert rude joke here) That will be 9 down, 27 to go. So far, I have hit 5 PBs, lost an inch off my waist and got a new haircut. Recognise!!!
Monday, 18 February 2013
"...and they let you enter?"
I was asked this question by a fellow runner at The Inskip Half Marathon last month and it has stuck with me ever since. I'm pretty sure it was a question that had congratulatory tones involved but I have played it back in my mind over and over and I have been able to transform the element of surprise into an element of shock and disgust at my lack of respect for racing etiquette.
Allow me to back track a little...it was the morning of the scheduled Essar Four Villages Half Marathon that fell foul of the white stuff and I was in desperate need of a half marathon to run. (There is a sentence I never thought I would say, write or think!!) I kitted up and set off for Inskip, not far from Preston, in the hope that I could somehow blag my way in to a full, 'no entry on the day' race. I was the third car in the car park and the tea urn on the butty van had barely boiled when I asked, with extreme politeness, if it would be possible to enter. My wish was granted after a quick call to the organiser and I had a number, the challenge was going to stay alive for at least another day.
Ok, before I have a go at writing a 'race review' (which I can't see going too well), I would like to explain my cold sweats about the simple question I was asked that morning. "...and they let you enter?" A few years ago I took up golf as a hobby. A few of my friends and work colleagues played and they got me into it. I fell for it pretty heavily for a bit and played quite a lot. I tended to play with good golfers, or at least golfers who had played for a long time and one of the first things I learnt about the game was the etiquette. These 'rules' are often unspoken or unwritten but universally understood and applicable. Many of them add nothing to the game and are used to seperate golfers from people who swing sticks at balls. In fact, it was the etiquette that had kept me away for years and one of the reasons I don't play much anymore. It was this question that made me think I may have crossed an etiquette line. I have crossed these lines in other races but I have learned from the experiences. Like running with folk who kept me company/spurred me on in tough races and then pulling away towards the end...tut tut tut...lesson learned. Had I done it again? Does a race that states 'no entries on the day' really expect no 'extras' to chance their arm? Is it frowned upon? Have I brought my club into disrepute? Is there a secret book, full of secrets that is drip fed to the uninitiated through painful lessons, being pulled to one side for a chat or finding yourself looking at the backs of people stood in a knowing huddle?
Or, was my running cohort, just really pleased for me? Probably.
Inskip Half went much better though. A country road and track race, quite flat and certainly pretty enough. The miles ticked by comfortably, I wouldn't say fast, but they came and some surprised me with their seemingly early arrival. I got through the 13.1miles and didn't feel too bad at all. I'd also managed to strip almost a minute off my PB from The Windmill Half 2012.
Allow me to back track a little...it was the morning of the scheduled Essar Four Villages Half Marathon that fell foul of the white stuff and I was in desperate need of a half marathon to run. (There is a sentence I never thought I would say, write or think!!) I kitted up and set off for Inskip, not far from Preston, in the hope that I could somehow blag my way in to a full, 'no entry on the day' race. I was the third car in the car park and the tea urn on the butty van had barely boiled when I asked, with extreme politeness, if it would be possible to enter. My wish was granted after a quick call to the organiser and I had a number, the challenge was going to stay alive for at least another day.
Ok, before I have a go at writing a 'race review' (which I can't see going too well), I would like to explain my cold sweats about the simple question I was asked that morning. "...and they let you enter?" A few years ago I took up golf as a hobby. A few of my friends and work colleagues played and they got me into it. I fell for it pretty heavily for a bit and played quite a lot. I tended to play with good golfers, or at least golfers who had played for a long time and one of the first things I learnt about the game was the etiquette. These 'rules' are often unspoken or unwritten but universally understood and applicable. Many of them add nothing to the game and are used to seperate golfers from people who swing sticks at balls. In fact, it was the etiquette that had kept me away for years and one of the reasons I don't play much anymore. It was this question that made me think I may have crossed an etiquette line. I have crossed these lines in other races but I have learned from the experiences. Like running with folk who kept me company/spurred me on in tough races and then pulling away towards the end...tut tut tut...lesson learned. Had I done it again? Does a race that states 'no entries on the day' really expect no 'extras' to chance their arm? Is it frowned upon? Have I brought my club into disrepute? Is there a secret book, full of secrets that is drip fed to the uninitiated through painful lessons, being pulled to one side for a chat or finding yourself looking at the backs of people stood in a knowing huddle?
Or, was my running cohort, just really pleased for me? Probably.
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| Before The Chernobyl 10k |
Enough about the inner workings of a rampant self-botherer, how has The 36 Classics Challenge faired through January and February? Oh by the way, I now know that other people have read these blogs so I now imagine what is going through your minds!!! January saw two fairly unimpressive outings over 5k and 10k. A pedestrian Prince's Parkrun and an unjoyful plod around Chernobyl 10k near Preston. An almost multi-terrain affair which includes roads, toe paths, ankle-deep puddles and about 8 soul destroying climbs of no more than 30 metres in length similar to that little swine in Prince's Park. Only, with wet feet and twice the spite!
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| And after!! |
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| Inskip Half Marathon |
February consisted of the 100th Parkrun, which leads me on to a massive thank you and an even massiver congratulations to the event's organisers and hardcore group of volunteer marshalls who make it THE place to be at 9am on a Saturday morning in Liverpool!!! Another typical 5k effort ensued with the 3km to 4km lull on full show for all to see as they pass me with grace and ease. If your a seasoned athlete, and your 5k PB is at this Parkrun, then fair play to you. That's an effort! If you are a novice and your only 5k race is at this Parkrun...get on another one (not instead of it though), you might just s41t at what you are capable of!! Next came the Mad Dog 10k and a new PB!! I really emjoyed the simplicity of this out and back, and would certainly consider it for next year. It was well organised, plenty of facilities which really helped as the 30 minute delay was the only let down. Great tee, great medal and a ma-hoosive goodie bag. The best thing about this race though...the amount of Striders that romped home to PBs, SBs or times they were pleased with. Well done guys!
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| Mad Dog 10k Pre-Race |
And finally, almost the race of my life!!! Yesterday was the Village Bakery Half Marathon, near Wrexham. A very popular run, advertised as flat and fast and discussed in running circles as an excellent PB opportunity. It rang an Inskip bell as it loops around the surrounding countryside and had a similar elevation map. But, do you know what?? I'm going to say the last 5k was 'bumpier' than the flat they promised and it ripped me to shreds!!! The aforementioned race of my life slipped away and left me with the comfort blanket of a new PB and a Bara Brith fruit loaf which I will be having for breakfast in the morning, toasted and lightly buttered.
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| Me and my fruit loaf |
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