Marathon J
More on the specifics on my Sunday run in my next blog, but let this serve as a lesson to you all!
Her in doors is busy packing for the annual holiday, to St Owen, so my high tech running gear is out of bounds, it’s either in the wash or assigned to the packing pile.
I searched and found some alternative clothing, some 10 year old running shorts (yes it’s been that long) and socks. Both fit, albeit in need of a little fabric softener and seemed ok.
Inspired by Marathon T’s goals for the weekend I though I’d attempt 9.5 miles. Approximately 4 miles in to my run, I say approximately because I don’t have a Garmon F305, my legs felt a little tired so I figured that was about 4 miles, anyway, I noticed my left little toe was rubbing on my sock, and try as I might I could not make it comfortable. The rubbing continued for a further 5.5 miles and the result, as I sit here and type is a blister the size of my big toe sat on top of my little toe, so I’d appreciate any thoughts, do I burst it? As in “Run fat boy run” or not? By the way if you’ve not seen that film do so.
Turning to the title of this report, showering after my run, I hurt everywhere and unusually noticed that the pain even extended to my manhood, on closer inspection, I had a case of runners nipple on the old fella! No double-entendre intended.
So let that be a lesson throw your old gear away and don’t be tempted to use it.
Here ends the lesson.
PS
Marathon J walks away from is laptop awkwardly
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Garmin has Landed
Marathon T
Another week of training almost over and have been hearing today that the other members of the team are hitting some serious form. There are interesting mutterings coming from the upmarket gym frequented by Marathon’s S & P that the machines are creaking under the force of their training.
Last night:
Weights – lots of them.
Plus stretching and core conditioning (situps etc)
No cardio.
More training(ish) news - I am getting my new toy today (Garmin F305 – For Marathon J this is a personal training system that tracks heart rate, distance, speed, etc etc). It has arrived on the Island and I am going to give it a whirl tonight with a quick blast around the block (a couple of miles) to check it out prior to my scheduled long run on Sunday. Full report to follow….I have also noticed on the runners world site that they have customised Garmin training programmes for the half-marathon, so I might give one of those a go..
One quick point – I had to mention Marathon J checking out a woman’s “propulsion system” in the pool (below)…Is it only my mind that is running away with that one?
I think not.
Marathon T
Another week of training almost over and have been hearing today that the other members of the team are hitting some serious form. There are interesting mutterings coming from the upmarket gym frequented by Marathon’s S & P that the machines are creaking under the force of their training.
Last night:
Weights – lots of them.
Plus stretching and core conditioning (situps etc)
No cardio.
More training(ish) news - I am getting my new toy today (Garmin F305 – For Marathon J this is a personal training system that tracks heart rate, distance, speed, etc etc). It has arrived on the Island and I am going to give it a whirl tonight with a quick blast around the block (a couple of miles) to check it out prior to my scheduled long run on Sunday. Full report to follow….I have also noticed on the runners world site that they have customised Garmin training programmes for the half-marathon, so I might give one of those a go..
One quick point – I had to mention Marathon J checking out a woman’s “propulsion system” in the pool (below)…Is it only my mind that is running away with that one?
I think not.
Marathon T
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Mermaids - Marathon J
Marathon J
Pre, during and Post Easter excess has again taken it's toll in my fat reserves which have accumulated, body weight up 6Ilb, % body fat increase 2%, % body water degreased a %.
So hit the pool, as joints still suffering from arctic training in the Easter Manchester snow drifts:
33 Minutes and 64 lengths completed before I ran out of time and had to head back to the office.
1 litre of pool water inhaled in the process as I continue to try to contra side breathe
Numerous failed attempts at tumble turns, the most frequent error is missing the wall, but when I do mange to hit the wall I invariably shoot off in the wrong direction or worse still lane. Still it’s good cardio but could have done with being a little longer. Interestingly triceps feel like they have had a work out today not sure that’s going to help on the 18th May though.
Points of interest….cheats
Some woman jumped in my lane (the fast lane) why I wondered? She then proceeded to overtaken me half way down the lane! Suspecting she was in fact a mermaid I checked her propulsion system out to find she was wearing flippers! Why would you do that?
What is a Garmon F305?
Pre, during and Post Easter excess has again taken it's toll in my fat reserves which have accumulated, body weight up 6Ilb, % body fat increase 2%, % body water degreased a %.
So hit the pool, as joints still suffering from arctic training in the Easter Manchester snow drifts:
33 Minutes and 64 lengths completed before I ran out of time and had to head back to the office.
1 litre of pool water inhaled in the process as I continue to try to contra side breathe
Numerous failed attempts at tumble turns, the most frequent error is missing the wall, but when I do mange to hit the wall I invariably shoot off in the wrong direction or worse still lane. Still it’s good cardio but could have done with being a little longer. Interestingly triceps feel like they have had a work out today not sure that’s going to help on the 18th May though.
Points of interest….cheats
Some woman jumped in my lane (the fast lane) why I wondered? She then proceeded to overtaken me half way down the lane! Suspecting she was in fact a mermaid I checked her propulsion system out to find she was wearing flippers! Why would you do that?
What is a Garmon F305?
The countdown has begun...
Marathon T
Another Wednesday and another night in the gym – in the ‘cardio zone’ (yes, all of your mental images are correct – it is dark and has a disco ball in the centre of the room).
Treadmill:
Hill programme (1 min incline, 1 min flat) – level 5
40 mins @ 7.5mph (8 min miles)
It actually felt very easy last night. Legs felt good and seemed to have plenty of energy. I finished with a good stretch, a couple of sets of leg weights then a quick sauna before retiring to watch England lose the football.
We are now only seven weeks away from the big day – and four weeks away from our first race experience. It is starting to get a bit tense in the MoFo team….I will be stepping up the long run from this Sunday – going to try 1:30 – 1:45hrs steady jog (hopefully around 10 – 11 miles).
Breaking in a second set of trainers at the moment – in case I have a problem with the Saucony’s (on Marathon T snr’s advice)….went for Asics Nimbus IX, they feel great so far (I expect a number of pairs to appear in the post when this blog becomes a major mini-series and big screen epic). I am sure companies will be beating down Marathon S’s door too – although suspect his is more likely to come from a major pharmaceutical company, he is now actually rattling as he walks around the office and his entire body is wrapped in neoprene supports (despite his claims below)….
Marathon T
Another Wednesday and another night in the gym – in the ‘cardio zone’ (yes, all of your mental images are correct – it is dark and has a disco ball in the centre of the room).
Treadmill:
Hill programme (1 min incline, 1 min flat) – level 5
40 mins @ 7.5mph (8 min miles)
It actually felt very easy last night. Legs felt good and seemed to have plenty of energy. I finished with a good stretch, a couple of sets of leg weights then a quick sauna before retiring to watch England lose the football.
We are now only seven weeks away from the big day – and four weeks away from our first race experience. It is starting to get a bit tense in the MoFo team….I will be stepping up the long run from this Sunday – going to try 1:30 – 1:45hrs steady jog (hopefully around 10 – 11 miles).
Breaking in a second set of trainers at the moment – in case I have a problem with the Saucony’s (on Marathon T snr’s advice)….went for Asics Nimbus IX, they feel great so far (I expect a number of pairs to appear in the post when this blog becomes a major mini-series and big screen epic). I am sure companies will be beating down Marathon S’s door too – although suspect his is more likely to come from a major pharmaceutical company, he is now actually rattling as he walks around the office and his entire body is wrapped in neoprene supports (despite his claims below)….
Marathon T
'avin it!
Marathon S.
As Delia Smith said "Come on, where are you?", like George Foreman winning a World title in his 40's, like Gandalf the Grey returning as Gandalf the White, like the Phoenix rising from the Ashes, like a homing pigeon, like Benji the dog or Lassie finding their way home, like Rocky Balboa beating Apollo Creed in Rocky 2, like a zombie, I'm back!!!
Yes, you read that right, you doubters, I laugh in your face.
After putting on 6.5 pounds in Barca and London and crippling myself I'm like Steve Austin "The Six Million Dollar Man" rebuilt, better stronger, faster.
I had some cross trainer action again last night, 60 mins on level 12, never dropping below 10, with my heart between 140 - 160, I covered 11K and burnt over 800 calories. My knee band was on and I felt great.
Hopped off the trainer like spring heeled jack and carried out the isometric exercises and strectches I've read in my new book and feel good.
Went home, raised my leg, iced my knee and lived the dream.
More cross trainer action and stretching tonight, who knows, may even be able to have a bit of a run on Sunday, though me and Marathon T are planning some body board action on Saturday morning.
Lock up your Daughter, the running man cometh again!!
As Delia Smith said "Come on, where are you?", like George Foreman winning a World title in his 40's, like Gandalf the Grey returning as Gandalf the White, like the Phoenix rising from the Ashes, like a homing pigeon, like Benji the dog or Lassie finding their way home, like Rocky Balboa beating Apollo Creed in Rocky 2, like a zombie, I'm back!!!
Yes, you read that right, you doubters, I laugh in your face.
After putting on 6.5 pounds in Barca and London and crippling myself I'm like Steve Austin "The Six Million Dollar Man" rebuilt, better stronger, faster.
I had some cross trainer action again last night, 60 mins on level 12, never dropping below 10, with my heart between 140 - 160, I covered 11K and burnt over 800 calories. My knee band was on and I felt great.
Hopped off the trainer like spring heeled jack and carried out the isometric exercises and strectches I've read in my new book and feel good.
Went home, raised my leg, iced my knee and lived the dream.
More cross trainer action and stretching tonight, who knows, may even be able to have a bit of a run on Sunday, though me and Marathon T are planning some body board action on Saturday morning.
Lock up your Daughter, the running man cometh again!!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Kneesy Does it
Marathon S. Can't say I've ever thought much about my knee's, had the odd carpet burn, or had dirt ingrained in them as a kid, however, for the last 39 years they've just been there and done the kind of things that knees do, suppose I could have said the same about my shins before they flared up and stabbed me in the legs the other week.
Now however, I know all about my knee's or should I say my left one as my right continues to behave impeccably. The left one needs icing, needs herbal tablets, needs to be kept raised, needs to have it's quads strengthened, needs to have a support to enable it to move properly and is turning out to be a real pain in the A!
I decided on some cross trainer action last night for 45 mins level 12 to keep the heart and cardio system running in tip top shape while my errant knee decides if it's going to get better or give up the ghost!!
After the 45 mins cross training I hopped on the treadmill for a 5 min walk and 15 jog though had to call it a day after 5 mins of jogging as the knee became painful and refused to play ball.
I've now got books, supports and exercise regimes I need to follow to try and get it back into pain free shape and if that doesn't work it's time for the Forrest Gump callipers.
Limpalong Marathon S
Now however, I know all about my knee's or should I say my left one as my right continues to behave impeccably. The left one needs icing, needs herbal tablets, needs to be kept raised, needs to have it's quads strengthened, needs to have a support to enable it to move properly and is turning out to be a real pain in the A!
I decided on some cross trainer action last night for 45 mins level 12 to keep the heart and cardio system running in tip top shape while my errant knee decides if it's going to get better or give up the ghost!!
After the 45 mins cross training I hopped on the treadmill for a 5 min walk and 15 jog though had to call it a day after 5 mins of jogging as the knee became painful and refused to play ball.
I've now got books, supports and exercise regimes I need to follow to try and get it back into pain free shape and if that doesn't work it's time for the Forrest Gump callipers.
Limpalong Marathon S
Marathon T on the move...seriously
Marathon T
A short update on the end of Barcelona and Easter skiing.
On Wednesday after the conference had finished I managed to get 40 mins on the treadmill at a decent pace before heading into town for a quiet beer or three.
Then on Thursday I began an epic travel day. Alarm call was at 04:30, taxi at 05:00. Flight from Barcelona got me to Heathrow for 09:00 – transfer to Gatwick and flight to Jersey at 13:45. Quick stop at home then to the port for 20:00 for a (delayed) ferry to St Malo. Picked up the coach there for an overnight journey to the Pyrenees, arriving at midday in Cauterets for a weekend skiing.
Now the most observant of you will have noticed that I travelled approx 32 hours to move exactly 150ish miles (Barcelona – the Pyrenees). That is only 4.6mph – way below my current training runs...I could have jogged to the skiing trip!
Marathon T hard at the altitude training....
Spent a great weekend skiing – fantastic snow conditions (it must have dumped about 5ft of snow over easter weekend in the resort). No running but excellent altitude training, plus my legs were absolutely spent coming off the mountain each day…So, I am claiming that as a good training weekend.
Back to work now and last night was my first run for a week, so I took it easy:
A really good stretch – followed by…
15 mins warm up on the bike
Then Treadmill:
20 mins @ 7.0mph
10 mins @ 7.5mph
10 mins @ 8.0mph
Legs were sore but got through the session ok.
I am now focusing on the 10k race we have booked in 4 weeks – and gaining much needed inspiration from Marathon T snr running the FLM in just over two weeks. I have also buckled and ordered the Garmin F305 personal training watch – so I am able to gauge my longer runs outside from this weekend. But honestly, it is just a great new toy.
Back to the gym tonight.
Marathon T
A short update on the end of Barcelona and Easter skiing.
On Wednesday after the conference had finished I managed to get 40 mins on the treadmill at a decent pace before heading into town for a quiet beer or three.
Then on Thursday I began an epic travel day. Alarm call was at 04:30, taxi at 05:00. Flight from Barcelona got me to Heathrow for 09:00 – transfer to Gatwick and flight to Jersey at 13:45. Quick stop at home then to the port for 20:00 for a (delayed) ferry to St Malo. Picked up the coach there for an overnight journey to the Pyrenees, arriving at midday in Cauterets for a weekend skiing.
Now the most observant of you will have noticed that I travelled approx 32 hours to move exactly 150ish miles (Barcelona – the Pyrenees). That is only 4.6mph – way below my current training runs...I could have jogged to the skiing trip!Marathon T hard at the altitude training....
Spent a great weekend skiing – fantastic snow conditions (it must have dumped about 5ft of snow over easter weekend in the resort). No running but excellent altitude training, plus my legs were absolutely spent coming off the mountain each day…So, I am claiming that as a good training weekend.
Back to work now and last night was my first run for a week, so I took it easy:
A really good stretch – followed by…
15 mins warm up on the bike
Then Treadmill:
20 mins @ 7.0mph
10 mins @ 7.5mph
10 mins @ 8.0mph
Legs were sore but got through the session ok.
I am now focusing on the 10k race we have booked in 4 weeks – and gaining much needed inspiration from Marathon T snr running the FLM in just over two weeks. I have also buckled and ordered the Garmin F305 personal training watch – so I am able to gauge my longer runs outside from this weekend. But honestly, it is just a great new toy.
Back to the gym tonight.
Marathon T
Monday, March 24, 2008
Having a mare!
Marathon S. Well I've continued to be the sick note of the group after the crippling experience of the 8.2 miler I completed in the Hilton Diagonal Mar gym in Barcelona!
The run went well apart from the piglet chest fighting thing I've discussed previously and I even felt chipper heading out for some scoff with Marathon T and Lambshank onto the mean pick pocketed streets of Las Rambla, however, as the evening went on, a worrying, deep seated pain set into my left knee. This pain got worse as I woke up on Monday and sat through a days session at an IT conference. It seems that if I sit for more than 15 mins my knee starts to throb, then as I try and straighten it, it feels as if a nail has been driven through the kneecap!!
Monday was a none exerciser due to the pain, though I was out with Marathon T and Lambshank once again for more scoff this time at Port Olympic where we were joined by the Kempster (Swimming God and Alun the Leprechaun, quite apt as it was Paddys day). Tuesday the knee was even worse so no exercise there, but once again out with Marathon T, Lambshank, Lord Lucan, The Kempster, Jimmg G (My hero) and some high powered Germans where myself and Lambshank refrained from mentioning the war, but made some other disparaging comments that I can't repeat!!
Wednesday my knee was still sore and showing no signs of recovery (Can you see a pattern developing) though Marathon T did help me select a Vulcan, neoprene, open kneecap, 5mm support (I only say that so I can get sponsorship when this blog is syndicated in the Daily Express) with another night out at the Hard Rock Express. For the rest of the week the knee was battered though I met up with Marathon P in London for a night at the theatre, a trip to a herbal shop to buy some more pills (I'm now taking 8 a day) and a trawl round some bars and clubs. Back to Jersey on Sunday and finally back to the gym and my normal routine yesterday (Monday). It seems that for "Runners Knee" all you can do is rest and slowly build the miles so I've just been on the cross trainer and will have more of the same tonight.
I feel really disappointed but will stick to the cross trainer, my knee support, my myriad of herbal tablets, knee raising and ice packs and see if I can get myself ready for a long run on Sunday.
Marthon S, crippled, disappointed, in pain, spending a fortune on herbs, hobbling, but not down, certainly not out and like a Phoenix about the rise from the ashes once more!!
Cadbury’s or God this Easter
Marathon J
Whilst religion is not a topic for blogs I think there is some relevance here.
The bible does not discuss the dinosaurs, Cadbury’s on the other hand embraces dinosaurs and makes little chocolate ones.
Easter is supposed to be very religious, but it seems, to me at least, to be an excuse to eat chocolate and put me off my training plan.
So, currently I’m 5 little Cadbury’s cream eggs down, a couple of normal sized Cabury’s cream eggs down, and two Thornton’s full size chocolate eggs in debt!
I’ve not actually been to church but I did run past 5 on my 9 mile run which is about quits, although I’m still in calorie deficit.
Perhaps God is now the head of Cadbury’s?
Whilst religion is not a topic for blogs I think there is some relevance here.
The bible does not discuss the dinosaurs, Cadbury’s on the other hand embraces dinosaurs and makes little chocolate ones.
Easter is supposed to be very religious, but it seems, to me at least, to be an excuse to eat chocolate and put me off my training plan.
So, currently I’m 5 little Cadbury’s cream eggs down, a couple of normal sized Cabury’s cream eggs down, and two Thornton’s full size chocolate eggs in debt!
I’ve not actually been to church but I did run past 5 on my 9 mile run which is about quits, although I’m still in calorie deficit.
Perhaps God is now the head of Cadbury’s?
Extreme Snow Training
Extreme Marathon J
The week was wrecked, work and home life stopped any thoughts of training, I consoled myself in red wine, bad move, Friday was also written off with a travel day to sunny Manchester on the promise of watching the mighty reads take on Liverpool.
Once in Manchester I looked at two routes for the following day, one was 6 miles and the other added a 3 mile loop at the 4 mile mark to take in some old stomping grounds making it 9 miles and the longest I’ve ever run.
Saturday came round as did the snow! This is unbelievable two weeks ago I was complaining of the lack of air-conditioning in the gym and now it’s snowing!
The week was wrecked, work and home life stopped any thoughts of training, I consoled myself in red wine, bad move, Friday was also written off with a travel day to sunny Manchester on the promise of watching the mighty reads take on Liverpool.
Once in Manchester I looked at two routes for the following day, one was 6 miles and the other added a 3 mile loop at the 4 mile mark to take in some old stomping grounds making it 9 miles and the longest I’ve ever run.
Saturday came round as did the snow! This is unbelievable two weeks ago I was complaining of the lack of air-conditioning in the gym and now it’s snowing!
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Hartshead Pike in the distance.
Stealing a bob hat from my boy I set out, the first mile was flat and wind assisted, then came the climb to 1000 ft above sea level. Gritters swooshed pasted with laser guided grit that seemed destined to take the skin off your legs, locals struggling to walk to the shops stopped what they were doing and pointed at me, mouths open, those that did utter words sounded like “anchor” which was strange given the height. But it was the gale force wind in my face that was hardest, the hill was not so bad but the gales stopped me in my tracks on a couple of occasions. Turning off the main road and up to Hartshead Pike (a beacon that provides a view over 4 counties) gave some shelter from the wind, then bang it was back again, knocking me off the road momentarily into a ditch where I tripped, unfortunately my fall was saved by a barbed wire fence, bruised and slightly bleeding I picked myself up. Fortunately the blood froze on contact with the air and scabbed immediately. Reaching the Pike I turned right and ran downhill directly into the gale at the bottom I hit the 4 mile mark, my nipples now frozen and large enough to make pubescent boys snigger, I decided to take the 3 mile loop and make the run 9 miles.
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I ran through Lees, the pubs I used to visit were now trendy wine bars, Milan, Lazards and CoCo, the latter reminded me of a mate I used to work with, whilst his name was Tony his family and friends outside work called him Co, go figure, maybe it’s his place? Anyway I pushed on to Waterhead, yes that’s a real name, and past some more pubs I used to visit and Ferranti where I served my electronic engineering apprenticeship repairing amongst other things weapons guidance systems, I signed the official secrets act for that, but figure that’s well out of date now.
At the turn the wind hit my back at last, back down into Lees, and then the last 2 mile push home.
The rest of Easter was spent nursing sore knees with of all things chocolate!
Importantly Man U made mincemeat of a lethargic Liverpool, great Easter.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Fernando Alonso and Glass eyes
Marathon S. I find myself in Barca with Marathon T having completed a 45 mins cross trainer and 15 min treadmill session with Marathon P on Friday, then walking the rain sodden streets of London with Marathon T Saturday whilst walking to the rugby and various pubs where I stuck to orange juice.
I flew out to the beautiful city on Barcelona in the early hours of Sunday morning during a very rough flight, however, the weather was beautiful when I arrived. I had to do a 13K session on the treadmill but decided to watch a replay of the Australian Grand Prix on Spanish Tv before I hit the Hilton gym.
I've never heard such one eyed commentators, even though the mighty Lewis Hamilton was romping away at the front all you could hear was the the two commentators Pepe and Jose saying Fernando Alonso every 10 seconds even though he wasn't on the screen.
After the race I had the fear of the run so started watching a Spanish hospital drama which could bring a tear to a glass eye and a game show that reminded me of Tutti Frutti which was a famous German game show with lots of fruit and the lovely Monique!
I couldn't put it off any longer and headed downstairs, first problem was the running machine was in MPH not the usual KPH and the other being the full length mirror in front of the machine. Looking at my chest in the mirror it looked like two large piglets fighting under a blanket, with a python wrapped round my waist jumping up and down. ( I put this down to the gym lighting, not my waistline and man boobs)
Squinting to ease the view I proceeded to bang out 8.2 miles at 5.5Mph over 90 mins.
I felt awesome, well did until I woke up the next morning and felt a pain in my left knee like a red hot poker had been jammed in it which gets worse went it's bent.
Had last night off due to the pain and today it's eased from excruciating to agony.
No training tonight as off to the famous Las Rambla snail restaurant but hope to be back at it tomorrow.
Onwards and upwards - Marathon S
Restaurant and Hotel Reviews - what more could you want?
Marathon T
The Hilton reviews continue..
The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona.
Great hotel – perfectly located for the Barca conference centre. Gym is passable, three running machines, cross-trainers and some weights. Still a bit small and therefore hot as hell once you get going.
Monday night:
40 mins @ 7.5mph – interval programme (1 min incline, then 1 min flat)
5 mins cool down…then….
3 mins @ 9.0mph (because I was curious)
3 mins @ 8.0mph
For future reference – 9mph is not a speed you want to get curious about! It was way too fast. After only three minutes I thought I was going to die, had to reduce back to 8mph (which then felt vaguely sensible).
Followed the training with a nice meal at the marina in Barca thanks to a recommendation from our friendly cabbie (restaurant - El Rey des Gambas - we believe this translates as 'the king of Prawns'!). I mistakenly ordered my own body weight in ham (which was delicious), and Marathon B went on a seafood binge of biblical proportions (those Prawns for which the restaurant was named). As it was St Patricks day we finished off the evening at an Irish bar (which was definitely not in the training schedule).
Hats off to Marathon B, he stuck to the soft drinks all night – even when the bar tab was being picked up by a supplier…Didn’t waver once. He is a training inspiration to us all.
Unsure about the training possibilities tonight - it might have to be a quick sweat in the sauna before we hit the town.
Vaya con el dios – amigos…
Marathon T
The Hilton reviews continue..
The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona.
Great hotel – perfectly located for the Barca conference centre. Gym is passable, three running machines, cross-trainers and some weights. Still a bit small and therefore hot as hell once you get going.
Monday night:
40 mins @ 7.5mph – interval programme (1 min incline, then 1 min flat)
5 mins cool down…then….
3 mins @ 9.0mph (because I was curious)
3 mins @ 8.0mph
For future reference – 9mph is not a speed you want to get curious about! It was way too fast. After only three minutes I thought I was going to die, had to reduce back to 8mph (which then felt vaguely sensible).
Followed the training with a nice meal at the marina in Barca thanks to a recommendation from our friendly cabbie (restaurant - El Rey des Gambas - we believe this translates as 'the king of Prawns'!). I mistakenly ordered my own body weight in ham (which was delicious), and Marathon B went on a seafood binge of biblical proportions (those Prawns for which the restaurant was named). As it was St Patricks day we finished off the evening at an Irish bar (which was definitely not in the training schedule).
Hats off to Marathon B, he stuck to the soft drinks all night – even when the bar tab was being picked up by a supplier…Didn’t waver once. He is a training inspiration to us all.
Unsure about the training possibilities tonight - it might have to be a quick sweat in the sauna before we hit the town.
Vaya con el dios – amigos…
Marathon T
Flying makes you Fat……….Fact
Marathon J
9 flights in just under 2 weeks, average flying time 3.5 hours
4lb’s body weight put on
1.5% body fat increase (now a flabby 17.5%)
1.5% body water decrease (down to 57%)
Proof if needed that flying makes you fat!
Whilst reviewing Hilton gyms I can add the following
Hilton Santo Domingo
Only one running machine working, air-conditioning broken, after 45 minutes on the running machine I nearly fainted with heat exhaustion. Marathon B would be ashamed of me.
Hilton in Kingston
Several running machines, air-conditioning non existent, after 35 minutes I had to give up. Marathon B is probably not talking to me now :-(
Jersey
Sunday 16th, St Saviour to St Lawrence dash, managed to squeeze in 4 miles, initially I was running too fast but I think that was the shock of running in the cold, after about 5 minutes settled into a steady pace, the last mile, as ever, left me wondering why my house was on to of a hill. That said I had sufficient energy to sprint the last 800m although I ran out of sprint after 400m, but at least I thought I had sufficient energy!
9 flights in just under 2 weeks, average flying time 3.5 hours
4lb’s body weight put on
1.5% body fat increase (now a flabby 17.5%)
1.5% body water decrease (down to 57%)
Proof if needed that flying makes you fat!
Whilst reviewing Hilton gyms I can add the following
Hilton Santo Domingo
Only one running machine working, air-conditioning broken, after 45 minutes on the running machine I nearly fainted with heat exhaustion. Marathon B would be ashamed of me.
Hilton in Kingston
Several running machines, air-conditioning non existent, after 35 minutes I had to give up. Marathon B is probably not talking to me now :-(
Jersey
Sunday 16th, St Saviour to St Lawrence dash, managed to squeeze in 4 miles, initially I was running too fast but I think that was the shock of running in the cold, after about 5 minutes settled into a steady pace, the last mile, as ever, left me wondering why my house was on to of a hill. That said I had sufficient energy to sprint the last 800m although I ran out of sprint after 400m, but at least I thought I had sufficient energy!
Monday, March 17, 2008
The relative merits of Hilton Gym's
Marathon T
Something of a slack few days due to travelling and supporting the marvellous England rugby team – who I always thought would put up a sterling performance in the game against Ireland (despite what the other blog entry may say!)
Training Update - Sunday morning:
Treadmill: 75 mins @ 7.0mph
I only managed 75 mins on Sunday morning (I was planning on 90 – still a shadow of the old man*) as I didn’t leave myself enough time between digesting breakfast and checking out at midday. As it was I could feel the poached eggs and fruit salad sloshing about throughout the run, the other big thing on my mind was the fact that Marathon B had booked my room on his credit card (in order to get some more VIP points – who is he trying to kid?) So, I had to leave myself ample time to clean out the mini bar and steal the robes before posting my room card and fleeing the scene.
For future reference the Hilton Gatwick fitness room is a tiny sweatbox of a place, as I stepped out of the door after the session the chill was ‘bracing’. It should be said that by the end of the run my shirt did weigh approximately 6lb’s (I had to wring it out before packing it)…
A full day travelling to Barcelona followed – and now I am safely ensconced in the Hilton in Barca. Apparently the gym here is much better – I hope so, it’s hill training tonight before tapas and rioja…
Adios amigos…
Marathon T
* Marathon T snr completed his final long race (20 miles) in 2hr 46mins in preparation for the FLM.
Something of a slack few days due to travelling and supporting the marvellous England rugby team – who I always thought would put up a sterling performance in the game against Ireland (despite what the other blog entry may say!)
Training Update - Sunday morning:
Treadmill: 75 mins @ 7.0mph
I only managed 75 mins on Sunday morning (I was planning on 90 – still a shadow of the old man*) as I didn’t leave myself enough time between digesting breakfast and checking out at midday. As it was I could feel the poached eggs and fruit salad sloshing about throughout the run, the other big thing on my mind was the fact that Marathon B had booked my room on his credit card (in order to get some more VIP points – who is he trying to kid?) So, I had to leave myself ample time to clean out the mini bar and steal the robes before posting my room card and fleeing the scene.
For future reference the Hilton Gatwick fitness room is a tiny sweatbox of a place, as I stepped out of the door after the session the chill was ‘bracing’. It should be said that by the end of the run my shirt did weigh approximately 6lb’s (I had to wring it out before packing it)…
A full day travelling to Barcelona followed – and now I am safely ensconced in the Hilton in Barca. Apparently the gym here is much better – I hope so, it’s hill training tonight before tapas and rioja…
Adios amigos…
Marathon T
* Marathon T snr completed his final long race (20 miles) in 2hr 46mins in preparation for the FLM.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Save All Your Kisses For Me!
Marathon S still on the ultimate high having seen Brotherhood of Man last night in one of Jerseys finest glittering nightspots. It's like a natural euphoria that is trying to dispel the pain that is coarsing through my body.
Anyway, enough of that, back to the training and my efforts to get fit.
After Wednesdays debacle and pain fest I was more down than a duck feather quilt, as happy as a broke d!ck dog and howling at the moon bemoaning the fact that I can't even run a few miles without being crippled.
Marathon P gave me some wise words of encouragement so I woke up Thursday morning ready for the challenge once more.
It was time again for action, this is more action after the trainers, acupuncture and hours spent at the Doctors, however, this time it was going to be natural.
I headed to the local health food shop looking for anything that could help my ruined joints and muscles. Cod Liver Oil was an easy choice so I got the mother load capsule, something similar in size to the bomb dropped by the Enola Gay, having taken two already I think they are mainly designed for a reticulating python. I teamed this with a new wonder drug called Celadrin, topped with a Glucoasmine chaser. I think I'll be able to complete the marathon but have to suffer life long liver failure, that is a small price to pay to be one of the four muskateers on the start line.
It was time to give my joints a rest so I hopped on the cross trainer, set the program to random the resistance to 13 and banged out 45 mins, with a heart around 145 and a nice 650 calorie burn.
Not content with that I pegged to the treadmill and set the incline to 1.5, speed to 6.6 and strode out for 15 mins to make an hour of cardio.
This was tipped with some stretching where I discovered that I have a 32" inside leg but 26" hamstrings, gonna take awhile to bang those rude boys into action.
I'm off to watch the mighty En-ger-land at Twickers tomorrow with Marathon T, then it's a week in Barcelona with Easter being spent in London where the streets are paved with gold. It's gonna be tough doing the training and keeping the weight off, however, I will prevail.
9 weeks on Sunday it's race day, bring it on, I laugh in it's face.
Onwards and upwards MoFo's.
Also, never mind Where's Wally, more like Where's Marathon P?
Anyway, enough of that, back to the training and my efforts to get fit.
After Wednesdays debacle and pain fest I was more down than a duck feather quilt, as happy as a broke d!ck dog and howling at the moon bemoaning the fact that I can't even run a few miles without being crippled.
Marathon P gave me some wise words of encouragement so I woke up Thursday morning ready for the challenge once more.
It was time again for action, this is more action after the trainers, acupuncture and hours spent at the Doctors, however, this time it was going to be natural.
I headed to the local health food shop looking for anything that could help my ruined joints and muscles. Cod Liver Oil was an easy choice so I got the mother load capsule, something similar in size to the bomb dropped by the Enola Gay, having taken two already I think they are mainly designed for a reticulating python. I teamed this with a new wonder drug called Celadrin, topped with a Glucoasmine chaser. I think I'll be able to complete the marathon but have to suffer life long liver failure, that is a small price to pay to be one of the four muskateers on the start line.
It was time to give my joints a rest so I hopped on the cross trainer, set the program to random the resistance to 13 and banged out 45 mins, with a heart around 145 and a nice 650 calorie burn.
Not content with that I pegged to the treadmill and set the incline to 1.5, speed to 6.6 and strode out for 15 mins to make an hour of cardio.
This was tipped with some stretching where I discovered that I have a 32" inside leg but 26" hamstrings, gonna take awhile to bang those rude boys into action.
I'm off to watch the mighty En-ger-land at Twickers tomorrow with Marathon T, then it's a week in Barcelona with Easter being spent in London where the streets are paved with gold. It's gonna be tough doing the training and keeping the weight off, however, I will prevail.
9 weeks on Sunday it's race day, bring it on, I laugh in it's face.
Onwards and upwards MoFo's.
Also, never mind Where's Wally, more like Where's Marathon P?
Lies, Damn Lies and Half-Marathon Training
Marathon T
So Marathon J has now joined us on the blog…and is already making up for lost time by spreading scurrilous rumours surrounding the origins of the challenge. Sufficed to say – it was all brought up at a company drinks evening (that his company hosted – surely that is enough for him to take the lions share of the blame) there was no mention from me of running 1:40 (there still isn’t – the one time I mentioned it to my father he actually laughed at me!)…and I have a deep belief that he is feigning old age in order to sprint past us all on the day laughing like a drain and spewing some yoda-esque philosophical mantra “Young you are – but weak”…
Now let that be an end….
The running update from this week:
Sunday:
7 mile run with my father 1hr 2mn. I was staying with my folks for the weekend so my father took me on an interesting loop around some of his favourite training hills. Clearly dawdling to allow me to run along he paced it well so it was bang on the hour mark. Felt good – enjoyed the run.
Monday:
Treadmill hill session: 40 mins @ 7.2mph level 5. A decent stretch out after the weekend run.
Tuesday:
Enforced rest day as travelling to London for a meeting.
Wednesday:
First ever lunchtime session, due to meal out in the evening, and I went a bit mad.
5 mins @ 7.2mph
5 mins @ 7.7mph
30 mins @ 8.0mph (that is 12.87kmh if anyone is counting)...
The Last 10 mins were hard work…as always I drew inspiration from my fellow athletes to finish the session.
Thursday:
Decided I would have a steady 60 mins on Thursday….however, on reaching the treadmill a mischievous part of me decided to set it to 7.5mph and see how far I could get (following the hard two days I had already completed this week)
The answer was – not far enough. Made it to 42 mins before I broke down, slowed down and finished the hour…
42 mins @ 7.5mph
6 mins @ 6.5mph
12 mins @ 7.0mph
Tonight I am going to take a break and then start again Sunday morning (Twickenham tomorrow to watch the mighty red rose fall apart again no doubt)…Will try to blog again next week – but Marathon B and I are going to be in Barcelona (nerds conference)..
And remember….
"When 900 years you reach, look as good, you will not." -- Marathon J
Marathon T
So Marathon J has now joined us on the blog…and is already making up for lost time by spreading scurrilous rumours surrounding the origins of the challenge. Sufficed to say – it was all brought up at a company drinks evening (that his company hosted – surely that is enough for him to take the lions share of the blame) there was no mention from me of running 1:40 (there still isn’t – the one time I mentioned it to my father he actually laughed at me!)…and I have a deep belief that he is feigning old age in order to sprint past us all on the day laughing like a drain and spewing some yoda-esque philosophical mantra “Young you are – but weak”…
Now let that be an end….
The running update from this week:
Sunday:
7 mile run with my father 1hr 2mn. I was staying with my folks for the weekend so my father took me on an interesting loop around some of his favourite training hills. Clearly dawdling to allow me to run along he paced it well so it was bang on the hour mark. Felt good – enjoyed the run.
Monday:
Treadmill hill session: 40 mins @ 7.2mph level 5. A decent stretch out after the weekend run.
Tuesday:
Enforced rest day as travelling to London for a meeting.
Wednesday:
First ever lunchtime session, due to meal out in the evening, and I went a bit mad.
5 mins @ 7.2mph
5 mins @ 7.7mph
30 mins @ 8.0mph (that is 12.87kmh if anyone is counting)...
The Last 10 mins were hard work…as always I drew inspiration from my fellow athletes to finish the session.
Thursday:
Decided I would have a steady 60 mins on Thursday….however, on reaching the treadmill a mischievous part of me decided to set it to 7.5mph and see how far I could get (following the hard two days I had already completed this week)
The answer was – not far enough. Made it to 42 mins before I broke down, slowed down and finished the hour…
42 mins @ 7.5mph
6 mins @ 6.5mph
12 mins @ 7.0mph
Tonight I am going to take a break and then start again Sunday morning (Twickenham tomorrow to watch the mighty red rose fall apart again no doubt)…Will try to blog again next week – but Marathon B and I are going to be in Barcelona (nerds conference)..
And remember….
"When 900 years you reach, look as good, you will not." -- Marathon J
Marathon T
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Training in the murder capital of the world
Marathon J
Travelling has made training hard, entertaining and travel do not make good bed fellows with a training program. Currently I’m in the murder capital of the world, if you use the metric of number of murders by population, so going for a 5 mile run is not that safe. I considered it for sprint training and then came to my senses, even Ross Kemp sh1t himself here.
So, woke up early and hit the hotel gym, 80 degrees and no aircon, this was going to be hard, the running machine was sophisticated. I had to ask the ersona raine for help, yes that’s spelt correctly, written one above the other, I could not see the other letters across her chest when face on! You’ll work it out. It looked like some Linux based operating system, so it was going to work then, but she showed me the quick start button, put the incline on 1, because that’s what she recommended and I was away. Man it was hot, I dialed in 7mph and I was off, 28 minutes in I thought of Marathon T’s heroic efforts earlier in the week, a full 30 mins at 8 mph, so I dialed that in......................... 15 seconds later I dialed it out! And struggled for breath. 105 second after that I hit warm down. That’s only a quarter of the time I need and I was spent, looking like a beetroot and struggling for air. My core temperature was too high, feeling slightly faint I showered and was still sweating hard, I stood in front of the aircon for a while then showered again, at last I was getting back to normal. Off to my first meeting of the day 08.30 local time 1.30pm in Jersey.
Later that day, 6.30pm, I arrived back at the hotel, conscious the next couple of days would be wiped out with meetings and travel home, I slipped on my slightly whiffy gear and headed back to the gym. No help needed this time, straight onto my machine. Still no aircon in the gym, I struggled to bang out 4 miles in 35 minutes, that’s right on the pace, but, after 35 minutes I was spent, the heat is a killer. The best part about the run was the music, I’d picked some old tracks on my ipod, the beat was not fast enough but the memories flooded back, this was from the days when I should have been doing silly things like running. Awesome tracks included:
Lovely day : Bill Withers
Party Freak: Cashflow
Precious little diamonds: Fox the fox….. remember that?
Roses are Red: Mac band
This got me thinking about compiling some music for the big day, the bpm obviously needs some thought.
Travelling has made training hard, entertaining and travel do not make good bed fellows with a training program. Currently I’m in the murder capital of the world, if you use the metric of number of murders by population, so going for a 5 mile run is not that safe. I considered it for sprint training and then came to my senses, even Ross Kemp sh1t himself here.
So, woke up early and hit the hotel gym, 80 degrees and no aircon, this was going to be hard, the running machine was sophisticated. I had to ask the ersona raine for help, yes that’s spelt correctly, written one above the other, I could not see the other letters across her chest when face on! You’ll work it out. It looked like some Linux based operating system, so it was going to work then, but she showed me the quick start button, put the incline on 1, because that’s what she recommended and I was away. Man it was hot, I dialed in 7mph and I was off, 28 minutes in I thought of Marathon T’s heroic efforts earlier in the week, a full 30 mins at 8 mph, so I dialed that in......................... 15 seconds later I dialed it out! And struggled for breath. 105 second after that I hit warm down. That’s only a quarter of the time I need and I was spent, looking like a beetroot and struggling for air. My core temperature was too high, feeling slightly faint I showered and was still sweating hard, I stood in front of the aircon for a while then showered again, at last I was getting back to normal. Off to my first meeting of the day 08.30 local time 1.30pm in Jersey.
Later that day, 6.30pm, I arrived back at the hotel, conscious the next couple of days would be wiped out with meetings and travel home, I slipped on my slightly whiffy gear and headed back to the gym. No help needed this time, straight onto my machine. Still no aircon in the gym, I struggled to bang out 4 miles in 35 minutes, that’s right on the pace, but, after 35 minutes I was spent, the heat is a killer. The best part about the run was the music, I’d picked some old tracks on my ipod, the beat was not fast enough but the memories flooded back, this was from the days when I should have been doing silly things like running. Awesome tracks included:
Lovely day : Bill Withers
Party Freak: Cashflow
Precious little diamonds: Fox the fox….. remember that?
Roses are Red: Mac band
This got me thinking about compiling some music for the big day, the bpm obviously needs some thought.
If we were racing cars what would we look like?
Marathon J
Marathon J
.jpg)
Marathon B.jpg)
…..the story continues…..
Thinking about how we might generate some good out of this pain fund raising came to mind, and dear to my heart is the Jersey Society for Deaf Children and Young Adults. So wanting some involvement from them we asked them to compare us and our running styles to famous athletes or anything else they might care too.
I have to say at this point it was becoming obvious that Marathon T was turning in to Ultra Marathon T, he’s definitely run before, improving by the day and enjoying it! Marathon B was turning into Sicknote B on account of his addiction to pain killers and creams to combat nipple rub and chaffed thighs, his doctor had also diagnosed knee problems which only served to spur him on to spend even more time in the gym and pharmacy. I was content with running a couple of miles and being able to walk the next day.
The following pictures were chosen by one of the kids from the society and represented in her eyes what we three looked like running…..
Ultra Marathon T
.jpg)
Thinking about how we might generate some good out of this pain fund raising came to mind, and dear to my heart is the Jersey Society for Deaf Children and Young Adults. So wanting some involvement from them we asked them to compare us and our running styles to famous athletes or anything else they might care too.
I have to say at this point it was becoming obvious that Marathon T was turning in to Ultra Marathon T, he’s definitely run before, improving by the day and enjoying it! Marathon B was turning into Sicknote B on account of his addiction to pain killers and creams to combat nipple rub and chaffed thighs, his doctor had also diagnosed knee problems which only served to spur him on to spend even more time in the gym and pharmacy. I was content with running a couple of miles and being able to walk the next day.
The following pictures were chosen by one of the kids from the society and represented in her eyes what we three looked like running…..
Ultra Marathon T
.jpg)
Marathon J
.jpg)
Marathon B
.jpg)
Ultra Marathon C was not available for captioning
Needless to say the images are strikingly real!
How it all began according to Marathon J
The afternoon was pleasant enough, business meeting which included a couple of bottles of vino rouge, just to help with client relations and pre Christmas cheer. Once lunch and the red wine was finished I said goodbye to my client and noticed Mr T, Mr B and several others congregating at the bar, not wanting to be anti-social particularly, as I was by this stage full of Christmas cheer, I joined them for perhaps one or two glasses more. During the third or fourth glass, Mr T made some claims of running a half in 1 hr 40Min easily and “Jase” backed him by saying he could probably run that tomorrow! Mr T agreed, piece of cake…..probably. At that point Mr B, I think, suggested something about us jointly entering a team, where upon my good friend and colleague Nigel flatly pulled out but importantly did not discourage me, something that would come back and bite him in his appraisal in the following month! He did say he would cheer us all on. Whilst at this point I was seriously under the influence, I did have sufficient mental capacity to caveat my entry based on doctors approval, which me being the oldest and also most in need of reconstruction, slipped disc’s and missing cartilage in both knees I felt sure would get me out of this stupid idea. At some point after that, approximately 9pm, I decided it was time to start my marathon training and walk home, circa 2 miles, helped by a greasy burger for the first half mile, the type you only eat drunk, and then a Chinese for the remaining distance, I arrived home about 1am, go figure!
The next couple of days a raft of emails hit me, darn it these boys are serious! So I played my joker in true “It’s a knockout” style, (yes I am that old) and made an appointment with my doctor, 5pm the same day. The doctor was not very sympathetic, having spent the day looking at sick people he had little time for me, “Brilliant idea” he declared adding he might to it too. I made him check my vital sign’s, that was not particularly helpful either, my blood pressure was excellent for a man of my age, whatever that means, then he asked me to blow in a toilet roll and that gave him some other good news, I’ve no idea what, and finally he weighed me and apparently I was as fat as I was 4 years ago. So much for much for my joker! This final advice was to get a training plan and some good shoes….thanks doc.
As I suspected my first run was painful, my knees hurt for a couple of days as did my back, I swapped my mid week runs for the pool or cross trainer which helps take the load off but keeps the cardio up. I thought to myself this is mad, I’m putting myself through pain for a silly run in May. About to pull out I read Mr B’s emails. His pain and suffering was beyond compare, shin splints just walking, but instead of stopping, like I would, he pops some pain killers and carries on in agony and then to cool down watches a move at Cineworld with ice packs on his legs. His emails over the following weeks became more and more inspirational, determined beyond reason, coping with pain and still up for the challenge. I realised I could not pull out. I started to think about how we could create some benefit from this torture. Mr B, Mr T and Mr J were no longer they were formerly Mr’s and now evolving into Marathon B, Marathon T and Marathon J…….
…..the story continues…..
The next couple of days a raft of emails hit me, darn it these boys are serious! So I played my joker in true “It’s a knockout” style, (yes I am that old) and made an appointment with my doctor, 5pm the same day. The doctor was not very sympathetic, having spent the day looking at sick people he had little time for me, “Brilliant idea” he declared adding he might to it too. I made him check my vital sign’s, that was not particularly helpful either, my blood pressure was excellent for a man of my age, whatever that means, then he asked me to blow in a toilet roll and that gave him some other good news, I’ve no idea what, and finally he weighed me and apparently I was as fat as I was 4 years ago. So much for much for my joker! This final advice was to get a training plan and some good shoes….thanks doc.
As I suspected my first run was painful, my knees hurt for a couple of days as did my back, I swapped my mid week runs for the pool or cross trainer which helps take the load off but keeps the cardio up. I thought to myself this is mad, I’m putting myself through pain for a silly run in May. About to pull out I read Mr B’s emails. His pain and suffering was beyond compare, shin splints just walking, but instead of stopping, like I would, he pops some pain killers and carries on in agony and then to cool down watches a move at Cineworld with ice packs on his legs. His emails over the following weeks became more and more inspirational, determined beyond reason, coping with pain and still up for the challenge. I realised I could not pull out. I started to think about how we could create some benefit from this torture. Mr B, Mr T and Mr J were no longer they were formerly Mr’s and now evolving into Marathon B, Marathon T and Marathon J…….
…..the story continues…..
Stephen King, Andy McNabb and Pain
Marathon S. Well having completed 45 mins of random on the cross trainer the previous night I decided to do a 6.5K interval session last night.
I had a degree of trepidation as I'd stopped taking my 800mg Ibuprofen tablets for the wrecked knee and shins as they were making my skin itch and causing stomach cramps.
Undaunted I hobbled to the gym due to some new shoes that have been authorised by some American foot association, however, have been causing blistering and agony. As soon as you can hire someone to wear shoes in then I'll be a happy bunny!
By the time I made it to the gym I had a blister forming on my left foot and an arthritis style pain emanating from my right big toe. As I'd "pissed" the 11K run on Sunday I thought this to be a mere inconvenience so slinked into my Nike running gear and Brooks state of the art trainers for a 0.5K warm up prior to the 6.5K run.
Warm up went well and I set the treadmill to alternate between walking at 5.9 with jogging at 10, doing 3 mins on the former and 2 on the latter to complete the distance.
With the warm up over and me getting into my gazelle running stride the pain started. I'm not just talking about a slight inconvenience, I'm talking proper pain, my big toe flew into flames and shooting pains were going up my shins and calves. Rather then a looping gait I adopted a Douglas Bader crossed with the Wizard of Oz tin man running style trying to reduce the agony. I had however, not taken into account the effects of my runners knee, after 19 mins it kicked in with the kind of pain that Andy McNabb experienced in Bravo Two Zero when his knee was "pounded to a pile of salt", undaunted I completed the distance in agony. As I slumped on the treadmill bent double in pain, sweat running off my forehead I compared the state of my legs to James Caan in the adaptation of Misery when Cathy Bates has knobbled him with a sledgehammer.
I'm back on the pain killers today and fearful of the 13K that awaits me on Sunday, but will continue with a little cross training tonight, if only I could stop this itching!!
I had a degree of trepidation as I'd stopped taking my 800mg Ibuprofen tablets for the wrecked knee and shins as they were making my skin itch and causing stomach cramps.
Undaunted I hobbled to the gym due to some new shoes that have been authorised by some American foot association, however, have been causing blistering and agony. As soon as you can hire someone to wear shoes in then I'll be a happy bunny!
By the time I made it to the gym I had a blister forming on my left foot and an arthritis style pain emanating from my right big toe. As I'd "pissed" the 11K run on Sunday I thought this to be a mere inconvenience so slinked into my Nike running gear and Brooks state of the art trainers for a 0.5K warm up prior to the 6.5K run.
Warm up went well and I set the treadmill to alternate between walking at 5.9 with jogging at 10, doing 3 mins on the former and 2 on the latter to complete the distance.
With the warm up over and me getting into my gazelle running stride the pain started. I'm not just talking about a slight inconvenience, I'm talking proper pain, my big toe flew into flames and shooting pains were going up my shins and calves. Rather then a looping gait I adopted a Douglas Bader crossed with the Wizard of Oz tin man running style trying to reduce the agony. I had however, not taken into account the effects of my runners knee, after 19 mins it kicked in with the kind of pain that Andy McNabb experienced in Bravo Two Zero when his knee was "pounded to a pile of salt", undaunted I completed the distance in agony. As I slumped on the treadmill bent double in pain, sweat running off my forehead I compared the state of my legs to James Caan in the adaptation of Misery when Cathy Bates has knobbled him with a sledgehammer.
I'm back on the pain killers today and fearful of the 13K that awaits me on Sunday, but will continue with a little cross training tonight, if only I could stop this itching!!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
What happened next?
So what happened after the first run…
Well immediately after, I staggered off the treadmill and laid down in the middle of the gym….This wasn’t my finest moment – though, to be fair, it wasn’t going to be my worst either.
I had just managed to complete a 30 min run at the searing pace of 9km/h…and I was spent.
I rushed home to check my six pack – which I was sure would be straining out of my shirt by this time – sadly disappointed to notice it seemed still to be contained in the large padded bag…
By the end of January I had progressed to 40 mins at 11km/h. I had also been put firmly in my place after a Saturday run with Marathon J – who looked as fresh as a daisy after our 30 mins session - while I looked like a red wheezing git.
The end of February saw me running 6 miles with my Father (the running guru) in a little over 55mins*. I did also clock up the most easterly and southerly training session (2 degrees North and 73 degrees East) for the newly christened MoFo team (an abbreviation of the two companies we work for)…
So I entered March with a decent few weeks in my legs, new trainers (Saucony Triumph 4 – excellent 10/10), looking forward to the training ahead…we all suffered horribly in Jan and Feb – when we fully recover from the mental trauma - some of the banter is sure to find its way onto this blog…
So we are all underway….
Marathon MoFo T
* Marathon T snr went on to complete a half marathon in preparation for the FLM in 1:41:00 a couple of weeks later (this is not a realistic target for me - but then he does have 25 years more experience at this...surely that helps?).
Well immediately after, I staggered off the treadmill and laid down in the middle of the gym….This wasn’t my finest moment – though, to be fair, it wasn’t going to be my worst either.
I had just managed to complete a 30 min run at the searing pace of 9km/h…and I was spent.
I rushed home to check my six pack – which I was sure would be straining out of my shirt by this time – sadly disappointed to notice it seemed still to be contained in the large padded bag…
By the end of January I had progressed to 40 mins at 11km/h. I had also been put firmly in my place after a Saturday run with Marathon J – who looked as fresh as a daisy after our 30 mins session - while I looked like a red wheezing git.
The end of February saw me running 6 miles with my Father (the running guru) in a little over 55mins*. I did also clock up the most easterly and southerly training session (2 degrees North and 73 degrees East) for the newly christened MoFo team (an abbreviation of the two companies we work for)…
So I entered March with a decent few weeks in my legs, new trainers (Saucony Triumph 4 – excellent 10/10), looking forward to the training ahead…we all suffered horribly in Jan and Feb – when we fully recover from the mental trauma - some of the banter is sure to find its way onto this blog…
So we are all underway….
Marathon MoFo T
* Marathon T snr went on to complete a half marathon in preparation for the FLM in 1:41:00 a couple of weeks later (this is not a realistic target for me - but then he does have 25 years more experience at this...surely that helps?).
Every journey begins with a first step!
Marathon S. My name has been masked to hide my identity and stop people laughing at me as I waddle down the sea front in Jersey with my bum cheeks clapping together like a massive round of applause.
Harp music plays and I go into a dream sequence as I think about how it all began, quaffing red wine with messers Marathon T and Marathon J we discussed bull running in Pamplona, the tomato festival, diving the blue hole! (I still think that's a little dodgy Marathon J) and any number of adventures that men of a certain age can have.
Anyway, the Jersey Half marathon struck a chord with me and I decided that in my 40th year of life I was going to make use of my mid-life crisis and hit the mean streets of St Helier to get thin and fit.
You have to realise at the close of the year I was drinking about 60 units of alcohol on a weekend, weighed 16st 1 and had a take-away for tea most nights, with the most energetic thing I did running to the fridge for a choccie bar.
As Big Ben chimed for the New Year I felt awful and decided to stop drinking booze, sack off milk, bread and fizzy drinks and get fit.
I bought a half marathon book and started the New Year with the rest of the Marathon legends with 19 weeks to go from porky zero to athletic hero!!
Weeks 1 to 6 were bad, I was suffering from palpation's, the adult equivalent of nappy rash and the kind of shin splints that would kill a horse.
Undaunted I spent £250 on getting fitted for the correct insoles and trainers and a further £200 trying to have some acupuncture.
I could run for 14 minutes before my heart did an impression of a humming birds wing and went to about 190 beats a minute. (That is not very pleasant)
I gradually upped the miles in line with the painkillers I was taking and managed to run my first ever 6.5K about 4 weeks into the training, though the after effects left me dizzy, in pain and with stomach cramps.
I've gradually been improving the rowing, cross training, stretching and jogging to the level that I can now run for 1hr 24 mins, though I've developed runners knee which makes the shin pain seem positively pleasurable, though I'm down to 13st 11 so the weight loss is helping.
Any road up, that's got you from where I was, to where I am so look out for my training blog over the next 10 weeks as I get ready for the start line.
Living the dream - Marathon S
Harp music plays and I go into a dream sequence as I think about how it all began, quaffing red wine with messers Marathon T and Marathon J we discussed bull running in Pamplona, the tomato festival, diving the blue hole! (I still think that's a little dodgy Marathon J) and any number of adventures that men of a certain age can have.
Anyway, the Jersey Half marathon struck a chord with me and I decided that in my 40th year of life I was going to make use of my mid-life crisis and hit the mean streets of St Helier to get thin and fit.
You have to realise at the close of the year I was drinking about 60 units of alcohol on a weekend, weighed 16st 1 and had a take-away for tea most nights, with the most energetic thing I did running to the fridge for a choccie bar.
As Big Ben chimed for the New Year I felt awful and decided to stop drinking booze, sack off milk, bread and fizzy drinks and get fit.
I bought a half marathon book and started the New Year with the rest of the Marathon legends with 19 weeks to go from porky zero to athletic hero!!
Weeks 1 to 6 were bad, I was suffering from palpation's, the adult equivalent of nappy rash and the kind of shin splints that would kill a horse.
Undaunted I spent £250 on getting fitted for the correct insoles and trainers and a further £200 trying to have some acupuncture.
I could run for 14 minutes before my heart did an impression of a humming birds wing and went to about 190 beats a minute. (That is not very pleasant)
I gradually upped the miles in line with the painkillers I was taking and managed to run my first ever 6.5K about 4 weeks into the training, though the after effects left me dizzy, in pain and with stomach cramps.
I've gradually been improving the rowing, cross training, stretching and jogging to the level that I can now run for 1hr 24 mins, though I've developed runners knee which makes the shin pain seem positively pleasurable, though I'm down to 13st 11 so the weight loss is helping.
Any road up, that's got you from where I was, to where I am so look out for my training blog over the next 10 weeks as I get ready for the start line.
Living the dream - Marathon S
Friday, March 7, 2008
It wasn’t even my idea….
I do vaguely remember someone saying something about running a half marathon. The memory is hazy due to the red wine fog I was inhabiting at the time (it was thick around the table)…The next morning I put it all down to drunken bravado and thought no more about it. By the time I had come to my senses several days later I was confronted by two determined, lets generously call them, athletes hell bent on running for 13 miles in a few short months.
In response to this shock, over Christmas, my body rebelled and went down with a terrible bout of flu (proper flu too, the laying in bed shivering all day kind – not Man flu – as my other half kept calling it)…which took me a good two weeks to shake.
When I emerged from my delirium I assumed the whole thing would have blown over…but I had figured without the pig-headedness of my co-runners. While I had been laid up in bed, they had been out buying an array of running equipment, trainers, books, jackets, lightweight vests (for January!)….and I was stuck with the real possibility that this was going to happen.
On the 7th January 2008 – I pulled on my old runners trainers and hit the treadmill for the first time in years.
What we will present in this blog are some of the high- and low-lights of the next 4 months as we struggle to come to terms with advancing years and retreating fitness. Through extreme pain we are all currently training for a half marathon – our first. We have a thirty something, a forty something and one member who will pass between the two decades as we progress.
It is not going to be pretty.
And please bear in mind it wasn’t even my idea…
Marathon T
I do vaguely remember someone saying something about running a half marathon. The memory is hazy due to the red wine fog I was inhabiting at the time (it was thick around the table)…The next morning I put it all down to drunken bravado and thought no more about it. By the time I had come to my senses several days later I was confronted by two determined, lets generously call them, athletes hell bent on running for 13 miles in a few short months.
In response to this shock, over Christmas, my body rebelled and went down with a terrible bout of flu (proper flu too, the laying in bed shivering all day kind – not Man flu – as my other half kept calling it)…which took me a good two weeks to shake.
When I emerged from my delirium I assumed the whole thing would have blown over…but I had figured without the pig-headedness of my co-runners. While I had been laid up in bed, they had been out buying an array of running equipment, trainers, books, jackets, lightweight vests (for January!)….and I was stuck with the real possibility that this was going to happen.
On the 7th January 2008 – I pulled on my old runners trainers and hit the treadmill for the first time in years.
What we will present in this blog are some of the high- and low-lights of the next 4 months as we struggle to come to terms with advancing years and retreating fitness. Through extreme pain we are all currently training for a half marathon – our first. We have a thirty something, a forty something and one member who will pass between the two decades as we progress.
It is not going to be pretty.
And please bear in mind it wasn’t even my idea…
Marathon T
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