That was the walk that was...

Soggy

Peaty

Gloopy
Quiet

And I loved it...

The original plan was to do the whole Edale Skyline - about 20 miles and 4500ft ascent, its a walk I've tried to complete 3 or 4 times. Once beaten by a lack of fitness, the rest by the weather. Its also a walk I've always attempted solo, just because I can get to the start by train, I know the hills (I have walked all of it, just not all at the same time) and its the view from the train as it hurtles through the Penines from Liverpool to York or Leeds taunting me as I sit in my suit reading papers...

So if I didn't finish it why did I love it?

Cos it wasn't easy...

16 miles and 2000ft isn't to be sneezed at, that the climb is an undulating one makes life a little easier, as does the nice paths along the Lose Hill -> Mam Tor Ridge... and then it gets fun... No nice mill slab footpaths, no friendly information signs, just walking as per the old days...
Map, compass bearings and a little bit of luck... (I feel I should point out I did have GPS's with OS mapping, and 2 friends being texted updates so I was safe!!!)




That's the trig point on Brown Knoll, I'd like to have hugged it, but my feet and legs were muddy enough from sinking into the peat often enough that my toe nails are stained black (and yes I've used a scrubbing brush)!

So where does this fit in my training? Well, yesterday would be roughly an average day on the coast-2-coast - some are longer, some have more climb, some are shorter and flatter... So I just need to keep at it:-)

For those interested in the detail...

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/46518578

TTFN

Paul

how's the heart doing? Need a new challenge...

Pretty much every book written on exercise in the last 10 years will draw on sports psychology and say that there is a clear link between what you're thinking and/or feeling depending on your psychological bent...

I'm no different.

If I feel crap I run crap, Ron Hill (the man, the legend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Hill) says that if you start a run you think will be poor then often it'll become average and sometimes it'll good and occasionally it'll become great... And he's right... Apart from sometimes being a GUCH runner other things kick in...

A comparison of the 2 runs last week shows this... a 5km PB in a time I've been hunting for a while a run where I knew I was running hard and working all of my body well, and it flowed. My running partner for the day even commented that it looked smooth. I hit the marks, 1km flat out, 250m recovery walk, another 1km flat out, 250m walk, 1km flat out, 300m (I skipped the the top of the hill;-)) and then run it out, up the slope, cross the road, dodge the council workers and flat out towards the pub...

And boy did it feel good:-) (and no there were no congratulatory pints!)

Saturday was a hot and humid day, not my ideal conditions (for new readers I'm a "chunky runner") but I was still riding on the high from Tuesday, and went out for the 5miler I often do. And it didn't feel good from the start...

My legs felt grumpy, my back miserable and my knee tired... However, they're normal running things for me, so I slowed down a touch and tried to keep going, which is when the shoulder said "hello" and twitched... again nothing new... but its a twitch on my left shoulder... which immediately makes me more body aware...

A twitch here, with a dull ache there, and the little demon on my shoulder starts saying how's the heart doing... The stats run through my head 80% of a runner's energy is thermoregulation, how's the heart doing, you're pumping 8 pints around at 160bpm, how's the heart doing... and why has my knee not woken up yet...

And then I hit the trees, the nice cool trees... oh no, the horrid humidity causing trees... the sweat doesn't work as well anymore... there's little breeze.... and heart rate nudges up, how's the heart doing... and I say bugger this and start walking...

And after that, it was grumble a couple of hundred metres run... walk a lot... get irritated with myself... try and run a bit more...

One of the many things I learnt running the marathon this year was one bad run doesn't means its all over... I also learnt that I need to let my brain reset to remind myself I've runs, walks and run/walks where I've gone further and faster than I ever expected.

As I said the other day I'm an ENFP (Myers Briggs) so I live my life externally, and the research shows I need to be distracted while I exercise... But I listen to music irregularly, all of my training for Edinburgh was without music... But I was training for something new...

And that's what I need, a new goal, a new challenge... Or a way of making the 190miles of next May seem a lot closer...

Time to put the kettle on... and while I think feel free to chip in!

TTFN

Paul

The Tip of the Iceberg...

... is apparently all that people ever see.

Next week I've a 2 day training course on leadership, and have spent probablt half a day this week going over my previous reviews and management/leadership training so I remember what the books say about my personality and what previous teams have said about working with me, for me, or even managing me...

It is very easy to focus on the bits you like or agree with, and not the honest if uncomfortable feedback you also get... But I've gritted my teeth and read it all. I can see the best of me and the worst of me in all of it, unlike many people I seem to quite enjoy the process of working out who I am and how I interact with others, I don't see it as a challenge to who I am (which is different from it being challenge).

So what sort of person am I? Well, the detailed information from the 360degree reviews is between me, the anonymised authors and the poor trainer who has had to wade through the essays. However, that does give me the results of the psychometric tests I've done... Some of which are quite good fun... I've alternated between real ones and more jokey ones - its up to you to decide which is most accurate!

1st up - Belbin

The one a lot of people have done is Belbin, its a way of finding out what roles you are most naturally suited to in a team... http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=255

Me, I'm fairly evenly spilt across the Plant/Resource Investigator/Co-ordinator/Shaper... with just enough of a teamworker that I can work for others...


2nd - Kingdomality

What is your medieval profession... I kid you not... http://www.cmi-lmi.com/kingdomality.html

I'm a Dreamer-Minstrel... Which for the few of you that have heard me sing has you rolling around on the floor...

our distinct personality, The Dreamer-Minstrel might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. You can always see the "Silver Lining" to every dark and dreary cloud. Look at the bright side is your motto and understanding why everything happens for the best is your goal. You are the positive optimist of the world who provides the hope for all humankind. There is nothing so terrible that you can not find some good within it. On the positive side, you are spontaneous, charismatic, idealistic and empathic. On the negative side, you may be a sentimental dreamer who is emotionally impractical. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms.


3rd - Myers Briggs

Another biggy in the corporate world...

I'm an ENFP - aka The Inspirer http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFP.html

And making sure I read the negatives, oh boy can I be a manipulative bastard... but trust me I feel guilty!

4th - Superhero / Super Villian

I'm Batman - The Dark Knight variant rather than spandex and Ka Pow!

I'm Apocalypse - don't worry I had to look him up - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_%28comics%29 - nice chap!

http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/ http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/villain/

Now, the Kirton Adaptation-Innovation Inventory I'm not sure I get, but I'm a strong innovator...

So What?

So I have an insight into what makes me tick, give me a new challenge or problem and I'll relish it... Stick me in a room counting widgets and I'll go mad! However, if it interests me I'll stick to learning the detail in more depth than most people would ever reckon with.

So pity the nice quiet introvert civil servants I'll be on the course with!

TTFN

Paul

The next challenge...

Well decision made...

Time to get off my sorry fat ass and start aiming for a target, the running will underpin it but what the marathon has taught me is having the big target, the ultimate goal, focuses me more than I thought possible.

So, the target - 190 miles in 2 weeks, straight across England, from St Bee's to Robin Hood's Bay, crossing the Lake District, Pennines, Yorkshire dales and some of the best walking country the world has to offer.

When, well that'll be May next year... A long time away, but long enough to get my road fitness (which is still about as good as its ever been) enhanced and hill fitness added in. It also gives me time to start saving for the replacement kit I'll need (new ultra-lightweight tent, lightweight sleepingbag and camping mat) and to book the time from work.

So where to start doing things... getting my ass back into the running gear and stop being wishy washy about the Great North Run, start block booking some weekends for hard and fast walks with a full load (even if I don't use the gear, walking 13 miles with it will be good training). I'm also going to have to get back to the gym and start using the stepping machine to build the thigh strength up... Oh joy the gym!

It's too soon to hit my friends for sponsorship again, but as ever I'll try to raise awareness as I go... Looks like Perkin's will be going for a long walk, and I'll carry a flag saying what I'm doing and more importantly why...

TTFN

Paul