Countdowns tick on and on...
12 days to my 20 miler (I'm doing 2 x 18 and 1 x 20)
13 days to the Nun Run - 5k dressed as Nun
16 days to my annual check up
20 days until the Great North Run - the world's largest Half marathon, just me and 54,000 friends out for a jog;-)
40 days until the Liverpool Marathon - running from one side of the Mersey to the other, with about 12,000 of my friends - through the tunnel, past the brewery and a finish next to a world heritage site... Just hope they don't run out of T-shirts...
62 days until I'm 40... Deary me, 40, how did that happen! Seriously, given the chances I've been given at various points in my life to reach 1 year, 16, 21, 30 reaching 40 is a little strange... and doing it while being as fit as I've ever been is making me grin like a loon!
More than one of my friends has asked what insane stunt I'm going to be doing during my 40th year, and to be honest I'm not sure... As I've done more and more the insane seems less and less insane... So the Fellsman 60 miles across Yorkshire in 24 hours seems a challenge rather than barking, the Edale Skyline train tun looks like hard work, but do-able...
Some of my big challenges are still there - learning to swim... new lessons found, might try them out this week.
But as for a big challenge for the year, I don't know... I'm open to suggestions... So feel free to make suggestions - my only "rules" - I normally fund events myself so I might not be able to afford to do everything, I do have to work for a living which might limit my time and occasionally my cardiologist does shake his head and suggest I maybe should do something different...
So knock yourself out!
TTFN
Paul
ps grumbling half marathon yesterday
And the week before a decent 18 miler
Monday, 29 August 2011
Friday, 19 August 2011
Sunday, 7 August 2011
The internal monologue...
Running is at its core very simple - you put one foot in front of the other, at a pace faster than walking...
Which is why it gets so complicated in my head...
Have I set off too fast, or too slow? Is that twinge a twinge I can run off or something I can ignore, if I ignore it for how long? How many miles have my shoes done, do I need a new pair? what flavour are these energy sweets meant to be? What's for tea? Why didn't that pair of cyclists go into single file, it meant I had to run through the puddle? What meetings have I got this week at work? How's my heart rate? Hail!!! Bloody hell that hurt! Am I going too fast, or too slow? That twinge has moved... where's it going next? What time do John Lewis' stop doing Sunday lunch? Someones texted, it can wait for my next minutes walking... How many sweets have I got left? Definitely new shoes for the GNR & Marathon, that stone hurt... Bugger the sun's come out, take jacket off or leave it on?
And then for a few glorious moments everything just works, my heart rate drops a little and my speed increases, my feet glide instead of thump, the twinge disappears...
And then a skittish horse needs to be got around...
Twinge is back, now moved for the 4th or is it 5th time... Where's the turning off the transpennine trail onto the canal, must be soon... Hmm, an idea, while at the Fringe I'll jog up Arthur's seat... Ah, a sign, no its for a pub... ohhhhh, pub lunch, what time did John Lewis' stop? Last 10km, not feeling bad, been definitely a loooong... sloooow.... run.... Canal turning, I know the route now, know it well... time to pick the pace up... jacket on, probably should be off, can't be bothered.
Sub 3:30 is possible, do I go for it, do I not... Bugger I forgot all about that text! How much hydration fluid have I got left, last of the sweets gone, down to 5km, I can see the church spire near mine, hot bath, hot bath! Bloody angler moved his rod at the wrong time, trying to hurdle after a half marathon isn't elegant, survived with a glancing blow rather than anything major, twinge on the move, where are my compression shorts in the flat, come on, just pick the feet up, 3:30 is just possible... I set off too slow, my last 5 miles is going to be my fastest, keep it up! Hell, big stone in shoe, going to have to stop, stone out, relaced... too tight, loosen, lost a minute, local drunk decides he wants to run with me, then wants to hug me, come on give me a break... Blast, 3:30 has gone, now turning up the slight hill to the flat... 3:31 accroding to the Garmin... That'll do! The one on the phone had the extra minute of my shoving it in a pocket before I set off...
And relax... time to unwind... Arthur's Seat, now that was a good idea:-)
TTFN
Paul
Which is why it gets so complicated in my head...
Have I set off too fast, or too slow? Is that twinge a twinge I can run off or something I can ignore, if I ignore it for how long? How many miles have my shoes done, do I need a new pair? what flavour are these energy sweets meant to be? What's for tea? Why didn't that pair of cyclists go into single file, it meant I had to run through the puddle? What meetings have I got this week at work? How's my heart rate? Hail!!! Bloody hell that hurt! Am I going too fast, or too slow? That twinge has moved... where's it going next? What time do John Lewis' stop doing Sunday lunch? Someones texted, it can wait for my next minutes walking... How many sweets have I got left? Definitely new shoes for the GNR & Marathon, that stone hurt... Bugger the sun's come out, take jacket off or leave it on?
And then for a few glorious moments everything just works, my heart rate drops a little and my speed increases, my feet glide instead of thump, the twinge disappears...
And then a skittish horse needs to be got around...
Twinge is back, now moved for the 4th or is it 5th time... Where's the turning off the transpennine trail onto the canal, must be soon... Hmm, an idea, while at the Fringe I'll jog up Arthur's seat... Ah, a sign, no its for a pub... ohhhhh, pub lunch, what time did John Lewis' stop? Last 10km, not feeling bad, been definitely a loooong... sloooow.... run.... Canal turning, I know the route now, know it well... time to pick the pace up... jacket on, probably should be off, can't be bothered.
Sub 3:30 is possible, do I go for it, do I not... Bugger I forgot all about that text! How much hydration fluid have I got left, last of the sweets gone, down to 5km, I can see the church spire near mine, hot bath, hot bath! Bloody angler moved his rod at the wrong time, trying to hurdle after a half marathon isn't elegant, survived with a glancing blow rather than anything major, twinge on the move, where are my compression shorts in the flat, come on, just pick the feet up, 3:30 is just possible... I set off too slow, my last 5 miles is going to be my fastest, keep it up! Hell, big stone in shoe, going to have to stop, stone out, relaced... too tight, loosen, lost a minute, local drunk decides he wants to run with me, then wants to hug me, come on give me a break... Blast, 3:30 has gone, now turning up the slight hill to the flat... 3:31 accroding to the Garmin... That'll do! The one on the phone had the extra minute of my shoving it in a pocket before I set off...
And relax... time to unwind... Arthur's Seat, now that was a good idea:-)
TTFN
Paul
Friday, 5 August 2011
I don't like bullies... I do like running
This blog will never be read by the people who should read it...
I gave a talk on CHD on Wednesday night, and the topic of bullying came up...
I don't like bullies... I never have I never will...
Bullies don't have discussions, or even arguments, they make statements and if you don't agree with them you are either frozen out of the group or attacked.
Bullies attack people, they don't discuss ideas and come to a consensus or an agreement to disagree, they just attack.
Some are trolls (in the online sense) who are trying to get a reaction, others are just dogmatic and so convinced they are right no other argument has the right to be heard.
Bullies will cite the rules, but not even consider what they're claiming applies equally to them.
Bullies come in all sizes and shapes, some use emotional blackmail, some try to threaten, some are just unpleasant...
The best way of handling bullies, in my experience, is first realising what they are and then employing whatever range of techniques work best for you... You're within you're rights to just walk away, if you feel you have to engage then do so with compassion and even pity... They may not know how bullying they look and sound.
And always, always remember all bullies are scared of something... And it's probably you, or what you stand for.
So never, ever even think about not being you. Never, ever let them change you, stand tall, be you and let them bring it one, because every time they do they just confirm how scared they are of you!!!
Rant over - running stuff!!!!
I ran up a bloody big hill!!! Win hill in the Peak District! OS mapping says it was a shade under 9 miles and 1500ft of up (and down).
It was also a hot day, so I'm seriously pleased. I didn't run up all the hill, it was more of a very fast shuffle but I was going at my usual walking pace for the flat, going up!! Down was a confidence thing, getting used to letting my legs just roll down the hill, letting my ankles bounce off rock.
Was it hard? Hell yes! Do I want to do it again?? Hell yes!!!
Miles to do over the weekend! Not sure the naan bread counts as carboloading but the curry was damn good!
TTFN
Paul
I gave a talk on CHD on Wednesday night, and the topic of bullying came up...
I don't like bullies... I never have I never will...
Bullies don't have discussions, or even arguments, they make statements and if you don't agree with them you are either frozen out of the group or attacked.
Bullies attack people, they don't discuss ideas and come to a consensus or an agreement to disagree, they just attack.
Some are trolls (in the online sense) who are trying to get a reaction, others are just dogmatic and so convinced they are right no other argument has the right to be heard.
Bullies will cite the rules, but not even consider what they're claiming applies equally to them.
Bullies come in all sizes and shapes, some use emotional blackmail, some try to threaten, some are just unpleasant...
The best way of handling bullies, in my experience, is first realising what they are and then employing whatever range of techniques work best for you... You're within you're rights to just walk away, if you feel you have to engage then do so with compassion and even pity... They may not know how bullying they look and sound.
And always, always remember all bullies are scared of something... And it's probably you, or what you stand for.
So never, ever even think about not being you. Never, ever let them change you, stand tall, be you and let them bring it one, because every time they do they just confirm how scared they are of you!!!
Rant over - running stuff!!!!
I ran up a bloody big hill!!! Win hill in the Peak District! OS mapping says it was a shade under 9 miles and 1500ft of up (and down).
It was also a hot day, so I'm seriously pleased. I didn't run up all the hill, it was more of a very fast shuffle but I was going at my usual walking pace for the flat, going up!! Down was a confidence thing, getting used to letting my legs just roll down the hill, letting my ankles bounce off rock.
Was it hard? Hell yes! Do I want to do it again?? Hell yes!!!
Miles to do over the weekend! Not sure the naan bread counts as carboloading but the curry was damn good!
TTFN
Paul
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