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2008 - April - El Gordo - 22-04-2008
Crikey, a new entry at http://www.runningcommentary.net
2008 - April - Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man - 22-04-2008
Oh yes! Great news indeed - as you said, you only write when you run, and that's why most of us (certainly me) are here. You don't need to break PBs or climb new and exciting runnig mountains - it's your writing that inspires us here mate.
Climb back on board that train EG, it's a great journey.
2008 - April - Sweder - 22-04-2008
I'll second that emotion.
Blimey MLCMan - you've upped the stakes in the old stacked signature race!
Good on yer. And good on you too EG - great to see you straight back into form.
2008 - April - Antonio247 - 22-04-2008
I´m very glad you´ve restarted running, EG. It´s easy to get demotivated.
I´ve also gained some kilos after Almería half and haven´t trained much lately either. Last Sunday I did the 10 km Puerto de Almería race in 59 minutes, five more than last year but I´m glad I managed to finish.
I´d also love to do London marathon next year.
By the way, we are going to spend a few days in London next week, from 1st May to 4th May. If any of you feel like meeting there for a run and/or a drink, just tell me.
Saludos desde Almería Greetings from Almería
PS. What a pity that Chelsea drew Liverpool in the last minute!
2008 - April - Sweder - 23-04-2008
anlu247 Wrote:PS. What a pity that Chelsea drew Liverpool in the last minute!I don't think 'pity' quite covers it :mad:
I'm no Liverpool fan but I was gutted.
Apparently John Arne Riise was arrested on the M62 last night.
He was heading the wrong way . . .
Watch out for tonight's game.
Puyol is suspended, Ronaldhino out injured, Messi hasn't played for several years and Henry is playing with leaden feet and no radar.
3 - 0 to Barca then (Henry hat-trick)
Will you have to stay in London Anlu? It would be great to have you with us on our Sunday visit to Old Snakey, or even a quick plod up to Blackcap . . .
2008 - April - Nigel - 23-04-2008
It's good to see you back, Andy.
A year's gone by, and to misquote that line, all we've had is a bass guitar, T Rex and the truth. Great writing.
My own relationship with running has changed enormously over the last year or so. I'm not interested in new PBs - although of course I'd like to have some, they're not what keeps me going. It was Ed who set at rest a few months ago when he recorded his realisation that his racing days were numbered, reflecting his increasing certainty that it wasn't races which kept him going, but the simple pleasure of running for the sake of running.
That's deep, I thought. And it made sense.
A few months on, Ed is cheerfully (and very sensibly) back preparing to race. Whilst I - well I ... am simply trotting contentendly along the towpath and scampering over the Downs with nary a race in plan.
Ed's words clearly didn't convince him, but they seem to have convinced me for now. But I'm happy with this new running space I now inhabit - and that's the truth.
At least for now.
2008 - April - stillwaddler - 23-04-2008
It's great to have you back EG, it's been far too long "since your last confession" You'll soon be zinging along the lanes again
Nigel Wrote:My own relationship with running has changed enormously over the last year or so. I'm not interested in new PBs - although of course I'd like to have some, they're not what keeps me going.
....
At least for now.
Nige, I'm happy that at my age I can still waddle at all, but I still seem to need an incentive to get out and do a bit more than a trundle around my usual 3.5 miler. That, so far, has been provided by entering the odd race or two - incidentally, thanks again for the sponsorship for JDRF :-) Training for a race and knowing that I'll be forced to run in public, gees me up to go a little further or a little faster - not both together of course.
Barcelona - cue Queen track - will probably seek out a Sky telly to watch this evening, poor Riise, bet he missed his week's bonus:-0 good goal 'though
2008 - April - Nigel - 24-04-2008
Ah, the usual 3.5 miler, SW. I know what you mean. One of the joys of changing my job last year was the opportunity to run in the Himalayan confines of Epsom, whence the Chalk hills rise with unforgiving alacrity.
It took me four months of miserable lunchtimes to grovel my way unbroken to the summits, without oxygen, but now I manage that feat a couple of times a week.
Hills. I hate 'em. But a change of scenery has proved really useful as an incentive to push the limits.
Meanwhile, here's one for Andy. Spied on a recent run, not far from the unforgiving North Downs peaks, the last resting place of one of QPR's former managers. More successful as coach at Blackburn, to be fair, and struck down by lung cancer in his late 50s.
I'm not sure why Harford was buried in Epsom, just a few hundred metres from the race course. Maybe he was a betting man?
Anyway, a salutary tale serving to remind me to kick my heels towards the lofty pinnacles once more. Er, which lofty pinnacles, exactly? None were in sight up the final slog, but a hazy view of the Gherkin from the col was more than worth the struggle. And if you look closely, you can pick out St Paul's as well.
2008 - April - El Gordo - 24-04-2008
You and your gherkin, Nige.
Sad to see the Harford grave. It has to be said he didn't have much success at HQ, but the penury of the club and the general air of negativity following relegation from the Prem and various boardroom shenanigans would have tested the toughest.
I remember him describing the day he decided to pack it in. He'd just seen us lose 4-1 at Oxford in a terrible display. He walked back to his car in the torrential rain and found that someone had helpfully smashed in the windscreen, leaving the interior of his new car soaked, and 6 inches deep in water. He said he found himself weeping uncontrollably, and decided then that he had failed, and had had enough.
I'm with SW on the races thing. I'd love to be purist enough to think of running as a goal in itself but I need a bit more structure to help motivate me. I also really like races as an excuse for an adventure -- to see somewhere new, to (sometimes) meet up with people, to get a medal, and to provide a bit of gentle competition (with myself and previous PBs). Without them I'd never have persisted as long as I have. Just a personal take on it. I admire and envy anyone who can continuously celebrate the activity for its own inherent qualities.
I agree that running in a new place keeps the interest going. It's something I should do more of.
2008 - April - Sweder - 24-04-2008
I don't like Mondays, so having two in one week is nothing short of reprehensible. Glad to hear the omnivorous diet is bearing fruit. I've not hopped on the scales lately - my last attempt left me horribly depressed - feeling good is so much more important than stats at this point, n'est pas?
So, this fellow in the SUV; he didn't have a Yorkshire accent, small-ish head and go by the name of Kevin did he?
Agree on the SatNav thing - why we should lose the ability to think when submitting to the whim of those dreadful automatons heaven knows. And you're so right; you simply don't retain any sense of where you've been or how you got there (as you do when map-reading or, as is more likely for the men amongst us, winging it without any help whatsoever). One of my lads is a bit of a wag and likes to have fun when asking for directions. He rides in the passenger seat of the van or truck. They pull over to the curb and he asks a local for directions. If the person is one of those hugely enthusiastic guides and launches into a detailed description of where to go the driver starts to inch forward. The helpful pedestrian will often start to walk alongside to keep up. The driver gradually increases the speed . . . you can see where this is going. It is of course extremely cruel and possibly dangerous and I in no way condone it. Darned funny though.
I did find a way to spice my Tom-Tom* up a bit though. I downloaded the silken tones of Sylvia, an Irish-lilted hooker. She advises you to 'turn around where possible - but not too fast'. At the end of your journey she whispers 'You have reached your destination. But don't stop just yet.' Mrs S hates it.
[SIZE="1"]* other SatNavs are also available[/SIZE]
2008 - April - El Gordo - 24-04-2008
Sweder Wrote:I don't like Mondays, so having two in one week is nothing short of reprehensible.
A not unreasonable point. Thank you.
Sweder Wrote:[SIZE="1"]* other SatNavs are also available[/SIZE]
You cannot be Syrius. I'm a Snooper man myself.
It has to be said that I really like SatNavs -- or my one anyway. Despite the misgivings we share, it does seem to be a gadget that's genuinely useful for much of the time.
M has taken an unusual shine to it, despite normally being a 'late-adopter' of technology. It would be quite wrong to infer any link with sexist observations on map-reading and general navigational skills.
2008 - April - Sweder - 24-04-2008
El Gordo Wrote:M has taken an unusual shine to it, despite normally being a 'late-adopter' of technology. It would be quite wrong to infer any link with sexist observations on map-reading and general navigational skills.:RFLMAO:
2008 - April - Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man - 24-04-2008
SUVs? Has Britain become the 51st United State?
I'm pleased to report Australia is largely resisting this rather ugly term (though not, unfortunately, the vehicles themselves). Sadly we do know what SUV means and will probably fall under its inevitable ugliness sometime soon. For the moment at least (thank God) we're still more likely to use a derogatory term liike "tank" or "truck" when describing such things. "Toorak Tractor" is common as well - I think you use a similar term. The meaning's clear enough.
2008 - April - El Gordo - 24-04-2008
Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote:SUVs? Has Britain become the 51st United State?
I'm pleased to report Australia is largely resisting this rather ugly term (though not, unfortunately, the vehicles themselves). Sadly we do know what SUV means and will probably fall under its inevitable ugliness sometime soon. For the moment at least (thank God) we're still more likely to use a derogatory term liike "tank" or "truck" when describing such things. "Toorak Tractor" is common as well - I think you use a similar term. The meaning's clear enough.
You've brought back the trauma, just as I'd managed to push it from my mind. I don't disagree with you. We call them 4 x 4s or colloquially, " Chelsea tractors". The problem I had was that writing "4 x 4" just looked wrong. OK in a tech spec, but not in prose, where you can't pronounce "x" as "by". I couldn't think how we normally write this down. "Four by four" seemed even worse. I think. So I went for SUV which is not universally used but used enough to be intelligible.
OK? :mad:
And yes, we have become the 51st United State. But that's another story....
2008 - April - Ed B. - 24-04-2008
Nigel Wrote:It was Ed who set at rest a few months ago when he recorded his realisation that his racing days were numbered, reflecting his increasing certainty that it wasn't races which kept him going, but the simple pleasure of running for the sake of running.
That's deep, I thought. And it made sense.
A few months on, Ed is cheerfully (and very sensibly) back preparing to race. Whilst I - well I ... am simply trotting contentendly along the towpath and scampering over the Downs with nary a race in plan.
Ed's words clearly didn't convince him, but they seem to have convinced me for now. But I'm happy with this new running space I now inhabit - and that's the truth.
At least for now.
The truth changes for each of us, doesn't it? But you get to run in some unique and lovely places very close to you, Nigel. Me, I have to travel quite far to do the same, and only 2-3 times a year at most right now. A bit frustrating at times.
Enthusiasm for races tends to go in cycles for many of us, I think -- mine was rekindled by ultramarathoning and trail running, once the urban marathoning circuit got a little stale for me. But I seem a bit like a heroin addict -- it takes longer and longer distances, over rougher and rougher terrain, for me to get my fix.
I like attempting ultramarathon distances due to the special meditative opportunities they offer, but the only incentive I have to run 50-60 miles is a race ... if it wasn't for racing, would I bother to run 50 miles? I seriously doubt it.
Oh, and hello everyone -- I haven't visited here in quite awhile; I keep forgetting my password and having to reset it.
2008 - April - El Gordo - 24-04-2008
Hi Ed, great to see you back.
You've called in at a tricky time, as I'm just about to shut the forum temporarily, to do some testing in advance of an upgrade. Sorry!
2008 - April - Bierzo Baggie - 26-04-2008
Great to see the forum seems to have sprung back to life again!
Long live the forum guru and his endless creativity
Look forward to seeing the new format whatever it is..
2008 - April - Bierzo Baggie - 05-05-2008
See you made it around that lake again Andy
And getting a book published should be easy compared to all you've been through with this running business. Have you thought about putting together some sort of grand compilation of running stories and anecdotes? Maybe that would be easier to sell than a "came-saw-plodded about a bit-and conquered" story
..I'd certainly buy it.I've just read a book by Adrian Chiles about obsessive Albion fans and it wasn't particularly well written (it wasn't meant to be) but it was funny, he's famous and I'm sure he didn't have too many problems finding a publisher. Not fair but I suppose that's the way it goes.
Talking of obsessive Albion fans did you recognize any superheroes yesterday?
2008 - April - El Gordo - 05-05-2008
Bierzo Baggie Wrote:See you made it around that lake again Andy
And getting a book published should be easy compared to all you've been through with this running business. Have you thought about putting together some sort of grand compilation of running stories and anecdotes? Maybe that would be easier to sell than a "came-saw-plodded about a bit-and conquered" story
I've just read a book by Adrian Chiles about obsessive Albion fans and it wasn't particularly well written (it wasn't meant to be) but it was funny, he's famous and I'm sure he didn't have too many problems finding a publisher. Not fair but I suppose that's the way it goes.
Talking of obsessive Albion fans did you recognize any superheroes yesterday?
I did make it round the lake, and mainly because you'd mentioned it recently, and reminded me of it.
There were plenty of superheroes among the crowd yesterday, and even one or two on the pitch, though of course I'm a bit biased.
Chief among (before the game) were Flavio Briatore, Lakshmi Mittal, Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis, Sir Les Ferdinand, Paul Parker...
It was a closer game than the result made it sound. We had a great first half, including a goal not given despite the ball being a foot over the line, and a harsh sending off. Last 30 mins belonged to Albion when we ran out of steam. But honest, terrible referee, and not really a fair result. But the Baggies fans were magnificent -- as loud as any I've ever heard down there.
Some snaps from yesterday (not mine):
2008 - April - Sweder - 05-05-2008
Pleased to hear you're taking your team to Wembley - not bad for a first season at the helm.
Will there be room in the Director's box for all of you?
Perhaps you'll get to sit next to Torquay United's celebrated superfan Helen Chamberlain. She could pass on Tim Lovejoy's address so that we can pop round next Sunday to help him celebrate winning the Premiership.
Oh good Lord I'm going to be really ill . . .