DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
DECEMBER 2004
Aims and wishes: Flora London Marathon 2005.
Once again rejected by Sir Dave I have secured a Golden Bond place via JDRF - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I am chairman of their running events committee, and responsible for recruiting up to 150 runners and raising vast sums to help children with type 1 diabetes.
Running-wise I'm shooting for 4 hours 10-ish.
In 2003 I belatedly (mid-January) hauled my carcass off the couch to join SP in his Marathon training. Remarkably I finished the April event in a sub-5 hour time, but clearly aware that my training had been woefully inadequate.
This year I went again, beefing up the long runs (4 x 20 milers over the Sussex downs in Feb/ March), but still started too late (January) to be effective. I finished in 4 hrs 18, and felt better than in 2003, but still not happy with the preparation.
So, on December 1st I ditched the smokes and started gentle jogging 3 to 4 times weekly. I have recruited a couple of co-runners in Lewes (see Tellytubbies thread in my diary) - this has helped in getting me out of the door when common sense dictates that a large cushion, Sky Sports and a case of Black Gold is far better for me.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
The URL provided above will take you to my 2004 fund raising site.
If you would like to sponsor me for the 2005 event, go to http://www.bmycharity.com/AshFLM2005
I'll be updating the info site later this month.
Cheers.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
OK, having received fair warning from SP about Andy Admin's expectations for regular diary notes,
I'd best catch up on the first 2 weeks of training.
Friday December 3rd 2004 - Day One
Got back from a trip to New Orleans yesterday. Visit to Nawlins far from healthy - smoking, drinking, staying up all night . . .
back to Earth (well, Blighty) with a bump; no smokes, ease back on the beer and dig out the trainers.
Contacted co-sloggers Simon and Tim and arranged to hit the streets at 9 am today. Tim cried off, but Si seemed juiced and ready to roll.
Nice gentle 4-miler to kick off with, starting from Lewes Prison (somehow apt), a nice 3/4 mile downhill to the A27 and a flat(ish) lope out to the Texaco garage between Lewes and Falmer. Not the prettiest route, but one I had measured before.
The thing about starting a round trip circuit with an easy 3/4 mile downhiller is you end up with a tasy 3/4 mile UPhiller to finish. This proved testing (for both Simon and myself). I pride myself on handling inclines well, generally attacking them to keep my pace at least equal to the flat if not slightly increased. However the last time I had rocketed up this particular slope was some 7 months previous with plenty of mileage in the bank and considerably less lard around my waist.
To Simon's credit (and my chagrin) he coasted to the finish barely a few seconds behind me. Hand shakes and stupid grins all round - we're off the mark! Lets do this again on Sunday . . .
Sunday December 5th 09:00 - 4 mile loop
Coaxed Tim out with us this time and repeated the 4 mile loop with a nice uphill finish. Impressed by Tim's performance - he won't need much time to get up to (my) speed. Simon found the going a little tougher - I suggested this is because the memory of the uphill finish from Friday was still fresh and he probably expended as much energy worrying about it as he did completing it.
All in all a good second outing. I'm feeling fresh and hopeful that it won't take as long as I'd feared to get back into the swing of things.
Monday December 6th 19:00 - 4 mile loop
Yet another of the same - remember, we're just spending time on our feet now, no need to worry about routes and directions. Simon is apprehensive after finding Monday tougher than Sunday. Tim is relaxed. A good pace on this run, although I don't plan to get the stopwatch out until the end of the month. The strategy is gentle intoduction and turn on the heat later when they're hooked.
Nice smooth finish and Simon is less worried this time. I soon change that by announcing that they will both enter and compete in the Sussex Beacon half in Brighton next February. We agree to change the route for Thursday morning's run.
Thursday December 9th - 09:00 Lewes Loop
We met outside Circa resturant. I planned a 4 mile loop through the town centre with a 3/4 mile uphill climb to Malling, cut across the playing fields, across the river and uphill for another 3/4 miles to the Victoria hospital with a gentle jog back down the high street to complete the circuit.
I am feeling somewhat jaded, having returned hom at 4 am from a Girlschool reunion gig in North London and also having taken on board a reasonable quantity of Guinness.
Surprisingly I feel good in the crisp morning air and we set a fair pace through the town. The first climb proves tough for Simon and I rebuke him at the top for not packing in the smokes. He vows to 'look into it' and we continue.
The second climb is very tough and I come to realise more like a mile and a quarter. How can you run a circuit that is 75% uphill and yet finish where you started? Tim has kept pace easily and I can see him becoming competitve over the next few weeks. Simon finished well, but I am worried about his problems with hill climbs.
I decide we need to change location for our Sunday run, and although Simon is hosting a serious party on Saturday, we agree to 09:00 Sunday meet for a 6 mile tour of Seaford. I leave them and, feeling far better than I had any right to, complete a further 2 mile mini-loop through the town. The legs feel good, so why not?
Sunday December 12th - 09:00 Seaford Slog 6 Miler
The preamble to this session is documented elsewhere (Time for Tellytubbies) so I'll cut to the chase. 100% turn out - I'm proud of the lads! - and a good start. Cool conditions but virtually no breeze. We start at the foot of Seaford Head - the start of the Seven Sisters, home of the Seven Sisters Marathon, one of the UK's toughest I hear - and set out West along the seafront.
Everyone appears to be fine despite all three of us carrying a little excess fluid in both belly and brain. We cut inland after 2 miles of flat and hit the first incline, about a half mile, quite steep. Right away Simon drops back and Tim & I slow the pace to keep him interested. At the top we rest briefly and I suggest to Si that it is vital he finds his own rythmn for the climbs and sticks with it.
We're off again, into town and up through the other side. SP will know this section well, a meandering climb up through the town and beyond, around a mile and a half. Tim is raring to go but I hold the pace to keep us togther. A mile into the climb Simon hugs a lamp-post and calls for a rest. We jog on and wait for him at the turn towards the sea. To be fair, as host last night Simon put away the sauce on about a 2:1 ratio to myself and Tim, and I tell him he's doing remarkably well considering. His slightly green complexion suggests otherwise, but he perks up as we start the gentle descent towards the seafront, and we finish three abreast, justly proud of our exertions.
Monday, December 13th - back to start
I call the lads but both have separate badminton dates. I tell them not to worry but to get 4 miles in between now and Wednesday when we will repeat the Lewes loop. I decide to go back to the 4 miler with the hill finish (in truth I love this finish - I can play the theme to Rocky in my head as I thunder up the slope to the prison!). This proves tough (alone) and I realise I need to get some additional solo work in to strengthen my resolve as well as my legs and lungs.
I walk back home from the prison a little deflated - this run was tougher than it should have been. I'm missing the company of others and this is dangerous - I need to be able to drive on without them if they get sick or have to miss a few sessions, and I need to finish positively each time.
I kick my own arse for being negative and jog home, resolved to better efforts in the following days.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
Steamy Windows indeed, SP young fella me lad. What a moment in Rock History!
Riazor Blue, just for you here's a current photo of the best all-girl heavy metal band in te Universe (well, since Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, anyway). By the way, did you watch Ronaldo's Friends v Zidane's Friends tonight? Michael Schumacher played 60+ minutes - amazing.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
Lost a wingman tonight. Tim suffered nasty achilles damage following Sunday's jog around Seaford and looks to be out for a week or so. He's convinced it's mostly down to poor conditioned trainers so I've advised him to visit Sam The Man at the Jog Shop in Brighton.
Sam's an Oracle in the world of running shoes.
I first entered his slightly sleezy runners' emporium in Brighton last January.
Once again, SP had trod this path before, and it was on his advice I now entered the small sidestreet shop. Funny how incongruous one feels on first entering a 'real runners' shop. I had barely covered 10 miles in 3 weeks of post-sofa action and was suffering in the feet department.
I crept in, painfully aware of how alien this environment was to me.
'Come on in son'. A voice, Lemmy from Motorhead laced with extra gravel, cut through the gloom from the rear of the store. Then, as a barely audible aside to his assistant: 'American 13, E fitting. Try the Dasics or the Mizuno - don't bother with the Nikes.'
I could see no other customer in the shop. I stopped, and the confused look on my fizzog must have conveyed my thoughts.
'Take a seat mate. I'd guess you're looking for a pair of runners - those look a size too small from 'ere.'
I sat. The assistant appeared with a small stack of shoe boxes. I kicked off my Nike cross-trainers (instant relief!) and awaited the first offering.
'Mizuno X10, American 13, E fitting' announced the assistant.
Sam (Jog Shop Supremo) leaned forward, eyes only for the silver/red/blue beauties. 'Lovely. Pop them on - see how they feel.'
I was still in a daze. This man had barely glanced at my Nike's and there was not so much as a tape measure in sight. Oh well, in for a penny . . .
. . . oh my God; it's like the Emperor's New Runners. Hardly any weight (compared to the hobnail boots I'd just removed) and . . . moulded to my feet. I was grinning like a fool. Sam straightened up, a half-smile lighting up his face. 'Feel good eh?' He chortled.
'Er - bloody brilliant' I managed.
'Go for a quick jog up the road' growled the Guru.
I did think, for one wee microsecond, that this was fairly risky; I'd be leaving behind a fairly rotten, hefty old pair of abused Nike's and leaving in 70 quids' worth of foot heaven. Then the penny dropped and I looked back at the solid, slightly bow-legged proprietor and his whippet-like, lycra-clad protoge;
you'd get about 100 yards tops, I thought.
Suffice to say I bought the X10s, and this January popped back to replace them with this years' model of the same. I'll be there again in the New Year, and I won't so much as glance in another shop window on the way.
You can't beat a decent pair of trainers, and you definately can't beat advice from the best in the business.
PS: Sam also hosts the Sunday long runs from the West Pier, Brighton, pre FLM. He cycles so that he can patrol up and down the long ribbon of runners, joggers and hobblers, dishing out advice, encouragement and gel packs in equal measure. A good man to know.
Wednesday, December 15th - 2 x Lewes Loops
Undeterred by Tim's misfortune Simon and I met up at 7pm for a double loop of the town (around 5 miles) incorporating around 3 miles of hill climbs. Simon had not run since Sunday, and I'd just had my dissappointing solo effort on Monday.
Conditions were perfect - slight breeze, very mild and dry - and we set off at a comfortable pace. After the first (3 mile) loop I was pleased to congratulate Simon on a good pace and much improved hill work. We hit the mini loop (2 miles) and maintained the pace. I felt great! Simon peeled off just after 5.5 miles and I rewarded myself for a good session with one more 2 mile loop. No run until Sunday now, as I join SP and our Golf Society for an evening of abject debauchery at our AGM. Roll on the Black Gold!
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
Woke up this mornin'
Looked for my runnin' shoes
I was coughin' and a-splutt'rin'
I got them early trainin' blues . . .
Yes, true to form I've contracted a most unpleasant cough/ cold and am enjoying my annual sick leave from training. Is it only me, or is there anyone else this happens to?
I have a theory. I don't train for months, then I resolve to don the boots and hit the streets. About 2 weeks in I develop a chest cold and am forced to miss a week. I recover and resume training with no recurrance of the illness. I think this is my body saying 'woah - what the heck are you doing all this running for???' Anyway, regular affliction or not it is MOST ANNOYING.
Sunday, December 19th - Brighton Seafront 7.5 miles
Following a fairly heavy Friday night session with SP and our golfing associates at our AGM, I had resolved to take in some sea air. Simon picked me up at 08:30 as arranged and we drove to the Peace Statue near the West Pier on Brighton seafront.
My original plan was to run the first half of the Sussex Beacon 1/2 Marathon (starting at the West Pier and running the frst loop, to Madeira Drive and back to the West Pier). The reason for this was a) to give Simon an idea of the course (he WILL be in the race in February) and b) to keep us on the flat part of the course. We've done a lot of hill work in the past weeks and it would be interesting for us to see how that translates perfomance-wise on the flat.
Well, the best laid plans and all that . . . when we got to the Peace Statue I got all nostalgic for the 20 mile, off-road hill climbs with the Jog Shop crew in February this year and decided we should embark on the first part of that course. This basically stays on the Sussex Beacon route, but is far from flat; we start at the West Pier and run East, along Madeira drive and up above the Marina, following the undulating cliff-top path to Rottingdean.
I was a little concerned that Simon would struggle, but he seemed rejuvinated, having like me not run for a couple of days. Our pace was comfortable and we chatted until we reached the first serious climb at the end of Madeira Drive. Weather conditions at the start of the run were chilly with ahint of rain cloud moving in from the North. 20 minutes into the run the threat became a promise, although the rain barely exceeded a drizzle.
The outward journey was into a slight headwind - I prefer to run into the wind early on; it keeps the pace sensible early on, which on longer runs is essential.
SP and I once ran from Newhaven to Worthing along this coastal path (East to West) - around 16 miles. We didn't check the wind direction, and ran for the best part of 4 hours into a persistant headwind. None too bright, these lads!
This time out Simon and I completed a 7.5 mile round trip in 1 hour 15 minutes, keeping a steady pace with two brief rest stops along the route. I felt very good, sprinting the last 500 metres. We were both pretty pleased with our performance and recovery, enjoying a coffee and a rock-cake at the seafront cafe adjacent to our start/ finish point.
Monday, December 20th - Bad Cold Stops PLay
As previously mentioned (in a whining voice) my natural defences have kicked in, a last deperate attempt by my body to prevent the invitable months of pain and struggle. Happily I'm far too dense to heed this warning, and I'll be back on the streets before the last sodden tissue hits the waste basket.
Happy Christmas fellow plodders. I reckon I'll be out again on Christmas Eve, chest not withstanding. Updates to follow.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
It seems my 'bad cold' has developed into something new to science, a lurghie of potentially catastrophic proportions. Not only have I not looked at my trainers this week not a solitary pint of ale, black or otherwise, has passed my lips and I have no yearning for one either.
WHAT IS THIS ALIEN INFECTION???
I'll spare you the tears, but it looks like post-Xmas day for my next installment, so, be careful out there, have fun, party hard and stay away from the roads.
Love, peace and rock n roll
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
well, in December anyway.
The lurghie has kept up an impressive pace over the Yuletide. Whilst all but gone I managed to retain the chesty flemmy bit which procludes pavement pounding. Looks like New Years Day for the first outing, likely to be a 4 mile gentle lope around the town with my fellow tubbies.
Happy New Year to all. Looking forward to renewed vigour in 2005, and happier more productive posts for y'all.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
DECEMBER - well, you have to start somewhere . . .
I won't do it again.
