Week four

[Antonio247]

Week 4. 29th March-4th April.. This is my peak week. I´ve got to do 40 miles with a 20 miler on Sunday. I don´t know whether to go to Baza half marathon in the province of Granada and do one hour run before the half or go for a run on Sunday for nearly four hours. I´ve gained 200 grammes.. My weight is 81,2 kgs. I intend to follow a healthy diet this week avoiding meat and eating a lot of fruit, vegetables, pulse ( legumbres ) such as chickpeas and no cake or biscuits.


Tuesday. I went out at 6.30 am. As it was a little windy, I decided to go inland. I started at Sierra de Alhamilla road and went to avenida del Mediterráneo bridge which I crossed and went uphill the avenue where some stalls where being put up for Tuesday´s street market. I crossed carretera de Níjar to go on climbing the hardest part coming back in minute 30 and a half. Then, I went down the same route getting to the starting point in 59 minutes. I crossed avenida Cabo de Gata going to Almadrabillas park completing until one hour 6 minutes and around 9 kilometres. The temperature indicator flashed 14º Celsius. Surprisingly, I didn´t feel stiff legs from Sunday´s long run and thanks to Riazor Blue´s piece of advice, I didn´t notice any discomfort in my right foot sole either.

[Antonio247]

Wednesday. I left at 9.30 am. It was a wonderful sunny morning with a little breeze. I managed to go at this time because today I started lessons at 12.55pm because a group of my pupils are on a school trip in Italy. I started at Almadrabillas park and went along the sea front to Costacabana following the sea front and the road past the university getting to where Costacabana seafront starts in 52´45´´ and continued along it until minute 56. Then, I came back along the same way but feeling my legs heavy. I stopped to drink a little water at a water fountain in the university sea front and walked for nearly a minute in minute 79, which I also did in minute 100. I made an effort to finish in less than two hours, in fact, I did one hour, fifty-nine minutes, thirty seconds completing two hours and doing around sixteen kilometres. Then, I did some stretching. I saw a few runners along the sea front and more people walking. I can´t believe that next Sunday I´ll have to do this distance twice.

[Antonio247]

Thursday. I left at 6.15 am. It was a nice morning. The temperature indicator flashed 14º celsius on the way up and half an hour later 16º celsius. I felt quite well since I only had to do five miles, which after yesterday´s long midweek run -10 miles- seemed “pan comido” as we say in Spanish- which means “eaten bread”, that is, something very easy. I think that in English it could be translated into “it´s a cinch”. I started at Almadrabillas park and went towards the city centre taking avenida Federico García Lorca where the old “rambla” used to be up as far as the end of the old “rambla” in 22´10´´, which is 2 minutes faster than the last time I did that course. Then, I went down the old “rambla” getting at the start point in 42´30´´. Then, I continued along the sea front for a little farther than one kilometre where I met two old runners with a dog. I gave them two hundred metres advantage and went after them and managed to overtake them a little before the start point in minute 58 completing one hour and doing around nine kilometres in all.

[Nigel]

"Pan comido" - yes, Antonio, it's a cinch, although mostly in North America. On this side of the Atlantic, children would say "easy-peasy", but most folk would say 'It's a piece of cake'.

This is a traditional and definitively British saying, most memorably translated in 'Asterix chez les bretons' as "Quel morceau de gateau, vieux garcon". There you will also find "Quel morceau de chance" for "What a piece of luck".

Asterix is pretty good for learning languages. I wonder how these phrases appear in the Spanish translation..... "Qué trozo de pastel, qué pieza de suerte, niño viejo...." perhaps ?

[Antonio247]

Thank you, Nigel, for your great help. You are a polyglot, which is unusual in UK and a scholar.

I think that "Quel morceau de gateau" could be translated literally as you said: ¡Qué pedazo de pastel! but freely it could be :"Esto está chupado" or "Esto está comido". "Vieux garçon" can´t be translated literally. Perhaps it could be: "muchachito" or "amiguito" using the ending "ito" to express more familiarity and affection, fondness. "Quel morceau de chance!" could be "¡Qué gran suerte!" or more colloquially "¡Qué pedazo de suerte!". The expression "pedazo de" is used lately to indicate something big, for instance, ¡Qué pedazo de artista! meaning ¡Qué gran artista! ( What a great artist! ).

I also felt deeply moved ( emocionado ) after reading your wonderful post "On the front line" about the dangers we all can have in these difficult times due to this new kind of terrorism. I think that we have always felt a sort of risk when when we travelled but I used to think that the main risk was having an accident but after 11th September and 11th March, I think that the feeling is that we might get involved in a terrorist attack although the odds are very small.

Well, good luck, Nigel with your last two weeks to London marathon. I´m sure you´ll do it very well.

Saludos desde Almería.

Antonio

[Antonio247]

Saturday. Friday was a rest day. We didn´t have lessons because we have started Easter holidays until Tuesday 13th April. By the way, in Spain, our unlucky day is Tuesday 13th instead of Friday 13th. We have a saying that is “En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques” which means “ On Tuesday, don´t get married or go on board a ship”. Well, on Friday evening I went with my brother José to Roquetas to watch the film “In America” in the original version with subtitles in Spanish. It is about an Irish family who moved to New York after losing a little son. It is told from the point of view of one of the little girls. It is a bit sad but with happy moments. I found it a little more difficult to understand than “Love, actually” . I general, I liked the film. This week, they´re showing “Mona Lisa smile”, which I´ve heard is quite good. It´s starred by Julia Roberts. It is about a university professor at a women´s college who wants to change their students´ mentality in the United States in the 50s. It´s been compared to “The club of the dead poets” but related to older girls.

On Saturday, I did cross-training after a few weeks I hadn´t been able to do that properly. I also went with my brother on bicycle along the sea front whenever possible or along the road to Costacabana near the airport. We left at 4.45 pm from my parents´ house, which is near where I live and went at an easy pace as far as the end of Costacabana sea front. It was a lovely day with many people sunbathing on the beaches and with a little breeze. It took us 35 minutes to get there where we stopped to have some water and a cereal bar. My brother wants to do St James´ way on bicycle. If I can, I´d like to do it as well. http://www.jacobeo.net/ Then, we came back along the same way. We saw many people riding on bicycle or running along this route. In all, we did around 17 kilometres in 1 hour fifteen minutes.

Well, today Sunday I´ve got to do 20 miles. My brother is coming with me on bicycle so that I can have some water and cereal bars and this way it won´t be so boring to be plodding along for around four hours.

[Seafront Plodder]

Antonio,

I haven't posted much recently, but I have been reading. I was going to wish you good luck for your 20 mile run today, but you won't need it!

I have been fascinated by both your diary and your dedication. You can be proud of what you have achieved since starting the training and I know you will succeed today. Congratulations!!


ps I am amused however with your many references to your weight. Checking back to your first week, it seems you haven't lost anything

[Seafront Plodder]

From first week's training.....

My weight is 80,3 kilos. Although I´ve lost 9 kilos since 1st September, I´d like to reach 77 kgs for the marathon day.

From last week...

My weight is 81,2 kgs.

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy S.P.

It´s wonderful to hear from you again. Thank you for your encouragement. I´m glad I have done the 20 miler. It´s been tough but less than I´d expected. I´ll report later in another post.

How are you doing with your training for New York marathon? Are you planning to take part in other races before?

Unfortunately, I find it hard to lower 80 kg. When I started on my diet, I was very motivated and lost 3 or four kilos in the first two weeks but after losing 8 kgs, I have remained in the same weight for a lot of weeks varying only one kilo up or down. I am to blame since I´m a "cakeaholic" and although I eat much less than I used to I could lose a few pounds if I stopped eating so many sweet things. However, it´s good to have a little reward after training and taking part in races. Nevertheless, if I could keep this weight for many years, I´d be glad. I think the key to lose or maintain weight is to eat less calories and do regular exercise.

Well, Andy, good luck with your training and everything else.

Best wishes,

Antonio

PS. I´m looking forward to meeting you and giving you the T-shirt
that I promised I´d give for having guessed the meaning of the note with numbers- 1004180. By the way, I told my students to guess the meaning of the sentence you told us and they enjoyed it a lot. [ And Tom when Bill had had had had had had had had had had had the teacher´s approval ]

[Antonio247]

Sunday. Holy week has started and the processions in the streets have arrived. My hard procession will be in Madrid on 25th this month but today I also had another hard run. The tough and fearful 20 miler. I decided to stop for a walk break every 25 minutes but actually I had to do the last two ones every 15 minutes. I started from my usual start point, Almadrabillas park at 8 am alone because my brother was meeting me at 9 on bicycle. I went uphill –Madrid has a few hills and I must be prepared for them- to the end of the Rambla Federico García Lorca climbing the staircase and getting there in 23´15´´. Then, I went down getting back at Almadrabillas park in 44´55´´. Then, I went along the sea front but as it was early to meet my brother at 9 am, I continued for four minutes and turned back to the place we had agreed to meet. He kept me company on bicycle and gave me some water at the walk breaks. He also carried cereal bars but I didn´t feel hungry in spite that I hadn´t had any breakfast – just two glasses of water- because I wasn´t hungry and in the training I only felt thirsty. The morning was great. It was sunny and no wind. There were many people strolling and others sunbathing on the beaches. We went along the sea promenade to take Cabo de Gata road and another sea front to the university. Then, we took the road to Costacabana and its sea front. There, we got in two hours two minutes. We went along a ground path that leads to Retamar, a beach resort but we turned back when my watched showed 2 hours 25 minutes. It was in a beach where there are some fishing boats and a “chiringuito”, a sort of beach bar-restaurant. There was a couple at the shore looking at the bay of Almería. We went back along the same route where we saw many people running and cycling both in the way to Costacabana and on the way back. Almería sea front was filled with people walking and with some stalls owned mainly by immigrants selling handmade products and so on. Therefore, we had to take along the open car park to reach the sea front again. I arrived at Almadrabillas park in three hours, 57 minutes completing four hours and doing around 32 kilometres in all. I felt my legs a bit stiff in the last kilometres but I feel confident to finish Madrid marathon under 5 hours although my ideal time would be 4 hours 22 minutes. I did some stretching afterwards noticing my calves a little hard. I rubbed them with some ice cubes and by now I´m feeling all right although I notice my legs still a bit stiff when I walk a little.

Before having a shower, I had two oranges. I didn´t feel like eating the cereal bars. I was still quite thirsty. However, at lunch I ate a lot, two plates of “fideuá”- which is a dish from Valencia and Catalonia. It consists of “fideuá”, which is a sort of small bended spaghetti. I´ll give you the recipe in case you want to cook it. First, you softly fry cut up leeks adding later a big can of crushed tomatoes or ,if you prefer, you can fry lightly cut up red tomatoes. Then, add fish like sword fish in small pieces, sea food such as peeled prawns, squids cut in slices although. I think most of you in the UK don´t like them. Later, add water, saffron, a cube of fish stock and the “fideuá”. It is not so well known as paella but it is delicious and it is also carbohydrates. After that, Carmen and Víctor, who had been to a very popular procession on Palm Sunday called “La borriquita” ( the little donkey ) because you can see Jesus riding on a donkey when entering Jerusalem. In some villages, there´s a real donkey in the procession. As I was saying, Carmen bought at a cake shop some typical Easter cakes- roscos, buñuelos, pestiños- and we had them for dessert.

I think it has been an interesting experience to do such a long distance and time. After doing this, running a half marathon should be “pan comido” – a piece of cake. However, it is said that the marathon starts in kilometre 30. Then, I´ve only done a very little part of it. Anyway, the big part of my training has ended today. The next three weeks I´ll go on training but reducing the distance and trying to feel strong in my mind to run and finish the marathon in the best possible conditions.

[Seafront Plodder]

They, (whoever "they" are) say that half way in a marathon is at 18 miles.

But Antonio you really must have some breakfast! At the Expo in Dublin when I was over there I listened to a marathon running nutritionist. He was saying you must eat, no later than 3 hours before the long run/marathon. Ideal food would be a high carb bread such as a bagel, filled with mashed bananas and a sports drink.

I got up at 5am when I ran Dublin and ate just that. I hated doing it, but believe in the end feel sure it helped.

[Antonio247]

Hello, Andy S.P.

Well, I usually have a light breakfast two or three hours before the race but last Sunday I didn´t feel hungry in the morning perhaps because I´d eaten a lot of spaghetti and Easter products on Saturday and because I knew that I could eat something in the long run since I had given my brother a rucksack filled with water and cereal bars in case I needed. However, I just felt thirsty because it was a little hot.

As far as the last miles in the marathon are concerned- the wall, I think that I´ll try not to force the first 25 kms so that I can finish without feeling exhausted. I´d also like to do one-minute breaks every 20-25 kms in order to have little goals and avoid injuries.

Good luck, everybody.

Antonio

[Antonio247]

Summary of week 4. This has been the week with more kilometres I´ve done so far. I had to do 40 miles ( 64 kms ) but actually I did 66 kms. I´ve followed Hal Higdon´s marathon schedule to the letter doing the runs in the advised days and I also did cross-training by riding on bicycle on Saturday. This was the week that he advises to change the long run to Sunday and cross-training on Saturday because the long run was a 20 miler, which is quite demanding not only physically but also psychologically. Although I thought it would be harder, I ended better than I´d expected. In spite of doing that distance in four hours which, if I followed that pace at the marathon would mean more than five hours, I expect to be able to go faster impelled by the atmosphere, the adrenaline, the eagerness to finish as soon as possible but trying to run with my mind and not my heart to avoid injuries. If I´m lucky, I expect to do Madrid marathon under 4 hours 30 minutes.

[El Gordo]

Well done on your recent runs, Antonio. You sound like you're mentally very strong (except when you see cakes).

Having read these recent reports, I'm convinced that you'll manage the Madrid Marathon. I won't be surprised if you break the world record. If you do finish in less than 2:05, we should all get together for a group photo. We can also discuss how to distribute your prize money.

I wish I was as determined as you. Copenhagen is somewhere between 3 and 6 weeks away (not sure where exactly). I should do some more preparation I suppose. Tonight I've been on the sauce again. You know, had a few sherbets. It's my rest day. Tomorrow morning, I will pay the price.

Tomorrow morning, I will care. Right now, I don't.

Buenas noches, old chap.

[Antonio247]

Hola, Andy

Thank you very much for your encouragement. I wish I could do 2 hours five minutes in the first half at Madrid marathon. That would be wonderful as long as I keep that pace and do 4 hours 20 or 30 minutes at the end.

I´m very glad with Hal Higdon´s marathon training schedule which I chose following your advice. I think that it´s been useful to have a weekly goal which has made me get more or less in shape without any serious injuries.

I´m also learning a lot of new vocabulary and expressions thanks to all of you: sherbets, plodder, it´s a piece of cake, PB, to be in the sauce, etc. Besides, what is more important, I´ve learnt about other people who are also training to reach objectives helping me to reach mine.

I´m sure that you will do fine in Copenhagen. I´ll have a glass of Carlsberg on 16th May to celebrate.

Best wishes,

Antonio

PS. I´ve told Manuel, a friend of mine who lives in Barcelona who is taking part at London marathon, to greet you at mile 22 telling you that I´m sending you warmest greetings. He expects to do the marathon in around 3 hours 30 minutes.

[El Gordo]

Manuel? And he's from Barcelona?

Have you ever seen Fawlty Towers, Antonio? You might want to warn Manuel that he'll get a few grins when he tells people his name and where he's from...

Let me know his number, and what he'll be wearing. I'll look out for him.

Fawlty Towers: Scene 1
================
Reception area of hotel. Polly is busy with paper work, enter domineering Mrs R. with hearing aid.

Mrs R: Now then, girl, I am Mrs. Richards, Mrs. Alice Richards. I have booked a room, and it must have a view, it must have a nice bath, it must have a radio
Polly: Yes madam. Oh Manuel, will you show Mrs. Richards to room 22 please?
Mrs R: Now, little man, my room must have a view, it must be comfortable, the room temperature must be 78 degrees. Do you understand all that?
Manuel: Que?
Mrs R: K?
Manuel: Si
Mrs R: K, C?
Manuel: No, Que, What!
Mrs R: K, C, Watt? You silly little man, where's the manager?
Manuel: Ah, the Manaher, Mr. Fawlty
Mrs R: Forty?
Manuel: Que?
Mrs R: Forty?
Manuel: No, Fawlty!
Mrs R: Fawlty? What's the matter with him? What the devil is going on here? See here girl, I asked this little man for the manager and he goes on about some person who is forty. What a way to run a business!
Polly: It's all right Mrs Richards, he's from Barcelona.
Mrs R: The manager's from Barcelona?
Polly: No, no, Manuel's from Barcelona, the manager is Mr Fawlty.

[Antonio247]

It´s amusing, Andy. It´s interesting the way people from different countries pronounce English or even native English as, for instance, in northern England they say bus pronounced /bus/ or in southern England saying /ait/ instead of eight or in Ireland pronouncing /tri:/ instead of three. It´s really amusing. It also happens in Spanish in Spain and Southern America and the way people from other countries speak Spanish.

I´ve copied your last post and sent to Manuel. He´s told me that he won´t know his number plate until Saturday 17th when he picks it up. He doesn´t know the T-shirt he´s going to wear yet.

Where did you get the dialogue of Fawlty Towers, Andy? Is it on the internet?

Hasta luego

Antonio

[El Gordo]

Yes, I just did a search for: Manuel Barcelona Fawlty, and there was plenty of stuff.

Don't mention the war.....

[Antonio247]

Thanks, Andy, for your information.

I didn´t know about this series but I used to watch "The Roppers", which was quite amusing. In Spain, the TV series "Upstairs, downstairs" was also a success but the former was widely watched here when there weren´t so many TV channels.

I´m glad you´re enjoying your training again. The photos are very beautiful. You´re lucky to be able to run in such marvellous landscape.

Cheers

Antonio

[suzieq]

Hi Antonio:

Just wanted to wish you good luck in your marathon. Sounds like you've been doing everything right. I think you're very wise to put in a few walk breaks - it really does save your legs so that you can finish 'in style'. Finishing being the key word.

I'll be running the Stratford Upon Avon marathon the same day and will be thinking of you running Madrid. Hopefully we both enjoy our marathons and both finish. Eat before, drink water when you're thirsty and just take it easy and before you know it, 26 miles are over! Good luck and have fun (although I admit it really isn't a ton of fun until it's over...)

Suzie