Forward March

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

The Danes have this wonderful saying: 'Lunch without schnapps is just breakfast.'  Certainly in my one and only lunchtime restaurant experience in Copenhagen, there was a whole, separate Schnapps menu, and it somehow seemed completely normal. I've been thinking about such things as news filters in about the current crop of Arctic storms belting Europe about the ears. If the implied efforts of the tabloid press and shout-louder-than-everyone-else electronic media are to be believed, then people are freezing to death in their cars and stalled trains are disappearing beneath the snow, their occupants surviving for short periods only on the bugs they can find crawling out of the air vents. In such a climate, schnapps is, of course, entirely appropriate, and almost certainly capable of prolonging life in a harsh environment.

Here in sunny Sydney, however, we have only just made the first move to say goodbye to the long, beer-fuelled party that is summer, and are still doing the rounds of saying goodbye to everyone, which, as we know, is often the longest part of the evening.

And so it is that my return to the wondrous folds of the running fraternity has been principally on the treadmill in front of a giant fan on its fastest setting. And this is fine, for at this stage of proceedings it suits my purposes and keeps me out of the hot sun. As things cool down, I will revert to the streets and trails around here a little more to add some variety, but for now it's softly, softly.

I've now logged a healthy string of successive short runs, although this morning's effort was the hardest of them all, suggesting I may have underdone the rest days a little. No matter, I survived it and feel much better for having completed it more or less successfully. Other than today's tougher-than-expected session, it's been fairly smooth sailing thus far, other than a couple of blisters caused by a poorly considered shoe/sock combination during a cross-training fast walk. Oh yes, I'm even doing some cross-training. Heavens!

Looking forwards a little, I'm hoping to log a modest, but honest 100km or so this month as a reasonable base upon which to build whatever springs to mind for thereafter.

We'll see what transpires. I don't think there'll be any schnapps, though. That's definitely a cold-weather drink, and it also makes me fall off the treadmill.

More soon.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Whilst Europe continues to be battered by late winter storms caused, we are told, by a sudden rise in temperature over the Arctic region, which in turn has pushed colder air further south, we are being spared, for the moment, the worst ravages of global climate change and very much enjoying a fine start to autumn. In the garden, the tomatoes are now starting to finish what has been a fantastic run for them this year, and we have been kept busy harvesting and transforming them into memorable egg, bacon, mushroom and tomato brunches, devastatingly tasty bruschetta, with the leftover toms being made into nearly two dozen jars of tomato relish and chutney.

As an antidote to a world continuing to go mad and which delivers very little else other than bad, disheartening news on a daily basis, this gardening, cooking and devouring of home produce is almost, but not quite as effective as running. Combine the two, however, and a better method for the lifting of spirits is hard to find, at least in my experience.

And so it has proven to be. This morning's outing gave me a total of 33km across four runs this week, not a bad start to the return of MLCMM to the running game. Slow and sometimes difficult it has been, for sure, but I feel now the hard part, i.e. getting going again, is nearly over, and progress from here will be swift and satisfying as running once more becomes part of my normal routine.

I return to work following a spell of leave in two days time. This will be the real test of how well I incorporate some regular running into my work schedule, but at this stage, I am up for the challenge and genuinely looking forward to it.

So, for now, it's all smiles and positive thinking. I'll see what I can do with it.

   

[Charliecat5]

Good work MLCMM.  It's good to see you back on your feet.  My running for the last month has pretty much ground to a halt.  Skiing, followed by a trip to my second home put pay to that.  I did manage a few miles around the suburban streets of Perth, but it was hot, hard, and hungover.  

Now I'm home, I need to once again find my mojo and head out the door.  Oh, and also run* a marathon. 

*you know what I mean... obv. I'm not actually going to *run* it.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

A curious thought struck me this evening. It seems to me as if I've been running forever, and yet all my running has been done in this century. I'm sorry, that probably seems a very banal thing to say. I merely mean to indicate that I've been running quite a long time, and that I still consider the 21st century to be a relatively new thing, so the sudden realisation that all my adult running has been done in relatively recent times seems to me to be rather odd. 

In fact, the years race away from us all too quickly, and it's a little disheartening to realise it's nearly five long years since I last ran a marathon. If I'd stuck with it through all this time I'd undoubtedly have collected many more race medals by now and be a darn sight quicker than I currently am, which, it must be said, is dead slow. But there's little point speculating on all of the what ifs and, slow or not, I am at least running again, and I have now completed another week of reasonable base mileage. Whilst that's of no great interest to anyone other than myself I have to say that I'm actually finding it all rather exciting, slow as it may be. The thought that I'll soon enough be running reasonable distances again and perhaps even at a decent pace is actually rather consuming.

So, it's back to the spreadsheets and formulations, calculations and strategic planning for the next big race. Now what might that be?

Hmm.

   

[Charliecat5]

So, it's back to the spreadsheets and formulations, calculations and strategic planning for the next big race. Now what might that be?

Hmm.

In a few weeks time, we'll know the date for the Moyleman 2019.   Your bed* is already prepared.

*shed

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

In a few weeks time, we'll know the date for the Moyleman 2019.   Your bed* is already prepared.

If I don't get some serious training done it will likely be my death bed*.

[marathondan]

Good point there. I'm guessing that 20th century runners are a minority on this forum. I started in 2001.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Banking it.

That's more like it: today's long(ish) run stretched to a little over 16km, giving me 30km for the week and putting me well on target for my goal of 100+km for the month. With temperatures of 38C forecast for the weekend, it seemed sensible to get this long run dealt with today (Friday) and take two rest days. And so I did. And it went really very well indeed. I'm still very slow, but it's decent base building material, even so.

Dare I say it, but I'm almost beginning to feel like a runner again?

Well, let's reinforce that thought with a revival of the old Track du Jour.  I don't think this one's been featured before, which is a pity, because it's a great little feel-good number which was perfect for lifting my spirits when I started to flag a little at about the 11km mark. This is a more recent live performance than the original track I listened to, but I think it's almost better... a tremendous song and fantastic to run to:

[marathondan]

Yes, excellent track for a fast effort. Is that really live though?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Yes, excellent track for a fast effort. Is that really live though?

Hmm, you may be right. They might have just added some crowd noise. And that sounds dodgy, too. Meh.

[marathondan]

I'm always suspicious when I see someone as far away from a mic as she is at 2:47. Then again, you know more than most here about such things.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I'm always suspicious when I see someone as far away from a mic as she is at 2:47. Then again, you know more than most here about such things.

Nearly everything recorded in front of a 'live' studio audience is mimed, for a variety of reasons. I realised this clip was mimed, but still thought it was a different recording to the album release, but no, it isn't. It's a better video clip to the 'official' video though, so I'll leave it be.

This running game can be tricky at times, eh?

[marathondan]

Darned technical, yes.

Do you watch music videos on the tready?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Darned technical, yes.

Do you watch music videos on the tready?

Surprisingly, perhaps, no. The only music video I regularly pull out and watch whilst running is U2's 'Go Home: Live at Slane Castle' end of world tour concert  from 2001; easily one of my favourite music DVDs. Otherwise, no, I generally just listen to music on the mp3 thingy and zone out. On a good day I can go for hours in a musical world of my own.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Midlife Crisis Moyleman Marathon Man?

As I write this, the 2018 Moyleman marathon is under way, in perhaps the coldest conditions the race has yet seen, with snow deep on the ground and temperatures well below freezing. In one of those strange anachronisms of nature, here in Sydney it is just after 11 p.m., and the temperature, in deep contrast to the hills of Lewes, hovers around 31C.

As disparate as the conditions may be, or perhaps because of them, something stirs deep within, and I long to be there; not just to be there, but to actually run the damned thing... no, seriously.

Next year? No, no, it's impossible. For many reasons it just can't happen.

But then, if we never yearn for the impossible, nothing significant ever happens.

Damn it.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

A cracking tempo run this morning; one that I almost thought wouldn't happen. After a late night of following the progress of The Moyleman on WhatsApp, and consequently drinking too much, I awoke feeling somewhat less than inclined to don the running shoes. But, after the massive success of The Moyleman, watching (even just online) the heroic efforts of runners, organisers and marshalls, what could one do? And, as is nearly always the case, after a few minutes of wondering what I was really doing, and wouldn't a bacon sandwich be so much more interesting and easy to accomplish, things settled down and I punched out a corker.

I don't know why I'm constantly surprised by this; it happens all too frequently. It's just a given that the runs that start out badly all too often turn into some of the best ones.

And, gee, doesn't it feel good?!

[Charliecat5]

Midlife Crisis Moyleman Marathon Man?

As I write this, the 2018 Moyleman marathon is under way, in perhaps the coldest conditions the race has yet seen, with snow deep on the ground and temperatures well below freezing. In one of those strange anachronisms of nature, here in Sydney it is just after 11 p.m., and the temperature, in deep contrast to the hills of Lewes, hovers around 31C.

As disparate as the conditions may be, or perhaps because of them, something stirs deep within, and I long to be there; not just to be there, but to actually run the damned thing... no, seriously.

Next year? No, no, it's impossible. For many reasons it just can't happen.

But then, if we never yearn for the impossible, nothing significant ever happens.

Damn it.

I might run it myself next year... it's got to be a lot less stressful...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Head In the Clouds.

The lawns remain unmowed, the laundry windows unpainted; and yes, it must be said I've ashamedly not changed the washers in the laundry taps, as promised. A whole gaggle of unfinished items on the 'honey do' list read like a litany of woe as running once more dominates my life and occupies all of my free time ... if not actually in the business of running, then with the plotting, scheming and reading about running.

OK, well if I'm to tell the truth, it's nowhere near that bad. The jobs about the house do get done, our marriage is not on the rocks and is in fact probably all the better for my being a runner again. The truth is that whilst my mind may be fully focussed and rigidly engaged on the business of running, the lift of energy and enthusiasm has been nothing but a huge positive for life in general, domestic duties included. Sometimes I wonder if I don't subconsciously sabotage my own running routine in order to better appreciate these days of early enthusiasm when the routine does eventually kick back into life again. Well, maybe not. More likely it's just wishful thinking, with the truth lying more among the detritus of failed discipline and general slobbery, with booze and fatty foods all too often being the catalyst for decline.

Whatever the truth of the matter, I'm back again, with four solid weeks of athletic pursuit in the bank and everything looking rosy and in trim. If I was a yacht in a race, I may be at the back of the fleet, but the old salts sitting on the shore would like the cut of my jib and be telling each other of their admiration for the extra line of caulking skillfully rammed home between the teak planks of my deck, and the yacht's obviously skillful master.

This, of course, is all so much fanciful imagination on my part. I am not worthy to tie the laces of a good runner's shoes, let alone take the wheel of any kind of nautical craft, but the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction is still there, to be sure. Whether warranted or not, it is gratefully received as the endorphins and adrenaline buzz of this running life once more course through my veins and give me an air of insufferable smugness. Rather like a reformed smoker, I suspect, I extol the virtues of my healthier lifestyle to all and sundry and get quietly but firmly removed from the Christmas card lists of all who, with eyes rolling, listen to me babble on about it.

I'm not sure exactly why, but somehow this time, my return to fitness and regular running is a little different to most. The sense of having 'dodged a bullet' is a little stronger just now, perhaps through being just a little older and therefore a little closer the inevitable cessation of athleticism, I suppose. But never mind all that, I've another run to complete, and I'm itching to tell you all about it. In detail. Er, just as soon as I've done the sodding thing. I'll get back to you about it, just as soon as it's done.

And that's a promise. Or a threat, depending on your perspective...

[Charliecat5]

Head In the Clouds.

And that's a promise. Or a threat, depending on your perspective...

Threat.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Plummeting back to earth.

The enthusiasm of my previous post was massacred today by a very rough day at work. It was one of those that occur only one or two times per year, and successfully quelled both my energy and motivation. Even so, I thrashed out a useful 8km, and a mighty destresser it turned out to be (aided, it must be said, post-run by a wonderful Kirin Megumi* supplied by the angelic Mrs MLCMM).

It's amazing how quickly time passes, and how the kilometres whizz by when you are fulminating in running shoes. And it's a far, far better thing to do in taking out one's frustrations in running kit, than in email... although that course of action still awaits the morrow. A good run and a night sleeping on it may, however, just dampen the fire of my ire sufficiently to remain calm and sensible.

Running, you may have just saved my job.





* It turns out that this blighter is their low carb offering. Whether I'll still be impressed when not under the influence of work, remains to be seen.