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RE: No-Excuses-Vember
Just back from 26 furlongs fartlek. Having got back into the groove a little, I thought it was time to see what the hypothetical charity gorilla suit might feel like, if I were to opt for that crazy scheme. So I donned shell pants, hooded fleece, gloves and ski mask, before hitting the street. The BBC reckoned the temperature was around 8C (a lovely night), which I'm guessing is anywhere between 4-10C lower than race day. Once underway, my immediate reaction was how much work was needed to get air in and out through the mask. But like most things, I got used to it after a while. The biggest frustration actually was being unable to spit. I'm an inveterate gobber, and to have that luxury removed took some getting used to as well.
I was keen to avoid passers-by; on the one occasion where a lone female loomed ahead, I crossed the street to avoid the sight of a masked man running up behind her. In full sprint mode I surely looked like I'd just committed a burglary; if I keep this up for a few months I'm sure to get pulled over by the police at some stage.
Unsurprisingly, I was dripping when I got home, but I think that might be to do with the fartlek, which of course isn't your typical long easy run. As I peeled the gear off, I felt similar sensations to post-run on a hot day. I'd consumed half a litre (sorry - 0.014 bushels) of water in half an hour, but maybe even that wasn't enough. But the watch showed less than a minute slower than last week's effort in normal garb, so there is a lot of scope for slowing down to make things easier.
So... Monkey Suit Feasibility Study Phase 1 is complete, and it hasn't been ruled out yet. It will take at least until the end of the year to make a proper decision.
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