2008 - June

[El Gordo]

It's that time of the month.

[Antonio247]

Congratulations on doing the 10 km race and the report, Andy.

Very interesting report about Liza Minelli, Cabaret and on some National Trust monuments.

Best of luck!

[Sweder]

. . . blah blah blah bloody bleedin bloody eyepod runners need shootin the lotofem yada yada yada . . .

Enough on that from me already. But it'll get worse, and we'll end of with draconian bans and protests and nonsense and really it's all rather duller than a second-string training session against Trinidad and Tobago and why oh why can't runners take personal responsibility and just ditch the things on race day?

No, really; enough.

You'll be fine once you've sussed out you need sharper elbows for city races these days. Happily the 'rural' races have less zombies - I guess you can't tune in and drop out if you're running over rough terrain.

Sorry. I've stopped now.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

http://www.willitblend.com/videos.aspx?t...video=ipod

[El Gordo]

. . . blah blah blah bloody bleedin bloody eyepod runners need shootin the lotofem yada yada yada . . .

Enough on that from me already. But it'll get worse, and we'll end of with draconian bans and protests and nonsense and really it's all rather duller than a second-string training session against Trinidad and Tobago and why oh why can't runners take personal responsibility and just ditch the things on race day?

No, really; enough.

You'll be fine once you've sussed out you need sharper elbows for city races these days. Happily the 'rural' races have less zombies - I guess you can't tune in and drop out if you're running over rough terrain.

Sorry. I've stopped now.

I'm not done with it yet. Even if I start a race with the equanimity of party-pooper Dalai Lama, a sharp dig in the ribs from an open-mouthed, zoned-out loon is enough to rouse the murderous devil within.

Thing is, most of the problems are caused in the crowded stretches at the start, so perhaps there's room for a compromise. If people could at least hold off for the first couple of miles, the problem may be largely solved.

[Sweder]

http://www.willitblend.com/videos.aspx?t...video=ipod

Tempting to run with sharp scissors and every time you get bumped - snip! - no more zoimbie . . . might be some health & safety implications there so perhaps best put that one on the back-burner . . .

If you like 'Will It Blend?' check out the original, a classic Dan Ackroyd/ SNL skit . . . mmm - that's great bass!

[suzieq]

Well done to both of you - Andy and Sweder - on your races! Both of them sounded horrible for the hills, something I try to avoid, especially in a race.

Loved the bit about Liza, Andy.

Suzie

[El Gordo]

Well done to both of you - Andy and Sweder - on your races! Both of them sounded horrible for the hills, something I try to avoid, especially in a race.

Loved the bit about Liza, Andy.

Suzie

Thanks Suzie, but I don't really deserve any praise. Mine was a 10K, which should never be too stressful. The 3km incline was only tough because I'm still very unfit. It was just a pleasant plod really, more than half of which was spent nattering. There will be more testing challenges to come.

Sweder's performance was certainly praiseworthy though. Seaford sounds like a properly tough course, and he put in a good time. I haven't even really got to the stage of looking at my times. I'm still in the lard-melting phase, which I think will go on for quite a while yet.

[stillwaddler]

well done on the 10K front EG, good to get another one under your belt. it's interesting how easy it is to strike up a conversation with a fellow runner during even a short race, are people naturally less inhibited when exercising communally or are runners just nice people;-)

Ah, Cabaret, a "Loss of Innocence" film if ever I saw one...
and as for the fisht excuse for getting a mixed case of wine into the house, well, it certainly ranks among the best I've heard from Mr SW:-)

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

He returned with a mixed case of wine, containing all sorts of delights -- Dom Perignon '99, Meursault, Grand Cru Chablis, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon, some very decent cru bourgeois claret

Wow! I am gobsmacked! That's some friend you've got there EG.

Really wow!

[El Gordo]

I've known Richard a long time -- more than 30 years. A very nice chap.

His job provides him with a lot of wine -- evidently more than he can use. I do his website for him, and am too embarrassed to ask him for any money, so I think this is why he is generous with his wine -- and his shubunkins. It's an arrangement that works...

[El Gordo]

Sorry, I've been a bit quiet in the last week or two.

Had some bad news, running wise, and couldn't quite bring myself to write about it. Went out for a 10 miler 2 Sundays ago, and it all went wrong. Knee started hurting badly again after about 4 miles, and I really struggled. Having to walk best part of 5 miles with an injury really didn't help.

Pain was still there a couple of days later so I went to see my (running) GP who's pretty sharp on these things.

The good news is that it's not terminal, but apparently I piled the miles up too quickly and put too much pressure on it. I think this was a polite way of saying "lose some weight before running more than 2 or 3 miles". Which pretty much was my plan, but the lard hasn't dropped off as quickly as expected this time, and I think the schedule outreached my physique and level of fitness too quickly.

Anyway, I've been told I shouldn't think about a September marathon, though the half should be in reach. End of October (Dublin?) remains a possibility but I was advised to rest up for a couple of weeks first, then take it slowly.

Very disappointing. And of course, with 10 days of no running, I'm even fatter than I was before.

So. I'm away for a couple of days, and will probably forget about this until I get back. Am hoping to do a long walk at the weekend which will tell me how the knee's getting on. At the moment it feels fine again though I've put no stress on it at all since the abortive run, so it could be deceptive.

Will get back to business as soon as...

Edit - meant to add that the advice was to do more non-running exercise like gym work, cycling and swimming, to take pressure off the knee a bit while still improving fitness. Makes sense. Should have done that earlier.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Bad luck about the knee Andy

Mid life crisis man's thread is turning into a perfect guide on how to avoid injury (cross training, run-walking, beach running etc...) although I'm still not convinced by the tread mill thingy.

The long walks sound like good therapy for the meantime.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Hang in there EG. Give it time and it'll come good.

BB, treadmills are second only to abstinence in avoiding injury! Beach running is similar, but they don't come with an incline function, or TVs, or air-conditioning or close proximity to the beer fridge. Speaking of which, I gotta go...

[stillwaddler]

Sorry to hear that EG, I understand exactly your level of frustration, give the bike a bit of a battering, might be better for you than walking at the moment. Hang in there.

[Sweder]

I did wonder about the wind whistling through the spaces where your regular missives used to dwell. Could use the impetus of an ocean breeze myself; I'm in a different vessel yet similarly becalmed, taking on unwanted ballast and listing horribly to port - well, Guinness if truth be told. The Doldrums are no place for the weak-willed, idle runner.

Good luck - you know the drill.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

The Doldrums are no place for the weak-willed, idle runner.

Nicely said Sweder, and 'tis true - inaction only breeds inaction, but a schedule will get you through, if you're a Guinness-inclined sofa-loving sometimes-runner (not naming anyone other than myself of course).

Maybe EG, you need a cross-training schedule. Sounds trite, but it does work, and it's not too taxing. Beware the walking though. I really have significant doubts about the worth of walking. It's sooo efficient, it's like swimming. You can walk or swim all day and still don't shift any weight. Walking in the hills and mountains however is brilliant. It's more like cycling - uses the muscles you don't normally use all day and so is a better workout.

But a schedule is a must, even if it's just a "I'll cycle 30 minutes every second day" type thing. Er, that won't actually be enough. :o

You'll work it out. You are The El Gordo, after all.

[marathondan]

Had some bad news, running wise, and couldn't quite bring myself to write about it.

The second half of that sentence makes clear your level of disappointment.

Sounds like the doc is right, and you should pace yourself and cross-train.

Our creed, of course, is "running is the answer", but for a thinking man like yourself there's no harm in dabbling in other religions to maintain your spiritual wellbeing. There is more than one path to the endorphin high.

MLCM's words about walking sound true - it's hard to beat running for a sustained, intensive fat-burning workout. If you're cycling, then, as SW says, you need to give it a battering*. I would have thought that swimming burns a lot more cals than walking - but I'm no expert.

Good luck.

[SIZE="1"]-----------
* and that doesn't mean stop off at the chippie on the way home[/SIZE]

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I would have thought that swimming burns a lot more cals than walking - but I'm no expert.

Well regardless of whether swimming burns calories or not, if you think treadmills are boring, try staring at the bottom of a pool for an hour!

[Bierzo Baggie]

Well regardless of whether swimming burns calories or not, if you think treadmills are boring, try staring at the bottom of a pool for an hour!

Or watching cricket...