Marching Banned

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

So, it has come to this.

I met with my sister-in-law the other day, who had just completed a 55km ultra. As we are discussing the race and all manner of things running-related, I foolishly slipped in a reference to the Bruny Island 64km ultra, a race that has long caught my eye. Next thing I know, we have somehow both agreed to run it.

[insert facepalm here]

All I can say is, 'watch this space'. I'm not promising anything at this stage, as nice as it would be to run the thing - it really does look a fantastic event. Very low key however, with only a few dozen entries each year. But a fantastic location. We shall see...

To that end I was back to the streets this morning, revisiting my 'core' run. This is a 7.2km loop from home to which I can add laps, additional loops and various other legs to take it out to pretty much any distance I like. But with a couple of nasty hills included, it's a reasonable workout on its own, and that's what I did today. Slow, ugly, and the looks of concern on some of the people I passed by suggested I looked as bad as I felt, but I got the bugger done. In my current state of fitlessness (hah! I invented a new word) I was actually reasonably impressed that I completed the thing without stopping.

This is the launch pad. From here it's just a short step to once again completing 10km runs as a matter of course. Then 15km and the 20km long runs aren't far away and from there of course anything is possible.

I feel better about all this now.

It's on!





 

[marathondan]

So we can look forward to another letter in your screen name? Exciting news! I'm already wondering how you would plan the training...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

So we can look forward to another letter in your screen name? Exciting news! I'm already wondering how you would plan the training...

It's early days yet Dan, although it is true that I have researched a little of what it would require to train for such an event. But cut me some slack here, I'm not even back to running double digit distances yet - I may yet need a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card.

In the new regime that is my 2015 training program, today was a cross-training day, that is to say, some form of strength training. It's funny, but my research into the subject shows a trend for endurance runners away from crunches and planks and other static forms of core strengthening and toward various forms of lunges. It seems to make some kind of sense, and even feels right in that lunges (especially those with twists, weights and reaches) appear to better work the muscles we use when running. Anyhow, that's probably going to be my focus for a while. I'll let you know how it works out for me.

P.S. Update from my publisher: my Running Diaries have formatted to 491 pages! First final proof reading to commence shortly, then off to the printers for second final proof copy and final final proof reading. If you know what I mean. It's a process, I can tell you. Actually, we're looking at the possibility of adding an index, which will stretch it beyond 500 pages. At least it's proof positive that I've covered some ground in my time.

[marathondan]

Don't forget - there's no such thing as a free lunge.

But... lunges, lunches... sounds like there is going to be a launch soon.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

My old hated high school English master stated more than once that he considered the pun the 'lowest form of wit'. He was also a long distance runner, and unwittingly (sorry) influenced my own decision to run endurance events much later in life. You can read all about this in my book when it's lunched, I mean launched. Soon.

So, to this morning's run. After an evening of tremendous electrical storms I was up at 3:45 (that's a.m. for any new readers who may have been wondering), and out the door by 3:55 to get in a few kilometres before catching the 5:09 to w*rk. It was still raining slightly, and warm and humid too, making it rather uncomfortable weather, even at that early hour. Apart from a couple of cats, lots of rabbits and the grumpy fruit bat that lives in the tree at the corner of the lane, the only other sign of life was the newsagent, busy rolling newspapers on his noisy machine ready for delivery. On the five laps of my short neighbourhood circuit as I passed his small shop he would pause as he heard my out-of-form heavy footfall approach and watch me pass. I suppose he was thinking a little gratefully that it was good to know there was someone even madder than himself up at that ridiculous hour.

Despite the stares of the newsagent I completed a little over six kilometres in rather ugly fashion, and noted with some disgust that normally in the past I would have completed nearer eight kilometres in the time it had taken me. But then, that's the price one pays for packing in the running for as long as I did. Coming back from a lay-off is getting much harder these days, and I really ought to stop taking these sabbaticals and just keep on going. I mean, it's not hard is it? I never seem to learn though, but hopefully this time I will (heard that before?). It was darned hard work out there this morning, when it should have been a breeze. Oh well, at least I was finally out there doing what I should have been doing these past few months. Now to get back some base fitness and really crack on with it.

Onwards then!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

A later start today meant I was able to sleep in until the sun had officially commenced duty. I really didn't want to do this run and struggled to understand why it was so important, and to be honest the only thing that got me out there was the odd thought in my head that I had promised myself somewhere along the way that it was important, and I should therefore just trust myself and do the sodding thing. And so I did. And I wasn't wrong - it was definitely worthwhile.

The roads were still wet and steamy however from overnight rain, and the going was quite tough. If I'm honest all these runs are a little hard at the moment. With a few extra kilos around my middle and a general lack of running in the legs I'm a long way behind my fitness levels of a year ago.

Even so, this morning's outing was a little longer and a little faster, so I am headed in the right direction. Another 8.5km goes into the logbook and at last I can begin to look at my running log without a twinge of deep regret. I even had a bit of an endorphin hit from this run, so it was well worth the effort.

As Mrs MLCMM keeps reminding me, 'no excuses' isn't just a mantra, it has to be a way of life now if I'm not to keel over ahead of time from cardiomediocrity.

Cool.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Longer, faster, lighter.

Yep, I'm running a little further and a little faster each time I head out the door, and the weight is starting to fall off as a result too. A win win win situation, you might say.

10.3km covered today at something beginning to approach my old training times, and I even for brief moments felt like a real runner again. And no-one looked worried that they might have to call an ambulance as I ran past them this time, which was comforting.

Yes, it's all starting to come together!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I just received a message from my publisher. He says in compiling the index for my book the word 'beer' appears in 36 of the first 100 pages. I'm not sure what point he's trying to make exactly...

[Sweder]

I just received a message from my publisher. He says in compiling the index for my book the word 'beer' appears in 36 of the first 100 pages. I'm not sure what point he's trying to make exactly...

Good work, fella! Cheers!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

A short, dreadful run this morning. I'd only intended to do 5km in any case, and just as well as I felt rubbish the whole way and was mighty relieved when the old GPS clicked over to the 5km. I'm not sure what was wrong; perhaps just one of those bad runs that pops up out of nowhere from time to time.

No matter, it's done and banked and duly logged in the old spreadsheet.

Next time will be better.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

A better run today, with 10.4km covered, although it was no faster than my previous 10km run; in fact I covered it at exactly the same pace. So, no improvement, but never mind, it's all worthwhile time on my feet and miles in the bank.

Then again, there were some signs of improvement: whilst the hills are still troublesome, I recovered from them quicker, and overall my pacing was more even this time, so it's probably fair to say that it was a better run, despite not being any faster.

Ever onwards...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I'm injured!

It's true, unfortunately, with no running for a few days the result. It's not even a sexy running injury, but a stupid tree bites leg walloping caused by my own carelessness whilst felling a small tree, which rather than falling neatly where I'd planned, instead sprang in the air, did a Ninja star-burst kick at my upper right thigh and then attempted to crush the camellia tree. It failed in its attempt to kill the camellia, but gave my leg a good walloping which has seen me limping around for a while, avoiding steps and stairs and being generally miserable.

Rest, drugs, ice and heat packs have helped enormously however and I'll be back on the streets very soon.

[Sweder]

Arse. Heal well. At least the recent burst of activity makes this seem like a break rather than a disruption.

[Charliecat5]

Arse. Heal well. At least the recent burst of activity makes this seem like a beak rather than a disruption.

Like a beak?

   

[Sweder]

Arse. Heal well. At least the recent burst of activity makes this seem like a beak rather than a disruption.

Like a beak?

I'm on a stag weekend. You're lucky it wasn't a photo of SP's bare arse swinging round a pole.

[marathondan]

Arse. Heal well. At least the recent burst of activity makes this seem like a beak rather than a disruption.

Like a beak?

I'm on a stag weekend. You're lucky it wasn't a photo of SP's bare arse swinging round a pole.

I didn't think you were in Poland?

[marathondan]

And yes, hope you're back in action soon, MLCMM!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Arse. Heal well. At least the recent burst of activity makes this seem like a beak rather than a disruption.

Like a beak?

I'm on a stag weekend. You're lucky it wasn't a photo of SP's bare arse swinging round a pole.

Stag night eh? That reminds me of a marriage joke:

A woman races home, screeching her car into the driveway, and runs to the house. She flings the door open and shouts at the top of her lungs, 'Andy, pack your bags. I've won the lottery!'

The husband says, 'My God, that's fantastic! What should I pack?'

'Doesn't matter,' she says, 'Just get out.'