Sunday 31 January 2010

January ends...


..on a high note.


Nice strong long slow run. After a couple of days off due to niggles and fatigue was worried that I may still be struggling today. You know, were they just aches due to the heavy workload or the start of something more sinister? Well I am pretty sure now they weren't the worse of the two possibilities.


Also working in my favour is that next week is a gentle(ish) (44 miles) recovery week so am not running again until Tuesday night by which time I should be fully rested and ready for a strong February.Bring it on....

Thursday 28 January 2010

Body says no!


Think a heavy month, my heaviest ever, is taking its toll as am aching all over after tonights recovery run.


So taking everything into account, and looking at the bigger picture think is at least two days off for me, maybe a little strength work, and see how I am for a lsr on Sunday. Can not face another injury so best pull back now and give the body a rest.

Night night!

Wednesday 27 January 2010

How many groundsmen....






...does it take to straighten a rugby post? or Continuing tales of the track.


After last nights aborted session went back to the track on way home from work this afternoon to do my intervals which were a little eventful yet again. When I arrived I saw from my vantage point a white van parked on the track which within seconds pulled away and out of the grounds but didn't close the gate behind them.

Being a man on a mission I entered the track via my secret door and commenced my warm up when less than a lap in 3 groundsmen turned up in order, it seems, to straighten one of the rugby posts. This took them, by my estimation, 30 minutes of repeating the procedure of packing more dirt(?) around the base of the post, all walking backwards to check erectness, conversing and returning to start. I am not sure if they gave up in the end or decided it was as straight as they were going to make it because they told me they were locking the gates so I would have to leave, obviously presuming the gates had been my original entry method. So although I did consider telling them 'look boys there is no way that post is straight' I had to collect all my work stuff and vacate the premises with 2 intervals left to go. Pain in the posterior I can tell you, do you know how much further and harder 800 metres intervals are on the road than the track? Ok, maybe actually not that much further, if at all, but much bloody harder.

What was worse I was now nearly a mile away from my bike with all my gear and a warm down to do so had to make an educated decision on what to do out of three options:

1. Do the warm down up and down the road and then walk back to bike with all the gear.

2. Do the warm down with all the gear on back to the bike.

3. Do the warm down back to the bike but stash all the gear under the gate to the track and hope no unscrupulous members of society pass by in the 10-15 minutes I would be gone.

Maybe you would have chosen a different option but I chose number 3. When I got to the bike I could see the gate and there was a man standing there staring at my bag which concerned me for two reasons, would he A)pinch it or B)phone the anti-terrorist squad thinking it was a bomb, cue me ridng back down as fast as possible and screaming at traffic lights to change. Was ok though, he was obviously just curious, as he had disappeared and bag was still in tact.

A long tale for a short session....

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Disrupted Plans


6 x 800m interval session that was planned for tonight went pear shaped when I got to the track and it was being used by people who had actually received permission to use it which I find a little soft to be honest. Whats more they were playing with egg shaped balls. Now it is understandable Sky +'ing the Mighty Spurs to go running, but to play rugby? I was tempted to go and tell them to clear off but felt it may have been taking advantage of my superior masculinity especially as it was being exemplified by my running tights.


So at least I got home not long after the football had started, caught up by half time, watched a good win for the boys and can now look forward to doing the interval session tomorrow instead. If them rugby boys are there again I WILL be having words, possibly....

Monday 25 January 2010

Roll on tomorrow...


Felt a bit like Mr Soft tonight trying to get going after the race yesterday. Am glad was an easy recovery run below 65%whr and am now looking forward to shaking last of the tightness off tomorrow with some fast intervals followed by the Mighty (ahem) Spurs slaying Fulham.


Don't you just love a nice hot bath though, really must get some radox this week, will be as relaxed as a jelly fish....

Sunday 24 January 2010

Taking Encouragement

When racing today the majority of the way round there was a bloke just behind me telling everyone who went past him that he had been out on the lash until 4.30 this morning which got a little annoying. However from about 2.5 miles in there was a lady in front of me that he kept shouting encouragement to along the lines of 'Come on Paul(ine?) push it don't let me beat you etc etc etc'. Now after a couple of minutes of this I decided to adopt the name Paul and pretend he was shouting encouragement at me. Wrong? I don't think so, anything that gives you any advantage, as long as its legal, right?


Must admit that in the last 100 metres when he went flying past me and was about 103 years old I felt quite inadequate though. I'm over it! Fair play to the drunken old git!


Had the Starbuck's caramel shortbread and the Cadbury's Caramel family size bar is in the fridge ready for watching 'Rock and Chips' tonight, always been a Trotter family fan...

First race of the Year

West Glamorgan XC 5 miler. Happy with the 36.53 time, will probably lose a few seconds when official results come out but still means around 7.20mm pace which when I think that a few weeks back I was struggling to do 2 miles @ 8mm pace is a big confidence boost and makes me realise I can push myself much harder. Either way as was my first 5 miler is a PB. Believing can do sub 3.30 London again now but I'm sure will change my mind a good few times in next 13 weeks. Anyway, for now at least, all is rosy.





Think I deserve a treat and as I'm off the beer am thinking caramel in either the form of a Starbuck's caramel shortcake or a Cadbury's Caramel bar, or both? MMMMmmm!!!!

A quick shout out to Stu who came in at just over 30 mins, congrats on another fantastic pb mate!

Saturday 23 January 2010

Reward offered...

...for missing HR monitor, am pretty sure I didn't destroy it in a fit of rage after last run (see previous blog) but couldn't find it without waking the house this morning. Anyone who knows its whereabouts can have a half used pot of vaseline, free of hair of any type.



Nice easy 6 this morning, including warm up and cool down. Wasn't sure if was going to make it without a little stop as guts are a little bad, should really start taking wet wipes out as there are plenty of bushes to hide in on my routes, ended up running with gritted teeth when going past the beach but when I found the Discovery Centre was shut the feeling passed thankfully. Too much information?


Race tomoz.....

Thursday 21 January 2010

Rant Alert!


It is official! I would rather run on snow and ice than that crap tonight, bloody wind and rain done my swede right in. Honestly now, and I trust you people to do this, when at the end of this year/start of next year I suggest another spring marathon such as VLM slap me repeatedly until I think better of it cos I'm pretty sure the thrill of finishing on April 25th will never be enough to compensate for nights like tonight. Call me a drama queen but tonight was just so crap, had to turn hr zone alarm off after just under 3 miles because just couldn't cope with going so bloody slow, especially in the dire weather, anyway if I had wanted to go that bloody slow I would have taken the dog for a walk.


Enjoyed last nights 6.5 miles @ 8.40mm pace though and am looking forward to first race of the year on Sunday a quick(?) 5 miles.....

Monday 18 January 2010

My Guardian Running Angel

5 x 2400 metre efforts tonights going up in increments of 10bpm hr from 135bpm to 175bpm. Was pretty concerned before starting that I wouldn't be able to do the whole 175 effort but that was when I thought I was going to be on my own.

However when I got to the track a tall dark stranger from running heaven took me under his wing and paced me for the last 3 efforts, only to disappear into the night at the end of the last effort mumbling something about 'burnt bloody chicken in the oven and the wife hanging him from the nearest lamppost by his short and curlies'.

So next time you are apprehensive about a run remember me and my 2400 metres at 175bpm in just over 11 minutes which is the my best session ever (except in a race but that doesnt count) and maybe, just maybe your angel shall be on your shoulder.

Wherever you are, whoever you are, you know who you are and I thank you. Loads.

Sunday 17 January 2010

A New Dawn


Started my heart rate training today with the long term goal of vast improvements in performance whilst hoping I will start to see benefits by the time London comes around.

Don't know if it was because was so early, the hr monitor was having problems to pick up my heart beat properly or if the first mile or so is always bad but when I started and the first mile at 140bpm was at over 15mm pace I was thinking this could be the longest 5 miles ever. Thankfully by the time the fourth snail had whizzed past me the hr started dropping in direct correlation to my pace rising and I ended up averaging around 9.50mm pace at 140bpm. Am sure that will drop drastically over next 6 weeks and will soon be up to 8mm pace at LTHR as needed to meet London Marathon plan. If things don't improve very soon I'm going to need to start the marathon about 3 in the morning to avoid being the casualty on the news crawling over the line at about 6 in the evening with buses and cars whizzing by....

Sorry for the jargon any followers who are not runners, you could always educate yourselves and do some research though.....or leave a comment, that would be exciting for me and you, I feel a little deprived with the lack of comments so how about it, make a sad individual happy?

Ooh cookers beeping, chicken is roasted, protein time....

Saturday 16 January 2010

Wet and Dry

Leaving the house at 6.30 in the morning I was happy to be out in heavy rain because I was doing something a little different. Having decided to do hr training from Monday was going to choose a hill and run myself into the ground to find my maximum heart rate and that is what I done. Result was 187bpm which is 5bpm faster than with the arbitary method of 220-age. Am pretty sure this is right as couldn't have pushed harder. I'm just glad I emptied my stomach contents before leaving the house, there is nothing like dry retching at 7 in the morning to put stars in your eyes, 'Tonight Matthew I am going to be Usain Bolt'.

All that is left now is to perservere with the hr training, realise is going to slow me down to start with but all the research shows that the benefits will soon start shining through. Fingers crossed....

Friday 15 January 2010

Good Times...

After Wednesday's depressing pace last night was a completely different kettle of fish. Where did that kettle of fish saying come from? Answers on a salmon shaped postcard. Bloody ridiculous really isn't it.

A short summary of yesterday then:

Tropical (above freezing) conditions - Loving it
6 miles @ 8.33 pace - Loving it
No ice or snow - Loving it
Back in Wave Inspire - Loving it
Spaghetti Bolognese - Loving it
My tutor group - 5 out of 6 isn't bad...

To have a rest day or not to have a rest day, that is the question...

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Bad times....


Was supposed to do 3 x 1.5 miles intervals at 7.29 mm pace or below but did miles instead and that was a struggle, starting to get to me now how much fitness I lost in my time out. Just looked back at my last interval session way back on 4 October and averaged 6.45 pace over two 1 mile intervals. Today averaged 7.20 pace over the three. Maybe I'm being too harsh on myself, at least I'm out there, and I did do a core and hip flexor strength session this morning too, but really want to do well in VLM. Oh well sure it will pick up, long time to go yet.....

Nothing exciting or funny to report unfortunately although the caretaker did turn up on the track, thought he was going to kick me off but he just said hello, not doing any harm I guess. Love the hole in the fence...

Monday 11 January 2010

If I had wanted to be in the army...


...then I would have joined bloody years ago.

Honestly, it is amazing how fast a good track session can turn into a nightmare. Did really enjoy on the local track, where I have been known to hurdle the fence to gain entry once or twice. Felt strong and a good pace. However on receiving the nod from a good friend of mine I decided to clamber up the bank by the side of the track and find a supposed gap in said fence to aid access and exit. Easy enough if you fancy a 150 metre crawl thorugh stinging nettles, thorn bushes and potholes the size of a small pond to find it. Honestly I felt like a commando but probably looked more like Lance-Corporal Jack Jones. Found the gap though, was at the opposite end from where I started at the end of a little well worn pathway leading up from the track.

So the joys of being a runner now extend to nipple rash, chafing in places that you really done want to chafe and thorns and stingers in every possible crevice you could imagine.

Night is falling and you just can't see
Is this illusion or reality
You're in the army now
Oh, oh, you're in the army now

Sunday 10 January 2010

Medically impossible?


Not sure but think one of my eyeballs may have frozen by the end of my run this morning. Was happy to do 10 miles in the conditions and thankfully it didn't snow too much but was running into the wind on the way back and by the end my left eye in particular sort of glazed over and everything seemed a little unreal. So I am saying either my eyeballs froze or the little bit of snow that did come down whilst I was running was laced with LSD.

To be frank I have had a complete titful of this weather now, the sooner it all clears up the better, just makes everything harder, not even wishing for snow so I can have another day off work now. Have had enough of ending up on my arse when out running too.

At least my Meggy had a laugh when I got home and my lips were so frozen I was talking like had just had an injection and filling in every tooth.

Australia anyone?

Saturday 9 January 2010

Holding Back!


Good run this morning I warmed up after an intial bit of stiffness and found myself having to hold back a fair bit to stick near the RW suggested pace. Actually never know whether to stick to the pace or do what am comfortable with, maybe really should start HR training.

Didn't feel as cold this morning but then Laura made me dress up like in that episode of Friends where Chandler wears all of Ross' clothes. Also spent much of the run fantasizing about the hot steaming bowl of porridge I was going to have when I got home. Not sure if this couple were so warm though.

Hot bath with Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road' now.

Thursday 7 January 2010

Sub 3.30 London Marathon?

Christ could only just run two miles at that pace today. I realise I have been on the bench for a while, am only just starting the plan and was last day of a 7 day streak, but bloody hell only twelve weeks ago I did a half marathon under that pace, comfortably, hope the fitness comes back as fast as it has gone.

Certainly has struck home how much hard work is needed over the next few months...

Oh well, day off tomoz. Now where did I put the rest of those Christmas Chocolates. Ferrero Rocher challenge anyone?

Wednesday 6 January 2010

Bloody Weathermen


Now I was aware before going out that it would be cold. I was also aware that I was going to be running in an inch of snow. Bothered? No! However having checked the Met's, Sky's and the Beeb's forecasts I was not prepared for an hour running in a wind that must of had a chill factor of about -7 gazillion along with constant very light snow, they were not forecast and neither did I appreciate them. Grounds for legal action? Answers on an Elle Woods shaped postcard.

Oh well have done my 6.5 miles for the day and I guess no harm is done, suppose I should be grateful for the weather to some extent, I could be in work.

I am already fearing for my safety tomorrow with -6 forecast for tonight think it may be a little icy. Possibly have to use the dreadmill....

So looks like another night of watching the forecasts then, they better get it bloody right this time. Whatever happened to John Kettley? He was a weatherman, a weatherman, a weatherman....

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Cool Runnings...

...or should I say bloody freezing.

Did just under 6 miles on the track last night because temperature was around -3 and everywhere else was frozen. Didn't fancy landing on my arse for the second time in a week. Did I enjoy running round a track 20 times? No. Oh well could have been the mighty Stu Griffiths who did 40 laps+?!?

An unexpected bonus run of 5+ miles this afternoon as 20 minutes snow this morning resulted in Swansea and Llanelli coming to a standstill and college being closed. Ridiculous really but I'm not one to moan. Just started to comedown again as I write so may get another day off tomorrow? May have to hit the treadmill though.

Certainly need these runs as am now officially a fat boy running having put 10lb on over Christmas which has given me another target to aim for, down to 12.5 stone by London...

Better get my skates on...

Sunday 3 January 2010

Thank the girls or a psychological barrier overcome!

Was not planning to run today but when my 12 year old daughter decided to have 4 friends round for a sleepover last night things changed. There was no way our planned pasta dish was going to stretch around 9 people so I had to 'force' a Domino's down on only my second day of eating healthily after Xmas. Was only right then to try also to consume all sweets, mince pies, pringles and xmas pud left in the house right?

So at 8am this morning I knew I wanted to run but didn't know where, as is very icy, or what session to do. Finding myself on the football pitch behind my house I decided to overcome my last pyschological barrier before official VLM plan starts tomorrow. I have been injured for a major part of the last 2 months due to a torn hip flexor sustained after a hard fartlek session with the club. So what better way to convince myself I am back to 100% fitness? Yes another fartlek session, and you will be glad to know, I'm sure, that I have had no adverse reaction. Thankyou sleepover girls.....

Roll on tomorrow.....

Saturday 2 January 2010

Crunchy


Going out this morning, despite the blue skys, was sure that sods law would dictate that I would be like Frosty the snowman by the time I got home, I was wrong but it was still eventful.

Yesterday's first light dusting of snow of the winter led to a crunchy run underfoot which I uite enjoyed until I got into town and it was suddenly, unexpectedly, icy which resulted in me going down with a bang. Was obviously back on my feet and running again within a nano second so not sure if anyone saw me. Laura said I was nuts before I went out and I think it took all her will power not to say I told you so on my return.

Off to Toys R Us to spend the kid's Christmas money this afternoon which will be even more fun...

Friday 1 January 2010

A sickening run

I have taken my first steps towards my targets for 2010, 1500 miles and a sub 3.30 VLM being the principle targets for now.

If I said I enjoyed the run I would be lying but was pretty chuffed at completing the tempo session a. without bringing up last nights alcohol intake and b. without my lungs freezing completely, especially considering was my first after 2 months injured.

Running through town couldn't uite believe how many piles of other people's sick I had to run around, at least one person must have been drinking pernod and black judging by the colour, that stuff stains. I know this because I once threw up after such a session, in my youth, on getting out of a taxi at the end of my street, the stain is there to this day, 20 years on. Minging.

There was an armed robbery on my route only two days ago and the suspect was seen running in the opposite direction to mine, not uite sure why this led to me having an irrational paranoia that I was going to be pounced upon by armed police at any second.

Anyway thats me done for today, will keep you updated on the stain....

Happy New Year Everyone