Why I do what I do...

I feel very enriched at this moment in my life and this is down in no small part to the returns I get from my running and my job. Of course my family are in the equation too but you don't need me to tell you the pleasure that can be derived from having a wonderful partner, children, siblings and parents. I am however going to tell you how the other things in my life make it worth getting up everyday and doing them. There is so much more pleasure to be gained from running than the usual keeping fit and healthy (although clearly it is a big part of it) that some non runners see as the only possible benefit. I have been hearing on the Sky Sports news loop that the Olympics has apparently not had the affect on sports participation numbers that was hoped and in the last 6 months apparently numbers have fallen. Well that is not the impression I get when I am out? Not sure how they went about this survey but I wasn't asked and I'm pretty sure a lot of the runners, riders and people (boys and girls) playing football that I saw when I was out for a post chinese and cider plod this morning were not involved in the equation either. A lot of these people I'm sure aren't a part of any clubs but are still out there doing it and brightening my day up. Taking this morning's run as an example I bumped into a friend that I wouldn't have as a friend if it wasn't for running and who was encouraging two people running with her to keep pushing. It was hard out there too, they were running into a very strong headwind, they were smiling though, I don't know if it was because they were (I think) nearing the end of the run, whether it was at the madness of it all or just because they were enjoying themselves. It may have been a combination of all these factors, either way it made me happy, it still is. A little further along my route I spent about 5 minutes running past oncoming cyclists, many of them very young, heads down and grinding it out into the same headwind, think it must have been a charity ride or something similar. Yes some of the riders were struggling, it is no surprise I have cycled into the wind on the coastal path myself, it is bloody hard. Despite their struggle there were still lots of smiles and hellos to be had and I am pretty sure though, however tough they may have found it they will have made it to their turning point and then enjoyed the glory of having the wind behind them on the way back. This makes me happy too as does the thought that maybe just maybe one or two of them will have enjoyed themselves so much that they will do something similar again next weekend and maybe take a few mates with them. All of these people, along with the dog walkers, walkers, other runners and riders, people on scooters etc etc are just part of the reason I do what I do, you don't get to meet these people with your bum parked on the sofa do you? The talk of these people lead me on to another reason I do what I do, I have gained so many friends from my running adventures, some I have met once or twice, some I know well, some I know enough to say hello to as they pass me by, some I have never met, but all of which I class as a friend. Hopefully I will get to meet every last one properly one day. Maybe they would actually quite like to meet me too, maybe they have never thought about it, I don't care, they are why I do what I do. Also without these people I wouldn't have had found the inspiration that comes from the likes of Rosie Swales Pope, Andrew Murray, Mimi Anderson and today's inspiration Richard Whitehead. Read more about his challenge and support him here: http://richardwhiteheadrunsbritain.com/ All amazing individuals doing amazing feats. It doesn't matter whether they are doing it for themselves, for charity or for both, they inspire me and are why I do what I do. Away from running I will admit to being a little under whelmed with my job until the last week or so, it is partly the time of year and the constant battle with the students to get coursework finished and revise for exams and I guess partly to do the growing restrictions on time. I am basically getting 30 minutes to an hour less a week to teach the same things as when I started 6 years ago. Now don't get me wrong, I am not moaning, I realise it is the same whatever line of work you are in, it is a sign of the times. It just gets me down a bit, I have always been against teaching people to solely pass exams, I think I have more to offer, but it seemed there was not much room to do much else. However I have just completed a couple of weeks in work that make it all worthwhile and have allowed me to realise exactly why I do what I do. My tutor group have just completed their 2nd year and have left for a Summer of fun before starting the next stage of their lives, whether it be university, work or travelling. They have been a good group on the whole, yes I have had to shout a lot but we have had some laughs along the way too. Some of these students I have taught for three years and guided on to the vocational pathway after they struggled with their AS exams. Good kids! Now it would be easy to imagine some of the amazing presents I have been given by this group, and they were amazing, would be enough to make me want to continue doing what I do but the messages I have recieved both in person and in thank you cards mean so much more. It is clear that many of them see me not just as someone who has helped them pass their course but just as much, if not more, someone who has helped shape them as a person. I am not going to share individual messages as some of them may read this blog, and I don't want to embarrass anyone, but it is sufficient to say that some of the messages fill me with immense pride. They are special people and I feel quite secure in the knowledge that our future is in their hands. Please do not buy into this 'kids today' viewpoint pedalled by the mass media. Total bullshit. They are why I do what I do....

5k @ Marathon Pace

Another bootiful sunny day here in the Wales. Felt a bit tired cycling to work and back today, achy quads. Was the first 5k race of the local Fusion series tonight so what better way to get 6 mile or so in the bank than to haver a trot around there and throw some pennies in the coffers of the 2nd ;-) best race organiser in Llanelli. After parkrun on Saturday I promised myself I would be a little more sensible and decided to go at marathon pack WHR. I don't actually think I would ever do a marathon by WHR but is a good guide to where you are. Anyways it was lovely to be involved in a race again and see so many friendly faces and I ended coming in averaging 155 bpm which is just below 75% whr which I think is about marathon pace having read the literature. Time was just over 25 minutes or 8.05mm pace which would bring me in at just outside my marathon PB. Not sure I could actually run 26.2 miles at that pace right now although it was extremely comfortable but seems about right for where I think I am right now. Was slowing down though, a definite positive split, but I expected that with a slight head wind for the second half of the race. All interesting stuff though as far as I'm concerned, hopefully I will be free in a month for the next race in the series and see what progress has been made then before the Cardiff half plan begins. Dairy Milk with Oreo, no guilt.

How very dare she?

Laura had a good tidy up yesterday and left a pile of running shoes out for me asking which ones could be binned, if they could be binned they would already be binned right? To be fair I did once throw one boot out of a pair of £100+ boots of hers away so I should be grateful for small mercys right? Anyway back to the shoes, two of the four pairs Laura was enquiring about have never been used, Inov8 Road x33s which are more minimal than anything I have ever run in and which I won in a competition a while back and have never got round to using. There were also a pair of Inov8 Roclite trail shoes with about 150 miles in and an old, but barely used, pair of Mizuno Wave Hood trail shoes. I am sure they will both be used again in the future, will be doing at least one trail race this year and a few off road ultras next year are planned.... My return keeps gathering momentum, disregarding the (as I was rightly informed) STOOPID interval session I did last week. Ran Llyn Llech Owain Parkrun for the third time Saturday and came in at 23.43 with some left in the tank. Don't think I had an extra minute a mile in the tank which would be PB pace but a little so was quite happy, was better than I expected put it that way. Had a nice run with Sospans on Sunday morning at around 75% WHR then, nearly 7 miles so edging the mileage back up slowly. Today has been scorchio here in South Wales so knew todays run home between 60-70% WHR wouldn't be breakiing any records but again was not unhappy with 6.18 miles in just under an hour. Decided than that I would start to break the aforementioned Inov8 Roads in tonight with a lap of the field to warm up, a core circuit session, and then a lap of the field to warm down. Unfortunately the bus was an hour late getting Rob for youth club so I scrapped the circuits :-) and just did two laps in them, felt good. Will get up at an ungodly hour in the morning and do the circuits, no really I will... Plans for the rest of the week go something like this, club run tomorrow night between 60-70% WHR (note to self to not attach myself to leading pack) gentle jog to and from the first of the local 5k series on Thursday, run that at no more than 75% WHR, run home from work Friday and then 8 miles on my own Sunday morning as most of the club are off to do the Castles relay, both at 60-70% WHR. Throw in a couple of core and strength sessions and some mile son Veera and will be another strong week to tick off. Hope the sun is shining for you :-)