Latest long run

I had been really looking forward to my long run on Sunday morning, before breakfast as always.  The MK Marathon training schedule suggested a 105 minute run at a relaxed 10 minute per mile pace.  In my mind I had mapped out a route several days before and as a sign of being positive about it, I got my running gear out the night before.

I left the house at 7.10am - still dark, cold and foggy.  I was running in tracksters, a base layer and my Montane featherlite marathon jacket, woolly hat and gloves.  Just as well because it was flippin' cold.

I miscalculated the distance and ended up running for well over 2 hours; easily a half marathon plus a bit. It was brilliant but a tad hard going in the last couple of miles.  I find that when I'm getting tired, my steps are shorter and that leads to blisters.  Mercifully I have escaped blisters but the early signs were there.

As I ran much further than I am accustomed to rightnow, it has taken a couple of days to rest and recover.

That 2 hours represented good training, helping to accustom my legs to running longer distances.  Naturally the 2 hours were a brilliant time and space for me to be alone with my thoughts and mull things over, daydream, rehearse some up and coming conversations and so on.  It set me up for the rest of the day.  Having run a few half marathons the pace seemed a little slower but nevertheless good to be building the distances up once again.

Looking forward to interval training tomorrow and before the longer run at the weekend!

Happy birthday Hannah

Our little girl wants the whole world to know that she is 12 today!


Happy birthday Hannah!

Francis Albaugh - 90 year old runner

I came across an article on Francis Albaugh as he was approaching his 90th birthday in February 2012 and couldn't help but think how amazing this kind of story is.  

Click here for the full article  by The Meadville Tribune on 23rd January 2012.

One of the remarkable things is that he didn't start running until he was 57 and I can't help but wonder if that is part of his youthful success in later life i.e. not wearing himself out too soon.  No matter, it's an inspiring account.  He's competed in numerous marathons and ultramarathons which is a credit for anyone, let alone as an elderly gentleman.  

He commented that "during my 70s, there was no stopping me.  I was racing and having just over six minute miles".  That's cool.  In my late forties I could do a mile dash in 6 minutes and 20 seconds.  The article goes on to share that he's needed a couple of operations which has slowed him down but certainly haven't stopped him.

I can very much identify with the quote that stands out the most: "When I run, I feel good" says Albaugh "if I would stop running, I would just slow down physically and mentally.  When I run, I'm awake and alive".

How true.

Review - The Food Doctor Savoury Roasted Soya

Savoury roasted soya, as scoffed by Rachel

Following on from The Food Doctor's raw seeds and nuts I thought I'd try out these savoury roasted soya beans.  Little did I know I would be thwarted as they were scoffed by Rachel, who is often dubious of some of these healthy foods I bring home from time to time.  Rachel was with me in the kitchen as I opened the tub, we each tried about a spoonful.

"Mmmmmm surprisingly Moorish" she said.  

Little did I know that would be the last I saw of them but at least the pack was left for the purpose of blogging.

From memory of the few I had, they were fine.  Not a strong flavour, quite subtle really with a soya sauce flavour.  Quite hard and just right for snacks, maybe in a lunch box or perhaps  when you're in the kitchen feeling peckish.  

So, are they healthy?  Are The Food Doctor savoury roasted soya beans over priced?

I think so, on both counts.

Health wise, they're fine:

105 calories per 25g serving

High fibre - 19.5g per 100g

Low in saturated fat - 2.4g per 100g

Soya beans generally are good for you by containing: Vitamins E, B1, B3, B6 and various other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, iron, zinc and carbohydrates.  All this is useful in terms of containing antioxidants and cholesterol lowering properties.  The text on the packaging refers to the beans as being a rich source of protein and breakdown slowly to provide a steady flow of energy through the day.  Fibre is fairly high at 19.5% which of course is great for keeping the digestive tract moving.

At £2.99 they're expensive for a mere 150g.  Balanced against that we have to consider most food is artificially cheap in the UK and often at the expense of those who produce it or are in the early stages of the supply chain.  So if this food comes to me with some kind of Fair Trade-type ethic, then I don't mind.  There's also a lot of GM soya around: while I don't approve of GM, we have little choice as consumers.

I know nothing about The Food Doctor other than taking a brief look around their website (click here) but I think I'll come back to that more thoroughly on another occasion.

Less erratic running

Trying to get back on track with the MK Marathon training programme.  The schedule said to run for 70 minutes and that's what I did....

Stats:

• 70 minutes, plus cool down
• 7mph (8min 30 sec/mile)
• 900 calories
• Stead heart rate of 175bpm
• Best track: Dancing in the Street
• 5 - 10 minute post-run stretch

Reflections:

• Started easily
• The 20 to 30 minute element was hard; overheating, felt sick but both passed
• Ended up being an easy run and a very comfortable pace
• I knew the purpose was getting my legs used to the pace as I build up the distance.
• Enjoyed a queit gym - the staff said the last Friday in the month is always quiet as people go out drinking their salary.  Must be where Slobusfacticus had gone.
• Finished having really enjoyed the run,  Somehow the tough part in the middle just melted away as I enjoyed the satisfying feeling of the Runner's High.  It was a gentle dose, just a satisfying feeling of euphoria.
• Reflected on work: pleased we have a great EFQM result but where next?  Organisationally and for me personally.

Easy run, interval run

This has been quite a week at work and it's not over yet!  This week we've been under the spotlight with our EFQM assessment going on, which I have had a major part in.  I have been, shall we say, like a cat on a hot tin roof.  The assessors are annoyingly professional in not giving any obvious clues about our score and thankfully we won't need to wait too long for the result - they'll be calling the CEO tomorrow afternoon.

So enough of all that stress inducing stuff, what about running and so on?

Tuesday - got home, totally drained, a little later having chaperoned EFQM assessor around all day (borrowed wife's comfy car).  Almost fell asleep.  Duly despatched for a run around the streets.  Did me the world of good.

Wednesday - cycled to the gym.  40 minutes of interval training comprising of 2 minutes hard running followed by 1 minute jog.  Hard running got faster towards the end at 9.5mph.  Really good stretch afterwards.  Most men mesmerised by incredibly fit looking woman doing yoga.

Today - woke up with calf muscles aching.  Lactic acid or stretching too far?  Don't know, disappeared once up and about so probably lactic acid.

Really looking forward to:

Friday - EFQM result, easy day at my desk

Saturday - long run of 2 hours (route planned in my head already).

My erratic training

Remember I'm following a training programme for the MK Marathon?  Well things went a bit awry last week but not disastrously.

On Thursday I was meant to do 70 minutes at marathon pace (they suggest a 9 minute per mile pace) but I got to the gym so late there wasn't enough time.  Besides that pace seems awfully boring on a treadmill so, I thought I'd do something different.  This was to be a 10k / 6.2 miles which I've done umpteen times on one of those treadmills.  I ran it in 46 minutes, just a little slower than my PB for this distance.  As I got towards the end I thought I might be able to break 45 minutes by going as fast as I could for the last half mile but alas no.  In fact the "as fast as I could go" was a sprint where I hit 10mph and felt my stomach and diaphragm heaving up and down (note to self - avoid a heavy meal before running) plus my legs burning like anything.  Burning like anything means Lactic acid accumulating and a good enough reason for a decent cool-down afterwards.  Okay, this was not the run on the programme but it was enjoyable!

On Saturday there was meant to be a 40 minute easy "park run" but I completely forgot and did my long relaxed instead.  It was almost dark when I set out and 15 minutes later when I'd reached the edge of an escarpment where I normally run for 1 or 2 miles, there was the full force of the wind and drizzle to contend with.  Now with the high wind and drizzle combined, it was like being sandblasted on one side.

I continued and completed my 90 minute run.  Very satisfying, enjoyable but frustrating as I can never remember the things I want to.  All those inspired ideas, just don't get remembered.  It's a bit like waking up in the morning, knowing you've been dreaming but you cannot remember anything about it.  Someone said I should take a Dictaphone - maybe they're right!  Running for over an hour can bring out lurking injuries and best allowed to rest afterwards if injuries start to emerge.

At least I had a bike ride on Sunday but only 18 miles.  Having done so little cycling over the last month, I'm amazed at how my cycling muscles have lost some of their strength but then, it was very windy (and that's my excuse!).

So what's in store for this week?

Monday (today) - rest

Tuesday - alternate 2 minute brisk run with a jog for 45 minutes

Wednesday - rest

Thursday - 70 minutes at marathon pace

Friday - rest

Saturday - Easy run for 40 minutes

Sunday - long run for 1 hr 45 minutes

Why should anyone enter a race?

Me - just completed the 2010 St Albans Half

Why should I enter a race?  To those who  have known me for a long time might think that is an unlikely question for me to ask.

I used to hate sport at school and have memories of being sent out in the pouring rain to run twice around the rugby field in shorts and a tee shirt in order to "warm up".  The reality was we'd go from cold to freezing and soaked through.  The PE teacher (in his nice snug tracksuit complete with a bobble hat and gloves) would then instruct us to form two teams for a game of rugby.  If we were really in his bad books we would send us off on a cross country run.  Most of us hated it, all but the classroom bully who saw it as an opportunity to mete out a little rough and tumble to remind us who was Top Dog.  I left school hating all kinds of winter sport.  On a good day, athletics in the summer could be fun as was cricket.  Being colour blind, of the red-green variety, put me at a disadvantage but still there was fun to be had.

Fast forward to recent years.The Blair Government brought targets to the public sector which we all cringed at as we played the usual games to hit targets at the expense of quality and common sense at times.  That brought about league tables where there would be someone at the top and likewise, someone at the bottom.  This reinforced the part of me that shuns competition.

So, you might ask, why do I like entering running races?  Why should you consider entering a race?

A little bit of pressure, whether it is a Blair Government target, a deadline or a finish line, can bring out the best in people.  Of course there's a fine line between a healthy bit of pressure and then when it becomes too much.

2011 St Albans Half - faster time too!

On a positive side for me, a race represents:

1. Something to aim for.  Having a date in my diary and that's something to train for
2. The satisfaction of doing as well as I can
3. The fun of the race - the atmosphere, the banter, the marshals and spectators cheering you on
4. I run faster in a race than I would on my own
5. A chance to see how I'm doing compared with others
6. To be inspired by others - I often spot someone with really good running form and they just look great to follow and try and keep up with.   Also to see someone 10 years older than me doing better than me - that is something to aim for and admire
7. The reward of having done my best; squeezing every last ounce of energy out in the last mile
8. To run somewhere new and on a route that's all worked out before
9. The Runner's High (without fail on a race!)
10. Believing in oneself.  What next?

What next?  Well, I'm training for the MK Marathon in April and seriously looking forward to that.  How about some kind of cycle race or Sportive or Audax sometime?  I've got an ideal bike but not so sure about the time for training.  Food for thought but for now I'm focussing on the MK Marathon.

Longing for those longer days

Early morning bike ride in Cumbria

At breakfast time we were talking about the winter and how we had noticed the days were now starting to get a little bit longer.  That is really encouraging and it won't be long before I can head out for an early morning run or bike ride in daylight.  In the meantime the gloomy winter involves heading to the gym on a couple of weekday evenings each week and an early morning run outside at the weekends - that's the best of all!

Knowing the days are getting longer is just right for a half-full approach, looking on the positive side of life. Even as we often get the coldest of weather in January and February, I don't really mind because it won't last too long.  That's another reason for being optimistic - if it's bad, it won't be for long.

I know a few of my colleagues are struggling right now, many under pressure and stressed and not feeling great.  One colleague has recently returned from a period of mental-health related sick leave and another now has a super-bright daylight simulation lamp on a shelf, just above his desk.  Neither are runners or sporty in anyway.  Running adds courage and confidence, brings about that feeling of "all is well", invigorates, inspires and energises.

Knowing only too well my shortcomings and weaknesses, I can say what a real difference running and, to a certain extent, cycling makes to me at this time of year.  In the darkness, gloom and drudgery of commuting in darkness, having a structured run is something to look forward to; a lift and boost towards the end of the day.  I'm off to the gym soon for my 80 minute run; I'll be sleeping well tonight in spite of having a lot on my mind around work.  Next week we're being externally assessed as an organisation and I'm feeling "on show" as I have written 95% of our application.  Part of me is feeling "I don't care what the result is now, I just want it dealt with" and yet the over riding belief is now "we've come this far, let's finish this well".  So tomorrow I'm going around with our external consultant to brief staff - and I'm really looking forward to doing that - we've a lot to be proud about.  And that's even before I've been for my run!