bits and bobs

First of all many congratulations to Matt Podd and Matt John on completing their first ultra race last weekend in north Yorkshire ... a trail race but it's a start.  Hope they plan to do some more.

Earlier this week the Olympic kit was launched for team UK.  There has been quite a lot of things written in the media about 'the missing red' but the best thing I saw was on Terry Lonergan's blog - Running On Empty.

Also found some good stuff on the West Highland Way website from a 'night of inspiration' held in Edinburgh recently.  A few hundred people turned up for talks by various knowledgeable people including Adrian Stott and Dr Andrew Murray.  Videos and downloads are on the site and are well worth looking at.

My training this week has been a bit tiring.  Tempo run on Sunday then two long runs (Tuesday and Wednesday) followed by two 7 mile (11.2 km) runs yesterday and speedwork this morning.  Plus lots of core and strength work.  Yesterday's early morning run was completed with heavy legs but the porridge back at home was well worth the five or six minutes effort in making it.  The combination of oats, milk, fruit and spices soon had me back to normal and the evening training run with the club saw me moving much better.

This morning's speed session was also quite good as, once again, I managed to hit all my targets in the cold early morning mist.

A good week but a bit tiring.  The improving weather is definitely helping - almost spring like at times.  No training tomorrow ... a scheduled and well earned rest day.

cold weather and planning

Originally meant to post this yesterday but problems with the computer meant I had to wait 36 hours.  So much for modern technology.  Perhaps the computer has a cold like the rest of my family ...

It certainly has been cold in this part of the world for the past week or so.  Below -3 C (27 F) this morning when I was out running.  No snow at that time though (it is snowing quite heavily at the moment - as I type this).  Still, the porridge was wonderful after my shower:

one cup of oats

two cups of milk

one banana

ginger

honey

And some wonderful Yemeni coffee to drink too.

On Thursday I ran with the club for the first time in at least three months. An enjoyably easy 7 mile fartlek led by president Mick Jeffrey.  Thanks to him for organising that.

At the moment my morning pulse is the lowest it's been since September last year showing that I've lost none of my general fitness despite spending thirteen weeks on the sidelines.  I know that my running speed is a bit slower than I would like but that will come back over the next few weeks.  Things are going in the right direction though and that's good.

I've also started to not use the heel pads in my running shoes as often now that the injury is better.  It would be unwise to go directly from using then all the time to using them not at all so I'll gradually phase them out over the next couple of months.

I'm now starting to add a few shorter races to my diary and the first of these is likely to be the North of England 12 stage road relay in Liverpool on Saturday 31 March.  There are quite a few others pencilled in, nothing definite yet, along with lots of possible dates for a quick 5k in Bradford, Leeds or Harrogate (ie parkrun).  All of these are listed on this page.

Need to get an ultra sorted out soon though - I have a few ideas and I'll post stuff here as usual when plans have been made.

a good day

This morning I ventured out for an hour or so for a fartlek session in the rain.  Well, more like monsoon really.  Character building training I call it ... I only hope the weather will be better in Perth.

Back at home, after a good hot shower I made myself a large amount of porridge.  Amazing recovery food, lots of oats and milk with the addition of salt, sugar, fruit, etc as required.  I wasn't happy though to discover that my favourite addition, cinnamon, had disappeared !!!  Later found out that someone had used it and neither replaced it nor told me that we needed more.  Added apple and ginger instead.  Nice but not the same.

I do know someone who makes a very good porridge, trackside too if asked nicely.

Must remember to take some cinnamon to Perth.


Keir received his GCSE results this morning.  One A*, nine B's and a D.  Overall better than his teachers had predicted and we're very happy for him but at the moment he feels a bit low.  I think it may be because he tried really hard in the months leading up to the exams and felt he deserved a few more A's.  The most important thing, though, is that he is now able to study his chosen subjects at A level:  history, geography, politics, psychology, religious studies.

We're proud of him anyway.  Well done Keir.