Splits for Dysart

Right - well I spent ages trying to get SportsTracks, Garmin Training Centre, and Motion Based alter the route to not include the walk at the start. I could alter the route map, but not the split. Anyway - after spending hours on it, I went in and looked at the raw data, which means looking at shedloads of the stuff.

The Garmin records points as a succession of straight lines, so this is a little bit rough, but it shouldn't be a million miles off.

So now, without further ado, here's the splits!

Okay - mile four includes a long walk drinking and pouring a cup of water over myself, but the last few miles all include quick stops for a couple of swigs of water.

All in all though, I was only about eight seconds a mile over 50 minutes - not too bad, and easily achievable in cooler weather, breathing easier, and with some more training. I must do more over distance runs. All in all I didn't keep up a bad pace given the difficulties I had that day.

Dysart Dash 10k

Wow - cut that one a bit fine to get there - but all pumped up on inhalers, anti-histamine tablets, and nasal sprays. And still I had this icky catarrh stuff that seems to have been haunting me the past few weks. Sure doesn't help breathing!

Anyway, I got there, strapped on the Garmin, and headed off to the start. I met up with Green Eyes, WOmble, and Zilla at the start, and slotted in with Greenie a bit too near the front! The hooter went, and we were off, and I clicked the Start button on the Garmin, only to find I had stopped it! At the time I just thought I must have pressed twice, and started it then stopped it, so I simply pressed the Start button again. Now restarted, I carried on at a pace that immediately felt too fast, so I slowed, but only a bit, as although my brain knew it was fast, my heart actually seemed okay with it.

I was chugging along nicely, but then way before I expected, the blep went telling me that we'd hit the first mile. I've done the race several times before, and knew damn well that we still had nearly half a mile to go! I glanced at my watch - 17:30 for the first mile! What?? It was then I realised that I'd started the watch way before the start by accident. Argh! I now didn't have much of a guide as to how fast we were going, so I had to trust to instinct, made a note of where the Garmin was taking as the start of a mile, and kept going, chasing Greenie so that I could ask her for the mile split.

Sad to say I never quite caught her, even though she was only five yards ahead for the next couple of miles. We came off the road, and onto the train, with the mile marker, and I had no idea of the split (except that it was fast) but I still couldn't catch her. The pace felt okay so I left it at that, and carried on down the riverside path. Mile 1.6 came, and the watch beeped again, showing a lap time of 7:30. Hmm - bit fast, considering I'd been running that since the start, and probably faster for the first bit. I was breathing a bit heavier now, and felt that I was slowing as we came to the two mile marker, but I pressed on, knowing that I was gaining ground on that sub 50 for every minute I could stay below 8 min/mile pace. Mile 2.6 came, and the Garmin showed 8:02 for that mile, so not bad. I carried on pushing, feeling exhausted by now, and getting really thirsty. I struggled on to the 3 mile marker and then took a drink, and then pushed on to the halfway point, where I was still some 30 second inside sub 50 pace. Maybe this could be done!

The quick stop for a drink had helped, but had cost me time. I found myself overtaking a few people who'd passed me, but it was good to be coming up towards the drink station, as I was quickly thirsty again, and my heart rate was hitting 180! A cheer from Sezz and Guy W (thanks peeps) and I grabbed two cups of water - one to go over me to cool me down and one to drink. I walked through this area, which again cost me vital seconds. Even so, the next lap on the Garmin was only a few seconds over 8 minute miling, so I was still in with a good chance.

Mile four wasn;t far away, and at this point I was still just inside my target time, but I really slowed over the next mile. I took a drink at mile five, and was passed by WOmble shortly afterwards. I really was feeling the heat and struggling to breathe, but decided to press on as I figured I might stilll beat my time at Epsom, albeit not by much. Another drink at the three mile marker (it's a two and a bit lap course) and I set off determined to get to the finish without another drink. I was gradually gaining on that Womble, but had abandoned all hope of a sub 50, as mile five had cost me badly.

I could see the drinks tables just before the end of the lap approaching, and was sorely tempted to have another one, but knew it might cost me sub 51, so pressed on through. The course turns onto a grassy bit, and I could see Womble ahead! It was nothing personal, but she provided an ideal target to chase to motivate me to a sprint finish, so I went for it, and overtook her a few yards short of the line.

I wheezed like a fish out of water in the finish funnel - I'd definitely got breathing problems. I really must get that sorted out, as that (and the heat) cost me sub 50, and quite possibly a fair bit quicker. It's good to know that I can still run at 7:30 min/mile for a decent chunk of time! STill - a PB (for this year) is a PB anyway. Congrats to WOmble too on a lifetime PB :oD

Weight to Go :o(

Humph!

Well there I was getting all self-congratulatory, and I suddenly find out that I've gained nearly three pounds! Okay - the work party on Thursday was a bit of a blow out, but I'm sure I didn't eat enough to gain that much weight! It's not just a one off either, as that's two days in a row. Ah well - not exactly back to square one, but I have been rather stuck a few pounds either side of this weight for abotu a month now - I guess I haven't been exercising as much lately with the bug, and a sore quad after L2B, but even so - something needs to change to get me going again as I'm still carrying a bit too much surplus weight!

The work do was great fun - although rather weird to be leaving after all these years! Strange too to go back in the next day (and indeed next week) when I've had the pressie and everything, and a lot of very nice comments from other staff members. I'm thinking that I'll miss that place - but I certainly won't miss the day to day grind of it. Somewhere to pop back and visit, rather than work at!

A couple of hours and it's the Dysart Dash - a local race that I usually do, but is usually uncomfortably hot! I'm not expecting a great time - I haven't trained as much lately with the lurgy, and my breathing still feels laboured. If I beat the 51:42 I did at Epsom I'll be chuffed, but I think sub 50 will be too much this time. We'll see!

Fourteen Something...

A fairly busy week so far - the London to Brighton on Sunday, swimming Monday, and then a run yesterday evening before the footy game. I'd forgotten to take my hay fever tablet (I seem to be suffering this year) and as a result was distinctly gunky.

Anyway, I set out, feeling like I was running smoothly, and only a slight complaint from my legs that were still a bit tired from Sunday. This continued throughout the run, although I did feel that I was having to either let my heart rate go up or slow the pace on previous runs - I had hoped I'd be speeding up by now. I've got asthma inhalers now (following a GP consultation where "Exercise Induced Asthma" was the diagnosis) so I was hoping my airways would be wonderfully clear by now. Ah well!




Anyway - that's the figures - it might be worth comparing them with the last run over the same route (Nonsuch)

The great news this morning is that I've lost more weight and can now say that I weigh fourteen stone something, even if it is only a fraction of a pound below fifteen stone :oD

London to Brighton

Well - I didn't have time to do any training for this (lurgy) and the day arrived with me having very mixed feelings. It was only the late intervention of a couple of asthma inhalers that persuaded me to actually take on this ride, and I'm glad that I did. I made a late decision to ditch the Garmin, but I wish I hadn't, as then I could give you some luvverly stats and a nice route map (done from someone else's Garmin - the purple bit at the end is him cycling home) :oD

I got to the start about 8am, slightly after I'd intended to, and was rather confused by the start gates saying 7:30 and 8:00. Had the 7:30 peeps not gone through yet? A quick phonecall to Pink, and we alll met up. I fiddled with some bike bits, and all too quuickly we were heading for the start line with me frantically guzzling Lucozade Sport.

We started out in bursts, being filtered in with traffic, asnd I soon found the pace distinctly slow. The road was so busy that I got rather frustrated - too many bikes about to get up speed, but not enough room to overtake, plus of course other people were weaving in and out trying to pass people the same as me, and it all became a bit of a free-for-all. "GNR for bikes" came to mind, and it was a thought that stuck with me throughout.

The first ten miles or so were on roads familiar to me - wending down towards Earlsfield, out towards Mitcham, and then through Hackbridge and Carshalton, before heading up to Oaks Park. We then went onto a small road that I'd seen but never been down, and there was some bunching. This didn't go too badly though, but then we went down (I think) Outwood Road, which was followed by a downhill (scary, with all the other riders weaving in and out) where I kept my hands on the brakes all the way. Then a quick wiggle, a turn up a narrow, windy lane, which also included a nasty hill. I was going to attack it in a low gear, but most people had got off by this point, and the rest seemed unaware of how to "spin" in a low gear, meaning that it was hard to keep up any speed. The road narrowed more, and it was impossible to get through, so I gave up and walked. Secretly I was rather glad, as it was a pig of a hill!

Not far after this, we came to a downhill with placards saying "Extreme Danger", and we speculated as to whether there was a lion loose, or perhaps a charging rhino? We kept stopping and starting, only to go about ten yards, as the marshalls had to keep stopping trafffic to let bursts of runners through. This must have added a a large chunk to my time - oh for an earlier start! I think an earlier accident ahead hadn't helped matters. Shortly after that, it was Fanny's Farmhouse - a delightful place serving up bacon butties, coffee, and all manner of delicious food. I stopped for a coffee, a wee, and to fill up my drinks bottle, and briefly chatted with Emma, who relayed the comment that Mava had had a crash, which was worrying, especially when I heard that her helmet had cracked. Anyway - an exchange of texts made me realise that they were some way behind, so I set off again.

Another ten miles or so, through Merstham and past Nutfield and the windsurfing lake, and we cam to the Burstow Scout pit stop - somewhere down near Reigate I think? I stopped here for about 20 minutes - for coffee, a banana, some fruit cake, and very nearly some flap jack that looked absolutely gawjus! I sniggered at a sign that said "You pee on our bushes and we'll pee on your bikes". Quite how they'd identify our bikes is another matter. I decided not to join the long snaking queue for the portaloo! I felt better for the sugar replenishment after this stop :o)

Back onto the bike, and I kept going. Not much after was Turner's Hill - another narrow one which was difficult to keep going up for similar reasons to before. The Village Green that housed the refreshments bit was chocka with people overspilling onto the road, and it was hard work getting through. Another log jam, and more time lost. A shame, as I was raring to go. We'd arranged to have lunch not far past here, but it was only about eleven so I decided to press on.

The next miles passed easily - the roads were good, and even cleared a bit, with some nice downhills and long flats. Not too much longer, and I could see the South Down in the distance. Ditchling Beacon loomed! There was a hill, and I thought "Well, this is pretty okay, what's the fuss about?", but then there was a downhill, and then I could see the proper hill! Sad to say it's tricky to get up speed, as you're frequently getting stopped at road junctions and allowed across in spurts, and inevitably people slow down/stop in front of you. I kept going as long as I could, but someone stopped dead just in front of me, and I came close to a nasty fall, so I chucked in my dreams of conquering Ditchling and got off to walk. It would be interesting to see what I could achieve with a clear road.

From Ditchling, it's a lovely long downhill, and at one point I achieved a new top speed of 42.3mph, without even pedalling! I wonder what I could have got up to? A few more miles, and we came into Brighton, and here the roads were really snarled. I'd hoped to do the five miles or so fromt Ditchling to the finish in about fifteen minutes, but in the end it took an hour or more longer! Not good.

Finally - into the finish straight - and some clear road. I had hoped to speed over the line, but there was a back up of people waiting to get their cards stamped (bit 1980s - what about chips, or at least move the stamping tent down a bit), so we had to slow down. I did actually ride over the line, squeezing into a tiny gap at the side at a very slow speed. It was good to finish, and to have the nosh provided by Pink's colleagues from ParExel.

All in all, it was a great scenic ride, but my initial thought of GNR for bikes held to the end, and if anything got worse. I've missed out several of the hold ups - where we waited a significant amount of time to be let out onto another road. I also found the general melee of bikes a bit overwhelmin,g and it was hard to relax, quite apart from hard to see how well you could do. Perhaps the forced "slowing down" did me a favour this time, as I was under-prepared, but with training it would be good to try and achieve a decent time, which would have been quite impossible from the start we were on. I overtook people, only to catch up with the wave in front, and never really got into my stride (do you call it stride on a bike?).

Anyway - I'd like to do more bike rides, and will investigate others. The coffee stops are great, and I like riding in a group, but this was just too busy. I'd only do it again from a much earlier start - people who've done it before tell me that it was a lot busier than previous years when they hae started earlier. I'll be investigating other possibilities though.

Anyway - it's made me think I might not find cycling so dire, which is good if I'm going to do training for triathlon! I actually felt that I could have done a run at the end, although relaxing on the beach supping beer and eating a mars bar was frankly more enjoyable ;o)

OOO - Another Pound!

What is it with this weight thing?

Yesterday I did an awful lot of sitting around, ate a couple of biscuits even, didn't particularly go for diet type food, and I lost a pound! There's no rhyme or reason to it. Ah well - can't figure it out, just go with the general trend, which is downwards.

Another smidge off and I can say I way fourteen stone something for the first time in ages.

Worried now about not being fit for L2B. This cold (or the after-effects) are dragging on and on. It's a gruelling event and I don't want to start it half-fit.

I Am...the One and Only!

It's gone!

That pound(or indeed two) has mysteriously vanished. Guess it's just natural fluctuation :o) Hope it stays off for a bit, so I can keep going inexorably downwards weightwise.

Top end to yesterday, as a good friend sent me a copy of Chesney Hawkes "I Am the One and Only" :oD

Okay - it's cheese central, but I've always loved that track, and particularly like the words, which I've never really listened to that closely until recently.

#I can't wear this uniform without some compromises
Because you'll find out that we come
In different shapes and sizes
No one can be myself like I can
For this job I'm the best man
And while this may be true, you are the one and only you#

It's about how everyone's different and that's all great :o) Which kinda touched me, 'cos I'm about to embark on a direction that some might regard as completely barking. 'sfunny, some have said it's very courageous. But hey - it's what's right for me, and that's what maters :o)

Recovering Bear

Hmmm...

Well - I spent large chunk sof the weekend sleeping, feeling decidedly crap when I was up and about. I was sorely tempted not to come into work as well, but when I got up I actually felt a fair bit better. Don't get me wrong - the cough is still there, and I still feel giddy if I stand up fast, but I'm not feeling quite so lifeless and down in the dumps - and I don't need to sleep as much.

It was amusing sitting invigilating a group of A level students the other day. I suddenly thought "that'll be me next year". It was a biology paper as well. Strange how sometimes things like that can strike you. I've become rather blase about exams, having seen the kids do them twice a year for the last nine years, and GNVQ exams before that.

This year is dragging - can't wait for the end to come so I can start on my plans. Sure - a big part of my life is suddenly being torn out, not really to be replaced for a while yet, so things feel strange. I hope it's a case of clearing the decks to make room for better stuff :o)

Lurgified Snoozing Bear

Bah!

Fed up - the lurgy seems to have come back with a vengeance, and now I not only have the koff (worserer) but I'm all hot and cold and needing to sleep about a zillion hours a day

Plus I seem to have gone back to 12 pounds lost - hopefully that will go. I do seem to have been rather stuck for the last couple of weeks though. Lack of exercise wouldn't help but even so I'm being careful what I eat.

Got antibiotics for the lurgy - fingers crossed!

A Whole Stone Shed :oD

Woooo - well - I guess part of it could be because of dehydration, but I did exercise fairly early on in the day, and have now officially lost a stone.

Forgot to mention on Saturday that I swum half a mile, and I did the same yesterday. I was going to do a bike ride for London to Brighton, but decided to do a run instead as it was getting decidedly hot and the run could be left until later on in the day when it was cooler.

I did what is now rapidly becoming one of my favourite runs, through Nonsuch Park, and the stats were as follows:

I was running it a fair bit faster than last time - with a higher heart rate (by about 7-8 bpm) and there was a noticeable increase in pace. I managed to keep this pretty steady except for in the sprint over the last bit, but I did slow down in miles four and five. All in all though I'm pretty pleased with that, as the slow down wasn't huge.

Next target in the weight loss stakes is to keep the stome off and lose another couple of pounds so that I drop below fifteen stone and can say "I weigh fourteen stone something", even if it is 14 stone 13.5 pounds ;o)

Wombly Wecognises Weirdly Wobbly Wunning

Well finally, after mentioning it after the Epsom 10k a few weeks ago, I managed to pop out with Womble to a local parky thing for her to have a look at my running 'cos she thinks I have a weird wobble. It was all interesting, and you can see a video clip of it here. It's a bit small so you probably can't see the detail!

First of all, she watched me running up and down, and noticed that I tend to run at a bit of a shuffle, rather than stretch out. I know this is true, I'm not sure if I do it when I run faster or whether it's an after-effect of all the slow paced base training. She also noticed that I tend to hold my left hand almost still, while the right hand side of my body tends to swing more. Plus if anything I tend to "lead" with my left shoulder (so running a bit sideways one). I can see all of this in the video clip, particularly towards the end.

We also did some drills - heel flicks - keeping the knee straight below the hip and flicking the feet up towards the bum - or in this case my hands. This was interesting as I could feel the left foot hit my hand square in the middle, whereas the right foot hit the outside of my hand. I looked donw (in front of course) and noticed that my right foot was distinctly turned in when it landed, rather than being nicely aligned.

The other drill was a sort of fast stepping on the forefoot, which I really found hard to do without leaning back.

Not sure what all this shows, other than I don't run very efficiently. I wonder how much energy I'm wasting if my "drive" isn't forward, but (in my right leg at least) is all over the place. If I'm sort of pushing out to the right at 10 degrees then I'm wasting an awful lot of the force as it isn't going into forward movement.

Anyway - I'm going to be aware of all this, see what I can do to improve, and mention it to the chiro next time I go!

Big thanks to Womble for doing this :oD

It's T-Raining Again

Okay - dodgy Supertramp inspired title!!

Went a bit bonkers yesterday - did 40 lengths of the mini-pool just down the road from work, which was a welcome way to fill the large gaps in my day.

Got home, and was looking forward to Body Pump in the evening, but really felt like a run, in spite of planning one for tonight (Thursday). Anyway - went out for a six miler on the Nonsuch route. I'd decided to keep the heart rate around 145bpm, but found it hard to get it up that high for the first mile. I got to the end of Mulgrave Road in 8:19, and the mile marker in about 9:23.

After that the HR climbed a bit, but still kept below 145. I managed to keep it stuck there until the turnaround point, and reached the three mile mark (halfway) at a 9:41 pace. Fairly slow, but given I'd had a lurgy (hopefully now gone) I was pleased with that. I slowed marginally on the way home, but still ended up at close to ten minute miles on average.

As you can see, the pace did slow on mile four - not quite sure why - that was the mile with a fair bit of uphill in but I wouldn't have thought it was that much!

Then a quick bath, and some nosh, and it was off to the gym for Body Pump (same weights as last time, although I must raise the squats weights), which was great fun. After that, it was into the pool for a swift twenty lengths and a sit in the sauna and steam room.

I went home exhausted, but feeling dead chuffed to be back training.

This morning, weight's down to 13 pounds lost. Possibly dehydration? I don't know - we'll see tomorrow. Currently I'm debating whether to run again with the club (really want to get involved with that again) or on my own. We'll see. I'll run either way.