Hot and Cold Running

It's a glorious 26 degrees centigrade outside and I've just come down with a bad head cold. I'd planned a nice and steady long run today to finish off my preparations for the South Downs Marathon next Saturday. Instead, I'm moping around the house feeling sorry for myself. Not only do I have the run next week but I've got an interview for a new contract in Brussels on Wednesday.

Alors, c'est la vie n'est pas.

The Cross, the Crow, the Laces and the Ice-cream Man

I thought that I should see if I was actually up to running something like the South Downs Marathon (considering my performance (lack of) in the 3 Peaks and it's only two weeks away) so I took myself off for a long steady run over the Chilterns yesterday. I went over four Chilterns ridges (not massive but a total ascent of 725m) to Whiteleaf Cross above Princes Risborough and back again.

On the way out I was running through a corn field on a path just wide enough to put one foot in front of the other when I saw some creature running along the path in front of me. It turned out to be a crow. The path was so narrow between the corn stalks that the crow couldn't extend it's wings enough to take off. In the end I went around it through the corn and left it to sort itself out.

Coming back I followed the Ridgeway path past Chequers (don't think Gordon was in) then up Coombe Hill. There was the usual ice-cream van in the car park, so having brought some money with me I decide to get myself an ice lolly. Ten minutes later after searching in vain in the six million pockets in my Camelbak bag for enough money the ice-cream man, who was clearly a fellow endurance type wearing his cycling top and hat as he was, let me have the lolly and then, bless him, stuck a bottle of water in my bag as well. Running whilst eating an ice lolly was a new but not unpleasant experience for me. The water was a life saver too as my Camelbak was nearly empty and I still had a few miles to go.

Ten minutes after the ice cream van my laces snapped (again). These are the thin Kevlar laces that come with the Salomon shoes. My Polar speed pod clip chews them to pieces and unlike ordinary laces they are a pain to try and rethread. This cost me about ten minutes.

In the end I was out for 3h 45m and covered something like 34km (not exactly sure as my speed pod decided to turn itself off twice during the run. Considering the muddy conditions and the few delays I had I'm fairly pleased with that.

I seemed to have got the nutrition and hydration right. I decided not to over-indulge in the gels and drink for the first hour (having loaded up with an energy drink before setting off). In all I had 1.5 litres of isotonic drink in my Camelbak (plus 500ml of water from the ice-cream man and some rehydration salts I happened to have with me), two bananas and three SIS gels. There was no sign of cramp (maybe due to the potasium in the bananas). After the 3 Peaks cock-up I made sure the Isotonic drink was at 6% solution. That extra 2% makes so much difference. The weather was warm but bearable, overcast with the sun threatening to break through. I lost 5lb in weight during the run but have no doubt put it back on already.

So, overall a bit of confidence restored and looking forward to the South Downs.

South Downs (and Ups)

I've been and gone and entered the South Downs Marathon on June 14th (exactly 2 weeks inside my 50th birthday). That's only two and a half weeks away. It's not exactly the Jungfrau but it looks like a nice enough route. I'm not sure what the totla ascent is but it does seem to be very undulating to say the least.

Training's been steady. I've been getting out for a good run three times a week. I struggled (aka failed) to do a six minute mile on the treadmill last week which was disappointing (but it was first thing in the morning!).

My weight is slowly but surely coming down. From a high of 12st 10lbs in April I'm hovering at or below 12-7 (and have reached 12-2 after a long run). Need to get rid of that extra 7lbs over the next three weeks. That will make a difference.

Time for some intervals. What fun.