Monday 22 February 2010

Run for your Lives

It's amazing how much training is underestimated; I speak from experience. Yesterday I ran a 6 mile cross-country race, 4th time in 4 years, and it was the 1st time that I've actually done any serious training before the event. Strangely enough I managed a PB (that's a Personal Best time for the race for any lurkers who don't follow 'running speak'). I wasn't overly surprised that I PB'd, but it's reassuring to know that all the training isn't going to waste. And the downhill training proved a real bonus during yesterday's race as I 'flew' past loads of runners in the final mile; now that was satisfying :)

Today I heard the hills calling, and they were saying 'nutter, hills don't speak', but I ignored their taunts and enjoyed a post-race 45 min hill-session.

In other news, apparently Immauel Kant was a real pissant who was very rarely stable.

Barry Mann, another great, but understated philosopher; I've often mulled over his questions of life, the universe and everything; such as Who put the bomp in the bomp,bah, bomp, bah, bomp? or Who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong? and if I ever found that person, would I too wish to shake his hand?

We were Wolves, we were young, we were crazy,

Atomic Hamster

Friday 12 February 2010

Run to the Hills

We haven't had any exciting snow here for a while, which would have made things easier; getting out and running every day in the cold and the dark has been tough. I've never run 12 days in a row before. I'm now getting hungry and tired...it's a bit like doing Ironman training but without the swimming and cycling. I should definitely do the easy two weeks of the k a day challenge, but the last two weeks will be interesting. Interesting is a euphemism for difficult, obviously.

The first big training event for Atomic Hamster is looming; Rory Coleman's Jogacanalothon weekend is the first weekend in March. That should be interesting too...

...ain't no use in complaining when you've got a job to do. We'll be playing lyrics games all the way round our runs. It's the second sign of madness, after Suggs walking up your garden path.

The philosophers? we know a song about that, don't we, Bruce?

Ere, are you Jeff Vader?

The other Atomic Hamster

Tuesday 9 February 2010

Running Free

I love running in the snow

There, I've said it. I get a buzz from running in heavy rain. If I'm returning from a running lay-off, then I'm more motivated to go out if it's a proper downpour, non of this wimpy light drizzle stuff. I have no idea why, there's probably some deep and meaningful reason about connecting with nature and stuff, but I'll leave those arguments to the philosophers.

But, thanks to yesterday's run, I've found that running in a snow shower beats running in heavy rain. I think it's safe to say that I wasn't looking forward to yesterday's run.... it was cold, and snowing; but once wrapped up and on the canal path, it was fab. The swirling flakes of snow, brushing against my face, the tree branches covered in white... it was strange, I could almost here Shaking Stevens in the background.

Today the snow has gone, and it's not raining, but I'll be on the road again, maybe I'll find something good about running in normal weather conditions, or maybe I won't.

This tray is wet

Atomic Hamster