Rutland Round - countdown to the last leg

Tonight ran 9.5 miles, the first 2.5 with Peter who ran like a cat on a hot tin roof, followed by a more sedate 7.

Tomorrow is the last leg of our summer series of running 65 miles of the rutland round which will end with a drink at the Grainstore pub to celebrate our achievement.

Real men don't skip

That is my conclusion from our training session last night!

Drifting away

As I sat in a restaurant this evening and the conversation drifted, I could feel myself heading in the same direction.  A legacy from a heavy week of training?

The road less traveled

Robert Frost wrote an number of works under the eponymous title of the 'Road Less Traveled'. One poem is called ' The Road Not Taken', and the piece ends; 

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the 'one less traveled' by,

And that has made all the difference.

This, my fellow runners is perhaps seen to be my approach to route planning.  Does this reflect the adventurer in me?  There is a lot of truth in these words, might I suggest? 

For the record, our Sunday run from Barrowden through Wakerly Woods over Spanoe Airfield and back via the Welland Valley, was perfectly executed, even if there were a lot of nettles!

Its not just runners, who are crazy after all!

According to the BBC, a 56-year-old man from the Midwestern US state of Wisconsin has been arrested after shooting his lawn mower in his garden because it would not start. Keith Walendowski was charged by police in Milwaukee with disorderly conduct and possession of a sawn-off shotgun. He could face a fine of up to $11,000 and a maximum prison sentence of six-and-a-half years if convicted. Police officers said Mr Walendowski had told them: "It's my lawn mower and my yard, so I can shoot it if I want." Police found the shotgun, a handgun and a stungun, as well as ammunition, when they detained Mr Walendowski in the basement of his house. Witnesses told police that he appeared to have been drinking.

But the best bit of the story?

A local retailer said that Mr Walendowski might now have difficulty getting his lawn mower repaired.  "Anything not factory recommended would void the warranty," said Dick Wagner, of Wagner's Garden Mart in Milwaukee.

Foot in mouth!

According to one of my favourite running partner's and a really good friend, I have been prone to a lot of it lately. It is not a champagne moment! Mumms the word from here on in.

Masochists

Did speed session tonight, with 'planks' thrown in. My running colleagues seem to delight in such pain. Enough said.

Its crunch time!

I may have to retire my tennis career after waking up with an aching knee, following my game with my son yesterday! At least for a week or so!

Progress report and my great expectations

So end of my first four weeks and how is the training for Berlin going?

Overall well, I think, I completed just over seven miles in one hour today, which equates to about a 3:42 marathon. This after four of fourteen weeks, feels about right. Back to the long runs next week.

I have been suffering with pain in my right leg, above and below the knee, a possible legacy of new shoes, I hope. Today, no pain so, hopefully, I can put this behind me as I take the next four weeks; which will include holidays in the US. This should add a new dimension to my training. Already plotted a route around New York!

I considered my resolve of the first four weeks as I go forward, a quote I heard today seemed appropriate; 'Once you have climbed Everest, at least you know what to expect.'

Rehab

Ran the Hambledon Peninsula this morning, but skipped out on the breakfast on offer. The run was great, a warm and sunny morning with an approaching rain storm as we approached the finished. Wendy and Katherine are both coming back to running after some time off. I suggested that they should have running club shirts with 'rehab' over-printed!

Marathon training and beer

Are these mutually exclusive? 

It occurred to me this morning that the only sustenance, other than coffee, I consumed after breakfast yesterday was two glasses of beer after our run. The run was from Pickworth to Thistleton, or Thistleton from Poland, as I described it; for it is very very flat part of Rutland.

Sunny peninsula run and a joke too!

Our running club, under it's new president, has tried to broaden our welcome by offering start up sessions. They have been a great success with lots of new runners starting with the club. Tonight we ran the peninsula on a lovely summers evening and I left feeling revived, after a challenging day.

And now for a joke: Sign (translated), allegedly in a Spanish stadium; 'in the event of an emergency it is not advisable to put all our Basques in one exit.'

Andy's training session

One which would have met Max Moseley's requirements according to Peter, not sure I would quite agree but it involved a bit of pain at the end!

Simpson sky

My favorite sight when running is a 'Simpson Sky', like this one.....

Try-athlon

As I ran my long run today, I thought about two of my friends who were entering their maiden triathlon, and I wondered will I ever? Hope they don't drown!

Mighty fine bull

My farming education took a further step forward on this morning's run. As we approached the end of our 8 miles, from Braunston to Uppingham and having just negotiated a path with 2m nettles, well they we very tall, we came upon a field of cows. Nothing too unusual about that, but there was a bull in the field with them. Other than causing great consternation to some of the female runners and a companion dog; there was much admiration directed at the magnificent beast. It was a big bull!

5 am

Is very very early to go for a run, but it was dry and faintly sunny. Six miles in 47 minutes, I'm happy with that. Now to work .....

End of term report....

Just ran the Hambleton Peninsula with Steph., for the last time before she returns to the US for the summer. We reflected on the last 7 months of getting up early and running in wind and rain throughout the spring and early summer. It was appropriately windy today! What does she bring to running? She's the only person who regularly will get up at 5:30 to run in the dark, regardless of the weather. Thats what running does!

Charity alert

Running Rutland Water today, fifteen and a half miles in under two hours ten minutes, which we managed to complete before a charity cycle ride set off.  On seeing a sign stating, 'Caution, charity cyclists'; a rather disturbing interpretation of the sign was painted by Ashley who thought we might be pursued by charity collectors waving their collecting tins on their bikes!

How many pairs of running shoes does a runner need?

'If you are training for a marathon and running at least three or four times a week, you need at least two pairs of running shoes. three pairs are better....' .  This is the advise of one of the leading manufacturers of running shoes.  I wonder whether it is self serving?

Work life balance 2

Had a great run this evening from Empingham to Pickworth and a pint of Oakham Ale to follow.  Bizarre, but met one Rutland Runner as I drove home,  as he completed a fifteen mile run; 'just keeping fit', he reported.  

Had hoped to run The Eyebrook in the morning, but work has intervened, so I hope my running buddy will be understanding!

Our mutual friend

On a rest day today, but in conversation a good friend of mine uttered the phrase, in comparing me to a mutual acquaintance, '...... being more of an intellectual...'. Now that's not something I'm regularly labelled!

Crossing continents

Just back from a five mile tempo run in 26, yes 26 degrees!  Funny thing is I ran in the same temperature over two months ago.  That Atlantic Ocean is a big divide!