After the sad demise of the Bedders bicycle last week and a bit of travel on business, this has been a practically exercise free week. I have only ran twice and I must say that last night I began to feel for the first time since London a little less than fit. I did weigh myself and found that I had put on just 1.5kg since FLM which I guess is not that bad. Ran a pretty standard 8km last night and would have been in quite a good time if the bridge that I run over had not been lifted up for a boat to go under. Each bridge lifting exercise in Holland takes between 1:30 - 2:30 mins depending on how many boats eventually go through. But as I say with the heat and the fact that I am ruinning less, then it just did not feel easy.
But I have proved one thing. The less you run the fewer injuries you get. Since running London and after my 4 week post marathoin run-free period, I have tried to run at least 30km per week or alternatively burn 3.000 calories. This is the first week since FLM that I will not have done that.
Two weeks to go before I start my half marathon training program for Amsterdam, so I guess enjoy it while it lasts.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Bye bye bicycle.....
I am not sure what is more painful - watching England play football at the moment, running 8km in the heat or standing in the rain all afternoon at a car boot fair. So I did the lot today and reckon that watching England wins.
Car boot fair was helped by KB who told me that I was in danger of under pricing things. But what price do you charge for a kids bike that only just works and a bike that last night nearly sent me headling into a canal due to dodgy brakes? In fact my bike is a standing joke here and all was well until last night I decided that it must go. Funny thing is that I have only cycled around 100 km on it (at a push) and it is a wreck. Teach me to buy British in Holland (it was a Dunlop bike - they should stick to Green Flash training shoes if you want my opinion)
Car boot fair was helped by KB who told me that I was in danger of under pricing things. But what price do you charge for a kids bike that only just works and a bike that last night nearly sent me headling into a canal due to dodgy brakes? In fact my bike is a standing joke here and all was well until last night I decided that it must go. Funny thing is that I have only cycled around 100 km on it (at a push) and it is a wreck. Teach me to buy British in Holland (it was a Dunlop bike - they should stick to Green Flash training shoes if you want my opinion)
Saturday, June 24, 2006
My biggest fans
Because I am not running to a particular schedule at the moment, my body seems to be totally shocked and disturbed when I go out for a slightly longer of faster run than normal, Hence my 11km pace run two nights ago took some recovery. And it is clear to see the HR higher now than it was two months ago. Nothing for it but to get into a training pattern and plan a few races in the next few weeks to get me back on plan.
Pic of me and the girls on Fathers Day (sorry about the socks!!) Amazing how the girls are looking more like Mrs.B every day.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Too much travelling
Now back in Holland, hayfever seems to have disappeared completely (bit like my running schedule) and am back in my own bed after sleeping 4 consecutive nights in different ones - Somerset, Holland, London and Prague. Amazing how comfortable your own bed is compared to beds in hotel rooms.
Running tonight and have just noticed that the Amsterdam Marathon (or half marathon in my case) will be on October 15 - so, best check out the Hal Higdon Half Marathon training plan.
Received an email from NY Marathon today offering me a place if I raise charity money. Having just done that for London I just don't think I can go round again with my begging bowl - shame, but however you do it, it is difficult raising charity money first time around let alone trying again 6 months later.
Running tonight and have just noticed that the Amsterdam Marathon (or half marathon in my case) will be on October 15 - so, best check out the Hal Higdon Half Marathon training plan.
Received an email from NY Marathon today offering me a place if I raise charity money. Having just done that for London I just don't think I can go round again with my begging bowl - shame, but however you do it, it is difficult raising charity money first time around let alone trying again 6 months later.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Hayfever and running
Don't read this post while you are eating.
I can confirm that there is nothing quite as horrible as having a hayfever sneezing bout and trying to run at the same time. Even worse than that, all this happens whilst I am running with Mrs. B whom we know from previous posts frowns upon the clearing of ones throat whilst exercising. Heaven forbid if you innocently try and clear your nose.
So, I must have sneezed about 20 times on the bounce (twice) whilst running through the pollen laden lanes of Somerset yesterday. As if running and sneezing is in itself not enough of a challenge, (you tend to veer violently to the left as you sneeze I found), try that whilst at the same time defing yourself the luxury of clearing your nose. It's horrible. Not for publication before the watershed. Because you end up with hayfever-snot flooding down your shirt. See, I told you it wasn't pleasant. I got to the point, in 28 degrees of heat where you simply cannot breathe any longer through your nose and as such, you become so thirsty it gets beyond the point of fun.
Breath through your nose and start sneezing or breath through your mouth and suffer dehydration.
Nice choice.
That and turning up home after the run at the in-laws to find that everyone has had tea and left you little to eat sums it up as a tough run.
I can confirm that there is nothing quite as horrible as having a hayfever sneezing bout and trying to run at the same time. Even worse than that, all this happens whilst I am running with Mrs. B whom we know from previous posts frowns upon the clearing of ones throat whilst exercising. Heaven forbid if you innocently try and clear your nose.
So, I must have sneezed about 20 times on the bounce (twice) whilst running through the pollen laden lanes of Somerset yesterday. As if running and sneezing is in itself not enough of a challenge, (you tend to veer violently to the left as you sneeze I found), try that whilst at the same time defing yourself the luxury of clearing your nose. It's horrible. Not for publication before the watershed. Because you end up with hayfever-snot flooding down your shirt. See, I told you it wasn't pleasant. I got to the point, in 28 degrees of heat where you simply cannot breathe any longer through your nose and as such, you become so thirsty it gets beyond the point of fun.
Breath through your nose and start sneezing or breath through your mouth and suffer dehydration.
Nice choice.
That and turning up home after the run at the in-laws to find that everyone has had tea and left you little to eat sums it up as a tough run.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Never happy
Never happy are we? To cold to run in the winter and too hot to run in the summer. Having said that anyone who enjoys running in this weather needs to book themselves in and have a check over. Went out on Sunday evening (probably around 30 degrees) and it felt as if I was never going to finish. I am slightly nervous of running in the heat after my experience in Chicago 18 months ago, but how people can run in hot climates and train for marathons etc is beyond me. The only way to do it is to get up very early (not for me) or go our very late (not for me either).
This Sunday is the local Leiden marathon. I bet the organisers are praying for rain and cooler temperaturs otherwise they may have a medical nightmare on their hands. Ice bath anyone?
Mrs. B and CB went out on Sunday for a 3 hour hack on horseback. Expecting to be fed and watered (horses and riders) they stopped after about an hour and were given half a cup of 7 Up. See, we should be thankful for the hundreds of water stations that are manned each year by volunteers when we run!
If the temp falls below 25 degrees then I will be back out tonight. I am still keeping up my mission to run off just over 3.500 calories per week, but I reckon the copious amounts of white wine I am drinking to stave off dehydration mean that I should really double this. Roll on the winter!
This Sunday is the local Leiden marathon. I bet the organisers are praying for rain and cooler temperaturs otherwise they may have a medical nightmare on their hands. Ice bath anyone?
Mrs. B and CB went out on Sunday for a 3 hour hack on horseback. Expecting to be fed and watered (horses and riders) they stopped after about an hour and were given half a cup of 7 Up. See, we should be thankful for the hundreds of water stations that are manned each year by volunteers when we run!
If the temp falls below 25 degrees then I will be back out tonight. I am still keeping up my mission to run off just over 3.500 calories per week, but I reckon the copious amounts of white wine I am drinking to stave off dehydration mean that I should really double this. Roll on the winter!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Who invented speed sessions?
I have always felt that I am a one-speed runner - quite happy to run along at a comfortable pace. Feeling tired after a run, but never really pushing too hard and deep down knowing that there was more in tank if I needed it. But on the back of the fact that I want to get my half marathon and ultimately my full marathon time down to 1:45:00 and 3:45:00 respectively, I decided to try something a little different. In my quest to develop an ever changing and varied training program, last night I tried a speed session for the first time in ages.
My summary is that whoever designed these sessions as supposed fun was either a serial sadist or purely out to cause as much physical misery to runners as possible. It was tough. Maybe my target was too high or perhaps I am not fit enough to give one of these a go, but nevertheless it was tough. I ran only 7km but was doing 800m fast with a 200-300m jog in between and it never felt like it was coming to an end. My Garmin graph summary of the run (if you know what that means) is all over the place.
And did I feel any better? Nope, just knackered. Can't wait to next week's session (see, we have such short memories).
My summary is that whoever designed these sessions as supposed fun was either a serial sadist or purely out to cause as much physical misery to runners as possible. It was tough. Maybe my target was too high or perhaps I am not fit enough to give one of these a go, but nevertheless it was tough. I ran only 7km but was doing 800m fast with a 200-300m jog in between and it never felt like it was coming to an end. My Garmin graph summary of the run (if you know what that means) is all over the place.
And did I feel any better? Nope, just knackered. Can't wait to next week's session (see, we have such short memories).
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Smoke gets in your eyes
Just back from a 10 km run which is slightly worrying as the Sunday run should be my long slow run and I am afraid it was neither long nor slow. I really must get myself booked into a race to get the motivation going. Still my Garmin tells me this week I have run 33 km, have used up 3.800 calories and my av HR was 140. Not bad I suppose if you add to that the fact that I have had a practically alcohol free week in my "new me" attempt at keeping fit. Amazingly I have also not grabbed too much chocolate either, so all in all a bit of a success.
Went out to the Blue Tram restuarant last night in Voorschoten as a kind of last minute thing as the people we were going to meet up with called off due to food poisioning. Whilst I was quite happy to stay indoors, Mrs. B reminded me that it was last August since we actually went out for meal togther on our own, so, feeling extremely guilty and with my head held low we went to the restaurant - and it was so good we have booked it up again for this Thursday. It is one of the few restuarants we have found that has a smoking free area in which to eat. All restaurants should have this as requirement in my view - why should I have to suffer other people's smoke while I am eating?
Went out to the Blue Tram restuarant last night in Voorschoten as a kind of last minute thing as the people we were going to meet up with called off due to food poisioning. Whilst I was quite happy to stay indoors, Mrs. B reminded me that it was last August since we actually went out for meal togther on our own, so, feeling extremely guilty and with my head held low we went to the restaurant - and it was so good we have booked it up again for this Thursday. It is one of the few restuarants we have found that has a smoking free area in which to eat. All restaurants should have this as requirement in my view - why should I have to suffer other people's smoke while I am eating?
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