Sunny but very cold this morning. Got up, went running, ipod ran out, I cursed, asked myself WHY am I doing this again? Made it home, chalked up another 5.5 miles to the marathon prep...!
Ran: 5.68 miles
Time: 54 mins 59 seconds
Calories: 664
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Boshing Out The Miles
10 March, 2009
Sunny but very cold this morning. Got up, went running, ipod ran out, I cursed, asked myself WHY am I doing this again? Made it home, chalked up another 5.5 miles to the marathon prep...!
Ran: 5.68 miles
Time: 54 mins 59 seconds
Calories: 664
Sunny but very cold this morning. Got up, went running, ipod ran out, I cursed, asked myself WHY am I doing this again? Made it home, chalked up another 5.5 miles to the marathon prep...!
Ran: 5.68 miles
Time: 54 mins 59 seconds
Calories: 664
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Leeds, Yorkshire & A Short Run
7th March, 2010
Spent the weekend in Yorkshire, visiting a friend who lives in Leeds.
Two of my friends are currently training for half marathons so we went out for a little jaunt in the rain on Saturday morning.
Running in hilly Yorkshire made me remember how much I hate running up hill. Our route took us along the side of a valley, down from the house and then up again at the end. Even though we only ran 2.5 miles, it was tough and the incline slowed us down.
One of my friends said she'd read about "pumping the arms" to get up hill, in a book by Bob Glover, called The Runner's Handbook. The theory is that you pump your elbows back and forth at the rate you want your feet to go. This creates momentum and your legs follow, driving you up the slope.
I tried it. It didn't really make that much difference if I'm honest. Maybe I wasn't doing it right or trying hard enough, or maybe my heart just wasn't in it when the Obviously a lot of people have problems running up hills, as there's a lot of info/tips here
We also went for a rather blustery walk in the Yorkshire dales, up Almscliffe crag - which is a great outcrop of millstone grit, really high with fantastic views. It's on the northern side of Wharfedale.
Established in 1954, the Yorkshire Dales National Park covers 680 square miles in the north of England. It's divided into different dales - the most famous of which is probably Wensleydale - home of the famous white crumbly Wallace and Gromit cheese.
www.yorkshiredales.org.uk
www.wensleydale.co.uk
Ran: 2.6 miles
Total time: 29 mins 10 seconds
Average pace per mile: 11 mins 15 seconds (what were we doing??)
Total calories: 297
Spent the weekend in Yorkshire, visiting a friend who lives in Leeds.
Two of my friends are currently training for half marathons so we went out for a little jaunt in the rain on Saturday morning.
Running in hilly Yorkshire made me remember how much I hate running up hill. Our route took us along the side of a valley, down from the house and then up again at the end. Even though we only ran 2.5 miles, it was tough and the incline slowed us down.
One of my friends said she'd read about "pumping the arms" to get up hill, in a book by Bob Glover, called The Runner's Handbook. The theory is that you pump your elbows back and forth at the rate you want your feet to go. This creates momentum and your legs follow, driving you up the slope.
I tried it. It didn't really make that much difference if I'm honest. Maybe I wasn't doing it right or trying hard enough, or maybe my heart just wasn't in it when the Obviously a lot of people have problems running up hills, as there's a lot of info/tips here
We also went for a rather blustery walk in the Yorkshire dales, up Almscliffe crag - which is a great outcrop of millstone grit, really high with fantastic views. It's on the northern side of Wharfedale.
Established in 1954, the Yorkshire Dales National Park covers 680 square miles in the north of England. It's divided into different dales - the most famous of which is probably Wensleydale - home of the famous white crumbly Wallace and Gromit cheese.
www.yorkshiredales.org.uk
www.wensleydale.co.uk
Ran: 2.6 miles
Total time: 29 mins 10 seconds
Average pace per mile: 11 mins 15 seconds (what were we doing??)
Total calories: 297
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
The sun is shining, the weather is sweet!
2nd March, 2010
Not a lot to write about today, a gorgeous day here and a fantastic morning run: sunny, frosty, fresh.
Total distance: 4.27 miles
Total time: 41 mins 49 seconds
Average Pace: 9 mins 47 seconds
Calories: 497
Not a lot to write about today, a gorgeous day here and a fantastic morning run: sunny, frosty, fresh.
Total distance: 4.27 miles
Total time: 41 mins 49 seconds
Average Pace: 9 mins 47 seconds
Calories: 497
Monday, 22 February 2010
A Paris et cinq miles
20th February, 2010
The weekend: partly perfect, partly annoying.
Late return from work trip to Dublin cancelled out Friday night plans. A very happy and very sunny day trip to Paris on Saturday involved a lot of wine, cheese and cocktails. Planned to return in a few weeks for the Turner exhibition which has just opened and runs until May 24th.
Sunday was a lazy day of paper reading and cinema going. I managed to cram in a 5-mile run and was pleased not to have lost much of my fitness despite drastically reducing my running in recent weeks.
Ran: 5 miles
Time: 49 mins, 21 seconds
Calories burnt: 584 (two lumps of cheese)
The weekend: partly perfect, partly annoying.
Late return from work trip to Dublin cancelled out Friday night plans. A very happy and very sunny day trip to Paris on Saturday involved a lot of wine, cheese and cocktails. Planned to return in a few weeks for the Turner exhibition which has just opened and runs until May 24th.
Sunday was a lazy day of paper reading and cinema going. I managed to cram in a 5-mile run and was pleased not to have lost much of my fitness despite drastically reducing my running in recent weeks.
Ran: 5 miles
Time: 49 mins, 21 seconds
Calories burnt: 584 (two lumps of cheese)
Monday, 1 February 2010
Spa-ah-ah
Saturday 30th January, 2010
No running this weekend, more snow and a visit to Spa, a town in eastern Belgium.
Leaving Brussels on Saturday morning, it was pelting with snow and we wondered if we would make it -- Spa the town is at the bottom of a deep valley in the Ardenne. After laughing at other unfortunate drivers who had spun off the road and avoiding a few very icy patches ourselves, we arrived in the beautiful white valley.
The Thermes de Spa are amazing, like being some 1970s science experiment or scifi movie. There's one massive indoor pool, which is over 800 square metres and a host of other indoor and outdoor pools. Light currents swirl around the pools and jet streams pummel the tension out of your shoulders. Sitting in the outdoor pool, being gently massaged with hot water, while snow fell down and coated the forest was a magical experience.
Spa at night: blurry
Back in Brussels, I finally got round to sorting out the running club: we will have our first meeting this month.
Friday, 29 January 2010
First Run Of The New Year
Saturday 23 January, 2009
For the first time this year I woke up feeling like a run on a Saturday morning. I was taken by surprise because so far 2010's been sluggish and I've had to force myself out of the flat even to get the gym.
Not wanting to scare off the resurrection of my enthusiasm and concious that it could start to wane at any point, I dressed for running and made my way outside as quickly as possible. This took a while, since my running kit's been redundant for several months and was scattered about the flat and buried in different drawers.
I stuck to my normal route, down Avenue Louise to the Bois de la Cambre and around the pond, clocking up four easy miles. It's not the prettiest time of year in Brussels. Those who criticise the city for being grey should avoid visiting in mid-January, when it is cold, rainy and composed singularly of shades of grey.
The woods look stark and unwelcoming now the snow has melted. On the upside, all of the pathways have been redone and are fresh with yellow sand.
A restaurant has opened on the island in the middle of the man-made lake: Chalet Robinson, linked to the shore by an electrical raft which looks precarious... Apparently it was first built in 1877, but was destroyed by a fire in 1991. There's a Belgian restaurant on the ground floor - which I'd like to check out - and a ballroom on the first floor.
www.chaletrobinson.be
Ran: 4.1 miles
Time: 38 mins 45 seconds
Average pace: 9:40 per mile
Calories: 467
For the first time this year I woke up feeling like a run on a Saturday morning. I was taken by surprise because so far 2010's been sluggish and I've had to force myself out of the flat even to get the gym.
Not wanting to scare off the resurrection of my enthusiasm and concious that it could start to wane at any point, I dressed for running and made my way outside as quickly as possible. This took a while, since my running kit's been redundant for several months and was scattered about the flat and buried in different drawers.
I stuck to my normal route, down Avenue Louise to the Bois de la Cambre and around the pond, clocking up four easy miles. It's not the prettiest time of year in Brussels. Those who criticise the city for being grey should avoid visiting in mid-January, when it is cold, rainy and composed singularly of shades of grey.
The woods look stark and unwelcoming now the snow has melted. On the upside, all of the pathways have been redone and are fresh with yellow sand.
A restaurant has opened on the island in the middle of the man-made lake: Chalet Robinson, linked to the shore by an electrical raft which looks precarious... Apparently it was first built in 1877, but was destroyed by a fire in 1991. There's a Belgian restaurant on the ground floor - which I'd like to check out - and a ballroom on the first floor.
www.chaletrobinson.be
Ran: 4.1 miles
Time: 38 mins 45 seconds
Average pace: 9:40 per mile
Calories: 467
Monday, 12 October 2009
20 Days To Go - Kingston
Sunday 11th October, 2009
Back in London to attend a wedding, I had also signed up to run 16 miles in Kingston. With the knee still causing me trouble, I had to drop out after 8 miles, which was a bit frustrating, but again, necessary to make sure I am in shape for NYC in 20 DAYS!!!
After dropping out of the race, I went to see the onsight physio, who said I need much more stretching and possibly a knee brace. He gave me a deep tissue massage, for my ITB, resulting in massive bruising all up the left hand side of my thigh:
Ran: 7.99 miles
Time: 74 mins
Pace: 9.25 mins per mile
Back in London to attend a wedding, I had also signed up to run 16 miles in Kingston. With the knee still causing me trouble, I had to drop out after 8 miles, which was a bit frustrating, but again, necessary to make sure I am in shape for NYC in 20 DAYS!!!
After dropping out of the race, I went to see the onsight physio, who said I need much more stretching and possibly a knee brace. He gave me a deep tissue massage, for my ITB, resulting in massive bruising all up the left hand side of my thigh:
Ran: 7.99 miles
Time: 74 mins
Pace: 9.25 mins per mile
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Yoga For Runners
Wednesday 7th October, 2009
If it's good enough for Jennifer Aniston, it's good enough for me!
Bikram Yoga is a series of 27 postures and two breathing exercises, which take place during a 90 minute class held in a room heated to around 36 degrees C. To me - the lay-person - most of the exercises seemed to be advanced stretches, and there were some incredibly flexible people in my class!
Some of the poses were difficult to bend in to, but I managed to have a go at each one and the instructor was very helpful, highlighting the benefits of each move.
Afterwards I felt great: relaxed and well stretched. I will definitely be going again as the NYC Marathon draws ever nearer.
Competing in the Brussels marathon reminded me just how tough a marathon is.
Duh, I hear you cry, but to be honest, I think I had fallen in to a bit of a false sense of security, knowing that I'd run a marathon before had made me self-assured and cocky.
Monday's muscle tightness, sore knee and general fatigue quickly saw to that, and as well as concentrating on my diet and water intake, I decided to explore the benefits of yoga. Something had to loosen these damn muscles!
Running is a great workout for the heart and lungs, but breeds lower body strength and upper body instability because it works a certain set of muscles and has a limited range of motion, often leading to tightness and overworked joints.
That, according to my book, Run for Life, is where cross training, like yoga or swimming can come in. Yoga helps with balance, muscle stretching, breathing and flexibility. It also gets blood pumping around the body, aiding the healing of injuries and the meditative aspect is good for the mind.
With this in mind, I trotted off to the Yoga College of India.
If it's good enough for Jennifer Aniston, it's good enough for me!
Bikram Yoga is a series of 27 postures and two breathing exercises, which take place during a 90 minute class held in a room heated to around 36 degrees C. To me - the lay-person - most of the exercises seemed to be advanced stretches, and there were some incredibly flexible people in my class!
Some of the poses were difficult to bend in to, but I managed to have a go at each one and the instructor was very helpful, highlighting the benefits of each move.
Afterwards I felt great: relaxed and well stretched. I will definitely be going again as the NYC Marathon draws ever nearer.
Monday, 5 October 2009
Three Weeks To Go - Eating 21 Miles For Breakfast
4th October 2009
With the knee rested for over a week, I returned to Brussels feeling a bit more upbeat. I'd been chomping the painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs and wasn't feeling any pain.
With the New York Marathon just 28 days away I was acutely aware of the need to do a long run. The Long Run part of the training is very important, not only from a physical point of view but also from a mental point of view. Completing it reassures you that the massive distance involved in the marathon is achievable and also allows you to try out certain things, for example using gels, drinking water, setting the right pace and generally getting a sense of how you will feel on the day and what problems could crop up.
A few weeks ago, before encountering my injury, I'd entered the Brussels Marathon and I decided that I would start it and see how far I could get. If my knee began to hurt I would drop out, but in a best case scenario I would be able to do 21 or 22 miles, thus covering off my Long Run.
The Brussels Marathon is tiny in terms of competitor numbers, with just 2,000 runners, compared to New York's 37,000 or London's 30,000. Even Edinburgh, the other marathon I have run, had 13,000.
It's also a very fast marathon, with a 5 hour cut-off. No beginners here.
Arriving at the start, in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe in the Park Cinquantenaire, built when Belgium celebrated 50 years of independence in 1880, it became very obvious that this was a marathon for SERIOUS RUNNERS. Nearly everyone had a gel belt and a lot of serious kit. There weren't that many women.
I suppose the reason is that the Brussels course isn't particularly pretty, the city itself isn't a major holiday destination and finally that the course is very hilly, so there's no likelihood of getting your best time. Here's the profile:
The Brussels marathon has a team of professional pace-setters who aim to set a steady pace for runners who want to reach the finish line at a certain time. There are seven sets of 2 runners, each with massive coloured balloons on their backs for a certain time, ranging from 2 hrs 59 - Pink balloon to 4hrs 3o - orange balloons.
I lined up with the Orange balloon team and was quickly introduced to John and Terry, who said there were "our grandparents" and would look after us for the run. They were both fairly old but super fit and running with them was great.
I remembered my Edinburgh marathon experience where I had been really concentrating on my time, wearing a pace band, continually checking my watch. It was quite stressful. Following a pacemaker completely removes that and allows you to focus on the race itself. I will definitely follow one in New York.
The race went well, with good weather conditions. I found myself reminded of why I love running and the sense of immense personal achievement I derive from it. Brussels is a very green city, and the route goes through the woods and out to the beautiful Africa Museum before returning to the city and ending in the Grand Place.
The city also has a lot of traffic tunnels, and this, in terms of a marathon, means a lot of running down in to the tunnel and up out of the other side. I feared for my knee entering the first one but tried to concentrate on my breathing and "running from my core." Up and down, it was fine.
Reaching the half marathon at 2 hrs 15, I took a gel - vanilla flavoured, and powered on. The knee pain kicked in. I took 2 paracetamol.
Stopping after 21 miles was tough. Part of me really wanted to carry on to the finish but I was in a lot of pain and acutely aware of how long it took me to recover from the Edinburgh marathon. My main focus is on New York and being able to get round the course and enjoying it. So I stopped and walked the remaining 5 miles. Almost everyone passed me and a policeman drove past, closing the course.
Handing my chip in at the Grand Place I felt great. The New York marathon is in my sights and all feelings of letting myself or my running buddy down were gone.
Link to my official marathon time, here
Time for 21.02 miles: 3 hrs 36 mins
Average Pace: 10 mins 16 seconds/mile
Overall time for marathon: 5 hrs 9 minutes
With the knee rested for over a week, I returned to Brussels feeling a bit more upbeat. I'd been chomping the painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs and wasn't feeling any pain.
With the New York Marathon just 28 days away I was acutely aware of the need to do a long run. The Long Run part of the training is very important, not only from a physical point of view but also from a mental point of view. Completing it reassures you that the massive distance involved in the marathon is achievable and also allows you to try out certain things, for example using gels, drinking water, setting the right pace and generally getting a sense of how you will feel on the day and what problems could crop up.
A few weeks ago, before encountering my injury, I'd entered the Brussels Marathon and I decided that I would start it and see how far I could get. If my knee began to hurt I would drop out, but in a best case scenario I would be able to do 21 or 22 miles, thus covering off my Long Run.
The Brussels Marathon is tiny in terms of competitor numbers, with just 2,000 runners, compared to New York's 37,000 or London's 30,000. Even Edinburgh, the other marathon I have run, had 13,000.
It's also a very fast marathon, with a 5 hour cut-off. No beginners here.
Arriving at the start, in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe in the Park Cinquantenaire, built when Belgium celebrated 50 years of independence in 1880, it became very obvious that this was a marathon for SERIOUS RUNNERS. Nearly everyone had a gel belt and a lot of serious kit. There weren't that many women.
I suppose the reason is that the Brussels course isn't particularly pretty, the city itself isn't a major holiday destination and finally that the course is very hilly, so there's no likelihood of getting your best time. Here's the profile:
The Brussels marathon has a team of professional pace-setters who aim to set a steady pace for runners who want to reach the finish line at a certain time. There are seven sets of 2 runners, each with massive coloured balloons on their backs for a certain time, ranging from 2 hrs 59 - Pink balloon to 4hrs 3o - orange balloons.
I lined up with the Orange balloon team and was quickly introduced to John and Terry, who said there were "our grandparents" and would look after us for the run. They were both fairly old but super fit and running with them was great.
I remembered my Edinburgh marathon experience where I had been really concentrating on my time, wearing a pace band, continually checking my watch. It was quite stressful. Following a pacemaker completely removes that and allows you to focus on the race itself. I will definitely follow one in New York.
The race went well, with good weather conditions. I found myself reminded of why I love running and the sense of immense personal achievement I derive from it. Brussels is a very green city, and the route goes through the woods and out to the beautiful Africa Museum before returning to the city and ending in the Grand Place.
The city also has a lot of traffic tunnels, and this, in terms of a marathon, means a lot of running down in to the tunnel and up out of the other side. I feared for my knee entering the first one but tried to concentrate on my breathing and "running from my core." Up and down, it was fine.
Reaching the half marathon at 2 hrs 15, I took a gel - vanilla flavoured, and powered on. The knee pain kicked in. I took 2 paracetamol.
Stopping after 21 miles was tough. Part of me really wanted to carry on to the finish but I was in a lot of pain and acutely aware of how long it took me to recover from the Edinburgh marathon. My main focus is on New York and being able to get round the course and enjoying it. So I stopped and walked the remaining 5 miles. Almost everyone passed me and a policeman drove past, closing the course.
Handing my chip in at the Grand Place I felt great. The New York marathon is in my sights and all feelings of letting myself or my running buddy down were gone.
Link to my official marathon time, here
Time for 21.02 miles: 3 hrs 36 mins
Average Pace: 10 mins 16 seconds/mile
Overall time for marathon: 5 hrs 9 minutes
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Seven Miles And A Sore Hip Joint
Wednesday 26 August, 2009
I must be getting old. This morning a seven mile run gave me a pain in the hip. Internet consultation tells me this could be down to my shoes or the way in which I'm striding. I hope it is the shoes... resolve to get new ones and KEEP GOING!
Ran: 7.02 miles
Time: 1 hr 5 mins, 5 seconds
I must be getting old. This morning a seven mile run gave me a pain in the hip. Internet consultation tells me this could be down to my shoes or the way in which I'm striding. I hope it is the shoes... resolve to get new ones and KEEP GOING!
Ran: 7.02 miles
Time: 1 hr 5 mins, 5 seconds
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
9 Weeks To Go - Humidity Strikes!
Monday 24th August, 2009
The past week has been a write-off in terms of running, I've only managed to get out twice, because the weather in Brussels has been crazily hot and very, very humid.
Each day temperatures breached 30 degrees Celsius and last Thursday the record for the hottest day of the year in Belgium was broken, with the peak temperature hitting 38.2 degrees Celsius. More Here.
It didn't even cool down at night.
The problem wasn't so much the temperature but the humidity - the amount of water vapour in the air.
I've never lived anywhere with high humidity before and it's quite different to living somewhere where it gets just hot.
High humidity makes you feel hotter because it prevents the body’s sweat from evaporating.
Sweating is the body's method of keeping cool, especially during exercise. When that's not working, blood flow is diverted to the skin, limiting your ability to cool down.
I found these stats on the internet, about the effect of heat and humidity on heart rates:
For Heat:
Temperatures between 60-75°F (16-24 degrees Celcius) will increase your heart rate by 2-4 beats per minute
Temperatures between 75-90°F (24-32 degrees Celcius) will increase your heart rate up to 10 beats per minute
For Humidity:
Humidity levels between 50-90% will increase your heart rate up to 10 beats per minute
So a combination of high temperature and high humidity levels can increase your heart rate by 20 beats per minute and that's before you've even started running!
The forecast for this week is slightly cooler, and I'm off to the Champagne region of France at the weekend so hopefully I'll be able to pick up the training again!
The past week has been a write-off in terms of running, I've only managed to get out twice, because the weather in Brussels has been crazily hot and very, very humid.
Each day temperatures breached 30 degrees Celsius and last Thursday the record for the hottest day of the year in Belgium was broken, with the peak temperature hitting 38.2 degrees Celsius. More Here.
The problem wasn't so much the temperature but the humidity - the amount of water vapour in the air.
I've never lived anywhere with high humidity before and it's quite different to living somewhere where it gets just hot.
High humidity makes you feel hotter because it prevents the body’s sweat from evaporating.
Sweating is the body's method of keeping cool, especially during exercise. When that's not working, blood flow is diverted to the skin, limiting your ability to cool down.
I found these stats on the internet, about the effect of heat and humidity on heart rates:
For Heat:
Temperatures between 60-75°F (16-24 degrees Celcius) will increase your heart rate by 2-4 beats per minute
Temperatures between 75-90°F (24-32 degrees Celcius) will increase your heart rate up to 10 beats per minute
For Humidity:
Humidity levels between 50-90% will increase your heart rate up to 10 beats per minute
So a combination of high temperature and high humidity levels can increase your heart rate by 20 beats per minute and that's before you've even started running!
The main methods of managing this are to keep hydrated and then either reduce your pace or use the run/walk/run method of training.
I opted for the first, keeping going for as long as I could before stopping and walking for a bit and then starting up again. The concept is the same as reducing the pace because the walking part of the training allows your heart to recover.
I managed a total of 5.7 miles in three intervals before I was too hot to carry on.
I opted for the first, keeping going for as long as I could before stopping and walking for a bit and then starting up again. The concept is the same as reducing the pace because the walking part of the training allows your heart to recover.
I managed a total of 5.7 miles in three intervals before I was too hot to carry on.
The forecast for this week is slightly cooler, and I'm off to the Champagne region of France at the weekend so hopefully I'll be able to pick up the training again!
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Fell Over
Wednesday 22nd July, 2009
Running didn't go well today. I was really tired but felt like I should go out anyway, given that the marathon is approaching.
It was a bad idea. The tiredness and the uneven Belgian pavements conspired to send me flying across the road, my ipod smashing on the floor. I was shaken up and my knee really hurt but I decided to carry on anyway, making just over three miles before stopping and walking the rest of the way.
I can't get a good picture of the other knee but it has a massive bruise on it.
Running didn't go well today. I was really tired but felt like I should go out anyway, given that the marathon is approaching.
It was a bad idea. The tiredness and the uneven Belgian pavements conspired to send me flying across the road, my ipod smashing on the floor. I was shaken up and my knee really hurt but I decided to carry on anyway, making just over three miles before stopping and walking the rest of the way.
I can't get a good picture of the other knee but it has a massive bruise on it.
Monday, 20 July 2009
Two Weekend Runs
Monday 20th July, 2009
Two short runs this weekend and a lotta Belgian beer. My two runs were each of just over 3 miles, which was fine for me. I am going to try and pack in a few longer ones this week and one looooong one at the weekend.
My exploration of Belgian beers is going to have to take a back seat as I ramp up the marathon training. These beers are seriously strong.
This weekend I tried Belgian favourite, the Chimay Bleue - a dark ale which packs a whopping 9% alcohol. Chimay - in the very far south of Belgium - has been a centre for cheese and beer production since 1862 when Cistercian Trappist monks began brewing to generate cash.
I liked the beer - it has a creamy bitter sweet taste - but it is very heavy and I couldn't take more than one.
www.chimay.com
Two short runs this weekend and a lotta Belgian beer. My two runs were each of just over 3 miles, which was fine for me. I am going to try and pack in a few longer ones this week and one looooong one at the weekend.
My exploration of Belgian beers is going to have to take a back seat as I ramp up the marathon training. These beers are seriously strong.
This weekend I tried Belgian favourite, the Chimay Bleue - a dark ale which packs a whopping 9% alcohol. Chimay - in the very far south of Belgium - has been a centre for cheese and beer production since 1862 when Cistercian Trappist monks began brewing to generate cash.
I liked the beer - it has a creamy bitter sweet taste - but it is very heavy and I couldn't take more than one.
www.chimay.com
Friday, 17 July 2009
10k
Thursday 16th July, 2009
Today I discovered that if I run from my house to the forest and then twice around the pond, I make about 10k.
Having not been out for a few days, I was keen to get a good run under my belt to reassure myself that I was still "a runner".
Ususally I find the first 2 miles or so the hardest, so battling through those I pumped up the i-pod and pushed on, keeping running the whole time (try to ignore that massive v-shaped dip in the middle of the running chart below).
Felt AMAZING at the end. Bring on the marathon!
Ran: 6.22 miles or around 10k
Time: 58 mins 31 seconds
Pace per mile: 9 mins 24 seconds
Calories: 654
Today I discovered that if I run from my house to the forest and then twice around the pond, I make about 10k.
Having not been out for a few days, I was keen to get a good run under my belt to reassure myself that I was still "a runner".
Ususally I find the first 2 miles or so the hardest, so battling through those I pumped up the i-pod and pushed on, keeping running the whole time (try to ignore that massive v-shaped dip in the middle of the running chart below).
Felt AMAZING at the end. Bring on the marathon!
Ran: 6.22 miles or around 10k
Time: 58 mins 31 seconds
Pace per mile: 9 mins 24 seconds
Calories: 654
Monday, 13 July 2009
The Grim Reality
Monday 13th July, 2009
Short post today as I am not feeling that positive about the task ahead. Went out and managed a measly 3.75 miles in 39 minutes.
That's ok, according to the New York Marathon's Basic Marathon plan. I remember from my last marathon that it is more important to go running regularly - read five days a week - to keep your muscles used to running, than to push yourself to go further each time.
I hope this is true...
Victoria Beckham runs 4 miles a day, seven days a week, according to this story in U.K. tabloid, the Sun:
Short post today as I am not feeling that positive about the task ahead. Went out and managed a measly 3.75 miles in 39 minutes.
That's ok, according to the New York Marathon's Basic Marathon plan. I remember from my last marathon that it is more important to go running regularly - read five days a week - to keep your muscles used to running, than to push yourself to go further each time.
I hope this is true...
Victoria Beckham runs 4 miles a day, seven days a week, according to this story in U.K. tabloid, the Sun:
"I run four miles, seven days a week," Posh Spice said. "I feel energised and healthy - there are really nice gyms here and I just enjoy it. I need that self-discipline to get up in the morning, drop the kids off at school then go to the gym. I can think properly then go home and do some work. But I do feel so much better.
"David puts music on my iPod and Gordon Ramsay bought me trainers where you have a little chip so you can clock how far you're running."
VB is a NIKE+ user too - I wonder if her screen has an error on it??
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Summer Rain
Saturday 11th July, 2009
One of the frustrating things about Brussels is the erratic weather. The climate changes at a pace more rapid than any other city I have lived in or visited.
You can be sitting in a pavement cafe, sipping coffee in the sunshine and within a matter of minutes black clouds will have gathered, prompting a ferocious torrent of rain.
The Belgian sky. In JULY:
This morning: I dressed for my run - it was sunny - but no sooner had I donned my running shoes the rain started. In the end I went out and ran for about half an hour in the rain. Pretty unpleasant. Retired to the gym. Oh, and my Nike+ Sportsband seems to have given up the ghost too. Not. A. Good. Day.
There's an interesting article on geeky-blog Wired about running barefoot and how it's supposed to be better for you:
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/barefoot/
One of the frustrating things about Brussels is the erratic weather. The climate changes at a pace more rapid than any other city I have lived in or visited.
You can be sitting in a pavement cafe, sipping coffee in the sunshine and within a matter of minutes black clouds will have gathered, prompting a ferocious torrent of rain.
The Belgian sky. In JULY:
This morning: I dressed for my run - it was sunny - but no sooner had I donned my running shoes the rain started. In the end I went out and ran for about half an hour in the rain. Pretty unpleasant. Retired to the gym. Oh, and my Nike+ Sportsband seems to have given up the ghost too. Not. A. Good. Day.
There's an interesting article on geeky-blog Wired about running barefoot and how it's supposed to be better for you:
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/barefoot/
Friday, 10 July 2009
The Big M: New York
10th July, 2009
113 days to go until the ING New York City Marathon on November 1st and training has to start.
I am really excited by the challenge of running New York. The race is one of the World Marathon Majors and goes through all five boroughs of the city, finishing in Central Park. It has more than 35,000 runners, two million spectators and 315 million television viewers.
Starting to train for a marathon is very daunting. I remember back to early 2008 when I started to build up to the Edinburgh marathon - the task ahead is so big and incomprehensible you can start to think you'll never be able to do it.
One thing is for sure, Marathon training requires a lot of preparation and a lot of determination. Mental strength is key: both to pushing yourself out of the door to run 12 miles on a rainy Sunday afternoon when you'd rather be watching telly, and also to carrying yourself around the course, especially those final five or six miles.
Most marathon experts advise 12-18 weeks of preparation - with 12 as an absolute minimum. There are roughly 16 weeks to go now and it's time to step up to the plate!
The NYC Marathon website has training plans here
I am going to use one of those - meaning I will have run over 400 miles by November - and combine it with other activities - tennis, yoga, aerobics and weights in the gym.
My goal is to be able to show a marked improvement in my fitness and in my body shape and also to get comfortably around the marathon course without injury. WISH ME LUCK!
113 days to go until the ING New York City Marathon on November 1st and training has to start.
I am really excited by the challenge of running New York. The race is one of the World Marathon Majors and goes through all five boroughs of the city, finishing in Central Park. It has more than 35,000 runners, two million spectators and 315 million television viewers.
Starting to train for a marathon is very daunting. I remember back to early 2008 when I started to build up to the Edinburgh marathon - the task ahead is so big and incomprehensible you can start to think you'll never be able to do it.
One thing is for sure, Marathon training requires a lot of preparation and a lot of determination. Mental strength is key: both to pushing yourself out of the door to run 12 miles on a rainy Sunday afternoon when you'd rather be watching telly, and also to carrying yourself around the course, especially those final five or six miles.
Most marathon experts advise 12-18 weeks of preparation - with 12 as an absolute minimum. There are roughly 16 weeks to go now and it's time to step up to the plate!
The NYC Marathon website has training plans here
I am going to use one of those - meaning I will have run over 400 miles by November - and combine it with other activities - tennis, yoga, aerobics and weights in the gym.
My goal is to be able to show a marked improvement in my fitness and in my body shape and also to get comfortably around the marathon course without injury. WISH ME LUCK!
Thursday, 9 July 2009
Malta
Jun 23rd-30th, 2009
Holidays took me to the southern Mediterranean isle of Malta. Foolishly I packed my running kit. I did make it out running once - 3.26 miles round the beautiful St Julian's Bay - early in the morning when the heat wasn't too much. My route and some pictures below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Julian%27s
http://www.choosemalta.com/en/about-malta/webcams.php
Holidays took me to the southern Mediterranean isle of Malta. Foolishly I packed my running kit. I did make it out running once - 3.26 miles round the beautiful St Julian's Bay - early in the morning when the heat wasn't too much. My route and some pictures below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Julian%27s
http://www.choosemalta.com/en/about-malta/webcams.php
Friday, 19 June 2009
Running On A Hangover
Thursday June 18, 2009
A lovely evening and too many drinks in my local, Bistros des Restos, saw me spend most of Thursday feeling pretty out of it. But a gorgeous day in Brussels had me hankering for a run.
Most people don't recommend running with a hangover because alcohol has a dehydrating effect, and when you feel hungover, what you're actually experiencing is intense dehydration. Not good for running.
I tried to overcome this by drinking A LOT of water during the day, and setting off. Felt terrible, uncoordinated and clumsy but pushed on for almost five miles - you can see the massive, hangover-induced dip in the middle, here:
Ran: 4.9 miles
Time: 44 mins 59 seconds
Pace per mile: 9 mins, ten seconds
Calories: 515
Ate: A LOT: Museli, tomato salad, steak frites, ice cream sundae, thai green curry
A lovely evening and too many drinks in my local, Bistros des Restos, saw me spend most of Thursday feeling pretty out of it. But a gorgeous day in Brussels had me hankering for a run.
Most people don't recommend running with a hangover because alcohol has a dehydrating effect, and when you feel hungover, what you're actually experiencing is intense dehydration. Not good for running.
I tried to overcome this by drinking A LOT of water during the day, and setting off. Felt terrible, uncoordinated and clumsy but pushed on for almost five miles - you can see the massive, hangover-induced dip in the middle, here:
Ran: 4.9 miles
Time: 44 mins 59 seconds
Pace per mile: 9 mins, ten seconds
Calories: 515
Ate: A LOT: Museli, tomato salad, steak frites, ice cream sundae, thai green curry
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Personal Plateauing
Wednesday 17th June, 2009
Of course I've heard of plateauing in exercise - when you get to a certain point and you find it difficult to push yourself beyond it. But I didn't expect to hit one myself.
A chart of my last eleven runs shows differently. Each run - apart from the two that were with other people - have been under the four-mile plateau level. I've noticed this when I've been out running, I get to a certain point and I just can't seem to run any faster or any further. I am pretty sure it's mental - when I am running in a race or with others I don't seem to have the same problem.
I consulted a long time runner and friend of mine for tips:
"It's to do with motivation more than tiredness, you've just got to get on with it," he says. "See what works for you, join a running club, some people are quite single minded and like running by themselves but others prefer - and need - to go out in a group. Failing that get some new tunes, trendy ones!"
He is right of course, once you push yourself through the barrier, carrying on seems easy.
The internet has a few other suggestions. It says other types of exercise can help because if you vary your routine you are more likely to enjoy the few runs you do go on and push yourself harder.
Other online hints include breaking up runs with 1-2 minute surges of faster paces and recovery breaks of easy jogging for 3-6 mins. This again adds variety and gives your body and mind something different to focus on. I think there is a Swedish name for it...
Of course I've heard of plateauing in exercise - when you get to a certain point and you find it difficult to push yourself beyond it. But I didn't expect to hit one myself.
A chart of my last eleven runs shows differently. Each run - apart from the two that were with other people - have been under the four-mile plateau level. I've noticed this when I've been out running, I get to a certain point and I just can't seem to run any faster or any further. I am pretty sure it's mental - when I am running in a race or with others I don't seem to have the same problem.
I consulted a long time runner and friend of mine for tips:
"It's to do with motivation more than tiredness, you've just got to get on with it," he says. "See what works for you, join a running club, some people are quite single minded and like running by themselves but others prefer - and need - to go out in a group. Failing that get some new tunes, trendy ones!"
He is right of course, once you push yourself through the barrier, carrying on seems easy.
The internet has a few other suggestions. It says other types of exercise can help because if you vary your routine you are more likely to enjoy the few runs you do go on and push yourself harder.
Other online hints include breaking up runs with 1-2 minute surges of faster paces and recovery breaks of easy jogging for 3-6 mins. This again adds variety and gives your body and mind something different to focus on. I think there is a Swedish name for it...
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