Day Five

and a relapse... A long but ultimately productive day at work has left me a bit drained. Rather than train on empty I've decided to swap the easy run for a rest day. Part of me is disappointed that day five sees me on a wobble but provided work is equally as productive tomorrow as today I might, just might, get home feeling pepped and ready to run that speed session. I really hope it does and I do...

Day Four

and a bit of rest day. So it's an hour bike session for me on high resistance. Grinding it out... After that it's a core body workout to try and regain some semblance of a six pack - instead of a single keg.

My legs feel a little achy after yesterdays hill session but they're not too bad really. Can definitely feel the difference a day makes though as I pedal away infront of the tv.

I haven't decided on tomorrow nights session or where to run it. I'll probably stay local for a steady one and save myself for some speed work on Thursday. There I've written it so it's out there in the wild to shame me come Thursday night. Might hit out a recovery bike session Friday ready for the FOD Parkrun on Saturday.

Day Three

Hill Reps - and what a shock to the system. I can't remember the last time I did a session of hill reps. Not that my set of four can be considered a proper session but you have to start somewhere. The road to running redemption is not meant to be an easy one - if it was I would have done it months ago.

I arrived home from work in determined mood. I was not going to bottle today's training. Kit on and out the door for the 3.5k run to my hill in Flaxley Wood. The run there and back again, in itself, has about 500 feet of ascent - I was almost knackered before I started. The session itself was a lowly four hill reps of 500m by 200 feet of ascent. I managed each one in just over three minutes. Now that's not very good but I honestly couldn't go any faster. At least I didn't surrender to the walk - although some might say they could have walked quicker. With all four reps under my belt I ran back home.

In all I covered about 10k and 1,300 feet of ascent. More important than how quickly I ran - or more aptly, how slowly. More important than how few repetitions I ran is the fact that I got myself out there and did it - and that hasn't happened in a focused manner for months (and months). Can't even remember the last time I ran three days in a row.

The big question now is, will I manage Day Four?...

Day Two

And the training continues. Today's 12.4k completed in a reasonable hour and ten. Now I agree that does sound a little slow until you factor in the 1,500 feet of ascent. It was a case of back to old faithful, my Longhope Three Peaks route.

It was a bit cooler out there today but the visibility from May Hill was good and I could just about make out Lord H's Knob in the far distance - the dirty old man. I took it fairly steady but worked on the climbs and despite wanting to stop at times on the steeper bits, I didn't. Despite being cooler, the increased effort on the climbs meant I was still sweating like a b£$7@*d come the end.

Now I just need to keep up the momentum that's building and hop on the bike for an hour. Here goes nothing...

The Longhope Three Peaks...

14 Days

That's how long I have to get my lardy, fat arse - with complimentary love handles - back into shape for the Rack Raid Relays. This Mad Runner doesn't do 'letting the team down'. First off, I needed to measure just how bad things had got? So this afternoon I ran my Flaxley timed loop. I ran steady. Not too all out but more than a jog. It was really pretty in the woods - if I can say that without sounding too gay. Everything is kicking into life. Bluebells. Other stuff wot I don't know and the aroma of wild onions hanging in the air. Best of all, not another soul. I think I can almost remember what it is about running that I so enjoy...

Surprisingly I was round the 9km loop with 800 feet of ascent in just outside 45 minutes. That was towards my faster times so perhaps I've not gone as far downhill as I felt I had - the love handles would suggest otherwise though... Next up, an hour on the bike to pen this post, work out some goals and plan my training. Going to approach things as a series of target races with the ultimate goal of the Offa's Dyke in September - providing the training goes sufficiently well.

As in golf, I'm just going to focus on the next shot - or in the case of running, the next race - and forget what's gone before and what's to come after. The next race gets my focus. To that approach, I'm already breaking my own rules as my initial three week plan is going to be designed around the Rack Raid Relays with Chepstow in fourteen days and then Ennerdale the week after.

It starts now...

And Now For The Gardening Report

It's been a while since I posted about my small, round tubers - oooh.

My tomatoes are past four foot high and climbing. Small flower heads are forming - is that good? Too early? You might have guessed I'm no expert but it seems early. Mind, growing in the conservatory perhaps it'll just be an early crop - or not. I don't flippin' know.

The herbs are continuing to come along nicely. The basil has stalled a little but it's still growing - and I've even managed to use some in my cooking already - mmmm, mmm. The Coriander knows no bounds - but I think I want it to get some. Shall I chop a few of the massive stalks off next time I harvest instead of just taking the leaves? Will new shoots form? Guess I'll see in a few weeks...

The beetroot is now on its way and I'll soon have to thin out the weakest - only the strong can survive in my Darwinian garden. My three chilli's are still looking strong. Is six inches good? - don't be so smutty. Hopefully that's normal - I said, don't be so smutty - and they naturally grow slowly. I guess I'm expecting to see them fire up like the tomatoes - use the patience, Luke, use the patience.

And finally I've completed the second cover up of the secret potato plot - ssh, it's a secret. Those bad boys seem to be pushing onwards and upwards strongly. Oh and a quick mention to the garlic which is also looking good - I just hope it's split or done what ever the hell it does...

Trapped At Work

and I do mean trapped... So, the day's going okay. Things headed in the right direction and with a lucky wind, blowing in the right direction, we might just limbo under the bar in time for the weekend. Cool. Might even make it home early into the bargain... hang on, stop right there mister. Such luck cannot be permitted - cue lorry loading a digger in the driveway. Blocking it totally. Aaaaaaahhhhhhh! Cue thirty minutes of waiting. Cue not home early...

Looking towards the weekend, I'm hoping to go Orienteering in the Forest on Saturday. Be the first time out for my shinny new dibber - ooh, matron...

ps. the Ennerdale entry has made its way to the post box so I'm in - cue another trip north with Vera...

pps. there's been a lot of '...' tonight...

Entered Ennerdale, Excellent

OK, not quite but the forms are filled in. I just need to get them to the postbox - on time. Got a few days left... What value though. At just £9 that works out at a mere 40p a mile - bargain! And if you can't be arsed with the math that makes it a race of 23 miles - the 7,000 feet of ascent are thrown in for free - bargain city Arizona. Maybe I'll get a bit of focus on the training front - wot with only three weeks to go an' all...

Maybe not.. Been a long 'ol day at work but home now and relaxing. Probably headed for more of the same tomorrow but things are headed in the right direction so I mustn't grumble. The training will just have to wait a day or two more..

I Think I Saw The Sun Today

Don't want to swear on it as it's been a while... Managed a run after work today and finished off with half an hour on the bike. Still not feeling totally mojo'ed up just yet though... but as I've abandoned the SWT for now I might see if there are entries left for Ennerdale. Probably lost too much fitness to have a real crack but I'm capable of getting round without a problem. I think the entry is still open and it might just focus the mind. Maybe it'll give me a reason...

Missed It

I can't believe I overslept this morning. Even allowing for the fact that I forgot to set the alarm, I still can't believe I overslept to the extent that I missed the race. Quarter to flippin' ten! Can you believe that? I struggle to stay in bed past eight o'clock these days. Guess I must have needed the sleep. Hope the Devauden 10k went off okay though. The weather was a bit of dampner but hopefully the turn out was good - with luck there won't have been too many lazy sods like me.

Fitting It All In

Been busy this morning. This yer goodlife stuff doesn't look after itself. Had to crack on with all the chores as later I'm hitting town with the Wrinklies. Lock up your dau... ooh, that sounds wrong. I'll stop that line of enquiry right there.

And now for the boring bit. Got the grass cut - boring, yawn - but it needed doing. Heaped the tatties - that's my terminology for piled mud around 'em - more yawing I'm afraid - but like the grass, it needed doing if I'm to get a tasty crop later in the year. Tended to the tomatoes - can't believe they're up to around three foot already! Watered the rest of the plants and most excitingly - OK, maybe not, cue more yawning - my beetroot has started to show - ooh, matron, sssh, no, better tuck it back in. Seriously though, the beetroot is just starting to burst forth. Need to work out what I'm going to do with my onions - no, sssh, stop it.

Managed to fit in a small run this morning and now I'm finishing things off with an hour on the bike. Then chill time before the drive down to Bristol. This boy's gonna be back in town...

Decision Made

I'm not heading west tomorrow. Feeling tired and two days of racing ain't going to improve that. It's been a while and it's time for a night out. So that's it, decision made. Cue some drunken dancing... If I'm lucky I can get my arse out for a run before hand.

That leaves the door open for the Devauden 10k on Monday...

Fully Serviced

And that meant a run to work and then a run back again to the garage. Shed a tear at the cost but it's done now and I've the MOT as evidence. Think I was lucky with the weather, got a little damp on the way in but nothing the radiators at work couldn't dry out. And I made a real fashion statement as I swanned around in shirt, tie - and running shoes. Very professional, that's me. Pleased I managed to get in a mid-week run for once, even if it was only seven miles in total. Every little helps... and no, I'm not sponsored by a well known supermarket.

To Go Fly A Kite?

Up to the highest height? Well I'm thinking about it. The kite, in this case, is the Red Kite Challenge on Saturday. An 11.5 mile challenge over Aberystwyth way. It is, of course, compulsory to follow that race with Sunday's sister race, Ras y Diafol. An 18 mile follow up. It's considered, by many, to be rude to run one without the other and from previous results it looks like there is usual 20-30 runners who aren't rude. It'll be a bit of a travel but if the weather looks reasonable I may give it a crack. Suffice to say, I won't be going if it's too wet. I shan't be camper-vanning it if I going to get soaked to the skin - call me wimpy.