I wasn't going to...

...but then I did.

Not a run though. After three straight days of running and racing I couldn't take a fourth. My legs do actually feel a lot better than yesterday. Not fully recovered, mind, but no longer painful. Perhaps that killer run last night wasn't so bad after all - still, it felt bad at the time.

So to this evening and a half hour on the bike. I didn't pull out all the stops but it was hard enough effort to activate the apocrine and merocrine glands - that's sweating to you. All this is the name of enjoyment. The things we do, eh?

Oh, and here's the missing photo - after such a big build up it's a bit of an anticlimax. Still, I shall try and brighten up the blog with a few photo's from now on - that is until the filming resumes in the spring...

The climb through the woods - before the 'steep' bit!!!

Thought for the day: Mental Floss prevents Moral Decay.

I could go off that Jerry

My quads have been painful to the touch today - after I realised that... I stopped touching them. It didn't node well for tonight's run and with Sean and Rick making up the foursome I knew I was in trouble - and I wasn't wrong. We set off just after seven and almost immediately I was flagging - so much for J's email claiming his legs were a bit achy - he was bloody legging it. This being 50 malarchy doesn't seem to have slowed him down any. But then again, I reckon he was trying to send out a signal to Rick, a year his senior but in the same masters category. There may be trouble ahead...

Anyway, it was a good 11k for me, practically a tempo run on current form weighing in at just under 46 minutes. Heaven knows how bad my poor quads are going to feel tomorrow. Still, I must try and do something. Maybe the bike me thinks.

And, in case you were wondering, I haven't a clue where yesterday's photo has gone. It claims to have been posted to the web but there ain't no sign of it. I will try to post it again tomorrow. I dunno, all this techno stuff - it's just plain wrong.

The visitor

There weren't quite as many visitors this morning as were originally planned. Namely just the J-meister. But then when you entertain a runner of such quality how many more do you need? Plus we helped him see in (or almost see in) the big Five O at lunch round the Red Hart, Blaisdon - lovely hot food and a roaring fire to keep out the cold - nice. Hopefully we can re-arrange another day when the gang from Bristol can come up in the Spring - when it's a bit warmer - 'cause by 'eck it were cold this morning.

Right, back to the running. We were out for an hour and forty and covered just over ten miles and 2,500 feet of ascent. It was a bit soggy in places but good all the same. We were a bit slow for Jerry really and he kept having to wait for us but I think he enjoyed it. I felt a bit knackered come the end and my quads are aching but I can't grumble. It's what I need.

The pic, if you were wondering - and even if you're not, I'm going to tell you anyway, is from yesterday's Blorenge. It's a view up through the woods. It doesn't look that steep - but it bloody well is - and it's a slippy old descent on the way back down as well. Lovely view.

Up the Blorenge

Racing today over at the Blorenge. Ah, the old up and down of the Blorenge - with a little across but most definitely nearly almost straight up and back down again. Well off we set but within a few minutes my feet were killing me, well not actually pointing a gun or chopping at me with a machete or anything but it felt like they were cramping - really painfully cramping. My progress up the evil hill was slow - and funnily enough, painful. I was in around 20th place at the top but after a good downhill section I finished in 13th - unlucky for some. But my feet? Blimey O'Reilly they were painful. I hobble back to the car to give them a rub.

Helen faired better, placing 9th and whooping me out of sight. I was a whole 159 seconds slower than last year, and even accounting for the unseasonably painful feet, they wouldn't have cost me more than thirty seconds, so it's sadly back to the drawing board...

Thought for the day: There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same.

Missing - but not in action

I was close to home after work that I - went home. That meant I missed the track. Sadly, due to a work commitment I will miss it next week as well but I will return after that.

In the absence of any training I instead enjoyed the delights of shopping in Morrisons, Ross-on-Wye. What a load of pants that shop is - it's no Asdal, that's for damn sure. Everything's in the wrong place. I reckon I did about 5k around the aisles. Up and down, up and down, loop after loop, gradually completing the prophecy as written on the sacred list. With the task done I returned to whence I had come. Arms laden with bounty a plenty.

I hope to get a spare hour at lunchtime tomorrow to sneak in a run. Fingers crossed...

The hour came....

.... and it bloody well went an' all. Bugger.

I came. I ran. But I didn't quite manage to conquer. I tried, gave it my best but my legs just wouldn't go quickly enough. It was a strange feeling. I felt, not exactly comfortable, but alright. The moment I tried to up the pace, well, I just couldn't. I ran an even race and manage to put in a good final kilometre but I fell short of nineteen minutes. I managed to claim my fastest 5k for five months so things are at least on the mend. All this stalling cannot hide the fact that I must own up to a miserable 19:15.

I'll not blame it on the night's chilly conditions - although, I never did manage to feel anything but cold - and I'll not blame it on my sore throat. The sad truth is that I just don't have the speed endurance at the moment. I have some endurance. I have some speed but they don't want to come to the party together. I need a plan. A schedule of training that will focus the mind, the body and the soul. I need mile reps. I need hill reps. I need long runs. In fact, I need pretty much everything - and I will get there. The road ahead might be long, and you can bet your arse it's going to be winding but I'm the man who can't be stopped. Read my lips, by April's Bridge Inn race I will break 18:30 - and you can take that to the bank - but in these harsh economic times don't invest anything you can't afford to lose.

Thought for the day: Tough times call for hard determination.

Taper towards Tuesday

Got a bit chilled off site at work but I always had tonight down for taper - also know as, sod all training. The throat is still a bit dry and the proboscis is making mucus a plenty - you really needed to know that, didn't you? Still, I feel positive even though I know it sounds sad to be aiming to break 19 minutes. A year ago I could jog nineteen but nowadays it's a different story. Tomorrow it will happen as foretold in the prophecy...

Thought for the day: Most people know about cause and effect, but just few handle this wisely and act accordingly.

Long in Longhope

We headed out through Flaxley Woods - that's the royal we, by the way, Mrs B and her entourage. Then over to the woods between Cinderford and Mitcheldean before heading back to Flaxley and home for sausage sarnies - nothing but the best athlete food, don't you know.

In all we covered eighteen and a half kilometers and 2,120 ft of ascent. I'm fair knackered and my throat is a bit rough but it's more dry and tickly than out and out sore. Still, I should be recovered for the Bridge Inn of Tuesday and I actually feel up for my quickest time for a while - I know, I know, shouldn't be difficult I hear you say, seeing as how pathetically slow I've been of late over the course. My recent increase in training should see me through. Will I break 19 minutes? Now there's a question...

Thought for the day: I'm not aging - I'm ripening to perfection.

Here we go again

Strike two. Yep, I made that second hour on the bike - how sad am I spending Saturday night pedaling the night away? It was really tough. I cranked up the settings for a really hard grind and feel pretty pleased with myself for being motivated enough to do it.

In truth, I can't go out anyway, I've got a date with Strictly. I have my tissues at the ready for when the Sergmeister waltzes his way off into the sunset. What am I saying? [hangs head in shame]. Seriously though, I'm forced to watch against my will. She gets me in a head lock and makes me view the screen - even holds my eyes open. I try to think of manly things. Boxing, football, golf, Linux - hang on, that's more nerdy than manly - I'll get my coat.

It's all in vain though. I just can't help but be taken by the rhythm of the beat. While there's the moonlight, oh, and a bit of music. A smidgen of love and romance. I just can't help facing the music and watching the dance. And those two faced, hypocritical judges for pressurising the Serge off the show? - don't get me started...

Slacking

After a rest day on Thursday, a few problems at work yesterday prevented me from getting out for a lunchtime run. That might turn out to be a good thing - I will think of it that way so as to remain positive.

I've had a bit of a cold all week presenting as the sniffles and a dry throat. In an effort to rid myself of it, I have elected not to head out into the cold for a run but instead turn my attentions to the exercise bike. To that end I have already managed an hour this morning and I'll be climbing back on this afternoon for another hour later on.

Even though training has gone a little wrong these last few days I still feel good about getting back into it. I'm not going to let this cold derail me from the target. My focus remains and I will soon be racing as fast as ever. I even dusted off the cap-cam the other day - I can feel some filming coming on...

Thought for the day: All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.

Still coming

Goodness me did it ever feel tough tonight. Bruce was back - and Bruce's dad too. Rick was also back on duty, bringing along Lucy F - who was running well, and she certainly kicked my butt. Jerry was playing the role of Han Solo as he strode out on his own session - he looked good though - in a running form sense I hasten to add. Blimey, maybe I should start the JH Fan Club. Gimme a J, gimme an E gimme an R - maybe not.

Right, back to what's important, the Sergeant scandal of Strictly Come Dancing - only kidding - although that is pretty important - god, what am I saying. I can't believe I outed myself - doh. Anyway, we ran three 600's with 90s recovery then four 400's with the same 90s recovery before finishing with four 200's off a shorter 60s recovery. I struggled. My breathing was like that of a 90 year old asthmatic chain smoker but however strong the urge to knock the session short was, I stuck it out. I felt sick by the end but it was good to know the mental strength is still there and I didn't buckle.

My splits were 1:58, 2:00 and 1:59 for the first set. Then 75, 74, 73 and 74s for the 400's and 33, 34, 33 and 33s. Like last week's session, I managed to increase the pace as the repetition length decreased - and I was consistent - nice. Right, I'm off to the lonely house of echo...

Thought for the day: Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.

More bike vicar

After a quick lunchtime trip to the local shop for a pasty - ah, good honest athlete food if ever there was - I knew my legs weren't made for running and that they wouldn't be up to running all over you - at least not today, anyway. So instead I put in half an hour on the bike - take note that I didn't follow my tried and tested training method - namely, sitting on the sofa doing sod all. No, I am a changed man and I'm feeling all the fitter for it. I've even entered another race and have my eye on one or two more! Heck, what's the world coming to.

Thought for the day: The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need but not every man's greed.

Sore throat

The sore throat that started yesterday has not eased but then I guess giving it your all in a hard cross country race probably isn't exactly the best way to go about curing it - and the fact that I went out for a short run this morning with H that ended up lasting 90 minutes on the ups and downs of the Forest. Still, looking on the bright side, my return continues unabated. I cannot be stopped. I am the unstoppable comeback kid - although I never was much cop to comeback to.

The weather was pants but the company was good [winks to camera] and we even managed to see Saint Anthony's Well - but sadly there were no naked bodies to be seen.

Well that's it for the weekend. I feel a bit wiped out but it's been good. Onwards and upwards...

Thought for the day: Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.

Running for the home team

OK, that's a load of cobblers. H was a reserve for the v35 England team at the home countries cross country champs but we both ended up running the open race. I umed and ahred about it before finally deciding to run - and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed it. Ran OK and now we're off to the dinner - just hope the flipping car doesn't break down...