Enjoy the Village Fair....

Written 7^th July 2013, Brisbane

(At the 6am start to Gold Coast Half M 2013- 25,000+ starters)

Large Running Carnivals are great fun, and the Gold Coast is one of the biggest. This year there were more than 30,000 participants over the race weekend which means the chance of bumping into a runner in the lifts, bars and restaurants is a certainty. Just about everyone is in a good mood: on the Saturday there’s lots of energy, some nerves and a sense of expectation and on Sunday there is the usual boisterous carnival atmosphere at the start/finish precinct:  A case of energy, excitement, anticipation and nerves multiplied by 30,000 and centred on a singular activity. Yep, large running carnivals are great fun.  

Random conversations tend to be similar, with all of them focused on a mutually-agreed yet individually-faced endeavour: ‘Whatcha doing?’ ‘ Oh, just the Half’.  ‘First time?’  ‘Yes, I’m very nervous , hoping to do a good time but  really just want to finish’ or ‘Oh no, done it heaps before, going to be a good weather by the look of it’  ‘I hear the winners will complete the Half in just over an hour – imagine that’,  ‘Looking forward to a good coffee at the end- always the best part’ ‘ Good luck, hope you do well.’ ‘All the best’

These random conversations with strangers are fun and often inspiring. It’s more than just runners chatting about running: its brothers/sisters-in-arms, comrades, making small talk before entering battle; a companionship of shared nerves and anticipation then the sharing of success and the mutual feeling of winning, of conquering, of climbing the mountain (to merrily mix my metaphors – sorry, couldn’t resist)

Spectators add to the event too – They bring a sense of ‘community’, their presence creates mutual respect, and it makes for a warm connection between runners and spectators. I will never understand why anyone would get up at 6a.m. on a winter’s Sunday to stand cold and shivering on the sidewalk just to cheer on thousands of strangers, but I’m glad they do.  It’s wonderful to see, and it’s very very motivating.

The handmade signs are good too, and the effort taken is no doubt appreciated by every runner (especially the slow runners like me) -

• Your feet are hurting ‘cause you are kicking butt
• You are still faster than the person behind you
• Keep going, you inspire me 
• Not far to glory

Of course, the cheeky signs from the young female uni students are always fun….

• Why do all the good ones run away?
• You’ve got stamina – ring me

And my personal all-time favourite, the ‘blokey’ sign..

• Hurry up Gibbo, I need a beer

I believe large running carnivals are good for the community. They are, in essence, the modern day equivalent of village fairs. They bring random strangers together; they encourage friends to meet up, at least once-a-year; they join locals and travellers together in a strong yet temporary bond; they promote a healthy lifestyle; and they encourage people to ‘have a go’ or to get out and support those that do. Carnivals also bring economic advantages to the local community- as my wallet can testify.

 I know they bring some occasional hassles such as roads being closed but to me that’s a very small price to pay for the emotional, social and economic advantages that they bring.

So next time there is a ‘fun run’ in your area, why not consider either participating, or at least attending. It’ll be worth it and not just for your health. It’s good for your community, and therefore  good for your soul.

Till next time, 'keep living, laughing, lovin' and runnin'

Wandering James, the Slow Runner

A good start....

Written 17^th June 2013

To misquote Eddie Everywhere ‘Its been a big week in ….er... running’.  I ran a 15km race, I completed a strong mid-week 15km hill run, I ran a 10km road race AND I booked my next full marathon. Whew.

The week started with the inaugural running of the Brisbane2South run, the new ‘sister’ to the famous Sydney ‘City2Surf’. I finished in 92mins which included a minute or so helping a lady who fell over and possibly broke her wrist (I helped her to the nearest aid station) and my usual slow time up a long hill. The good news is I ran the first half very strong, and there were section of the run where I actually felt like a runner – smooth, strong and fast. Now all I need to do is replicate this over a much long period.

With that in mind, on Wednesday I ran a training session over the 15km Hill Route around home to help build strength and speed. I then ran the final lead-up race for the up-coming Gold Coast Half, a fast 10km at Runaway Bay on the Coast. A big week, but still not enough weekly kilometres for the effort to be truly effective in the long term. I regard it as a ‘starting point’ to a bigger and better future.

It was fun week and  I recorded some really good times. In particular, I was pleased with the 10km race:  I ran a PB (Personal Best) of  61:25 which is soooo close to the magical 60 minutes! I am almost there…. Like I say, a good start to a better future.

It all seems to be working well.

Till next time, 'keep living, laughing, lovin' and runnin'

Wandering James, the Slow Runner

(See previous posts for details of the next full marathon)

Oh no! Surely not.....

It's  Friday night and there is just over one week - and therefore only one weekend - to the first Half Marathon of the season. 

I have a big weekend planned. Shirley's away and there's time to myself so it's what I call a 'Double Half' weekend i.e. a Half Marathon training run on Saturday and the same on Sunday. To add an extra dimension, Saturday will be a 'hill' run, and, if possible, it would be good to get a weight session in on Saturday afternoon. I've been thinking about it all week, and I'm excited and very keen to complete one last hard training weekend program. By the end of the weekend I should be totally ready for next weekend's Run. 

 

But here's the thing..... it's 8.45pm on Friday and I feel like I'm getting a cold. I feel heady, there's a constant annoying cough and I'm feeling very very average. Oh no, not good. Not good at all.

Time for some Panadol and an early night - I don't have time for a cold, and I'm not happy about this. Hopefully it'll be all ok tomorrow 

Off to bed in a huff.....

Sniffling James

140 Days

I love a new challenge, the thrill of finding, deciding and organising the next great event that will test me, that will ‘challenge’ me in a way I haven’t been previously tested.

It’s always exciting. Firstly I find a challenge that suits what I am trying to do; I feel the thrill of the challenge kick in, and then the excitement mounts as I go through the process of filling in the forms, buying the tickets, booking accommodation and sorting out the other necessary initial logistic issues.

The hard part is finding the challenge. To qualify as a 'thrilling' challenge there needs to be the right combination of good timing combined with a new way to test myself. The event needs to be held in a new, or at least, interesting location and it needs to have something of interest to do at the end of the challenge to add to the all-important post-event celebrations. I hear of lots of events and people tell me of many opportunities and many of them sound initially exciting. And when all the factors align, and the excitement factor – the thrill- suddenly kicks in, that’s when I know there is a new challenge to be faced.

It happened this week.

As I said in my first post in this blog, my goal is to complete my second marathon, do it in this calendar year, and finish in a time of under 4 hour 40 minutes. I’ve been looking but haven’t been able to find the ‘right’ one, the one that gets the excitement flowing. But now I have…..

 In 140 days from last Sunday, on November 3 2013,  I will participate in the Auckland Marathon. The entry form has been completed, fees paid and airfares booked and paid.
  

Auckland Marathon

Auckland is a wonderful city in a gorgeous country and the course will no doubt be picturesque. To add to the challenge there is a hill climb. As the official website says ‘The main feature of the event is the crossing of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, which involves a climb of 33 metres to the highest point’.

Shirl and I will spend just over a week there. Our plan is for the post-event celebrations to include a few days of ‘recovery’ in the Bay of Islands at the top of the North Island, so that’s another box ticked.

Most importantly, our good friends Cheryl, Pete and Chrissie live in the area so we can add ‘friends catch-up’ to the other critical selection factors. These three wonderful kiwis are some of my all-time favourite people and I can’t wait to spend some more time with them.

Yep, the old thrill is back . The Auckland Marathon will be a huge challenge for me, it’s in a wonderful location, we get to spend time with friends, and then have a great few days of holidays.

I'm excited. Its what this journey is all about.

Until next time……. 'keep living, laughing, lovin' and runnin'

‘Wandering James’, the Slow Runner

Running makes me happy

Running makes me happy

Written Sunday 26^th May, Brisbane

 I saw the above quote on a lady’s t-shirt as I was running along the Manly (Qld) foreshore this afternoon. It reminded me that so much of life is 'attitude', that one of life's  fundamental truths is  - the way you decide to see each situation defines and decides the reality of that situation.

So was I happy on this run? The location was certainly perfect. It was a late autumn afternoon, mild temperature, no breeze, a glorious clear sky with a vibrant sunset to the west and a full moon to the East. The course was picturesque including a series of beaches, parks and lagoons; a large marina full of appealing shapes, masts and flags suggesting lots of money, fun and adventure; several children playgrounds with the sights and sounds of squealing, laughing kids enjoying life in the warmth of family; and long sweeping bays of swooping birds, migratory flocks, and the occasional pelican: all framed by the homes and houses of an affluent suburb. The track was flat and not overly crowded. Quite simply, a lovely place to run.

As well, it was the end of a relaxing weekend, I was feeling strong and parts of the run were fast and empowering. The endorphins were flowing and life was good. But was I ‘happy’?

It occurred to me there always seems to be a ‘but’ between me and feeling ‘happy’. Or perhaps more accurately, an ‘if only’.  I love running, I do it out of choice, and it makes me feel good. So it doesn’t make any sense that I am always unhappy with the results.

In this case, I had just run a long section at a faster than normal pace, it was obvious that I was getting stronger, fitter and faster, and I had every right to be pleased. And the setting meant I should have been at peace with the world and with ‘me’. I should have been enjoying the moment.

Instead, the old ‘if only I was fitter/ faster/ stronger’ was dominating my thoughts. Instead of celebrating my progress to date and committing to a continued improvement and effort, I was beating myself up for not achieving the desired results faster. I realised I was forgetting to let running ‘make me happy’. I had the wrong attitude to my workouts.

So no more ‘buts’. From now on, I will still work on improving my running, I will continue to ensure I achieve the pre-planned outcomes for the session and I will continue to learn from each session.

As well, and perhaps more importantly, I will enjoy my success to date, I will celebrate my improvements and my efforts, and I will remember to enjoy the actual run.

So today’s lesson is simple: I will be ‘kind’ to myself. And I will let running make me happy.

 Anyone got a t-shirt for me?

Until next time……. 'keep living, laughing, lovin' and runnin'

‘Wandering James’, the Slow Runner

The End Result

The end result of this morning’s HIIT

Evening Wednesday 29^th May, Goondiwindi Queensland

The scheduled long run didn’t happen. By 4pm this afternoon I was very tired and ‘weary’- either because of this morning’s session (see previous post), or because of the long drive today or maybe just because it’s been a long week of travel. Either way, it was hard to get the energy to go for a run which was surprising because the ‘Goondiwindi Evening Run along the river’ is one of my favourite, all-time runs. 

Anyway, an hour after the scheduled start I finally got going, with a revised plan of a shorter 60 minute run. I didn’t have any lights with me, and I had to meet work colleagues for dinner at the motel so I knew the run would have to be shorter than I had planned.

What I didn’t know was how strong the run would end up being. Although weary and a little breathless at the start, I ended up doing some quite fast long intervals. I ran 8kms and finished strongly.   

A good lesson regarding building a plan based on a combination of HIIT sessions, weight sessions, fast runs and long runs. Going to be hard but I think it might also be a lot of fun.

Till next time, 'keep living, laughing, lovin' and runnin'

Wandering James, the Slow Runner

Starting HIIT sessions

Getting ready for future H.I.I.T sessions

Wed 29^th May 2013, Brisbane

It’s a travel day again today so I only had time for a short gym session this morning. And ‘short’ means ‘intense’ in my book. Not too intense as I had a few hours of country driving later so I couldn’t exhaust myself. Also, my plan was to go for a critically important ‘long steady run’ this afternoon so I needed to ensure the morning session was hard enough to be effective but not too hard to destroy the afternoon.

I set myself a goal of 30min high spinning on the stationary bike with regular High Intensity intervals to make the session effective. The plan as 4minutes spinning @ <80rpm Level 5, then an interval of Level 15 as hard as I could, 1 minute rest then repeat for 30 minutes. The L15 intervals would be 30sec, 40sec, 50 sec, 60 sec, 40 sec.

What a great workout. The intervals made my heart rate sour and it was difficult to maintain the target time at a constant effort but I did. The rest periods were occasionally a little longer than the planned 60 seconds but not too much. It was a good session and surprisingly, I do not feel as sick from lactic acid as I thought.

Overall, I reckon I can do even more, next time. Perhaps aim for 40 minutes in total? 

So, until next time……. 'keep living, laughing, lovin' and runnin'

‘Wandering James’, the Slow Runner