So after a couple of weeks where watching a tight calf muscle and completing the Wokingham Half Marathon were the focus, this has been another regular training week.
I began on Tuesday with 6 miles, including a tempo 5K in the middle.
With Richmond Park closed in the evenings at the moment, Thursday night saw a run round the course of the Cabbage Patch 10 mile race, not especially quick given some awkward pavement stretches, but all good miles.
Saturday was the long run this week. Beginning with 3 miles from home to the start of the Kingston Parkrun, I then ran the race (5K) in 22 minutes 14 seconds. My best for that course is 21:09, but that was run in the dry and not as part of what became a 14 mile training run.
The 8 miles home were not run in particularly fun conditions. Heavy rain and a cold wind made it something of a grind – we like to call it character building. On morning’s like these, much as you’d like to grumble, maybe even take a short cut, that would be cheating. More importantly, there’s always the chance it might be cold and wet on marathon day, and quitting simply isn’t an option then.
Its seven weeks to go until Marathon day.
Sunday 27 February 2011
Thursday 24 February 2011
Running Music: Thin Lizzy 'Running Back'
See the list so far here
Next up:
Thin Lizzy – 'Running Back'
Looking at the list of songs I’ve made to include on this blog, I appear to be in the middle of a bit of a run of 70s rock. The next two weeks will also fall into that category and will include one of the most obvious choices of the lot.
My big musical discovery of last year was, not some exciting new band playing in the backroom of a pub, but that Thin Lizzy’s ‘Jailbreak’ album is an absolute belter.
‘Jailbreak’ proved to be Thin Lizzy’s commercial breakthrough, and features their biggest hit single ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’.
Their was much disagreement in the band over the production of ‘Running Back’. Phil Lynott and producer John Alcock sought a session musician to replace some of the parts played by guitarist Brian Robertson. The objective was to turn bluesy elements into a more commercial, radio friendly sounding track.
‘Running Back’ was initially planned to be the lead single, however ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ was chosen instead. ‘Running Back’ appeared as the B-side on the follow-up ‘Jailbreak’.
Another song worthy of checking out from ‘Jailbreak’ is
‘Romeo and the Lonely Girl, which features fantastic drumming from Brian Downey.
Next up:
Thin Lizzy – 'Running Back'
Looking at the list of songs I’ve made to include on this blog, I appear to be in the middle of a bit of a run of 70s rock. The next two weeks will also fall into that category and will include one of the most obvious choices of the lot.
My big musical discovery of last year was, not some exciting new band playing in the backroom of a pub, but that Thin Lizzy’s ‘Jailbreak’ album is an absolute belter.
‘Jailbreak’ proved to be Thin Lizzy’s commercial breakthrough, and features their biggest hit single ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’.
Their was much disagreement in the band over the production of ‘Running Back’. Phil Lynott and producer John Alcock sought a session musician to replace some of the parts played by guitarist Brian Robertson. The objective was to turn bluesy elements into a more commercial, radio friendly sounding track.
‘Running Back’ was initially planned to be the lead single, however ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ was chosen instead. ‘Running Back’ appeared as the B-side on the follow-up ‘Jailbreak’.
Another song worthy of checking out from ‘Jailbreak’ is
‘Romeo and the Lonely Girl, which features fantastic drumming from Brian Downey.
Saturday 19 February 2011
Training In Historic Surroundings
In previous posts I’ve talked about locations of great sporting historical significance my marathon training has taken in. Hurst Park for cricket and horse racing, Hampton Court with its ancient indoor tennis court, the pub on the edge of Richmond Park where the idea of the London Marathon was dreamt up. I can now add Brooklands to this list.
The world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, constructed at Weybridge, Surrey in 1907, was,
as the website for the Brooklands Museum states, more than a great sporting arena: it was the birthplace of British motorsport.
Before the first race was even run, Brooklands was the venue for a dramatic record attempt. A few days after the ceremonial opening of the track in June 1907, the motor-racing pioneer, Selwyn Francis Edge, used the venue for establishing the record for distance covered and speed driven at, during a non-stop 24 hour challenge. He covered 1,581 miles at an average speed of almost 66 miles an hour, something which wouldn’t be beaten for seventeen years.
Brooklands entered the record books once again On the morning of 15th February 1913. In front of a large crowd of press and public, Percy Lambert achieved 103.84 mph. Tragically, while trying to improve his own record a few months later, after promising his fiancée that he would attempt no more, he crashed and was killed on the Track.
Some say his ghost regularly walks at Brooklands in full racing attire, all we know is, this ghost and
The Stig have never been seen in the same room together.
The first official motor race was staged on July 6th 1907, with its ability to attract the great and the good from the world of fashionable types, Brooklands soon gained the name of the Ascot of motor sport. At its peak in the 1930s, Brooklands was considered an important society hang out alongside Ascot, Henley and Wimbledon.
In September of the same year, with competitive cycling not approved of on regular roads, Brooklands hosted the first of many bike races. Motorbikes joined the fun a year later, with the
British Motorcycle Racing Club being founded here in 1909.
For many the most important year in Brooklands’ history is 1926, for this was the date of the first British Grand Prix.
Also a notable airfield, at the outbreak of World War 2, Brooklands became a site devoted to the production of Vickers and Hawker aircraft including Hurricane fighters and Wellington bombers. Once peace returned in 1945, it was hoped Brooklands could be returned to the world of motor racing, but the scars of war were too expensive to repair. Vicars-Armstrong LTD bought the site in 1946.
Although Brooklands is the location for the development and building of many iconic aircrafts, the one which naturally receives the most interest is some little known plane, I shouldn’t imagine you’ve heard of it, called Concorde.
The first to be produced in the UK, the second ever, was built at Brooklands and Toulouse. You can read all about it
here.
Living near Heathrow, I always knew when it was Concorde taking off or landing. Its distinctive sound meant you could always tell when it was approaching, and on a clear day you could look up into the sky and watch it disappear into the distance. I’m no plane enthusiast, but I went into Bushy Park to watch it leave London for the last time.
It’s still possible to cycle on a track at Brooklands today, and it was for this reason that I ventured their this morning. Not to cycle myself, but to run with one of my regular guides, Jim who I raced Tadworth with, while his son trained with the
Thames Turbo Triathlon club.
The plan had been to leave Brookland, and follow the River Way north to the Thames. After steady running of about half an hour it was decided the path was too narrow and muddy, we had a lot of rain over night and this morning. We returned to Brooklands and did a decent quality interval session, my first since the issue with a tight calf I had before Wokingham. 10 300 metre tempo runs with a minute recovery between each.
While I’ve been writing this blog I was also watching
Mo Farah set a new British and European indoor 5000 metre record at the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham, and look very impressive in doing so. We won’t be seeing much of him in Bushy Park for a while, as he announced yesterday he was relocating to the US as he aims to move from the best in Europe to the best in the world. By the looks of what I’ve just seen we can expect a great summer from him, all building towards his attempts to be a major part of another chapter of London sporting history in 2012.
The world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, constructed at Weybridge, Surrey in 1907, was,
as the website for the Brooklands Museum states, more than a great sporting arena: it was the birthplace of British motorsport.
Before the first race was even run, Brooklands was the venue for a dramatic record attempt. A few days after the ceremonial opening of the track in June 1907, the motor-racing pioneer, Selwyn Francis Edge, used the venue for establishing the record for distance covered and speed driven at, during a non-stop 24 hour challenge. He covered 1,581 miles at an average speed of almost 66 miles an hour, something which wouldn’t be beaten for seventeen years.
Brooklands entered the record books once again On the morning of 15th February 1913. In front of a large crowd of press and public, Percy Lambert achieved 103.84 mph. Tragically, while trying to improve his own record a few months later, after promising his fiancée that he would attempt no more, he crashed and was killed on the Track.
Some say his ghost regularly walks at Brooklands in full racing attire, all we know is, this ghost and
The Stig have never been seen in the same room together.
The first official motor race was staged on July 6th 1907, with its ability to attract the great and the good from the world of fashionable types, Brooklands soon gained the name of the Ascot of motor sport. At its peak in the 1930s, Brooklands was considered an important society hang out alongside Ascot, Henley and Wimbledon.
In September of the same year, with competitive cycling not approved of on regular roads, Brooklands hosted the first of many bike races. Motorbikes joined the fun a year later, with the
British Motorcycle Racing Club being founded here in 1909.
For many the most important year in Brooklands’ history is 1926, for this was the date of the first British Grand Prix.
Also a notable airfield, at the outbreak of World War 2, Brooklands became a site devoted to the production of Vickers and Hawker aircraft including Hurricane fighters and Wellington bombers. Once peace returned in 1945, it was hoped Brooklands could be returned to the world of motor racing, but the scars of war were too expensive to repair. Vicars-Armstrong LTD bought the site in 1946.
Although Brooklands is the location for the development and building of many iconic aircrafts, the one which naturally receives the most interest is some little known plane, I shouldn’t imagine you’ve heard of it, called Concorde.
The first to be produced in the UK, the second ever, was built at Brooklands and Toulouse. You can read all about it
here.
Living near Heathrow, I always knew when it was Concorde taking off or landing. Its distinctive sound meant you could always tell when it was approaching, and on a clear day you could look up into the sky and watch it disappear into the distance. I’m no plane enthusiast, but I went into Bushy Park to watch it leave London for the last time.
It’s still possible to cycle on a track at Brooklands today, and it was for this reason that I ventured their this morning. Not to cycle myself, but to run with one of my regular guides, Jim who I raced Tadworth with, while his son trained with the
Thames Turbo Triathlon club.
The plan had been to leave Brookland, and follow the River Way north to the Thames. After steady running of about half an hour it was decided the path was too narrow and muddy, we had a lot of rain over night and this morning. We returned to Brooklands and did a decent quality interval session, my first since the issue with a tight calf I had before Wokingham. 10 300 metre tempo runs with a minute recovery between each.
While I’ve been writing this blog I was also watching
Mo Farah set a new British and European indoor 5000 metre record at the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham, and look very impressive in doing so. We won’t be seeing much of him in Bushy Park for a while, as he announced yesterday he was relocating to the US as he aims to move from the best in Europe to the best in the world. By the looks of what I’ve just seen we can expect a great summer from him, all building towards his attempts to be a major part of another chapter of London sporting history in 2012.
Thursday 17 February 2011
Running Music: Lindisfarne 'Run For Home'
See the list so far here
Next up:
Lindisfarne ‘Run For Home’
When I started regularly going to gigs I decided to keep a list of every band I saw. This was especially useful for music festivals, as I might discover I’d seen one of the big draw main stage acts in one of the smaller tents a couple of years earlier.
A random selection from over a decade of live music includes:
U2 at Wembley Stadium – 1997 (supported by Richard Hawley’s old band the Long Pigs).
The Smashing Pumpkins last UK show before they split in 2000.
AC/DC at Milton Keynes Bowl – 2001
The first person I saw at a music festival was PJ Harvey at Reading in 2001.
Red Hot Chilly Peppers supported by James Brown at Hyde Park – 2004
Muse at the new Wembley and the Rolling Stones at the Isle of Wight Festival – 2007.
Plus, Frank Turner (at last count 13 times but that might not be right), Ash (7 times), Feeder (6 times), Biffy Clyro (5 times) and Iron Maiden (4 times – including headlining Reading and playing Twickenham Stadium).
All this leads to the perhaps surprising news that the first gig I ever went to was?
Seventies Geordie folk rockers
Lindisfarne (Edinburgh Fringe August 1996 in case you were interested in the date). I saw them again in Sheffield in 1998.
Formed as Brethren in 1969, the band developed their sound and line up at a Whitley Bay folk club. Gaining a major record deal in 1970, the name change to Lindisfarne and their debut album under that banner followed soon after.
Thanks to a
novalty version by Paul Gascoigne released in 1990, to some Lindisfarne’s best known song is
‘Fog on the Tyne’, the title track from what became the UK’s biggest selling album in 1971.
After splitting for a few years in the mid 70s, Lindisfarne reconvened in 1977. Among the songs to appear from the album which followed was ‘Run For Home’, a top ten hit in the UK and the band’s first chart success in the US.
The song is inspired by life on the road as a touring musician and the feeling created by a home coming. Its signature lyrics are the important bit for a marathon runner:
“Run for home, run as fast, as I can, running man, running for home”.
What running “as fast, as I can” will look and feel like in the last few miles of a marathon remains to be seen.
Lindisfarne were a cracking live band, they’ve long since split again, this time for good. I like every song on this growing list, some more than others, this one being among my favourites.
Next up:
Lindisfarne ‘Run For Home’
When I started regularly going to gigs I decided to keep a list of every band I saw. This was especially useful for music festivals, as I might discover I’d seen one of the big draw main stage acts in one of the smaller tents a couple of years earlier.
A random selection from over a decade of live music includes:
U2 at Wembley Stadium – 1997 (supported by Richard Hawley’s old band the Long Pigs).
The Smashing Pumpkins last UK show before they split in 2000.
AC/DC at Milton Keynes Bowl – 2001
The first person I saw at a music festival was PJ Harvey at Reading in 2001.
Red Hot Chilly Peppers supported by James Brown at Hyde Park – 2004
Muse at the new Wembley and the Rolling Stones at the Isle of Wight Festival – 2007.
Plus, Frank Turner (at last count 13 times but that might not be right), Ash (7 times), Feeder (6 times), Biffy Clyro (5 times) and Iron Maiden (4 times – including headlining Reading and playing Twickenham Stadium).
All this leads to the perhaps surprising news that the first gig I ever went to was?
Seventies Geordie folk rockers
Lindisfarne (Edinburgh Fringe August 1996 in case you were interested in the date). I saw them again in Sheffield in 1998.
Formed as Brethren in 1969, the band developed their sound and line up at a Whitley Bay folk club. Gaining a major record deal in 1970, the name change to Lindisfarne and their debut album under that banner followed soon after.
Thanks to a
novalty version by Paul Gascoigne released in 1990, to some Lindisfarne’s best known song is
‘Fog on the Tyne’, the title track from what became the UK’s biggest selling album in 1971.
After splitting for a few years in the mid 70s, Lindisfarne reconvened in 1977. Among the songs to appear from the album which followed was ‘Run For Home’, a top ten hit in the UK and the band’s first chart success in the US.
The song is inspired by life on the road as a touring musician and the feeling created by a home coming. Its signature lyrics are the important bit for a marathon runner:
“Run for home, run as fast, as I can, running man, running for home”.
What running “as fast, as I can” will look and feel like in the last few miles of a marathon remains to be seen.
Lindisfarne were a cracking live band, they’ve long since split again, this time for good. I like every song on this growing list, some more than others, this one being among my favourites.
Sunday 13 February 2011
Wokingham Half Marathon
Forget the
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, right now it’s paranoia that gets me.
I wrote last week that I strained my left calf, the same one I tore this time last year. Following a physio trip, rest and much heat applied via a hot water bottle, the objective of this is to get the blood flowing and thus loosen the muscle up, I went for a test run on Thursday night.
With no target distance in mind, six miles soon became eight, and the leg in question felt pretty good. A steady eight miler is one thing, a competitive half marathon is another and, although I felt no reaction from the run on Thursday, I confess I was a little uneasy (or paranoid) that something could go wrong at Wokingham this morning. No evidence to back this up, but I was aware that a torn calf last year took at least a month to recover from, were this to be repeated it would be an enforced break I could ill afford. The next few weeks is crucial in terms of endurance building for the marathon, having sat out the planned eighteen miler last Sunday, I’m still to go past fifteen. The decision was taken to give Wokingham a go, but at the first sign of a concern I’d be pulling out.
Better safe than sorry of course, but sitting here now, having not only completed the race, but run quicker than either I or today’s guide Andrew expected, I’m wondering what the fuss was about.
If you’re looking to test how fast you can run a half marathon, Wokingham is the ideal place. Beginning on the outskirts of the Berkshire town, the route heads to the countryside for three miles, with a seven mile loop bringing runners back to retrace the first three on the way into the start finish point. The course is all road, which is closed to traffic. The ground is flat, the most inclines you experience are bridges crossing a major road.
The weather conditions today were pretty good for running. A bit of rain in the air which I didn’t really notice, but I imagine wasn’t much fun to stand in so it was great to see so many people marshalling and supporting. The wind was behind us at the start, and in our faces for the last couple of miles, something which is reflected in the mile splits which are below.
And the time?
1 hour 36.36.
My previous best was 1:44.19, but I don’t think you can compare like with like since that was two years ago and I’m a good deal faster now than then.
The target was to break 1:40, something which wasn’t too ambitious with protecting the calf in mind. At half way I was looking good for 1:37 as long as I held my form, it’s good to go even quicker.
The opening mile was deliberately the slowest, something I’m not known for doing. The thing which stands out from the set of splits below the most to me is, mile eleven was the second slowest and, in the past 7.40 would easily become 7.50 then 8 something. This time I was able to kick on again and increase the speed, the benefit of marathon training showing.
And, as always seem to happen, one particular song got stuck in my head as I was running. Luckily this time it was one I like,
‘Time Stand Still’ by Rush.
The race splits, for those that like stats, were:
1. 7.46
2. 6.54
3. 7.02
4. 7.10
5. 7.17
6. 7.24
7. 7.19
8. 7.33
9. 7.21
10. 7.30
11. 7.41
12. 7.25
13. 7.22
13.1. 0.52
I also have pace stats, I confess I’ve no idea how this is worked out, but they look pretty consistent so I’ll not ask questions.
1. 7.46
2.7.20
3. 7.14
4. 7.13
5. 7.14
6. 7.15
7. 7.16
8. 7.18
9. 7.18
10. 7.20
11. 7.22
12. 7.22
13. 7.22
13.1. 7.22
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, right now it’s paranoia that gets me.
I wrote last week that I strained my left calf, the same one I tore this time last year. Following a physio trip, rest and much heat applied via a hot water bottle, the objective of this is to get the blood flowing and thus loosen the muscle up, I went for a test run on Thursday night.
With no target distance in mind, six miles soon became eight, and the leg in question felt pretty good. A steady eight miler is one thing, a competitive half marathon is another and, although I felt no reaction from the run on Thursday, I confess I was a little uneasy (or paranoid) that something could go wrong at Wokingham this morning. No evidence to back this up, but I was aware that a torn calf last year took at least a month to recover from, were this to be repeated it would be an enforced break I could ill afford. The next few weeks is crucial in terms of endurance building for the marathon, having sat out the planned eighteen miler last Sunday, I’m still to go past fifteen. The decision was taken to give Wokingham a go, but at the first sign of a concern I’d be pulling out.
Better safe than sorry of course, but sitting here now, having not only completed the race, but run quicker than either I or today’s guide Andrew expected, I’m wondering what the fuss was about.
If you’re looking to test how fast you can run a half marathon, Wokingham is the ideal place. Beginning on the outskirts of the Berkshire town, the route heads to the countryside for three miles, with a seven mile loop bringing runners back to retrace the first three on the way into the start finish point. The course is all road, which is closed to traffic. The ground is flat, the most inclines you experience are bridges crossing a major road.
The weather conditions today were pretty good for running. A bit of rain in the air which I didn’t really notice, but I imagine wasn’t much fun to stand in so it was great to see so many people marshalling and supporting. The wind was behind us at the start, and in our faces for the last couple of miles, something which is reflected in the mile splits which are below.
And the time?
1 hour 36.36.
My previous best was 1:44.19, but I don’t think you can compare like with like since that was two years ago and I’m a good deal faster now than then.
The target was to break 1:40, something which wasn’t too ambitious with protecting the calf in mind. At half way I was looking good for 1:37 as long as I held my form, it’s good to go even quicker.
The opening mile was deliberately the slowest, something I’m not known for doing. The thing which stands out from the set of splits below the most to me is, mile eleven was the second slowest and, in the past 7.40 would easily become 7.50 then 8 something. This time I was able to kick on again and increase the speed, the benefit of marathon training showing.
And, as always seem to happen, one particular song got stuck in my head as I was running. Luckily this time it was one I like,
‘Time Stand Still’ by Rush.
The race splits, for those that like stats, were:
1. 7.46
2. 6.54
3. 7.02
4. 7.10
5. 7.17
6. 7.24
7. 7.19
8. 7.33
9. 7.21
10. 7.30
11. 7.41
12. 7.25
13. 7.22
13.1. 0.52
I also have pace stats, I confess I’ve no idea how this is worked out, but they look pretty consistent so I’ll not ask questions.
1. 7.46
2.7.20
3. 7.14
4. 7.13
5. 7.14
6. 7.15
7. 7.16
8. 7.18
9. 7.18
10. 7.20
11. 7.22
12. 7.22
13. 7.22
13.1. 7.22
Saturday 12 February 2011
My Thoughts on the Olympic Stadium Debate
The big talking point this week has surrounded the future of the Olympic Stadium and, for what it's worth, this is my take on it.
So we now know that
West Ham are to be the long term tenants of the Olympic Stadium post 2012, subject to the Olympic Park Legacy Company recommendations being approved by Boris and government ministers (it’s unlikely they’ll go against this).
The Hammers bid to move from Upton Park to Stratford is based on retaining the running track, something which Spurs weren’t intending to do. Tottenham, whilst knocking down the current stadium and building their own, were offering to pay for the redevelopment of Crystal Palace, thus creating a smaller, purpose built athletics facility.
It would seem that the lure of keeping the track in East London and in doing so, sticking to the pledge made to the IOC when London won the right to stage the games back in 2005, was too much. As
BBC Sports Editor David Bond puts it, “dismantling the iconic stadium at the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and replacing it with a football ground, while compelling financially, was against the spirit of London's bid”.
To me this implys, Tottenham’s bid makes more financial sense, but because we said we’d do something, we can’t now change the plan, even if potentially for the better.
As a sports fan, and someone that reached an international level in athletics (Commonwealth Games, Manchester 2002) I’m not convinced this decision is the best thing for track and field. My views would appear to be along the same lines as Darren Campbell, judging by
this article from the Evening Standard.
Campbell poses the question, how much will athletics get to use this, all singing, all dancing multi-sport stadium? I remember in my Leeds City days, we would train at South Leeds Stadium. The facilities, which were excellent by the way, were shared by Hunslet Hawks rugby league club, who would play home matches on a Sunday afternoon, restricting athletes access on these days. A bit of forward planning, with the assistance of the National League fixture list meant the two clubs could share reasonably happily, but it would only take a good run in the Challenge Cup and an unexpected match might appear. Also, Sky Sports show a small number of National League 1 matches, Thursday nights are the times these games are screened. Thursdays is a key training night for many athletics clubs, and Sky can often make their choice of TV match with fairly short notice. I’ve not been at Leeds since 2004, so have no idea if this has ever caused a problem, but given that there is potential for this to be the case, and considerably more likely for a football club such as West Ham, regardless of what league they’re playing in at the time, something will have to give. You can bet your life an East London schools athletics competition won’t win the day over football being rescheduled for TV.
Tottenham argue that keeping the running track would have a negative impact on the atmosphere at football matches. Something which is backed up by Brighton fans being desperate to move out of the athletics ground which has been their home for over a decade, and if the Rotherham supporter who’s letter appeared in the Guardian at the end of last week is anything to go by, they’re none too thrilled with life at Don Valley either. It’s also worth pointing out that the trend across Europe appears to be, rip up the running track, or move to somewhere that doesn’t have one.
So what of this, inspirational legacy we hear so much about?
Those in favour of keeping the track argue that kids would be motivated to train hard, knowing that one day they might compete in the same place as Usain Bolt, Jess Ennis or Mo Farah achieved whatever they might next year. People take inspiration from all kinds of places and so it’s not unlikely that someone, somewhere, would think this. However, in my experience of training in a group of emerging athletes, our Leeds City sprint group included many either on the fringes or with the ability to reach international level, it was the Olympics, World Championships or Commonwealth Games itself that was the carrot. Sure we didn’t have an Olympic Stadium down in that there London to look towards, but had there been, I’d have been disappointed in our coach (one of the finest I ever worked with) if he’d used that as a motivator.
I accept footballers dream of Wembley, tennis players Wimbledon, rugby players Twickenham, cricketers Lords, but to reach the top level at any of those sports means you will inevitably do your thing at one of those stadiums. To reach the very top of track and field means a once in a four year opportunity in a different country from the previous time.
I’m not sure we’d be deprived of a major tourist attraction if the Olympic Stadium became just a football ground either. Were I to visit Barcelona, Sidney or Beijing, I don’t think I’d be rushing to see where the Olympics were staged, despite the efforts of Linford Christie, Cathy Freeman or Usain Bolt. Berlin on the other hand, everyone should go there, but I have my doubts if 2012 will see a sporting and historical occasion quite like Jesse Owens. While you’re there, you can wonder what the atmosphere is like for Hertha Berlin matches, playing this season below the Bundesliga. Although West Ham aren’t likely to move into their new home until 2014, their current league form suggest relegation to the Championship is a strong possibility, and you only need to ask fans of Leeds, Norwich, Derby, Southampton, Charlton and Middlesbrough that once you’re down, it’s very difficult to get back up again.
I actually don’t really care if West Ham fans get lumbered with a stadium they can’t fill and that generates a poor atmosphere. Equally, I’m not fussed how Spurs resolve the issue they have with White Heart Lane not being big enough to match their current ambitions. I simply remain to be convinced that, despite the feeling of victory amongst the athletics community, that this option will lead to greater success on the track, whether Hammers fans get used to peering over it or not.
So we now know that
West Ham are to be the long term tenants of the Olympic Stadium post 2012, subject to the Olympic Park Legacy Company recommendations being approved by Boris and government ministers (it’s unlikely they’ll go against this).
The Hammers bid to move from Upton Park to Stratford is based on retaining the running track, something which Spurs weren’t intending to do. Tottenham, whilst knocking down the current stadium and building their own, were offering to pay for the redevelopment of Crystal Palace, thus creating a smaller, purpose built athletics facility.
It would seem that the lure of keeping the track in East London and in doing so, sticking to the pledge made to the IOC when London won the right to stage the games back in 2005, was too much. As
BBC Sports Editor David Bond puts it, “dismantling the iconic stadium at the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and replacing it with a football ground, while compelling financially, was against the spirit of London's bid”.
To me this implys, Tottenham’s bid makes more financial sense, but because we said we’d do something, we can’t now change the plan, even if potentially for the better.
As a sports fan, and someone that reached an international level in athletics (Commonwealth Games, Manchester 2002) I’m not convinced this decision is the best thing for track and field. My views would appear to be along the same lines as Darren Campbell, judging by
this article from the Evening Standard.
Campbell poses the question, how much will athletics get to use this, all singing, all dancing multi-sport stadium? I remember in my Leeds City days, we would train at South Leeds Stadium. The facilities, which were excellent by the way, were shared by Hunslet Hawks rugby league club, who would play home matches on a Sunday afternoon, restricting athletes access on these days. A bit of forward planning, with the assistance of the National League fixture list meant the two clubs could share reasonably happily, but it would only take a good run in the Challenge Cup and an unexpected match might appear. Also, Sky Sports show a small number of National League 1 matches, Thursday nights are the times these games are screened. Thursdays is a key training night for many athletics clubs, and Sky can often make their choice of TV match with fairly short notice. I’ve not been at Leeds since 2004, so have no idea if this has ever caused a problem, but given that there is potential for this to be the case, and considerably more likely for a football club such as West Ham, regardless of what league they’re playing in at the time, something will have to give. You can bet your life an East London schools athletics competition won’t win the day over football being rescheduled for TV.
Tottenham argue that keeping the running track would have a negative impact on the atmosphere at football matches. Something which is backed up by Brighton fans being desperate to move out of the athletics ground which has been their home for over a decade, and if the Rotherham supporter who’s letter appeared in the Guardian at the end of last week is anything to go by, they’re none too thrilled with life at Don Valley either. It’s also worth pointing out that the trend across Europe appears to be, rip up the running track, or move to somewhere that doesn’t have one.
So what of this, inspirational legacy we hear so much about?
Those in favour of keeping the track argue that kids would be motivated to train hard, knowing that one day they might compete in the same place as Usain Bolt, Jess Ennis or Mo Farah achieved whatever they might next year. People take inspiration from all kinds of places and so it’s not unlikely that someone, somewhere, would think this. However, in my experience of training in a group of emerging athletes, our Leeds City sprint group included many either on the fringes or with the ability to reach international level, it was the Olympics, World Championships or Commonwealth Games itself that was the carrot. Sure we didn’t have an Olympic Stadium down in that there London to look towards, but had there been, I’d have been disappointed in our coach (one of the finest I ever worked with) if he’d used that as a motivator.
I accept footballers dream of Wembley, tennis players Wimbledon, rugby players Twickenham, cricketers Lords, but to reach the top level at any of those sports means you will inevitably do your thing at one of those stadiums. To reach the very top of track and field means a once in a four year opportunity in a different country from the previous time.
I’m not sure we’d be deprived of a major tourist attraction if the Olympic Stadium became just a football ground either. Were I to visit Barcelona, Sidney or Beijing, I don’t think I’d be rushing to see where the Olympics were staged, despite the efforts of Linford Christie, Cathy Freeman or Usain Bolt. Berlin on the other hand, everyone should go there, but I have my doubts if 2012 will see a sporting and historical occasion quite like Jesse Owens. While you’re there, you can wonder what the atmosphere is like for Hertha Berlin matches, playing this season below the Bundesliga. Although West Ham aren’t likely to move into their new home until 2014, their current league form suggest relegation to the Championship is a strong possibility, and you only need to ask fans of Leeds, Norwich, Derby, Southampton, Charlton and Middlesbrough that once you’re down, it’s very difficult to get back up again.
I actually don’t really care if West Ham fans get lumbered with a stadium they can’t fill and that generates a poor atmosphere. Equally, I’m not fussed how Spurs resolve the issue they have with White Heart Lane not being big enough to match their current ambitions. I simply remain to be convinced that, despite the feeling of victory amongst the athletics community, that this option will lead to greater success on the track, whether Hammers fans get used to peering over it or not.
Thursday 10 February 2011
Running Music: All American Rejects 'Move Along'
See the list so far here.
Next up:
All American Rejects ‘Move Along’
This is one of those more tenuous choices, included thanks to a combination of lyrics, personal memories and, the deciding factor, because I like it.
I’ve never been one for analysing lyrics, not least because I’m not very good at it. To me, this song appears to be a person speaking to someone that is having a hard time, giving them the “stick at it” speech and offering to be there in the moment of need.
“So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold
Speak to me”
The part of ‘Move Along’ which stood out to me, and which I’m relating to marathon running, is the chorus. So when the person in the song is telling their friend to keep at it, to me their saying “you might be ready to quit, your legs might feel like their on fire, but you can do this, you really can”.
“When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through”
I warned you it was tenuous.
The memory relates to the bike challenge I did in 2006, six days from London to Berlin as a fundraiser for Scope, arriving for the opening weekend of the World Cup.
I burnt a load of songs onto a couple of CDs, and this one from All American Rejects was my favourite at the time.
About forty of us met at
Wembley Stadium, or the building site that it was then, early one Sunday morning. We spent the next couple of days getting to Harwich for our ferry crossing. The next four days saw us travelling through Northern Germany, where it struck us how little signs there were that one of the biggest sporting events in the world was about to start. In England flags were everywhere, giving the impression that the competition was in the UK, and we were cycling to Berlin to get away from it. The first football image to be discovered was in Hamburg. One of our party went for a walk and discovered our hostel was on the edge of the red light district, what a careless mistake to make. On one window a person kicking a ball had been drawn.
Day four was a one hundred miler, something I’d done before so wasn’t too concerned about. Many on the trip hadn’t and, with the exception of the Irish bloke that never seemed far from a beer (stereotype ahoy), there was lots of good behaviour on show.
Not unreasonably, the three digits on the milometer was a cause for much celebration for those for whom this was a first time, and of course it would have been rude for the rest of us not to show our support and share in their feeling of achievement.
So for the rest of the distance the trip took on the appearance of a stag week on wheels. Once in Berlin and in free time mode, many of us were up for forty eight hours straight, longer if you include the full day on a coach back to London. The story of that weekend can wait for another day though.
‘Move Along’ is the title track from the All American Rejects second album, released in July 2005. The single didn’t come out until 2006 however.
The song didn’t make the top forty in the UK, but has to date sold over one million downloads in the US.
It has been used in US TV advertising campaigns for coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games, and, more excitingly, Lego!
Next up:
All American Rejects ‘Move Along’
This is one of those more tenuous choices, included thanks to a combination of lyrics, personal memories and, the deciding factor, because I like it.
I’ve never been one for analysing lyrics, not least because I’m not very good at it. To me, this song appears to be a person speaking to someone that is having a hard time, giving them the “stick at it” speech and offering to be there in the moment of need.
“So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold
Speak to me”
The part of ‘Move Along’ which stood out to me, and which I’m relating to marathon running, is the chorus. So when the person in the song is telling their friend to keep at it, to me their saying “you might be ready to quit, your legs might feel like their on fire, but you can do this, you really can”.
“When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through”
I warned you it was tenuous.
The memory relates to the bike challenge I did in 2006, six days from London to Berlin as a fundraiser for Scope, arriving for the opening weekend of the World Cup.
I burnt a load of songs onto a couple of CDs, and this one from All American Rejects was my favourite at the time.
About forty of us met at
Wembley Stadium, or the building site that it was then, early one Sunday morning. We spent the next couple of days getting to Harwich for our ferry crossing. The next four days saw us travelling through Northern Germany, where it struck us how little signs there were that one of the biggest sporting events in the world was about to start. In England flags were everywhere, giving the impression that the competition was in the UK, and we were cycling to Berlin to get away from it. The first football image to be discovered was in Hamburg. One of our party went for a walk and discovered our hostel was on the edge of the red light district, what a careless mistake to make. On one window a person kicking a ball had been drawn.
Day four was a one hundred miler, something I’d done before so wasn’t too concerned about. Many on the trip hadn’t and, with the exception of the Irish bloke that never seemed far from a beer (stereotype ahoy), there was lots of good behaviour on show.
Not unreasonably, the three digits on the milometer was a cause for much celebration for those for whom this was a first time, and of course it would have been rude for the rest of us not to show our support and share in their feeling of achievement.
So for the rest of the distance the trip took on the appearance of a stag week on wheels. Once in Berlin and in free time mode, many of us were up for forty eight hours straight, longer if you include the full day on a coach back to London. The story of that weekend can wait for another day though.
‘Move Along’ is the title track from the All American Rejects second album, released in July 2005. The single didn’t come out until 2006 however.
The song didn’t make the top forty in the UK, but has to date sold over one million downloads in the US.
It has been used in US TV advertising campaigns for coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games, and, more excitingly, Lego!
Monday 7 February 2011
Football, Physio and Fancy-Dress
I know this is my third post in as many days, but I read something this afternoon which I felt needed to be shared.
In an earlier entry I wrote about fancy-dress. Someone had asked me if I were going running the marathon in a costume, a suggestion that was quickly cast aside.
I did however point out that, were I to go as something, then it would need to be one half of a pair since I’m attached to someone else. Salt and Pepper pots, Chuckle Brothers and the like, that sort of thing. I certainly didn’t consider this as an idea:
A product engineer from Wiltshire is going to be running his first London Marathon dressed as a pair of testicles to raise awareness of male cancer.
Stuart March, from Calne, is hoping to raise some £2,000 for the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign (MCAC).
He got the idea after seeing someone else run as the charity mascot in the Brighton Marathon last year.
Apparently Mr Testicles has taken part in four marathons - New York, Chicago, LA as well as Brighton - but like Stuart, this will be his first London outing.
See the story I read on the
Press Association website, it's well worth a look.
Calf update: as I expected it’s tight, not torn. The left leg, along with lots of other bits of me, were given a fair old battering tonight. These physios don’t hold back!
Wokingham decision to be made on Thursday.
And, not only will April be my first marathon, but my first trip to Wembley for football, following Brentford’s victory over Exeter in the Johnston’s Paint Trophy tonight. It’s fair to say, there have been times this year when a blog post featuring the subjects of Brentford and bollocks wouldn’t have been a happy coincidence (Yeovil and Dagenham, ahem).
It might not be the glamourous end of football, but I guarantee you’ll see more entertainment on April 3rd than when England play there.
In an earlier entry I wrote about fancy-dress. Someone had asked me if I were going running the marathon in a costume, a suggestion that was quickly cast aside.
I did however point out that, were I to go as something, then it would need to be one half of a pair since I’m attached to someone else. Salt and Pepper pots, Chuckle Brothers and the like, that sort of thing. I certainly didn’t consider this as an idea:
A product engineer from Wiltshire is going to be running his first London Marathon dressed as a pair of testicles to raise awareness of male cancer.
Stuart March, from Calne, is hoping to raise some £2,000 for the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign (MCAC).
He got the idea after seeing someone else run as the charity mascot in the Brighton Marathon last year.
Apparently Mr Testicles has taken part in four marathons - New York, Chicago, LA as well as Brighton - but like Stuart, this will be his first London outing.
See the story I read on the
Press Association website, it's well worth a look.
Calf update: as I expected it’s tight, not torn. The left leg, along with lots of other bits of me, were given a fair old battering tonight. These physios don’t hold back!
Wokingham decision to be made on Thursday.
And, not only will April be my first marathon, but my first trip to Wembley for football, following Brentford’s victory over Exeter in the Johnston’s Paint Trophy tonight. It’s fair to say, there have been times this year when a blog post featuring the subjects of Brentford and bollocks wouldn’t have been a happy coincidence (Yeovil and Dagenham, ahem).
It might not be the glamourous end of football, but I guarantee you’ll see more entertainment on April 3rd than when England play there.
Sunday 6 February 2011
The Marathon Route: North of the River
Last week I wrote about the London Marathon route
south of the river. This post continues the course for the second half of the race.
Once runners have crossed the Thames from south to north via Tower Bridge, they turn right, heading towards a circuit of the Docklands. Sadly I haven’t nearly enough time to go into all the stories connected to this area of London, let’s just say it’s one of the most intriguing parts of the Capital.
First up is The Highway, formerly the Ratcliff Highway, which takes runners into Wapping. Historically this road is known for two high profile murders in December 1811. First a young linen draper and his family were killed in their own home. Then, less than two weeks later, the landlord of the Kings Arms on what is now Garnet Street, along with his wife and a servant, were murdered in the pub.
What shocked people the most was that both attacks happened after the buildings had been locked and shuttered for the night, suggesting whoever carried them out had been hiding inside the properties.
A lodger at the nearby Pear Tree pub in Wapping became the principal suspect for the first murder. John Williams hung himself in prison while awaiting trial. The Kings Arms attack remained unsolved.
The Ratcliff Highway Murders became a subject for national fascination thanks to the burgeoning newspaper industry, ironic then that the area would become infamous for the somewhat messy move by News International from Fleet Street to their new Wapping printing plant in 1986, with the Highway being a focal point for protestors to meet. 6000 members of the National Union of Journalists went on strike, protesting against the relocation and the threat to their jobs News Internationals plans posed.
The marathon continues into Limehouse, once the location of Chinatown, populated by people working in the shipping trade who came to London on boats carrying opium and tea. After the area was devastated during World War 2, many from the Chinese community moved to Soho.
Those that have run the London Marathon over a number of years tell me that this part of the route has improved enormously. A decade ago this section of the course was like a ghost town compared to the vibrant atmosphere south of the river or in the last few miles in Central London. With the regeneration of the docklands comes an increase in the amount of residencial properties on this part of the course, meaning there is little let up in the numbers out to support the runners.
The route through the Isle of Dogs takes the marathon through Mudchute, which takes it’s name, predictably enough, from being the location for the dumping of mud and silt dredged to create Millwall Docks in the 1860s. The fertile nature of the land led to it becoming a wildlife park and adventure sports spot. A sailing and water sports centre is based at Millwall dock and one of London’s
inner city farms can be found here.
If you want the definition of successful Docklands regeneration, you only need to take a look at the
My Canary Warf website. After there, the tour of this part of London ends with Poplar, before the route of the Marathon heads back toward Tower Bridge and the City along Commercial Road. Having worked in Whitechapel for nearly two years, this section of the course is familiar ground to me. Were you to take a right at Aldgate East tube onto Whitechapel High Street, you’d soon come to my favourite pub in these parts called The White Heart. A little rough round the edges perhaps, but the food is good and people watchers can observe a varied mix of clientele, with city workers mixing with students from London Met, traditional cockney folk and scene types that have strayed from, or are on their way to nearby Shoreditch. The alley way next to the White Heart is part of the
Jack the Ripper walk, and a short distance further on, past the Whitechapel Art Gallery is a left turn taking you to Brick Lane where another collide of cultures can be found, those come for a vibrant music and art scene mingling with the large Bangladeshi community that has made Brick Lane the curry capital of London.
Given that by now we’re a good distance into the race, the thought of what delights lay to my right is not what I’ll need, so getting back on track, runners continue back to Tower Bridge, passing under it to follow the river along Lower and Upper Thames Street, with the City of London on the right.
Many an ancient tradition is retained in the square mile, my favourite being Beating the Bounds, which still takes place at All Hallows in the City of London on Ascension Day.
Beating the Bounds is an ancient custom still observed in many English parishes. Its roots go back to mediaeval times when parishes reaffirmed the edge of their land by walking round them during Rogation Week, stopping to beat each boundary mark with sticks, praying for protection and blessings for the land. Rogation Day, for those who didn’t pay attention during R.E class, ahem, was traditionally a period of four days of Solemn procession to invoke God’s mercy, and is the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension Day.
The All Hallows' Beating Party is made up of students from St Dunstan's College Catford, who return to their roots in the parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East to take an active part in the ceremony. The south boundary of the parish is mid-stream of the Thames and the Beating Party, together with the clergy and the Masters of the Livery Companies associated with the parish, board a boat which takes them out onto the river where one of the students beats that boundary mark.
Excitingly, every third year the ceremony includes a 'confrontation' with the Resident Governor and Yeomen Warders of HM Tower of London at the boundary mark shared by the Tower and the Church. During the middle ages the divide was always in dispute, and this meeting commemorates a rather feisty occasion in 1698 when a riot took place between the people of the Tower and those of the parish.
I include this story since the Beating the Bounds tradition also exists in South West London, where every summer members of the Stragglers complete a full circuit of Bushy Park (about seven miles), marking their territory by stopping for a pint at seven pubs along the route - the church would be so proud!
The final part of the London Marathon takes in the Embankment, past Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, onto Birdcage Walk and The Mall, finishing in front of St James’ Palace. By this point, I imagine most runners couldn’t give a stuff about the history of the place, they just want to cross the finish line and find a pub. Although not on the marathon route itself, my personal recommendation would be the
Porterhouse in Covent Garden. The tired brain might find the vast choice of foreign beers on offer a little too much to handle though.
south of the river. This post continues the course for the second half of the race.
Once runners have crossed the Thames from south to north via Tower Bridge, they turn right, heading towards a circuit of the Docklands. Sadly I haven’t nearly enough time to go into all the stories connected to this area of London, let’s just say it’s one of the most intriguing parts of the Capital.
First up is The Highway, formerly the Ratcliff Highway, which takes runners into Wapping. Historically this road is known for two high profile murders in December 1811. First a young linen draper and his family were killed in their own home. Then, less than two weeks later, the landlord of the Kings Arms on what is now Garnet Street, along with his wife and a servant, were murdered in the pub.
What shocked people the most was that both attacks happened after the buildings had been locked and shuttered for the night, suggesting whoever carried them out had been hiding inside the properties.
A lodger at the nearby Pear Tree pub in Wapping became the principal suspect for the first murder. John Williams hung himself in prison while awaiting trial. The Kings Arms attack remained unsolved.
The Ratcliff Highway Murders became a subject for national fascination thanks to the burgeoning newspaper industry, ironic then that the area would become infamous for the somewhat messy move by News International from Fleet Street to their new Wapping printing plant in 1986, with the Highway being a focal point for protestors to meet. 6000 members of the National Union of Journalists went on strike, protesting against the relocation and the threat to their jobs News Internationals plans posed.
The marathon continues into Limehouse, once the location of Chinatown, populated by people working in the shipping trade who came to London on boats carrying opium and tea. After the area was devastated during World War 2, many from the Chinese community moved to Soho.
Those that have run the London Marathon over a number of years tell me that this part of the route has improved enormously. A decade ago this section of the course was like a ghost town compared to the vibrant atmosphere south of the river or in the last few miles in Central London. With the regeneration of the docklands comes an increase in the amount of residencial properties on this part of the course, meaning there is little let up in the numbers out to support the runners.
The route through the Isle of Dogs takes the marathon through Mudchute, which takes it’s name, predictably enough, from being the location for the dumping of mud and silt dredged to create Millwall Docks in the 1860s. The fertile nature of the land led to it becoming a wildlife park and adventure sports spot. A sailing and water sports centre is based at Millwall dock and one of London’s
inner city farms can be found here.
If you want the definition of successful Docklands regeneration, you only need to take a look at the
My Canary Warf website. After there, the tour of this part of London ends with Poplar, before the route of the Marathon heads back toward Tower Bridge and the City along Commercial Road. Having worked in Whitechapel for nearly two years, this section of the course is familiar ground to me. Were you to take a right at Aldgate East tube onto Whitechapel High Street, you’d soon come to my favourite pub in these parts called The White Heart. A little rough round the edges perhaps, but the food is good and people watchers can observe a varied mix of clientele, with city workers mixing with students from London Met, traditional cockney folk and scene types that have strayed from, or are on their way to nearby Shoreditch. The alley way next to the White Heart is part of the
Jack the Ripper walk, and a short distance further on, past the Whitechapel Art Gallery is a left turn taking you to Brick Lane where another collide of cultures can be found, those come for a vibrant music and art scene mingling with the large Bangladeshi community that has made Brick Lane the curry capital of London.
Given that by now we’re a good distance into the race, the thought of what delights lay to my right is not what I’ll need, so getting back on track, runners continue back to Tower Bridge, passing under it to follow the river along Lower and Upper Thames Street, with the City of London on the right.
Many an ancient tradition is retained in the square mile, my favourite being Beating the Bounds, which still takes place at All Hallows in the City of London on Ascension Day.
Beating the Bounds is an ancient custom still observed in many English parishes. Its roots go back to mediaeval times when parishes reaffirmed the edge of their land by walking round them during Rogation Week, stopping to beat each boundary mark with sticks, praying for protection and blessings for the land. Rogation Day, for those who didn’t pay attention during R.E class, ahem, was traditionally a period of four days of Solemn procession to invoke God’s mercy, and is the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension Day.
The All Hallows' Beating Party is made up of students from St Dunstan's College Catford, who return to their roots in the parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East to take an active part in the ceremony. The south boundary of the parish is mid-stream of the Thames and the Beating Party, together with the clergy and the Masters of the Livery Companies associated with the parish, board a boat which takes them out onto the river where one of the students beats that boundary mark.
Excitingly, every third year the ceremony includes a 'confrontation' with the Resident Governor and Yeomen Warders of HM Tower of London at the boundary mark shared by the Tower and the Church. During the middle ages the divide was always in dispute, and this meeting commemorates a rather feisty occasion in 1698 when a riot took place between the people of the Tower and those of the parish.
I include this story since the Beating the Bounds tradition also exists in South West London, where every summer members of the Stragglers complete a full circuit of Bushy Park (about seven miles), marking their territory by stopping for a pint at seven pubs along the route - the church would be so proud!
The final part of the London Marathon takes in the Embankment, past Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, onto Birdcage Walk and The Mall, finishing in front of St James’ Palace. By this point, I imagine most runners couldn’t give a stuff about the history of the place, they just want to cross the finish line and find a pub. Although not on the marathon route itself, my personal recommendation would be the
Porterhouse in Covent Garden. The tired brain might find the vast choice of foreign beers on offer a little too much to handle though.
Saturday 5 February 2011
Bother! Said Pooh
I’ve been told one of the biggest challenges of marathon training is getting to the start line in one piece. A stat one of my running partners gave me the other week was that I can expect to cover 400 miles between then (end of January) and race day on April 17. So I guess niggles along the way are inevitable. That said, they’re still frustrating when they appear.
Having fended off the issues I was having at the top of my left leg and left hip before Christmas, focus has moved down the leg to a sore calf. I tore the same muscle about a year ago, and this morning, being a bit paranoid with the bigger picture in mind, I aborted a Parkrun at the 4K mark being aware of discomfort at the back of my lower left leg. It took about a month to recover from the tare and, although it wouldn’t be an absolute disaster at this stage, it’s a lay off I could do without.
I confess I can be a bit of a careless runner, and by my usual standards I think I’ve been very well behaved these past couple of months.
Things like not running in shorts when the temperature is minus something. I’ve done the most stretching since I got my marathon place since the days of explosive track work ten years ago. I bought new trainers around New Year, giving myself plenty of time to wear them in, doing so as I was increasing the miles by only about five per week. Then there’s one of my favourite tricks, the hot water bottle treatment. Rather than sitting in a hot bath to relax tired limbs, I hate baths, I’ll rest a hot water bottle on the part of the body that’s feeling stiff and the same effect is achieved.
Given that this is the most amount of running I’ve done in terms of miles per week, ever, I think I’d have done extremely well not to have broken at all before April, and in the grand scheme of things, this niggle isn’t a worry.
I’m due to run Wokingham Half Marathon next Sunday, and given how my training has been going, am looking good for a decent performance. If, and it remains if, I don’t make it, it won’t be the end of the world, we’ll see how the leg is as the week goes on. That's the pragmatic line of course, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about next Sunday and it would also be untrue if I said were I to miss it that I wasn't disappointed given my current form.
Of more immediate concern is tomorrow. I won’t be going for the eighteen miler that was planned. Not getting up for a bit of an epic will seem odd, what do non runners do with their Sundays?
Looking at an online TV guide if they’ve got any sense it won’t be spent in front of the box. Aside from the perfectly reasonable option of ‘Goals on Sunday’ (Sky Sports), choices appear to include two and a half hours of ‘Hollyoaks’ (Channel 4), I’ve not watched that since
Finn sailed off into the sunset on a barge with Cat Deeley, or the uninspiring combination offered by ITV of ‘May the Best House Win’ which sounds rubbish, followed by something called ‘The Biggest Loser’ which I expect is even worse.
Given that I shan't be posting my weekly miles, Tuesday was another five, a good intervals session once again. Thursday was the standard ten mile lap of Richmond Park, and, like this morning, a very windy place it was too. To close on a Pooh Bear reference (like the title of this post), it certainly wasn't the time to be going to wish your friend Owl a "very happy Thursday" because, as you'll know if you're familiar with the Pooh books (if not, why not?) it was on just such a blustery Thursday that Owl's house blew down.
Having fended off the issues I was having at the top of my left leg and left hip before Christmas, focus has moved down the leg to a sore calf. I tore the same muscle about a year ago, and this morning, being a bit paranoid with the bigger picture in mind, I aborted a Parkrun at the 4K mark being aware of discomfort at the back of my lower left leg. It took about a month to recover from the tare and, although it wouldn’t be an absolute disaster at this stage, it’s a lay off I could do without.
I confess I can be a bit of a careless runner, and by my usual standards I think I’ve been very well behaved these past couple of months.
Things like not running in shorts when the temperature is minus something. I’ve done the most stretching since I got my marathon place since the days of explosive track work ten years ago. I bought new trainers around New Year, giving myself plenty of time to wear them in, doing so as I was increasing the miles by only about five per week. Then there’s one of my favourite tricks, the hot water bottle treatment. Rather than sitting in a hot bath to relax tired limbs, I hate baths, I’ll rest a hot water bottle on the part of the body that’s feeling stiff and the same effect is achieved.
Given that this is the most amount of running I’ve done in terms of miles per week, ever, I think I’d have done extremely well not to have broken at all before April, and in the grand scheme of things, this niggle isn’t a worry.
I’m due to run Wokingham Half Marathon next Sunday, and given how my training has been going, am looking good for a decent performance. If, and it remains if, I don’t make it, it won’t be the end of the world, we’ll see how the leg is as the week goes on. That's the pragmatic line of course, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about next Sunday and it would also be untrue if I said were I to miss it that I wasn't disappointed given my current form.
Of more immediate concern is tomorrow. I won’t be going for the eighteen miler that was planned. Not getting up for a bit of an epic will seem odd, what do non runners do with their Sundays?
Looking at an online TV guide if they’ve got any sense it won’t be spent in front of the box. Aside from the perfectly reasonable option of ‘Goals on Sunday’ (Sky Sports), choices appear to include two and a half hours of ‘Hollyoaks’ (Channel 4), I’ve not watched that since
Finn sailed off into the sunset on a barge with Cat Deeley, or the uninspiring combination offered by ITV of ‘May the Best House Win’ which sounds rubbish, followed by something called ‘The Biggest Loser’ which I expect is even worse.
Given that I shan't be posting my weekly miles, Tuesday was another five, a good intervals session once again. Thursday was the standard ten mile lap of Richmond Park, and, like this morning, a very windy place it was too. To close on a Pooh Bear reference (like the title of this post), it certainly wasn't the time to be going to wish your friend Owl a "very happy Thursday" because, as you'll know if you're familiar with the Pooh books (if not, why not?) it was on just such a blustery Thursday that Owl's house blew down.
Thursday 3 February 2011
Running Music: Spencer Davis Group 'Keep On Running'
See the list so far here.
Next up:
Spencer Davis Group ‘Keep On Running’
Yes, I accept this is the most obvious song I could pick, but if I thought it was rubbish then I’d have left it out.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard this at running events, as well as other sports. The guy on the PA at Brentford does like a sixties classic or two. I’ll be surprised if I don’t hear it on April 17 while running the streets of London.
This song always reminds me of the
Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. I expect I did know it before then, but this is the first time it stuck in my head, massively helped by the somewhat limited musical choices on offer.
I know the organisers of
London 2012 will have rather bigger issues to resolve at the moment, but I hope someone is being delegated to bring a slightly bigger record collection than just five songs.
All we heard throughout the Athletics competition at the City of Manchester Stadium were:
Tina Turner ‘Simply the Best’
Queen ‘We Are the Champions’
Monty Python ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’
One other which escapes my memory at the moment, and the Spencer Davis Group. Not a Manc classic from
The Smiths or Stone Roses to be heard anywhere.
These five songs would be played throughout the evening session of the athletics, and is one of my abiding memories of that week. Another being the rather odd, lucky seat competition which I only heard from the warm up track, never actually saw it in action.
Jon Ridgeon would ask the crowd to stand up. Then, everyone except those in one stand were told to sit down. Next, everyone apart from one row were asked to be seated. Lastly, a seat number was called out and, hopefully, one lucky prize winner would be the last person standing.
Since this would happen before the first race, I always thought this was asking for the chosen seat to be without its occupant and something of an anti-climax. Even if the winners were selected from people that had entered the stadium, there’s every chance they’d be in the queue for a beer, burger or the bog before settling in for their evening’s entertainment.
The Spencer Davis Group are as well known for being the launch pad for the career of Steve Winwood as any other aspect of their CV.
‘Keep On Running’ reached number 1 in the UK in 1966, and is a cover of the
reggae track by Jackie Edwards. (Note, I found two versions by Jackie Edwards on Youtube)
Next up:
Spencer Davis Group ‘Keep On Running’
Yes, I accept this is the most obvious song I could pick, but if I thought it was rubbish then I’d have left it out.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard this at running events, as well as other sports. The guy on the PA at Brentford does like a sixties classic or two. I’ll be surprised if I don’t hear it on April 17 while running the streets of London.
This song always reminds me of the
Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. I expect I did know it before then, but this is the first time it stuck in my head, massively helped by the somewhat limited musical choices on offer.
I know the organisers of
London 2012 will have rather bigger issues to resolve at the moment, but I hope someone is being delegated to bring a slightly bigger record collection than just five songs.
All we heard throughout the Athletics competition at the City of Manchester Stadium were:
Tina Turner ‘Simply the Best’
Queen ‘We Are the Champions’
Monty Python ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’
One other which escapes my memory at the moment, and the Spencer Davis Group. Not a Manc classic from
The Smiths or Stone Roses to be heard anywhere.
These five songs would be played throughout the evening session of the athletics, and is one of my abiding memories of that week. Another being the rather odd, lucky seat competition which I only heard from the warm up track, never actually saw it in action.
Jon Ridgeon would ask the crowd to stand up. Then, everyone except those in one stand were told to sit down. Next, everyone apart from one row were asked to be seated. Lastly, a seat number was called out and, hopefully, one lucky prize winner would be the last person standing.
Since this would happen before the first race, I always thought this was asking for the chosen seat to be without its occupant and something of an anti-climax. Even if the winners were selected from people that had entered the stadium, there’s every chance they’d be in the queue for a beer, burger or the bog before settling in for their evening’s entertainment.
The Spencer Davis Group are as well known for being the launch pad for the career of Steve Winwood as any other aspect of their CV.
‘Keep On Running’ reached number 1 in the UK in 1966, and is a cover of the
reggae track by Jackie Edwards. (Note, I found two versions by Jackie Edwards on Youtube)
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