This week I have increased the weekly miles from 25 to 31 – and don’t forget the 1!
Tuesday night saw 6 miles in Bushy Park, Thursday 8 in Richmond Park. The pleasing thing about Thursday was I ran at a good high tempo, whilst not experiencing any niggles for the first time for a number of weeks.
Saturday was the Parkrun in Bushy which, including a warm up run to the start comes to 4 miles.
Then today it was the most important of the week, the long Sunday morning run. It turned out to be a 13 miler,
taking in the last leg of the Green Belt Relay.
With London Marathon day three months and one week away, I feel as if the training is going to plan. It’s also good to be running a half marathon length training run five weeks before Wokingham.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
A Sunny Sunday in January
I’ve often thought people in South West London, or within reasonably easy access of it, really have no excuse when it comes to not exercising. Clearly not everyone has to enter a marathon, or run for that matter, but walking and cycling are just as good for experiencing the great outdoors. There are plenty of options for doing just that in this corner of the capital.
Bushy and
Richmond Park have something to offer even the most reluctant outdoor type, and the River Thames from Hammersmith out to the sticks is as good a stretch as you could wish to find.
For those of us in Marathon training mode, the options for much needed variety of long runs is fantastic. I’m sure it’s harder to motivate yourself to grind out another two hour tour of local housing estates and industrial parks.
One of my favourite races is the
Green Belt Relay. Organised by my club Stragglers, this weekend event in May sees teams of eleven complete a 220 mile, 2 day route around the edge of London. Both years I’ve run I’ve bagged the anchor leg, 9.15 miles from Walton-on-Thames to the Hawker Centre in Ham, and this morning we revisited stage 22 of Green Belt as part of a long training run.
A better day for running could not have been wished for, cold, still and sunny. The good weather had brought the masses out, along what is a route with a multitude of points of interest: good to see with the opening sentence of this blog in mind.
After Sunbury Lock we followed the Surrey bank past Hurst Park and Molesey Boat Club before crossing the river at Hampton Court Bridge to continue our run on the Middlesex side alongside Hampton Court Palace. All three locations have made notable contributions to sporting history in this country.
Until 1962,
Hurst Park was a race course, one of the trio of Parks with
Kempton and
Sandown. Hurst, or “the little race course at Hampton” as it was referred to, features in the Dickens novel
‘Nicholas Nickleby’.
It’s the site’s part in cricket history which I find more interesting. The first known awarding of a trophy happened here, presented to a combined Surrey and Middlesex side on their victory over Kent by the Prince of Wales on August 1st 1733. The first LBW (leg before wicket) decision was given on this ground in 1795, during a three match series between England and Surrey, which England won 2-1. With cricket played by gentry and royalty in those days, I imagine it’s very unlikely this English victory was celebrated with an 18th century version of
the Sprinkler Dance.
Further downstream is
Molesey Rowing Club, famous for the Barcelona Olympic gold medal winners the
Searle Brothers. Less famously the club was a brief training place for me and another school friend in the mid nineties. Rowing ultimately wasn’t for either of us, although I don't recall our other sporting interests being met with a great deal of enthusiasm. Andy went on to play cricket for the England blind team, including games in India, I’ve already referenced my Commonwealth Games experience.
Hampton Court’s history is, of course, widely known, but on a sporting point, the royal tennis court is the oldest still in existence in the world. As we ran past this morning we could hear music booming out from the ice rink, alongside Somerset House and the Tower of London, Hampton Court is one of the iconic buildings in London that gives over space for ice skating each winter. We didn’t make a detour to visit the maze, although the last time I walked it’s half a mile of paths I was in and out in just over five minutes. Not an experience shared by Harris, a character in one of my favourite books ‘Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog’.
“We’ll just go in here, so that you can say you’ve been, but it’s very simple,” Harris told his country cousin. “It’s absurd to call it a maze. You keep on taking the first turning to the right. We’ll just walk round for ten minutes, and then go and get some lunch.”
The story tells of how Harris first gathers up all the other visitors that had been lost for sometime, with the promise that he knew the way about, before getting hopelessly lost himself and having to be rescued by a keeper.
Hampton Court is the first stop for the boat which travels into Central London. I’ve never fancied the full journey, but the short ride to Kingston with a walk back is good fun.
Our run took us to Kingston Bridge, where another river crossing was needed, for the last stretch to the Hawker Centre, past the Boaters pub where a fine Apple Crumble can be found: not a thought you need when you’ve a few miles still to run.
The other times I’ve run that leg have been swelteringly hot days at the end of May, and the second long run of the weekend. The difference cooler temperatures and fresh legs makes was clear as a training run produced a marginally quicker time than the race: 1 hour 11.17 today, 1 hour 11.24 last May.
After the Hawker we continued to Teddington Lock, before running through Teddington to Bushy Park and home, a total distance we believe was 13 miles.
We saw hundreds out for a Sunday morning walk. If you can get to this corner of the world it’s perfect for sticking to the New Year healthy lifestyle plan.
Note: some of the facts quoted in this blog come courtesy of the excellently detailed
Green Belt Relay website.
Bushy and
Richmond Park have something to offer even the most reluctant outdoor type, and the River Thames from Hammersmith out to the sticks is as good a stretch as you could wish to find.
For those of us in Marathon training mode, the options for much needed variety of long runs is fantastic. I’m sure it’s harder to motivate yourself to grind out another two hour tour of local housing estates and industrial parks.
One of my favourite races is the
Green Belt Relay. Organised by my club Stragglers, this weekend event in May sees teams of eleven complete a 220 mile, 2 day route around the edge of London. Both years I’ve run I’ve bagged the anchor leg, 9.15 miles from Walton-on-Thames to the Hawker Centre in Ham, and this morning we revisited stage 22 of Green Belt as part of a long training run.
A better day for running could not have been wished for, cold, still and sunny. The good weather had brought the masses out, along what is a route with a multitude of points of interest: good to see with the opening sentence of this blog in mind.
After Sunbury Lock we followed the Surrey bank past Hurst Park and Molesey Boat Club before crossing the river at Hampton Court Bridge to continue our run on the Middlesex side alongside Hampton Court Palace. All three locations have made notable contributions to sporting history in this country.
Until 1962,
Hurst Park was a race course, one of the trio of Parks with
Kempton and
Sandown. Hurst, or “the little race course at Hampton” as it was referred to, features in the Dickens novel
‘Nicholas Nickleby’.
It’s the site’s part in cricket history which I find more interesting. The first known awarding of a trophy happened here, presented to a combined Surrey and Middlesex side on their victory over Kent by the Prince of Wales on August 1st 1733. The first LBW (leg before wicket) decision was given on this ground in 1795, during a three match series between England and Surrey, which England won 2-1. With cricket played by gentry and royalty in those days, I imagine it’s very unlikely this English victory was celebrated with an 18th century version of
the Sprinkler Dance.
Further downstream is
Molesey Rowing Club, famous for the Barcelona Olympic gold medal winners the
Searle Brothers. Less famously the club was a brief training place for me and another school friend in the mid nineties. Rowing ultimately wasn’t for either of us, although I don't recall our other sporting interests being met with a great deal of enthusiasm. Andy went on to play cricket for the England blind team, including games in India, I’ve already referenced my Commonwealth Games experience.
Hampton Court’s history is, of course, widely known, but on a sporting point, the royal tennis court is the oldest still in existence in the world. As we ran past this morning we could hear music booming out from the ice rink, alongside Somerset House and the Tower of London, Hampton Court is one of the iconic buildings in London that gives over space for ice skating each winter. We didn’t make a detour to visit the maze, although the last time I walked it’s half a mile of paths I was in and out in just over five minutes. Not an experience shared by Harris, a character in one of my favourite books ‘Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog’.
“We’ll just go in here, so that you can say you’ve been, but it’s very simple,” Harris told his country cousin. “It’s absurd to call it a maze. You keep on taking the first turning to the right. We’ll just walk round for ten minutes, and then go and get some lunch.”
The story tells of how Harris first gathers up all the other visitors that had been lost for sometime, with the promise that he knew the way about, before getting hopelessly lost himself and having to be rescued by a keeper.
Hampton Court is the first stop for the boat which travels into Central London. I’ve never fancied the full journey, but the short ride to Kingston with a walk back is good fun.
Our run took us to Kingston Bridge, where another river crossing was needed, for the last stretch to the Hawker Centre, past the Boaters pub where a fine Apple Crumble can be found: not a thought you need when you’ve a few miles still to run.
The other times I’ve run that leg have been swelteringly hot days at the end of May, and the second long run of the weekend. The difference cooler temperatures and fresh legs makes was clear as a training run produced a marginally quicker time than the race: 1 hour 11.17 today, 1 hour 11.24 last May.
After the Hawker we continued to Teddington Lock, before running through Teddington to Bushy Park and home, a total distance we believe was 13 miles.
We saw hundreds out for a Sunday morning walk. If you can get to this corner of the world it’s perfect for sticking to the New Year healthy lifestyle plan.
Note: some of the facts quoted in this blog come courtesy of the excellently detailed
Green Belt Relay website.
Friday, 7 January 2011
Running Music: Arcade Fire/Foo Fighters 'Keep the Car Running'
I know picking a song called ‘Keep the Car Running’ suggests I’m planning on taking a sneaky turn down a side street and blagging a lift on the big day. I have, ahem, only chosen this song because it has the word ‘run’ in its title, and because it’s ace of course, honest.
Music has the power to influence even the most extreme mood changes. How often do we hear of people turning to certain songs when in an hour of emotional need?
Although we can lose ourselves in books, TV, film, theatre or art, forgetting the outside world or by way of escapism from issues that are dominating our thoughts, music has the ability to worm its way into our lives where other, less portable artforms can’t.
How many times have you heard someone say “this song reminds me of”, before launching into the anecdote which they always remember when they hear said piece of music.
Songs connect with people, provoking special memories, inspiring through lyrics, lifting the mood or,
as already blogged, helping to motivate.
I say all this as the next song on my list is one of those, memory tracks which, on one occasion, did wonderful things for the mood as well.
Between 2001 and 2009 I attended over twenty music festivals, from massive events like
Leeds and
Reading, to smaller, more relaxed alternative such as
Guilfest.
Inevitably some are better than others, who’s playing, how the event is organised, the weather and people you're with all having a major impact on how good your weekend is. What turned out to be my last ever visit to the
V Festival was easily my least enjoyable.
I was already losing interest in V, their choice of artists was drifting more and more towards mainstream pop. 2007 still had enough going for it, with Foo Fighters, Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream, Basement Jaxx and Emma Pollock holding their own amongst Pink, Kanye West, Lemar, The Kooks and Mika.
It turned out to be easily the coldest festival I’d been to; I don’t think we experienced anything warmer than 15 degrees all weekend. It rained, a lot, meaning our tent flooded, so I was bored, wet, cold, grumpy and ready to get the hell out!
Then the Foo Fighters played their cover of Arcade Fire’s ‘Keep the Car Running’ during their headline set. A brilliant song covered in style and suddenly things weren’t so bad after all.
So, I present to you, live performances of both versions, the original by
Arcade Fire which is an absolute belter, and
the Foo Fighters cover.
I never did go back to V, but that experience was just a blip as I have since had fantastic weekends at both Leeds and Guilfest.
(Photo is of a classic American car taken in Cuba. It just happened to be the best car picture I have, I'm not showing off, honest!)
Monday, 3 January 2011
Tadworth Ten: Stats
Warning, this post is for stattos.
Having described my Tadworth Ten experience after the race yesterday, I’ve now been sent my mile splits from Jim, my guide runner on this occasion. I’m pleased to say it makes encouraging reading.
Negative splits are always good, no matter the distance or type of run, but I’m especially satisfied to achieve this given how I had to tough out the hill on the second lap – as the mile splits below show.
My times were 39:24 first lap, and 39:36 for the 2nd lap. The mile splits are all over the place, which goes to demonstrate the differences in gradient.
The times which stand out for me are the comparison between mile 4 and 9, a great downhill stretch towards the end of the lap. Given the comparatively slow climb on mile 7 compared to mile 2, to pull out a 30 second improvement on the second lap is very pleasing, and shows that the break for illness and injury I’ve written about hasn’t damaged my basic fitness.
So, those all important numbers as they say on the Lottery:
1. 7:53
2. 8:03
3. 7:22
4. 7:59
5. 8:05
6. 7:47
7. 8:50
8. 7:32
9. 7:29
10. 7:55
Having described my Tadworth Ten experience after the race yesterday, I’ve now been sent my mile splits from Jim, my guide runner on this occasion. I’m pleased to say it makes encouraging reading.
Negative splits are always good, no matter the distance or type of run, but I’m especially satisfied to achieve this given how I had to tough out the hill on the second lap – as the mile splits below show.
My times were 39:24 first lap, and 39:36 for the 2nd lap. The mile splits are all over the place, which goes to demonstrate the differences in gradient.
The times which stand out for me are the comparison between mile 4 and 9, a great downhill stretch towards the end of the lap. Given the comparatively slow climb on mile 7 compared to mile 2, to pull out a 30 second improvement on the second lap is very pleasing, and shows that the break for illness and injury I’ve written about hasn’t damaged my basic fitness.
So, those all important numbers as they say on the Lottery:
1. 7:53
2. 8:03
3. 7:22
4. 7:59
5. 8:05
6. 7:47
7. 8:50
8. 7:32
9. 7:29
10. 7:55
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Running Music: Full List
This page will have the complete list of songs which I write about, updated as the weeks pass.
To recap, the point of this list is, I often get songs stuck in my head while running. More often than not they’re ones I hate, or at best, find irritating.
I’m not in favour of the idea of running to music, not least as the beat could encourage you to run at a pace which you hadn’t planned to. However I am in favour of using music to motivate, clear the mind, relax or anything else that helps your preparation, I might even listen to some of these on the morning of April 17th.
All these songs either relate to running in their title, or have some connection to the story of my first marathon.
And so the list is:
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Arcade Fire ‘Keep the Car Running’
Blog Post
Arcade Fire original on Youtube
Foo Fighters Cover on Youtube
Iron Maiden ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Canned Heat ‘Let’s Work Together’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Tom Petty ‘Runnin’ Down a Dream’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Spencer Davis Group 'Keep On Running'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
All American Rejects 'Move Along'
Blog post
Youtube Link
Lindisfarne 'Run For Home'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Thin Lizzy 'Running Back'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Bruce Springsteen 'Born To Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Neil Young 'Long May You Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Kate Bush 'Running Up That Hill'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
REO Speedwagon 'Take it on the Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Lemonheads 'Outdoor Type
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Jimmy Cliff 'You Can Get It If You Really Want'
Blog post coming soon
Youtube Link
To recap, the point of this list is, I often get songs stuck in my head while running. More often than not they’re ones I hate, or at best, find irritating.
I’m not in favour of the idea of running to music, not least as the beat could encourage you to run at a pace which you hadn’t planned to. However I am in favour of using music to motivate, clear the mind, relax or anything else that helps your preparation, I might even listen to some of these on the morning of April 17th.
All these songs either relate to running in their title, or have some connection to the story of my first marathon.
And so the list is:
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Arcade Fire ‘Keep the Car Running’
Blog Post
Arcade Fire original on Youtube
Foo Fighters Cover on Youtube
Iron Maiden ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Canned Heat ‘Let’s Work Together’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Tom Petty ‘Runnin’ Down a Dream’
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Spencer Davis Group 'Keep On Running'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
All American Rejects 'Move Along'
Blog post
Youtube Link
Lindisfarne 'Run For Home'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Thin Lizzy 'Running Back'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Bruce Springsteen 'Born To Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Neil Young 'Long May You Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Kate Bush 'Running Up That Hill'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
REO Speedwagon 'Take it on the Run'
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Lemonheads 'Outdoor Type
Blog Post
Youtube Link
Jimmy Cliff 'You Can Get It If You Really Want'
Blog post coming soon
Youtube Link
The Marathon Campaign Starts Here!
Shergar, Workforce, Galileo, Leicester Piggott, Willie Carson, Kieren Fallon, Frankie Dettori and, randomly, Santa Claus (1964), some of the names to win at
Epsom on Derby day.
Obviously I was never going to get near an Epsom win at
Tadworth Ten this morning, but I consider getting round in under 8 minute mile pace a small, personal victory. My time of 79.08 is some way off my ten mile best of 73.23, but the
Cabbage Patch in October had everything going in my favour: flat course, good road surface, lovely weather.
If you like a hill then Tadworth Ten will be up your alley. The race is two laps, with a combination of road and off road, a stretch through a small wood and hills (both up and down were equally steep). It’s certainly the toughest ten miler I’ve done, and with no immediate reactions from the niggles I’ve had over the past few weeks, I’m hopeful I can now kick on. As the title of this blog says, the Marathon campaign starts here!
I think the hills at Tadworth give you the equivalent of an extra mile work out than were you running on a flat course. As
Wokingham Half in six weeks is, I’m told, flat and fast, I think my half marathon personal best of 1 hour 44 (Watford Half, February 2008) is very much ready to be confined to the past. I have a target time in mind but I ain’t telling you what it is.
The most important thing now is to build up the weekly mileage. Given a two week break for flu, injury and ice I’m satisfied with a start of 25 miles for the past week (that doesn’t include the ten run over the Christmas weekend). Clearly this needs to be seriously improved but I know that can happen.
(Photo taken by Nigel Rothwell of The Stragglers)
Running Music: The Clash 'London Calling'
I don’t like the idea of running to music.
It can be very frustrating in races when you’re trying to get past someone and they can’t hear you’re coming because they’ve got headphones in. Plus, I always think you miss out on the atmosphere of the day, there’s people standing in the cold encouraging you and you can’t hear them because you’re listening to something else.
I also think it’s counter productive for your own performance. It’s very easy to be lead by the beat of the music you’re listening to, and therefore run at a tempo which isn’t suitable.
Listening to music in the gym is different. Unless you’re creative and include hills and sprints when setting up, running on a treadmill is desperately dull. Also, most gyms play music and I can guarantee it’ll be shit, therefore taking your own helps your sanity.
The one time I made a gym playlist it featured Pearl Jam, the Pixies, Flaming Lips, Green Day, Feeder, Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys and Goldfrapp, infinitely better than the tuneless, thumpy dance music my leisure centre of choice was offering: blimey what a grumpy old man I sound!
Using music to motivate, calm nerves, take your mind off what you’re about to do or just because of some daft superstition is fine in my book. I remember, during my brief flirtation with acting, before each night of one production, I wouldn’t leave the house until I’d listened to what were my favourite two songs at the time,
Sheryl Crow ‘Change’ and the wonderful
‘Outdoor Type’ by the Lemonheads. If you’re about to do something which will make you nervous or where relaxation is vital, including a short bit of music time during your preparation means you’re more likely to be in control of your emotions when it comes to the big moment, whatever that might be.
Although I don’t run to music, I often get songs stuck in my head. Usually when I’m tired, and I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be a song I don’t like.
With this in mind, and because I thought it would make for an interesting addition to this blog, I’ve come up with a twenty song, London Marathon playlist.
When I first thought about doing this I had planned to post one song per week, but there’s less than twenty weeks to go until London so that won’t work. You’ll get one per week, until the last week when I may have to post one per day, or something.
Most of the songs I’ve picked have ‘run’ in the title, with a few exceptions, not least, the rather obvious first choice.
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Taken from the album of the same name, released in the year I was born (1979), this song has become something of a London signature tune, despite its lyrics not entirely reflecting the Capital in a great light.
Concerns over social violence and the risk that if the Thames might burst its banks then Central London would flood are prominent, as is reference to world events such as the Three Mile Island nuclear accident earlier that year.
The video shows the band performing the song on a boat, on a rainy winter night, very appropriate for marathon runners.
The song has been critically acclaimed as the band’s finest moment, obviously these statements are their to be argued. We can be certain of hearing it a lot during the 2012 Olympics, and it’s as good a way as any of starting this part of my marathon blog.
It can be very frustrating in races when you’re trying to get past someone and they can’t hear you’re coming because they’ve got headphones in. Plus, I always think you miss out on the atmosphere of the day, there’s people standing in the cold encouraging you and you can’t hear them because you’re listening to something else.
I also think it’s counter productive for your own performance. It’s very easy to be lead by the beat of the music you’re listening to, and therefore run at a tempo which isn’t suitable.
Listening to music in the gym is different. Unless you’re creative and include hills and sprints when setting up, running on a treadmill is desperately dull. Also, most gyms play music and I can guarantee it’ll be shit, therefore taking your own helps your sanity.
The one time I made a gym playlist it featured Pearl Jam, the Pixies, Flaming Lips, Green Day, Feeder, Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys and Goldfrapp, infinitely better than the tuneless, thumpy dance music my leisure centre of choice was offering: blimey what a grumpy old man I sound!
Using music to motivate, calm nerves, take your mind off what you’re about to do or just because of some daft superstition is fine in my book. I remember, during my brief flirtation with acting, before each night of one production, I wouldn’t leave the house until I’d listened to what were my favourite two songs at the time,
Sheryl Crow ‘Change’ and the wonderful
‘Outdoor Type’ by the Lemonheads. If you’re about to do something which will make you nervous or where relaxation is vital, including a short bit of music time during your preparation means you’re more likely to be in control of your emotions when it comes to the big moment, whatever that might be.
Although I don’t run to music, I often get songs stuck in my head. Usually when I’m tired, and I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be a song I don’t like.
With this in mind, and because I thought it would make for an interesting addition to this blog, I’ve come up with a twenty song, London Marathon playlist.
When I first thought about doing this I had planned to post one song per week, but there’s less than twenty weeks to go until London so that won’t work. You’ll get one per week, until the last week when I may have to post one per day, or something.
Most of the songs I’ve picked have ‘run’ in the title, with a few exceptions, not least, the rather obvious first choice.
The Clash ‘London Calling’
Taken from the album of the same name, released in the year I was born (1979), this song has become something of a London signature tune, despite its lyrics not entirely reflecting the Capital in a great light.
Concerns over social violence and the risk that if the Thames might burst its banks then Central London would flood are prominent, as is reference to world events such as the Three Mile Island nuclear accident earlier that year.
The video shows the band performing the song on a boat, on a rainy winter night, very appropriate for marathon runners.
The song has been critically acclaimed as the band’s finest moment, obviously these statements are their to be argued. We can be certain of hearing it a lot during the 2012 Olympics, and it’s as good a way as any of starting this part of my marathon blog.
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