50,000

AMcD, targeting a second career finish in the marathon event insists he is ‘brimming with optimism’ as he takes on 50,000 other runners at this weekend’s London Marathon. McD finished easily within 30 minutes of the winner at last year’s Edinburgh marathon and in his words was ‘very nearly close to the podium and comfortably beat off a combined late challenge from the baggage bus and the back end of a pantomime horse’. In that event he spent what he describes as ‘a good while jockeying with elite athletes in the front group just before the gun went off'. After a recent 5km race in Newcastle where he recorded his slowest ever time, the 47-year old is surprisingly upbeat and will be back as the crowds favourite, ahead of many other distressed runners sporting 'interesting' late race techniques.

He said ‘It is 2011 and we have a new season and my training has gone miserably in the build up to London. I started carbo loading in December and now I will now be able to reap the rewards -pass me a biscuit’

His coach, Aunt Aggie, herself a stalwart of the local over 70's zoomba scene said ‘he can expect a steady run to the 10 mile mark and then he’s on his own’, adding ‘who knows, after that things could get wobbly for him..very wobbly. Maybe he looks out for St Johns or maybe he has a few sit downs’.

Edinburgh was a very special occasion for the wee man. He says ‘I felt very positive being sprayed down by a hoodie with a water hose in Prestonpans, but London could be even wetter, especially if I go off course down by the docks. I will be looking out for the other half of the pantomime horse and taking many pictures. Of course much depends on the weather but I think a slow run is possible. I have spent several weeks sleeping in an altitude tent and wake every morning groggy and disorientated just like what I imagine I’ll be like at 20 miles’.

His English remains poor.

Soft cheese at Tebay

Spent Friday doing some work in Alderley Edge. It was a cracking spring day. I had a cheese pasty for lunch and bought some smoked cheese and coffee, squeezing my way out from between all those fancy cars and glamorous folk.

On the way home I opted for the M6 and let my mind slip into neutral as I cruised up past Kendal. I thought I really should do some miles when I get home, but after a 3 hour drive, I thought I'd probably just crash out in a slovenly heap with a can or a mug of tea. For many years now I've been up and down this road, and, as you near Tebay you can't miss the plump, rounded Hills (I think their the Howgills) that I've always thought would be good for a weekend run. I checked the temperature and it was still up around 15 degrees so it didn't take long before I was swooping off the motorway and parking up near the Barnaby Rudge Pub, shovelling on the Walshes which were a bit tight and setting off for a jog in the late afternoon sun.

The wall of noise from the M6 was soon replaced by warbling bird life up on the hill as I climbed the grassy slope before reaching the top and running along what looked like an old droving road perched on the rolling ridge southward. The route was grassy with a lot of damp sedge which, had it been wetter, would have made for a boggy run, but today it was spongy and easy underfoot.

Ran for around 30 minutes before turning back. The path went on ahead to some bigger hills and I think I'll be back and a little more prepared to spend longer on them. The fell shoes stretched as they became wet and I stopped for a few snaps and made my way back to the car, making do with the cheese that had been slowly simmering on the dashboard, a smoothie some time later from the local store in Carlisle and Pete Tong to accompany me on the way home.

Up this morning for a park run. I can't run first thing but it's a week now before London so hauled myself out of bed just to see how far off the pace I am. Scraped in just under 19 minutes so still about 6 or 7% off my usual pace so expecting to finish around 3:15 to 3:20 next week but at least no pain or niggles in the legs and actually looking forward to a nice day out next Sunday.

Streetlife

Fifty or so miles this week. It was a novelty to run twelve on Thursday evening through the flat lanes of Somerset. The hedges on each side of the narrow road restricted the view and before I knew it I found myself near to Glastonbury. To get there, however, would have added more than another hour to a run that was already slowing so I made the wise choice and turned back to the guesthouse. The flies were out in force.

Friday was spent in Cornwall and then it was back up the road via Gloucester yesterday for a new pair of trainers (as you do!).

I was committed to 20 miles this morning so, to make it remotely interesting, I ran to Blyth to see the local 10k and then plodded back into the wind managing just over 2:20 for the round trip. The last 3 miles were slow but the new shoes were a treat and I didn't realise how 'past it' the last ones were even though there was plenty of tread left on them.

I'll aim for around 50 mile this week with a couple of long runs and the rest made up of whatever comes along. Still lugging around several extra pounds, but not the wallet kind.

Run Northumberland Half Marathon (2011)

Afternoon delight. Well, actually it was morning and on the bike I caught the lads out in the lanes for their 2 hour special. I headed on to Hartburn village on the route of this new half marathon. After 10 minutes the first of many appeared from around the leafy lanes.

As the runners passed me at around the 5 mile mark the sun was burning the clouds away and most runners at the Run Northumberland Half marathon were a wee bit overdressed. I soon found a small pile of discarded clothes beside my bike. James Buis rattled by in first position and even managed a smile. Perched on a dry stone wall and trying to get a few interesting angles I fell off the wall onto the road which with my dodgy back and cleated cycling shoes gave a few of the runners a moment of high comedy, probably the only one on this rolling but very scenic half marathon. After dropping of the various garments at the nearest marshall, I made for home to upload these. 18 on the bike followed by a hard 14 run this aft. Photos on the photo link (click on picture -right). Results up somewhere later.

Regime Change

I've clocked in around 30 miles running this week. Some have been good miles, some bad and some have been run at a pace little more than a jog.

Aggies new mantra is 'if you can't run , knit'. She's recently taken up knitting and sits happy in her own world purling with a number 11 under the stairs. Its a pain when she gets a new hobby. She's been waltzing round 'casting off' that and 'binding on' this. She was wittering on about a dropped stitch this morning. She says confidently that she's knitting a tea cosy, but from what I've seen no-ones got a tea pot that size.

The new regime of crispbread, celery and water hasn't yet materialised owing to a combination of poor attitude, a burgeoning biscuit barrel, a wide selection of jams and marmalades and a string of social's over the last (and next) few days. This included a trip out for a spicy curry last night. I seem to be tapering successfully but without the training beforehand. The carbo loading also seems to be a wee bit premature.


I put myself through some unusual and awkward angles at the pilates class on Thursday night. I must have been trying too hard, though, as last night I was stooping and creaking with lower backache like a downstairs character from an old Dickens novel. Any notion of a 'park run try out' this morning was binned. Instead I'll try an hour on the bike in the drizzle and then maybe a slow hours running later through the woods.


There was a chink of light yesterday when me and my domestique loaded the bikes up in the car and took off to Thrunton Forest, the local hub of mountain biking in the area. The electric blue Crossbow, at last, made its debut appearance and got its fat cyclo-cross tyres and cantilever brakes dirty albeit only for 45 minutes along sweeping forest tracks. They were mostly surfaced with red felsite and it looked like there had been some tree felling there recently, the tracks being flattened by HGV movements and easy to ride along. Good fun though. Still looking at doing a sportive or time trial this year. Anyway, cup of tea time .....

Brough Law Fell Race 2011

Yep... Yet more weekend photos. Brough Law Fell Race 2011 - click on the photo on the right hand side.

Vaane XC Champs 2011

North East England Veteran Athletics (VAANEE) Cross Country Championships 2011 at Monkseaton.... Photos at the link below..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34070057@N06/sets/