The body does what the mind allows!

Just two outings last week as the plan was to be playing rugby in Jersey on Saturday 25th Feb, but the weather conspired to change that! Weekly running club on Wedenesday night saw our third outing of the year. Helping some ladies from work break into running with walk/run combo saw us step up the pace and do 1.5min run, 1min walk for 3k. I hadn't told them they had done this last week already and this week we were stepping up to 2min run, 1min walk. At the start, heads not really in it and negative thoughts "i can't do this" and "can't we just do the same?" Time for tough love and we set off. At the 2.5k mark, the comment "this isn't that bad" was heard! Eureka! Realisation that the body can do much more than the mind allows it and the real challenge is the mental one, not the physical one! Got ready on Friday to fly from Edinburgh to Southampton and then on to Jersey ready to play rugby on Satruday. By 8pm on Friday night I was back home having reached Southampton and come right back - fog apparently meant flights to Jersey cancelled! No plans for the weekend so decided I was going to train hard. Headed out on my bike for a ride on Saturday in wind, rain and cold. Going well until I was alongside a van who decided to ignore me and pull out, causing me to hit the road literally! This morning was 'long run' day so I headed to the gym for a 20k trundle. Got there not feeling too clever, but sore and tight and stomach a bit upset. Managed to get to 7k and finally was feeling good and in my mind feeling good too! Then at 9k my headphones broke. I carry a spare set (boy scout-be prepared!) only to find one of the earbuds was also broken. 11k without music-worst fear! All the thoughts of the first 7k came back and I was going to chuck it in. Then I remembered Wedenesday nights session. The body can do more than the mind allows it! Sod it! I'm going to push another 7k and do it hard. Might fall short of target distance but it's going to be a great time. I could hear my breathing, the chatter around me in the gym, the steady thud of my feet on the treadmill and grunts of the idiots trying to lift weights far too heavy for them. A new world of distraction! Not one I want to immerse myself in fully as I love my music, but one that now and again can break the monotony! Once again, the power of the mind overcame how I was feeling physically. For my half marathon in May and my Ultra in September, I must remember this. So not the best session in terms of distance but definitely a good mental workout!

Half Marathon Playlist suggestions

Two of my current playlists for distances between 12km and 21km

One is upbeat and high tempo, the other a more steady beat and a little 'harder'.

Hope they help....

Half Marathon Rock

Half Marathon Upbeat

Solitude versus Sociability

Longest run ever on Sunday. Started off at 7am not wanting to get out of bed. Had a coffee then decided to JfDI (just f*cking do it) and stop procrastinating. Got to the gym, still not 100% in the right mindset, and got changed. Got on the treadmill and stretched off, then set my target distance at 18km, chose music a bit more upbeat than normal to get me going and set off. I debated about setting a target, but reasoned that there is only one thing that really drives me when I struggle to get going and that is failure. Am finding my rhythm and at 7km am nicely loose and starting to enjoy myself. The gym is getting busier and I've a few cheers on the Nike plus to let me know people are watching me. Can't fail now. At 12k I take an energy gel and change my music over to some rock tunes instead of the dance stuff I've used to get me moving. Then at 14k, the bloke at the side of me says "how long are you going for?" At first I'm a bit pissed off. I'm enjoying the solitude and the constant internal challenge. I remove my earphones and say "as long as it takes to do 18k. You?" We start chatting. His name is Joe and he is nearing 50. Runs every day for between 30mins and an hour. We talk races, timings, strategies etc. before you know it, 30mins have passed and I'm now at 19k! Valuable lesson for me that day! Being distracted and just going with the flow on long runs can be beneficial. I thank Joe for his support and help to which he turns to me and says "no, thanks to you because I've learnt loads and don't feel anywhere near as tired as normal. I've seen you in here quite a bit and wanted to know how such a big lad can train like you do!". I think that was a compliment..... Am now looking forward to breaking up my half marathon in May with some conversation along the way and more importantly, Joe and I are going to share some chat time on our Sunday mornings in future!

It's all about the beat!

A week of bests this week! Recorded a 10k best on Tuesday and then on Friday a 5k best too (okay, it was an interval session buy hey, who's counting!). My Wedensday night running club with a few hardy individuals from work had its second outing and to their credit, all 3 recorded an improved time. Doing 3k in 25mins for only their second time out was pretty good, especially as they did 2.5k in the same time the week before. And sitting behind all this is my music. I find that the beat of the music sets the tone for my session. Some people go through rituals and routines before sessions, such as ensuring their trainers are laced right etc. for me, it's about selecting the right music to match not only my mood, but also the goal of my forthcoming run. On Friday night I was tired, fed up and not really in the right mindset. But yet I wanted a hard interval session. Search the iPod and there is David Guetta's album! Boom! I'm now building my track list for this Sunday, a long easy run of circa 18k. Lots of steady beats with lyrics I can sing along too and nothing too up tempo! Fortunately I have invested in noise cancelling earphones which means I can't hear myself sing along as I run! Unfortunate for anyone around me but it's one way to have a little bit of space in this crowded world of ours! Till next blog, keep enjoying your journey and the soundtrack that goes with it.

A question of motivation

When you set out on any journey, the excitement that comes from the planning, the preparation and the vision of achievement is all consuming. Depending on your level of realism, all too quick the drain of the journey itself can erode the passion and excitement you felt at the start. Over the years, in my professional life and my personal one, a mantra I have tried and not yet mastered to achieve is to enjoy the journey, not just the goal. On Sunday I set out my plan for this week. When Tuesday came, I was not in the game. I was tired from work, slightly down for missing my long run on Sunday and generally looking for any excuse not to run or to cut it short. Then, on my journey to the gym for a treadmill session, I saw that Chris McDougall, author of Born to Run, had retweeted my blog! WOW! Not only that, but I had new twitter followers and some great messages! Food for the mojo! So I hit the treadmill, still feeling sluggish, but set my start speed slightly higher than normal and told myself to just grind out this 10km. 5k in and I realise I'm feeling okay, my mid is clearing, I'm on track for a good time and could push to average 5.30 per km. 2km to go and I'm just loosening up- so I crank up the speed and push hard for the final 1km. Nike plus (my in-run coach) tells me I'm there. I hear my time, then I hear the voice of Lance Armstrong telling me I have just set a new PB for 10km. I check the time against my previous best- 30 secs better! During my stretch off afterwards I reflect on how I did this as I set out feeling lousy. In simple terms, getting a few like mixed souls who knew me only from social media give me encouragement for my journey, together with a reality check to be disciplined and grind it out pushed me to do what an hour earlier I wouldn't have dreamed of. I was physically capable, but mentally needed some assistance. And fortunately for me there were those around to help. So every opportunity I get to do this for others I'm gonna pass it on!

Restart the clock

After not running since Friday I'm starting to get twitchy. Had to postpone my long run yesterday after a poor nights sleep and am anxious about missing out vital miles..... However, after a quick read and reorganisation of my diary I've got a plan to get back on track without overdoing it. Tuesday - 10k steady Wedensday - 5k intervals Thursday - rest/cycle Friday - 8k tempo Saturday - cycle Sunday - long run 18k On Wednesday night I also get to run with 3 ladies from work who have bitten the bullet and want to start running. We do a 2.5k circuit on a run walk combo to ease them in......flattered they asked me to pace them and organise sessions but so glad it helps them feel good about themselves. So here's hoping I get my inspiration on the treadmill tomorrow night......back row of the treadmills and lots of ladies in front ;-). How come is it that Queen- fat bottomed girls always comes on my iPod at the wrong moment.....really must stop singing aloud !

Why blog about running?

As not someone who you would ordinarily assume to be a runner, my wife suggested I start a blog for 2012 to share my ex experiences as I try to improve my own fitness and my running. So here it is, the first instalment.... Having always struggled to run any distance or speed, even when I was in the army, it was strange that when injury forced me to lay off rugby for a while that I turned to the treadmill to keep my weight under control. That was 3 years ago. A 1.5km run would take me over 12 mins and I'd have to run/walk to get round. As I start this blog, I've run the Great Winter Run in Edinburgh twice and the Edinburgh Great Run 10k once. This year, I'm aiming for a sub 2hr 10m half marathon and to complete the Scotland Coast to Coast 105mile bike/run course in September. My inspiration? Born To Run by Chris McDougall. I won't bore you with the review here but needless to say it has changed my life and health! Definitely a recommended read! Im currently running 3 to 4 times a week and embarking on my half marathon training....something I didn't think I would ever do. Why? As a natural stress and adrenaline junkie, running gives me an escape....somewhere I can lose myself in my own thoughts, just think through the crap that is happening around me or simply day dream.....something I never allow myself to do any other time! In short, running not only makes me stronger physically, it makes me stronger mentally! So for anyone looking for a simple, natural, relatively cheap and hugely beneficial pastime for either 20mins a day or a couple of hours.....consider running.