maandag 31 januari 2011
Month Total 894
Lack of running opportunities in Marocco meant that I probably tapered too much and didn't meet my month target. Never mind, plenty of time left to regain the 104 minutes lost in this 'easy' year...
zondag 30 januari 2011
Camels & Cramps
325 min
Start 8.30
Weather was perfect for me so thqt;s no excuse but I really struggled to finish today. Cramps in my legs at 30k for the first time. More details lqter. Hammam visit with scrub and massage afterwards was bliss.
Start 8.30
Weather was perfect for me so thqt;s no excuse but I really struggled to finish today. Cramps in my legs at 30k for the first time. More details lqter. Hammam visit with scrub and massage afterwards was bliss.
woensdag 26 januari 2011
Beach running
63 min
Start 17.00
The wind in Essouaria was of almost Patagonian strength and my legs were being sandblasted for some of the way, but it stayed dry despite the huge dark clouds and I had a good run out to the local version of the Black Rock and back just before the sun went under. Start was a bit of a struggle but once I got going it was fine.
Start 17.00
The wind in Essouaria was of almost Patagonian strength and my legs were being sandblasted for some of the way, but it stayed dry despite the huge dark clouds and I had a good run out to the local version of the Black Rock and back just before the sun went under. Start was a bit of a struggle but once I got going it was fine.
zaterdag 22 januari 2011
First Run in Marrocco
38 min
Start 6.45
Managed to get out this morning after undoing several bolts on the front door and saw the sun come up over the main mosque of Marrakesh on the way home. Didn;t run for long; but ach you;re supposed to taper in the weeks before a marathon and we do a lot of walking about the city so it;s not as if I;m not doing anything with my legs.
Photos some time lqter maybe...
Start 6.45
Managed to get out this morning after undoing several bolts on the front door and saw the sun come up over the main mosque of Marrakesh on the way home. Didn;t run for long; but ach you;re supposed to taper in the weeks before a marathon and we do a lot of walking about the city so it;s not as if I;m not doing anything with my legs. Photos some time lqter maybe...
vrijdag 21 januari 2011
zondag 16 januari 2011
Joep, Joy and Max
43 min
Start 14.30
Had arranged to meet up with Joep's mum and uncle this afternoon to see how they got on and if it would be possible for Joep to stay with them for a few days now and then. They'd last met when Joep wasn't yet fully adult and the owners were curious as to how they would interact now that he's fully grown.
Unfortunately Joep was obviously a bit stunned by meeting a dog who was as big as him and was showing clear signs of dominant behaviour. There was no actual fighting as both males are basically non-aggressive and well-behaved enough to listen to corrections, but the atmosphere was definitely laden with potential conflict and we all decided that it wouldn't really be an ideal situation to have this combination in one house together as at some point they'd have to sort out who the alpha dog was.
Only did 43 minutes of running but was out for longer as some time was spent walking and talking during the dogmeeting part of the afternoon. I'd also forgotten to take my drink bottles with me and it was quite warm so I was glad the tap at the kiosk was open and Joep and I could both drink from it.
Start 14.30
Had arranged to meet up with Joep's mum and uncle this afternoon to see how they got on and if it would be possible for Joep to stay with them for a few days now and then. They'd last met when Joep wasn't yet fully adult and the owners were curious as to how they would interact now that he's fully grown.
Unfortunately Joep was obviously a bit stunned by meeting a dog who was as big as him and was showing clear signs of dominant behaviour. There was no actual fighting as both males are basically non-aggressive and well-behaved enough to listen to corrections, but the atmosphere was definitely laden with potential conflict and we all decided that it wouldn't really be an ideal situation to have this combination in one house together as at some point they'd have to sort out who the alpha dog was.
Only did 43 minutes of running but was out for longer as some time was spent walking and talking during the dogmeeting part of the afternoon. I'd also forgotten to take my drink bottles with me and it was quite warm so I was glad the tap at the kiosk was open and Joep and I could both drink from it.
vrijdag 14 januari 2011
Short Rainy Run, no pics
36 min
Start 8.30
Grey and drizzly. Neither Joep nor I were too enthusiastic but I´d put out my running stuff and had to take him out for his morning constitutional anyway so we ran round the Eng, taking in a couple of extra paths before deciding enough was enough and heading home for breakfast. No pics,
Start 8.30
Grey and drizzly. Neither Joep nor I were too enthusiastic but I´d put out my running stuff and had to take him out for his morning constitutional anyway so we ran round the Eng, taking in a couple of extra paths before deciding enough was enough and heading home for breakfast. No pics,
woensdag 12 januari 2011
Grey Skies, Blue Posts
75 min
Start 8.45
Out to the Soesterduinen. First straight across the sand, up the hill and down the other side and then to the left following the Blauwe Paaltjes route.
Sped up a bit as I got going. Good music on Scotland Introducing helping with that. Soft rain started when I was almost home so glad I got out in time.
Start 8.45
Out to the Soesterduinen. First straight across the sand, up the hill and down the other side and then to the left following the Blauwe Paaltjes route.
Sped up a bit as I got going. Good music on Scotland Introducing helping with that. Soft rain started when I was almost home so glad I got out in time.
zondag 9 januari 2011
Sunny Sunday
104 min
Start 12.00
Since I last took a photo of this poem on November 21st latst year the word 'spring' has either fallen off or been stolen.
Start 12.00
Since I last took a photo of this poem on November 21st latst year the word 'spring' has either fallen off or been stolen.
vrijdag 7 januari 2011
Week total 253
I've decided that the week's counting ends on Fridays this year. Have also decided that 1000 minutes (16 hours 40 minutes) is a good round figure to aim for every month. Just over half of the 1800 or 1860 I was doing last year.
Driech Day
53 min
Start 8.30
This morning I almost literally had to drag myself out the door. The weather is grey and driech and miserable now after all the weeks of sparkly winter wonderland stuff and I felt sluggish and still half asleep and the last thing in the world I felt like doing was going out running. But. (Elma's Pep Talk # 487 coming up now.)
I'd set out my stuff the evening before, all ready to put on in the right order. My water bottles were filled (with a mix of dead cola and fruit juice, my latest fad). I pulled it all on on autopilot, every item I donned was taking me further from what I really wanted to do (go back to bed). It's a question of gaining momentum, getting past the moment of no return. To use a tired old Nike advertising slogan - Just Do It.
The start of the run was heavy going. My lungs seemed to be objecting to the whole daft running idea (I should perhaps resurrect my asthma drugs for damp misty days but it was too much bother to go back and get them and it wasn't thAt bad). I plodded on, walking occasionally where bits of the paths were still covered in bits of hardpacked snow/ice. I looked at my watch and wondered if I'd ever reach the 50 minutes I'd promised myself I'd get done. At 15 minutes I ate the banana I'd taken with me (another thing I dislike about morning runs is not eating first so the banana is another motivational tool). I tried a 'fast' 6 minute circuit but had to abandon it as the downhill bit of the path was too treacherous to run on. But this at least got my speed up a wee bit.
Changed from talking to music podcasts and things improved even more. My lungs seemed to decide that it was no use moaning, as I wasn't going to stop and got their act together to supply me with more air. (I see them as lots of tiny balloons which just need to get properly inflated first and then they can do their job.) Next time I looked at my watch I was past 30 minutes and felt a lot better. And of course when I got home I was glad I'd went out after all.
The moral of the story is: your morning run actually starts the night before when you lay your clothes and other essentials out. Without this preparation there's a good chance the morning run won't happen at all.
Start 8.30
This morning I almost literally had to drag myself out the door. The weather is grey and driech and miserable now after all the weeks of sparkly winter wonderland stuff and I felt sluggish and still half asleep and the last thing in the world I felt like doing was going out running. But. (Elma's Pep Talk # 487 coming up now.) I'd set out my stuff the evening before, all ready to put on in the right order. My water bottles were filled (with a mix of dead cola and fruit juice, my latest fad). I pulled it all on on autopilot, every item I donned was taking me further from what I really wanted to do (go back to bed). It's a question of gaining momentum, getting past the moment of no return. To use a tired old Nike advertising slogan - Just Do It.
The start of the run was heavy going. My lungs seemed to be objecting to the whole daft running idea (I should perhaps resurrect my asthma drugs for damp misty days but it was too much bother to go back and get them and it wasn't thAt bad). I plodded on, walking occasionally where bits of the paths were still covered in bits of hardpacked snow/ice. I looked at my watch and wondered if I'd ever reach the 50 minutes I'd promised myself I'd get done. At 15 minutes I ate the banana I'd taken with me (another thing I dislike about morning runs is not eating first so the banana is another motivational tool). I tried a 'fast' 6 minute circuit but had to abandon it as the downhill bit of the path was too treacherous to run on. But this at least got my speed up a wee bit.
Changed from talking to music podcasts and things improved even more. My lungs seemed to decide that it was no use moaning, as I wasn't going to stop and got their act together to supply me with more air. (I see them as lots of tiny balloons which just need to get properly inflated first and then they can do their job.) Next time I looked at my watch I was past 30 minutes and felt a lot better. And of course when I got home I was glad I'd went out after all.
The moral of the story is: your morning run actually starts the night before when you lay your clothes and other essentials out. Without this preparation there's a good chance the morning run won't happen at all.
woensdag 5 januari 2011
Sunrise with Joep and Windmill
50 min
Start 7.45
Careful run out to the dunes at first light. Paths are still icy in a lot of places and the sand is still frozen although most of the snow is away.
Start 7.45
Careful run out to the dunes at first light. Paths are still icy in a lot of places and the sand is still frozen although most of the snow is away.
maandag 3 januari 2011
Crisp and Crunchy
80 min
Start 8.00
Thaw seems to be over now as the ground was hard and frosty again this morning. Klompenpad circuit with the sun coming up behind me on the home strait.
Start 8.00
Thaw seems to be over now as the ground was hard and frosty again this morning. Klompenpad circuit with the sun coming up behind me on the home strait.
zaterdag 1 januari 2011
Slushy Start, Soggy Shoes
70 min
Start 15.30
Thaw has definitely set in now. Actual mud on my shoes for the first time after weeks of squeaky-clean snow-washed soles.
Must say that I 'didn't really feel like' going out beforehand but decided it would be a bad idea to start the year with a non-running day (having not been out yesterday either) so just put my gear on and got out the door. As usual I was glad I did.
Start 15.30
Thaw has definitely set in now. Actual mud on my shoes for the first time after weeks of squeaky-clean snow-washed soles.
Must say that I 'didn't really feel like' going out beforehand but decided it would be a bad idea to start the year with a non-running day (having not been out yesterday either) so just put my gear on and got out the door. As usual I was glad I did.
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