It was gorgeous, if a little wild, out there, as you can see from these:
 |
| The mark of the Mudclaw! |
Thursday 29 December 2011
Mud, Snow and Running
IN the spirit of my first run in my Mudclaw's, I figured I'd try today's blog a little differently. Embracing the multi media age, here's my first video entry!!
It was gorgeous, if a little wild, out there, as you can see from these:
It was gorgeous, if a little wild, out there, as you can see from these:
Wednesday 28 December 2011
Multiple Shoes!
As I've talked about previously, I started making the transition to front foot striking some time back to reduce the stress on parts of my legs, particularly my ITBs. While I have made great improvements in my running thanks to the shift, (and I give a lot of credit to the Inov-8 Road-X 255s as they helped keep me from getting lazy), I do not believe that my legs will be ready to run a marathon in them by July, let alone one off the bike. So my plan here is to do the long runs with cushioned shoes and continue with the Inov-8s for the shorter sessions. What I hope to achieve from this is to continue to work the technique & muscles hard on the short sessions, so that it becomes more and more natural even on longer sessions, but allow myself that extra support on the long runs, so that as I tire I won't suffer if my technique gets sloppy.
So off to Run-4-It in the sales I went.
First up, I was going to see if there were any Inov-8s in the sale, and I picked up a SWEEEEET pair of Mudclaw 272s in my size for 45 quid, so now I must find some muddy, messy tracks to go get durty on.
Next, onto the cushioned shoes.
What I love about buying from a shop, even where I could buy them for less on t'interweb, is the advice & proper fitting you get. The woman who helped me today is studying podiatry and a runner herself, so knows plenty about whats going on in feet. We talked about what I'm training for and how my gait has changed, history of footwear, all that kind of stuff then I got the gait analysis with the camera on the treadmill running in a neutral shoe, and it was very heartening to see big improvements in my biomechanics since I was last checked, prior to buying my first Inov-8's. My feet are sliding about way less and I'm crossing less. Then tried a couple of different pairs of shoes with limited pronating support (I've needed to go for lots of support previously, but I'm confident that my ever improving technique is limiting the need for the support, and I ran well in them on the treadmill), so I've gone for a pair of Adidas Supernovas. I'll take them to the gym, hit the treadmill & see how they hold up. And if they suck, I can take them back (as long as they've only been used indoors and are clean).
Today's blog is brought to you by:
The Shoe People Theme
My Name is Mud by Primus
Do What I Say by Clawfinger
So off to Run-4-It in the sales I went.
First up, I was going to see if there were any Inov-8s in the sale, and I picked up a SWEEEEET pair of Mudclaw 272s in my size for 45 quid, so now I must find some muddy, messy tracks to go get durty on.
Next, onto the cushioned shoes.
What I love about buying from a shop, even where I could buy them for less on t'interweb, is the advice & proper fitting you get. The woman who helped me today is studying podiatry and a runner herself, so knows plenty about whats going on in feet. We talked about what I'm training for and how my gait has changed, history of footwear, all that kind of stuff then I got the gait analysis with the camera on the treadmill running in a neutral shoe, and it was very heartening to see big improvements in my biomechanics since I was last checked, prior to buying my first Inov-8's. My feet are sliding about way less and I'm crossing less. Then tried a couple of different pairs of shoes with limited pronating support (I've needed to go for lots of support previously, but I'm confident that my ever improving technique is limiting the need for the support, and I ran well in them on the treadmill), so I've gone for a pair of Adidas Supernovas. I'll take them to the gym, hit the treadmill & see how they hold up. And if they suck, I can take them back (as long as they've only been used indoors and are clean).
Today's blog is brought to you by:
The Shoe People Theme
My Name is Mud by Primus
Do What I Say by Clawfinger
Thursday 22 December 2011
Don't Be A Flea!
Now, a flea in the wild can jump so high compared to its body size that it is the equivalent of us jumping a house. You take a few fleas of the same type and shove them in assorted sizes of boxes and leave one outside of the box. The fleas will jump around inside their boxes for a while, bashing off the roof. Over time, they'll learn how high they can jump so as not to batter their heads off of the top of the box. Once this has been learned, once you take them out of their box, they'll never jump higher than that again. Their mate who was left out, he's still jumping around happy as Larry, but the others are now limited (that's how they'd train them for flea circuses by the way).
We continually do this to ourselves, build mental boxes around ourselves, limiting what we will be able to achieve. People around us can keep us in the box like the flea, so we are trapped, unable to jump as high as we could. For every person who has wholeheartedly supported and encouraged me along in triathlon there has probably been two or three at least who have been negative, ranging from the dismissive 'Good luck, but really, you're a bit mental ain't you' to the downright condescending and rude "why would you ever want to do that, you must be crazy, you'd never catch me doing that". For a long time I was my own worst enemy. I thought I couldn't do any of these things, that I'd never be good at sports, and that my brother and sister were clearly STARK RAVING BONKERS for entering Monaco 70.3. But unlike the flea, we can break through the mental ceilings we have constructed and undo the mental conditioning we have been put through. Out of the box, you can jump higher than you believed, then realise you can jump higher still.
With my first sprint under my belt, I still thought my brother & sister were bonkers for doing the 70.3, but I was starting to understand why they did it. Once I got talked into signing up for Lisboa, it all snowballed. Once I finished Lisboa and started getting some faster times at sprints, I then had a choice for 2012, aim long, or aim fast - take an Ironman distance race or focus on once particular distance and get better. For me, the challenge was to go long.
Hell, if I had the time and inclination, I believe that I could train for and complete a Deca Ironman event (though the one where you do 38km swim followed by 1800km bike followed by the 10 marathon distance sounds more like it rather than one a day for 10 days - you've got to plan your sleep & food breaks in!).
This is not the way for everyone, but find the challenge that suits you, that pushes you onward to a better physical and mental condition and you have succeeded.
I mean, look at what you can achieve if you set your mind to it:
42 year old ex overweight chainsmoker wins first UK Deca Ironman event
This guy can't use his right arm for climbing, but refuses to give up & so pushes himself up routes most people can't do with two hands
These guys travelling by bicycle from London to Australia
Aaron Fotheringham with Spina Bifida landing the first double backflip in a wheel chair
Step out of the mental box and you have no ceiling to limit you. The world is at your feet.
Tonight's blog is brought to you by
The Shaman: Move Any Mountain
S Club 7: Reach
Machine Head: The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears
Pantera: A New Level
Paradise Lost: Yearn For Change
We continually do this to ourselves, build mental boxes around ourselves, limiting what we will be able to achieve. People around us can keep us in the box like the flea, so we are trapped, unable to jump as high as we could. For every person who has wholeheartedly supported and encouraged me along in triathlon there has probably been two or three at least who have been negative, ranging from the dismissive 'Good luck, but really, you're a bit mental ain't you' to the downright condescending and rude "why would you ever want to do that, you must be crazy, you'd never catch me doing that". For a long time I was my own worst enemy. I thought I couldn't do any of these things, that I'd never be good at sports, and that my brother and sister were clearly STARK RAVING BONKERS for entering Monaco 70.3. But unlike the flea, we can break through the mental ceilings we have constructed and undo the mental conditioning we have been put through. Out of the box, you can jump higher than you believed, then realise you can jump higher still.
With my first sprint under my belt, I still thought my brother & sister were bonkers for doing the 70.3, but I was starting to understand why they did it. Once I got talked into signing up for Lisboa, it all snowballed. Once I finished Lisboa and started getting some faster times at sprints, I then had a choice for 2012, aim long, or aim fast - take an Ironman distance race or focus on once particular distance and get better. For me, the challenge was to go long.
Hell, if I had the time and inclination, I believe that I could train for and complete a Deca Ironman event (though the one where you do 38km swim followed by 1800km bike followed by the 10 marathon distance sounds more like it rather than one a day for 10 days - you've got to plan your sleep & food breaks in!).
This is not the way for everyone, but find the challenge that suits you, that pushes you onward to a better physical and mental condition and you have succeeded.
I mean, look at what you can achieve if you set your mind to it:
42 year old ex overweight chainsmoker wins first UK Deca Ironman event
This guy can't use his right arm for climbing, but refuses to give up & so pushes himself up routes most people can't do with two hands
These guys travelling by bicycle from London to Australia
Aaron Fotheringham with Spina Bifida landing the first double backflip in a wheel chair
Step out of the mental box and you have no ceiling to limit you. The world is at your feet.
Tonight's blog is brought to you by
The Shaman: Move Any Mountain
S Club 7: Reach
Machine Head: The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears
Pantera: A New Level
Paradise Lost: Yearn For Change
Saturday 17 December 2011
Oh Happy Days!
So after a disastrous start to
the day with a turbo tyre that refused to go on, reverting to normal
tyre, only to find somewhere amongst my raging anger trying to fit the
thing I'd given the inner tube a pinch puncture, I went into a strop
& gave up. The looking out the window I decided I'd best go for a
run & enjoy that weather, so on went the fell shoes and to the park I
went.
Pure magic :)
Pure magic :)
 |
| Springburn Park from the climbing frame |
 |
| Yes I'm a big wain & love to hang out in the ropes still |
 |
| More Snow |
 |
| The pond was a bit icy |
 |
| But thankfully the ducks found a bit to paddle in |
Thursday 15 December 2011
Listen to Tommy. Run Home Slow.
You've finished another great but hard session. You're pumped up yet getting tired. You want to get back to the car park, stretch off, get in the car then go home for that tasty, tasty dinner that's waiting for you. But the lead home runners are ssssoooooooooooooo ssssllllooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. You're not coming close to the fantastic speed you were nailing through the session, or even you're normal long run pace, but its OK, you're up at the front with them. Excellent, they're going faster. Then a little bit faster still. Brilliant!
No its not. Look at them. They're puffing out as hard as during a session, and that's not what its about, this is the warm down folks. Stay off their shoulder and allow the lead home people to keep their own pace. They need it. I've been at the front on a run home, getting pulled on faster than was comfortable for me, and I didn't want to feel like I was holding people up, so I kept pace, even as the speed kept creeping up, so that when I got to the car park I was hanging oot ay mur a***. That's not how its supposed to be.
Remember as well - if everyone goes off at their own pace, the pack stretches & splinters, and the slower & tireder runners feel they need to push harder to stay in touch. You are also not getting as good a warm down as you could.
This is why Tommy sets it up the way he does - everyone should be able to get a gentle warm down and part of it can be unwinding a bit with some banter, talk to people (particularly the newer folk I say) and find out how they're getting on. And if they are breathing hard, encourage them to slow down a little until they can carry on the conversation, then you know they're at a better pace for them.
I'll get off me soapbox now.
This public service announcement was brought to you by Bad Religion's Nobody Listens
No its not. Look at them. They're puffing out as hard as during a session, and that's not what its about, this is the warm down folks. Stay off their shoulder and allow the lead home people to keep their own pace. They need it. I've been at the front on a run home, getting pulled on faster than was comfortable for me, and I didn't want to feel like I was holding people up, so I kept pace, even as the speed kept creeping up, so that when I got to the car park I was hanging oot ay mur a***. That's not how its supposed to be.
Remember as well - if everyone goes off at their own pace, the pack stretches & splinters, and the slower & tireder runners feel they need to push harder to stay in touch. You are also not getting as good a warm down as you could.
This is why Tommy sets it up the way he does - everyone should be able to get a gentle warm down and part of it can be unwinding a bit with some banter, talk to people (particularly the newer folk I say) and find out how they're getting on. And if they are breathing hard, encourage them to slow down a little until they can carry on the conversation, then you know they're at a better pace for them.
I'll get off me soapbox now.
This public service announcement was brought to you by Bad Religion's Nobody Listens
Sunday 11 December 2011
Acceptance Speech
I want to thank my manager, my agent, sniff, mom, dad, the persuaders I sent round to the judges houses. Can't say more. So choked with emotion.
Anyway.
At the GTC Christmas Lunch yesterday I was awarded Most Improved Athlete of the Year, along with the even more prestigious bag o jelly beans for Most Persistent Poster of Pish and Blogger of Bull. Or something. Can't remember the actual award name. But thanks everyone :)
I really appreciate the help & support everyone at the club has given to me over the last year, providing the perfect environment for a enthusiastic yet very very green triathlete to begin to flourish in a way I didn't believe I could until recently. (neither did anyone else. just ask my family ;p )
Lots of points in time stand out for me across the year. Nervously entering the pool for my first club session. Run sessions in the snow, with the moisture from my breath freezing on my buff. The cold of my first club cycle, the punctures and eventual hot chocolate & cake. Aberfeldy training weekend & struggling up Ben Lawers. The support of Ele, Seb, Heike & David at Lisbon, the nerves at the start, the rain, the pain, the finish, the casino. Strathclyde park Sprint and a conversation with Vicky that changed my running style. Back to Aberfeldy to show Ben Lawers what I was made of. Tighnabruach and the ferry home where I decided long distance triathlons would be possible for me. The formation of Team Roth. The Bolton road trip. Aberfeldy in a caravan for the Middle distance relay. Mud and fun at Glentress. And there are so many more good times to come.
This blog is written for myself, but the fact that some people have enjoyed what I've written and others have been motivated to get out and train when otherwise they may have just stayed in makes it all the more satisfying for me.
A tongue in cheek reminder to never take things too seriously.
Today's blog is brought to you by:
Abba's The Winner Takes It All
Mad Capsule Markets Good Day
Nailbomb Sum of Your Achievements (its the first song)
Opeth Godhead's Lament
Deadmau5 Raise Your Weapon
*edit*
Great idea Jo:
Yazz The Only Way Is Up
You should be able to find something you like amongst that.
Anyway.
At the GTC Christmas Lunch yesterday I was awarded Most Improved Athlete of the Year, along with the even more prestigious bag o jelly beans for Most Persistent Poster of Pish and Blogger of Bull. Or something. Can't remember the actual award name. But thanks everyone :)
I really appreciate the help & support everyone at the club has given to me over the last year, providing the perfect environment for a enthusiastic yet very very green triathlete to begin to flourish in a way I didn't believe I could until recently. (neither did anyone else. just ask my family ;p )
Lots of points in time stand out for me across the year. Nervously entering the pool for my first club session. Run sessions in the snow, with the moisture from my breath freezing on my buff. The cold of my first club cycle, the punctures and eventual hot chocolate & cake. Aberfeldy training weekend & struggling up Ben Lawers. The support of Ele, Seb, Heike & David at Lisbon, the nerves at the start, the rain, the pain, the finish, the casino. Strathclyde park Sprint and a conversation with Vicky that changed my running style. Back to Aberfeldy to show Ben Lawers what I was made of. Tighnabruach and the ferry home where I decided long distance triathlons would be possible for me. The formation of Team Roth. The Bolton road trip. Aberfeldy in a caravan for the Middle distance relay. Mud and fun at Glentress. And there are so many more good times to come.
This blog is written for myself, but the fact that some people have enjoyed what I've written and others have been motivated to get out and train when otherwise they may have just stayed in makes it all the more satisfying for me.
A tongue in cheek reminder to never take things too seriously.
Today's blog is brought to you by:
Abba's The Winner Takes It All
Mad Capsule Markets Good Day
Nailbomb Sum of Your Achievements (its the first song)
Opeth Godhead's Lament
Deadmau5 Raise Your Weapon
*edit*
Great idea Jo:
Yazz The Only Way Is Up
You should be able to find something you like amongst that.
Saturday 10 December 2011
Monday 5 December 2011
Where Has My Booze Tolerance Gone?
Oh yeah, thats right, I gave up for most of the year whilst training.
I hope I'm not mashed by the end of the club Christmas lunch on Saturday.....
Altar of Plagues - Feather and Bone
I hope I'm not mashed by the end of the club Christmas lunch on Saturday.....
Altar of Plagues - Feather and Bone
Sunday 4 December 2011
Hills
So I'm still gash at hills. But I'm better than I was.
Enjoyable day out today, despite the cold & sleet. I felt a bit weak starting the session, possibly due to a slight hangover, dehydration and general lack of sleep, but it was well worth going out for.
I feel more comfortable on the hills, and I feel like I'm using more of the full stroke (though I daresay I still; have dead spots along with shoddy technique) but its noticeable after being on the mountain bike (for me at least) how much more I'm using. My power is going up as well, but really, the stamina just doesn't exist for now. But it will come. Right now, when I top out a steep hill, I'm busted and need time to allow my quads to recover before I can crank up the speed on the flat. Though the cold probably wasn't helping. Its my excuse, & I'm using it
Tonight's post is brought to you by Machine Head's Halo
Enjoyable day out today, despite the cold & sleet. I felt a bit weak starting the session, possibly due to a slight hangover, dehydration and general lack of sleep, but it was well worth going out for.
I feel more comfortable on the hills, and I feel like I'm using more of the full stroke (though I daresay I still; have dead spots along with shoddy technique) but its noticeable after being on the mountain bike (for me at least) how much more I'm using. My power is going up as well, but really, the stamina just doesn't exist for now. But it will come. Right now, when I top out a steep hill, I'm busted and need time to allow my quads to recover before I can crank up the speed on the flat. Though the cold probably wasn't helping. Its my excuse, & I'm using it
Tonight's post is brought to you by Machine Head's Halo
Thursday 1 December 2011
Tonight's [CENSORED] Run Session
So tonight we were in [CENSORED], doing a [CENSORED] session, where we [CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED] then [CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED] before [CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED] leaving my calves a bit tender. My ITB started to tighten up towards the end just as we were starting the [CENSORED] portion of the set, probably due to a combination of my recent lack of running, that I haven't been stretching enough and the cold tightening everything up. But I managed to run a couple of kilometers at reasonable pace stretching it out a bit more, which held the worst of it off. The slow jog back was probably the most painful part, possibly the dynamic stretch when I'm running faster helps....
And the point of the censored malarky? Aparently we shouldn't be putting the session details online. And I'm cool with that (particularly when I can have a larf with it :D )
This song is most definatly not censored: Rage Against The Machine: Killing In The Name Of
And the point of the censored malarky? Aparently we shouldn't be putting the session details online. And I'm cool with that (particularly when I can have a larf with it :D )
This song is most definatly not censored: Rage Against The Machine: Killing In The Name Of
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