"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt



Friday 26 December 2014

Running in to the new year

For the last couple of years I've really wanted to run in to the new year; that is start a run on 31st December,  and finish it 1st January.

It just sounds so... cool...

Unfortunately, due to some form of injury or another I've never quite managed it, and the romantic notion of it has never slipped my mind or left me (or how back to the future-esque it MUST feel)

Another thing I've been keen on is to run on Christmas day - get up, watch my family open their presents, and then go bounding out the door; rosy red cheeks glowing and white mist drifting upwards with every exhale, and a huge smile planted on my face...

Well, I managed the Christmas day run, and finally, finally, it looks like I'm going to run in to the new year - if I can stay awake!

It probably sounds like such a little thing, but in a year when I've not been able to don my running club's vest to race even once, I've learned to appreciate the little things.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone, I hope you all got exactly what you wished for :)

Sunday 7 December 2014

Put downs to pick you up and other self centred sentiments

I go to the gym, I go and I lift weights, I do it partly as a form of cross training to my running, and partly to try and put a bit of muscle on my waif like body... My gym has instructors who hold the full complement of Les Mills classes, I've done them, and have enjoyed them. They're a great way to workout without the need to think about what you're going to do in your latest workout.

However, a new Les Mills promotional poster has appeared in the gym; it reads: "Alone we're weak, together we're strong"

Photo credit: All the Les Mills

I'm sure this phrase has gone through all the usual marketing channels and was voted as the newest-and-bestest phrase to make you want to participate in a Les Mills class. However, I think it smacks of self righteousness and today's more and more apparent view of needing to put one group/person/thing down in order to make yourself feel superior....

It's like the phrases "real women have curves" and "real men grow beards" - as if being anything different makes you less than everyone else. It (to use a possibly scouse phrase) does my head in; why feel that in order to make yourself feel better you have to put others down? I'm pretty sure Arnold (checks google for correct spelling) Schwarzenegger didn't regularly complete group classes on his way to becoming Mr. Universe at the age of 20, and then Mr. Olympia 7 times, but I'm sure the folks at Les Mills wouldn't call him weak!

Similarly with the whole curves/skinny/beard/clean shaven 'thang, if you're happy with how & who you are, or take satisfaction in doing something which you believes makes you a better you, take your satisfaction from that, not from thinking you're better for doing something someone else hasn't,  because,  there will always, always, be someone who has done something more than what you have done or are doing...


Sunday 19 October 2014

That was the week that was...

Every Monday morning when I was in primary school my classmates and I had to write a short summary of what we did over the last week, it was dubbed that was the week that was (or TW3 as the teacher liked to scrawl on the blackboard). So, for nostalgia's sake I thought I'd give a round up of my last 7 days of  exercise - definitely my most demanding and varied on comeback from injury:

Monday - Suspension rope workout at gym followed by 20 min swim
Tuesday - General gym workout followed by 6km run
Wednesday - 30 min swim
Thursday - General gym workout followed by 4km run,  rock climbing in the evening
Friday - General gym workout followed by 30 min swim
Saturday - Suspension rope workout at gym followed by 6km run
Sunday - Light gym workout, plus 2 hours of gardening (I'm counting this as a workout as I filled my recycling wheelie bin!)

So, quite a packed week, and whilst not running heavy, I'm definitly happy with the miles I covered and the general toil I put my body through. I plan on upping the miles over the next 4-6 weeks as I've got an early 2015 target in mind that I'm aiming for.

End note, I feel I should clarify that when I mention 'when I was in primary school' this wasn't just like last week or anything, it was when my age was in the single figures and I should have been there...

Sunday 28 September 2014

Sometimes finishing last is ok...

I'm panting. 'This is is hard work, I want to stop, I want it to be over... Oh well, at least I'm not last...'

I look over my shoulder; 'oh god, I'm last... But... I wasn't earlier; there were at least 3 behind me before...'

They'd dropped out, quit; why? Because they couldn't carry on, or didn't like where they were in the field?

I wouldn't quit, no, I couldn't quit; my dad was in the crowd, how could I live with myself if I quit in front of him?

I was 15, running for the school in the cross country team - the 'weakest link'. It wasn't always like that, but it seemed in the last 6 months to a year the other boys had all had a growth spurt - I hadn't.

On I plodded, and approached the finish line, a cold, clear last in the pack. My dad decided to run next to me for the last 50 metres or so. 'A sprint finish isn't going to save me this humiliation, or running with my dad next to me' I thought.

I crossed the finish line, I didn't run for the school ever again after that experience... I didn't draw from it the lessons I perhaps should have.

That day will forever be etched in my memory - I should have used it as a confidence boost to will myself to keep with it because I didn't quit; I had the guts to see it through even though I knew I was the 'slowest' and 'worst' runner that day. Instead I walked away from running, and exercise in general until my university days in my twenties, which I'll forever regret.

My school actually finished second that year in the cross country; despite my last place finish, or because I managed to finish and provide a full compliment for team numbers? -I'll never know, but sometimes, finishing last doesn't always make you the worst, sometimes finishing last is ok...

Sunday 31 August 2014

Song lyrics and running...

Its been a little while since my 'come back' post- slightly longer than I'd hoped / planned, and for one simple reason,  I've had/having a little setback. Nothing major, but enough to make me ease back on my running. As ever, it's my own fault; trying to do too much too soon... It went something like this:

"Hey body"
"Yeah?"
"Now I know you've spent the last number of months healing and getting betterand all,  but I think its time we do an inordinate amount of exericse, how's that sound?"
"Um, I'm not sure..."
"It'll be fine, I mean, we've been for a few runs but we're pretty much indestructible now aren't you?"
"I really don't think that's the case..."
"Nonsense!"

Well, it turns out it wasn't nonsense: runner in shocker of not listening to their body!!

So anyway, whilst I kick myself for my stupidity (ok, my greater than usual stupidity) I realised that all, or at least most, songs are written about running. I know, most of them are written about love you're thinking,  uh no... Take Paloma Faith's latest hit; 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This'. On the face of it, it's about love, but don't let the song title mislead you, I proffer:

"I tell myself, it don't mean a thing... But when you're not there I just crumble"

And how about "But it's the sweetest pain, burning hot through my veins"

Running I tell ya! Although I think Paloma missed out burning lungs in that last line.

...And just for conclusive proof, Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud', the very opening lyric gives it away:

"When your legs don't work like they used to before"

...Post marathon feeling yeah?

"When my hands don't play the strings the same way"

By strings, Ed is clearly referring to his Garmin watch (other brands are available)

And don't get me started on Bryan Adams' 'Run to To You'

So there you have it... The next time you're listening to your favourite song on the radio/mp3 player/music playing device, have a little smile that it's all about running...

Tuesday 22 July 2014

<insert deep and meaningful title here>

Well, hello! Its been a little while, such a little while that I'm not quite sure how to go about this first-post-back, so I'll keep it simple...

I've been running again for around 6 weeks now, easing back in to it to build up my stamina and getting my body used to running (I have never felt so unfit in my entire life!). So far, so good, but about damn time if you ask me! I have plenty of targets in my mind but for now, it is amazing to feel like a runner!

I'll give a more detailed update over the next few weeks, right now my fingers are getting tired from not having blogged for so long ;) in the mean time, I hope anyone who previously read my blog is happy and healthy, and anyone who may not have, welcome!


Btw, I have a new job, which I've had for around 6 months now and it is fantabulistic!!