Park Life - Blur

Note to self... don't cycle 40 miles, Park Run, do some heavy leg weights and then run a marathon. As it hurts like ****. That goes for Jenny too and the last few miles today were pretty painful to say the least.

The thing that made the pain easier to bear was running through the amazing Osmaston Park... which is simply stunning. I really want to do a 'Grand Design' on the Mill House in the centre of the park. That would be one love nest I can tell you.

We hope you'll agree when you take on ULTRArace Peaks...

I am having a day off tomorrow, I think...

Life in the Fast Lane - The Eagles

OMG what is happening to me... I did ANOTHER Park Run today at the aptly named Conkers down in darkest Leicestershire. And just as I thought the first mile just about killed me once again as unlike the flat and friendly Cardiff course, this one is trail and a tad hilly to say the least.

There weren't a huge number of people there but a creditable third in my age category made all the hard work seem worthwhile, especially as I have had a couple of 'tear ups' already this week and 23:27 was my best today...

Long and the short of it is that I am about as fit now as I was last October when I managed to clock in some good times for my marathons and ultras so there's hope yet eh? Tomorrow's marathon out of the ULTRArace Peaks course will get my mileage to somewhere useful for the week and get me in the right place for a 45+ miler in Jersey next weekend...

An extended weights session on the old arms means that Jenny might be carrying the maps tomorrow...

Funky Gibbon - The Goodies

Am I the only one who can remember The Goodies and their Trandem (not Tandem as it had three seats!)... Who'd of thought some 38 years later that I'd be out on one today with Jenny and daughter Pearl (6).

To be honest it's a Tandem with a 'Tag Along' but it got rave reviews from other cyclists and also got us 38 miles...

Turbo Pearl, as she is now known, when pedalling and not singing, talking, eating, drinking etc. made a huge difference to the speed. Talk about full of beans at the end!

I am currently soaking my numb bits but really enjoyed a great day out on our UR Peaks course.

Take my advice if you are looking for a change from the gym perhaps and get out on a Trandem.

It's Goodie, Goodie Yum Yum...


ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning.

Location:Breaston

Easy - The Commodores

And yes today was an E A S Y day of not running or exercising the Coleman Body into the ground and an opportunity of giving myself some well earned recovery before a good few miles of running over the weekend. Rest is a vital part of my new regime... proper Rest, that is.

Funnily enough, I can feel the benefit of the recent burst of training and my legs have a lot more bounce in them than they have for probably the last 12 months.

Next weekend's Dovedale Dipper might well see where the training has got me to so far and I am really now focussing my attention on my old favourite... The Robin Hood Marathon.

Bring it on...

Hungry like the Wolf - Duran Duran

Makes you peckish all this running... a good plus ten miles today followed by a weights session at the gym to give myself a real kick along with my training. I did get the salt munchies and my three year abstinence from crisps nearly melted tonight but luckily for me, Jenny has polished off the family bag of Doritos that have been in the cupboard since last Christmas...

So my record is still intact... them Salt and Vinegar Crisps are harder to give up than B&H and Stella put together IMO...

Anyway, back to the plot, and the dreaded power hour on the treadmill went very well all considered and judging by the pool of sweat, I must have put some effort into the steady recovery run.

Tomorrow, I will be out on the hills with Jenny, let's hope the Doritos will slow her down eh?

Beat the Clock - Sparks

Well I beat the 60 minutes barrier on that 7+ miler tonight (58:30) and was close to my 5km best along the way. I must say that it really broke me going up the sharp hill into the top of Sandiacre but it did make me realise my current potential.

Fast and Far = Good Autumn running times... well that's the theory anyway.

What I kept in mind was trying to extend my toes in the push off part of my running gait. That toe lift has been missing from my stride for as long as I can remember. It feels a bit odd at first but it really speeds one up. Well it did for me tonight, I believe.

Maybe I will think about my stride length next eh?

Hard Times - Human League

I started my daily running schedule today in a vain attempt to recreate the heady days of 1997 when I would bash out a couple of fast one hour runs a day to get my fitness levels at their all time best. 14 years on, it's not such an easy feat, I can tell you, and what I was looking for was a one hour course of testing hills and long drags that I can use as a speedy hour time trial. I got just that!

Today's PB of 1:01:13 over a 7.21 mile course means that a sub 60 mins is quite achievable. I will be looking forward to beating that one of these days...

Tomorrow, I will be back out on the same course - more then.

Theme from Mission Impossible - U2

I had a great day out at 'The Outlaw' starting at a ridiculously early hour of 6am to see the 600 or so competitors set off on a 2.4mile swim of the Holmepierre Pont Lake. I must say that there was a vast spectrum of Mark Spitz to people who look like they would have trouble breast stroking the length of an average bath tub... the time difference between the first and last people was just amazing - as was one guys aero-helmet for the bike which went most of the way down his back... does it make that much difference?

Anyway, I went away and went back to see Jenny run her marathon leg, which she did in a great time of 3:27 much as we had predicted. Nice going one Jenny...

Looking on wasn't easy and I will have to get a few more miles in later tonight if I am going to keep my mileage up for the month. One good thing is that I don't have to swim first!

More tomorrow... now where do I get one of them helmets?

Speak to Me - Pink Floyd

I must say that I really enjoyed speaking to the Triathlete's who were registering for tomorrow's 'Outlaw' at Holmepierre Pont today. The room was packed much to my amazement and there was some great feedback from the audience. Nice people these Swim-Bike-Run-Tattooists.

Their wide eyes at some of the talk were something to behold, I can tell you... I do love a bit of shock!

Having completed 681 marathons and being nearly 50 gives you an awful lot of experience to call upon... and my half hour was nearly 60 minutes long. I must try and do some more speaking and I am always open to offers!

More tomorrow... now where are my old Speedos?

Talk Talk - Talk Talk

Well, who would have thought I would be speaking to a load of Triathletes about Motivation and Training eh? But watch out tomorrow if you are competing or going to 'The Outlaw' in Nottingham as I will be there at 2pm giving it plenty to anyone who will listen!

We went out there today in fact and had a good look around and it looks like being a great event for those of the 'Speedo-Bike-Run' persuasion... My Jenny is part of a relay team with her running the marathon part hoping to win the Team trophy. They have the fastest lady swimmer in Helen 'Swims like a fish' Gorman so they will have a really impressive lead as the bike leg starts. No pressure eh Girls?

Having not being asked... It got to has got me thinking that maybe I could have a go at an Ironman if I really got to grips with the swim... having a personal best of 10 yards only leaves me 4214 yards short, maybe I ought to get down the local pool.

Makes you think? And if I do, I won't get the daft Tattoo!

Speed of Sound - Coldplay

A week and the best part of 70+ miles later and I am well on the way to getting into shape. The hills of Majorca make a great place to get fit I can assure you... bashing ones way up the best part of 400 metre hill in the mid-day heat really makes you feel the part of an athlete in training. And that's what I have to believe right now to make the next 12 months hard work pay-off.

A conditioning session tonight has continued the training process tonight and I am now going to build a 12 week macro cycle that I will repeat four times from August 1st 2011 right thru to 31st July 2012.

More tomorrow... and more running.

Hot Hot Hot - Arrow

Well it was time today to get myself back on the road in Majorca and test myself out on the hills out to Formentor. I ran these a lot back in the 90s on family holidays and I wanted to see if I could still climb the 375m Mirador like I did back then.

A tough but rewarding run... And yes ran it to the top - c'mon!

ULTRArace.co.uk - The Home of ULTRArunning.

Location:Majorca

School's Out - Alice Cooper

It is for one Hannah Coleman as she graduated from Nottingham University this afternoon with a 2:1 in Russian and East European Civilisations. It was a bit like the Buckingham Palace Garden Party that I once went to full of proud parents. Including ME.

She worked really hard for her degree and I admire anyone who works hard and makes its happen - well done Hannah.

Certainly brightened up a day of packing for our Majorca trip tomorrow... more then.

Move any Mountain - The Shamen

Yesterday, I went mountain walking with Jenny, her brother Mark, and father Sir Michael, in the Brecon Beacons and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mark's previous army selection hikes with pack and rifle set the standard of the walk (V HARD) and I was really surprised at how well Jenny managed to keep up with the guys, especially as she is the first to acknowledge that she is a dawdler...

After five hours and a few summits, including Pen y Fan, we did the decent thing and headed back to the car rather than get in a couple more of Mark's summits and five more miles. I think the lure of the Ice-Cream Van on the Brecon Road was just too much for us in the end. That Orange lolly really hit the spot, too. What I do know is that I can feel the old calf muscles this morning.

Maybe we'll have to go again... it's all good training for Majorca where heat and incline will meet once again.

More tomorrow...

Speed of Sound - Coldplay

I did the Cardiff Park Run 5km this morning... not the best of things to do when you've bashed in three marathons in the previous week but a good aid to speeding up the old Coleman Carcase!

I must say that I went a little too quickly at the start of the race and had that suffocating sensation that I seem to get hill repping so slowed slightly to a 23minute 22second finish just a minute short of my last year's only ever 5km personal best.

It added fuel to the fire of next year's big record breaking event for me and the start of documenting the physical and mental approach in trying to make it happen. One which I am going to feature on here.

You never know, it might well get printed if I play my card's right...

Big Time - Peter Gabriel

Well we're down in ARAF this weekend as a bit of a breather from a heavy week of running and planning our 2012 season. The succession of people coming for training for next year's Marathon des Sables has really got my mileage up and I now have a good head of steam to possibly go and get that elusive 10th Guinness World Record. I was in the 2002 book!

Be about time too eh?

Don't ask me what it will be as I ain't telling you! I will however be talking about next year's project on here from time to time AND it will be my main focus of next year, especially as it would mark a great entry into my 50's.

Anyway, back on the ground and we will both be at Cardiff Park Run in the morning... 5km... not easy on my tired old legs!

Blowin' Free - Wishbone Ash

Been a great day of running today as I bashed in yet another 26.2 miler with MdeS wannabe Ali Young. It was no mean feat as Ali's one fit girl and keeping up with her in the last six miles on my tired legs probably did me the world of good.

Ali won't have any problems in MdeS and should actually be a good ladies contender...

I just want to be as fit as I was in 2009... and I'm on my way!

It's a day of rest followed by a Park Run 5km on Saturday... whatever next.

Here comes the Sun - George Harrison

Makes you wonder why we ever live in the UK... apart from the last few days, the weather is pants! Just look at the weather forecasts of Belfast (best example of rain in UK) and Pollenca... I know where I am going on my hols.

Well, maybe it's partly all the running that I have done but especially living in the East Midlands my old bones don't really get on with the damp and cold of the British climate; or maybe I am just a grumpy old git and someone who needs fresh air and lots of sunlight to make me happy.

We'll see how I feel after a week sizzling my Balearics off in Majorca. In the meantime let's hope tomorrow is fine as I run my third person of the week around a marathon in the Tropic of Derbyshire... bet it rains!

Into the Groove - Madonna

Had my second marathon of the week today with another Marathon des Sables hopeful in the shape of a very nice young man called Ben Wilding. As ever on these long training days out in Derbyshire, I was able to share an enormous amount of information about the event but also hopefully enthuse Ben to do as much work between now and then to get the most out of his race next April.

He's not got too much to worry about as although he's relatively new to running, he has a very upbeat attitude to life and was a real pleasure to spend time my time with today.

I must say that I loved the last 6 miles and felt really strong and totally positive now about my running prospects for later this year. Another marathon on Thursday will really put me back on track.

Happy Days...

Another Brick in the Wall - Pink Floyd

Well a nice easy day today in preparation for tomorrow's next marathon day of running. Hopefully the weather will break and it won't be the horrible heavy conditions that we have had today. It's very humid in Breaston... even I wouldn't mind a bit of rain right now!

I must report that getting back myself back into the marathon groove is slowly getting better and my legs feel fine today... the chest is aching loads from a gym session on Saturday and my DOMS will be also be gone tomorrow. A few more weeks and I will be back at peak fitness, well for me anyway.

Hopefully a week of running in Spain will help that! So getting a few miles in now in preparation will help no-end.

More tomorrow...

Doctor Doctor - UFO

I had a lovely day out with Marathon des Sables hopeful Dr. Alison Rackham today out on The Breaston Beast course. I must say that we couldn't have picked a better day to be out there really and the whole course was absolutely dry for once, all the way round.

For Alison it was a real leap of faith and a door to a new experience of long slow distance running... and she did just brilliantly and has a great future ahead of her.

For me it was the first part of this week's marathon trilogy...

More tomorrow.

Marathon - Rush

Well more like three in the next five days as my MdeS training days are coming in thick and fast right now, that should put me well back on track with my running I think! It's a bit of a baptism of fire but it will do me the world of good. It will also shake off a good dose of chocolate cake and ice cream that was part of a day out in Buxton today. What a great day out...

The Peaks in July are just amazing and we got as far north at Glossop on our travels. It did awaken my memories of the Pennine 100 and its 43 mile loop, which would make a great event. So I am thinking of running that in the near future as a day out if you are interested.

I must say that I am looking forward to tomorrow and I might be back in time to see the tennis... my money is on Nadal!

More then...

Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie

Well my congratulations go to BT today for stupid email of the month once again. Taking into account that today is July 1st, they sent me an email today to say that I am 7GB into my 10GB of download allowance for June and that if I go over it will cost me another £1 per GB. Talk about pointless!

It then goes onto say that maybe I would like to subscribe to an even bigger limit, that I don't even need.

WHAT PLONKERS!

Makes you wonder if anyone at BT actually looks into what they are sending out... maybe trying to spend more energy on a bigger download/upload speed for us and a broadband that doesn't drop out might be a better use if their time. I would phone and complain but the call centre is based in the other side of the world and my sarcasm would go un-recognised.

Come back Maureen Lipman... you knew where you were with Beattie.