New Benchmark

Global Warnings Advorkaat
Recently we have been having snow and freezing temperatures over a larger area and earlier in the year than in living memory.

Well in my lifetime anyway.

We have not got Frost Fairs on the Thames - yet.

Apparently this is caused by worldwide Warner Bros or some-such human activity. All that hot air arising over Cancun causes a reverse of the usual weather patterns - if I have understood it correctly.

“His reasoning was specious and so he convinced me”. - Bertie Wooster.

Jack Frost

Snow Running
The impact on runners has been two-fold. Some have not gone out because of the danger of falling over on the snow and ice. Others have put on shoes with studs or clipped on gripper devices - wrapping up in extra layers - to get out for some runs despite.

As something of a Shamateur, mindful of injury, and lacking the technical kit, I have been in the former group and stayed warm indoors - decorating.

Snow Stream

Pushing The Envelope
In the mild gap between ice ages I have managed a few runs. More than just keeping the training ticking over. I have tried to stretch my stamina in several ways:-

• Shorter faster
• Hill climbing
• Longer slower
• Rest days

My short loop of just under 4 miles I have been going round in about 33 minutes. This is not quite the speed I managed in the Swindon 10k race - illustrating the booster effect that running with others can generate. Though my route is more constricted, is hillier and has roads to be crossed. And kids with whirling scarves to be dodged.

One day when I had severely limited time I tried what I called “Hill Starts”. This involved repeatedly running up a steep hill with a rising gradient to see how far I could get. Walking back down to the starting point for the next attempt. I managed to increase the distance up the hill on all but the last run. Running uphill improves my running technique - like most beginners I am a heel jogger and rarely get onto my toes - as well as stamina.

Since Swindon I have managed three runs of more than 7 miles - the two most recent longer than 8. The idea is to stretch my distance gradually so that before I have to run the Half Marathon for real I have actually covered the distance in a single run in training. So far I am about 60% there with a couple of (winter) months to go.

Tendency to ache for a day and night after one of these longer runs - so planning in more rest days for recovery is important.

Benches placed beside the path provide a convenient half-way marker point at which to turn for home. Today I achieved a new benchmark. 8.38 miles in 1h 24m 02s. Not very fast - but even so it suggests my target of under 3 hours for the Half Marathon is not ambitious enough.

Should I be aiming for 2 and a half hours or even 2hrs 20min?

Food and Drink
It is noticeable that the last third of my runs are much harder work than the first two-thirds. Always glad to get home to that shower bath.

With these longer distances it is likely that I am depleting my energy reserves and that is why the last bit is so tiring. As a cyclist I used to experience this - but the bike carries the weight of the water and food.

Looks like time for a Nutrition Plan for my training runs. Banana in back pocket?

Shower Bath - Castle Drogo NT