A pretty uneventful week, but got still some decent training sessions in. Monday was a run after work, followed by the 'Kewaigue Loop' on Tuesday. I hadn't eaten much during the day and literally ran in from work, got changed and down to the NSC. 5 minutes into the walk I knew it was a mistake as my energy levels felt particularly low as I dragged myself around chasing Dave W up the hill past the school. I had to give circuit training a miss on Wednesday as it was an End to End Walk Committee Meeting. Things seem to be going to plan, even if the entries haven't started to flow in yet, plus we have also had another company approach the Committee wanting to get involved alongside the other sponsors.
I plan to enter this year's End to End, to walk with Kyley, but the only problem is that it falls a week after the Roubaix 28 hour walk. This annual event in Northern France has been running since 1953 and the objective is to see how far you can walk in 28 hours, with the current record standing at an impressive 255km (158 miles). As publicised on Murray's manxathletics.com website there are a number of people from the Island planning to have a go at this year's event, so our support teams should be able to a establish a Manx quarter somewhere on the circuit. As well the fact that physically I won't be able to be competitive for the End to End, it wouldn't be too clever to go for it due to the high probability of doing some permanent damage to myself only a week after Roubaix (assuming I can still actually walk at that stage!).
On Thursday night the two Daves, Vinny and I met up at the NSC and we headed out along the promenade, up Summerhill and Blackberry Lane and back to the NSC. On Friday evening I wasn't feeling too good and as Kyley was out with work I took the opportunity to lie on the sofa and do nothing part from watch Sport Relief. A superb effort from the comedian John Bishop as he cycled through Northern France, was delirious whilst rowing across the Channel before running 3 marathons - with millions raised for charity. Whilst the Parish is obviously on a smaller scale to Sports Relief, it shouldn't be forgotten the money that is raised for local charities through this great event.
Had a terrible night's sleep and got up on Saturday morning not feeling like walking at all. However, I didn't want to miss the long walk of the week so decided to see how things went. Vinny, Dave M, Michal and I met up at Dave W's on Ballanard Road at 7.30 and Dave's wife Sally joined us for the first few miles as we set off through East Baldwin, up past St Luke's Church and down the hill to Injebreck Resevoir. It was at this point I started to feel very intrepid about lay ahead, in my delicate state. If you haven't ventured up the hill from Injebreck to Brandywell then I recommend it as an excellent training walk to build stamina for tackling the hills in the Parish. It is very steep at the start and then is a long slog to the top, plus there is very little traffic on the road. Dave W and Vinny set the pace and I had to dig really deep to hang on to them.
It was a very warm morning, by comparison to the last couple of Saturdays and the concern was we wouldn't have sufficient fluid, as the route we were taking was around the middle of the Island with no shops to get any supplies. Fortunately, we needn't have worried as Dave W had been out on his bike the day before and had strategically placed bottles of water around our route. On reaching Brandywell we continued on the road before taking a left turn past the entrance to the former Sartfield Restaurant and down the hill to Little London, which really feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. It was at this stage we expected to see a 'good ol boy' sitting out the front of his house playing his banjo, with his shotgun propped up beside him! On joining the TT course at Cronk-Y-Voddy we traced it backwards to Union Mills before returning to Dave's house for refreshments, finishing a little over 21 miles.
Unfortunately, I was unable to compete in today's Manx Harriers 10km Racewalking Championships, but congratulations to Alex Eaton and Michelle Turner, the men's and ladies's winners. Instead my morning was spent in the glorious sunshine in Ramsey watching Tom playing for Corinthians V RYCOB in the U17s football. Tom is currently studying PE at A Level and one of his assignments involves documenting and filming a sport he participates in. As such, I was on camera duty for the morning. RYCOB had already won the league and when Corinthians only had 10 players to start things didn't look good. However, at half-time the score was 0-0, which was a fair reflection. During the second half RYCOB made the extra man count and matters weren't helped when Corinthians went down to 9 men as a result of injury to one of the team. The match finished 3-0 to RYCOB but a really committed performance from the 'Super Whites'.
This afternoon Kyley and I walked down into town to pick up a few things and as the weather was so nice carried walking along the promenade instead of heading straight home. We wandered up Summerhill and then through the Glen that brings you out by Governor's Bridge. I hadn't walked through the Glen in years but I have really fond memories of it as a child when me and my brothers would pester my parents to take us there to see the lights at night and then work on them to take us to the chippy at the bottom of Summerhill afterwards. It was a little bit of a let down this time around! Walking past the Grandstand we noticed some of the new fitness equipment installed by Douglas Council in Nobles Park at a cost of £20,000. We only found 5 of the 7 pieces of equipment but tested them out and were both impressed. It looks to be a good circuit running between each of the 'stations' and I just hope they remain untouched by vandals. All-in-all a good day out in the sun and hopefully the start of a long, hot summer!!!
I am in Guernsey this week, so will unfortunately miss the Parish 'Walk Talk' on Tuesday evening, which starts at 5.30pm with doors opening at 5.00pm. If you have any concerns about the Walk and need some advice I would recommend you get down to the Manx Museum where a panel of experts will pass on their experience. Also if you need a little motivation or are undecided whether to have a go at the full distance, this is a great opportunity to meet fellow entrants and pick up useful tips.
Anyway, I plan to bring my sports gear with me this week, but when away with work it is often difficult to find the time or the enthusiasm to use the hotel gym. However, now that the training schedule is increasing I will be disappointed in myself if the kit comes back unused!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Monday, 19 March 2012
Bus Wa**ers!!!
After last Sunday's football I took Monday off from training, plus my ankle was feeling a little tender after the Union Mills's left back caught me a little late. I seem to have developed this knack of getting hit either above or below my shin pad when I get tackled. Maybe it is a sign I should wind up my season before my 9 lives run out.
Tuesday's training session with Dave W, Vinny and Jock was a good one, as we did the loop from the NSC down to the Quay, through Kewaigue and back to the NSC. Not a long walk, but we had the usual 'race' up the hill past the school, whilst pretending it wasn't hurting. Dave Mackey couldn't make it as he said he was off work for the Cheltenham horse racing festival. I assumed he was actually going to Cheltenham, but instead his week was spent moving back and forth between O'Donnell's and Joe Jennings. On Wednesday I went to circuits at the NSC and again managed to cripple myself doing side lunges!
Thursday was the Dursley Stott Spring Handicap 5K Walk and my first race in the V40 category. Neither Michael or Jock were walking so I started off last; however, instead of assisting the lap counting or just providing support from the sidelines, they were in new roles - as judges! Both had successfully passed the judges exam the previous weekend, so were there on the sidelines with their cards at the ready. I managed to avoid one all race, before picking up a yellow from Graham Young 20 metres from the line! I knew I was close to 25 minutes and I think with a final effort to get under that time I lost my technique a little, finishing in 25:03. Still a PB though, so I was pleased. There were some excellent performances on the night, namely the top 3 - Alexandra Valentine, Stew Jones and my fellow blogger Ed Walter. Also worth a mention was Michelle Turner who with a time of 26:59, seems to be making big improvements in every race with more to come. I had guests over from the UK with work, so after the race I met them at the Regency Hotel where they were staying and we popped into the Queens for a couple of pints before heading to Chillies. Nothing like a few beers and a curry for your post race recovery!
Friday was a rest day, as a long walk was planned on Saturday. Looking at the weather forecast on Friday night, I was all prepared for rain all morning, so it was out with the thick base layer and waterproof top, as we were taking on Ballakillowey and the Sloc, starting at Colby. Vinny sent a text message to remind us all the bus was leaving Douglas bus station at 6.40 and not 6.45, so make sure we were on time. I was running late on Saturday morning, so decided to drive down to the NSC and catch the bus from there. Whilst it was a clear morning, my car windscreen was frozen, so I considered the warm clothing a good idea. On arriving at the NSC Dave M was wandering around looking agitated, so I pulled up and asked him what was wrong. The bus had gone through 10 minutes earlier and we had missed it! We phoned Vinny who seemed upset that the bus timetable had changed in January, but no one at the DOT had personally contacted him to let him know! Fortunately, the delay meant that I could nip home and pick up my Garmin that I had forgotten and Dave could get himself a banana. The bus eventually arrived at the NSC and Dave and I hopped on to join Vinny, Jock and Dave W. The title of the blog is taken from a scene from the series the Inbetweeners, which if you have seen it is hilarious and dedicated to Vinny.
We stepped off the bus in Colby and started at a slow and steady pace. By this time it was clear blue skies, with a really warm sun - so much for the forecast rain! Ballakillowey was the usual slog and it was immediately evident I had put on too may layers of clothing. Next the Sloc! When anyone talks about the most difficult part of the Parish Walk on the way to Peel, the Sloc is always mentioned. Personally, I find Ballakillowey much more of a challenge, as it is considerably steeper and tougher on the hamstrings. After going through the Round Table we raced into Peel maintaining a good pace all the way. As we headed into Glen Maye it was good to know that it is not only me who suffers from cramp walking up the hill past the Waterfall pub. Every year I suffer in the same place and it must be something to do with such a steep hill after miles of downhill.
In Peel we stopped for refreshments - tea and sausage/bacon baps, or just eggs and bacon in Vinny's case, as part of his gluten free diet. After sitting down for a few minutes it was really difficult to get going and it was only by around Peel School that my legs started moving freely again. We then pushed it most of the way back into Douglas averaging 10 minute miles by the time we reached the NSC. Overall we covered not far short of 25 miles in a shade under 4 hours and 30 minutes, so a good workout. It was a bit of a step up from our previous longest walk and I think we all felt it by the end. I managed to spend a lot of the afternoon watching the Rugby and well done to Wales for winning the Six Nations, but England's performance later in the day was equally impressive considering the young age and limited experience of the team.
Sunday was more relaxing, but given it was another beautiful day Kyley and I decided to go for a walk around Onchan and Douglas for a couple of hours in the morning. I am trying to talk her into doing the End to End Walk, so a good start to her training! It also helped build up an appetite for the day of eating that lay ahead to celebrate Mother's Day. We commenced our eating Marathon at Kyley's parents' house for Sunday lunch and whilst I tried not to fill my plate too much, the food that was on offer was too hard to resist and I admit I did have more roast potatoes than I should have done. I also should have avoided the after dinner mints! After leaving Laxey the next stage of the endurance event was meeting up with my side of the family at the Italian Job. Garlic Bread for starters before demolishing a large pizza and I still found room to share a desert with Kyley. A really good meal but the service left a bit to be desired. Got home too full to do anything but fall into bed. On day's like this it's not too difficult for me to remember how I managed to get so big in my 'jabba the hut' days; however, I now know I need to take it easy the next few days and train that little bit harder.
Tuesday's training session with Dave W, Vinny and Jock was a good one, as we did the loop from the NSC down to the Quay, through Kewaigue and back to the NSC. Not a long walk, but we had the usual 'race' up the hill past the school, whilst pretending it wasn't hurting. Dave Mackey couldn't make it as he said he was off work for the Cheltenham horse racing festival. I assumed he was actually going to Cheltenham, but instead his week was spent moving back and forth between O'Donnell's and Joe Jennings. On Wednesday I went to circuits at the NSC and again managed to cripple myself doing side lunges!
Thursday was the Dursley Stott Spring Handicap 5K Walk and my first race in the V40 category. Neither Michael or Jock were walking so I started off last; however, instead of assisting the lap counting or just providing support from the sidelines, they were in new roles - as judges! Both had successfully passed the judges exam the previous weekend, so were there on the sidelines with their cards at the ready. I managed to avoid one all race, before picking up a yellow from Graham Young 20 metres from the line! I knew I was close to 25 minutes and I think with a final effort to get under that time I lost my technique a little, finishing in 25:03. Still a PB though, so I was pleased. There were some excellent performances on the night, namely the top 3 - Alexandra Valentine, Stew Jones and my fellow blogger Ed Walter. Also worth a mention was Michelle Turner who with a time of 26:59, seems to be making big improvements in every race with more to come. I had guests over from the UK with work, so after the race I met them at the Regency Hotel where they were staying and we popped into the Queens for a couple of pints before heading to Chillies. Nothing like a few beers and a curry for your post race recovery!
Friday was a rest day, as a long walk was planned on Saturday. Looking at the weather forecast on Friday night, I was all prepared for rain all morning, so it was out with the thick base layer and waterproof top, as we were taking on Ballakillowey and the Sloc, starting at Colby. Vinny sent a text message to remind us all the bus was leaving Douglas bus station at 6.40 and not 6.45, so make sure we were on time. I was running late on Saturday morning, so decided to drive down to the NSC and catch the bus from there. Whilst it was a clear morning, my car windscreen was frozen, so I considered the warm clothing a good idea. On arriving at the NSC Dave M was wandering around looking agitated, so I pulled up and asked him what was wrong. The bus had gone through 10 minutes earlier and we had missed it! We phoned Vinny who seemed upset that the bus timetable had changed in January, but no one at the DOT had personally contacted him to let him know! Fortunately, the delay meant that I could nip home and pick up my Garmin that I had forgotten and Dave could get himself a banana. The bus eventually arrived at the NSC and Dave and I hopped on to join Vinny, Jock and Dave W. The title of the blog is taken from a scene from the series the Inbetweeners, which if you have seen it is hilarious and dedicated to Vinny.
We stepped off the bus in Colby and started at a slow and steady pace. By this time it was clear blue skies, with a really warm sun - so much for the forecast rain! Ballakillowey was the usual slog and it was immediately evident I had put on too may layers of clothing. Next the Sloc! When anyone talks about the most difficult part of the Parish Walk on the way to Peel, the Sloc is always mentioned. Personally, I find Ballakillowey much more of a challenge, as it is considerably steeper and tougher on the hamstrings. After going through the Round Table we raced into Peel maintaining a good pace all the way. As we headed into Glen Maye it was good to know that it is not only me who suffers from cramp walking up the hill past the Waterfall pub. Every year I suffer in the same place and it must be something to do with such a steep hill after miles of downhill.
In Peel we stopped for refreshments - tea and sausage/bacon baps, or just eggs and bacon in Vinny's case, as part of his gluten free diet. After sitting down for a few minutes it was really difficult to get going and it was only by around Peel School that my legs started moving freely again. We then pushed it most of the way back into Douglas averaging 10 minute miles by the time we reached the NSC. Overall we covered not far short of 25 miles in a shade under 4 hours and 30 minutes, so a good workout. It was a bit of a step up from our previous longest walk and I think we all felt it by the end. I managed to spend a lot of the afternoon watching the Rugby and well done to Wales for winning the Six Nations, but England's performance later in the day was equally impressive considering the young age and limited experience of the team.
Sunday was more relaxing, but given it was another beautiful day Kyley and I decided to go for a walk around Onchan and Douglas for a couple of hours in the morning. I am trying to talk her into doing the End to End Walk, so a good start to her training! It also helped build up an appetite for the day of eating that lay ahead to celebrate Mother's Day. We commenced our eating Marathon at Kyley's parents' house for Sunday lunch and whilst I tried not to fill my plate too much, the food that was on offer was too hard to resist and I admit I did have more roast potatoes than I should have done. I also should have avoided the after dinner mints! After leaving Laxey the next stage of the endurance event was meeting up with my side of the family at the Italian Job. Garlic Bread for starters before demolishing a large pizza and I still found room to share a desert with Kyley. A really good meal but the service left a bit to be desired. Got home too full to do anything but fall into bed. On day's like this it's not too difficult for me to remember how I managed to get so big in my 'jabba the hut' days; however, I now know I need to take it easy the next few days and train that little bit harder.
Sunday, 11 March 2012
A Win at Last
After having Monday off after a heavy Sunday night to celebrate my 40th birthday, I arrived into work early on Tuesday and there was a large photo of me on the front door, lying naked on rug. Fortunately for all concerned it was a baby photo!!! From the reception area and throughout the floor I work on there were various other photos from my childhood, kindly supplied by my brother to try and humiliate me. In keeping with how I was 5 or 6 years ago, I was big lad as a baby with rosy red cheeks (probably from heaving my over-fed body around), which everyone at work found particularly amusing. Kyley did once say that if she had seen photos of me as a baby before she got pregant, things might have been different!!
I managed to fit in a quick run on Wednesday night, followed by a 5 mile walk on Thursday with Dave Walker. We didn't push it too hard as I still had tight hamstrings from the 20km the previous Saturday and Dave had run the Leinster Management 20 mile on the Sunday, so we just kept a steady pace going. I had mentioned in an earlier blog that Dave had been training well, is a lot fitter than last year and is a potential 'dark-horse' for the Parish. This was evident by the fact that he knocked 22 minutes off his time for the 20 mile run from last year and if he could have maintained the same pace this year for marathon distance, he would be around the 3 hour mark.
Friday was a rest day and yesterday morning I met up with both Daves, Jock and Vinny at the NSC. We set off up Bray Hill, through Onchan and to the top of Whitebridge where we took a left and started the climb up along the back road to Creg-Ny-Baa. As you reach the top of the hill there is a lay-by that looks like 'Tom the Dippers' on the Parish Walk route at the top at Ballakillowey and the next section of the road looks bizarrely similar to the Parish route from Regaby to the bottom of the Sloc. It was at this point that Dave M and Vinny started to discuss the benefits of a gluten-free diet, but I don't want to put anyone off their tea, so I won't share the gory details with you! Continuing, we turned off towards Glen Roy, which surprisingly some of the guys had never walked before, which was probably best as there are 3 decent hills to climb prior to reaching Baldhoon Road. If you want a decent training route, this has everything in terms of terrain and great views. On reaching Laxey we stopped at the Co-op for refreshments, before racing back into Douglas via Groudle. Unfortunately, I was pushed for time so couldn't enjoy the late breakfast at Mash this week.
I always forget how hard the climb out of Laxey is and the first year I finished the Parish Walk I tried to turn off right too early for Lonan Church. The second year I finished I didn't have the same problem as my father-in-law Paul joined me going past the Queens Hotel. I should point out that he had been drinking there during the evening and jogged alongside for a while providing 'encouragement'. Kyley and I now have a running joke each year when I ask where the turn off for Lonan Church is.
On the lead up to the Parish Walk in 2009 I started to get involved in the Winter Walking League, as well as few other races and discovered what a welcoming bunch the race-walking fraternity is and the considerable amount of time that various people volunteer to keep the interest levels up in the sport. It was through doing these races and being given tips to improve my technique, plus going to the Tuesday night sessions at the NSC that I started to see a rapid improvement in my times. Whilst my race-walking style has a lot of room for improvement, I wouldn't be able to walk anyway near as quickly and maintain the pace I can over longer distances without the friendly hints and guidance I have been given. If you have finished the Parish Walk before and are serious about improving your time, then I would recommend you go along to the various races in the build up to the main event. Murray Lambden's website http://www.manxathletics.com/ has details of forthcoming races and there is a 10km walk on 25th March at the NSC hosted by Manx Harriers.
To give you an idea of how the shorter races helped me, in 2008 the time for my first finish was 21:12:38 and I improved this by 4:00:18 to record a time of 17:12:20 in 2009. Normally this would have won the award for biggest improvement in a single year, but Gillian Cunningham did a fantastic walk to improve by 4:12:46. My memories of 2009 were of setting off fairly conservatively and getting to Peel not too much quicker than I did in 2008. However, this worked to good effect, as I slowly worked my way through the field in the second half of the Walk and had some of Stephen Harvey's chips as we left Ramsey. From that point to the end I continued to maintain a decent pace and only Andy Green passed me going to Laxey and he had a storming finish to the end and just kept me out of the top 10 placings. At the end I actually felt really good and knew at that point I could push myself harder to quicker times. One thing I should mention about 2009 was that Michael Bonney, Malcolm Newton, Selwyn Callister and I won the Team Award. We certainly weren't 4 of the quickest walkers in the field, but we were the only team with all four members to finish the full distance.
Back to the present day - Colby Vets played against Union Mills at the Bowl this afternoon and after 3 games without a win, we triumphed 3-1. I managed to come through the match unscathed, as Kyley had a dream in the early hours of Sunday morning and woke up convinced that I had broken my leg playing football and that my Parish Walk ambitions were finished for this year! We only have 3 matches left now and I have promised I will stop playing for the season at the end of March.
I managed to fit in a quick run on Wednesday night, followed by a 5 mile walk on Thursday with Dave Walker. We didn't push it too hard as I still had tight hamstrings from the 20km the previous Saturday and Dave had run the Leinster Management 20 mile on the Sunday, so we just kept a steady pace going. I had mentioned in an earlier blog that Dave had been training well, is a lot fitter than last year and is a potential 'dark-horse' for the Parish. This was evident by the fact that he knocked 22 minutes off his time for the 20 mile run from last year and if he could have maintained the same pace this year for marathon distance, he would be around the 3 hour mark.
Friday was a rest day and yesterday morning I met up with both Daves, Jock and Vinny at the NSC. We set off up Bray Hill, through Onchan and to the top of Whitebridge where we took a left and started the climb up along the back road to Creg-Ny-Baa. As you reach the top of the hill there is a lay-by that looks like 'Tom the Dippers' on the Parish Walk route at the top at Ballakillowey and the next section of the road looks bizarrely similar to the Parish route from Regaby to the bottom of the Sloc. It was at this point that Dave M and Vinny started to discuss the benefits of a gluten-free diet, but I don't want to put anyone off their tea, so I won't share the gory details with you! Continuing, we turned off towards Glen Roy, which surprisingly some of the guys had never walked before, which was probably best as there are 3 decent hills to climb prior to reaching Baldhoon Road. If you want a decent training route, this has everything in terms of terrain and great views. On reaching Laxey we stopped at the Co-op for refreshments, before racing back into Douglas via Groudle. Unfortunately, I was pushed for time so couldn't enjoy the late breakfast at Mash this week.
I always forget how hard the climb out of Laxey is and the first year I finished the Parish Walk I tried to turn off right too early for Lonan Church. The second year I finished I didn't have the same problem as my father-in-law Paul joined me going past the Queens Hotel. I should point out that he had been drinking there during the evening and jogged alongside for a while providing 'encouragement'. Kyley and I now have a running joke each year when I ask where the turn off for Lonan Church is.
On the lead up to the Parish Walk in 2009 I started to get involved in the Winter Walking League, as well as few other races and discovered what a welcoming bunch the race-walking fraternity is and the considerable amount of time that various people volunteer to keep the interest levels up in the sport. It was through doing these races and being given tips to improve my technique, plus going to the Tuesday night sessions at the NSC that I started to see a rapid improvement in my times. Whilst my race-walking style has a lot of room for improvement, I wouldn't be able to walk anyway near as quickly and maintain the pace I can over longer distances without the friendly hints and guidance I have been given. If you have finished the Parish Walk before and are serious about improving your time, then I would recommend you go along to the various races in the build up to the main event. Murray Lambden's website http://www.manxathletics.com/ has details of forthcoming races and there is a 10km walk on 25th March at the NSC hosted by Manx Harriers.
To give you an idea of how the shorter races helped me, in 2008 the time for my first finish was 21:12:38 and I improved this by 4:00:18 to record a time of 17:12:20 in 2009. Normally this would have won the award for biggest improvement in a single year, but Gillian Cunningham did a fantastic walk to improve by 4:12:46. My memories of 2009 were of setting off fairly conservatively and getting to Peel not too much quicker than I did in 2008. However, this worked to good effect, as I slowly worked my way through the field in the second half of the Walk and had some of Stephen Harvey's chips as we left Ramsey. From that point to the end I continued to maintain a decent pace and only Andy Green passed me going to Laxey and he had a storming finish to the end and just kept me out of the top 10 placings. At the end I actually felt really good and knew at that point I could push myself harder to quicker times. One thing I should mention about 2009 was that Michael Bonney, Malcolm Newton, Selwyn Callister and I won the Team Award. We certainly weren't 4 of the quickest walkers in the field, but we were the only team with all four members to finish the full distance.
Back to the present day - Colby Vets played against Union Mills at the Bowl this afternoon and after 3 games without a win, we triumphed 3-1. I managed to come through the match unscathed, as Kyley had a dream in the early hours of Sunday morning and woke up convinced that I had broken my leg playing football and that my Parish Walk ambitions were finished for this year! We only have 3 matches left now and I have promised I will stop playing for the season at the end of March.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Midlife Crisis
Yesterday I turned 40, so time for the midlife crisis and to go out and get myself a motorbike or sports car. I also now fall in to the V40 category at walking events! Having said that I am a lot healthier and fitter than I was at 30 and possibly even 20 (as I sit here writing the blog stuffing my face with Lindt chocolates I received for my birthday).
Last week was pretty uneventful training-wise. I did nothing on Monday after playing football on Sunday and on Tuesday we did the loop (the more difficult way round) from the NSC out along Peel Road down to the Quay and out to Kewaigue before heading back to the NSC. The pace always starts off nice and easy and the nearer we get to the White Hoe someone (usually Vinny) starts picking it up before we hit the bottom of the hill before Kewaigue school and then it becomes a race to the top, with everyone pretending that it isn't hurting at all. Wednesday was circuit training and I did nothing on Thursday and Friday, with the 20km on the Saturday in mind.
Come the day of the race I was feeling okay and was pleased to see the rain from earlier in the day clear up. Whilst the sun was out, it was still quite windy down at the NSC and it was difficult walking into the wind down the far side of the circuit. After the earlier 2km, 3km and 5km races the 10km and 20km started together and it was a decent size field. As usual I got a bit excited at the start and went off a bit too quickly for the first two or three laps. I then settled into a good rhythm and tagged on to Jock and he pulled me round for a couple more laps before he stepped up the pace a little and the gap started to open. At this point I managed to acquire a yellow card from Steve Taylor for a bent knee, so I slowed down a bit and tried to focus on the technique instead.
My first 10km was around 54 mins and 30 seconds mark so still on target for the sub 1 hour and 50 mins I was aiming for. I didn't have a great third 5km and was feeling a little rough and left myself just under 27 mins for the final 5km to achieve my target time. There was a lot of encouragement from the sidelines and Richard Wild was kindly giving me regular updates on my lap times, but going into the final lap I still needed to cover the circuit in 4 mins and 25 seconds. Using every last bit of energy I managed to get over the finish line in 1 hour 49 mins and 52 seconds, so 8 seconds below what I set out to achieve. After recovering and having a cup of tea I was then talked into competing in the Vets 3km event, which in hindsight wasn't a great idea, as I had already started to stiffen up. After a quick warm up we were off and to be honest I had very little left in the tank, so took it fairly easy. A big thank you to the organisers, judges, timekeepers, lap counters and the sponsor (the Ascot Hotel) for putting on another excellent event. Well done to Michael George on a superb walk in the windy conditions.
On Sunday morning when I woke up my hamstrings were particularly tight and I could certainly feel the effects of the previous day. Went to watch Tom play in the under 17s for Corinthians v Peel and whilst it was a fairly even game Peel won 2-0, so I had to put up with a grumpy teenager for the rest day. Fortunately the afternoon's Premiership football brought a better result with Man United winning 3-1 against Spurs, despite being second best for long periods of the match. Always a good sign when you win whilst playing below par. On Sunday evening Kyley and I went out with friends to the pub quiz at the Woodbourne and finished second, so won ourselves some bottles of Fosters and a pack of Fruit Pastilles! Managed to force down a few pints of Guinness, followed by a whiskey or two and we were eventually 'kicked-out' of the pub in the early hours. Fortunately, we were both off work the following day.
Woke up on Monday morning feeling rough and every one of my 40 years. After dragging myself out of bed we went to lunch in town before heading off to see Kyley's family in Laxey. As soon as I arrived Kyley's dad offered me a pint of his locally brewed Bosun Bitter, which after a tough first couple of sips went down surprisingly well. We spent the evening at home with my family round for a Chinese as my dad and I share the same birthday. After a few glasses of red wine and too much to eat I went to bed last night planning a few weeks of sensible eating and drinking. At my age I need to start taking more car of myself!!!
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Mixed Results
After good cardio sessions on Monday and Tuesday last week I ran down to the NSC on Wednesday night, to warm up for circuit training. It was a really good workout, but there were quite a few exercises involving squats and lunges and boy did my inner thighs ache for the next couple of days - obviously muscles I don't exercise enough! On Thursday Vinny, Dave W and I met up at the NSC and did a 5 mile loop, down to Douglas Prom, up Summerhill and back past the Grandstand with a good average speed of just over 6 miles an hour, but it felt comfortable.
Saturday was the usual 'long walk' with Dave M, Michael and Vinny. We decided to do about 15 miles, apart from Michael, who with an eye on the 20km race at the Manx Harriers Ascot Hotel Open Meeting on Saturday, planned to do slightly less. The walk was a fairly easy pace from the NSC, along the promenade and out past Groudle. On arriving in Laxey we turned left opposite the Queens and up Rencell Hill, which Dave claimed to have never been up before, so was a bit surprised at how long it drags on for. The 'prize' when you reach the top is the great view back over Laxey and the hills past Glen Roy in the opposite direction. It was at that point the sun came out, so it was almost perfect. We then followed the back road from Creg Ny Baa to the top of the Whitebridge (where Dave picked up an unfortunate injury, that I won't go in to) and then back into Douglas - a distance of 17 miles, so a little further than planned.
We had a new edition to the family on Saturday afternoon when Kyley's sister Steph and her husband Gareth become the proud parents of a baby girl, Daisy Elizabeth, a little sister to Ethan. Below is a picture of Daisy, who weighed 7lb and 3oz at birth and Tom (our first and best baby, as he likes to claim). Hard to believe at 6ft tall now that he was also the same weight 17 years and 6 days ago!
Today was all about the football. It started this morning at Pulrose where Tom was playing for Corinthians A against St Marys. St Marys are probably the strongest team in the league and Corinthians had quite a few players missing, so had to call up some B team players and had no subs, so they were expecting to get battered. Deservedly Corinthians took the lead after about 15 minutes, but St Marys equalised just before half time. In the second half Corinthians were under a lot of pressure and eventually they conceded a late goal with the game finishing 2-1 to St Marys, but they could be proud of the effort they put in and a great team performance. I thought Tom's day was going to go from bad to worse when his football team Arsenal went 2 nil down against Spurs, but shockingly they came back to win 5-2.
The mighty Colby Vets were also in action today against Onchan. We hadn't played a match for 4 weeks, but we were upbeat following our last performance against St Marys. Unfortunately, we had a lot of players either off the Island or injured and struggled to get 11 today. This wasn't helped when one of the team picked up a hamstring injury after about 5 minutes and we limped to a 3-0 defeat, with two of the goals self-inflicted. Credit to Onchan for the way they played, but one thing you do need in the Vets League is to have the full quota of substitutes and use them correctly. On the positive side Man U beat Norwich to keep the pressure on City and it also brought up an amazing 900 appearances from Giggs. We could do with him in our Vets team when he finally decides to call it a day in professional football!
I will probably take things fairly easy this week on the training front, as I'm going to have a go at the 20km on Saturday, with my objective to get under 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Saturday was the usual 'long walk' with Dave M, Michael and Vinny. We decided to do about 15 miles, apart from Michael, who with an eye on the 20km race at the Manx Harriers Ascot Hotel Open Meeting on Saturday, planned to do slightly less. The walk was a fairly easy pace from the NSC, along the promenade and out past Groudle. On arriving in Laxey we turned left opposite the Queens and up Rencell Hill, which Dave claimed to have never been up before, so was a bit surprised at how long it drags on for. The 'prize' when you reach the top is the great view back over Laxey and the hills past Glen Roy in the opposite direction. It was at that point the sun came out, so it was almost perfect. We then followed the back road from Creg Ny Baa to the top of the Whitebridge (where Dave picked up an unfortunate injury, that I won't go in to) and then back into Douglas - a distance of 17 miles, so a little further than planned.
We had a new edition to the family on Saturday afternoon when Kyley's sister Steph and her husband Gareth become the proud parents of a baby girl, Daisy Elizabeth, a little sister to Ethan. Below is a picture of Daisy, who weighed 7lb and 3oz at birth and Tom (our first and best baby, as he likes to claim). Hard to believe at 6ft tall now that he was also the same weight 17 years and 6 days ago!
Today was all about the football. It started this morning at Pulrose where Tom was playing for Corinthians A against St Marys. St Marys are probably the strongest team in the league and Corinthians had quite a few players missing, so had to call up some B team players and had no subs, so they were expecting to get battered. Deservedly Corinthians took the lead after about 15 minutes, but St Marys equalised just before half time. In the second half Corinthians were under a lot of pressure and eventually they conceded a late goal with the game finishing 2-1 to St Marys, but they could be proud of the effort they put in and a great team performance. I thought Tom's day was going to go from bad to worse when his football team Arsenal went 2 nil down against Spurs, but shockingly they came back to win 5-2.
The mighty Colby Vets were also in action today against Onchan. We hadn't played a match for 4 weeks, but we were upbeat following our last performance against St Marys. Unfortunately, we had a lot of players either off the Island or injured and struggled to get 11 today. This wasn't helped when one of the team picked up a hamstring injury after about 5 minutes and we limped to a 3-0 defeat, with two of the goals self-inflicted. Credit to Onchan for the way they played, but one thing you do need in the Vets League is to have the full quota of substitutes and use them correctly. On the positive side Man U beat Norwich to keep the pressure on City and it also brought up an amazing 900 appearances from Giggs. We could do with him in our Vets team when he finally decides to call it a day in professional football!
I will probably take things fairly easy this week on the training front, as I'm going to have a go at the 20km on Saturday, with my objective to get under 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
What to Wear!!!
Got shouted at by Dave Mackey tonight, as he had sat down at his computer yesterday morning with a cup of coffee ready to read the latest weekly drivel I had posted, only to find no post. I usually write the blog each Sunday, but this Sunday it was my son Tom's birthday, so didn't get round to it and I was busy yesterday, so didn't get an opportunity then.
Last week was a poor week for training, mainly due to work commitments, so I only managed to get out for a couple of runs. On Saturday morning I met up with Vinny and Dave W and as per the previous two weeks it was raining as we set off. When I had left home it looked like the rain was going to be around for a while, so put on an extra layer of clothing, as its better to be too hot and take layers off, than too cold. We set off from the NSC, up Bray Hill and past the Grandstand. Before we reached Onchan the rain had stopped and I quickly started to overheat - I never seem to get it right! Up to Whitebridge we headed past the Liverpool Arms and after crossing the tram lines took the next right, as you enter Lonan. This road then takes you up towards Ballanette and Lonan Old Church, but we stayed on it and it brings you back on the Groudle Road. From there we held a good pace all the way back to Onchan Head, along the Promenade and a final sprint to Mash.
This leads into the subject of what clothing and accessories should you have with you on the day? I usually pack the following items:
Without my brothers assistance this time around it took Tom and I an age to shift it. Tom slipped going down the stairs and let go of the half-ton TV with me below it. It could very nearly have been the end of this year's Parish Walk attempt had I not been able to wedge myself underneath it, before it flipped on top of me. In the evening Kyley went out to exercise classes in the evening, so given my lack of training the week before I decided to go out for another run and covered 5 miles, again in the rain. Must have overdone it a little as my calves were quite painful this morning.
Now going to undo the good work from yesterday and have a few pancakes!!!
Last week was a poor week for training, mainly due to work commitments, so I only managed to get out for a couple of runs. On Saturday morning I met up with Vinny and Dave W and as per the previous two weeks it was raining as we set off. When I had left home it looked like the rain was going to be around for a while, so put on an extra layer of clothing, as its better to be too hot and take layers off, than too cold. We set off from the NSC, up Bray Hill and past the Grandstand. Before we reached Onchan the rain had stopped and I quickly started to overheat - I never seem to get it right! Up to Whitebridge we headed past the Liverpool Arms and after crossing the tram lines took the next right, as you enter Lonan. This road then takes you up towards Ballanette and Lonan Old Church, but we stayed on it and it brings you back on the Groudle Road. From there we held a good pace all the way back to Onchan Head, along the Promenade and a final sprint to Mash.
This leads into the subject of what clothing and accessories should you have with you on the day? I usually pack the following items:
- A spare pair of trainers. Ideally these should be a similar pair to the ones you start in and both pairs fully 'walked-in'. You don't want to be turning up on the line in a pair of trainers you are not comfortable walking distances in and ones your feet are not used to, making them more susceptible to blisters.
- Spare pairs of socks to change into if your feet get wet.
- A cap. It keeps the sun out of your eyes and also useful if it rains.
- Spare shorts or tights, if you're that way inclined (you know who you are.... Ronnie Kelly/Dave Mackey!)
- Two or three spare t-shirts. Even if you don't get wet, if it is a hot day you will sweat a lot and will feel a great deal more comfortable later on, if you have a fresh top to change in to.
- A high-viz showerproof jacket, or if the weather is anything like 2008 a more heavy-duty waterproof/windproof jacket is probably more apt!
- A warm hat and gloves. Before the 2008 Parish Walk experience I would not have even considered needing a hat and gloves in June. However, even if it isn't wet, it can still get quite cool during the night and after you have been walking for hours on end the body is more susceptible to feeling the cold.
- A base-layer. Again, if it is a cold night a base-layer under a lightweight jacket should keep you warm. In last year's walk I was wearing a t-shirt as I approached Bulgham Bay, but there was a cold mist coming in. Kyley was telling me it had got quite a bit cooler as the sun was setting, but I hadn't noticed at this point. Similar to making sure you are eating and drinking enough, this is another area where your support team can make a difference, by ensuring you change clothes or put on another layer as it starts to get dark.
- A high-viz bib to put your race number on. You can wear this all the way round and makes changing clothes easy.
- A head-torch and a red light to clip on to the back of your jacket. As mentioned in an early post on my first finish I carried a hand-torch round after dark, which wasn't ideal! you can also pick up the lights the wrap around your arm fairly cheaply.
- Spare batteries for your lights.
- One of the most important things you will 'wear' during the walk is Vaseline. Apply it liberally to every nook and cranny and reapply regularly, even if you don't think you need it! This is particularly important if it is wet, otherwise when you start to feel the pain from excessive rubbing it is usually too late and it will bother you for the rest of the race.
- Insect repellent. As well as the enduring the long trek from Jurby to Bride, last year was made worse by the unbelievable number of big black flies that were around, unless it was just me attracting them! Whilst it didn't disperse all the flies, spraying my hat with insect repellent made it more bearable.
- Waterproof plasters. Whilst I can't speak for the ladies, I would recommend the gentlemen use waterproof plasters to protect themselves from the dreaded nipple-rub. Personally, I have found Vaseline to only be effective for a short period of time.
- My Garmin GPS watch. The model I have is a 310XT, which I have used for the last couple of years and it has a 20 hour battery life. Before I start the race I will have gone through my times from the previous year to each church and from this will plan times for this year. The Garmin watch helps me keep on track and will tell me if I am going too fast or need to speed up a little.
Without my brothers assistance this time around it took Tom and I an age to shift it. Tom slipped going down the stairs and let go of the half-ton TV with me below it. It could very nearly have been the end of this year's Parish Walk attempt had I not been able to wedge myself underneath it, before it flipped on top of me. In the evening Kyley went out to exercise classes in the evening, so given my lack of training the week before I decided to go out for another run and covered 5 miles, again in the rain. Must have overdone it a little as my calves were quite painful this morning.
Now going to undo the good work from yesterday and have a few pancakes!!!
Sunday, 12 February 2012
The Importance of Electrolytes....
Not a great week for training, but made up for it with a good session yesterday. Following last Sunday's 10km race I didn't do anything on Monday, as I was feeling a bit under the weather and as football training was cancelled on Tuesday night I went for a 5 mile run instead. On Wednesday night I was out with guests for work and on Thursday and Friday I had to work late.
With a few of the usual Saturday morning crowd either off the Island or injured it was left to me and Mike George to brave the elements. As mentioned in an earlier blog we will build up the longer walk by a mile or two each week, but given the weather Mike and I were initially undecided how far to go, especially if it deteriorated any further. Therefore, we decided to head out to Baldwin, so we could cut the length of the walk if needed.
Before I started going out with the group on a Saturday morning a year or two ago, I would quite often head out by myself and do the loop round Baldwin and then do it in reverse the following week. I now know the route like the back of my hand, but I still enjoy it as it has a variety of testing hills and the views are great. It is only in this last couple of years that my walking has significantly improved and apart from being due to improving my general fitness, it is as a result of going out training with a group of quicker walkers. You end up pushing yourself a lot harder and there is a friendly competitiveness. One mistake I use to make was to go out on longer walks without anything to eat and wonder why I would be short of energy, so I now always make sure I have some sort of snack with me.
This leads on to the question of what should you eat and drink during an event like the Parish Walk. Given you could potentially be walking almost constantly for up to 24 hours it needs careful consideration, planning and trying out what works for you beforehand, rather than hoping it works out on the day. During my first two Parish Walk finishes my diet and drinking regime throughout the race was shocking and mainly consisted of jaffa cakes, jelly babies, Mars Bars and bananas, washed down with Lucozade.
I'm certainly no expert on sports nutrition and what works for one person is no good for another, therefore it is important to experiment with different food and fluid combinations on long walks. Eating during an endurance event like the Parish can often by tricky when you are on the move. To maintain sufficient energy levels throughout a race, adequate proportions of fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes are essential. Eating too many carbohydrates or not drinking enough fluid can result in cramping, fatigue and will ultimately affect your performance.
Some basic tips are below:
After that exertion we 'strolled' up to Onchan and the rain started to get a bit heavier, so it was a relief to head back in to Douglas. By the end we had covered 14.9 miles in 2 hours 31 minutes on a fairly hilly route, so I was pleased with the walk given our reticence at the start. After a nice hot shower to warm up (and a protein shake!) I went into town to pick up a few bits before having lunch and settling down in front of the TV to watch the Man U v Liverpool game. I won't gloat about the score Ed - as it will probably come back and bite me on the arse at a later date!
Today's vets game against Braddan was cancelled as the pitch was unplayable due to the rain over the last couple of days, so I ended up going round to my godson's 8th birthday party for coffee and cake. Settling down now for a relaxing evening and to watch the Hangover 2. Bye for now.
With a few of the usual Saturday morning crowd either off the Island or injured it was left to me and Mike George to brave the elements. As mentioned in an earlier blog we will build up the longer walk by a mile or two each week, but given the weather Mike and I were initially undecided how far to go, especially if it deteriorated any further. Therefore, we decided to head out to Baldwin, so we could cut the length of the walk if needed.
Before I started going out with the group on a Saturday morning a year or two ago, I would quite often head out by myself and do the loop round Baldwin and then do it in reverse the following week. I now know the route like the back of my hand, but I still enjoy it as it has a variety of testing hills and the views are great. It is only in this last couple of years that my walking has significantly improved and apart from being due to improving my general fitness, it is as a result of going out training with a group of quicker walkers. You end up pushing yourself a lot harder and there is a friendly competitiveness. One mistake I use to make was to go out on longer walks without anything to eat and wonder why I would be short of energy, so I now always make sure I have some sort of snack with me.
This leads on to the question of what should you eat and drink during an event like the Parish Walk. Given you could potentially be walking almost constantly for up to 24 hours it needs careful consideration, planning and trying out what works for you beforehand, rather than hoping it works out on the day. During my first two Parish Walk finishes my diet and drinking regime throughout the race was shocking and mainly consisted of jaffa cakes, jelly babies, Mars Bars and bananas, washed down with Lucozade.
I'm certainly no expert on sports nutrition and what works for one person is no good for another, therefore it is important to experiment with different food and fluid combinations on long walks. Eating during an endurance event like the Parish can often by tricky when you are on the move. To maintain sufficient energy levels throughout a race, adequate proportions of fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes are essential. Eating too many carbohydrates or not drinking enough fluid can result in cramping, fatigue and will ultimately affect your performance.
Some basic tips are below:
- Ensure you are hydrated before you turn up for the start i.e. start taking on liquids a couple of hours beforehand.
- Don't drink endless isotonic/energy sports drinks such as Lucozade or Gatorade during the race. They do have their place in an endurance event, but they tend to be too sweet and you may feel a little sick later in the race and it could affect your ability to take on food as well. I tend to use the powder sachets of High Five Energy Source (but watered down more than the recommended level), as they contain carbohydrates, whey protein and electrolytes. Electrolytes are responsible for keeping the body properly hydrated, so the muscles and nerves can function properly. Since the body is composed mostly of water, it is important that we take in adequate amounts of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and phosphates. When we sweat and lose these vital minerals, we need to replenish, not only with water but with these minerals. If we combine intake of fluids with electrolytes, we will actually hydrate quicker, as water follows electrolytes. Dioralyte can also be used to ensure hydration and electrolyte levels are maintained
- Load up on carbohydrates a few days before, on the lead up to the event. A pre-race meal should consist of high energy foods like bread, cereals, pasta, rice, fruit and vegetables and lean sources of protein.
- Take on small amounts of food on a regular basis. The best and most natural way of replenishing electrolytes is from food. In fact, sugary sport drinks only provide a quick burst of minerals, but deplete the body over time. Easily digestible, carbohydrate-rich foods such as a banana or granola bar are ideal, but bearing in mind that during the time you will do the Parish Walk (without evening considering the extra energy you will expend) you would normally eat 3 or 4 meals, this won't be sufficient. As I pointed out earlier my diet during my first couple of Parish Walks was poor, but more recently I have tried to vary what I eat and a lot of it is down to trial and error. Last year I ate a fair amount of fruit in the early stages such as dried apricots, bananas and melon and later on I ate mash potato and gravy as it was easy to digest and also salty, so kept the sodium levels up (some of the top walkers swear by soup, with sweet potato being a favourite, so something I plan to try as well this year). Towards the end of race I did fall back on the jelly babies, but at that stage I just needed them for short bursts of energy.
- Make sure your support team are fully briefed beforehand on your eating and drinking requirements. In the early stages of the race you will probably be telling your support exactly what you want and when you need it, but after you get past half-way it is easy to lose track of what you are consuming, so it is important they know your plans and essentially they recognise the signs if you are not taking on enough fluids or food. As it is often said, if you start feeling really thirsty then the chances are you are already dehydrated. Similarly, if you don't take on food you will 'hit the wall' and it will take a while to recover your energy levels and wreck your chances of achieving whatever objective you have set yourself.
- As part of the the post-race recovery it's important to take in carbohydrates as soon as your body will allow, this enhances glycogen replacement. Try something like a fruit smoothie, chocolate milk drink, banana, or yogurt. Taking on a protein shake is also important as it helps repair exercise-induced muscle damage.
After that exertion we 'strolled' up to Onchan and the rain started to get a bit heavier, so it was a relief to head back in to Douglas. By the end we had covered 14.9 miles in 2 hours 31 minutes on a fairly hilly route, so I was pleased with the walk given our reticence at the start. After a nice hot shower to warm up (and a protein shake!) I went into town to pick up a few bits before having lunch and settling down in front of the TV to watch the Man U v Liverpool game. I won't gloat about the score Ed - as it will probably come back and bite me on the arse at a later date!
Today's vets game against Braddan was cancelled as the pitch was unplayable due to the rain over the last couple of days, so I ended up going round to my godson's 8th birthday party for coffee and cake. Settling down now for a relaxing evening and to watch the Hangover 2. Bye for now.
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