Week 23 and 24
So after all the training and preparation for my "home town" marathon last Saturday, I didn't even get to lace up my runners, never mind get to the start line. An unexpected very warm stint suddenly blew up the pollen count and caught me off gaurd, and knocked me for six. Now I suffer from hay fever every year, mostly only for the month of May. So i take tablets for all of May but as this year May as a wash out, I guess the pollen only started flying when the sun started shining at the start of June, by when I had ran out of tablets and thought i didnt need any more. Boy was I wrong. On the Friday before the race i was wrecked and didnt sleep over night. The race was on Saturday evening but I knew by Saturday that I didnt have the energy and wasnt in a correct state to even try. GUTTED.
But hey, life goes on. Well, i was a bit of a moody fecker this week as my wife will probably tell you. And I had lost the motivation to get out and run for most of the week, only clocking up two 5 KM runs mid week. But today (Sunday) i ran a nice low key, local 12km event in Mannheim that was really nice and got my juices flowing again. I decided that i wasn't going to push myself but was going to just enjoy the race, but quickly I started to push myself and saw that I might clock a 10km PB if i pushed a bit more. Going past the 10KM marker I was at 53.43 which is 23 seconds faster than my previous PB! BOOM! That got my spirits lifted, but i was pretty fucked for the last 2 KMs. 12k is not a normal distance that one would normally train for, and caught a few people out at the end.
A friend of ours Mike who also ran, came 6th overall with a very fast 48 mins for the 12km, only a few seconds behind the winner.
Anyway, that was what I needed to get my head back into the training mode. I said I was going to do 4 marathons in the space of a year. With Dublin last October and London in April, i have to find 2 more to do in the next 4 months! FCUK.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
The 15km "10k race" and my 5 minutes of fame..
Week 21 - the week just gone was a pretty easy one; just 3.5 hours in total. Finally managed to back into the swimming again. My local pool closed down so i was left high and dry (mostly dry!) for a while, but found a pool close to where i work that opens at 0630 twice a week, so that is good. I like swimming and met my brother James there. He's training for a triathlon at the moment and up till earlier this year he'd never swam front-crawl before! Fair play to him; he was doing well when i saw him in the pool last Tuesday.
So last Saturday night we drove down to Switzerland to visit our friends Gavin and Anna. They live in Basel and we planned to stay at theirs on the Saturday and then run the Basel 10km /Half marathon race on the Sunday. As i have the full marathon in Mannheim coming on June 8th i decided not to do the half, but to go for a PB on the 10km run.
We have a few beers the night before but nothing major, and i was feeling fresh on the morning of the race. Anna and my wife were running the 10k race too. It had been raining for the whole week but we were lucky enough to wake up to a dry, if cloudy day.
The race was goind really well and i was pacing myself good, feeling good. We even left Switzerland and went into France which was pretty cool! When the 10km point arrived on my Garmin i saw that i had done it in 54.06 which beat my previous by nearly 2 mins! I was very happy with myself. And then i realized that i was miles away from the finish line.....
Long story short is that at around the KM 3 mark, someone had done a clanger and routed the 10km people the wrong way! So every 10k runner ended up doing 15 KM to get to the finish line! it was ok for me as i could do the extra kilometers, but for those who had trained to be spent after 10km or people doing their first 10k race, it must have been hard. The organizers put their hands up to the mistake and offered a free place to all 10k runners in next years race.
It didnt really bother me as i was there just to do the 10 distance, so i pulled over at 12.5 km when i realized there was another 2k to go, to save my legs for the marathon. It was still a great day and good to see my wife back running races again.
My 5 minutes of fame came to me this week! i was featured in the "Mens Running" Magazine which published in the UK. They run a "Fat to Fit" article each month and this months was about me! I was very proud to be in the magazine and got lots of comments on my Facebook page about it!
Here is a snap shot of the article -
So last Saturday night we drove down to Switzerland to visit our friends Gavin and Anna. They live in Basel and we planned to stay at theirs on the Saturday and then run the Basel 10km /Half marathon race on the Sunday. As i have the full marathon in Mannheim coming on June 8th i decided not to do the half, but to go for a PB on the 10km run.
We have a few beers the night before but nothing major, and i was feeling fresh on the morning of the race. Anna and my wife were running the 10k race too. It had been raining for the whole week but we were lucky enough to wake up to a dry, if cloudy day.
The race was goind really well and i was pacing myself good, feeling good. We even left Switzerland and went into France which was pretty cool! When the 10km point arrived on my Garmin i saw that i had done it in 54.06 which beat my previous by nearly 2 mins! I was very happy with myself. And then i realized that i was miles away from the finish line.....
Long story short is that at around the KM 3 mark, someone had done a clanger and routed the 10km people the wrong way! So every 10k runner ended up doing 15 KM to get to the finish line! it was ok for me as i could do the extra kilometers, but for those who had trained to be spent after 10km or people doing their first 10k race, it must have been hard. The organizers put their hands up to the mistake and offered a free place to all 10k runners in next years race.
It didnt really bother me as i was there just to do the 10 distance, so i pulled over at 12.5 km when i realized there was another 2k to go, to save my legs for the marathon. It was still a great day and good to see my wife back running races again.
My 5 minutes of fame came to me this week! i was featured in the "Mens Running" Magazine which published in the UK. They run a "Fat to Fit" article each month and this months was about me! I was very proud to be in the magazine and got lots of comments on my Facebook page about it!
Here is a snap shot of the article -
This week i have 10 hours to clock up, including a 2 hour run on Saturday and 4 hour bike ride Sunday...
Monday, May 20, 2013
Last big run before the marathon
This weeks schedule was quite a big one; 8.5 hours planned by my coach. He sent me the plan via email on Monday but I was still travelling back from Sweden then and so didnt do anything on Monday, was too tired to do anything on Tuesday and so started my training week on Wednesday.
With my disappointing finishing time in London still fresh in my mind, I am determined to be better prepared for my next marathon in 3 weeks time, so I done my best to fit in as much as possible into the remaining days of the week. Some days included double session days (one before work and one after) which makes the days very long, but i got in some running, biking and gym sessions before my big run on Sunday. I am starting to enjoy the spin bike at the gym. It makes for a good session before work if you dont have much time and need to get the heart pumping.
Come Sunday, I had a 3 hour run planned. Its hard to find long runs in the city so I got my wife to drive me out to a small town where I biked last year. There is a connecting trail from the town of Speyer through a forest to another town called Neustadt. Its a good 30km's and is mostly trail paths, so was perfect for what i was looking for.
Had to keep the first 1HR 30 at a "light" pace. Light for me is around 06.15 per KM. Then after the 90 mins I had to speed up to 05:45 and keep it there for the next 60 mins non stop. This turned out to be quite tough! Managed to hold it though and then with a 30 min slow pace/ warm down, it filled the three hours.
Total time for the week was 7.10
Next week I am off to Switzerland for the Dreilander Race. Will do a 10km there and aim for a PB, so anything under 55 mins.
Also been looking at Autumn marathons to aim for. Looking at Munich or Pfalzerwald right now.
With my disappointing finishing time in London still fresh in my mind, I am determined to be better prepared for my next marathon in 3 weeks time, so I done my best to fit in as much as possible into the remaining days of the week. Some days included double session days (one before work and one after) which makes the days very long, but i got in some running, biking and gym sessions before my big run on Sunday. I am starting to enjoy the spin bike at the gym. It makes for a good session before work if you dont have much time and need to get the heart pumping.
Come Sunday, I had a 3 hour run planned. Its hard to find long runs in the city so I got my wife to drive me out to a small town where I biked last year. There is a connecting trail from the town of Speyer through a forest to another town called Neustadt. Its a good 30km's and is mostly trail paths, so was perfect for what i was looking for.
Had to keep the first 1HR 30 at a "light" pace. Light for me is around 06.15 per KM. Then after the 90 mins I had to speed up to 05:45 and keep it there for the next 60 mins non stop. This turned out to be quite tough! Managed to hold it though and then with a 30 min slow pace/ warm down, it filled the three hours.
Total time for the week was 7.10
Next week I am off to Switzerland for the Dreilander Race. Will do a 10km there and aim for a PB, so anything under 55 mins.
Also been looking at Autumn marathons to aim for. Looking at Munich or Pfalzerwald right now.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Running in Sweden (and a wedding)
WEEK 19 -
I spent most of last week in Sweden. I was on the island of Hven, near to Malmö for a wedding. Two close friends who also live in Mannheim near me, we getting married. The bride is from the Malmö area and the groom is from the UK, up north. I only worked Monday and Tuesday and then flew out to Copenhagen in Denmark to make the journey to the island on Wednesday.
With only 5 weeks to the next marathon I had to take my running gear with me; to keep the KM's clocking up and to counter-balance to intake of food and booze than was on the cards! Managed to run 3 of the available 5 mornings which was great as the island was amazing. It was quite small, only 11.5 km in circumference but the views were amazing. Had a few people to run with from the wedding group too which was nice, as I normally run on my own before work in the morning or at the weekend. Even got the groom out on wedding day morning for a 6K'er!
The wedding was amazing!
Here's a few pics from the time in Hven:
In total i managed to get in 3.45 hours of the prescribed 4.40 so not bad considering, but i put some weight on and need to shift it again, quick.
Week 20 is this week and i have a good 9 hours of training to get through, for me sins. Big run on Sunday - 3 hours, and a double run was done today (AM and PM).
now 4 weeks till Mannheim Marathon and am planning a half on May 26th in Basel, Switzerland, assuming my coach says that doesnt feck up the marathon plan.
So, onwards..............
I spent most of last week in Sweden. I was on the island of Hven, near to Malmö for a wedding. Two close friends who also live in Mannheim near me, we getting married. The bride is from the Malmö area and the groom is from the UK, up north. I only worked Monday and Tuesday and then flew out to Copenhagen in Denmark to make the journey to the island on Wednesday.
With only 5 weeks to the next marathon I had to take my running gear with me; to keep the KM's clocking up and to counter-balance to intake of food and booze than was on the cards! Managed to run 3 of the available 5 mornings which was great as the island was amazing. It was quite small, only 11.5 km in circumference but the views were amazing. Had a few people to run with from the wedding group too which was nice, as I normally run on my own before work in the morning or at the weekend. Even got the groom out on wedding day morning for a 6K'er!
The wedding was amazing!
Here's a few pics from the time in Hven:
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| Sponsored by Verve Cliquot |
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| Amazing view of the island when out running |
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| panoramic view of the island, from the hill top church |
In total i managed to get in 3.45 hours of the prescribed 4.40 so not bad considering, but i put some weight on and need to shift it again, quick.
Week 20 is this week and i have a good 9 hours of training to get through, for me sins. Big run on Sunday - 3 hours, and a double run was done today (AM and PM).
now 4 weeks till Mannheim Marathon and am planning a half on May 26th in Basel, Switzerland, assuming my coach says that doesnt feck up the marathon plan.
So, onwards..............
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Back training again... kind of
Week 18 -
After the London marathon my knee swelled up so I was off all of last week. Managed to get some training in this week though, but had forgotten about one little thing - The Stuttgart Beer Fest! On May 1st its a German holiday here so we close the showroom and take a bus load of pals down to The Stuttgart Beer Fest for a day out. Its kind of like the famous Munich Beer Festival but is a little smaller. Loads of Beer, big liter ( 2 pint) sized glasses, fair rides and beer for breakfast lunch and dinner!
We had a great craic and back home on the bus by 2330. i normally feel really rough for days after this but managed to get to work the next day and done a full day.
Made up for the missed sessions today with an hour bike ride and then 11 km run. Totaled just under 5 hours for the week. My legs were still feeling tired from London i think though, so it was difficult to keep moving on the run today.
Looked at the calendar today and see that its only 5 weeks til the next marathon. I am going to make sure there are no more big (beer) sessions between now and then!
After the London marathon my knee swelled up so I was off all of last week. Managed to get some training in this week though, but had forgotten about one little thing - The Stuttgart Beer Fest! On May 1st its a German holiday here so we close the showroom and take a bus load of pals down to The Stuttgart Beer Fest for a day out. Its kind of like the famous Munich Beer Festival but is a little smaller. Loads of Beer, big liter ( 2 pint) sized glasses, fair rides and beer for breakfast lunch and dinner!
We had a great craic and back home on the bus by 2330. i normally feel really rough for days after this but managed to get to work the next day and done a full day.
Some of the mayhem..
Made up for the missed sessions today with an hour bike ride and then 11 km run. Totaled just under 5 hours for the week. My legs were still feeling tired from London i think though, so it was difficult to keep moving on the run today.
Looked at the calendar today and see that its only 5 weeks til the next marathon. I am going to make sure there are no more big (beer) sessions between now and then!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
A Guest Blogger!
Today I have the pleasure of having a "guest blogger" on my page! The following article was written by Melanie Bowen and is about the benefits of fitness and eating healthy during and after any kind of cancer. Feel free to read and leave any comments if you wish! And thanks to Melanie...
"Motivated For Recovery"
"Motivated For Recovery"
"Exercise plays a
critical role in maintaining total health for any individual. When
diseases such as cancer or other conditions that weaken the immune system
weaken a person, the benefits of exercise can play an even more pivotal role.
Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can be lengthy
ordeals that ultimately take a toll on the body. Their side effects,
which include nausea, pain, and depression, can also decrease the quality of
life for patients. Studies have regularly shown that exercise during
these periods of treatment are a valuable aid in maintaining the body's
strength and lessening the severity of such side effects.
Exercise that can be done during treatments for some cancers such as melanoma or mesothelioma should not be strenuous. Patients must realize that their exposure and condition does put limitations on the kinds of activities they can perform. The most common regiment for activity includes aerobic exercises, stretching, and strength training. Aerobic exercises are valuable in a variety of ways. These serve to strengthen the patient's heart and assist in maintaining a healthy body weight during treatment. Typical exercises of this nature include performing light housework and walking or jogging. The patient's goal is to raise the heart rate on a regular basis. Stretching prevents incurring any further damage to muscle tissues and joints. Additionally, strength training is typically done using small weights in order to increase the patient's endurance and overall muscle function.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but exercise will actually combat the feelings of fatigue caused by cancer treatments. It may be difficult for patients to engage in these activities at first, however, the results will encourage further engagement. Patients exercising on a regular basis experience better sleep during the night, lower the risk of complication during cancer treatments, protect their bones, and are better able to maintain a regular diet. Exercise has even been shown to lessen the need for some medications during the length of treatment.
The elevation of a patient's mood is a primary reason that many engage in these types of physical activities. The combination of the cancer with the treatments typically causes mild to severe depression. Exercise combats these feelings and begins to return a sense of empowerment to the individual fighting the disease. Exercise during cancer treatment has also resulted in a decrease in the amount of time needed for recovery in most patients. It is possible to push the body too hard prematurely, however, so all patients should consult their doctor regarding their specific exercise plan. The physician can provide appropriate guidelines that will lessen the chances of any further injuries."
Exercise that can be done during treatments for some cancers such as melanoma or mesothelioma should not be strenuous. Patients must realize that their exposure and condition does put limitations on the kinds of activities they can perform. The most common regiment for activity includes aerobic exercises, stretching, and strength training. Aerobic exercises are valuable in a variety of ways. These serve to strengthen the patient's heart and assist in maintaining a healthy body weight during treatment. Typical exercises of this nature include performing light housework and walking or jogging. The patient's goal is to raise the heart rate on a regular basis. Stretching prevents incurring any further damage to muscle tissues and joints. Additionally, strength training is typically done using small weights in order to increase the patient's endurance and overall muscle function.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but exercise will actually combat the feelings of fatigue caused by cancer treatments. It may be difficult for patients to engage in these activities at first, however, the results will encourage further engagement. Patients exercising on a regular basis experience better sleep during the night, lower the risk of complication during cancer treatments, protect their bones, and are better able to maintain a regular diet. Exercise has even been shown to lessen the need for some medications during the length of treatment.
The elevation of a patient's mood is a primary reason that many engage in these types of physical activities. The combination of the cancer with the treatments typically causes mild to severe depression. Exercise combats these feelings and begins to return a sense of empowerment to the individual fighting the disease. Exercise during cancer treatment has also resulted in a decrease in the amount of time needed for recovery in most patients. It is possible to push the body too hard prematurely, however, so all patients should consult their doctor regarding their specific exercise plan. The physician can provide appropriate guidelines that will lessen the chances of any further injuries."
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The 2013 London Marathon!
So... I ran The London Marathon!! Still feels like a bit of a daze. Go back, say, 5 years ago and I never thought that I would be watching the race on TV, never mind participating in the best marathon in the world...
And thats what it is in my humble opinion. I have only ran two marathons and the first one (Dublin 2012) was more than special. But the London race was epic. Maybe it was more special than usual because of the Boston bombings, or maybe its always like that, but the supporters were just awesome.
I wasnt. Awesome, that is. In No Way Whatsoever! I ran a good first half but it all went Pete Tong in the second half. My legs turned to lead and i wasnt sure if i was going to finish at all. In the end i made a pact with myself that for every 800 meters i ran, i would give myself a 200 meter walk. This put my goal time out to pasture but at least i got over the line!
Ah well, not to worry. It was a great day and I managed to raise over 4000 pounds for my charity which was awesome.
Next stop is The Mannheim Marathon on June 8, seven weeks to go!
And thats what it is in my humble opinion. I have only ran two marathons and the first one (Dublin 2012) was more than special. But the London race was epic. Maybe it was more special than usual because of the Boston bombings, or maybe its always like that, but the supporters were just awesome.
I wasnt. Awesome, that is. In No Way Whatsoever! I ran a good first half but it all went Pete Tong in the second half. My legs turned to lead and i wasnt sure if i was going to finish at all. In the end i made a pact with myself that for every 800 meters i ran, i would give myself a 200 meter walk. This put my goal time out to pasture but at least i got over the line!
Picture at Mile 25 on the way up to Big Ben
My finished time was 4 hours and 56 minutes, 17 minutes slower than Dublin. I was a little disappointed at my time, but if i am really honest, I done think i prepared as well for this race as I did for the Dublin race.
In the weeks leading up to London, I skimped on some sessions, was ill, had a back back and went on a Stag party! Not the best lead into a 26.2 mile race, and to be honest I kind of thought that as I had done one marathon, i could do another, no worries. How wrong I was!Ah well, not to worry. It was a great day and I managed to raise over 4000 pounds for my charity which was awesome.
Next stop is The Mannheim Marathon on June 8, seven weeks to go!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
4 weeks till marathon day
WEEK 11 -
My legs were feeling it a lot after the Frankfurt Half, so i didnt do much training in the week following it. I managed a 45 minute run on thursday and but took it easy after that as i knew i had a big session on Sunday planned. So when Sunday came around i was well rested for the trail run in The Pfalz forest area in Germany. Its about 40 minute drive from my house towards Kaiserslautern and is a very hilly area; great for trail running and even cross country skiing in the winter.
There are loads of trails listed on boards and marked on trees and maps so i borrowed a map from a mate of mine and picked a route from Seebach down to Mainzertal. I estimated it to be around 20-25km route.
The trails were very well marked out and i managed a 30 km run in approx 4 hours 10 mins. Not very fast but the hills were big and some of the trails were snow covered which made them slippery, but it was a great run.
total time week 11 - 4 hours 55 mins.
WEEK 12 -.
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Gym session 1 hr 30 mins
Wednesday - run without my Garmin and heart rate and ipod. Was nice! 30 mins approx.
Thursday - Gym session. 40 mins on the bike, then 4 km run.
Friday - 5 km run in the Alps, then skiing
Saturday - skiing
Sunday - drive home.
Total time - 06 hours 45 mins.
Went to Gerlos in Austria this weekend. Had a great time and done some great skiing! Last trip of the 2013 season. I only went twice this year due to work commitments but it was a great way to end the season and will look forward to going back to Gerlos next year.
Only 4 weeks to go till the next marathon - London! Got a big 10 hour training week ahead which is going to be a tight fit...
My legs were feeling it a lot after the Frankfurt Half, so i didnt do much training in the week following it. I managed a 45 minute run on thursday and but took it easy after that as i knew i had a big session on Sunday planned. So when Sunday came around i was well rested for the trail run in The Pfalz forest area in Germany. Its about 40 minute drive from my house towards Kaiserslautern and is a very hilly area; great for trail running and even cross country skiing in the winter.
There are loads of trails listed on boards and marked on trees and maps so i borrowed a map from a mate of mine and picked a route from Seebach down to Mainzertal. I estimated it to be around 20-25km route.
The trails were very well marked out and i managed a 30 km run in approx 4 hours 10 mins. Not very fast but the hills were big and some of the trails were snow covered which made them slippery, but it was a great run.
total time week 11 - 4 hours 55 mins.
WEEK 12 -.
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Gym session 1 hr 30 mins
Wednesday - run without my Garmin and heart rate and ipod. Was nice! 30 mins approx.
Thursday - Gym session. 40 mins on the bike, then 4 km run.
Friday - 5 km run in the Alps, then skiing
Saturday - skiing
Sunday - drive home.
Total time - 06 hours 45 mins.
Went to Gerlos in Austria this weekend. Had a great time and done some great skiing! Last trip of the 2013 season. I only went twice this year due to work commitments but it was a great way to end the season and will look forward to going back to Gerlos next year.
Only 4 weeks to go till the next marathon - London! Got a big 10 hour training week ahead which is going to be a tight fit...
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Updates and a half marathon
Week 7 - the week after the half marathon was pretty low key. 3.5 hours in total and missed the big Sunday session.
Week 8 - a bit better and managed to get in 6 hours 45 mins with a mixture of running, gym and biking. Was meant to be a big Sunday bike ride up to 4 hours on the Sunday but missed it again as my parents were over in Germany and so spent some time with them.
Week 9 - 2 hours 25 mins only. Missed the Sunday session AGAIN, but was in a wedding in the UK (my mate Liam) and didn't bring my runners as i knew it was going to be a big session. ( i was right!).
So, week 10. Finally back in proper training mode after a few bumpy weeks. Up til Sunday it was an easy week of 3 hours or so of running but today was the "real" Frankfurt Half Marathon. (Real, as in i arrived there a few weeks ago to run the race but found out i was a month early). Anyway, blue skies and warm weather were on the cards, plus the potential to get in an official sub 2 hour time and a PB along the way.
My trainer Darryl advised me to go out quick and get a good time buffer under my belt in case i slowed up in the second half. So, i went out at a pace of 5.15 per km which is 30 seconds more than i normally run. Anyway, all was good till around KM11 when i had to take a walk as my legs were really tired. I had to stop again at around KM 12.5 and then got worried that i had overdone it an wasnt looking forward to the 9km run home. But after some gel shots and a drink i got my mojo back and carried on with good form.
The run finished in the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt and I managed to make it home in 1 hour 56 mins - a personal best for me and the first official sub 2 hour half! Very happy with that.
All is good at the moment with my feel and legs so onwards and upwards for London next month!
Weigh in - 89.9
total time this week - 5 hours 6 mins.
Need to work on nutrition to get the weight down.
Week 8 - a bit better and managed to get in 6 hours 45 mins with a mixture of running, gym and biking. Was meant to be a big Sunday bike ride up to 4 hours on the Sunday but missed it again as my parents were over in Germany and so spent some time with them.
Week 9 - 2 hours 25 mins only. Missed the Sunday session AGAIN, but was in a wedding in the UK (my mate Liam) and didn't bring my runners as i knew it was going to be a big session. ( i was right!).
So, week 10. Finally back in proper training mode after a few bumpy weeks. Up til Sunday it was an easy week of 3 hours or so of running but today was the "real" Frankfurt Half Marathon. (Real, as in i arrived there a few weeks ago to run the race but found out i was a month early). Anyway, blue skies and warm weather were on the cards, plus the potential to get in an official sub 2 hour time and a PB along the way.
My trainer Darryl advised me to go out quick and get a good time buffer under my belt in case i slowed up in the second half. So, i went out at a pace of 5.15 per km which is 30 seconds more than i normally run. Anyway, all was good till around KM11 when i had to take a walk as my legs were really tired. I had to stop again at around KM 12.5 and then got worried that i had overdone it an wasnt looking forward to the 9km run home. But after some gel shots and a drink i got my mojo back and carried on with good form.
The run finished in the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt and I managed to make it home in 1 hour 56 mins - a personal best for me and the first official sub 2 hour half! Very happy with that.
All is good at the moment with my feel and legs so onwards and upwards for London next month!
Weigh in - 89.9
total time this week - 5 hours 6 mins.
Need to work on nutrition to get the weight down.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Week 6 - a good week!
I try to keep this journal updated weekly so that i can look back on my training, but its not been possible recently. For my notes, week 4 and 5 of 2013 were all good; no injuries, mostly gmy work due to the snow outside and mainly a mix of running, biking and swimming. Oh, and i managed to get a 2500m swim in, in under an hour! Very happy with that.
So, to week 6. This week was a prep for the Frankfurt Half marathon on Sunday. I done my carb loading and eased off on the runs in the week to keep the legs fresh. But it went all wrong on Sunday.........
I got up around 0530 to get my breakfast in, then dragged my wife out of bed and drove the hour long journey up to the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt where the race started. When we got there it was very quiet; too quiet! I thought for a bit that we were in the wrong place so ran around the (50,000 seater) stadium to check for signs of life. There was no one around! Long story short is that we arrived early . a month early! I got the bloody dates wrong. The race in on March 10, not Feb 10! What a twat...
After a quick coffee and bagel we drove home. Down but not out, i decided to head out for a run anyway, and wanted to do the same half marathon distance. My goal for the race was to try for a sub 2 hour finish and so i went for this again. My best ever time was 2.07 so it was a long shot, but the end result was a 1.59 time! I was very happy with myself and went down the pub for a few triumphant pints afterwards. :=)
Total time this week 3 hours 30
Half Marathon 1.59
Weight 89.6KG
Things are looking well for the London Marathon in April. thinking about doing an Ultra Marathon somewhere in the world later this year too..... :)
So, to week 6. This week was a prep for the Frankfurt Half marathon on Sunday. I done my carb loading and eased off on the runs in the week to keep the legs fresh. But it went all wrong on Sunday.........
I got up around 0530 to get my breakfast in, then dragged my wife out of bed and drove the hour long journey up to the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt where the race started. When we got there it was very quiet; too quiet! I thought for a bit that we were in the wrong place so ran around the (50,000 seater) stadium to check for signs of life. There was no one around! Long story short is that we arrived early . a month early! I got the bloody dates wrong. The race in on March 10, not Feb 10! What a twat...
After a quick coffee and bagel we drove home. Down but not out, i decided to head out for a run anyway, and wanted to do the same half marathon distance. My goal for the race was to try for a sub 2 hour finish and so i went for this again. My best ever time was 2.07 so it was a long shot, but the end result was a 1.59 time! I was very happy with myself and went down the pub for a few triumphant pints afterwards. :=)
Total time this week 3 hours 30
Half Marathon 1.59
Weight 89.6KG
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Week 3
Another good week of training. Managed to rock up 6 hours 45 mins. The weather was so bad this week here in Germany so all the training was done in the gym and pool. We have had a fair bit of snow in the area this week (much like everywhere in Europe!) and today was really bad with ice. We had a ski day planned in a ski area 2.5 hours away from my house, and Michelle and i left at 0600 to drive there. Turns out it was raining all night and morning, but the temperature was - 2.0 C so there was ice everywhere! You know its bad when the Germans close the road, but thats what they did. They closed the main Autobahn from our house going south to the slopes so that was the end of our ski day. I even done a double training session yesterday to make up for missing it today!
Ended up back in Mannheim at 1000 dressed up like a twat in ski clothes!
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - X zone Black time trial - 2.5km run, 1.5k row, 3km bike - 26.40, then weights etc. 1HR. 5 mins
Wednesday - missed session as car had to go to shop and i got the train home
Thursday - 8km run at the gym.
Friday - bike, run, row gym session. Done some extra time too. 1HR 20mins
Saturday - AM swim session. 1000 m time trial - 23.5mins, then finished up to 70 laps/1750m. 55mins
Sunday- no ski! gym session. 5km with 500m light (0600 per km) 500m hard (04.48 per k), 1500 row. 55mins.
TOTAL TIME - 06 hours 45 mins.
NOTE - Sunday session was good! looks like i am getting faster as i held the 04.48 pace well. :)
GAME ON!
Ended up back in Mannheim at 1000 dressed up like a twat in ski clothes!
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - X zone Black time trial - 2.5km run, 1.5k row, 3km bike - 26.40, then weights etc. 1HR. 5 mins
Wednesday - missed session as car had to go to shop and i got the train home
Thursday - 8km run at the gym.
Friday - bike, run, row gym session. Done some extra time too. 1HR 20mins
Saturday - AM swim session. 1000 m time trial - 23.5mins, then finished up to 70 laps/1750m. 55mins
Sunday- no ski! gym session. 5km with 500m light (0600 per km) 500m hard (04.48 per k), 1500 row. 55mins.
TOTAL TIME - 06 hours 45 mins.
NOTE - Sunday session was good! looks like i am getting faster as i held the 04.48 pace well. :)
GAME ON!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Week 2
Managed to get in a pretty good training session this week, coming in at around 4 hrs 30 mins. Had to do all AM sessions before work but that's fine as I am wrecked when I get home from work in the week.
All sessions this week were outside as the weather was dry, but it was very cold so gloves, hat, running tights etc were in full effect, along with a head torch to top things off! I am glad its pitch black when out running because i am sure i look like a proper pleb with all that gear on.
I had my first real swim session in a while on Saturday. I managed to get in a 1500m swim before work on Saturday morning.
Had a really nice run out in the hills behind Heidelberg on Sunday. Done 18.5 KM hill session from Wilhemsfeld via the Weisserstein. There are some marked trails (W11 and W9 for future reference) that I followed and have found some more trails for next time too. The view and scenery was amazing and I am looking forward to getting back there again soon. It makes a difference to have new scenery around!
Monday - REST
Tuesday - 4 Km fast
Wednesday - missed this session due to tight Achilles
Thursday - HIIT session today. 3km WU then 4 x 400 hard to 1500 recovery. 9k total
Friday - REST
Saturday - 1500m swim. 10 laps 3 stroke/ 10 laps 4 stroke X 3.
Sunday - 18.5 KM hill run in Wilhelmsfeld.
Total 4.5 hours
Weigh in - 90.6KG
All sessions this week were outside as the weather was dry, but it was very cold so gloves, hat, running tights etc were in full effect, along with a head torch to top things off! I am glad its pitch black when out running because i am sure i look like a proper pleb with all that gear on.
I had my first real swim session in a while on Saturday. I managed to get in a 1500m swim before work on Saturday morning.
Had a really nice run out in the hills behind Heidelberg on Sunday. Done 18.5 KM hill session from Wilhemsfeld via the Weisserstein. There are some marked trails (W11 and W9 for future reference) that I followed and have found some more trails for next time too. The view and scenery was amazing and I am looking forward to getting back there again soon. It makes a difference to have new scenery around!
Monday - REST
Tuesday - 4 Km fast
Wednesday - missed this session due to tight Achilles
Thursday - HIIT session today. 3km WU then 4 x 400 hard to 1500 recovery. 9k total
Friday - REST
Saturday - 1500m swim. 10 laps 3 stroke/ 10 laps 4 stroke X 3.
Sunday - 18.5 KM hill run in Wilhelmsfeld.
Total 4.5 hours
Weigh in - 90.6KG
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Week 1, 2013 - here we go again!
So I started the new year as i have done the last few years - in a ski resort in Austria. I love to ski and always go to skiing for a week with friends over the New Year holidays. This year there was 14 of us and we went to a place called Ellmau. I took my running gear with me with the plan to run 5k every morning. Managed to get one run in on the second day there but after that i done no more running! I think the early mornings and long work days of the last few month caught up with me as I found it hard to get out of bed at 0600 to run, when i didnt have to. :)
Anyway, i wasnt too concerned about the running as we were skiing everyday (apart from one when i was ill). It was a great week.
Got home on Saturday, unpacked and relaxed, then went out this morning for a 10k run. I came in at just under 1 hour so that was good!
Now, its back into full training as there are only 105 days till my next marathon - The London Marathon. I have the place in the most in demand marathon in the world, courtesy of Addaction. I am again raising money for them so feel free to hit the donate button if you want to, thanks! I need to raise 1500 pounds for the next race...
Big thanks for donations from Tim and Katie Drummond today!
Anyway, i wasnt too concerned about the running as we were skiing everyday (apart from one when i was ill). It was a great week.
Got home on Saturday, unpacked and relaxed, then went out this morning for a 10k run. I came in at just under 1 hour so that was good!
Now, its back into full training as there are only 105 days till my next marathon - The London Marathon. I have the place in the most in demand marathon in the world, courtesy of Addaction. I am again raising money for them so feel free to hit the donate button if you want to, thanks! I need to raise 1500 pounds for the next race...
Big thanks for donations from Tim and Katie Drummond today!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Week 49 - end of year
I havent really had time to keep this training blog up to date in the last few weeks. As usual, work has been hectic but in the last few weeks of the year its been crazy busy and we ended up with a record sales month in November and December. Both James and I were very happy with that and hope to build on that to have a good start for 2013. Our team is growing; we now have an admin assistant and are looking for a sales person to join early next year.
Training wise - i have been keeping up with it for the most part. I joined a new gym that opens at 0600 everyday and have been going there in the mornings before work which i strangely enjoy. The weather in Mannheim hasn't been the best for training outside recently so this new gym has been working well, but i did get to do a couple of outdoor runs recently. i went for a half marathon run last Sunday. It was meant to be a half marathon race that i entered but as the weather was so bad i didnt drive there and ran locally instead. The plan was for a PB but i didnt prep well - no breakfast beforehand and a few glasses of wine the night before meant there was no PB! My heart rate was up to 177 by Km 5 (181 is my max HR) so i had to pull back. i was going for a sub 2 hour time (2.07 is my best half) but once i knew this wasnt happening i just relaxed some more, took some walk breaks and started to enjoy the run. i ended up with a 2.17 time but hey, you cant win them all. I think the fact that it wasnt a race environment didnt help either.
Anyway, 2012 has been a great year for me. I've lost 20 or so kilos, ran my first marathon and started a new business. Although i wouldn't recommend marathon training and starting a new business in the same year to anyone, its been a good year for me and i am looking forward to what 2013 brings. I plan to run London marathon, Mannheim Marathon and hopefully Berlin too. Oh, and take our business to new heights!
My aim was to hit 87 kilos before the end of the year, which was the weight i was when i got married 9 years ago. I missed it by 0.4KG but thats good enough for me!
It was a nice feeling to lock the door last Friday knowing that I could relax and take some time away from work. As i write this i am sitting in a hotel in Austria after a days skiing. Michelle, me and Piper came down here for a couple of days over Christmas. Back to work on 27th and 28th and then meeting up with some friends for another ski trip over New Year, great! (If you know me then you know i love skiing more than running!).
After the New Year ski trip it will be back into training mode 100% for London. Thats going to be tough in
the winter months but no one said it was going to be easy... :)
Thanks 2012, its been emotional. :)
Training wise - i have been keeping up with it for the most part. I joined a new gym that opens at 0600 everyday and have been going there in the mornings before work which i strangely enjoy. The weather in Mannheim hasn't been the best for training outside recently so this new gym has been working well, but i did get to do a couple of outdoor runs recently. i went for a half marathon run last Sunday. It was meant to be a half marathon race that i entered but as the weather was so bad i didnt drive there and ran locally instead. The plan was for a PB but i didnt prep well - no breakfast beforehand and a few glasses of wine the night before meant there was no PB! My heart rate was up to 177 by Km 5 (181 is my max HR) so i had to pull back. i was going for a sub 2 hour time (2.07 is my best half) but once i knew this wasnt happening i just relaxed some more, took some walk breaks and started to enjoy the run. i ended up with a 2.17 time but hey, you cant win them all. I think the fact that it wasnt a race environment didnt help either.
Anyway, 2012 has been a great year for me. I've lost 20 or so kilos, ran my first marathon and started a new business. Although i wouldn't recommend marathon training and starting a new business in the same year to anyone, its been a good year for me and i am looking forward to what 2013 brings. I plan to run London marathon, Mannheim Marathon and hopefully Berlin too. Oh, and take our business to new heights!
My aim was to hit 87 kilos before the end of the year, which was the weight i was when i got married 9 years ago. I missed it by 0.4KG but thats good enough for me!
It was a nice feeling to lock the door last Friday knowing that I could relax and take some time away from work. As i write this i am sitting in a hotel in Austria after a days skiing. Michelle, me and Piper came down here for a couple of days over Christmas. Back to work on 27th and 28th and then meeting up with some friends for another ski trip over New Year, great! (If you know me then you know i love skiing more than running!).
After the New Year ski trip it will be back into training mode 100% for London. Thats going to be tough in
the winter months but no one said it was going to be easy... :)
Thanks 2012, its been emotional. :)
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Week 48 - back in training, again
The week just gone was the last week in our sales month at work, and it was pretty hectic. Nonetheless, I managed to get in 5.5 hours of training in this week which i was happy about. November in general wasnt really a great month for training, but i put that down to the winding down after the massive build up to Dublin in October.
Monday - X
Tuesday - AM Gym, weight and some light treadmill running. 2km
Wednesday - AM Gym, 6km good run with focus on midfoot striking, (new to me)
Thursday - X
Friday - had a double session day today but couldnt do the evening one, so i combined the two into the AM session. Bike, weights and then 7km as 2km warm up, 2 x 2km hard with 500 meter recoveries. This was a pretty tough session but i enjoyed it.
Saturday - caught a cold yesterday so i skipped todays swim session.
Sunday - Had a big bike session booked today but the snow came down big time this morning so i went to the gym. Done 1 hour on the bike and then 35 minute "hill run" on the treadmill. Very hard session and i was wrecked after it! 25 mins weights after too.
Total time - 5 hours 35 mins
Weigh in - 89.2 KG
Its good to be back in training mode again as the last few weekends involved big nights out and a few hangovers! Due to work commitments i cant manage any evening sessions at the moment so its up at 0530 for me and hitting the gym for early sessions.
Race wise, i now have a confirmed place for London marathon in April, and a half marathon in Germany in December. Hoping to pull a PB in the half.
Game on..........
Monday - X
Tuesday - AM Gym, weight and some light treadmill running. 2km
Wednesday - AM Gym, 6km good run with focus on midfoot striking, (new to me)
Thursday - X
Friday - had a double session day today but couldnt do the evening one, so i combined the two into the AM session. Bike, weights and then 7km as 2km warm up, 2 x 2km hard with 500 meter recoveries. This was a pretty tough session but i enjoyed it.
Saturday - caught a cold yesterday so i skipped todays swim session.
Sunday - Had a big bike session booked today but the snow came down big time this morning so i went to the gym. Done 1 hour on the bike and then 35 minute "hill run" on the treadmill. Very hard session and i was wrecked after it! 25 mins weights after too.
Total time - 5 hours 35 mins
Weigh in - 89.2 KG
Its good to be back in training mode again as the last few weekends involved big nights out and a few hangovers! Due to work commitments i cant manage any evening sessions at the moment so its up at 0530 for me and hitting the gym for early sessions.
Race wise, i now have a confirmed place for London marathon in April, and a half marathon in Germany in December. Hoping to pull a PB in the half.
Game on..........
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