Resolutions Resolutions Resolutions …

So it’s the new year and I’ve not blogged since errr September …. crikey !

Well as some of you may know – I’m not really the kind of person who sets myself new years resolutions. This year for one reasons or another i’m using New Year as a reason to wipe the slate clean and have several ideas I’m trying to work towards.

No 1. I need to start my running again – this is really important. My first race is in just a few weeks and I’ve not run properly in ages. It’s a half marathon at Silverstone and am not expecting to achieve a very good time with my lack of training. Since Lake Vyrnwy I’ve been finding too many excuses not to run and this must stop.

Number 2. I need to Blog more and I also need to start tweeting more. Work has been insanely busy so haven’t had the time to have as much presence as I’d like but thats not really an excuse I guess.

Number 3. We need to chill out more, last year both myself and Sarah took on more than we could chew. This year we’ve got the wedding to sort out too so we really need to stop being so busy.

Which leads to Number 4: I need to chill out more – I get really stressed and pent up about the most silly of things, I need to stop worrying about every minor little detail and just realise that things happen and you can’t always help that.

Finally Number 5: I need to start focusing on the positives rather than the negatives – I’m a natural pessimist I guess but it’s not a great way to go about day to day life. Everything and everybody has their good and bad points (and everything inbetween) I just have to accept this so I don’t turn into an even bigger ball of stress.

So that’s it … first if not slightly predictable (and short) blog post of 2012 – Happy New Year Folks.

The Last Supper …. (Well almost … )

I’ve mentioned before that race day is often like being on stage. When I used to have a big gig coming up you could guarantee I’d be ill a few days before either with a sore throat, flu or cold and then spend the next few days dosing up on lemsip, strepsils, vocalzone, guiness, icecream (the list was endless !). Call it coincidence if you like but there’s got to be something Pyschosomatic there surely …

I noticed a trend that before my other races, I’d mysteriously been picking up injuries from training too hard. Races for me are a big deal and I get stressed easily by the smallest things and need to know that I’m going to be able to complete them. This time around, I’ve been very careful not to over train and have been dosing up on recovery milkshakes which have eased my muscles after the longer runs.

My next (and possibly final race this year) is on Sunday, its the Lake Vyrnwy half marathon which I’m running for Severn Hospice which is even more pressure to know that I can do it. I’ve only ran 13 miles once that was two weeks ago and I’m not going to sugarcoat it in any way shape or form. It was the hardest run I’ve had to date, from about 10 miles onwards I was really struggling and was fighting hard to carry on. In my favour I had chosen quite an undulating route having ran up to Haughmond Hill, around it and back via a rather scenic route. Lake Vyrnwy is almost completely flat so that should give me some hope, the weather forecast is pretty bad which again works in my favour: it’s apparently going to rain which should help keep me cool as opposed to running on a pretty hot morning. After that I’ve toned down my running to allow my muscles to have chance to heal properly but have taken shorter runs to help keep things moving. Tonight I did my final run before the race, a rather simple 6 miles (but one of my favourite routes around Shrewsbury that I do). I feel pretty good right now and am fairly chilled out about the race on Sunday. I don’t think I’m going to get near my original goal of sub 2 hours for the race but if I can finish in under 2.15 I’ll be happy.

You never really know how a race is going to go until you’re there but I’m planning on starting about 3/4 of the way back and working my way through the crowds. This might sound like a bit of a daft game plan to you but stay with me for a sec and I’ll explain. If you start towards the front you can guarantee there will be people who are quicker behind you and every runner who passes you as daft as it sounds can knock your confidence. Now if you turn that around and start towards the back every runner that you pass can give you an enormous boost and it becomes far easier to keep the one foot in front of the other. Maybe it’s because I’m naturally competitive, I don’t like to lose but I find thats the mentality that I’m in during every race I’ve been in so far.

I’m still overwhelmed that its just over a year into me putting on a pair of running shoes and I can now run 13 miles, it’s scary just how much I enjoy it compared to how much I used to hate running !!

So there you have it … no doubt I’ll be tweeting/facebooking during the event so be sure to follow me at:

http://facebook.com/rollercolster and @rollercolster

If you’d like to sponsor me please follow the link below:

Excuses excuses excuses …

Dear (Insert P.E. Teacher’s name here)

Colin will not be able to partake in sports today because:

1. He’s got a nasty cough and cold
2. He’s aching like a swine
3. He’s been running a temperature despite shivering

At school I was the kind of kid that used to look for just about any excuse that we could to avoid any form of sport (except Hockey …. I loved Hockey … there was something about having a wooden stick in your hands that you could beat up peoples shins with ….)

These days however being unable to run when I want puts me in a terrible mood whether that be due to illness or just a heavy work schedule. Last weekend I pushed myself into running a rather impressive 11 miles which gave me a huge ego boost towards this half marathon i’m running in just a few weeks. I’ve never ran 13 miles and need to get up to it quickly so that I have the confidence to complete the race and have time to work on my speed so that I can finish in a time sub 2 hours like I’ve been hoping for.

My longest run to date

I’ve also seen that Addias Micoach is now available on Android, which I really missed from my Blackberry owning days, the interactive coaching telling you to speed up or slow down and encouraging you really helps motivation and although Run Keeper has been a good alternative it’s something I’ve really missed on my runs. Needless to say, now that it’s back on my phone I really really want to get out and try it.

This was only supposed to be a short post but there’s a couple of things I wanted to mention briefly. The other day Severn Hospice were kind enough to send me a t-shirt to run in which has really motivated me to train hard for this race, I’ve been wearing it proudly for most of my training.

The New Team Strip !!

And just finally I wanted to mention that whilst writing this post, it occurred to me to find out just how far I’ve ran since I started out running. I’ve been training now for just over a year and I was shocked to find out that since logging my runs via the various mobile phone GPS systems I have actually ran 386 miles which I find absolutely mind blowing. A year ago I couldn’t run even one mile. I feel amazing as a result of my new love of running and if you’re reading this and considering taking it up I really can’t urge you more to just get out and have a go. Sure it’s tough to start and there’s some real lows but the rewards you get are so great. Through my running I’ve seen things around where I live that I’ve never spotted before, I’m fitter, healthier and am enjoying raising  some well deserved cash for a great cause.

The Big L

The nerves start to kick in the moment I wake up early ready for our drive to Liverpool. I’m taking part in the Liverpool Tunnel 10k run which I’ve been looking forward to for a very long time, the idea of getting to run through somewhere that I normally wouldn’t be allowed seems awesome. Luckily I packed last night and am pretty well organised so we set off on time. We meet my folks up in New Brighton who have come along to cheer me on with Sarah and had also offered to drop me off near the start in Liverpool.

We drive through the Wallasey tunnel where  I would be running in just a couple of hours, my head filled with so many thoughts. I hadn’t really trained as much as I probably should have done but really wanted to improve on my time from Market Drayton. The conditions for the race seemed a little better than for Market Drayton, I really don’t like running in the sunshine as I simply get too hot and then the run becomes tough (even in the bad snow and sub freezing temperatures we had earlier on this year I only wore a vest and jogging bottoms to run). Market Drayton had been tough as I had learnt a valuable lesson about race pace, in the excitement I had started off too quickly, trying to keep up with the pack and had really suffered from it later in the race.

Despite getting dropped off near the start line, I still manage to get a little lost but get talking to a fellow runner who soon points me in the right direction. There’s an amazing sense of camaraderie amongst the runners who are all happy to chat, finding out if this is their first time running Liverpool 10k, what time they’re hoping to finish in. Everyone’s got a story and it’s nice to just chat and forget about the race for a few minutes. There’s less to see and do here with the starting area comprising of a booth playing music, a coach to take the bags to the end and loads of portable loos. The crowds are overlooked by some modern flats and we see glimpses of the people who live in them as they line up on their balconies to cheer us on.

I begin warming up pacing the area and doing various stretches partly to warm up, partly through impatience to start and partially to calm my nerves. Very quickly, it’s time to line up and the almost three and a half thousand people are huddled together all eager to begin. This part of the race has always felt like when I used to go on stage, it sounds daft but the nerves really do start to set in as you prepare for what you know is coming. I choose to start from about two thirds of the way back from the back of the crowd to try and stop me from trying to pace myself with some of the faster ones.

All too soon and the countdown begins and the gun goes off, we slowly make our way over the start line onto the streets of Liverpool. I’m aware that I really need to pace myself but am steadily overtaking people, the streets are nice and wide and it gives us lots of space to get around people.

The kilometres pass and all to soon we’re making our way onto the tunnel approach making our decent under the Mersey. The air is really warm down here and I’m starting to regret wearing my new running jacket which very soon ends up around my waist. We seem to go down for what seems like an eternity only making fears that the incline is going to be a struggle. Before too long though we reach the bottom and immediately begin the climb back to the surface. It doesn’t seem nearly as bad as I had feared, maybe it’s because i’m pacing myself or maybe because from halfway you can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel (see what I did there ??).

Entering the tunnel

Emerging from the tunnel and its obvious the weather has taken a turn for the worst, the rain’s coming down now although it’s very welcome. Down in the tunnel it was very warm so the rain cools me down somewhat. People on the overpasses taking photos and waving certainly help to boost my motivation as does the water station which is just around the corner. Very soon I’ve completed a loop and am running along the seafront towards New Brighton. It’s still quite a way off and the straight section seems to go on forever. Luckily markers every 100 metres countdown my journey to the finish which really does aid my spirits.

Everyone hot on my tail as we run along the promenade

It’s the last few hundred meters now and I’m sprinting as fast as I can trying to get the best time possible. I see my Sarah and my folks in the side cheering me on and that only makes me run even quicker. I cross the line in 53 minutes and 7 seconds and my legs instantly turn to lead, I’m trying to slow my breathing down and feel phyiscally sick for a few moments. A few second’s later I’m walking along in the crowd picking up my T-shirt, medal and goodie bag. I’m ready to collapse and feel in a complete daze.

I meet back up with my folks and sit on the side for a few moments just catching my breath. Elation hits me and it suddenly catches up with me just how well I had done, I’d shaved a decent amount of my Market Drayton time regardless. A little later on in the afternoon after a well deserved cup of tea and a drive to Blackpool and the nicest ever fish and chips (see below)I recieve notification that my actual time to complete the course was 51 minutes 23 seconds, I finished 1082nd out of around 3300.

Official Results

Me .... taken after the cup of tea and looking a little more refreshed lol

Well deserved don't you think ??

So there you have it, thanks for reading and thanks to all of those who’ve donated to my next big race the Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon which I’m running once again for Severn Hospice. If you’d like to donate some cash you can do so by clicking the link below. So far we’ve raised £170 … a great start but I really want to reach my first target of £250. If you can spare even just the price of a pint you’ll be making a huge difference to such a great cause !!

<a href= ‘http://www.justgiving.com/roadtovyrnwy’ alt=’JustGiving – Sponsor me now!’ target=’_blank’><img src=’http://www.justgiving.com/App_Themes/JustGiving/images/badges/badge10.gif’ width=’270′ height=’50′></a>

Things that go bump, boo and arrrrrgh in the night …

As I’ve previously mentioned a few weeks ago, we visited an industry show called Scarecon which, as thrill seekers both myself and Sarah couldn’t resist visiting. The day consisted of seminars, networking and trade stalls all geared towards frightening the living daylights out of people. Its the kind of thing that really interests us and although some of the information in the seminars wasnt geared towards us, we were fascinated by it all.

The day rounded off with the evening Scareball where everyone came dressed to scare, there was food and drink, a hilarious spoof seminar from Doc Austin a ‘Theoretical Zombiologist’ and a disco …. there’s nothing like seeing a whole room in horror costumes dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller ….

Sarah and I in scary mode (Photo by Stephen Candy)

The lives and souls of the party ... (Photo by Stephen Candy)

Normally I’d be partying till the early hours, or at least till I couldn’t walk in a straight line or had fallen asleep in a corner somewhere, however we were keen to return to our rooms or rather ‘Scarerooms’ by 11.30. At Midnight we’d signed disclaimers to say that anything could happen, actors would visit our room at random intervals through the night up until 7am or until we put the do not disturb signs up on our door.

We’d decided that we could maybe raise some money for Severn Hospice by making it through the night and so the bar had been set. We were in bed by midnight where we thought we would be safe, how bad could it possibly be afterall ?? The suspense was killing us as we literally didn’t know what to expect.

At 12.30 we had our first encounter, a simple banging at the door which had us cowering in our bed (see videos below) and a little later on a full on assault with several actors jumping onto the bed as we tried to get under the duvet for safety.

By 1am the hotel had recieved numerous complaints about the screams that were coming from upstairs …

By each hour that passed the scares increased, our duvet was wrestled from us and we were left terrified. At points we hadn’t got a clue whether there was anyone in our room or not as we mustered up the courage to go to the bathroom to check if anyone was hiding in there.

By 4am we were really starting to feel tired and were really tempted to hang up our wimpy do not disturb signs luckily we didn’t as things got very odd after ….

Room Service ....

The scares became more improvised and with more humour, our room became a relentless warzone as our actors made us cups of tea, shook up our bottles of pop, rearranged our beds and sang to us.

Sleeping on the job ....

At 7am our night (or morning) came to a terrifying climax when a friend we’d met during the day popped in with his chainsaw to make sure we were still awake. It was the perfect ending to what was one of the most surreal, terrifying and most enjoyable evenings I’ve ever spent in a hotel.

Would we do it again ?? You bet! We’ll definately be back again next year to do it all over again. Below are some of the videos we took, they’re only a small part of what we went through, we didn’t want to spend the whole night behind a camera but they should at least give you a glimpse of what I’m on about. If you enjoy the videos, please consider making a donation (no matter how big or small) at the bottom of the page which is going to Severn Hospice.

PLEASE NOTE Due to the nature of the night, there is unfortunately some swearing contained in the videos, if easily offended  or there are young ones within hearing distance or you are unsure please do not watch.

Market Drayton 10 K

Well the big day came and although I’d not trained as hard as I possibly should I felt I was ready to run. I was up early and ready in plenty of time which seemed like a good plan even if it did give my nerves plenty of time to settle in. Infact I was probably as nervous as I used to be when I used to go on stage !!

I arrived at The Grove school in Market Drayton and began to queue to recieve my race number which turned out to be 789 … how cool is that ?? I’d gotten to Market Drayton which gave me plenty of time to wander around the field soaking up the atmosphere, picking up my souvenir t-shirt and even warming up with a run around the edge of the field but before I knew it, the race was steady to start.

My heart was racing ten to the dozen as they counted down and we were off. We did a lap of the field with hundreds of spectators cheering us on as we ran out of the school gates. The first mile and a half went by very quickly and saw us running around houses with even more people outside cheering and clapping.

Very soon I realised I’d have to slow down a bit, I’d been running quicker than I normally would and at that pace I’d tire myself out too quickly but it wasn’t easy, I found myself naturally trying to keep up with the pace of the other runners and this especially showed between miles 2 and 3 which were particularly hilly and by the end of, was wishing that I’d gone easy at the start.

Photo by Brian Dale: http://www.racephotos.org.uk/index.htm

Each mile after that became increasingly harder but the crowd really did help lift my motivation, I carried on and soon the miles started passing me by, I spotted people I knew on the streets which only made me run faster. Upon re-entering the school gates for a final lap of the field I increased my pace until I was a couple of hundred metres away from the finish where I broke into a sprint and that was it … I’d completed the race.

I finished in 53 mins 28 seconds, 474th out of 957 which I’m incredibly proud of for my first time.

If you came down and supported me, thank you so much, I doubt without the clapping and cheers if I would have actually completed the whole thing. Thanks also if you’ve donated money to Severn Hospice which is the charity I’m running for.

I have a month till my next race which is in Liverpool, I think I can shave a minute off my total time there if I carry on with my training this month.

3 Runs and a rather sleepless night ….

It’s official folks. In September the next milestone has been set and it’s a half marathon around Lake Vyrnwy in aid of Severn Hospice. You could probably argue that the Pontesbury Potter took place over 13 miles so this should be easy, but I’ve never done anywhere that distance on roads (where it will really put pressure on my joints) and the potter was more relaxed and you didn’t feel bad for walking in parts. I intend to run every step of Lake Vyrnwy.

As training my first warmup race is in under two weeks, the Market Drayton 10k race and my second is just weeks after in Liverpool. It’s going to be a very busy few months of training and racing in preperation for the big day.

As usual you’ll be able to follow my progress as it happens on Facebook and Twitter and to raise a little extra cash for the cause we’ll be spending a particularly sleepless night in a hotel in dudley …

… Some of you may be aware of both mine and Sarah’s love of being scared, we’ve been chased through Cornfields by actors dressed as zombies, chased through sewers by “monsters” and had chainsaws held to our necks, all in aid of a good scare. We’ve travelled the country taking part in various “Scaremazes” and “Haunted Attractions” and even travelled to America to get to “Halloween Horror Nights” a massive event which features loads of these mazes and we loved every single one.

The one thing about a scaremaze is it doesn’t last very long, it can be anything between a couple of minutes up to about 15  minutes, the key here is that if you don’t like it, you’re in a fairly big group for support and you make it through, either screaming or with your eyes shut and you know that it will be over soon.

In May we’ll be staying in the UK’s first all-night “Scare-room” a hotel with a very disturbing past, where actors will spend the night doing everything they can to terrify us. At any point we can hang a do not disturb sign on the door but we’re hoping to make it till dawn. Again you’ll be able to follow our live updates via facebook and twitter.

I have till September to train for the half marathon which seems like a mammoth task at the moment, but feels like a milestone which I’m eager to achieve in a respectable time.

Market Drayton Half Marathon takes place on Sunday 8th May

Scarerooms at Scarecon takes place on May 12th (Check Here For Full Details)

Liverpool Mersey Tunnel 10k is happening on Sunday 12th June

Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon is on Sunday September 11th

If youre about on any of the above days don’t forget to come and cheer me on … could really do with the encouragement.

If any of you would like to sponsor me for Lake Vyrnwy then please click the link below

Back To Basics (Part II)

Hey folks, I hope some of you found the tips in part one of my back to basics series useful, it doesn’t really need much introduction as it’s pretty much what it says on the tin … but here’s part two !

6. ICE

Ice is a system fairly new to me but it’s one that I’d really reccomend using if at all possible. Basically when out running it’s better to be safe and sure and to always carry ID with you and the easiest way seems to be by carrying a mobile phone with ICE numbers in the contacts list. ICE stands for In Case Of Emergency so basically if you have an accident, someone can look on your phone and contact someone of your choosing. If you have issue with leaving your phone unlocked then it’s possible to setup restricted dialing numbers in a simular way and it’s also worth having several ICE numbers in there just incase they can’t get in contact.

Failing that … a piece of paper in your back pocket also works well.

7. Don’t over-do it !

You’re new to this game and your body is still getting used to your new running regime, it’s important that you take days off from running to let your body recover otherwise you can risk serious injury.

8. Treat your feet ….

Obviously your feet are the most important part of your body when it comes to running and it’s important to choose a pair of shoes which match your running style. Some specialist running stores will be able to advise what is right for you (along with some internet research) as it’s really important to go for shoes which match to both the arch of your foot and the pronation (which refers to the angle in which you naturally hit the ground with your foot). Different shoes offer different types of protection and its really important that your shoe is perfect for you.

Back in September we took a trip to London and i’d planned to run 6 miles along the Thames, rather than packing my normal running shoes, I made the mistake of packing 1 pair fashionable trainers which I’d wear both to walk around London in and to do my run.

I managed 2 miles, and then had to hobble back to our hotel feeling miserable and foolish it’s a hard lesson but one i’ll never forget as it left me out of action for around 2 months.

9. Fine gourmet awaits you …

Never run on a full stomach, but at the same time never run on empty, I’d recommend waiting at least 2 hours after a meal before considering a workout and preferably eat your meal after your run … you’ll feel much better and less bloated, if needs be pack a cereal bar for a mid-run snack.

I tend to find that after a long run I crave carbohydrates naturally, Stuff like Potato Bakes, Gnocci, Pasta and Chicken work wonders after a workout and are fairly easy to knock up to the point that you could probably leave it cooking in the oven while you workout.

Recovery Shakes are also great although a little expensive, they’re a source of Carbohydrates, Protein and aid recovery for your muscles but perfect if you’ve got a bit of a wait before you eat.

10. Listen to what Frankie says ….. RELAX !

After a long and demanding workout, a hot bath works wonders easing any aches and pains you may have and where as a shower will help, it doesn’t work quite as well as having a long soak in the bath so light some candles, boil the kettle for a cuppa and relax with some music … god knows you’ve earnt it !!

Back to Basics (Part I)

So far my blogs have been autobiographical and detailed where I’ve been and what I’ve done and where as I’d like to think some of you may have picked up a few tips here and there and a few do’s and don’ts, I’d like to go into a bit of detail when it comes to learning to run. Each week i’m planning on releasing at least one of these types of blogs where I’ll go into technique, warmingup, reviews of running gear, recipes and just general stuff that should (I hope) help those of you new to running.

1. Pick a training plan that isn’t too ambitious.
You’re in this for the long haul, don’t set your goals too ambitiously. If you push yourself into running too fast and too long your body won’t be used to it, you’ll lose interest quickly or in the worst case you’ll pick up injuries. If possible its worth speaking to a personal trainer or use GPS software on a phone such as Micoach or Sportypal. There’s also a great app on Iphone that a friend of mine is currently using which follows the plan that I learned to run with. It’s called the couch to 5k plan http://felttip.com/c25k/ and is great as it builds up slowly. It starts off with you running for short manageable stints and then taking longer recovery periods of walking. The plan builds up slowly but very quickly you’ll be running your first 5k.

2. Listen to your body.
It’s likely that you’ll pick up injuries along the way. As obvious as it sounds running on an injury will make things worse and thinking that you can run through the pain is just being stubborn. By agrevating an injury you’ll risk being out of action for even longer which is even more annoying and even though I’ve been guilty of it from time to time, it’s a hard lesson to learn and I’d stress that this is one rule I’d reccomend you stick to.

3. Reward yourself.
This is important. As rewarding as running your first mile is, it’s important to treat yourself regularly. Sometimes you’ll have a bad week when you’ll want to do anything but get out and run and it will be a struggle. Remind yourself that what you’re doing is a great thing, and that you’re making great progress. Buy yourself some new running gear (it doesn’t have to be expensive) or some new songs from Itunes to run to as motivation … you’ll be suprised at how much easier going out for your next run will be with having the option to try your new gear out.

4. Pace yourself
When out don’t push yourself too hard, initially you’ll probably find yourself out of breath quickly but within a few weeks you’ll find what speed is natural to run at. You should be aiming for a speed where you can still hold a conversation and run. Don’t worry if you’re not going all that fast even now my average pace is only about 10 minutes per mile. As you progress and your fitness levels improve you’ll naturally be able to run quicker but by pushing yourself too hard you’ll not enjoy your running.

5. Breathe
Learn to breathe properly, as I mentioned above you should be running at a speed that’s comfortable but breathing properly is equally important. You should be slowly inhaling and exhaling rather than taking short sharp breaths as this will only place stress on your diaphagm and cause you to get a stitch.
If you do get a stitch regulate your breathing taking long deep breaths, very soon you’ll find the pain eases, if needs be, slow down to a walk or stop but with practice you’ll be able to carry on and run through it.
Its especially important to focus on your breathing in cold weather as naturally you’ll take shorter breaths in the cold if you’re not careful.

I hope these few tips will help a few people out along the way. I’d like to stress i’m no expert when it comes to running and what works for me might not work for you but i’m hoping that at least some of these tips will help a few of you out there who are new to running, and provide you with a few key points to focus along the way.

If there’s anything you’d like to see me focus on in these blogs feel free to leave a comment and i’ll see what I can do !!

Col

Two’s company … a hundred or so are quite daunting !

Last night I took part in my first training session with the Shropshire Shufflers, the running club I’ve joined. I’m really not great at meeting loads of new people so was especially nervous but walked into town with loads of time to spare. As it turned out I ended up being unfashionably early and the very first person to arrive at the meetup point. Slowly more and more people turned up until a hundred or so people were there.

People got split up into different abilities and groups of about 20 and I was pretty chuffed that I was put in an intermediate group. Dead on 7pm we set off and headed on the opposite side of the river on trails i’d never seen let alone ran on and it made for some really interesting running.

I found the pace ok too not easy but not insanely hard, we were told where to run so if you were towards the front of the pack you got to rest while the others caught up. The running was split into sections and kept interesting with a warm up, interval training, and various running games followed by a cool down run. Liz our coach did a great job of making sure everyone was ok, finding interesting routes and keeping everyone motivated.

All in all I enjoyed my first run with them and am seriously looking forward to running with them again on wednesday

 

The Next Big Thing

“So what’s next for you ?” I hear you cry.

Blimey … you lot are keen aren’t you ??

Well here’s where things get a little bit serious …

Firstly after a few weeks break ( I took a week off after the Pontesbury Potter as reward) I tried to hit the ground running so to speak with my first run back (an off road river run to Uffington and back picking up an injury which left me out of action for a couple of weeks ). In this time I’ve been doing lots of research for both myself and for the blog. I’m intending to start giving a few pointers … things that have worked for me and things which haven’t. There’s so much information out there it’s often hard to know where to start, so I’m hoping my blog will be a no-nonsense back to basics approach to running which maybe a few people out there will find useful.

I’ve joined a running club called the “Shropshire Shufflers” a well known local group which meet up four times a week, I’ve reasoned that it should be great motivation as well as giving me a few pointers along the way (More on this later in the week)

I’ve signed up for my first two proper races, both 10 k runs which I’m looking forward to greatly. The first takes place in Market Drayton and has been featured in the news recently when local sponsors and organisers Muller, pulled the plug on the event claiming they didn’t have the resources. However within a week local running groups and councillors rescued the event from the ashes, and it’s now full steam ahead. The Market Drayton 10k run is a huge event in the diary for Market Drayton and would be a big blow to the town were it not to go ahead.

The second race takes place in Liverpool and goes through the Wallasey Tunnel. This finishes on the seafront at New Brighton. This is a race I couldn’t miss, I love New Brighton (as you’ll have noticed from my earlier blogs) and the chance to run under the sea is a rare opportunity.

The plan is to get these two races out of the way and then I can concentrate on running the Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon in September. Training for 10k runs are slightly different to what I’m used to and rather than trying to increase my distance without increasing my speed, the idea is to increase my pace so that I’m running greater distances in shorter amounts of time. I’m hoping that I can get a respectable time in both races but we’ll see how my training goes.

I’m going to extend my Just giving page so that if people wish to donate any cash and keep me running, it’ll go to a great cause.

So thats about it … from me, expect lots of exciting stuff going on over the coming weeks with the blog including my exploits with the Shropshire Shufflers and some advice for people new to running.

Why Severn Hospice ?

As most of you are probably aware, I’ve been helping Severn Hospice out over the past year at various events whether it be helping car parking at the Dragon boat festival, wrapping presents at christmas, making sure people are safe at the midnight walk or running 13 miles over hills and god knows what to raise some hard cash …

I don’t think I’ve ever explained why.

If  I’m honest it was purely by chance, through interaction through twitter I became aware of Severn Hospice and what they do, and sure I’d heard of them but in reality what they did was pretty much alien to me.

My first encounter of volunteering was at the Dragonboat Festival where quite simply I stood on a gate and made sure people were parking in the right place for just a couple hours … I met some really nice people and felt great that I was doing something to help someone else. There was a real team spirit and although I get super-nervous about meeting people I don’t know, I was made to feel extremely welcome and that my efforts were genuinely appreciated (even if it was such a simple task).

After that I was hooked and over the coming months it became apparent the hard work by the team at the hospice that goes in to raising the money that’s needed to keep things running (pun not intended) at the counties two hospices in Telford and Shrewsbury.

As I started running more and more, I felt like it would be good incentive for me to do some of the races for charity and if people wanted to give some money then so much the better, it gave me a goal to focus on rather than the physical and mental strain of running long distances.

This year I’m planning on helping with photography at the spring walk, marshalling at both the Telford and Shrewsbury midnight walks, and helping out at the tree of light festival as well as running and hopefully raising some more cash along the way.

You could argue that I’m being smug and that I can say (In a smashee and nicely style voice) “I do a lotta work for charity mate …” but in all honesty thats not it. I feel like that the little bit I do really does make a difference and this is why I’ll keep volunteering and raising whatever money I can for a truly worthy cause and I’d urge any of you considering giving something back to the community to take a look at what good work the people at Severn Hospice do.

And finally …. as  they say at Severn Hospice …

“Care is free of charge but not without cost”

 

The Big Day Cometh ….

Panic and fear set in about a week ago, I realised that in just 6 days I’d agreed to do the “Pontesbury Potter” with Severn Hospice and half jokingly mentioned that I’d run as much of it as I could. It was one of those things that you sign up for and then it completely slips your mind. (Note to self really must invest in a calender … or at least one I write on lol.)

The Pontesbury Potter is described as a 13 mile hill trail suitable for runners and walkers taking in the surrounding countryside of Pontesbury with the route not being revealed until the morning of the event.

In theory everything should have been fine … since my last blogs were going so well, technically I should be well on my way to running a half marathon by now. Note the emphasis on should and have … over christmas I struggled with my running picking up injuries left right and centre and although did manage some longer runs I was nowhere close running over 13 miles and especially not over hills. I ended up justifying to myself that I could probably run some of the route and walk the rest

A good friend Sarah, asked where my sponsorship page was. Now I hadn’t planned on raising any money initially but if people wanted to donate money to such a great cause then who was I to stand in the way ?? So I set up a Just Giving page and watched a couple of donations come in on the first night. Over the coming days the money kept on coming and I got somewhat addicted to trying to reach my target. I’d set my target to £100 which quickly got raised to £150, then £200 and finally £250 and as every penny came in I felt pride that I was doing something great. That said, the more money that was coming in the bigger the realisation began to sink in that I was actually going to have to run a bit more than a couple of miles …

So the morning of the Pontesbury Potter arrived and I’ll be honest, I hadn’t slept much and was really nervous. This was the first time where I’d ran in a big group and honestly didn’t know what to expect. I arrived on site and registered and set off with Sarah cheering as I left the carpark. Having come out of the carpark I reached around my bag to do one of the clips up and in doing so felt a twinge of pain “Ok” I told myself “I’m not meant to stretch that far” I’d pulled a muscle but tried to put it out of my head. Not the best of starts i’m sure you’ll agree.

The first couple of miles were really tricky, I found myself getting frustrated with walkers who were in front and in the way, it helped me forget about the pulled muscle but really didn’t help my speed. After a couple of miles though and the pathways opened up a little bit more and I was able to increase my pace. I had my GPS running and the motivation it provided as I began to rack up the miles was brilliant. I found that running with instructions rather tham a map was a little tricky and I had to keep stopping to read the next few lines of instuctions but this did actually help me to have a breather every now and then.

I found that I was able to keep up with other runners and when they walked, I walked and when they ran I ran too. The scenery was breathtaking and it really does help to keep you motivated … far more so than whilst road running. The other major difference from road running was that althoughthe terrain was far more challenging, my knees and hips coped better because the ground was softer and naturally absorbed the impact on my joints and I wasn’t suffering from shin splints.

In places the ground was a little too soft and I found my self calf deep in mud, water or marsh land which was incredibly difficult to run through and the rocks hidden throughout the terrain kept twisting my ankles in akward directions.

In a few places I got lost a little off the track and had to back track slightly the lesson here is to not trust me with directions especially as a few of the runners behind me followed my lead !! I got talking to a few of them about my training and they encouraged me to join a club (something I’ve given a lot of thought about since the run … more of that in a later blog). Running with them certainly helped pass the miles quicker and I was grateful of the company.

Over the last mile I began to push myself in order to get the best time possible and managed to finish in just under 3 hours a time of which I’m really proud of all things considered. Getting back to register my time was a complete blur although there was a stall selling bacon sandwiches and cake …. I can honestly say food has never tasted so good.

Photo by Rob W May Photography (http://www.robwmayphotography.co.uk/)

And there you have it … my first official running event. I’ve now raised £250 for Severn Hospice (which is rather excellent given that my original target was just £100). If you’ve already donated Thank you so much and if you’d like to make a donation please click on the link below. Every penny counts and is truly appreciated by a wonderful cause. The page will be open for a while yet and i’m already looking forward to my next two races (more of those later).

New blog feature on the way.

This weekend we’ll be visiting London thanks to the lovely people at the London Bridge Experience and London Tombs who kindly gave away tickets and train travel down to them. We’re making a bit of a weekend of it and there’s a theme going on basically if there’s a small dark space with an actor chasing after you we’ll be there …

When I began running I always loved running near the river by me, it’s a place I’ve always gone to reflect and it’s not hard work running when there’s always something to look at. When we were told that we’d won tickets, very quickly a plan formed in my head …

I’m planning on doing a 6 mile run from Tower Bridge up to Westminster Bridge and back. I’d actually thought up until now that it was a 5 mile round trip but it turns out it’s 6 …. it;s gonna be a tough one. I’ve been getting pains in my feet over the last few days so have had to give running a miss but I’m hoping by monday I should be fighting fit again !!

My original plan was to find someone in London to do the run with and possibly do some kind of interview for the blog  but unfortunately I’ve struggled to find anyone with it being such short notice. However, it’s a feature i’m planning on starting when I get back to Shrewsbury though so if you know anyone who does an interesting  job, or has an interesting story to tell then get in touch …

I’m keen to keep the blog exciting and fresh and by basing an interview every week or couple of weeks about someone else meaning its not all about me …

Anyway expect a full blog post about my run in London when I get back

Toodles.

Dear Santa, Please may I have more sand ??

Well where else better to spend a bank holiday monday than the beach! We headed up to New Brighton, which can only be described as a bit of a hidden gem to people who aren’t from the Liverpool area, although it’s somewhere we used to go as kids. Infact it’s so secretive, it’s not actually sign posted off the motorway. It’s actually located at the mouth of the River Mersey where it meets the sea, a couple of miles down river from Liverpool.

Perch Rock

New Brighton fell into decline in the later parts of my childhood. I have memories of it being dirty, run down and just a little tired but over the past few years a huge regeneration project has been taking place. There’s huge cycle lanes and walkways perfect for running. There’s only the one arcade, a small childrens fun fair and a few places to eat. Scrub away at the surface and venture into the back streets and you’ll find run down businesses again but from the front New Brighton is a genuinely nice place to be. The beaches are clean, and although the water can be a little murky the beaches are kept safe by the teams of lifeguards.

This could be a scene from Baywatch ...

I’d already told Sarah my plans of going for a run on the beach, who was more than happy to chill out on a rock and people-watch so I set off along the beach.  Part of the reason for the beach run was that my knees had been aching and I thought the soft sand might be give them a break.

Liverpool

The tide had been in when we first got to New Brighton but was now starting to go out again, I set off in the direction of Liverpool wondering if I could make it to the ferry terminal and back. very soon, my plan was foiled as the beach came to an end, and in hind sight I should have probably gone in the other direction for a beach run and not wanting to turn back and admit defeat carried on along the promenade which stretched out for miles in front of me.

"Feeeeerrrry cross the Meeerrrrrrseeeeeeeey ...."

In the distance it was easy to make out the iconic buildings of Liverpool and the activity from walkers and cyclists around me made it easy to stay focused. I’ve been a little downhearted with my progress over the last week having struggled to run continuously for 25 minutes which was my current goal. The sun was beating down and I tried my best to stay in the shade of the towering houses on the hills to my right.

I was making a conscious effort to keep my speed as constant as I could, rather than taking big strides I chose to take smaller less powerful steps and maintained a speed of about a mile every 8 minutes as opposed to fluctuating between 6 and 10 minutes like I normally do. My plan worked and I seemed to be able to keep this up. I looked at my watch and couldn’t believe the time, I’d been gone 20 minutes and hadn’t turned back yet. Rather than make Sarah wait even longer I decided to turn back about half a kilometre from the ferry terminal, slightly disappointed but knew it was for the best.

I couldn’t even make out New Brighton in the distance and was quite shocked to see how far I’d come, slightly daunted by how far I’d have to run back. On the way back I noticed sign posts every 100 metres counting down the distance for me to run, it did help my motivation and I was pleased to find that the wind was blowing in my face. I promised myself that I could stop running as soon as I got to the beach and planned to walk back paddling my feet in the sea to cool down.

Damn ... how white are my legs ?? O.o

Surprisingly within no time, I made it back to the beach feeling slightly exhausted but eager to cool down in the sea. I returned to Sarah who had almost given up hope on me but had used her time up wisely …

Sandy Fun !!

I rewarded her with showers of 2p’s which didn’t last all that long … but did keep us entertained for a little while !!

Never could rid completely of that gambling addiction ....

We’ll be back sometime around Christmas and next time maybe i’ll do a full beach run … but possibly next time in the other direction !!

Route

Photography & Fatigue

In Space ... No-one Can Hear You Scream .... Apparently

Today I met up with Phil Barrett a local and brilliant Photographer who’s put on a exhibition at the Space gallery in Ellesmere. Phil’s work is nothing short of inspirational, and I’ve been a big fan for quite while but we’d never met up until now. His work is hugely emotive and it’s easy to see he’s no stranger to thinking outside of the box and comes up with some absolutely blinding images. If you get chance make sure you go and see his work as I really can’t recommend it highly enough.

After spending some time talking to Phil and finding out more about his work, it was time to make a move and begin my run. I said goodbye and picked up a copy of his book “Making An Impact” before leaving – a complete bargain for a tenner showing loads of his incredible work.

Ellesmere is quite a small town but there’s something about it that I love, maybe it’s all the time we spent there as kids, going in the park or eating breakfast at Pete’s Cafe on the high street. I made my way up the high street and towards the Wharfage which has changed a great deal in recent years, the biggest change being the arrival of Tesco to Ellesmere which has been blamed for putting a strain on local businesses. Its a shame as this once quaint town has to submit and let these commercial giants in. I’m sure it adds convenience but I just hope that the smaller businesses can survive and that Ellesmere isn’t forced to be like other areas, where people are drawn to the big chain stores out of town and the high streets suffer as a result.

Ellesmere Wharf

The wharfage is a hive of activity for tourists with a canal path running from it which sees dozens of narrow boats moored while their passengers enjoy what Ellesmere has to offer for a day or two. I must admit that if everywhere was as beautiful and as interesting as this, running would be a lot easier and even though I’m simply passing through you can still appreciate the laid back chilled out vibe from the area.  It really is one of the places where you could just sit on a bench and let time pass you by. Unfortunately, there was no time to stop and do such a thing and before I knew it, I’ve cut off the main canal path and am working my way through a wooded area. The ground here is less forgiving with steep climbs and uneven ground but its still all very exciting and I find it easy to concentrate.

I meet up with the main road into Ellesmere from Shrewsbury and catch a glimpse of the Mere – a vast expanse of water which is undeniably one of Shropshire’s most beautiful areas. It’s actually one of nine mere’s in the “North Shropshire Lake District”. Their existence comes from back in the Ice Age when large blocks of ice were left behind by the deminishing glaciers. They were buried by mounds of debris and in time the ice melted leaving hollows which became lakes filled with water.

Ellesmere

QUACK !

There was little time to stop and take it in though as I made my way along the waters edge. Ducks and Swans greeted me with their loud almost laugh-like quacking … perhaps they knew what was ahead of me. I ignored their mocking and made my way through Ellesmere Park and into the Woodland Walk, which stretches for a distance around the mere. I’d spoken to my Dad who’d advised me that you could only get so far around the lake and was keen to make sure I didn’t go too far before I reached a dead end. I carried on running passing plenty of walkers into denser and denser wooded areas although the path still looked well maintained, so I knew I couldn’t possibly have gone too far.

Pah .... Who Needs A Map ??

I’d looked on a map before leaving and worked out a rough route, and figured that I should be aiming to be turning off the path soon. Sure enough there was a sign post pointing towards Welshampton, which although didn’t ring any bells, I thought that this must be the direction I should be heading in despite the sign post pointing Ellesmere in the direction I had come from.

The path I was on was far from well maintained with rough uneven surfaces and thick grass, but I carried on regardless convinced that I’d see a main road soon. At the end of the pathway a farm road stretched out in front of me. One direction was signed as a rather unfriendly looking private road and so I took the other way. A farm loomed in the distance and so I thought I must be near a main road. I continued on my way heading towards the farm and veering off down some country lanes, this must be it I thought …

Oh … wait …

Dead End

And with that I’d hit a dead end, the walking path continued through the fields but now I knew I must have taken a wrong turn. In front of me a large hill offered a better vantage point so I could get my bearings and possibly find a main road closeby. This possibly optimistic thought was proven wrong when I reached the top. Instead, fields spread out in front of me and in the very distance I could make out Ellesmere. There were no roads nearby and no signs of life.

Wide Open Space

A Hill With A View

Doh !

There was nothing for it, I would have to backtrack. I had obviously gotten confused around the Mere and stupidly gone too far. I hate backtracking as I find it tedious and dull to cover the same ground on the same run. This is why you’ll find most of my runs end up being loops rather than to a set point and back. I was pretty unmotivated as I made my way back down to the path wiping the stinging sweat from my eyes. I looked down at my watch only to realise that I’d only got half an hour to get back to my car as knowing the luck I was having so far, chances are I’d get a ticket. I hurried up, a little more motivated at the thought of a parking warden putting a big clamp on my car and me being stranded.

Tick Tock Tick Tock :S

The scenery seemed to pass by quickly and it didn’t seem very long till I was back at the woodland walk. I found the next exit off the walk and ended up on a road … success at last. On the side of the road was a church and graveyard … perhaps some of its inhabitants hadn’t quite made their way back from a run around the lake I pondered.

A Grave Mood

More and more signs pointed me towards town counting down 800 metres …. 400 meters till I knew where I was. I looked at my Blackberry which told me I’d done 4.6 miles. Determined, I figured I could probably run around the high street in a circle to make it up to 5 miles and still be back in time to see my car clamp free.

So I did.

I can’t begin to describe the sense of achievement that I felt, and OK … I had got lost but I’d finally hit the 5 mile marker, something I’d been keen to do for a while. I decided it was definately cause for celebration so grabbed a pasty from the deli and made a bee-line for the Red Lion for a cheeky pint of Wainwright … it hit the spot perfectly although my celebration was cut short when I realised that it was raining – hard and didn’t show any signs of stopping. I grabbed my newspaper trying to cover my head in some kind of futile attempt to stay dry which was clearly destined to fail and ran back to my car.

Ellesmere 5 Mile Route

Pastry Based Joyful Goodness

Wainwright

Col

Dread and a small minor victory …

Wednesdays are always hard…

Tuesdays are the nights where I normally go out with friends and do photography, which almost always ends in a few cheeky beers at the pub. This tuesday was no different and I crawled through my front door at 12.45am, then felt compelled to read for a bit before bed.

So 5.45 arrives all too quickly and Sarah’s phone alarm wakes me up, its one of those really annoying ones but guarantees I always wake. Luckily its always over the other side of the bed so there’s little chance of me launching it across the room in disagreement. Snooze button pressed and I really wanted to just go back to sleep, I reasoned with myself for what seemed like ages trying to find excuses why I shouldn’t get up. Thankfully I saw sense, feeling like I’d have failed myself had I not been out. Naturally I was a little late getting out off the door but the main thing was I actually made it out.

I’ve had concerns recently that my trainers haven’t been giving me enough support for my feet. When I was younger I used to suffer with flat feet and they have been feeling a little tender from pounding against the pavement. When I started running I bought some rather cheap trainers and rather than invest in something a little more comfortable and a little more pricey, I remembered I had some trainers at my Mum and Dad’s house which haven’t seen the light of day in a long long time.

"Tiger Feet"

As you can see they’re a little bright and I think I should probably invest in some sunglasses for the mornings in future but they do have a lot more support in the arch of the foot and generally I found them to be a big improvement. They’re probably over ten years old, having bought them in my college days. They were a complete impulse buy having walked past the shop window and have them literally jump out at me. My friends all found it hysterical that I was going to buy them and egged me on. They found it even more amusing when we realised they were actually women’s trainers but it didn’t matter too much as they’d stand out and look cool. A few weeks later and the novelty of them had well and truly worn off, they were so bright that people would actually stare as you walked down the street.  As a result I started to wear them less and less until they got relegated to that special place in the wardrobe right at the back, until now that is. Luckily there’s not too many people about at 5.45 in the morning to stare as I run past them.

Routemap

I’d decided to revisit a route I hadn’t done in a while. This route was one I’d enjoyed several weeks ago but had managed to do myself some damage by not knowing my limits and by going too far. This time I’d cut the route down and hoped that this would be enough to get me through. I also had the issue that it would be the first time I’d be running for 8 minutes non-stop and wasn’t quite sure how I would cope.

Outside it was colder than it had been for a little while which probably would do me no favours. I’ve been getting stitch from time to time which I’ve been putting down to irregular breathing which puts stress on the diaphragm. As you can imagine its harder to keep your breathing steady in cooler temperatures and its something I’m going to need to work on over the coming weeks.

Luckily the sun was starting to peek it’s head out and there was a real crispness in the air. My five minute warmup was over quickly and I began my run from the Maltings. The Maltings has been in the news recently with plans to develop what has become quite an ugly sight. The 18th century grade I listed flax mill in Ditherington was the first iron framed building in the world and was a major stepping stone towards the sky scrapers we see around the world.

Ditherington Flax Mill

Ditherington Flax Mill

Before I knew it, I had cut through under the railway past the allotments and through into Herrongate. My pace was slower again as I tried to make sure I didn’t burn myself out too quickly. The main road through Herrongate goes on for what seems like an eternity as it’s just one long straight road. Rage Against The Machine blared out of my MP3 players headphones in encouragement and my first 8 minute stint passed quickly much to my surprise. Before I knew it I was on Ellesmere Road eager to start running again.

Herrongate

In the field, a foggy reminder of how cool it was.

Dirt Track

The road began to slope upwards and my route took me off the main road and onto a trail designated for walkers which cut through onto Heath Farm. A few more people were starting to surface now, mostly walking dogs, which is quite welcome up that section as it’s quite isolated up there, you certainly wouldn’t want to do this route at night (especially as there’s quite a drop to your right).

I’d began my second and last stint of 8 minutes and before I knew it, I was back in civilisation again. It was all downhill from here and I was really keen to cover ground now, my pace had quickened and I was back in Ditherington in no time. My route took me past the abandoned Six Bells pub which has been closed for years but in it’s prime was a packed little local seeing a roaring lunchtime trade from the nearby Rolls Royce Factory. Time moved on, the factory changed hands and grew smaller and smaller and all of a sudden what was once a very busy pub became a deserted pub.

The Six Bells Pub

My 8 minutes were up now and I’d survived another gruelling run, but I’d decided that I hadn’t quite gotten as far as I’d have liked. I decided that I’d run for an extra 2 minutes taking me up to 10 minutes non stop running. I decided to take a closer look at the houses being built in Ditherington by running down the back of them and onto Darville. It always feels odd running down there as I’d previously almost bought a house down there. I’m glad I didn’t, I really don’t think I was ready for that but running past the house does make you wonder what direction my life would have gone in had I have taken the plunge and gone through with buying the house.

I made it home proud. My next run will be on Saturday and will be a major one. I’ll be running for 20 minutes without stopping which I think for me will be quite an achievement. I’m planning on going around Ellesmere after popping out there to see a friend’s photography exhibition, really looking forward to it.

Night Folks, Col.

Late Nights & Early Mornings

Well what a morning! I was somewhat worried today having struggled on Saturday with my run, especially as the plan today was to run 3 sets of 5 minutes which is the most I will have done to date. With an early run planned at 7am to say I was dreading it would be an understatement.

I had a pretty restless night, having not gotten to sleep till gone 1am having lost track of time in a book I’m currenly reading. I decided at around 6am that enough was enough andI wasn’t going to get any more sleep. Outside the sun was poking it’s head through the curtains which did help a little to pursuade me that a run wouldn’t be the worst of ideas. I’ve only recently started running before work and it’s not as bad as you might imagine. Some people say it’s not advisable, as you’re muscles aren’t warmed up properly, however I tend to find that I’m less tired and it wakes me up nicely for a day at work. I also find that more people are more sociable first thing, but maybe thats just the luck that I’ve had.

Todays route

I was a little late setting off today and my route was one I’d taken before, running from my house in Castlefields around the river in a loop via the quarry. This time though I’d decided to do it backwards which turned out to be a great idea. As daft as it sounds, it kept things much more interesting.  I also found that slowing my pace down was a great way of not burning off all my energy too soon (yes I know it’s obvious but sometimes putting it into practice isn’t so easy).

Seating and Marquees Being Setup

The journey to the quarry was fairly uneventful although it surprised me how quickly I got there, normally that section of the run has been quite gruelling and has seemed to last forever. There was loads of activity in the quarry as big marquees and seating had been laid out for the Shrewsbury Flower Show which takes part this weekend. The quarry itself was fairly quiet though, quite the opposite of what it will be this weekend, when the crowds flock to the area to see the annual event. I’ve not been for quite a while but have fond memories of going as a child especially the firework finale to the show which is quite a spectacle.

Kingsland Toll Bridge

Similar to my journey to the quarry, I was soon through picking up quite a steady pace. I found that even when stopping to take pictures it was far easier to focus than it had been on Saturday and get back into it. I was soon passing under Kingsland Bridge, Shrewsbury’s toll bridge … I plan to extend the route through the quarry so that I’ll be running over it in the coming weeks. Its such a beautiful route and one of my favourite things about where I live is that it’s so easily accessible to me.

The English Bridge

My run continued underneath the English Bridge and before I knew it, it was onto the final section of my run. The fact that I was still running only spurred me on to get to the finish and the next section was over fairly quickly (it was also my fastest section looking at my timings). My last section ended just after going underneath the Railway Bridge. It’s probably the ugliest bridge in Shrewsbury as its so dark and gloomy underneath, the walls are covered in graffiti and pigeons lurk menacingly in the shadows. I swear if pigeons could have hoodies and ASBOs … these ones would!

Railway Bridge

I walked along to the Weir for my five minute cool down. The Weir was created as the river used to get very low in the summer months and at points I believe you could walk across from one bank to the other. Its quite a spectacular place to be though, I’ve always loved it down there and I love that it’s so close to home.

Shrewsbury Weir

I decided that I hadn’t quite had enough of being out just yet and extended my walk a little further downstream, cutting through the housing estate to finally get home and feeling like I’d accomplished something again, I felt far more upbeat than I had on Saturday. I ran the bath as soon as I got in as I always like to have a soak after I’ve been running … A shower doesn’t really relax the muscles in the same way, although it’s got to be a nice warm bath. I’ve heard of people taking Ice cold baths as an aid to recovery – I’ve tried it once and lasted about 30 seconds, it was possibly one of the most unpleasant experiences I’ve had for quite some time and made me feel quite sick.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time so my relaxing bath was cut short. I was off to work but felt great, my attitude towards work and general mood was good and I can only put it down to the running. I’m very tempted to get up in the morning and run but I just know it would be a mistake – Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, but i’ll save that for a later blog post.

Col

Whatever do I get myself into …

Last week I was talking to Lucy at Severn Hospice (@Severnhospice) who was keen to have me run the London Marathon next year. As tempting as it was to say yes I thought might be pushing things a little bit too much. She mentioned about their “Rock to Rock” Duathlon that they’re organising in September to raise funds. They’re a great bunch of people at the Hospice, who do a very hard job so it’s a cause that i’m very keen to support in whatever way I can and next year plan to run their Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon and then hopefully the London Marathon in 2012.

The Rock to Rock Duathlon takes place on Sunday 26 September. The event starts from the top of Rodney’s Pillar, Criggion, Powys. Participants run for four miles down Rodney’s Pillar and across the plain before cycling for 12 miles to finish at Llanymynech Golf Course, Pant, near Oswestry.

Sounds great doesn’t it ?? I think by September I’ll be ready to run 4 miles but have the slight disadvantage that I don’t have a bike anymore as it was pinched from outside my old flat a few years ago. Luckily Lucy mentioned that her husband Ben (- the fantastic @likeaword) worked at the Bicycle Hub (@thebicyclehub) in Jackfield where they have a Recycling scheme called Re-bike where it’s possible to get an affordable 2nd hand bike in “as new” condition with no profit being made by the scheme.

Its an admirable scheme and aims to get more people cycling and excercising and sounded just like the kind of thing I was after. Naturally I had to pop down as soon as I could and figured I’d kill two birds with one stone by going down to see what bikes they had and to go for a run around the gorge which is a naturally stunning location …. but more of that in a bit

Upon arrival, the bicycle hub is quite a sight and is stocked to the rafters with some rather impressive looking bikes. I explained to Ben that although this would be a road event, that I’d probably be looking to ride offroad more after the event so would make sense in getting a Mountain Bike rather than a racing bike. To his credit he came up with a cracking bike which will be just the job. Thanks Ben !!

I used to go mountain biking fairly regularly and used to have no fear when it came to clinging on for dear life as I rocketed down the side of the hill trying to get to the bottom as I quick as I could without falling off.

I took the bike for a test drive around the carpark and was shocked how odd it felt. I thought it would simply be a case of getting back on after about 9 years when you consider how often I used to go. This felt very alien to me both trying to steer the bike and trying to stay on it … maybe I was a little naive with that but this was flat terrain and far cry from what I used to do. There’s a lot of work to go in training for the event it would seem but it will do me good to do something other than running.

My new bike

And with some careful rearranging of my car I was on my way down further into Jackfield. The run was to see me cross the river Severn twice on my journey. It’s very beautiful part of the county with lots to take in …. almost too much infact, it’s easy to get distracted and found myself stopping to take photos which is something I really need to be careful of in future. The run was a little under what i’d estimated at just over 2 miles but when the sun was out it certainly made it feel much more than the short 20 minute journey that it was.

My Journey

I’d planned to start at a rather charming little pub called the Boat Inn which we’ve had the odd pint in from time to time crossing over a footbridge towards coalport and following the roads towards a rather funky looking suspension bridge. Then I would run back along the opposite side of the river back to where I’d parked my car at the pub, my reward would be a nice pint in the beer garden whilst I typed up my blog post.

The Boat Inn, Jackfield

In parts theres little or no footpath and often found it was necessary to run in the road which is a little unnerving giving the amount of traffic that the road sees – this was the first time I’d ever been on this section of the road but will forgive the lack of footpath for such a stunning location. In the background the vast chimneys at Buildwas tower above the Gorge. Further round you run along the covered up railway tracks showing signs of Ironbridges Indusrtrial age. These days the Gorge is much more relaxed with little industrial activity based there. This stunning location is visited by millions of people each year taking in the beautiful sights and tourist attractions .

In the background: The chimney's at Buildwas

Signs of a bygone era

Eventually I made it back to the Boat Inn and was more than happy to sit down with a cold pint and let time pass by for a bit. It’s such an inspiring location and it’s easy to lose track of time.

Well Deserved

Rained Off

Unfortunately I was unable to get started on this blog as quickly as I had originally planned. As soon as I had finished my pint and the heavens opened and it poured down. I really enjoyed today’s run despite finding it hard going. It was nice to go somewhere different and I’m keen to try and find somewhere new to explore each week. Next week I’ll be visiting a friend’s photography exhibition in Ellesmere which gives me even more new terrain to cover and should hopefully give you guys some interesting pictures to take a look at.

The addiction has already begun

I’m not really sure where to begin with this.

I’m the kind of person that obsesses over things, and when I take up new hobbies, I hit the ground running (pun intended). Now in a way I guess that makes me sound whimsical and that I obsess over lots of things and thats not strictly true but I do get passionate about most things that I take up.

When I hear a new band I love, I have to download every song they’ve ever recorded and when I started going to theme parks regularly, I joined forums, reading articles for hours and visited parks every weekend … these are just two things in a long line of things which I obsess over, its rare that I take on new things but when I do, I get so excited about them.

About 6 months ago we moved into our gorgeous 2 bedroom house near Shrewsbury town centre which is within spitting distance of the river, Saturdays I usually walk into town along the river taking in the sights and enjoying songs on my mp3 player, and for months I’ve had this crazy little thought at the back of my head just whispering to me that it would be great fun running along the river. “Crazy ??” You may ask why I say crazy, but the truth is, I’ve never been good at sports, PE was always my worst subject at school and every time I joined a gym generally the fad would last about a week. I was always the kid at school when running was mentioned, I’d be in the corner coughing at the thought of running whilst puffing on an inhaler.  I’m pretty unfit and although I’m pretty skinny, years of nights in the pub have created a small but perfectly formed beer belly. The last straw was when I decided to go and play five a side football with friends for an hour and after 10 minutes feeling like I’d done 10 rounds of a boxing match. I felt pathetic and although I had quite enjoyed the game, I knew that I didn’t want to be that person anymore.

The problem with me telling you all this is that I’ve already started running, if this were a book you’ve probably missed chapter one, and where as I could have started writing this as soon as I started running, it was never my intention to create a blog. Running was always meant to be about a bit of time for me to enjoy my music and hopefully create a slightly fitter version of myself … Colin V2.0 if you will. Well I’ve been posting updates via twitter and facebook with my progress so far, each time i’ve been going further and further and although at the moment running is a slight exaggeration i’m feeling great already and it kind of evolved into me writing this blog as there’s only so much you can write in a facebook or twitter update

Currently i’m doing a quick walk for 5 minute to warm up followed by 3 minutes running, 90 seconds walking, 5 minutes running, 150 seconds walking twice which doesn’t sound like all that much but when your pretty unfit it takes a good few weeks to build up to. Up until now I have found things quite easy mind, with the walking being greater than the running at first but now I’m starting to push myself (infact I got my first stitch the other day !! )and i’m eager to go further and further. I have big plans for taking part in various events and places I’d like to run (I’ll be going into detail with this over the next day or so so keep watching this space )

So how do I know that I’m not just going to give up like all the times I’ve joined a gym and quit … this time it feels very different, I’m really motivated to get out and about, I love the buzz I get after coming home and thinking I’ve achieved something and the ever changing enviroments are far better than what you can experience on any running machine. I’ve even been out and bought some of the gear and have changed from running in the evenings to getting up earlier in the morning so that it doesn’t cut into my night too much, so yeah things are changing … and I hope that you’ll enjoy the journey with me.

Colin

(A Healthy Breakfast …. honest !)