Abersoch Half

It is now two weeks after the Berlin Marathon, I feel pretty fresh, probably because of all the ‘breaks’ I had during the race.

Week 1 – I take a week from running; it is at times like this I am so grateful NOT to be a pro marathoner. Can you imagine, you get 1 or 2 opportunities a year to make a living. Your race goes badly, and then you have all the time in the world to torture yourself over the shudawudacuda. Imagine if you are a Kenyan, one more bad race and your career is done. No way an agent will take a risk on you again.

I have alot of life stuff to be getting stuck into. I had been putting things on hold during my marathon training, now it’s over, there are a million neglected jobs screaming for attention. Life quickly re-calibrates my perspective; Berlin Marathon, built up in my head as some major defining milestone, is a tiny pebble on everyone else’s beach.

I take the time spent not running to do all the things I have missed. Jim and I go for a run. He trips on a cattle grid and bruises his shins, but doesn’t cry once. Like father like son. I had a similar encounter during my first ever fell race (read blog post here) but I came off rather worse than Jim.

A friend comes from London to help me knock a hole in the wall.

We go with work-friends for Pizza Hut and movie. Great pizza, terrible movie. The Predator reboot. Don’t do it to yourself. Just bad.

On a drizzly Saturday morning, I take part in the Abersoch Half. It is perfect running weather, I make a gap on the field quite quickly, and then it is just me and the meandering, quiet roads. I allow myself to enjoy it. Up and down and around the beautiful countryside, just letting my legs find their rhythm through the course.

The lead car is showing me the way, so I don’t need to think too much, which suits me fine. In lap 2 I am lapping runners. I am going at 5.30min miling, roughly twice the pace of the back markers, it feels quite nice flying past people. Some runners make involuntary remarks as I come hurtling past out of nowhere, very funny and sweary.

The last km of the race is along Abersoch Beach. The fastest runner to complete this section gets a crate of cider. I always love this part of the race, cos it requires hurdling over the groynes. I like to think of myself as an amazing Obstacle Course Racer. It takes me a very slow 4 minutes to complete, but that is enough to have a cold cider with Nina every night for the next week.

Brilliant race always very well organised, and the perfect way to get me straight back in the game.

Week 2 – I have to work a 7 day week. 3 at work, 4 on our house. I received some very good advice from a guy in a similar position to me, (self-employed builder with renovation project) Ring fence a day every week for family time.

Great advice. But what about when you have left a bloody big hole in the roof and you live in the 3rd rainiest town in the UK?

Sunday afternoon and I finally mend the roof, I walk back in the house feeling very proud of myself. Nina, however, has an ear infection, in BOTH ears.

“Hey Nina I have fixed the leak! I put two layers of felt down, lead soakers, flashing, and eaves protectors”

“What?”

“I fixed the roof! We can take down the scaffolding which we have been paying for every week!”

“What?”

“(sigh) Nothing”

“Here, have a beetroot and chocolate muffin”

“OK”

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Non-Running Related Highlight Of The Week

Kindof running related. Ok, very running related. Me and the kids volunteer at Bangor parkrun, while Nina and her cousin run it.

Standing there in the morning sun, cheering hundreds of people running around and round, all different ages, shapes an sizes, I wonder, why are we all doing this? Coming together on a Saturday morning to run around a castle?

I’m not quite sure, but if there is a better advert for humanity than parkrun, I haven’t seen it.

Read my top 5 parkruns here

Best Thing On The Internet This Week:

Winning The Inner Battle

Brilliant article from coach, Steve Magness. A few takeaways:

Western ideals tell us to “think positive” and “trust your feelings.” But what I’ve learned from my own experience—not to mention all the psychological research—is most of that is bullshit.

 

You are not a rock…Never set intentions that a rock would be better than you at.

 

Thing I’m Digging This Week:

link here

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22/9/2018	AM	PM
Monday	3 very easy	REST
picnic in Tiergarten, fly home, picked up by family
Tuesday	REST	REST
go to track tuesday squad pm to time session
Wednesday	REST	REST
Thursday	REST	REST
Friday	REST	REST
Saturday	Abersoch Half. 15 miles total	REST
1st place – 72.30
Sunday	REST	REST
TOTAL:	18 miles	tm = treadmill

29/9/2018	AM	PM
Monday	REST	REST
Tuesday	REST	6 x 800m (2min rest) in 2.24. 2x300m in 48. 7 miles total
windy on track but enjoy
Wednesday	REST	REST
Thursday	REST	6 miles including 10min flat out
Friday	REST	REST
Saturday	5 x mile (30 sec rest) in 5.30. 9 miles total	REST
Sunday	REST	REST
TOTAL:	18 miles	tm = treadmill