marathon

10k

The Alpha Male Tale

russellsays

I have just finished reading Running With The Buffaloes, which followed a team of university athletes for a season as they trained for the USA Cross Country team title (they came 3rd). I should have read this book years ago, as it has gone down in the running world as a cult classic. Reading it brought forward a stark contrast of memories for me, of my time living and training with an elite group of Kenyan athletes, as they trained for the World Cross Country team title (they came 1st). The difference between how the athletes and coach behaved are profound. I sometimes wish I wrote an account of it then, but, at the time I was fully immersed, and I wonder if the note taking and interviews would have changed the experience I had.

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 10k

Transition Week™

russellsays

While I was learning Swahili in Kenya, I would take the opportunity to practise speaking with school kids that ran alongside me. They would be on their way to or from school, barefoot mostly. They had no idea that they were doing this mythical, legendary thing that the whole running world talks about. They were just a bit tired and wanted to get home for dinner. Sometimes they would run, sometimes they would walk. They were not training for the next Olympics, there was no plan, it was just a part of their daily life. Most of them would not grow up to be involved in running, or any other sport. But, being fit and strong enough, most could, if they had the opportunity.

That is what I want for my kids. For them to be in a position to have as many choices and opportunities as possible. Being fit and strong helps. Running a bit, every day, is the best single way of achieving that.

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 marathon

The Wrexham Revenant

russellsays

Should I give the marathon another crack? Some infuriating voice inside just won’t let it lie.
Is this the voice of my inner hero, about to embark on a glorious comeback? Or is this the voice of a washed up has-been, who just doesn’t know when to quit? Unfortunately, there’s only one way to find out. Anything else looks like fear and retirement to me. So I sign up for Wrexham Elite Marathon and start my 12 week training block.

 marathon

Paddy Buckley Round – Solo Record

russellsays

Finally getting underway at 5am on Monday morning, the amount of nervous energy running through my neural pathways was ridiculous. The aim was 16hrs20. The overall speed record set by Kim Collison earlier in the year. Accompanied and supported. I was so excited to get going, after all the waiting. As a coach, I am often telling my athletes to slow down, and I get annoyed when they tell me they can’t. Of course you can, it’s your bloody body, control it!

But here I was, really struggling to slow down. I would consciously force myself to, then I would forget, the adrenaline would take over, and I would find myself ripping along the forest trails again.