Week 7 - The Week after my 1st race in ages.
Sunday 21 May 2017 afternoon I arrived back home from my sister's house. I had been keeping my eye on the stage results of the Green Belt Relay coming through over the Internet. The race between the top two teams (Serpentine Running Club & Thames Hare & Hounds) was proving very close with the lead changing hands a few times. My legs felt OK after my previous day's 5 km parkrun. So after cooking a meal for later I decided to have a hot shower and go for a walk. If I felt well enough I would also do a bit of jogging. On arriving at the glen I jogged downhill to the bottom. Everything seemed fine and so I decided to set off on my normal lap. It was a pleasant evening and I completed 4 laps of 1 km this included 4 x 275 steps, 4 x 185 steps, plus a walk to the waterfall and 120 jog back to the footbridge. All in all it was a good workout and I was pleased to be able to get the extra work in after having done the 5 k. I checked the final stage results for the Green Belt Relay and Serpentine had won the overall race by just over 5 minutes from Thames Hare & Hounds. Now that's very close considering they had raced over a 220 mile course. In 3rd, 4th and 5th were three previous winners of the event, London Stock Exchange AC, London Frontrunners and Ranelagh Harriers. These were all followed by the other 40 teams at intervals. I was very pleased to see that something I first organised in 1995 and stayed as Race Director through to 2014 was still a great success and in capable hands. Maybe, I thought to myself, if I can continue to build on my fitness over the next year, I could go back and compete with not having to worry about organising the event anymore.
Monday 22 May 2017. Again it was late it was warm and humid, the sun was low in the sky and there was only about an hour of daylight left. I eventually managed 4 laps of 1 km. These included 4 x 320 steps, 3 x 190 and finishing the last lap with 250 steps. I then walked to the waterfall and jogged 120 steps back to the footbridge. It had been a satisfying workout and the 120 steps back from the waterfall felt like the first time I had jogged in years where I didn't seem to feel tiredness or have to push myself to keep going. If you are wondering why there are 4 x 320 included, it because on the jog downhill I kept going for a little longer until I was down onto a footbridge next to the small car-park at the end of the glen. It also meant I had less recovery time until each next jog along the flat footpath. Later that evening I look at some of the photos and studied the stage results of the Green Belt Relay and realised a friend who had supported and taken part in almost every event had taken part again. It was his 20th time to complete the relay, only ever having missed 2016 due to work commitments. I gave him a call to congratulate him as being the first person ever to complete 20. It was a long and pleasant chat. On coming off the phone I had also received an email from the current Race Director about how things went. It was a pleasant surprise. However, so afterwards, on catching up on the national news, I learned of the sad happenings in Manchester.
Tuesday 23 May 2017. Today it was even hotter than yesterday. I had just completed three days in a row where I had been pleased with myself and the work I had put in. It may have been mostly walking, but that's not bad for an unfit fat bloke. The thing about doing anything in life is you have to start at the bottom, work at the basics and within time you'll reap the rewards. Now the question is, will I be happy with the three days in a row, or will I be greedy and try for a fourth. Well I was feeling good and it was very hot. So I waited until late, had a hot shower, done a few stretches and set off on my walk to the glen. My plan was to do the same as usual - start jogging and see how I feel. I set off at 8.15 pm on my walk to the glen. After jogging the standard 135 steps downhill into the glen, I set off on my laps. I completed 4 and by God, was it hot and humid. The only people I saw were a bunch of four 10 / 11 year old girls dressed in track suits and running about talking and giggling amongst themselves, plus a large bloke sitting on a quad bike in the car park. I said hello to them all, but only the bloke and one of the girls replied. The four laps felt good, but tough. They included 4 x 325, 3 x 200 and 1 x 260 jog. I walked to the waterfall and jogged 140 back. I was tired, I was sweating, but I felt good. After walking home I stretched for 10 minutes, then just stood still for 5 - I couldn't get cool. Anyway, I went back into the house and grabbed a towel - I still couldn't get cool. I had also made a mistake. It was Thursday and my mother always has two friends who visit on Thursday nights. I usually have been to the shop to get some wine, as they enjoy a glass of wine, some crisps and cheese and biscuits. All was not lost as they had only been there for 10 minutes, so off I went to the shop and within 15 minutes I was back with two bottles of red wine. Glasses were served with Tayto cheese n onion crisps, plus biscuits and mature farmhouse cheddar. The day was saved, but I was still sweating and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop. Anyway, later I realised it had been my hardest and best workout yet, and it had been four days in a row. It felt like a long time ago since I had been forced to stop because of my back injury, even though it had been just two weeks ago.
Wednesday 24 May 2017 and again even hotter. I hadn't decided what to do today until after 6 pm. My better judgement was that maybe I should have a rest day, my less better judgement wanted me to just keep going. My better judgement won, but with an alternative. For almost 7 weeks now (if anyone is bothering to read this) I have been blogging about walking to a glen and then doing laps of 1 km, walking some and jogging some. My idea was to make a short video of what I had been talking about. I thought the walk along the road wouldn't be that interesting, but what about a video of the glen and my lap. So that what I decided to do. Walk to the glen with my camcorder, then video my walk into and around the glen. As I'm writing this the video is uploading, it's been uploading for 5 hours now and is still only at 86%. I do have to apologise for the first minute or so as it's difficult to see what's in front of me, and I probably should apologise about my narration as I go along It was my first ever try at this), but what the hell, you'll get the idea.
Thursday 25 May 2017, what a hot day it felt. I spent a few hours in Armagh City. The smallest city in Ireland and one of the smallest in the UK. However, with a population of under 15,000 it is a beautiful city and does have a lot going for it. Where St Patrick founded his church and home to two Cathedrals bearing his name. The cathedrals sit on the two tallest of its seven hills and dominate the skyline. They are home to the heads of the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland for all of Ireland. There is also so much more to see; a planetarium, an observatory, theatres, cinemas, museums, libraries (including Ireland's oldest), a historical Georgian mall, a palace, and ancient friary, the burial place of Brian Boru (the last High King of Ireland), an ancient fort where the kings & queens of Ulster lived over 2,000 years ago and many other historical buildings.
On my way home I stopped to take a photo of the old railway viaduct at Tassagh, which towers over the River Callan below, and its nearby mill. The photo was taken at 3.40 pm, probably the hottest time of the day and you can see the hate haze at that time of the day.
As it was a hot day I waited until late to go for my walk / jog. I left home at 7.45 pm. It was still very warm and humid. Same routine, walk to the glen, jog the 135 steps down into the glen and set off on my laps. Again, in the back of my head I want to do 4 laps, but I'll just how it goes. I managed the 4 laps and included 4 x 325, 3 x 200 and finished the last lap with a 260 steps jog past the entrance footbridge. I then walked to the waterfall, stretched for a few seconds and jogged 160 steps back. This had been my best workout to date on my escapades to the glen. After walking home, I stretched for almost 10 minutes, trying to cool down, but I was still very hot. Also, unlike last week I remembered that my mother's friends were coming tonight and had already bought the wine, cheese, biscuits and crisps for them. It was all left out and ready to serve, just in case I didn't get back in time. All, in all a very satisfying workout and pleasing evening. I also noticed that my arms are beginning to get skinnier and my mother's friends noticed I had lost a lot of weight. Good news, but I am determined not to weigh myself until at least 10 weeks into my training. Let's see how the rest of the week goes.
Friday 26 May 2017 was a lazy day. However, by 9 pm I had showered and started walking towards the glen. I jogged the 135 steps down to the first footbridge, then set off on my 1 km laps. Again I managed four laps, this time with slightly more jogging. The four laps included 4 x 330, 3 x 210 and finished with a 280 steps jogging back past the first footbridge - I felt good and could have gone further. I walked to the waterfall, stretched for a few seconds and then jogged 180 steps back past the first footbridge. On the walk home, it was starting to get dark and I was very tired, but once again it had been a very satisfying workout. Tonight I had the glen all to myself with just one car in the car park, but I never came across the occupants. I have been told recently that late at night the glen is a popular place for youngsters to go drinking and indulging in other activities. I thought I may come across some of them tonight, as I was later than ever, but fortunately I didn't.
On a side issue I also read an article today about exercise and burning calories. I suppose it gives scientists and sports analysts something to write about, but I though it was a load of rubbish. Apparently if you run so many miles you burn a certain amount of calories. I totally disagree this is the same for all. In my opinion, if a seasoned runner runs 3 miles they will burn a lot less calories than someone who is not fit and overweight. I believe that the more unfit and overweight a person is then they will burn more calories. Anyway, that's my belief and I'm sticking to it.
Saturday 27 May 2017 and what a day. Exeter beat Wasps in extra time to win their first English Rugby Premiership, Scarlets beat Munster in Dublin to win the Pro12 Rugby League and Guns n Roses played at Slane. The Orchard Truck Run passed the house (400 articulated lorries in convey), the Armagh County Fleadh (Irish Music Festival) is taking place in the village all weekend and it's rumoured Axl Rose may be attending after his concert at Slane. There's also a country & western music festival all weekend at a pub just outside the village to coincide with the trucks today and the Tractor Run tomorrow. I didn't video the trucks this year as it take over an hour for them all to pass and that would take a day to upload to YouTube. Anyway, to get a feel of what it's like, here's a video I found from 2015.
As a rule you are supposed to carry a phone with you on the Green Belt Relay, but this one at Little Marlow may slow you down just a bit.
Monday 22 May 2017. Again it was late it was warm and humid, the sun was low in the sky and there was only about an hour of daylight left. I eventually managed 4 laps of 1 km. These included 4 x 320 steps, 3 x 190 and finishing the last lap with 250 steps. I then walked to the waterfall and jogged 120 steps back to the footbridge. It had been a satisfying workout and the 120 steps back from the waterfall felt like the first time I had jogged in years where I didn't seem to feel tiredness or have to push myself to keep going. If you are wondering why there are 4 x 320 included, it because on the jog downhill I kept going for a little longer until I was down onto a footbridge next to the small car-park at the end of the glen. It also meant I had less recovery time until each next jog along the flat footpath. Later that evening I look at some of the photos and studied the stage results of the Green Belt Relay and realised a friend who had supported and taken part in almost every event had taken part again. It was his 20th time to complete the relay, only ever having missed 2016 due to work commitments. I gave him a call to congratulate him as being the first person ever to complete 20. It was a long and pleasant chat. On coming off the phone I had also received an email from the current Race Director about how things went. It was a pleasant surprise. However, so afterwards, on catching up on the national news, I learned of the sad happenings in Manchester.
Tuesday 23 May 2017. Today it was even hotter than yesterday. I had just completed three days in a row where I had been pleased with myself and the work I had put in. It may have been mostly walking, but that's not bad for an unfit fat bloke. The thing about doing anything in life is you have to start at the bottom, work at the basics and within time you'll reap the rewards. Now the question is, will I be happy with the three days in a row, or will I be greedy and try for a fourth. Well I was feeling good and it was very hot. So I waited until late, had a hot shower, done a few stretches and set off on my walk to the glen. My plan was to do the same as usual - start jogging and see how I feel. I set off at 8.15 pm on my walk to the glen. After jogging the standard 135 steps downhill into the glen, I set off on my laps. I completed 4 and by God, was it hot and humid. The only people I saw were a bunch of four 10 / 11 year old girls dressed in track suits and running about talking and giggling amongst themselves, plus a large bloke sitting on a quad bike in the car park. I said hello to them all, but only the bloke and one of the girls replied. The four laps felt good, but tough. They included 4 x 325, 3 x 200 and 1 x 260 jog. I walked to the waterfall and jogged 140 back. I was tired, I was sweating, but I felt good. After walking home I stretched for 10 minutes, then just stood still for 5 - I couldn't get cool. Anyway, I went back into the house and grabbed a towel - I still couldn't get cool. I had also made a mistake. It was Thursday and my mother always has two friends who visit on Thursday nights. I usually have been to the shop to get some wine, as they enjoy a glass of wine, some crisps and cheese and biscuits. All was not lost as they had only been there for 10 minutes, so off I went to the shop and within 15 minutes I was back with two bottles of red wine. Glasses were served with Tayto cheese n onion crisps, plus biscuits and mature farmhouse cheddar. The day was saved, but I was still sweating and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop. Anyway, later I realised it had been my hardest and best workout yet, and it had been four days in a row. It felt like a long time ago since I had been forced to stop because of my back injury, even though it had been just two weeks ago.
Wednesday 24 May 2017 and again even hotter. I hadn't decided what to do today until after 6 pm. My better judgement was that maybe I should have a rest day, my less better judgement wanted me to just keep going. My better judgement won, but with an alternative. For almost 7 weeks now (if anyone is bothering to read this) I have been blogging about walking to a glen and then doing laps of 1 km, walking some and jogging some. My idea was to make a short video of what I had been talking about. I thought the walk along the road wouldn't be that interesting, but what about a video of the glen and my lap. So that what I decided to do. Walk to the glen with my camcorder, then video my walk into and around the glen. As I'm writing this the video is uploading, it's been uploading for 5 hours now and is still only at 86%. I do have to apologise for the first minute or so as it's difficult to see what's in front of me, and I probably should apologise about my narration as I go along It was my first ever try at this), but what the hell, you'll get the idea.
A Narrated Short Walk through The Glen,
On my way home I stopped to take a photo of the old railway viaduct at Tassagh, which towers over the River Callan below, and its nearby mill. The photo was taken at 3.40 pm, probably the hottest time of the day and you can see the hate haze at that time of the day.
As it was a hot day I waited until late to go for my walk / jog. I left home at 7.45 pm. It was still very warm and humid. Same routine, walk to the glen, jog the 135 steps down into the glen and set off on my laps. Again, in the back of my head I want to do 4 laps, but I'll just how it goes. I managed the 4 laps and included 4 x 325, 3 x 200 and finished the last lap with a 260 steps jog past the entrance footbridge. I then walked to the waterfall, stretched for a few seconds and jogged 160 steps back. This had been my best workout to date on my escapades to the glen. After walking home, I stretched for almost 10 minutes, trying to cool down, but I was still very hot. Also, unlike last week I remembered that my mother's friends were coming tonight and had already bought the wine, cheese, biscuits and crisps for them. It was all left out and ready to serve, just in case I didn't get back in time. All, in all a very satisfying workout and pleasing evening. I also noticed that my arms are beginning to get skinnier and my mother's friends noticed I had lost a lot of weight. Good news, but I am determined not to weigh myself until at least 10 weeks into my training. Let's see how the rest of the week goes.
Friday 26 May 2017 was a lazy day. However, by 9 pm I had showered and started walking towards the glen. I jogged the 135 steps down to the first footbridge, then set off on my 1 km laps. Again I managed four laps, this time with slightly more jogging. The four laps included 4 x 330, 3 x 210 and finished with a 280 steps jogging back past the first footbridge - I felt good and could have gone further. I walked to the waterfall, stretched for a few seconds and then jogged 180 steps back past the first footbridge. On the walk home, it was starting to get dark and I was very tired, but once again it had been a very satisfying workout. Tonight I had the glen all to myself with just one car in the car park, but I never came across the occupants. I have been told recently that late at night the glen is a popular place for youngsters to go drinking and indulging in other activities. I thought I may come across some of them tonight, as I was later than ever, but fortunately I didn't.
On a side issue I also read an article today about exercise and burning calories. I suppose it gives scientists and sports analysts something to write about, but I though it was a load of rubbish. Apparently if you run so many miles you burn a certain amount of calories. I totally disagree this is the same for all. In my opinion, if a seasoned runner runs 3 miles they will burn a lot less calories than someone who is not fit and overweight. I believe that the more unfit and overweight a person is then they will burn more calories. Anyway, that's my belief and I'm sticking to it.
Saturday 27 May 2017 and what a day. Exeter beat Wasps in extra time to win their first English Rugby Premiership, Scarlets beat Munster in Dublin to win the Pro12 Rugby League and Guns n Roses played at Slane. The Orchard Truck Run passed the house (400 articulated lorries in convey), the Armagh County Fleadh (Irish Music Festival) is taking place in the village all weekend and it's rumoured Axl Rose may be attending after his concert at Slane. There's also a country & western music festival all weekend at a pub just outside the village to coincide with the trucks today and the Tractor Run tomorrow. I didn't video the trucks this year as it take over an hour for them all to pass and that would take a day to upload to YouTube. Anyway, to get a feel of what it's like, here's a video I found from 2015.
It rained most of the afternoon and I went for a walk / jog at 8.30 pm. As usual, I walked to the glen, ran the 135 steps down, then set off on my laps. I completed 4 laps which included 4 x 340, 3 x 220 and finished with a 325 jog almost getting back to where I start the 340 jogs - if you understand that. I walked back to the entrance footbridge then to the waterfall. After a few seconds stretching, I jogged 200 steps back past the entrance bridge and then walked home. It was good and I seem to have built up almost every day this week. I hope I not over-doing it as I estimate, that between walking and jogging on my workouts, I have covered about 22 miles. I am very surprised I have managed to do so much and am thinking I may have to cut back a little next week. However, let's see how it goes.
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