Filed under: 10k, Commando Challenge, gym, running, weight training | Tags: 10k, Commando Challenge, gym, running, weight training
Abstained from alcohol last night, had a healthy vegetable pasta meal and was in bed by 10pm last night.
Went to the gym this morning and ran 10k/6 miles in 60 mins. I rarely run at any other speed – and I’m good at pacing other people, as long as they run 10-minute miles! At some point, I’ll do some proper work to increase my speed over shorter distances.
Right now, I need to build up my strength, particularly in my upper body in preparation for Commando Challenge. So I did about 25 minutes of weights in the circuit training area. I did two sets of 12 then 8 reps, increasing the weight for the second set. Each machine has 12 weight settings,and I’ve noted below for my own records what I did on each machine. I’ll be trying to increase the weight level in the run up to the Challenge.
| Sets | Reps | Weight | |
| Tricep press | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Ab crunch | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Biceps curl | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Seated row | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Seated leg curl | 2 | 12-8 | 6-7 |
| Lat pulldown | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Shoulder press | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Squat | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Chest press | 2 | 12-8 | 5-6 |
| Leg extension | 2 | 12-8 | 6-7 |
Just thinking about doing some work that needs completing by Monday 
But getting distracted by the Paralympics. Top marks to the BBC for screening three hours of coverage at peak-time on a Saturday even after the football season has started. Terrific to see the GB team remain in second place, having already secured as many Golds as we did in Athens (35).
Filed under: 10k, Bupa Great Capital Run, Nike Human Race, Nottingham Half Marathon, gym, half marathon training, running | Tags: 10k, gym, Nike Human Race, Nottingham Half Marathon, running
A belated race report, as I went on holiday about four hours after completing the race last Sunday.
The good bits:
- Well organised, well publicised event by Nike. They might not make great running shoes, but they sure as hell know how to run and market an event.
- Great start inside Wembley Stadium after set by Moby, swift baggage drop-off and pick-up and plenty of loos.
- Not one, but two, lovely freebie dri-fit tops – a short-sleeved red one that we all ran in, and a long-sleeved white one to keep warm in after the event. Well worth the £30 entry fee. And they’re actually fitted for girls – wooo-hooo. Watch and learn all you other race organisers. Us ladies do not want another massive, square-fit cotton number that would work better as a (deeply unsexy) nightshirt.
The not-so-good bits
- Running with a dodgy tummy after tapas the night before. I blame that for the lame time – 1.00.14 (according to my text from Nike just minutes after I crossed the line).
- Moby’s warm-up act, Pendulum. Atrocious.
- The late start. I’m not a fan of evening running, though that’s just my personal choice. But there was also a very long wait – in the region of two and a half hours – between arriving at the stadium and starting the race.
- The rather uninspiring route around Wembley on a slightly chilly, very wet and dark evening.
That all sounds a bit negative, but I would definitely do the race again. I’d hope for less waiting around next time, nicer weather and – erm – a rather more solid feeling in my tummy.
Been on hols for a week, and put in a couple of runs – around the four and six-mile mark. It was a bit warm, and I don’t feel even vaguely ready for the Nottingham half marathon in six days’ time. That’s crept up on me, I can tell you. Despite my resolve as I travelled home earlier today to eat properly and run every day this week, I’m going to struggle with three events in London over the next three evenings. It’s going to take self-discipline that I’m not sure I have to resist the lure of naughty food and wine so I can still make my dates with the gym…
Filed under: 10k, Nike Human Race, Pulse8, gym, running | Tags: 10k, gym, Nike Human Race, Pulse8, running
Congratulations to the GB team for bringing home 19 gold medals out of a total of 47. What a fantastic boost to the 2012 team, and a thorough “up yours” to all of the people moaning about how much money the Games will cost us. Isn’t it all worth it? I’m not a big sport spectator, but I’ve really enjoyed watching the achievements of the GB team alongside the other faces of 2008 – notably Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps. Let’s hope our disabled athletes share similar success as they complete their final preparations before the Paralympics start on 6 September. I hope the BBC gives them the coverage they too deserve.
My own training has muddled along during the course of August – though it’s been hard to get in my three/four weekday sessions over the last couple of weeks because of work commitments (on holiday now for two weeks, whoop whoop!)
But I haven’t done toooo badly. Here’s the rundown:
- Sunday, 3 August – Run around Hampstead Heath (45 mins/4.4 miles)
- Tuesday, 5 August – Circuit training + treadmill run (10 mins/1.82km)
- Wednesday, 6 August – Spinning (on X-bikes with virtual reality screen. Liable to cause motion sickness)
- Thursday, 7 August – Treadmill run (45 mins/7.77km)
- Sunday, 10 August – Bike ride with Dad and chums (32 miles)
- Tuesday, 12 August – Circuit training + treadmill run (15 mins/2.82km)
- Wednesday, 13 August – Spinning
- Saturday, 16 August – Run around Twyford/Dinton Pastures (60 mins/5.57 miles)
- Tuesday, 19 August – Circuit training + treadmill run (15 mins/2.63km)
- Thursday, 21 August – Treadmill run (35 mins/6.23km)
Also managed to get in a couple of good walks in the Brecon Beacons this weekend. I could feel my glutes starting to gripe a bit by the end of day two anyway.
Five days until the next event: the Nike Human Race, a 10k starting at Wembley Stadium. Unusually it’s an evening run, with music from Moby and others before we set off. This is what I’ll be wearing…alongside thousands of other runners.
Lemming top
I won’t be going for gold of course. Happy just to jog along with the crowds. First though, I’m off to Runners World in Rayners Lane to get a pair of shoes that fit. My feet hate me at the moment, as I keep forcing them into a pair of Asics that have never been quite right.
Filed under: Bupa Great Capital Run, Commando Challenge, great north run, running | Tags: 10k, Bupa Great Capital Run, Commando Challenge, great north run, running
Early start yesterday, but arrived at Hyde Park in plenty of time – unlike my old running partner, LB. He scoffed at my intention to get there at 9am for a 10.30 start, left home in Ware a good hour later than me, discovered his train was cancelled, got on a bus which got lost, got on a different train to a Victoria line tube stop, discovered the Victoria line was closed and had to get a cab to Hyde Park Corner. He was very late.
By contrast, I met RedRocket for a leisurely amble into the Park to the start line in plenty of time to find a clean portaloo with no queue in front of it, dropped the bags off then lay down in the sunshine while all the other runners bopped around us obediently as instructed by the man doing the warm-up on a big screen. It didn’t feel much like a race.
We were herded into the start area – colour coded into four waves which are then each broken down into three sections and set off virtually bang on time. The Great Run people really do know how to organise an event – they should talk to the Reading Half people who have never, to my knowledge, started a race on time.
Anyway off we went for a very pleasant, flat run around Hyde Park. There were around 12,000 people so you had to pretty much stick to the pace – which was a comfortable 6-minute kilometre. It was lovely and flat all the way, and the route looped back on itself so that we saw the front runners hooning it down the 7-8k stretch as we jogged up towards the 4k mark. Well done them – I’d struggle to do that pace for 100m.
There were a lot of people lining the route, but few people giving the runners any encouragement. At one point, a girl yelled “come on, give us a cheer” and there was a half-hearted clap from a few people before they lapsed into complete silence again. It would be nice to see Londoners with the same level of enthusiasm as the Geordies at the GNR, but they just looked bemused.
As we jogged towards the 8k mark, I spotted LB on the other side approaching the 4k post. He looked quite comfortable – despite starting late and having to run through crowds of runners and walkers at the back.
Finished in 57:35 – not bad considering my training could have been better. It would be good to beat that time at the Nike Human Race on 31 August. And I really need to get into shape for Commando Challenge in October. Obviously all of that took a back seat during yesterday’s post-run celebrations at various venues between Kensington and Notting Hill – the best pub by far being the quirky Churchill Arms near Notting Hill Gate. Worth going for the people watching and vast array of pot plants in the loos. Go easy on the chili prawns though…
