Man this sucks

Last night I spent just over an hour on the turbo trainer whilst watching Flight of the Conchords. Then some weights and then some core stuff. I was snotty and coughy during it, typical cold thought I, but was very happy to push on. Today? One minute into a run and I felt light headed, had high heart rate and legs took industrial action.

It's a shame as my new Suunto Ant+ stick arrived today to load up beastings to PC and I had hoped to wow the entirety of my readership with a magnificent run in appalling weather. 

Instead of the 8 miles I did about 1.5. Hoping this will go away soon. Being ill twice in a fortnight is just not cricket. Or triathlon.

Prayers and thoughts with all those affected by the floods. Byfleet seems ok so far unlike over Christmas other than some of my running routes being moist. I have my wetsuit in the back of the car and goggles on standby.

Baby boy due in April and still have no idea for a name. Please suggest away.

Jostled

I'm blogging whilst standing in a train into Waterloo today. It was slightly delayed into Weybridge which meant another train had time to spill forth it's contents onto the platform. I had waited in place for the train to arrive, having had time to finish the Metro (excluding gossip columns) and eas increasingly aware of the large number of fellow clock watchers. The train arrived and I was close to a door at the front of the scrum. I then made the mistake of holding back slightly to allow others off. Seasoned travellers allowed me to do so before capitalising on my lack of Machiavellian instinct. I then proceeded into the throng and made mistake number 2 which was to allow a lady to step up first at which point another lady darted into the space and a third, impatient at my obviously unheeded gentlemanly gesture shoved me aside to get on herself. I didn't get a seat. Oh well, I don't need or today really but it's the blow to my chivalric notion of the world that pangs. 

I suspect it is karma having a go at me. Yesterday's run was diverted due to flooding. 

The path is down between the pillars and the white bollards so the gate at the end was over half submerged.

Instead I ran down past byfleet primary on a moments whim to explore a new footpath. It opens up to a carpark in which I ran into four men smoking weed. I have them a scornful look, produced my phone and they dropped butts and dissipated. Hurst of old probably would have confronted them, sure I would have had a warrant card or at least one at home in this instance but instead I made a mental note to mention it to the safer neighbourhood team and ran on. It was a secluded spot with me against the four of them...

Ok I made space for a lady to get past and she stopped in the space I left. I've now been in this stress position for 15 minutes encroaching into some chaps personal space. He's probably reading this. Sorry old boy. No reaction. Ouch my back.

...but I wouldn't have gone too hard on them. Am I becoming less idealised? They should not have been there and they got away with it unchallenged even if they were surprised to see seventeen stone of hurst sweat towards them. I want C to grow up in a village without that sort of nonsense taking place next to her prospective school. Feel bad now, even knowing the low chance of any action really being taken by the police, low chance of them still being there on arrival or high chance of not really being thanked by anyone. Should that be a deterrent though? No. Naughty Hurst. Not so super now. I was plagued with those thoughts for the rest of the run.

I've had a few experiences of lack of thanks. After confronting two shoplifters at sainsburys and getting them to go back in and pay rather than have me call police (having got past the tedious squaring up and threatening bit), I tried to alert shop staff but was told that I needed to get in the queue. I know that a few drinks aren't the end of the world fora big  shop like that but the problem will only get worse if thieves operate with perceived impunity.

Nearly at Waterloo now thank goodness. Off to St James Palace for GoldAward Presentations. Best and most inspiring part of my job. 

What is the ettiquette these days for being shoved into someone. The poor chap hasn't reacted and seems to be engrossed in Kindle so maybe I'll leave him to his escapism as I round off mine.

Turbo

I took C swimming this morning and on the way there we visited the library.* It is national library day #nld14 today, as publicised by twitter, so I strolled in with expectations of a carnival (but quiet) atmosphere. Instead, the usual nice lady, crazy old lady and teenage girl who I suspect to be volunteering for her DofE (I can smell a participant a mile off) were all doing there usual thing. This was today reassuring one of the tea and biscuit ladies that they shouldn't be annoyed with the other tea and biscuit lady for not being there as she wasn't supposed to be there till 1030 and it was only 1000. C checked her books in, received a bag for getting all the penguin stamps on her loyalty card, and bumbled off to select new books. I had a quick look around, realised that my hopes of anything special for #NLD14 were dashed and helped C select new books. As we were leaving, C running the gauntlet of strange old people who feel obliged to try ineffectively to make her laugh, I noticed a small sign advertising the fact that it was indeed #NLD14! Stopping C, I turned to the nearest lady and asked about the drawing competition it advertised starting at 1000. I was told to come back later as it hadn't started, I suspect they didn't have a clue about it. I intimated that it was well past 1000 and that if stay if they could find out and was told (after careful scrutiny of the poster) that the winner was being picked at 1215 so I should go back then. This was repeated when I asked if that would give C time to actually draw something so I wished them well and followed a relieved C back to the car.

Swimming with her was great, not been for a couple of weeks due to potty training (her, not me, I was trained months ago). I take advantage to stretch, kick legs hard or swim with we on my back as well as attempt to persuade C that submerging her is about fun not drowning. She's getting confident now though it's great fun.

Home to work in the garden, chopping and sawing firewood and clearing the house interspersed with exercises and all done in cycling shorts as I hope to turbo train as soon as jobs were done.

C and I watched the England game together (only watched the Wales game intermittently and did some hoovering). N mocks me for some of the things I now yell at the TV and laughs a lot at C's immitation of or reaction to those strange words or noises in lieu of swear words. Oh well.

After bed time, loft trip, tidy time and some rearranging of furniture I eventually set up the turbo and got in a tough hour. Plenty of stretches and some physio exercises rounded off my afternoon of activity. A quick shower before eating gorgeous stew made by gorgeous wife.

Active day, productive day, England win, lots of time with C and prospect of seeing chums for lunch tomorrow. What a happy chappie I am.

*for some reason autocorrect on my phone just changed that to 'way there we busted the library' which would have been a more interesting story.

Setting targets

Today's post will discuss today's beasting and the month's target.

1) Today's beasting
It was clear that Geoff was stiff from yesterday's adventures as he loped around the office this morning. His broad shoulders and rippling muscles were not as free as they have recently been. An aching back, a stiff right quad, stiff left calf and clicky ankle were all too apparent to both sufferer and purveyor. It was also clear that being in a new office has somewhat thrown the lunchtime run routine, with watches, earphones and waterbottles being frequently misplaced.
At last, clad in fluorescent jacket, white shorts with blue thermal shorts underneath and muddy black trainers he collated his running ancillaries and headed for the door.
Any passer by would have remarked on the joy visible on his face resulting from a realisation that despite the ache, he was 'up for it'.

We will later see from the Garmin 310XT run data that will be extracted when he finds his ant+ dongle that he jogged to the castle end of the long walk and struck off directly along his route. A gentle perceived effort would probably be reported as he approached the road crossing with a push as he neared the deer park fence. Beyond that? Anyone out there would have noted the variable South Westerly wind that hindered advances and caused flooding across the path of the plucky Operations Manager.

As the gradient increased there was a definite lengthening in stride. As the path widened and rose further he was seen to push up the hill, take a deviation to the left then attack the Copper Horse on the left flank to ensure the final push would be over slightly further but firmer ground. A pause for a photo of a sunny Windsor then back down the proven route he came, sliding in the full spirit of the Winter Olympics to the road below. Rivulets of unhomed rainwater dominated his footsteps and skid marks, revealed from their tenuous hiding places amongst the long grass that made the going look so deceptively easy.

With some wind behind him (he he, wind) the perceived effort increased with the speed, some interest was added to the run by using the grass rather that the road. The Coldstreamer on guard at the castle gate would have seen no Pythonesque Lancelot making little headway towards him. Instead a yellow blob of progress would have become increasingly threatening as it drew into focus. With motivation enough to jog on the spot whilst awaiting traffic to pass then extending the sprint across the road till the apex of the final rise before the swoop towards the castle, Geoff realised that he perhaps had more reserves left that he had given himself credit for. Interviewed afterwards he might have described an odd feeling in one knee and his gammy ankle, whilst his thigh continued to complain but it wouldn't have been a particularly interesting interview. Attacking the final hill, Geoff gave a yell of excitement that caused panic in a small child, mirth in the parent and a confused look from a cluster of elders. Old people I mean, rather than a group of trees. Maybe they are spelt differently, I don't know.

2) The run today was under 45 minute for the long walk section which included some aches and slow go on Snow Hill. By the end of February I will have that down to under 40 minutes or my name isn't Geoffrey Van Hurst. I should probably set myself a target for each of the disciplines in which I will be testing myself so I will also add as targets timing a 3,800m swim and undertaking a 60mile cycle. Actually, another target will be to run a half marathon (either organised or solo or with a chum). I am going to look back on February and think "Yes! I made the most of that month!".

Dan, fancy a run?

Oh talking of chums, I communicated with Chris for the first time in ages, I didn't even wish him Happy Birthday in December. Damn. Please add a comment wishing Chris Happy Birthday. I must communicate my running schedule with him to get him out for Windsor runs. It's great being able to run and learn anything from history to nanotechnology, discuss anything from films to literature and exchange a barrage of wit that would rival an improv night at the Comedy Store.

Oooh I want to go to the Comedy Store. Who is in?

Back In

I awoke this morning and instantly knew I was better. Yesterday was day 1 since last week where I didn't feel like I was dying but today I was Better. My alarm tore me from bed and propelled me to fix the boiler, some stretches whilst waking C up got my legs into the mood and my morning SS&S polished that mood to perfection. Awesome coursed through my veins, the prospect of a good day had me strutting and even a breakfast of toast with butter seemed invigorating. 

I ran just over 10k today with half of that in mud, slick grass or puddles. Other than needing to work out some stiffness early on I took to it like a. I had a really good simile for here and I just forgot it now I'm having a mental blank. It was a fun run though. I'm also in the mood for keeping exercising. Sporadic sit-ups, crunches, weights, press ups, stretches, calf raises occur when I'm not concentrating.

Now I'm back to generating content through sweat sessions I'll spend time considering the life the universe and probably the contents of my fridge to ensure that you get something interesting. For now know that I am back in. Fridge wise I am really hungry and would not turn down a steak about now.

Today I ordered more running socks, new goggles and some proglide lubricant (for armpits with swimming, possibly nipples for running and then wetsuit when I get back into outdoor swimming) so am looking forward to those arriving.

I fall asleep now with the mantra in my mind "it's ok to be hungry, it's ok I be hungry it's ok to be hungry..."

Well thats good then

Since Friday (or possibly Thursday evening) I have had a distinctively unusual headache. I tried swimming Friday morning and really struggled to exert myself without getting woozy. My day at work was supposed to contain a lunchtime run but seeing as I struggles with the walk in that didn't happen. I did try a bit of running and my body told me to go do something rather rude. So that with an an upset stomach has really dented my month's training activities. This is very unusual, I normally get ill for a day, man up and carry on but not so this time.

Was it the slow ride home in the cold? The hot swim followed by cold blast of air conditioning at Riverbourne club? Ill colleague? C and N seem in perfect health so nursery isn't a suspect. I'll go with Riverbourne as I already had a grudge with them and I always get confused when trying to balance too many grudges. Was it Guy Fawkes who still has my DVD and Jan who tried to burn down the houses of parliament or the other way around?

So not much in the way of beasting to report unless you count mad sprints up the stairs to the bathroom..? I can talk about those if you really want.

Bored now.

Ill

Grrrrr