2022 SSAFA series race#1 - Race review

Wednesday, 18 May 2022 - I can report that it rained and it rained some more, but we ran and ran some more. It saw the return of the SSAFA 5k series (after a hiatus since 2019)**, and because of that the rain could not extinguish everyone's joy at being back at a fantastic event. Happily it was warm with the rain and so it wasn't one of those miserable running days where you chill to the bone as soon as you stop moving. The turn out was pretty strong given the forecast and it was back to running mazy loops in and around Bute park, Cardiff.

The race is based out of the Blackweir tavern and the location makes for decent access and parking. The organisation and marshalling is so en pointe and utterly positive in their approach to the runners. Being based in a pub means that the facilities are good, and that there is food and drink for before (mostly drink), during (either for those not running), and after (food for those that didn't opt to eat before the run, and of course drink for those celebrating or commiserating post run). I would have stayed out for a drink in the Blackweir were I not wet through and cold and needing a hot shower.

This is mainly attended by local clubs and being Welsh Athletics accredited gets some speedy sorts out on the course. The route is straight forwards, well marked and marshalled on really good quality park paths in the most part and new walk / cycle way for a long stretch. It is always good to be running amongst familiar faces even if we are all that much older than the last time we ran this. There were a couple of super speedy Lliswerry Juniors that I know from junior parkrun that added to the sense of how time has moved on since the last time we trod this course.

My own run? Well most everything that could go wrong in the run did - my head went, my stomach went, my sense of direction went (I took a short wrong turn at one point - see the kink in my strava track!), my legs didn't turn up, and a lack of running of late put me in the hurt locker almost immediately from the off. To be fair to myself I had started cycle commuting to work again just this week and done a club hills session the night before, so I was hardly rested. That I ate before the run was though my biggest blunder in terms of prep on the day.

The support on the way around from the Pegs (Pegasus Running Club) was an absolute highlight, and I only wish that my smile had not also been a casualty of the run. Onwards and onwards, the summer and the series is yet young!

Picture borrowed from fellow Peg, Tim Webb (from the club's facebook group album)

This was also the first tentative week in looking towards Cardiff Half training... a very tentative step indeed.

**The SSAFA 5k Road Race Series in Cardiff consists of three 5k races (spaced roughly a month apart from each other) which raises money for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, Cardiff & The Vale Region. The marshals around the course are cadet volunteers - and they absolutely know how to cheer, motive and support runners!

February and beyond... there is a marathon on the horizon and fundraising for Mind

Looking at the horizon through the month ahead and into the rest of the year I felt I had to put a bit more of a plan or at least some milestones to aim at into the calendar. So all being well I will do my first club run for Pegasus Running Club over the weekend of the 12th of February, and I have set up my deferred deferral for the Brighton marathon for the 12th of September - plus I've got a deferred  Wormshead 10k in October to keep me good and busy on the milestone side of things.

Fundraising for 2021...

So as the issues around the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continue to impact us all in so many different ways, I have decided to try and do a little bit to help support Mind, the mental health charity.

I am donating Christmas 2020, my birthday and my running efforts as I build slowly towards the 2021 Brighton marathon (which I have had to defer twice, once because of injury and once because of the pandemic - hopefully it will go ahead this year!).

If you are able and comfortable with doing so I would love it if you would lend a bit of support to a charity that assists in supporting the mental wellbeing of so many among us. 

My fundraising for Mind, is if you have followed my blog in the past via the justgiving.com platform, which is easy to use and super reliable. The page for this 'challenge' or the build up to the marathon is Andrew Hollins is fundraising for Mind (justgiving.com) 

Last day of 2020, 12 days of Christmas #day7, and RED January 2021

It is the last day of 2020... and it would be easy to say good riddance and jump onto the bandwagon of trying to bundle up occurrences of the last 12 months as if the flip of the calendar to 2021 will remove all the bad stuff. Sadly life is not that simplistic, and much of the changes 2020 brought will hang around in one form or another for many more months / years to come. There is way too much that I could write about the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic but I simply don't have the will to commit it all to a blog post, especially on a blog called 'on the move' which is ostensibly about following my efforts to get and stay fit. There has been acres of text written else where about the pandemic and other major world events I couldn't begin to do them justice.

What has 2020 been for me? Firstly a year of little blogging (well lets face it hardly any blogging at all), it has been a year of little running, and it has been a year of hard work at work responding to the changes of working from home. It was a change that I made well, perhaps too well, as I let it remove some of the base (hidden) activity from my day - the commute, the walking for lunch, going to shops on the way home, walking between meeting venues.... most all of that took place within a handful of metres of each other - commute = walk to front room, lunch = walk to the kitchen, shopping = all done once a week or online, moving between meetings = shutting one browser tab and opening another one.

2020 became the year of YouTube, as I found that I watched more than ever - Peter McKinnon, Matti Haapoja, Becki and Chris, Casey Neistat, Rich Roll, the minimalists, Matt D'Avella, Kevin Stratvert, The Body Coach, Yoga with Ness, to name just a few (I am not listing links, just stick these into the search engine if you are curious, though most are hardly niche, and have large followings).... don't worry though I have consumed lots of cinematography, vlogging, and camera skills videos I know my limits and won't be going all 'YouTube' any time soon.

So 2021... for me it has to be about me regaining and moving towards fitness again, a sustainable fitness, a fitness to live my own life relatively well... I have gotten shockingly far away from that this year and need to recover. There is the kind of fit for life stuff of glossy multimedia and then there is just the plain being fit to live your life... and I am solidly aiming for and in need of the latter. I need to be able to move without pain and aches, lift without worry, walk without being winded, run a short distance without difficulty. Yes, this year I got there, to the place of such poor levels of activity that my base / basic fitness all but completely dissipated. 2021 thus has to be about genuinely getting moving. So that is where my walking 5km or more a day started some days back, as that first small step, and today's instalment was as follows (borrowed from my Strava feed)...

The one with all the kilometres - 12 days of Christmas #day7 ("seven swans a swimming" - well no not today, too icy!)

On the seventh day of Christmas my true sent to me... a bunch of stuff we needed from the shop. It was in no no no way a way to sneak a long walk this morning while everyone thought I was simply doing vital shopping.

It was lovely out, if tricky under foot with cheeky black ice in places. Loads of people out again, and sadly too many groups thinking they can out wit the biological fundamentals of viral transmission which was... well anyway let's not get sweary or rant about their selfishness (there's twitter for that, apparently).

Ended up being a magnificent 7km because when I looked at the distance it really did beg to be rounded up again... honest!

... and to keep things moving tomorrow we start RED January... "This January, the RED community will be challenging themselves to get active every day. Whether running, swimming, cycling or choosing a favourite fitness activity, REDers will be going the extra mile to support themselves and others. Their fitness and fundraising efforts combined with your generosity will help Sport in Mind reach and empower people to experience the life-changing benefits of physical activity."

Whatever you are doing have a happy and safe New Year's Eve 🤗

RED January 2020 - day 2

RED January 2020 day 2 - starting afresh - second consecutive year of RED January

It was a long time ago now that I started running and that was walking and running around a local park until I felt that I could run constantly for longer and longer periods... and that is where I am today, learning to run again. I know how to run continuously as my mind and body retain the memory and can mimic how I used to run happily for some time, but because I am unfit and untrained it would not take many runs before I become broken in some way. So I am telling myself I am a beginner and starting at the beginning - where any good run should start. I am over the phase of being frustrated that I can't go out and run a 10k with relative comfort two or three times a week, and I have made peace with the fact that I weigh too much for my body to cope with running how I would like to.

@REDJanuaryUK 2020 is a fundraiser for MIND, the Mental Health Charity please do support them if you can. The link below take you to my fundraising page...

So this #REDJanuary is all about the process of (re)learning and enjoying the idea of being a new runner. I will walk a lot, I will simply stop if I need to, I will though keep going gradually and patiently. Too many Januarys have shown me that charging at the target like a crazed cartoon bull will only lead to me missing the red cape completely and flying into the anvil hidden behind. My goal is to do what I did years ago and just go out and learn and build incrementally. I have races bought and paid for, but I will simply go and have fun - and carefully forget that I have ever been a runner before.

Happy January peeps, take those resolutions slow and steady, and by next January you will be relieved at not having to make the same resolution again.  This text was first posted on my Strava feed "Andrew Hollins" (by me; with the details of my run session - of course), and then on my Instagram feed "andy_hollins" (with a picture - of course). 

BMW Berlin marathon 2015 - my race review - part 2 the race

Finally belatedly getting round to the second part of my Berlin marathon race review....

Sleeping the night before a race is always an interesting challenge, and all I could manage in Berlin was a fitful broken night of trying to get comfortable while switching off my brain. We had stayed up to watch the Wales vs. England pool match in the IRB rugby world cup, which while being a great distraction was not exactly restful. I was on social media most of the time too, soaking up those sleep impeding wavelengths of light.

By the morning I was absolutely ready to get on with things wanting to turn my back on the lost sleep   and meet the day. Breakfast was great, the food in the hotel was excellent, as is my way I indulged in coffee for race day. Still caffeine is limited to green tea before midday most days, so yes I was cheating a bit 'using' the caffeine to focus my mind and quash some of the effort feedback during the run. I'm not entirely sure it isn't a placebo thing, and really more of a pre-race habit like getting a hair cut, washing favourite kit, eating the same food, and so on.

We met up with my school buddy and headed into the middle of the city, to the start area. Underground and over ground trains ran like clockwork, and we were soon looking at the thronging masses of the Berlin marathon field. After taking the obligatory photos I left Mrs.H. to her day of stalking me on the Berlin marathon tracker app and coffee shop tourism. Going into the start area I was on my own and feeling the buzz of the event grow and grow. There were banging house tracks and aerobics demos to warm us up, and booming PA system announcements to keep us focused. The start pen was a fun friendly place, and I set about my pre-race kit check loops - a mild form of running OCD I think.

Fresh as daisies before the start - fabulous to catch up with an old school friend :-D

First 10k
The main (elite) field left us behind with a fanfare, and one by one the sections of the field pulled up to the start line. Crossing the line was emotional for me, being back again, being fit enough to run, and being so charged with positive human spirit. The first 10k was to be all about clock watching and trying not to overdo my pace, despite not really knowing what my pace should be. I found a rhythm well and went generally with the flow. There were pacers just ahead with 4:30 balloons and I calculated I would try to catch them by the end of the first 10k and ease away from them in the second.

Second 10k
Atmosphere! I love a run with a happy atmosphere!... apologies for butchering Russ Abbott song lyrics, but the Berlin course really does have some great support, music, and vantage points. I was enjoying myself by the time the distance began to get 'real'. I was looking for Mrs.H. at all the points she had said she might see me, was happy with my gel strategy, had gotten used to water in plastic cups again, and was pleased that I had caught and eased around the noisy pace group.

At this stage I was a little unsure of my pace, but felt it was not too excessive. The lack of a full training base meant I didn't have enough points of reference. It was becoming an adventure in what would be possible.

Third 10k
The steadiness of pace was pleasing but it was getting harder and harder to maintain. I found my breathing was a bit hard for that point in the race I knew from experience and by now I was busy convincing myself that it was okay, that all would be fine. Passing halfway was a boon and all signs seemed to be I could squeak a 4:25 out of the race.

During this phase I was double stalked though - my wife found me and we had a good wave at each other - my other stalker turned out to be the pace group. It was increasingly obvious that they were back, the distance between us was dwindling and the signs pointed to me slowing.

Fourth 10k
All I can really sum it up was is 'ouch!'... the wheels as they say "fell off". First the pace group caught and slid past me, and then I became increasingly aware that the slowdown was biting. To be fair to myself I held out until 34 km before everything really got hard. On reflection going through halfway in 2:10 was simply too hot. I fought myself and had to pull all motivation out of myself between 35 km and 40 km, pushing and pushing as best I could.

Final 2 km
My fade was only halted by finish line fever, and the elation of finishing a second Berlin after what was a flawed training / preparation period before. Heading towards the Brandenburg gate I got so giddy I was waving my bandana around above my head like a flag. After patting the gate on my way underneath the madness returned and I started waving my arm about again. Seeing the finish line I worked out I might get in under 4:45 and managed a final surge to do it.

Apparently I'm in there somewhere over the far side

My race by the number thanks to the Berlin marathon race tracker app

The post race analysis
In the end even with the horrible and painful fade I was chuffed to bits to have completed, to have enjoyed it, and to have had so much support and good will from family and friends. The time was not earth shattering but I was very pleased. The walk back to the hotel was interesting as my legs were in pieces, so much so I had to start the staircase shuffle straight away (not the next day like usual). Shower facilities were kindly extended to runners by our hotel and happily (though awkwardly) I had time to take up on it. The end of the trip was a pair of flights home which went smoothly - if a little painfully.

Super pleased and proud of my race being :-D

Oops, the one I didn't post - "Hills? What hills? There are hills?"

Oh dear, I didn't click 'post' on this in the build up to the marathon I did on Sunday. So to get your appetite going for my race report in a day or two here you go.... it was written around the 12th of October...

So far in the build up to the second marathon of my two marathons in a month challenge (for DiabetesUK) has gone really well, but I see a potential bump in the road ahead - hills!! I didn't notice the size of the hills, there are two that are four times larger than anything I regularly run which is something of a training oversight to say the least. In fact I saw the hilly profile but didn't look at the y-axis on the graph and consider what the numbers truly meant for running, falsely assuming they were gentle rolling slopes. So with under two weeks to go until the Bristol-to-Bath run that is not a great deal I can do about it, it is a little late to start cranking out hill repeats or hilly long runs.

Happily last night I ran 25.25 km with the biggest and steepest hill I could think of in the middle, and it wasn't too bad but I clearly noticed I have no clue how to run down hill (running uphill was almost more comfortable). I can't run pan flat Berlin type marathons all the time so it is something that I have to address living in the UK and do more of in future training blocks. Quite what I do about my pacing for the Bristol-to-Bath marathon I am not entirely sure, indeed my current best guess is to go out super conservatively and save energy for the hills (all of which are deep into the second half of the race).

Finished my first 2015 marathon I'm really really pleased

A longer review post will follow shortly about the goings on over the weekend in in Berlin and without giving away too much of what happened I finished in 4:44.24. It was not as fast as I'd hoped but in every other respect it was awesome :-D

It should serve now as a good platform for marathon number two of 2015 in 3 weekends time... the inaugural Bristol-to-Bath marathon. If you'd like to get behind my running madness and support a wonderful charity please visit my JustGiving page at - https://www.justgiving.com/Berlin-Bristol-Bath

With the Virgin Money London Marathon ballot results due out next week I have already decided to try and extend my fundraising challenge through to that event if I get a spot (so I'm crossing my fingers even harder this year!).

The selfish motivation of a charity runner

So I have opted to run for charity, and though of the face of it it looks totally altruistic it can be viewed as very much a somewhat selfish approach. 

• Do I want the kudos of a recognition from the charity? No. 
• Do I want all my friends and family thinking "wow, what a guy"? NO.
• Am I selfishly seeking some other form of notoriety? NOPE.

Why am I then selfish in choosing a charity to raise as much money as I can for in the run up to my running events (two marathons in a month)? Well for me simply this... to get me around the course! It is no more complex than simply the raw motivation of knowing that people have given money to see me do this thing.

The nature / scope of my challenge is explained on my JustGiving charity page (follow the link)...

Andrew's 4,3,2,1 challenge - two marathons in a month

When the going gets tough (and it very definitely will) then I simply use the warmth of knowing a collection of people have given hard earned cash to a charity in the name of my madness (marathon running is likely considered a form of insanity in many circles). I want nothing more from the process than that simple support, I don't mind that I don't reach an arbitrary target, it is that a charity receives some benefit that is enough for me. Yes, this sounds very slightly conceited, and it possibly is, as like I said it is a selfish motivation but one that I don't think harms anyone.

I am running for....

" Diabetes UK is the leading charity that cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of every person affected by or at risk of diabetes.
We provide information, help and peer support, so people with diabetes can manage their condition effectively. We are one of the largest funders of diabetes research in the UK. "

This quote was taken from their website on 18-8-2015. 

Where I am with my challenge...

Time has literally dashed by over the last few weeks. I have done some training then had a two week break (thanks to work and then a holiday) and then done some more training for this crazy (for me) two marathons in a 4 weeks challenge.

From previous experience I know I will complete the two courses, but it never is really about completing it is about doing it in a time I am happy with. This is where I am falling down because at the start of the year I had a grand 'faster marathon plan' and set about it with great gusto. Of course life happened, things cropped up, and the plan dissipated into nothing much really. I have the realisation now that I have rediscovered my motivation and momentum all too late for these next to events. Following a training plan is necessary for me to get this done and of course stirs my inner geek with all the numbers and outputs. This time the training plan is serving as a nagging reminder of all those sessions I've missed.

I am doing these two runs as a personal challenge obviously, but moreover as a charity event for Diabetes UK. The charity is one that seems to creep closer and closer to me as more people I know suffer with the condition. A former work colleague confessed their recent type 2 diagnosis when I bumped into them a week or so ago and it utterly rocked me. I am at least 15 years their senior, I have known them since they were an undergraduate project student, and I was just struck dumb by the news that they had such news. They are not overweight or fit into any of the easy Western diet trigger categories (that I know of), their case like every case is individual and all I could do was offer words of support and encouragement on their journey of discovering how to manage things going forwards.

So whatever speed to travel at around the course, however imperfect my training, whatever the two days through at me I will be remembering them and my reason for putting my shoes on.

Follow the link to my Diabetes UK JustGiving page...

Note: I had my first 4 sponsors in the first 24hours of letting people know about the JustGiving page, which was just simply fabulous. It is really the charity aspect that is fuelling my running at the moment.

Next years plans (?) and the VMLM

VMLM? Ah, yes the new acronym for the catchily titled 'Virgin Money London Marathon'. I am strongly considering throwing my hat into the charity ring in order to get a place in next years London marathon. Why? Well because I have been ridiculously unlucky on ALL of the occasions I have applied before and because I ran into a charity close to home that may actually have spots available. Also, having paid out quite a bit of money to go to Berlin I figure I could have paid for my entire charity spot with an equivalent amount (!!) - although NO I absolutely wouldn't do that as it would run contrary to the spirit of charity berths. Plus, anyway I am the kid of fool who sort of likes chasing people for sponsor money.

In the time it took me to commit this post to the blog I had word back from the local charity that they don't have any places for 2014, but I can express interest for 2015. And so I will pursue that and see where it leads. Although with all of the above said I did manage to get into the draw this year by staying up past midnight to be one of the first in the queue once they opened the online entry system. In the end I was kind of glad I did stay up late as the public ballot closed in record time [follow the link to read about the speedy fill-up http://lrn.london-marathon.com/2014-virgin-money-london-marathon-ballot-closes-re/ ].

So really it looks like I don't actually have any major plans for the start of 2014 event wise, and it does look in all likelihood like I will be casting around for other runs next spring. It is funny that I have such a strong urge to run London, it must be a very British thing to want to run the "big British marathon".

Talking of big British marathon things (in a fame sense of course as she is actually extremely trim and not at all big in a size sense) I saw this on the web from the Express Newspaper yesterday (14-8-2013)...

Athletics: Paula Radcliffe vows for one last shot at London Marathon glory
PAULA RADCLIFFE has vowed she wants to end her career with one last shot at the London Marathon.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/421789/Athletics-Paula-Radcliffe-vows-for-one-last-shot-at-London-Marathon-glory

I was amused by peoples reaction to the news that she might run London again, most were waving the London Olympic spirit and wishing her well, whilst others were carping about her strolling in and getting a spot in the race that is so hard to get into. Hmm, now people, she is still an elite athlete and holds a pretty decent good for age qualifying time (or as its also known - the current women's marathon world record time). Some were groaning that she would only be doing it for the money, hmm yes she probably is in some small way as a professional athlete whose profession is sport. I myself regularly head to a large busy building and pass through security checks, health checks and the like to do something I love doing and get paid for it - as a 'professional' scientist. People really do love nothing more the a good whinge somethings... speaking of which if you're the people spamming my blogger tracker / stats please give it a rest... ##climbs down from soapbox and heads for the "Publish" button before he goes on## ;-)

Type II diabetes - reduce your risk

I am planning to run the Berlin marathon in aid of Diabetes UK and a few weeks ago I picked up one of their information sheets in a local supermarket. So I thought I would pass on what I read, and it is in the most part copied from the flier - but I am thinking they really wouldn't mind a little blatant palagrism in a the name of a good cause.

Apparently in the U.K. there are 7 million people at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Which equates to approximately 11% of the population*.

Those at most risk:-
Anyone overweight especially anyone with a large tummy.

Those who may have a higher than average risk:-
People of Black African, Caribbean and South Asian origin. As well as those over 40 (or over 25 if you are South Asian).

Other risk indicators are:-
Having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes.
Having ever had high blood pressure, a heart attack, or a stroke.
Having a mental illness for which you have taken medication.
Women, having had polycystic ovaries, gestational diabetes, or a baby weighing over 10 pounds.

Lower your risk:-
The better news is that by eating a healthy balanced diet, keeping active and managing your weight can significantly reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

To find out more about Diabetes UK and how we care for, connect with and campaign on behalf of everyone affected by, and at risk of, diabetes, visit www.diabetes.org.uk or call 0845 123 2399.

If you would like to support the work of this fantastic charity visit their site or if you like go to my JustGiving page for my Berlin marathon run at www.justgiving.com/Andrew-BerlinMarathon

* - based upon the UK Office of National Statistics 2011 census estimation that just over 63 million people reside in the U.K.

My Monday motivation - Road-to-Berlin (2)

Charity - which aside for beginning at home - is one of the biggest motivations for many runners in large events. For me the charity doesn't so much begin at home as it is close to home, a member of my close family. I am planning to run the 2013 Berlin marathon for my eldest niece, who last year at the age of nine was diagnosed with type I diabetes.

Over Christmas in the aftermath of the diagnosis I was telling everyone of my plan to run two marathons in 2013 and how I would like to run one of them for a diabetes charity for my niece. My niece was pleased at the thought though was a little unsure of which charity I should run for. In the UK their are two leading diabetes charities that I am aware of - one supporting primary research as a lead focus and the other supporting patients and families with the disease as their lead focus. As a researcher myself I was drawn very heavily towards the former, but in the end my niece chose the latter as in fact a nurse from the charity - DiabetesUK - had visited her in the days immediately after the diagnosis and made a clear and lasting impression on her. So then the deal was struck with my niece - I would run the Berlin marathon (a major city 'World Series' marathon) for DiabetesUK to repay that kindness and to support their ongoing good work.

Click to visit their homepage

Click to visit their homepage

I have, of course, a JustGiving page set up for my efforts http://www.justgiving.com/Andrew-BerlinMarathon and even though I am struggling right now with a knee issue I will try to raise money regardless of whether I toe the start line on race day or not. If you have any coins, notes, credit or whatever to spare my niece, the charity, and I would be so grateful if you can give what you can.

My niece has taken really well to the new regimen of multi per-day tests and injections, happily she was old enough at diagnosis / onset to understand much of what she needs to do and why. Going forward her and her family will undoubtedly face challenges, but for the time being she is super active (swimming as a member of a local swimming club) and is smart enough to tackle any challenges head on. Going forward I rest assured that the healthcare where my sister and family live is meeting their needs and that there are wonderful charities like Diabetes UK there to pick up any gaps whilst providing terrific patient advocacy.

As a small footnote, I am not in any way financially supported by the charity to go to the race, I am not part of any kind of all-in charity travel / race package. My wife and I will (fitness permitting) make our own way to Berlin for the race and so forth. The charity have very kindly provided me a sponsor pack with further information about their work, a sponsor form, and one of their racing vests which I will wear with pride on race day.

Big change of my plan - the hard choice

Well I have had to do it, I have had to pull out of running the Milton Keynes marathon. On a training run last night I 'tweaked' something in my left knee, and managed to turn my intended pre-race sports massage with the physio into a diagnostic session. Good news, nothing huge is torn or broken - bad news small ligaments or some cartilage is likely damaged and will need time to heal (or be investigated further even) over the coming weeks - the bad news making running a marathon in three days time foolish. I can walk slowly just fine, I can run just fine, but the transition causes pain as does particular changes of direction of travel. So with other runs in mind, not wanting to do any major damage, and not wanting to DNF a big organised run I've had to take the hard choice.

I really wanted (somewhere in the quieter recesses of my brain) to make Milton Keynes that thing I do every year having attended their first ever marathon last year, but that ambition didn't get much past the starters pistol. I wanted to run for the enjoyment, the challenge, the fulfilment of crossing that line at 26.2 miles. I feel pretty empty just now and can't quite believe how close I came to getting there after the ups and downs of the last few months. Training hasn't been perfect, that I admit, it has not been consistent enough or in all actuality varied enough (with respect to strength and flexibility - hence perhaps the injury).

After a good long chat with Leon the awesome physio things were in good perspective and I have already armed myself with a plan towards the biggest challenge of my running 'career' Berlin this September. That plan is alive and vital (knee injury permitting of course) but it is the loss of the Milton Keynes plan that makes me feel heavy hearted and down beat. I will now be contacting the kind folk who sponsored me or were going to, and in some cases offering refunds where they have paid already... marathons become much bigger than the long distance and much more part of your thinking than you realise. I will learn more lessons and I will roll forwards it is just that in this particular moment 42.2 km or 26.2 miles seem an awfully long way away.

If you did still want to donate to my chosen charity then please follow the link below...
http://www.justgiving.com/AndrewHollins

I'm going to have to find something else to do with my intended blog post on Tuesday (post-marathon day) and indeed something else to do with the day off I booked for a day of solid recovery (pampering)... I think I'll write that Berlin plan down make it real and bring that 42.2km a little closer.

Happy running and race well if you are going to be  in the next few days / weeks.

For a friend - Rest in peace Jake-e-boy

Our dog, Jake, passed away this weekend just gone at the ripe old age of thirteen and a half , he suffered a stroke and so for reasons of his quality of life we choose euthanasia as simply the best thing for him. I was immediately hit by grief at his passing, flooded with good memories, and left at a loss at what I would do with out his company for daily walks. It is a true mark of a quality life of any living thing that they are remembered so fondly when they go and no one who had met him had anything but good words for him.

Jake, aged 13, stood looking all noble New Years day 2012

There are some things that come along in life that are hard to describe to those who perhaps haven't been in a similar situation, and I guess having a large pet in the house is one of those. Some people don't have cats or dogs (or any other pet) in their space for many reasons, those that do find their time changed by their presence. I had never really been sure about dog owning, I have a respect for them that borders on a mild fear. Having spent the last years with a greyhound in my life I am a convert to keeping dogs appropriately - we spent our time making sure we set good boundaries and reaped the rewards of treating our dog so well.

So thank you Jake for showing me what dogs are really all about and educating me properly in what it means to share your time with a non-human animal. We miss you, but we thank you for being the most lovely, faithful, cheeky, handsome greyhound a family could ever have.

                                        ================

Notes - my wife took Jake in from the lovely people at Greyhound Welfare (a registered charity that specializes in re-homing abandoned greyhounds in the South Wales area of the U.K.).

It seems odd that by coincidence it is Dog Week in the U.S.A.*, please remember rescue animals if you are thinking of a new pet this week or any week.
* I noted this mentioned on the blog Shut Up + Run and then found another reference link - http://www.petplace.com/dogs/national-dog-week/page1.aspx

The Cardiff 10K cometh - bring out the pins!

It was a bit lazy of me the other day to post only the t-shirt and not the rest of the race pack from the Cardiff10K people. It came with paperwork (not shown), the t-shirt (previously modelled), race number, timing chip (ankle strap variety), a race guide pocket fold out, and two safety pins! I could hardly contain my joy at the pins I am always hunting the things as race day nears - ahem, even to the point that at this years Milton Keynes marathon I went in three separate shops the night before trying to buy some! It was often a similar story the day of a rowing event too. Though the irony in both cases is that we have tens or hundreds in our house pinned together in sets of four and cunningly placed so that we will find them quickly when we need them - I have just realised we are safety pin squirrels - you guessed it we (okay, I) never remember where!

The all important race pack, including those special little pins :-)

Race day is this Sunday, and I am looking forward to the test of just where I am this autumn. The race is now closed to late entries I believe (though please check) - www.cardiff10k.com/
They can be followed on pretty active feed on Twitter - @Cardiff10k

Though I am not running for charity this time out I should mention that the events lead charity is the Kidney Wales Foundation.

My Milton Keynes marathon [3] - the aftermath

The final part of my re-living my marathon experiences - part 3 - the aftermath....

So, I finished, I was wildly pleased and so happy to have fulfilled the goal injury free. As soon as I'd finished I headed up into the stands to meet up with my wife and kids, and take advantage of the sports massage being offered by the Cancer Research UK stand (as I had run for them it was a very, very welcome 'thank you')**.  During the massage the taping on my calf was discussed at some length and I was told that actually my calf were surprisingly supple (!). That I had essentially marched miles 24 and 25 with as long and efficient pain free stride as I could had seemingly done a job of keeping my legs happy for that last phase where I ran well again.

After the race all the worries and niggles seemed worth it they had seen me prepare well and run sensibly in the face of the injury issues. I remember hearing somewhere that marathons are as mentally tough as they are physically, and I suppose that was true. Certainly all the mental effort put in adds to the immense high after the finish line.

Marathon running thoughts cartoon - bloggers own artwork (ahem, yeah I'll own up - I drew this nonsense)
and bloggers own thoughts from various parts of the route

Immediately afterwards we headed off to my sister's place for a very welcome hot shower (which reminds me, I think I owe her a fortune in fuel costs for how long I was in there!), a chance to get my now dirty taping off, and a warm bowl of soup (wow, that tasted amazin'). All the way home the feeling I got from completing kept flooding my brain, if there is only one thing I could bottle from the whole experience that feeling would be it. I run because I enjoy it, I row because I enjoy it and I keep on the move for moments like that one. I experienced a similar feeling in rowing a few years ago, it is simply the huge release of utter joy and inner exultation of a huge task successfully brought to completion.

Emotion aside (getting carried away there), I had had the foresight to book the Monday after the race as a days leave which gave me the opportunity to go get a fix up appointment with my physio and thank him hugely for everything that he had done in the month or so coming into the race. We sat and re-lived the race for quite some time before I got another restorative rub down. At this point I was walking okay, a little slow to get going, but nice and free moving. Stairs were a nuisance but nothing too troublesome. The aches were simply aches and not pains, and the memory of what I had done seemed to totally negate the effects for several days.

I got back on the cross-trainer last week to 'spin' my legs and help recover. Since that first one I have done two more determined to make this fitness / endurance stick. I did though eat a little too much over the last week as a pat on the back, over the weekend I reached the point where the extra food was making me feel awful. I remembered again why it is that I set out to lose weight.... too much food can begin to feel like poison - I could feel my system saying "thanks for the lovely food but for goodness sake that's enough already!!!".

So now back to healthy balanced eating and training. My new goal is a big PR from this autumns Cardiff Half marathon, and to get back into some serious rowing. The marathon distance? Ah, well... we'll just have to see ;-)

** the massage was provided by Carmel of The Sports Therapy Room and a mighty fine job she did too. Her advice was only surpassed by the quality of her work, my legs felt so much better for treatment - I am not sure how the recovery would have gone with out it.

My Milton Keynes marathon [2] - my race in review

The second part of three sections, a beginning, a middle, and an end - in other words the the final run up, the race, and the aftermath...

....so the race itself... I said my so longs and left the comfort of the stadium to head out to the start just outside on the main road. I was assaulted by the weather and then greeted by the warmth of the runners huddle in the start area. So off came the charity clothing (which I put onto a growing pile on the crowd control barrier), on went the Cancer Research UK charity plastic running poncho, and into my allotted start group I plunged. I originally stated on my entry form 4 to 4:15 for a projected finish, and so was in the green start group - I still had no idea if this was the right place to be after the injury hit preparations.

I had consumed my pre-race jelly beans and water and was all set. With watch primed I wondered what what come of the race. The run went and the elite runners left us for their swifter effort, the next group moved up, and soon we were called forward to cross the start line... here begun my first ever marathon run...

Mile 1 - with the physio's advice in my ear I stepped out as if I was to run all day. Running felt comfortable, I was fairly oblivious to the weather already more tuned into what my calf might be doing and how my legs were feeling. At the end of the first mile I was imagining my legs were on the cross-trainer and spinning they way they would if I was doing a crazy long session.

All stills from a video that was posted on the
Milton Keynes Citizen website
(I'm in the blue Cancer Research UK rain poncho)

Miles 2 and 3 - I was focusing on just rolling along and being within a comfortable zone. The route began to twist in through estates and parks, and at fairly regular intervals pass under road underpasses. These underpasses were great because the harboured the noisy cheering squads of kind souls who had braved the weather to come see the mad runners.

Miles 4, 5, 6 and 7  - These were it turned out the 'good' miles I really found a rhythm and was moving well (a little too well). I worked through my first pack of jelly beans, took on water and found a couple of likely looking runners to follow as pacers. I wasn't overtaking any more people than were overtaking me so I felt I wasn't going to crazy. It still felt very much like I was running within myself, even though I noticed my pace was looking a tad too healthy. My watch only shows the average pace per mile for the whole run (or lap if I was pressing the button), so I should have realised that the lowering of my average masked quite an increase in pace in these miles.

Mile 8, 9, 10 - I was still feeling good and trying to consolidated, but slowing down a fraction as I finally recognised my pace had peaked.

Mile 11 and 12 - there was a little slow down as the realisation dawned on me that I had yet to reach halfway and it was beginning to hurt.

Mile 13 - at this point I was pleased to get to half way and was a little surprised at my time, 2hr 3mins - too quick as it turned out!

Mile 14 and 15 - I worked on taking it down to take it home at 'jogging' pace. Through these miles I was so happy to start counting down the miles.

Mile 16, 17 and 18 - could really feel a fade and tiredness coming on... you can see for yourself below how the fade went...

My mile split times - printed out stuffed in my pocket and shown to anyone who was interested ;-)

Mile 19 - just after the Mile 18 marker at a drink station my slow down turned into a walk and a chat with a fellow runner.  During our chat two timed pace runners went by, both the 4:15 and the 4:30... I resolved not to let the 4:45 get by me. During this phase the rain had eased so I gave up my poncho - whoops!! - as soon as I had gone another half mile the skies opened again!

Mile 20 and 21 - back into running. I started to imagine how it would feel to cross the line, picturing myself finishing and conjuring up the emotions that might bring.

Mile 22 - mixed run / walking

Mile 23 and 24 - Power walking - I essentially opted to stride out these two miles, to stretch my legs (especially my calfs), and let them recover for a final push. I was basically marching, remembering my child hood as the son of an army nurse and how strong and tall parading soldiers present themselves. Funny what imagery can do for form and motivation.

Mile 25 - Toilet break and then the final push.

Mile 26 - Some semblance of running form returned with the adrenaline of nearing the end.

Finish - As I crossed the line I simply leaped in the air and yelled "Yesss!" at the top of my lungs. I felt a little childish but it was simply an expression of my deep joy and relief at achieving a massive challenge. I was so relieved to see my family, and happy that my sister had come down to see me finish too.

Crossing the line - I'm the tiny guy in green (honest)

Happy boy!! Clutching my finishers medal

Grateful to receive a massage from the stand
run by one of the charities I ran for

My time? Well in the end it was 4hr 43min 52sec, an obvious personal best as it was my first marathon. Not as fast as I could have gone with either better pacing or less injury hit training, but a time I am mightily proud of. At this moment I doubt I will ever run another marathon, but 'never say never again' as the phrase goes...

A phenomenal reaction to sad events

There is one phenomena that has totally taken my breath away, and that has been the out pouring of goodwill towards the charity supported by the London Marathon runner who sadly died in the last mile of Sunday's event. The news was broken and moved through the Internet (newspapers, blogs, and Twitter) during late Sunday and Monday. Shortly after and during the sad news becoming public knowledge the Just Giving page set up by the deceased runner Claire Squires began to see activity that has yet to slow down. People are donating in their thousands to The Samaritans charity and the total at the time of writing is now £628,586.50.

"hi guys as you all know i am running the london marathon it was just going to be for fun. but its a fab opportunity to raise money for my charity the samaritans if everyone i know could donate £5.00 that would be a great help and change lives." - from Claire Squires JustGiving page

The story encompasses a mix of sadness, ultimate altruism and human spirit. That a young woman simply set out on the challenge of the London Marathon (I gather not her first marathon) primarily for fun and then to raise money, but then did not make it home to her family is immensely immensely sad. Her altruism was the same as any fundraising marathon runner, essentially "I will give up my time to train and prepare for an extremely tough physical challenge if you will perhaps agree to support my chosen charity". That her act of giving lead to her untimely death appears to have connected with marathoners and non-marathoners around the Internet and the real world manifesting itself in thousands of charitable donations in her name.

In these times of global economic uncertainty, civil unrest within various regions, ongoing droughts, ongoing famine and so forth it is all to easy to entertain cynical thinking a great deal of the time, and perhaps negative outlooks upon the motivations of the current human populous, but the wide connection to events such as this and the widespread desire to act in support of such tragedy opens our hearts to the warmth humanity is more than capable of. I did not know Claire, I have no more of a connection to the events than the vast majority of charitable individuals donating to the site, but I have the sense that a tragedy is actually serving to spread the warmth of altruism and the warmth of caring empathetic thoughts that will leave a lasting impression on so many.

If you would like to see what has been written about events head to a search engine and you'll find all you need to know. Moreover if you feel moved to join the sentiment go to http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Squires2

Virgin London Marathon 2012

Well in case anyone wants to join the madness of the selection ballot before the real madness of completing the course go click - Virgin London Marathon 2012 entry.

It is my fourth time in the lottery (ballot), as far as my memory stretches. I have always maintained that I will only run one marathon in my lifetime. Though that was on the assumption that London was tricky but not impossible to get a place for. I have read that if you have a pre-clocked marathon time it helps your entry, which tempts me to run one somewhere before tackling the biggest marathon in Great Britain. However there is a lot of 'folklore' that builds up around these events and it's often hard to pin down a real tip for entry success. One unnerving and uncorroborated 'fact' was that there are 50 applicants for every place, gulp!

There are ways to be more certain, and certainly ways of increasing the odds. The clearest way to be more certain is to run quickly, and by that I mean run a time which is 'good for your age'. It seems to be a tier below elite, for what I might guess are county / national level runners across age groups, who own prior competitive times. Clearly not something I'm likely to attain. The way of increasing your odds appears to be the 'charity bond' route, you promise to raise an agreed amount of money and the charity agrees to provide you one of the places they obtained from the organisers. Something I strongly consider, but the work involved in raising the amounts is not insignificant. In the end I have 99.5% decided to try the ballot every year until I am 40, and then try to get a charity berth in my 40th year - a slightly twisted birthday present perhaps?

Cardiff Half marathon 2010

The Cardiff Half Marathon, based in Cardiff's Bay area, had expanded for 2010 to a 15,000 runner city event (the largest mass participation sports event in Wales) and drew me to pull on my running shoes. Inspired by friends and colleagues who were sponsoring me via my ‘JustGiving’ page, I had completed a training plan, and even had a tentative race plan. I set off from my office on a cold crisp morning ready to run my first half marathon in five years.

I chose the Huntington's Disease Association (HDA) to raise money for because through my work as a research scientist I became aware of the organisation. Although my work academic research based, I am aware that treating any disease is more than medical therapeutic strategies; it is about human interactions and support. As an organisation providing this very support, I felt I wanted to raise some monies for the HDA’s excellent work.

The run itself went extremely well. The event was well supported, well organised, and I even managed a personal best of 2hr 3min 31sec (chip time)*. Moreover, I felt I could tell all my kind sponsors I'd earned their collective £364 (inc. GiftAid).



In the first couple of miles

Halfway round

* the race was shortened for reasons of safety on the day, so a truly new PB will unfortunately have to wait a while longer.

A couple of articles about the race from the WalesOnline news site:
"Joy for thousands of runners in Cardiff Half Marathon" - 17th Oct 2010.
"Cardiff Half Marathon 'too short'" - 19th Oct 2010.

The organisers have a very slick web site - Cardiff Half Marathon, with a very active facebook group, and also a blog.