Four random ffotos Friday

So I have had a bunch of photos knocking around that I just haven't gotten around to posting this week, so here me are...

I must explain that last weekend I did a lot of fitness work and so I got to feeling that I deserved a good big treat for my efforts. The treat was a big full English breakfast for lunch, though I did concede to making it a veggie version ;-)

A really really tasty breakfast even though the bread wasn't buttered that well

 As a guest in our house of late we have had a fairly handsome piece of workout kit, a Concept II ergometer (indoor rower). It is interloping in our dinning room and making occasional visits to our kitchen for sessions, not of rowing training but of rowing analysis system testing - all to do with my wife's PhD studies. She is doing so well doing it part-time as within and as part of a demanding job. I have nothing but the uttermost respect for her efforts, as I studied from my doctorate full-time as a paid student I know all the hopes, fears, highs and utter lows of thesis producing that must only be magnified by working as well. I have every faith and now she is testing out her efforts it seems the home straight is in sight. By the well I am the willing crash test dummy for the tests, and it has actually been good fun.

It seems odd to have such a large piece of exercise kit in the house 

So it is November, or as it is known to some men (and women) Movember. The idea is that you strive to grow the best Mo (mustache) that you can in the month of November for cancer charities. Go see their website if you are interested or just plain curious Movember. As part of the run up to the month I took a drawing package to a couple of pictures of myself in an effort to work out what kind of Mo to go with. I still haven't totally decided but I have a few more days until my stubble gets thick enough to actually shape :-)

Ah ha! Trying out a drawn on beard seemed like a good idea at the time

Finally for four random ffotos Friday, my first ever (yes, I have lead a sheltered life) carved pumpkin lantern for Halloween. The last time that I had one was as a youngster in Berlin when my family made one for a lantern parade around my first school in Charlottenburg. My first actual carving effort was inspired by creative direction from my wife I set about a small pumpkin with a melon baller and a kitchen knife - it turned out pretty well I reckon.

Properly scary witch on my pumpkin lantern - though actually we copied it from one of the kids books

A new huge challenge - the 2013 Berlin marathon

I have been a little busy to have posted anything this week, but having spent most of the last 40 minutes going through the process I thought I should share my newest challenge... all being well (with payment processing and such) I am registered for the 2013 Berlin marathon. This will be my first marathon outside of the UK and by the time of race day my third marathon event.

The scale of the logistical challenge is beginning to bite now that it looks like I'm in. I 'm hoping friends may have run Berlin before and be able to offer lots of sage advice about travel, accommodation and so forth. It is a little weird to think about an event a almost be more daunted by the where's and when's rather than the how's (I think I have enough training experience to get me to the start line - barring unforeseen events).

Diary - rain, gusty breeze, mild. Grateful for opportunity and big challenges.

Three things Thursday

So here we go...

1) Shredding - yeap, I have begun leaping around my house under the instruction of a loud American woman on a DVD. I think some might recognise the DVD and indeed the presenter in question. This time around I am toying around with doing the whole 30-days of that there 30 day shred. Why? Well I am having a month break from the run mileage I was doing (I know, not that I was doing huge mileage) and addressing all around fitness, aka mixing things up a bit. All of this before launching my marathon training for next spring.

2) Marathoning - today I began the process of trying to register for the 2013 Berlin Marathon. Not having run outside the UK (in a race) I am slightly nervous about the undertaking, but I know Germany and I know Berlin pretty well so I am very motivated to try and get there. It is there 40th edition and I will be in my 39th year, we both began in 1974 so I am taking that as a nice resonance - that and the fact I was living there as a toddler in '74 also.

3) Noise - I am struggling a little at the moment with noise... I know odd thing to say, and perhaps it intimates to some that I am in deed getting older. Suffice it to say that with a busy household, a busy work place and a loud world I am treasuring moments of calm and silence a lot at the moment. Probably part of the reason I get a bit grumpy if I don't get out for my run sessions.

Diary - Weather very very Autumn with a threat of Winter. Grateful for being productive, not so grateful for the changing clocks this coming weekend here in the UK (half the daily commute is thrown into darkness).

Motivation Monday - Running advice and cook books

The other day my wife proudly told me that this month we had tried 3 recipes from her recent copy of a food magazine, apparently this represented an unusually high number. Each copy that arrives in our post box gets diligently read cover to cover and during the process little sticky tabs or bits of paper sprout from the top edge of various pages. Eventually at a meal time a while later I find myself 'testing' a new meal.

Pondering this for a while it dawned on me that this is entirely the way I use running magazines and books, I don't as it happens use sticky tabs like my wife does with her magazines. I read whole magazines and often cover-to-cover but will often times only keep a small part of each that over time build up to a pile of knowledge that fits my running, my training or my ambitions. Then perhaps with hindsight if I was as organized as my wife cook books I would get a little more value out of the columns I read?!?

A PB does not a smart runner make!

It turns out that a great PB can mess with your thinking a little, I went out for my post-half recovery run and well it ended badly. I went off like a cheap firework rocket - I shot off at speed, peaked, made a lame noise, failed to burst into light and then sank back to earth charred and spent! The run started with my head full (and I mean really full) of ambitions for a next PB and I tried to open out at that kind of pace. Of course my legs soon said "Woo-ah! You forget we're tired!" and let me know in no uncertain terms.

The initial splurge was followed by an attempt to settle into a rhythm which my legs again complained at "Woo-ah! You forget we're tired!". So I slowed again and figured I'd get home round the Winter run loop no problem (yes, it's dark in the evenings and I feel I have to run the street-lit roads now). Once again just passed halfway my legs refrained "Woo-ah! You forget we're tired!", followed by "Seriously mate! We are screwed!"... I slowed to a walk because both calves were in full out rebellion.

By the time I arrived back home my head had had a good lesson in the consequences of over-ambition from the rest of me and we had resolved to be sensible about things. I am still keen on working towards a good PB progression for the half-marathon distance just not all in one training session (duh!). I think I had a serious case of the post-PB sillies, so the next training will be a proper recovery run before we get into the next plan :-)

Diary - bright blustery day, autumnal temperatures and damp ground. Grateful for the support of my family allowing me to go run, run, run, and for the fact that I am able to run, run, run. Miffed by... well nothing today really :-)

Cardiff Half-marathon - how it went for me

No real mystery as to how the race turned out seeing as I couldn't help but post my time yesterday - plot not so much spoilt as blown, but here is a little of the detail of how it all came about that I set my personal best over 13.1miles.
Apologies for the lack of pictures but I ran without a support team armed with cameras.

Pre-race / start line
As it happened this year we weren't in Cardiff before the race, we were at a big family celebration an hour and a half drive away from town. We had a great time at the birthday celebration and the kids especially were having brilliant fun. I learned that being well meaning can result in doors being slammed in your face, but is not a story for this blog (just one of those little life lessons). I set off for the race at about 4:30am having decided that I would be best served getting back early and chilling at home over breakfast before heading to the course.

I got home in time for a good slow breakfast, a chance to sort out my kit thoroughly, and mentally disengage by watching the first half of the Korean Formula1 Grand Prix (which was pretty eventful). About an hour and a half before the race start I set off on my bike for work, where I could leave my keys, phone, dry clothes and so on without having to queue at the baggage drop off. The race this year had grown to take in 18,000 runners and an estimated 30,000+ spectators, so I wanted to get myself there and set in good time and good order.

On the way out of the office I met a bunch of fellow runners from the department all of whom were in great humour and fun to chat with on the short walk towards the start line and start pens. The start was set up outside the castle and was fantastically busy with a bustling atmosphere. I arrived in my start zone with a bottle of water, an empty bladder and a head full of happy thoughts.

Miles 1 & 2
The first two miles I had already determined were one of two key elements to my effort for a sub-2hour half marathon. I had to make sure I ran loose, ran easy and ran controlled - yes, I have that classic propensity to go out and blow it in the first phase of a race. Despite the usual ebb and flow of slower and faster runners trying to find their way within the mix of abilities I managed to run to my schedule of 9min/mile to 9.25min/mile - though admittedly on the high side of my target range. In the start pen I had spotted the sub-2hour pacer was about 100yards ahead of me so I had resolved not to chase him immediately but perhaps to be near him at halfway and thus be 100yards under his sub-hour pace.

Miles 3 & 4
The main hill in the course came early on and I was happy that I accommodated it without puffing like a train. At this point already I was having a good feeling about my potential time, especially as I recovered quickly from the effort of the hill. I looked to keep the pace as I'd set it and to keep the pacer in line of sight. I was holding the gap and if anything edging towards him slowly.

As I hit mile three I opened up my energy jelly beans and began popping them one at a time every couple of minutes.

Miles 5 & 6
Heading back towards the middle of the city from the bay and the barrage I was still working to keep myself flowing and rolling without over cooking things. I had gained on the pacer and was level through the sixth mile (a little early but it felt okay). The only problem with getting close to the pacer was the throng of runners stuck to him like flies round a jam jar, it was a little dicey as the route twisted and narrowed at times through the barrage area.

Miles 7 & 8
I knew this was where I had to start grafting while keeping my plan together knowing the the second big test of my plan lay three more miles away. I had taken my drink of water and decided on a caffeine energy gel at the same time. At this point I put away the remaining jelly beans and resolved that the gel was the last fuel that my system needed (and frankly would take - I have the growing feeling that some issues in last years near miss were from over using gels and upsetting my stomach).

Into the eighth mile I had a mini surge according to my GPS watch, but I don't remember trying to push and think perhaps it was just the distraction of the huge crowds while musing my fuelling plan change. I didn't do anything drastic but I recognised it and reigned it in before I went over the top.

Miles 9 & 10
At this point I sensed I was in shape to do the thing, although I noticed that the pacer was closing on me a little. I worked to keep concentration and keep my form.

Mile 11
The second big test - I have had issues around 11.5 miles in half-marathon runs and during my marathon at this distance out. I knew if I'd gotten the pacing right that I should ride it out, and in fact though I knew it was getting tougher to keep my pace (the GPS was giving me subtle hints!) I was managing it well.

Miles 12 & 13
There were two more rises through the closing section which I like to think took away my chances of pushing my pace on at all (ahem, wishing thinking probably). I worked hard on the inclines to keep the pace on target and keep my gap ahead of the pacer. Through these miles I began to really see that a PB was on the cards. The crowds through this section were even bigger, and as it was the student area very vocal.

The final dash and the line
As it happened the last bit was past my work on roads I know so very well. In the closing half a mile I knew that only an accident could take a sub-2 hour run from me, and happily I didn't fall foul of any mishap. It was a strange feeling knowing that I didn't have any need to have to sprint madly for a specific time - I was neatly under the 2 hour target.

My final time was 1hr 57min and 53seconds - and yes I think (I know) I pumped my fist with joy as I crossed the line. After the line the organisation was fantastic and though my legs were rapidly turning to jelly there was a good flow of runners so I didn't have to stop (where I would have probably stiffened up badly). I was not in ruins but I knew I had run hard and run well. Could I have gone faster? Perhaps, but I had trained with my final pace in mind and the target of sub-2hours as my primary goal so I executed my plan perfectly.

Summary
The weather was perfect, I marshaled my energies well, I listened to my stomach regarding gels, and I held to my plan - so all in all a good days running and a day to store away to remember during the tough road to my second marathon next year in Milton Keynes.

New PB - finally a sub-2hr half marathon!!

I am so pleased to report that on Sunday I indeed managed a sub-2hr half marathon after last year coming with 20seconds and having not finishing my last attempt at the distance. It feels great, and the buzz was a good one - I officially ran the Cardiff Half in 1hr 57min and 53seconds !!! :-D

More on my race and the event when I have more spare moments to put it all down on the keyboard.

Wittering on Wednesday - pre-race wobbles

Pre-race wobbles
So it is indeed race week, and grand though I try and make that sound all it really means is me and 17,999 other souls will run around the streets of Cardiff this Sunday. I am not 'in a race' - I have entered an event sure - but really I am not convinced I am racing anything other than perhaps the clock. Sure there are elite runners coming to race the Cardiff Half-marathon, but most of us are just doing it because we can and not to race the next guy or gal.

Why then do I find myself so charged the week of this thing? It is all about the culmination of a block of training, a set of efforts, to do this one distance at this one time as well as I can... and indeed that provides enough 'pressure' to quicken the nerves quite a bit.

Other Witterings
Ummm, well I don't have any... sorry, I blame the pre-race wobbles!!

Oh come on!

I was walking down the high street of my local city centre this lunchtime and low what did I behold but workmen installing Christmas lights - now fair enough these won't be officially turned on for some time yet, but yikes already?

In other "Oh come on!" news I run the Cardiff Half on Sunday, I have only one goal (two goals) which is to run the thing in under 2 hours (and to chill out as much as possible before and during). The prospects are not looking so great as I am getting over a pulled stomach muscle (gardening! don't ask!), and I have started a new job (so very tired from playing catch up / new guy last week and this). If I run the thing smart and with a cool head I have every chance of my primary goal... I just have that sneaking suspicion that my tired head might not make for the coolest come Sunday... I will of course blog all about it.

For the time being I am in prep mode, washing the kit I want to run in, buying the energy gels I plan to consume, putting my race number and pins in plain sight (!!!).

Diary - weather variable and autumn is here, windy, cool, shattered showers. I am currently grateful that I am again busy, and pleased that my little girl likes school. I am intrigued that we now have a ergometer in the house temporarily and yet I haven't gotten on the thing yet?!?! :-)

Wittering on Wednesday

Direction of travel

I have been reading a lot of posts on some great blogs of late admiring their clear senses of purpose, not simply with their running, but with their blogs themselves. There are those that diarise their activities so neatly they are compelling, some that give useful advice in amongst simple 'selling', and then there are those that are just down right entertaining. The direction of this collection of posts has always been somewhat eclectic, between rowing and running, between diary and advice, between reviews and new challenges, between weight loss log and training log. Why does this even bother me really? It is hard to put my finger on it, but I am coming to the opinion that I need to be a little firmer in what this thing actually is... maybe?!?!?

Driving tracks

As the Winter heads this way I am looking at some more time with my friend the elliptical trainer in the gym... even at this thought my brain said a loud "arrghh, must have distractions" and so I am on the hunt for new workout driving power tracks. Initial thoughts ranged around old favourites but a change up would be good so I went down the more current road towards Jay-Z, Tinie Tempah, Labrinth, David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, et al... when I get to a new play list I will be sure to share. Any dance / pop / house / rap or other upbeat workout tune suggestions?

Motivation Monday - positively

Monday, Monday, such a day after the weekend that most mutter it twice. I decided to tackle it on the positive vibe, because I realised I have been colouring my year so far with the gloomy tones of having been ill in the middle of it. If I stripe that period out then I am actually left with a pretty healthy year of running progress, personal high water marks and new experiences tackled. Funny how short periods can mar the perception of a much longer one, us humans really do log negative experiences too well for our own good at times (of course Mr. and Mrs. Stone-age needed these risk avoiding memories of bad times way back in the day).

So for motivation today I am, as they say in various psychology circles, 're-framing' my experiences of the year to take out the glowing shiny positives :-)

For more sage, and frankly utterly intuitive, advice about positivity see this article published by the Guardian newspaper - Self help: forget positive thinking, try positive action *

* reference link in full - http://m.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jun/30/self-help-positive-thinking?cat=science&type=article

Friday Fit-up(date) - a day too late

My Friday to Friday fitness activities log...

Fri - ran 3.80 miles - an easy pre-race run, during which I walked a couple of blocks to keep myself from doing to much.

Sun - Swansea Bay 10k - 51:32 a new PR.

Tues - ran 5.54 miles - slow and steady with a kick on the end, which was very pleasing.

Wed - Ergo three times 4 minute efforts - set a PR for this measure.

Fri - ran 3.86 miles of intervals (or what I am calling 'sprintervals' - I think you can see what I did there).

Weight - unchanged through the week.
High - new PR over 10k even though the weather was challenging.
Low - not managing to make more progress up the Concept2 challenge series leader-board.
Observation - Autumn is here as I did my first 'early' evening run in the dark for months.

Three Things Thursday - in pictures

One:

My fantastic finishers medal from last Sunday's Swansea Bay 10k run

 Two:

The last of my Brooks Beast running shoes?
Top - penultimate pair (now kick about shoes);  Bottom - final pair (maybe) of training shoes before I move over a different prescription shoe for good

 Three:

A family favourite toy reminding me of my other big exercise passion - you are never just a runner ;-)

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

"Blackbox" - Nick Walker

Carrying on my occasional non-sporting thread, here is another long overdue book review...

"Blackbox" - Nick Walker

"I can't remember where I saw the recommendation, I have a suspiscion it was just somethhing that floated to the top of my Amazon recommendation list.  I got it as a present for my birthday from my wife, and was really very pleased she went to the trouble.

The pacing and narrative are astonishing.  It is one of those books that once you get going is hard to put down, the pace draws you into it.  The subject matter is on the graphic side of gore, but the writing is clever enough in its humour to diffuse a large measure of any distaste.

Very much a modern read in its style and staccato, punchy construction; well worth a read.  Reading the back cover again afterwards I found that I had to agree with the shortest of the review clippings "Brilliantly developed... DARKLY COMIC" - Independent."

Basically seeing as I had been waxing lyrical (or not) about the books I'd read on LivingSocial's facebook app I thought may as well re-publish my opinion for anyone who finds my blog.

Swansea Bay 10k - how my race went

Now three out of five race runs that I have entered this year have featured wind, rain and cold weather so I am now very much accustomed to it. In fact it is probably true to say that I would have struggled far more this year if all the runs had been in clear sunny (hot) weather - I very much function better in cool conditions, I am one of those people who in general has a warm constitution (I am a human radiator very often). So that it turned out the Swansea Bay 10k was my third race in cold rainy conditions didn't really bother me too much.

The preparation for the race in general went well, I got my race pack in good time and had all the arrangements for the day straight (travel, the kids, fuelling, kit and so on). The organisation of the event is just great as they have run the event there for many years and the arrangements run pretty much like clockwork - even in the bad weather. The immediate pre-race was marred by the death of our family dog on the Saturday night, he had a stroke and was euthanized as a kindness as he had lost so much quality of life to the condition. He was my first dog (though he was my wife's before I met her / them) and so I found it very difficult, as we all did. I will be at a loss for some time, and days will be very different without him around.

In the end I was running for the memory of our dog and I think he might have appreciated my effort if not my speed - he was a greyhound after all :-) I set off to hold a pace quicker than the Cardiff race two weeks ago, but not to go crazy and go too fast. It looked like being a bad headwind on the homeward half of the race so I didn't expect to negative split, and if anything resolved to run the first half hard knowing there would be a slowdown. The slowdown didn't come, and in fact I did manage a good negative split running the fastest mile of the race in the final mile.

Spot the guy in the orange vest! - I went with bright colours on a rainy day :-)

During the run two people went past me just after the first two kilometers that I resolved to follow, they were talking between themselves so from that and their running style I reasoned they were on a schedule similar to my own target time. I was cheeky in using them a hare to chase, but I suppose I took a leaf from my greyhound friend and went with it. In the last two kilometers I could see they were flagging and pushed on beyond them. I looked up their times afterwards and we had identical times as they must have been a little way behind me in the start area.

The Swansea Bay 10k proved to be my best 10k race thus far, I managed a small personal best beating my old officially measured time by 4 seconds! My time was 51min 32secs - I will go under 50min at some point I can feel it. I was very pleased with how my run went, how I approached the pacing and the strength I found over the last mile.

At the moment I am so very pleased with my bounce back from a difficult summer of illness, I feel like I am somewhere near where I was in the spring with pace and fitness. I am determined to stick with three intelligent runs a week as a basic week (one long, one pace, and one intevals), from what I read there are advocates for this sort of training and it will allow me to mix in other training (rowing and so forth). The work from here is to build a solid Winter base for Spring races and hopefully more PBs (PRs).

Next stop the Cardiff Half-marathon in less than three weeks time.

Wittering on Wednesday - super brief

Due to a bout of tiredness, and I mean to the core tired, I haven't had the energy to think about wittering this week. I was in my bed just before 8pm last night and I feel like I could happily do the same again today... I am hoping it is just training fatigue after a busy weekend and that a couple of easy days will see me right.

I other news I am all set to shut down my 'Training' page and go back to popping training updates back into the day to day posts, though I have yet to decide a format (one decision at a time here! hehe!)... anyway here are the last weeks efforts...

Week beginning Mon 10th Sept 2012

Date	Cycle	Run	Stretch	Row	Ergo	Circuit	Gym
Mon	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Tues	.	4.5mi	Y	.	.	.	.
Wed	.	.	Y	.	4 x 4min firm	.	.
Thurs	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Fri	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Sat	.	9.6mi	Y	.	.	.	.
Sun	.	5mi	Y	3trips		.	.

Concept II challenge series

So I have a new challenge in my life thanks almost wholly to an old school friend. The challenge is the monthly Concept2 challenge series.

http://concept2.co.uk/challengeseries/

Concept2, as far as I am aware, are a World leader in stationery rowing machines (ergo-meters) and on their UK website (and so probably their international sites) they have a range of coaching advice, training plans, on-line exercise trackers, and the challenge series. If you sign up to the series you then row a different challenge, either a different set distance to see how fast you can go, or a different set time each month to see how far you can go. Once you log your distance you are placed in rank order for your age group (and frankly the competitive element in you may then run rife). This month is see how far you can row in 4 minutes.

I am giving it a go as a new challenge, great core / full body workout to include in my mix, and as a cool thing to see how my old friend and I get on. As a former rower I thought it would be straightforward to do well, but my fitness strength seems to lie wholly in my running just now - so a regular challenge should help keep me all over toned.

Diary - warm, breezy, overcast with threat of heavy showers. Happy to have a new job, challenged by tweaking my blog about a little, and delighted that my girl is enjoying new school so much.

Wittering on Wednesday - including Tennis, legacy, heat, blogging and ice cream(!)

Special bit of wittering this Wednesday, Andy Murray has cracked it, in case you missed it (how could you) he won the US Open in a thrilling five set final against Novak Djokovic. The summer of shear joy for British sport just took another level step up, just when we all thought there was nowhere else it could go after Bradley Wiggins triumphed in the Tour de France, and the GB and NI team excelled during the London 2012 olympics. Phew, as a huge sports fan (aka TV sports-aholic) I am just about out of steam - I stayed up until gone 2am to hear Murray win on BBC radio.

Olympic bounce - local rowing legacy?

I ran into a former rowing colleague the other day who told me all about the apparent effect the Olympics has had on our local club, Llandaff Rowing Club. Each year an event called the "Pub and Club" is run which encourages teams of four from local workplaces, clubs and pubs to get together learn to row for a month culminating in the "Pub and Club sprint regatta". There were, I was told, queues down the stairs and out of the clubhouse door coupled with cars parked all over the place apparently during the initial sign up evening. As an event I know they will love it, it was my introduction to rowing and left me totally hooked.

Any sign of an Olympic 2012 legacy, or an inspire a generation, sports effect near you?

Bring the heat

I am trying, and I am not sure how I am doing, to mix up my running a little. Yeah I know my training log looks pretty much as it always has, but it belays a change in approach which is seeing more speed-work. For me speed-work is a relative term of course (closes mind to how fast the Olympians covered such distances), but having spent a very very long time running at and just below 10min/mile pace for greater and greater distances I have needed the change and gone looking for it. At the moment it is not especially structured with me doing one session a week (at a mid-range distance) with sprints or sustained bursts within it. Like I said I don't know how I am doing but I am certainly less 'bored' with working my way around every course at 10min per mile.

Wales Blogger awards

I have seen on other blogs mentions of the awards for Welsh bloggers (I first noticed it on the very professional http://www.girlontheriver.com/ blog via my twitter feed), unfortunately I don't read enough of them to give a real judgement about their merits but the short-list is a fun way of taking the temperature of blogs in this part of the World. Some I think will be retained as regular reads - more on those in another WoW perhaps.

Take a browse of the 'Peoples choice' nominees list if you like at http://www.walesblogawards.co.uk/peoples-choice-award/

Swansea next...

Not long now until I tackle the Swansea Bay 10k. I have to say I am looking forward not only to the course and a lovely day out by the sea with Mrs. Taffi but I am also looking forward to my Joe's Ice Cream. This is a family thing inspired by my wife's love of the ice cream that they concocted in their ice cream parlours, when we go to Swansea or the Mumbles (or anywhere vaguely close actually) we have to 'pop' in for an ice cream. Very good stuff it is too, and I am looking forward to a well earned scoop or three ;-)

Diary - sunny, shattered showers, modest breeze. I am feeling inspired by all things running at the moment, and reading loads of great blogs and magazine articles. Job interview later - which should be fun.

Cardiff 10k - how it went for me

Pre-race

I did what I haven't done for 18months and had a cup and a half of black coffee though it was in the name of running. Having read articles in running magazines and health magazines about the benefits of caffeine to sporting endeavour I gave it a go - though as an experiment I have no way of knowing how it would have gone without (I don't have an identical me around to run the control experiment for me). Needless to say it is my last cup unless, and until, I decide it might be useful for another race event.

Everything went well, I got my food right, I got my kit right, and even timed my arrival at the portaloo start area just right as well. I cycled into the city centre so I had a nice gentle warm up on the way in enjoying the near perfect weather on Sunday morning.

Pre-race during an early dog walk to get moving
- note I already made sure I would find my race number pins later :-)

The race

I had no goal in mind really, I knew my PB was not going to be in any danger but I didn't want it to be my worst time either. Within the start zone I worked out roughly where to put myself in the field, and on purpose choose the outside of the masses on the side of the first major bend. My primary aim was to go out at a pace that felt right, not too fast and not too slow - Goldilocks speed! Through the first mile I felt that I had found the pace I was looking for and began to feel out what could be possible for the miles that followed.

The second mile goes up a the gentlest of inclines along a nice wide street, and here I opted to hold a rhythm rather than try much with pacing. I had figured after the third mile was the place to enjoy the very slight decline and try to move on. My Garmin was telling me good things so I wanted to keep a flow. The support along the route was great, and there was a nice atmosphere amongst the runners. For a change there were not too many latecomers (or nutters) deciding to sprint through the crowds chasing their times, a lot of the runners seemed to be in training for the Cardiff half marathon in a months time so perhaps this helped to make a settled pack of runners.

Through the second half of the race I focused more on maintaining a sensible pace instead of my plan to push along harder. I was not sure what I had in terms of a pace lift, and didn't want to push in any way that might set back my training again. It became clearer to me that I was 'feeling' my way through the thing with the biggest fear being a new injury. Happily my watch was reassuring me that things were steadily moving toward a decent time.

Within the last half a mile I did step on a little and down the final straight-away I strode out without full on sprinting. In the final GPS analysis I managed a happy even pacing and even a negative split (albeit small) for the race. My official finish time was 54min 37sec, my third fastest 10k only a minute slower than the same race last year (which had a much much better preparation phase).

SportsTracks plot of my 2km split times for the Cardiff 10K

Post-race

I collected my race medal, a very nice little number, that made me smile a nice cheesy "thank you" grin at the volunteer handing them out. Afterwards I collect a free bottle of water then strolled through the athletes village (which was very well appointed with some very tempting shop stands!). On the bike ride home I saw some of the rest of the field coming in and again broke into a cheesy grin or ten at the looks of joy on their faces as the finish line appeared before them. The ride home was good for my legs, which I treated to an ice shower to help any yet to develop aches. Already in my head I was throwing forward to the Swansea 10k and Cardiff Half with excitement having gotten the autumn races off to a good solid start :-)

My fab Cardiff10K completion medal
(that now hangs with my small but growing running medal collection)

Post post-race

Two days on and I am still happy with how it went, the aches developed in a good way (if that is ever possible!) in that I felt mild un-troubling aches in the 'right' places. After a couple of days recovery I now hope to put a good block in before the next race arrives.