January 2012

[marathondan]

Just back from 12 a bit miles round the green. The going was a little soft but not too bad. A new moon, but the stars were out and at around 5C the temperature was pleasant in cap and gloves.

On the audio was an interview with Bruce Tulloh; I really do recommend you give this one a listen - as it was the Christmas show there was none of the usual guff, just the interview. Highlights included winning the 1959 AAA 3 miles barefoot, bemoaning the introduction of t-shirts leading to slower training (you run faster in a singlet because it's colder), and breaking the record for the 3,000 mile run across the USA (66 days, since you ask) despite a crippling injury in the first couple of days. Some great things to say about old-school training, barefoot running (and that it might not be suitable for those of us not blessed with an 8 stone frame) and how modern easy living leads to poorer runners. And that 3,000 mile run.

This was followed up with one of the most surreal podcasts around (I've made it to frame 3 so far) and then a few choons to bring me home. The run was comfortable and I managed to up the pace for the last mile or two.

A couple of surreal moments:

1. After stopping to a walk and looking down to fiddle with my mp3 player for about 30 seconds. I looked up, and found myself wandering around in the middle of field, at night - what's the hell was going on? Oh yeah.

2. Towards the end of the run, my body clock befuddled by an unnatural late-night drip-feed of endorphins / adrenaline, and the landscape bathed in that pale glow of distant neon, I reflected that it could just as easily be shortly before dawn as 11 at night.

The nocturnal field is becoming a strange and pleasant home for me.

TdJ: Whitesnake, Rough An' Ready

PS - 3 months today till the marathon.