January 2013

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

...the dog's Cajones?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

...the dog's Cajones?

Don't worry ... I Googled it.

[Bierzo Baggie]

One, a dramatic victory for West Brom over Man United from the late '70's,

I bet that was United 3 Baggies 5, a game etched in West Brom folklore. Two of my uncles went up and somehow ended up watching from the United end. You wouldn't believe how much abuse Regis, Cunningham and Brendon Batson took that day. But The 3 Degrees certainly had the last laugh with their football skills...

My left heel still ached from the unfortunate encounter with my Mizuno Ascends (never again), the blister now gone but a small hole and bruised flesh remains.

Hey, what happened there? I've just bought a pair of them in the sales. Don't tell me thay wreck your feet. It's the first pair of runners I've bought since RB's shop closed down...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

It's the first pair of runners I've bought since RB's shop closed down...

When did that happen? What's he up to these days??

[El Gordo]

RB's shop closed down...

It did? Maybe I missed that news, whenever it happened.

Aye, it was the 3-5, a great result whose seismic quality was finally overtaken in 1992 when QPR won 4-1 at Old Trafford. No one would defend the ill-treatment of big Cyrille and co, though we old 'uns will recall that this was the way it was back then. The original victim in my recollection was the buckaneering Clyde Best at West Ham. These were the days when black players were routinely abused even by supporters of their own club.

Thanks for the FA Cup victory at the Hawthorns this week, by the way. Too decent of you.

[Sweder]

I bet that was United 3 Baggies 5, a game etched in West Brom folklore.

As EG says, the very same. A couple of cracking goals in there, along with the life-threatening assault on Sammy McIlroy.

My left heel still ached from the unfortunate encounter with my Mizuno Ascends (never again), the blister now gone but a small hole and bruised flesh remains.

Hey, what happened there? I've just bought a pair of them in the sales. Don't tell me thay wreck your feet. It's the first pair of runners I've bought since RB's shop closed down...

They might work out fine for you but this is the first pair of runners that have chewed up my feet. Blisters! But only on one foot, which is odd. My new WH3s are fabulous, perfectly moulded to my odd plates. I doubt I'll wear the Ascend 7s again, unless I soak the heels in Vaseline and break them in over a series of much shorter sessions once my heel has, er, healed.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Brian closed down his shop about a year ago. In the present economic climate there was no way he could compete with big discount stores and the internet, even though his advice and expert attention was appreciated by an amazing range of runners, from pavement plodders to Olympic athletes. (He once sold a pair of Ron Hills to Jefferson Perez).

I’d bought all my trainers there for the last 10 years. Important milestone, eh Sweder?. I’d usually turn up early and spend the whole morning chatting. It felt like the running equivalent of a small Morroccan carpet shop but without the mint tea. Brian would get out 3 or 4 pairs that he thought would be suitable and let me run around the block! I’d always end up choosing the ones he’d quietly and subtly recommended in the first place.

A lot of us were gutted when we found out the shop had closed. It even made the local press (Diario de Vigo, one of Galicia’s most important daily papers).
http://blogs.lavozdegalicia.es/susanabas...-de-brian/

The last I heard was that Brian was teaching English somewhere in La Coruña. I’ll try and look him up next time I’m over there.

And two days after I finally plucked up the courage to go out and buy a pair of shoes all by myself I find out that they’re gonna rip my feet to threads! I fear that I will be lost without Riazor Blue

(And it was RB who intoduced me to runningcommentary.net, to Mizuno Wave Harrier and to a little bar around the corner from the shop, it's name? "The Dog's Bollocks" I am massively in debt to the man...)

[Sweder]

(And it was RB who intoduced me to runningcommentary.net, to Mizuno Wave Harrier and to a little bar around the corner from the shop, it's name? "The Dog's Bollocks" I am massively in debt to the man...)

Milestones and mentors. Poignant stuff. This reminds me that I've not been to see Sam 'Yoda' Lambourne for over a year. He's always steered me right on running boots (bet he would never have recommended the Ascends).

The economic situation in Spain looks dire. Youth unemployment is chronic, over 50%. Surely this is bordering on conditions for revolt. I wonder what we'll find in Almeria next weekend?

What's the name of that bar in Spanish? I ask just for MLCMMan's benefit as he's grappling with quirky vernacular before his trip to Europe

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

What's the name of that bar in Spanish? I ask just for MLCMMan's benefit as he's grappling with quirky vernacular before his trip to Europe

Nah, I've cancelled... you guys are just too weird for me.

.
.
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unless there's beer, of course.

[Sweder]

unless there's beer, of course.

I'm worried about this. Once you've tasted proper draft ale we may have an illegal immigrant on our hands.

[El Gordo]

unless there's beer, of course.

I'm worried about this. Once you've tasted proper draft ale we may have an illegal immigrant on our hands.

It's OK, a glass or two of neutral Swiss fizz will reset the palate, removing all traces of pleasures past.

Bad news about RB.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Bad news about RB.

I've just translated the article linked to above and posted it on RBs diary ... maybe I should have asked for his permision first (I've only got an old phone number from the shop!) Just think it's a nice little homage to a singular and unique place which as far as I know, was the only really specialized running shop in the north-west of Spain.

As for "The Dog's Bollocks" I fear it might have gone the same way as Brian's shop. Can't find any recent references to it on the net (I last went there a couple of year's ago and La Coruña's nearly 3 hours away for me!). They wisely decided that the original was best and never translated the name to Spanish!

[Sweder]

Winter finally rocked up in Sussex this weekend. Like many a tardy guest she was keen to make up for lost time, dumping a week's worth of snow in 24 hours. Yesterday saw a lull but the white stuff was back this morning, falling steadily out of a murky, featureless sky.

   

I joined Julie, Cam and Marian for a mid morning start at Chez Ladyrunner. We planned to navigate the trails around Stanmer Park, the idea being one circuit and home would equal nine miles, two just about half marathon distance. The fresh powder coating hid an ice-hard reality beneath. Going was heavy to slippery, wheelspin the issue on the climbs, stability and remaining upright on the drops. After the first loop I felt chipper. I'd scarfed a lone banana before the off, walking the dogs for an hour before the run leaving no time for anything more substantial. An energy gel lay in my shorts pocket but I didn't feel the need to use it, happy enough to sip on my lime & coconut water.

Julie had a hot date at one so peeled off before we started lap two. We three kept on at a steady pace. The snow fell at such a rate that our footprints from lap one were all but wiped out. We met - and hailed - other groups of runners, cyclists and dog-walkers, all well wrapped against the elements. My legs had tired when we hit the last couple of climbs, dodging whooping children strapped to colourful plastic sledges as they hurtled past.

'Hoi, mister, aren't you cold?' asked one snotty little chap, staring at the ice-balls hanging off my knees.
'No' I grinned, 'running keeps me warm'
And so it does, on several levels.

13.18 miles, 2 hours and 49 leg-sapping minutes
'Time on your feet' as Yoda would say.
Roll on Andalucía ...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Oi! Haven't you lot heard about global warming?

[Sweder]

Still can't upload more than one photo at a time using iPad. File upload just replaces 1st photo with 2nd photo - refuses to rename. Here's another shot from earlier today

   

Sweder, Cam, Marian, Jules

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Should I bring summer woollies?

[Sweder]

One more. Jules (pulled by Amber), Cam & MSilv climbing the hill at the end of lap one. We're about a third of the way back up to the top of the slope.

   

[Bierzo Baggie]

You seem to have had a few of these snowy outings over the last few years. Lovely!

[Sweder]

You seem to have had a few of these snowy outings over the last few years. Lovely!

My body seems to behave much better in cooler (sub-zero) climes, that's for sure.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

You seem to have had a few of these snowy outings over the last few years. Lovely!

My body seems to behave much better in cooler (sub-zero) climes, that's for sure.

That's an interesting comment. I'm the exact opposite - my knees (especially) feel good after a warm run, but hurt like crazy in the cold.

As we keep saying, we're all an experiment of one. Go with what works.