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July 2010
12-07-2010, 10:36 PM, (This post was last modified: 12-07-2010, 10:39 PM by Sweder.)
#1
July 2010
There has been some running in July ... but not much.
Another sweaty outing around the concrete trails of the Hawks Landing Gold Course in Orlando, a rusty jet-lagged plod on arrival home followed this past Sunday with an even rustier, more jet-lagged wobble to BlackCap with my two remaining hounds.

There's a stirring in the RC Brotherhood and that's a good thing. Too many Child's Head burgers have taken their toll, adding a layer of blubber to an already burgeoning middle. I've re-joined the spinners at Bridge's House of Fun, the second session of my come-back being this evening. Spin is great. 100% cardio workout, barely noticable impact on sore or under-used limbs. Ideal for the slobs amongst us; I'll try to get along at least twice a week to help my return to the trails.

Tonight's session kicks off with Sanctuary from the Cult and finishes with Duelling Banjos - with the class divided into two groups, cycling each other to death on our static Keisers - followed by The Chain, the Fleetwood Mac number associated with the BBC's coverage of Formula One. It ends in a thrashing crescendo and we're urged to keep pace by our manic mounted instructress. Legs and perspiration fly in an orgy of sweaty mayhem until we slump as one across our liberally doused machines. There's a satisfying pool of liquid forming beneath my bike; more lard wrung from my wobbly carcass.

It's a start.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph

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12-07-2010, 11:17 PM,
#2
RE: July 2010
Good stuff. You were warned that spin is highly addictive, but did you listen? Pah!

I've noticed that my gym has a daily spin session at 0930, which could be a good 2 or 3-times a week activity, now that I'm working from home and free from whiney bosses (a generic insult - my last manager was a decent enough sort). I'm busy for the next 2 days, but hope to get along on Thursday.

Yes, the RC monster may be stirring at last. I've had 2 x 7.5 mile bike rides in the last 2 days which have done me good. I can feel that delicious post-workout glow right now. A nice way to go to bed. I have a long-arranged Green Drinks meeting tomorrow night which will require beer and unhealthy snack consumption, but I'm determined not to let this derail me.

Be strong, people! Be strong! The battle awaits!
El Gordo

Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
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13-07-2010, 07:13 AM,
#3
RE: July 2010
(12-07-2010, 11:17 PM)El Gordo Wrote: Be strong, people! Be strong! The battle awaits!

Eh? I guess I'd better put me beer down then. Rolleyes
Run. Just run.
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13-07-2010, 07:53 AM,
#4
RE: July 2010
(13-07-2010, 07:13 AM)Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote:
(12-07-2010, 11:17 PM)El Gordo Wrote: Be strong, people! Be strong! The battle awaits!

Eh? I guess I'd better put me beer down then. Rolleyes

You could have interpreted it as urging you to drink strong beer. A missed opportunity.
El Gordo

Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
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13-07-2010, 08:26 AM,
#5
RE: July 2010
(13-07-2010, 07:53 AM)El Gordo Wrote: You could have interpreted it as urging you to drink strong beer. A missed opportunity.

I'm just a simple man. I don't understand eupemistic metaphorical syllogisms.

Undecided
Run. Just run.
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13-07-2010, 12:24 PM,
#6
RE: July 2010
did somebody mention the magic word? Beer? Never touch the stuff ;-)
Phew this is hard work !
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25-07-2010, 11:24 PM, (This post was last modified: 26-07-2010, 06:40 AM by Sweder.)
#7
Seven Sisters for Seven Runners
A happier end to the running month thanks to a timely text message from Gillybean. Would I like to join a small group to take on the Seven Sisters from Birling Gap to Cuckmere on Sunday? Thankfully I gave no pause for thought before saying 'yes'. So it was that this morning I found myself loitering in the kitchen munching on an obscenely early breakfast wondering 'why?'

I needn't have worried. The 8.22 undulating miles in a shade over 1:22 (run time) certainly proved tough enough to rattle my cage but I finished upright, if breathless. The opening 2.5 mile rollercoaster, riding parched waves of scorched, flat grass across the clifftops, had my heaving lungs up in my throat. Tom Roper joined us - read his account here - and I gamely suggested we Tweetcast the event 'live' on Twitter. The results can be found here or if you just want to see the photos they're at http://yfrog.com/epkt6uj or on my Facebook page. Like me Tom was slightly concerned at this impromptu ramping up of his intermittent training, not to mention the pedigree of our horribly fit-looking companions, all reasonably fresh from their recent triumph in the 100-mile South Downs Way relay.

[Image: 38818_1483863090577_1053853244_1399523_4619698_n.jpg]

In order to capture our group for posterity (rather than solely from the posterior) I wound up running the opening miles as a sort of Fartlek, dropping back to post updates then dashing wildly ahead to snap wobbly photos. At the end of the Sisters we turned inland along Cuckmere Haven and into Friston Forest. Here I demonstrated the folly of carrying (I wasn't using it at the fateful moment) a phone whilst not paying attention to my own off-road running rules. Always keep an eye out for the ground immediately ahead and (so as to do this) never get too close to the runner in front. Fail! Reduced to single file along a narrow path through heavy foliage I managed to get too close to Gillybean. A malevolent root snaked out to snare my right foot and before I knew it whump! I hit the trail as if shot (or, if Italian/ Portuguese/ Spanish, lightly nudged). Lucky for me my summer lard-bag deployed and I bounced straight up with nothing more than a scraped knee and a badly bruised ego.

On, on through the forest. How could we be going ever upwards? I asked myself/ whined at anyone within earshot. Despite the never-ending incline MSilv set a stern pace. I admired her perfect posture as we scampered through dense, shaded bracken. Upright, shoulders squared, elbows out, a beautifully economic, metronomic style with more than a hint of another, even better-known lady of distance running. Must have a good core I thought as I surveyed my own hunched, shuffling gait. By comparison I run like Quasimodo having an asthma attack, and that's being unkind to Parisian bell-ringers.

The last few hundred metres of the forest climb bobbed and weaved through a series of slaloms around increasingly dense woodland. We whooped and hollered as we leant this way and that, dry-land skiers excited by the lively twists and turns. I felt better and realised I would finish, and do so feeling OK.

We crossed the main road, dashed through the church yard (of a most beautiful Sussex stone church), down through a steep field populated by a tribe of goats and out onto the long road home. After a little more fartlek to capture the run in we were outside the clifftop car park, gasping for breath, grinning like loons and, in my case, splashing copious amounts of sweat onto the dusty, stone-strewn soil. After a moment's careful deliberation we descended the cliff via a set of impossibly rickety steps to the pebble beach, pulling off runners and socks to tip-toe gingerly into the cool ocean. The water felt good on my aching legs so I waded further out, got caught/ soaked by a boistrous wave, tore off my shirt and dove in. Heaven!

A good run on a perfect day for running. A step or two (thousand) in the right direction along the long road back to running fitness.
Here's to a few more of those in August.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph

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26-07-2010, 10:28 AM,
#8
RE: July 2010
Sounds like a fantastic run. Envious, but at the same time, is was too tough for me in my present condition. Well done all. Pic above makes me even more envious. Looks like fab scenery for a walk or a run. (Incidentally, I couldn't see your snaps on Facebook. Is it just me?)
El Gordo

Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Reply
26-07-2010, 10:57 AM, (This post was last modified: 26-07-2010, 10:14 PM by Sweder.)
#9
RE: July 2010
(26-07-2010, 10:28 AM)El Gordo Wrote: (Incidentally, I couldn't see your snaps on Facebook. Is it just me?)

Jolly old privacy settings. A couple of the girls didn't want them accessible to all on FB so they are 'friends only' (as in reg'd FB friends). Should be OK for you now mate.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph

Reply
26-07-2010, 10:59 AM,
#10
RE: July 2010
Nice work Sweder... again! Quasimodo during an asthma attack - ha!
Run. Just run.
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27-07-2010, 10:33 AM,
#11
RE: July 2010
Those cliffs are a fine sight and must make for great running. I've walked over them on a summers evening during sunset and the colour of the chalk and downs is wonderful. Very envious that you're so close to the sea. Enjoy it Sweder.
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29-07-2010, 02:47 PM,
#12
RE: July 2010
(26-07-2010, 10:57 AM)Sweder Wrote:
(26-07-2010, 10:28 AM)El Gordo Wrote: (Incidentally, I couldn't see your snaps on Facebook. Is it just me?)

Jolly old privacy settings. A couple of the girls didn't want them accessible to all on FB so they are 'friends only' (as in reg'd FB friends). Should be OK for you now mate.

Thank you for your words and pics.
Enjoyed the run and the company.
Reply


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