#juneathon

[runningtheline]

The end

So that’s it. Juneathon done and dusted. This was my third ‘Athon’ venture, which I guess probably makes me some kind of veteran, as well as a glutton for daily exercise and blogging shaped punishment.

As with previous involvements, invariably there have been both ups and downs. On the one hand, I’ve enjoyed the accountability and discipline required to squeeze some form of physical activity into each day, although I’m still a little grumpy that this didn’t manifest itself in a month long running streak as I had to default to a kettle-bell workout on a few occasions.

On the flipside, at times Juneathon has teetered into chore-like territory, creating a sense of obligation, whilst the community side of the challenge disappointingly has stuttered and stumbled. Admittedly there is a collective sense of responsibility with these things, and it was only part way through that this realisation finally dawned on me, at which point I endeavoured to do my bit through a spot of cajoling and encouraging, as well as perusing others’ blogs.

Focusing on the running side, whilst I have missed the spontaneity of going out for a run when the mood takes me, the challenge has (fingers crossed) helped me to maintain a reasonable level of fitness. Furthermore, now that I have finally succumbed and registered for marathon number eight (the Robin Hood in September) I need to translate the same level of Juneathon discipline to actually sticking to a training programme. Oh, and I need to locate said plan too (any suggestions warmly received).

Writing-wise, as I have reflected previously, the daily deadline to craft something for the blog has abetted both in having to carve out sufficient time to write, but also encouraged me to think more creatively in seeking out new running-related topics. The mounting challenge, as I am finding, is to discover fresh content and to avoid repetition or merely providing variations on previous themes. A big plus point has been the realisation of one of my initial objectives, which was to kick-start my blogging after a six-week long hiatus.

At this juncture I’d like to pass on my thanks to those of you who have stopped by this blog over the last month, and in particular those who have been kind enough to share and comment via social media. Your support is much appreciated.  

Finally, onto the final run of Juneathon, this appropriately enough entailed a run-commute home. Or rather part way home as in the heat I was struggling at the five mile mark. This brings the total mileage for the month to 140.5 miles. Now to reacquaint myself with the sofa …                      

[ashathon]

#Juneathon 2015 Day 30

[ashathon]

#Juneathon 2015 Day 29 “And on the 29th day, he rested...” Today’s entry is half-informed sensible choice and half cop out. When I got home from work today, I had dinner with my wife and afterwards, made the conscious decision not to go running today. I felt good in myself and didn’t feel as heavy set or lethargic as I did last week. Following yesterday’s escapades, I felt giving myself a little more time to allow the wee spot of chafing that I incurred to heal would do me well. The heat & humidity technically didn’t help. We popped out this evening to see my parents and on the way home, the air was far less humid and had a nice coolness to it. I was tempted to take advantage of the more favourable conditions but conceded that a rest day wasn’t actually a bad decision for a change. Yes, tomorrow I will regret not having gone for a run today but I think I’m ok with that. I had the small fortune of discussing my recent attempt on the South Downs Way 100 (SDW100) with my father this evening. Politely, we have different opinions on how to approach these events - physically and mentally - and we also disagree on whether he and my mother were acting as spectators or crew during the run. Family’s a funny business. It start my brain ticking over again. As I said to my wife on the drive home, I’m dying to go back, literally armed to the teeth with all of the spare kit I can muster (a fresh dry top every 10 miles), enough varied sustenance so that I won’t struggle to get calories on board and crew/pacer(s) to stop my mind from deteriorating into slush. I think I may actually start planning for the race I intend to run in 2-3 years time rather than rush into trying to avenge my DNF. I know that I’m physically capable of more. Hopefully, I’ll muse more about Juneathon in tomorrow’s blog post as it comes to a close but just briefly, I feel marginally fitter for having taken part and I hope that i use this spark to reclaim former glories in pursuit of achieving my potential.

[runningtheline]

Next steps

There’s something peculiar in the runner’s psyche which demands as soon as you’ve finished one challenge, you’re already sniffing out the next. It’s happened to me a few times, usually after a few minutes recovery time at the end of a marathon - which was preceded by endless cussing and talk of hanging up my trainers during the final few painful miles – when my mind has started to wander as to what challenge to embark on next. And so with the Juneathon finish line looming into view, thoughts now turn to forthcoming races.

There won’t be much time to wait as next up on the running calendar is Run 5.30 this Friday. The latter refers to the ungodly hour when the event begins, which is billed as a ‘5.3K non-competitive run/walk’ of the empty streets of Nottingham. Starting in Slab Square, the route takes in a number of the city’s landmarks including the Castle, the Old Trip to Jerusalem, and (ahem) the Broadmarsh shopping centre.

The Run 5.30 concept reportedly has its origins in Italy, having started in Modena in 2009. It’s the brainchild of Sergio Bezzanti who invented the early morning event as a way of encouraging local people to take part in some physical activity without it impacting on their working day or eating into family time. Wading through the promotional bumph, Bezzanti emphasises how running in the morning when the cities are deserted, gives people the opportunity to enjoy the places they know so well in a unique way, and to create new perspectives. Leafing through the reports on the events that have taken place across Italy (Bari, Turin, Milan, and Verona to name but a few) the participant numbers are certainly impressive, running into several thousand.    

The run on Friday will be the first time it has occurred outside of Italy. Apparently Nottingham was chosen because of its historical landmarks as well as the city being well known in Italy through the association with Robin Hood and the two football clubs. As a long-suffering Notts County supporter I’m well aware of our relationship with Juventus. It was an expat resident in Turin who contacted a friend back in Nottingham when the football team he played for needed to replace their faded pink shirts, and duly received a set in the black and white stripes of Notts County. That was 1903 and the historical thread linking the Old Lady of Italian football with the world’s oldest league club was renewed in September 2011 when the Pies took on Del Piero, Pirlo and Co in the inaugural match at the new Juventus Stadium. Suffice to say it was rather different to other away trips I’ve been on to the likes of Morecombe, Walsall and Accrington Stanley.

So on Friday I shall be setting the alarm ridiculously early to complete a loop of the streets of Nottingham before embarking on my usual run-commute to Clifton. It’ll be interesting to see how many others have forked out a tenner for the privilege, and whether it meets the organisers’ expectations.

Moving onto today’s Juneathon endeavours, I embarked on yet another running errand. This time the 2.3 miles to my local running emporium, Up and Running. I don’t know whether they constitute an independent store as there are a stack of them around the country, but they aren’t one of the faceless ‘big boys’ cluttering up the high street, nor after reading a recent post by @UltraBoyRuns did I want to pass on my business to a large internet retailer even if it meant having to spend a few extra quid. I left the store having been given some excellent customer service and advice (and a gait analysis of my running, trying on three different pairs of trainers) and some spangly new Brooks Ghost 8’s on my feet.      

[ashathon]

#Juneathon 2015 Day 29 Tonight, I got lost... ...and this is a good thing. I was Googling a spot on the Thames a little further upstream from the Swinford Toll Bridge one evening last week and noticed some footpaths on the other side of the river. Since then, I’ve been planning to explore said footpaths and to run home afterwards. My adventure began with my wife dropping me off at the Toll Bridge. I started off slowly, heading towards the first footpath, only to see before me a field full of cows. My heart sank. This was supposed to be my adventure. I’m not “scared” of cows; however, I have become exceptionally more wary of them after I was chased out of a field by a bull sometime last year. Finding my balls somewhere on the floor, I passed through the gate, edging slowly and cautiously past these docile but potentially ferocious creatures. When I was half a field clear of them, I stopped short of sprinting but threw as much pace as I could muster until I was sure that I was clear of them. Out of field no. 1 and into field no. 2, no cows!!  Ok, so when the footpath wasn’t evidently clear, I followed a worn track in the grass and by the time I had crossed the field, it became apparent that I should have followed one of the other worn tracks. Before I continued, I consulted my phone, jumping between two or three different apps, trying to confirm that I knew which footpaths I was trying to follow next. My initial little loop was supposed to bring me back onto the road which I started on, a little further along next to a pub called The Talbot. Well, thanks for some awesome navigation skills, I managed to not only overshoot The Talbot but the nearby Siemens building as well. My navigational error had brought me out on the bridleway which was intended to be the next part of my adventure. Initially, I followed the bridleway back towards the Siemens building, thinking that I would find the pub. Error realised, I headed in the other direction knowing that I would eventually find the Cassington Road but planned to recce a couple of the footpaths that spurred off from this track. Footpath #1 was barely recognisable and didn’t seem to cut across the field as a couple of maps had suggested. The edges of the field were passable but very overgrown but I reached the far corner eventually. This brought me onto footpath #2, which following the direction of the signpost, I set off with much gusto as it seemed to be far less overgrown. Alas, I crossed back to my original bridleway over some barren wasteland, supposedly owned by Thames Water and not on the footpath as I intended. Almost back at square one, I located the actual footpath and followed it along & back so I knew it for future reference. I don’t think a blow-by-blow account of my run this evening is going to exhilarate anyone, especially not without a map for some kind of reference. Why have I done it? I want to remind myself that exploring new trails is not always straightforward and is prone to the occasional error; however, more often than not, it is still usually a very rewarding experience. Today, I ran just over 8 miles - again, nothing groundbreaking but aside from my recent failed ultra marathon attempt, I think that it’s only the second time this month that I’ve pushed beyond a distance of 5K. In hindsight, I think that I should have taken a little more time to get myself ready for this evening’s run (e.g. a ‘proper’ toilet break, which would have lightened the load) and I also need to replace some of my kit - the pair of shorts that I wore this evening are tired & tattered, and as a result, have caused some chafing in some delicate spots. While the weather outside still resembles something of summer, I’m enjoying ambling about at a relaxed pace and taking some pic of views that I find interesting.

[runningtheline]

Anything but routine

Today marks my daughter being five months old. Not a celebratory card signalling date admittedly, but a milestone nevertheless at a time when each tiny step feels significant in her (and our) journey. From those first few chaotic, sleep-deprived, what-on-earth-do-we-do-now days to what has now become her parent’s perpetual quest to introduce some semblance of routine and order. Rowan’s entire existence revolves around sleeping, feeding, screaming and nappy changes. To borrow a much used running metaphor, on a couple of occasions we have ‘hit the wall’, throwing any sense that we’d made progress grumpily into touch.  

Conversely, amidst all this striving for consistency and pattern, has as a result knocked my own running routine out of kilter. I’ve hastily discovered that if I can’t manage a few miles in the form of a run-commute, or there aren’t any errands that warrant lacing up the trainers, then chances are scarce. Fortunately on day #28 of Juneathon an afternoon nap with Mummy provided an opportune time for a brisk eight minute-mile circuit of Basford, Hyson Green, the Forest Recreational ground, before a hilly homeward leg. That brings the (ahem) running total for the month to 133.2 miles.    

[ashathon]

#Juneathon 2015 Day 29

[mrsmiller1983]

Need my bed!

It’s been a lovely but busy day! Saw the Minion movie with the family and it was fab. BAAAANNNNAAANNNAAA!!! 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌    Then visited a few shops afterwards so walking was involved – so that counts for Juneathon Day 27! Did some OU study when I got home and then my sister and her family came over for the late afternoon/evening! The kids had loads of fun playing with their cousins but have…

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