Category Archives: Running

Why old blokes shouldn’t sprint

07 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by in Coaching, Running, Writing

≈ 15 Comments

I’ve always wondered what a pulled hamstring feels like. All my life I’ve been reading about footballers and athletes in particular, highly-trained creatures, succumbing to a hamstring injury which keeps them out of action often for several weeks, depending on severity. Ryan Giggs and Michael Owen are examples of world-class footballers who have spent as much time on the physio’s table as the pitch whilst accepting their eye-watering salaries.

Ryan Giggs in familiar circumstances

Ryan Giggs in familiar circumstances

And, in my 61st year, having played most sports under the sun, I’d never been on the end of such an injury. Until this morning.

One of my greatest pleasures is in coaching the Jersey Spartan AC Minis, children aged 8-11. This morning on (Alleluia!) a fine day we’d had a good session of hurdles and high jump. Then we split the young athletes into teams of four for a sprint relay to finish off the morning. But, if the number of children don’t divide by four, grown-ups have to be commandeered to make up the teams.

That was how I ended up anchoring Team Eight, hoping to bring us home victorious in Usain Bolt style.

A proper relay team

A proper relay team

The first race went fine, but we were fourth. With a few minutes to spare I ordered a re-race. This time I put my faith in my incoming runner, a commandeered parent. I set off, extended my hand behind me and ‘plop’ in went the baton, a perfect hand-off.

I was in second place but confident I could overtake the little girl in the lead. But heck, she wasn’t giving in that easily.

And then it happened. With yards to go I made my final effort then – bang – it was like I’d been shot in the leg. I staggered across the line, high-fived the victor, and wondered if recovery is possible before the Spring 10k race next Sunday 😦Ambulance

Encouragement from a fellow runner

24 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by in Coaching, Running, Writing

≈ 15 Comments

Us writery (writey?) types try to avoid cliches but you could have knocked me down with a feather. Steve Runner is the granddaddy of running podcasters with Phedippidations having been going for something like seven years. He has about a zillion listeners but he still makes a big effort to make his broadcast near enough a one-to-one as is possible.

Well, first I had a Twitter ‘follow’ from @phedippidations (huh?) then a couple of referrals to this blog from http://www.steverunner.blogspot.com Curious, I clicked into Steve’s blog and there, in the show notes for his latest podcast Fdip 302 is a link to this blog. Intrigued I listened in and there, from about the 40-minute mark, is a shout-out for this blog and in particular my running novel Barry. Which all goes to show it is indeed a small world and it is sometimes impossible to hide 🙂

So, click across to Steve’s website and treat yourself to an hour’s quality entertainment. It’s aimed at fellow runners but it is much more than that. Steve Runner, legend. (He’d hate that tag with a passion).running man

And all of that gives me renewed heart for my recently-formed Jersey Joggers group. The other evening we had no fewer than 28 runners complete a 5k run to round off a nine-week Couch to 5k programme. We have 70+ on the mailing list many of whom dip in and out. It’s not for everyone and I certainly don’t mind if people come and go. We are getting new enquiries all the time and I’ve now got a balancing act to do between the new beginners and those more competent/confident that are now flying and aiming for a 10k run next month. On Saturday morning in the spring sunshine I took part in the most enjoyable run I’ve had in ages, an easy 4.4 mile loop that reinforced how good running can be.

Now we can only hope that the better weather asserts itself – it’s been a long winter.

Google Street View, loving it

03 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in Ireland, Running, Writing

≈ 17 Comments

I’ve just re-run the Connemara Half Marathon in about 30 minutes – sitting here in my studio apartment in the comfort of my armchair.

For some reason I’ve hitherto ignored the charms of Google Street View. Unfortunately I believe I’ve found yet another way of doing nothing useful. It’s brilliant and only now have I been seduced, though this plug-in has been out there for a little while now.

For those newly arrived from Mars, much of the world’s roadage (new word) has been photographed by cameras mounted on top of cars. The results have been stitched together so that you can click your way along pretty much anywhere a car can go. You can gawk at the buildings to left and right and you won’t ram the car in front stopped at the lights. If you’ve missed a turn you can pull a 180 without getting hooted.street view cameras

So today I conquered the Hell of the West at the head of the Maam Valley – a piece  of cake that 1.8 mile climb. Whilst in Ireland I repeated a perfect little 12-mile run through the barren landscape of the Dingle Peninsula. I’ve taken a trip back to Dunmanway in West Cork. There’s my late uncle Jimmy’s cottage. He was a level-crossing keeper. The railway line closed in 1961 but you can still easily see where the track ran alongside the river. And, a few yards further on, the site of the cottage where my grandparents brought up 12 children. The building itself, with it’s myriad memories, replaced by a nondescript modern affair.

North portal, Passage Tunnel, Cork

North portal, Passage Tunnel, Cork

The possibilities are endless. I’ve always wanted to ‘do’ Route 66 like every other old hippie, and here’s an opportunity. I can stalk people. Give me your address and I’ll come and stare at your house 🙂

I guess in the future that the technology will move on again and one will be able to drive rather more quickly along the streets and roads; for all its wonders Street View is still a bit clicky-clunky. But it’s an amazing project and proof, if it were needed, that little remains secret in the 21st century.

Anyone else had fun with this?

Jersey Joggers, I wonder if anyone will come…

14 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by in Running

≈ 9 Comments

Crikey, I knew we’d had some interest but I didn’t expect 40 people to turn out for the very first session 🙂 Good intentions and all that. But come they did in their droves, most of them even bearing disclaimer forms which may or may not save me from a legal claim in case someone has a heart attack or something. All but a handful were female.

We’re starting off with a basic Couch to 5k course, over nine weeks. This involves a walk/jog routine, certainly in the early weeks. With little enough choice in Jersey on dark evenings we convened at Bel Royal from where you have traffic-free runs along the front with at least some lighting to guide the way.running man

This week’s three sessions are – warm up then jog 60sec, walk 90sec x 8, stretch. The jogging bits are done very slowly, though the participants have the option of stretching out a little if they wish after the half-way point.

I’ll gradually be introducing good running habits, one at a time. Tonight’s was simply – run tall, eyes ahead which automatically aligns head, shoulders and hips so the feet land correctly under the centre of gravity.

Now I hope everyone doesn’t bring an extra friend on Wednesday or we might be in crowd trouble!

Looking back at Cork Marathon June 2010

12 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by in Ireland, Running

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A bit nostalgic tonight. Back in June 2010 I made my third and final attempt at completing the Cork Marathon. At a low personal ebb early in 2010, having recently left Ireland with heavy heart, I promised myself that I would be back that June under happier circumstances. This is how that day unfolded.

Back On The Rock

That’s it, done, finished.  At the third time of asking I sailed (well…) over the finishing line in Cork yesterday.  I trained well for 18 weeks and finally executed a good race.  4:27.23 was only a little way outside my target time of 4:22 so I’m well pleased.

Weather-wise there couldn’t have been a bigger contrast to the last three race days; but there was no doubt which the runners preferred though it was pretty miserable for the many helpers, paid or otherwise.  Heavy rain was forecast for the 9-12 timeslot and duly arrived with a vengeance.  But before this I had the good fortune to meet Woddle and eliwallach from Boards.ie once again.  There were a lot more boardsies in town but on this occasion I missed them.

So, off with bin-liners and on with the race, starting from Patrick’s Street as usual.  Off around the town with me…

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Keep calm, deep breaths…

06 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by in Coaching, Running, Track & field, Writing

≈ 13 Comments

I nearly did it again. Did what? I nearly gave the ‘go ahead and print’ order for Tess of Portelet Manor. Thankfully however I called for yet another soft-copy proof.

With growing horror I’d marked up the previous, hard copy, proof with sticky flags. It was full of typeset errors where a word break at the end of a line led to white space after the penultimate word on that line. Advised that the corrections had been put through I was confident enough to give the print order – but I didn’t. Just as well. This latest proof has no fewer than 36 similar errors, plus a handful of typos which I’m sure I’ve identified before.

So it’s back to the printers, asking if they can give me a price for finally cleaning the thing up. It’s as well I like the story I’ve written as I can now recite it off by heart.

Do other writers end up tearing their hair out like this months after submitting their work, light of heart? How many times do you have to proof-read your work before printing?angry face

Meanwhile I’ve tentatively set off on my fourth novel. Hardly for the mass market this one. It will focus on real, modern-day slavery, alternating between the misery and cruelty bestowed on the slaves and trying to dissect and examine the money chain which enables the trade to happen. I wonder how readable I can make this! Not easy but I’m going to try.

And I’m also going to have a shot at a volume of short stories. This is a different discipline entirely and something I’m trying to learn as I go along. I’ve got a couple in the can which is, at least, a start.

And in other news my new Jersey Joggers group meet for the first time on 14th January. I have about 30 indications of interest, which is great. A big attendance will bring a number of little problems, but nothing that can’t be overcome. jogging cartoonIn addition I’ve just taken on a wider-ranging role in coaching the youngest members of Jersey Spartan AC, at least temporarily. I love coaching so it’s no real hardship.

And I’ve got to find time for tackling modules 6 – 23 of the course which will give me my higher qualification in throwing i.e. shot putt, discus etc.

All of which is a bit introspective and uninteresting for readers – my apologies. But I suppose it’s my version of looking ahead to 2013 and what’s on my plate. Now if someone would just do my full-time job (I get to keep the salary) then I’d be fine.

Now I have a week’s break, using up some of my 2012 leave entitlement backlog. The first thing I need to do is to catch up with my favourite bloggers, sadly neglected recently. I get so much enjoyment and inspiration from them that I’m looking forward to that.

Writing and running with the handbrake on

24 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by in Running, Writing

≈ 13 Comments

Frustrating isn’t the word. I closely proof-read the manuscript of Tess of Portelet Manor yet again before releasing it back to my editing/layout team for correction and submission of the print-ready file to the printers.

‘How many would you like? We can deliver week beginning 10th December’

How tempting was that – maybe get it on the local shelves in time for the Christmas market! But I remembered a lesson from before. At the risk of delaying delivery I asked for a hard-copy printer’s proof to go over it one last time.

Thank God I did. Dozens of instances of white space – double spacing and worse – have suddenly appeared in the text. It looks a total mess. I don’t know where this occurred but, had I taken delivery in that state I’d have rejected it, probably at my own cost.

So instead of happily reading over a story I’ve loved writing – and maybe isolating a handful of minor corrections, I’m going through it grumpily, marking up with red pen and yellow Post-It flags. And once the file is re-submitted I won’t dare give the Print order without reading through yet another proof. Grrr!

But the front cover’s beautiful isn’t it?

But in other news I hear that  Jersey Life, a local lifestyle magazine, will be reviewing A Jersey Midsummer Tale in their December issue 🙂

And on the running front I’m enjoying getting out there in a small way again, pleased not to have lost too much fitness. OK, I’m still being passed out by women carrying their shopping and old blokes with Zimmer frames, but I’ve no past glories to live up to. I’m still trying to register Jersey Joggers with England Athletics but their website refuses either to recognise Jersey postcodes or to proceed without a postcode.

Whatever, as with the book, time isn’t important.

Fire takes no holiday

18 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in Running, Writing

≈ 6 Comments

A beautiful morning, and the last runner in the Jersey Spartan AC Half-Marathon had just gone by my marshaling position in St Clement. There I was chatting with Derek, an old friend, when we hear a voice behind us. ‘Help, help! My house is on fire!’ There, jumping about in the road, was a young lad wearing only his boxers. It was clear that he was serious. Derek made a beeline for the house in question, I dialed 999.

In the few minutes before the fire engines clanged along from town the kitchen fire had been dealt with and everybody was safe. I was, of course, glad about that but in a way felt a bit guilty that two units of Jersey’s finest had nothing left to do  other than check things out. Still I know they’d rather be attending emergencies rather than eating egg and chips and practicing sliding down their poles.

Fires don’t translate so well into literature. One scene that sticks with me is from one of my favourite reads Trinity by Leon Uris. The book itself is magnificent, telling a story of Ireland from three differing viewpoints – Catholic, Protestant and landed gentry. The scene in question is a fire in a linen factory in Belfast (if memory serves me correctly) with security such that escape from the factory for the Catholic workers is impossible. The description of the blaze and those trapped by it sends ice through your veins.

If you get a chance, read the book. But I don’t want to end Sunday on a tragic note. Have you heard about the blonde whose house was on fire? ‘Help’ she shouts into the telephone, ‘my house is on fire!’ The man at the other end says ‘It’s all right luv, don’t panic, how do we get to your house?’ The blonde thinks for a minute then replies ‘Duh, use the red truck!’

Running, I remember that…

15 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in Running

≈ 11 Comments

Once upon a time this was a running blog more than anything else. Then, after my second and last marathon in Cork (June 2010) that side of things gradually fell away. I’ve done very little in a couple of months now but on Tuesday went out for a very pleasant jog/walk with our receptionist from work, a gal 1/3 my age determined to keep in shape.

Then this evening I got this lovely email from a woman I coached a year or so ago. It reads.

Hi Roy,
you probably dont remember me, I was on your couch to 5k course last september and missed the last 2 weeks because I was away (I was the one who struggled!!). This is just to let you know that in october I competed in the Bupa great south 5k, the first time I had ever run that distance, I ran the whole way in a time of 39 minutes 12 seconds. Quite amazing as when I entered I put down an approx time of 50+ minutes. I absolutely loved the experience and have kept up the running since. This is just to thank you for your patience with my starting attempts when you kept me company at the very back, without your encouragement I would never have turned up each time!!

So now then, I’m going to make a concerted effort to get a new group, Jersey Joggers, off the ground before the New Year. It will offer coaching and running company just about free of charge, rather than have people pay £75 or so for a 9-week course via the local adult education college. It will give me a new impetus and hopefully I’ll get into shape fit enough to race in 2013.