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The Curio

Running & Other Odd Stuff

Get Up Promptly, or Run Late Hungry

So the alarm goes off this morning at 5:30 as I'd planned. Then I managed to press some button or other on the clock which altered the time and cocked up the alarm, which I didn't plan. Due to the fact that I never get up on the first alarm, I then missed my early morning run.

Already, I was playing catch-up, and I hadn't even got out of bed yet.  I love days like that. Anyway, this means that tonight, I'm going out for a run. Which also means I'll have to avoid eating anything beforehand. In the morning, my appetite is modest, so I can easily resist. At night, I'm bloody ravenous.

Which leads to the obvious conclusion that if I could only get my sorry arse out of bed on the first alarm, none of this would be an issue.

Ain't gonna happen.

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Filed under  //   food   hunger   running  
Posted February 8, 2010
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Garmin Noob Runs 23 Miles at 56 mph #fail

So I get myself a nice shiny new Garmin Forerunner 405, succumbing finally to Twitter peer pressure (you know who you are, people). It arrived at the office yesterday, so I resisted the urge to play around with it until I got home later that evening.

I read the quick start guide, charged it all up, installed the ANT drivers for the USB stick. So far, everything looking good. I planned an early start this morning for a 10k test run using my new toy.

Picture the scene. I get up this morning. It's dark, cold with slushy ice and snow covering the whole area. I opt for screw-shoes and a cross country route. I stand outside in the bleak, wet darkness. I select "training" and await GPS signal acquisition. Done. Now, press the "start" button. Perfect. And I'm off!

It's all going well, apart from the ground which is very muddy and waterlogged. A few inches deep in freezing cold water in places. But I don't care - I have my new GPS tracking my every move!  I glance down to check my progress. Bad idea, as I've run out of contact lenses and it's still dark anyway. I know!  the backlight!  Problem solved. Well, actually, problem worsened as I manage to press the bezel incorrectly, activating a different menu. Gloves aren't helping either. I'll back up. No, I won't. Wrong button. What bloody menu is this now?

All of this is happening as I'm blundering along in the dark, splashing through mud and slush. Finally, I resolve to stop trying to get the right screen to display and concentrate on finishing the course.

Finally, I arrive back home where I hit the "stop" button. I seem to recall that's what the instructions said. No time to worry about it now. Quick shower, in the car and off to Costco to pick up new contact lenses before arriving at the office, fresh for the day. I can't wait to see my progress when the 405 links up with my laptop.

I arrive at Costco for 9:00am, forgetting that they don't open until 12:00. Right, off to work then.

I settle down at my desk, eager to see the results of this morning's run. It's not auto syncing though. It's supposed to, I thought. What the hell?

Then, I notice the problem. The timer is still running. In my earlier confusion, I think I'd locked the bezel so the "stop" didn't work. I stop the timer. It automatically uploads as designed. The picture tells the harrowing story of my utter incompetence. You can see my run around the Flash, then my car journey to Costco at Haydock and then my journey South, eventually reaching the office.

At one point on my "run", I got up to 56mph.

The lessons my friends.
  1. Learn to use new equipment before you need it, not at the point you need it.
  2. Lock the bezel before you set off as wet clothing activates menus at random. Really. Lock the bezel.

Other than that, everything went pretty smoothly.

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Filed under  //   equipment   fail   kit   running  
Posted February 4, 2010
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You're not a runner if...

If... you don't acknowledge other runners on the street.

I know. I'm acting like a child, but it irritates me. Maybe it's me? Maybe I don't look like the kind of guy that people would want to say "hey" to. Are other runners intimidated by my obvious athletic ability or brutal long distance pace?  Is it because I look so great in my tights?

I'm guessing not.

I always make a point of acknowledging other runners. It's just polite. It's an unspoken rule, the rule of the open road. A hat-tip to a fellow journeyman who has, like you, chosen the hard road to self-improvement. It's a commitment that deserves mutual recognition.

Now this certainly doesn't to apply to all runners I see on the road or on the trail. But there's a significant minority out there who just don't get it. So, next time you're in my neck of the woods and you see a balding red-faced 40-something guy huffing along, please... show some love will you?

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Filed under  //   rant   running  
Posted February 1, 2010
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Social Training: Feeling Good About Telling the World Your Running Sucks

I have, for a long time, been quite happy to run alone. It's not a statement about my lack of friends, confidence, or about social ineptitude; its simply that I actually enjoy the temporary solitude. Re-charging the mind while simultaneously winding down the body. Or the other way around.

The only problem is, having someone run alongside you is a great motivator. You don't want to let your partner down, so you tend not to miss a run. You might need to pick up your pace a bit to keep up with a stronger runner, so you gain strength yourself. Chatting makes the miles pass by more quickly, and mutual motivation benefits all.

Social networking through sites like Facebook & Twitter have come to define how many people communicate with one another, discovering new friends, making contact with old ones. We shouldn't be surprised then, that the social networking phenomenon is producing specialist variations on the theme, whilst retaining integration with the massive social networking infrastructure that millions of people are already connected to.

A great example of this is Daily Mile. A social training site where you can record your workouts in detail, and share with other people. I'm on there, and it has been directly responsible for pushing me harder than I would normally have pushed myself. Why? Simply because my mileage is public. People comment on it. They offer motivation, and I offer it back in return.

What's more, I can connect with people who are already on Twitter or Facebook, and increase the number of virtual observers of my training. I also get to see what everyone else is up to. How am I doing?  Is everyone else doing more than me? How are my stats?

It is tremendously motivating. But it's not all just about comparing notes. There are some truly honest and heartfelt reports being filed up there from people who are quite inspirational. People recovering from injury, improving their health, achieving goals, setting challenges (which you can participate in). 

I've found that if you have a bad session, say so!  Its cathartic. Others may chime in, offering support. They've been there too and know all about those pains. You may get the odd wise guy, but what the hell. No matter what level you're at, there will be somebody faster, slower, younger or older than you. 

One final thing - if you think its hard to let your training partner down, try explaining yourself to 50 friends. Or 100. See how this works?

Add me on Daily Mile. But I warn you, my mileage is awesome. You'll not do more than me. Really. What's that? You're challenging me?

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Filed under  //   dailymile   running   social training  
Posted January 28, 2010
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Traffic schmaffic

Traffic is so bad here on the M6 that I can easily take a picture, write a blog post, and twitter about it. Bloody traffic!

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Posted January 25, 2010
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The reason I'm running this morning

People run for all sorts of honourable reasons. Sometimes though, it's just about payback.

It was a nice bottle of Spanish tempranillo garnacha. Now, I'll pay the price for drinking it.

There's a lesson in there somewhere.

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Filed under  //   running   wine  
Posted January 23, 2010
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Nature Calls Whilst Running

 

Unless you have facilities available to you like the one in the picture, at some time or other you may be confronted with the awful possibility that nature will call you when you're least able to answer. Like at 8 miles in to your long run, for example.

It happens.

If it's simply a pee that you need, that's pretty straightforward obviously. Especially for us guys. If, however we're talking No.2 then we're all in the same boat, and it's a bit more tricky.

I suggest the following strategy.
  1. Go before you go. Prevention is better than cure after all. Failing that, read on.
  2. Move past self-denial. If you think you can hold on, it's 50/50. You could be wrong, and you need to prepare for the next step. Failure at this point could end very, very badly for you. It's a long, uncomfortable walk home.
  3. Remove headphones (you need all your senses available), look around for a suitable spot. Away from prickly bushes or nettles. Don't forget to pause your stopwatch too. This really shouldn't be counted as run time.
  4. When you're sure nobody's coming, whip down the tweeds, do the thing. Keep clothing clear of the blast zone.
  5. If you don't have tissue paper with you (who the hell carries tissue paper on a run anyway?) you'll have to improvise. Dock leaves work well, or even a handful of grass. Poison Ivy less so.  Whatever you use, it won't be pretty, so don't worry about it.
  6. Fasten up, headphones on, start watch. Carry on as if nothing has happened.
My own unfortunate experience in this area (more recently than I care to confess to) involved the use of frozen grass at step 5. Not pleasant.

(Picture credit)

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Filed under  //   lavatory   running  
Posted January 21, 2010
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Most memorable run of 2009: Chicago

Got a couple of great runs in during a business trip to Chicago in Sept 09. What a great city to run in, a mixture of urban landscape and of course  the massive Lake Michigan. View below is looking North along N Lake Shore Drive.

You can just run as far as the eye can see.

From Chicago

There was some amazing early morning mist too, shrouding the city as I looked back from the shoreline one morning. Of course, I didn't have my camera with me.

This is about the closest thing I got later in the day. Doesn't do the early morning view justice though.

From Chicago

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Filed under  //   chicago   running  
Posted January 19, 2010
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Running shoe obsession and lifecycle

Shoe obsession is a complex thing, covering many areas of the human condition that I don't dare to cover on this blog. I must admit however, to having a vague obsession with running shoes. If you're a runner I think you'll empathise with me here. There is no piece of kit more important to a runner than shoes - the right ones enable  you to participate in your sport to your absolute maximum, and the wrong ones can leave you nursing injuries that will keep you off the road for weeks.

My shoes have a lifecycle, which goes something like this:

  1. Buy new shoes, use them exclusively for running
  2. When worn out (say around three hundred miles, depending on course conditions) use as casual wear
  3. Once appearance has degraded further, use as gardening or other work shoes
  4. Throw them away
Wait. I lied about the last point. I don't throw them away. They just go in to the garage, to my own personal running shoe graveyard. Furthermore, once a pair has found its way to the graveyard, I buy another pair to feed in to the new cycle.

The result is that I tend to have at least six pairs of running shoes floating round the house, when really, I only need two at the absolute maximum. One road, one off-road. Well, I say absolute. Those and a spare pair of road shoes too, just in case. And an extra pair of old off-roaders for screw shoe conversion in the winter. Maybe three off-road pairs as I do the odd bit of running on rocky trails too. Actually, make that four. Some of those trails are pretty wet and grassy, and that's a whole different tread pattern.

You know what? It looks like I don't have enough shoes. Damn. I knew it.

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Filed under  //   equipment   kit   running   shoes  
Posted January 19, 2010
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Trance podcasts for running

There are a lot of great podcasts by runners, for runners. Many of them feature podcasters who run as they record. The listening experience is that of having your own running partner right alongside you. This can make the miles slip by quickly, especially on longer runs. Check out Running Podcasts for a great list maintained by none other than Nigel from the Running From The Reaper podcast (which is one of my favourites).

So much for talking. What if you want to take some music along for the ride?  Music preference is an entirely personal thing, of course. I find that downtempo or overly emotional stuff makes the run a bit tougher. Instead, I like upbeat melodic stuff with a rhythm that matches my own pace. I'm not too keen on particularly thrashy stuff either - it soon stops having any effect on my energy level.

What better then, than a little Trance to get you in to the zone, turn on, tune out or whatever it is that you like to do?

My top recommendations:

A State of Trance with Armin van Buuren
Trance Around The World with Above & Beyond (see the TATW subscribe button on the front page)
The Sound of Trance with Jonny Monsoon (iTunes link, RSS link)

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Filed under  //   podcast   running  
Posted January 14, 2010
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