The festive period is also a great time for shopping. This year, my activity has been very much limited but I did snatch a bargain off Play.com, acquiring the Batman Begins/Dark Knight box set for just £8. Two of my favourite films of recent years and ones I'll watch many times over.
I've never been a particular fan of the caped crusader, but Christopher Nolan's darker, edgier take on Batman has propelled it past the usual sensationalist garbage that dominates the super hero genre. I can find inspiration from just about anywhere and as a keen moviegoer, there often comes a film that really grabs my attention and gives me lessons to take beyond the screen.
It was whilst watching Batman Begins again that some of the themes really hit home. Recall the training scenes with a young Bruce Wayne and his teacher Ra'as al Ghul (played by the awesome Liam Neeson) early in the film. Aside from the literal advice ("always mind your surroundings"), aimed for a ninjitsu student, being so relevant to running as well, he instills in Bruce a mentality that I am fast coming to depend on. The essence of Batman is that his persona is so far removed from that of Bruce Wayne. Bruce was taught to "become more than a man in the mind of your opponent" and by becoming so fearsome and seemingly infallible with his incredible speed and power, he indeed succeeded in scaring the hell out of his enemies.
I feel the same when I'm out running. Well, sort of. I don't have an opponent as such but I am continually battling with my own mind, resisting the urge to slow down or quit and convincing myself that I am bigger than the run. Whenever I'm training, I try as much as possible to remove myself from my comfort zone. If pain is expected, it can be understood and dealt with. The beauty of running is that it doesn't have to be so painful, but the reality is that to reach this state one must push the envelope to unthinkable levels. The test is to become something more than my usual self when performing.
Much of my life is suffused in mediocrity, if that. In a given day, most of my hours are executed well below full capacity; often just wasted. But whilst I'm running I can rise above the usual crap and, for the briefest moment, perform at a level befitting of God's creation. And the beauty is that there is always room for improvement. I will never content myself with my performance levels. I'll always look forward to the next milestone. Right now, it's the marathon. Beyond that, who knows?
I think I adopted this mentality long before running came into my life. As an undergraduate I was an exam machine, seeing Finals as the ultimate challenge. I was relentless in my revision, not allowing myself to compromise on the most rigorous standards. In the few hours a day when I was working, I became more than just a student. I was a warrior, facing the ultimate battle. I try to apply this in any form of competition or challenge; whether it's an exam, Pool match or simply a Countdown game. Why compete half-heartedly? It just isn't worthy of us.
The crucial thing to remember is that we do have our limits, but to not truly test those limits is nothing short of criminal.
Friday 25 December 2009
White days...
The festive period is upon us. Usually, it's a period I anticipate with some joy as it is synonymous with holidays, good TV and snowball fights. There is something soothing about being in the warmth of the indoors, as rough weather batters the outdoor surroundings. This year, my thoughts shifted to those of trepidation. Icy roads a happy 'Been does not make. With the swimming pool and all gyms closed for a while, I am now heavily reliant on the roads staying clear in order to keep up training.
Waking up to the sight of snow has therefore not been a comfort this week. I am continuously monitoring the weather, looking for signs of improvement. In the meantime, I'm looking to focus on the positives: it's a good opportunity to focus on core strength with indoor drills. Also, the bike hasn't been used enough recently so it's a chance to make up for lost time.
In perhaps the most pathetic moment of my running career, I injured my foot in an inexplicable living room incident involving my Chicken Cottage miniature Football. So even though the roads were clear today, any running has been put on hold. Fortunately, it seems to be healing now and I expect to be fit again by the week's end. I'll be going home for the next week and will hope to build up to a long run (14-16 miles) during that time.
Waking up to the sight of snow has therefore not been a comfort this week. I am continuously monitoring the weather, looking for signs of improvement. In the meantime, I'm looking to focus on the positives: it's a good opportunity to focus on core strength with indoor drills. Also, the bike hasn't been used enough recently so it's a chance to make up for lost time.
In perhaps the most pathetic moment of my running career, I injured my foot in an inexplicable living room incident involving my Chicken Cottage miniature Football. So even though the roads were clear today, any running has been put on hold. Fortunately, it seems to be healing now and I expect to be fit again by the week's end. I'll be going home for the next week and will hope to build up to a long run (14-16 miles) during that time.
Friday 18 December 2009
Sink or swim
It's been an action packed week off the roads, as I've been busy preparing for and conducting interviews with prospective undergraduate students. A fantastic experience, but incredibly draining. Perhaps then, it was unwise to choose this as the week to embark on a crash course of four 'improver' swimming lessons. Still, escapism isn't the worse thing and in all honesty I was in need of some tips, however much I thought I was improving.
These suspicions were quickly confirmed as I was clearly the weakest amongst the 6 in the group. It was like PE lessons all over again; not the fondest comparison. However, any feelings of embarrassment and apprehension were overridden by my desire and need to improve. I have many skills and strengths and can quite happily admit that swimming is not one of them, at least not yet. The lessons were worth the £25 fee, if only because I learned how to tumble (a somersault in water; not as hard as it seems). My technique has been corrected and much theory has been fed to me. How much of this sinks in (pun intended) remains to be seen, but it's a splash in the right direction.
I think the long-term solution may be one-on-one lessons, but I am just about content with my current level. If, and it's a large if, I do consider triathlons later down the line, I'll feel a sense of urgency. Right now, I'll look to make steady progress; running remains the real focus.
These suspicions were quickly confirmed as I was clearly the weakest amongst the 6 in the group. It was like PE lessons all over again; not the fondest comparison. However, any feelings of embarrassment and apprehension were overridden by my desire and need to improve. I have many skills and strengths and can quite happily admit that swimming is not one of them, at least not yet. The lessons were worth the £25 fee, if only because I learned how to tumble (a somersault in water; not as hard as it seems). My technique has been corrected and much theory has been fed to me. How much of this sinks in (pun intended) remains to be seen, but it's a splash in the right direction.
I think the long-term solution may be one-on-one lessons, but I am just about content with my current level. If, and it's a large if, I do consider triathlons later down the line, I'll feel a sense of urgency. Right now, I'll look to make steady progress; running remains the real focus.
Sunday 13 December 2009
Upping the mileage
Training is well on course, a balanced mix of the various disciplines each contributing to improved all round fitness. The focus remains on running and everything is geared towards the long runs on the weekend. A 10 miler last weekend produced no real surprises. I was able to get through without any significant setback, despite a sluggish start. However, niggling ankle concerns meant training this week was very much limited to the pool, bike and gym. I did give the vibrams another whirl in the local park and sense it won't be long before I consider using them on the running track; the adjustment to this bizarre looking footwear is seamless. By the weekend, my freshness had returned and I set a twelve mile target for today's road run.
I've noticed significant improvement in my swimming lately; increased stamina and smarter technique is allowing me to incorporate front crawl in up to half my laps. I hope to improve this further still with some lessons in the coming week. I also feel less pathetic in the gym, although my strength is still below par. An improved diet of added protein should help address this and I'm even starting to cook some serious food in the form of chicken, as opposed to simply devouring raw tuna.
One would hope that the sum total of these efforts would see an improved performance in the running itself. My current pace is consistently around the 8 minute per mile mark, which is about where I peaked prior to Birmingham. My hope is to reduce this by about 30 seconds in the coming months, though at this stage it's unclear how ambitious that is. Some interval training around the Roger Bannister track down the road will no doubt help, however gruelling. If my pace was decent enough, the only other measure of progress was endurance. Twelve miles ought to be within reach, but why stop there?
At around mile 6, the motivation really kicked in. I'd just taken on the steepest incline of the entire run and was set for a flat few miles. My legs were in slow decay, but breathing was well under control. Pace was decent, but sustainable. As I hit the tenth mile, I was almost gone, but still had miles left in the tank. Breathing was not the issue; just the lethargy felt by the legs. At mile 12, I dared to venture further. The incentive to breach my previous record of 13.1 miles proved too tempting and off I went for one final swansong. As I returned, my stopwatch indicated that my pace remained consistent throughout. I clocked in at 1h 53, pretty much much maintaining the 8 minute per mile from start to finish.
It wasn't a totally unexpected performance, but it was premature. My target was to hit 14 miles by the end of the year, so I'm now ahead of schedule. I'll use the extra time to focus on speed drills, but with the comforting knowledge that the endurance aspect is well and truly on course. If I can avoid injury, I can look to embrace the new year with my first 16 mile run. Why not?
I've noticed significant improvement in my swimming lately; increased stamina and smarter technique is allowing me to incorporate front crawl in up to half my laps. I hope to improve this further still with some lessons in the coming week. I also feel less pathetic in the gym, although my strength is still below par. An improved diet of added protein should help address this and I'm even starting to cook some serious food in the form of chicken, as opposed to simply devouring raw tuna.
One would hope that the sum total of these efforts would see an improved performance in the running itself. My current pace is consistently around the 8 minute per mile mark, which is about where I peaked prior to Birmingham. My hope is to reduce this by about 30 seconds in the coming months, though at this stage it's unclear how ambitious that is. Some interval training around the Roger Bannister track down the road will no doubt help, however gruelling. If my pace was decent enough, the only other measure of progress was endurance. Twelve miles ought to be within reach, but why stop there?
At around mile 6, the motivation really kicked in. I'd just taken on the steepest incline of the entire run and was set for a flat few miles. My legs were in slow decay, but breathing was well under control. Pace was decent, but sustainable. As I hit the tenth mile, I was almost gone, but still had miles left in the tank. Breathing was not the issue; just the lethargy felt by the legs. At mile 12, I dared to venture further. The incentive to breach my previous record of 13.1 miles proved too tempting and off I went for one final swansong. As I returned, my stopwatch indicated that my pace remained consistent throughout. I clocked in at 1h 53, pretty much much maintaining the 8 minute per mile from start to finish.
It wasn't a totally unexpected performance, but it was premature. My target was to hit 14 miles by the end of the year, so I'm now ahead of schedule. I'll use the extra time to focus on speed drills, but with the comforting knowledge that the endurance aspect is well and truly on course. If I can avoid injury, I can look to embrace the new year with my first 16 mile run. Why not?
Wednesday 2 December 2009
The long run
I've trained somewhat excessively in recent weeks, although running itself has been limited to 10k runs at best. A fortnight ago, it became obvious I was overdoing it in the other disciplines (swimming, cycling and gym) when a 10k run was so laboured I was absolutely spent by the end and only managed an 8 1/2 minute per mile pace. Probably the first time I've felt disgust and outrage at the end of the run. Or maybe I wasn't putting enough runs. Or maybe it was a problem with diet.
With so many variables, the safest solution was to pay some attention to all of them. A week later, I felt more fresh and embarked on another 10k run; moments after completing an 800m swim. This time I flipping the script, producing my best performance since Birmingham by coming through in around 46 minutes. Confirmation that my fitness levels are still there, as long as I don't overdo it.
Now the training proper starts. Three runs per week; one drill-based session (fartlek or interval at the track), a tempo run (5-6 miles on grass) and the biggie: a long road run on the weekend. I'll start with a 10 miler and gradually work my way up. I've not attempted more than 10k since Birmingham but am confident I'll make it through without any real trouble. The focus will be geared towards endurance, since I'm looking to eventually double this distance. I should come home after 10 miles feeling like there's plenty left in the tank. Still, some honest preparation is needed and a carb-enriched diet and measured cross training is par for the course. The long runs are very much the most rewarding aspect of training. Essentially, every training session is geared towards being able to run longer distances. It is only really after the 6 mile mark that one can truly get lost out there. The incentive to recapture this experience is what drives me forward.
I'm gaining strength all over, thanks largely to improved gym sessions. I'm very much a gym whore in that I've worked my way around the university, with anyone willing to join me. As the vacation approaches, I'll have to impose a certain degree of self-discipline as all such mentors will be away.
I feel there is currently a balance in terms of all round fitness and strength training, but the pendulum will soon be shifting back towards running. That is the real prize, after all.
With so many variables, the safest solution was to pay some attention to all of them. A week later, I felt more fresh and embarked on another 10k run; moments after completing an 800m swim. This time I flipping the script, producing my best performance since Birmingham by coming through in around 46 minutes. Confirmation that my fitness levels are still there, as long as I don't overdo it.
Now the training proper starts. Three runs per week; one drill-based session (fartlek or interval at the track), a tempo run (5-6 miles on grass) and the biggie: a long road run on the weekend. I'll start with a 10 miler and gradually work my way up. I've not attempted more than 10k since Birmingham but am confident I'll make it through without any real trouble. The focus will be geared towards endurance, since I'm looking to eventually double this distance. I should come home after 10 miles feeling like there's plenty left in the tank. Still, some honest preparation is needed and a carb-enriched diet and measured cross training is par for the course. The long runs are very much the most rewarding aspect of training. Essentially, every training session is geared towards being able to run longer distances. It is only really after the 6 mile mark that one can truly get lost out there. The incentive to recapture this experience is what drives me forward.
I'm gaining strength all over, thanks largely to improved gym sessions. I'm very much a gym whore in that I've worked my way around the university, with anyone willing to join me. As the vacation approaches, I'll have to impose a certain degree of self-discipline as all such mentors will be away.
I feel there is currently a balance in terms of all round fitness and strength training, but the pendulum will soon be shifting back towards running. That is the real prize, after all.
Bare necessity
I've never been one to adhere to conventions. I'm open minded about most things and will usually be willing to give something a chance, however strange and unintuitive it seems. So when I suggested barefoot running as an alternative a while back, it was not just hypothetical. As my training steps up, it seems apparent that niggling injuries will persist. They come in different flavours and currently it's my left foot that is causing problems. It is mild enough for now and certainly not severe enough to have to consult my physio, but the usual remedies are proving ineffective. I'll not be deterred from a full training regime just yet and will monitor the situation, taking a step back if necessary.
These doubts suggested I ought to consider the Vibrams seriously. They seem to be growing in popularity and I've heard from many sources that they reduce the risk and severity of injury massively. With an influx of Eid money, I had the financial means and without hesitation ordered a pair online. Within days, the moment arrived when I finally got to hold my new babies; except, they weren't quite what I imagined. No picture can fully prepare you for the Vibram FiveFingers. Put simply, they look ridiculous and it's hard to see how their £75 price tag is justified. Still, it's what's on the inside that counts (so I'm told), except there wasn't much going on there either. It certainly took long enough to even get my toes in their individual slots (not as easy as it seems but I may just have nailed it by now). Once on, I barely felt a thing. That's the point of course; these glove-like shoes are designed to simulate the barefoot experience.
Since any transition to barefoot running will take time, I've decided to limit them to one run per week and only on grass for now. Today was the day to really put them to the test; a casual 40 minute run in the local park. Within moments, my feet and the shoes were soaked with all kinds of crap as I paced up the boggy hill (no socks, of course). It was tempting to just go home at this point but I embraced the thought of being so far out of my comfort zone and continued, despite the wet and slippy conditions. I was soon lost in the wonderful world of isolated, barefoot-like running. By the end, the shoes seemed to have aged a decade and headed straight for the washing machine. On a positive note, the promised joy of wearing these seemed to be delivered in parts, at least. There were moments, and they were only moments, where I could literally believe that I was actually barefoot. At times I was sprinting with ease and having full use of every bone and muscle in the foot was liberating. Maybe it's an exaggeration, but my hope is that before long I'll be so used to them that these moments will very much become the norm. At that point, I'll step it up to the running track and then ultimately to asphalt.
My left foot felt fine throughout as did the rest of my lower body. This may be more down to the fact that it was a relatively short run but the initial impressions are good. Runner 'Been may just become Barefoot 'Been.
These doubts suggested I ought to consider the Vibrams seriously. They seem to be growing in popularity and I've heard from many sources that they reduce the risk and severity of injury massively. With an influx of Eid money, I had the financial means and without hesitation ordered a pair online. Within days, the moment arrived when I finally got to hold my new babies; except, they weren't quite what I imagined. No picture can fully prepare you for the Vibram FiveFingers. Put simply, they look ridiculous and it's hard to see how their £75 price tag is justified. Still, it's what's on the inside that counts (so I'm told), except there wasn't much going on there either. It certainly took long enough to even get my toes in their individual slots (not as easy as it seems but I may just have nailed it by now). Once on, I barely felt a thing. That's the point of course; these glove-like shoes are designed to simulate the barefoot experience.
Since any transition to barefoot running will take time, I've decided to limit them to one run per week and only on grass for now. Today was the day to really put them to the test; a casual 40 minute run in the local park. Within moments, my feet and the shoes were soaked with all kinds of crap as I paced up the boggy hill (no socks, of course). It was tempting to just go home at this point but I embraced the thought of being so far out of my comfort zone and continued, despite the wet and slippy conditions. I was soon lost in the wonderful world of isolated, barefoot-like running. By the end, the shoes seemed to have aged a decade and headed straight for the washing machine. On a positive note, the promised joy of wearing these seemed to be delivered in parts, at least. There were moments, and they were only moments, where I could literally believe that I was actually barefoot. At times I was sprinting with ease and having full use of every bone and muscle in the foot was liberating. Maybe it's an exaggeration, but my hope is that before long I'll be so used to them that these moments will very much become the norm. At that point, I'll step it up to the running track and then ultimately to asphalt.
My left foot felt fine throughout as did the rest of my lower body. This may be more down to the fact that it was a relatively short run but the initial impressions are good. Runner 'Been may just become Barefoot 'Been.
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