While the title may sound like the birth of an unlikely superhero franchise, it was precisely for this reason that I found myself back in the hot seat on Monday. Around a month ago, I received one of my best emails of 2010 so far; an invite from Countdown series producer Damian Eadie for a special show against archrival Charlie Reams. It was the last of four specials filmed that day, with other lineups including the fascinating Laddiman-Sfyris showdown and downright awe inspiring prospect of Bevins-Davies.
As a veteran of game shows, I can proclaim with no hesitancy that Countdown is a cut above the rest. Even though this was just a friendly encounter to fill up a slot in the calendar at some arbitrary point later in the year, it was another opportunity to experience all the thrills of appearing on my favourite quiz show. The beauty of Countdown is its wide ranging appeal; consider that its target audience consists largely of OAPs and young blooded students. It is the latter which tend to dominate the show as contestants, thanks largely to their willingness and ability to learn endless word stems and number tricks. With a buzzing online community and plethora of real life competitions, Countdown exists well beyond the screen. But there's no doubt that the greatest joy lies as a contestant in the studio itself. With an engaged audience and tons of cameras focussed on you, it's the perfect stage on which to shine.
As always, the experience began long before I even entered the ITV studios in Manchester. Having arrived in the hotel (all expenses paid!) the night before, the sight of the other contestants was a welcome reunion. I was in a self serving form of semi-retirement until I received the invite, from which time I practised enough to be confident of my prospects. I'd neglected the forum in recent months and missed the last few real life tourneys, meaning it'd been a while since I'd last seen the guys.
Countdowners form a special bond for many reasons. For me, it's probably because nobody in my everyday life has enough of an interest to want to discuss or play the game. With this lot though, we did nothing but. Watching series 60 champion Kirk Bevins display his incredible word knowledge was par for the course. Sad, maybe. But my kind of sad - I wouldn't have it any other way.
It was a pleasure to see young Kai Laddiman again (although at 13, not so young anymore). At 11, he wowed the nation by reaching the semi-finals of series 59 (which some joker went on to win). The strange thing is that Countdowners exhibit a childlike excitement for the game, meaning he was anything but out of place amongst us oldies. Aside from his obvious flair for the game and academic prowess (A Level student in Maths already), it's actually his down to Earth demeanour and zest for life that really stands out. Remember the name, because this guy is destined for great things in life. His tussle against Dinos Sfyris, a very likeable and highly capable player, was the perfect example of what makes the game so enjoyable to watch. Dinos recently appeared on The Krypton Factor and his performance has inspired me to apply; more on this later.
Speaking of brilliance, we were treated to the ultimate battle between the two champions of 2009; Kirk Bevins vs Chris Davies. The top two players of our generation and arguably of all time. It did not disappoint and we even got to see Davies solve the Rubick's Cube in 25 seconds (he wasn't quite at his quickest).
And what more can be said about Charlie Reams? Think me but whiter, slightly funnier, not quite as good looking, but equally charming. I've battled with the Cambridge PhD Computer Scientist twice before in two close contests. I edged the series 59 final but he avenged me in the Championship of Champions QF that followed soon after. A decider was always rumoured but to actually get the chance to do it on air was a real privilege. I tend to enjoy our games; decent enough quality but what really sets them apart is the enormous amount of fun we both have. We tend to exchange knowing glances in between every round. This game was perhaps my most watchable, with many twists and turns and a whole load of laughs throughout. I shall say no more.
That night, I found myself talking to Jeff in the hotel. As an eight time marathon runner, he imparted his inspiring words of wisdom on me: "Don't stop during a race. Ever." Fair enough! I stuck around for the Tuesday recordings, mainly in anticipation of the 5000th show, enjoying the games as a spectator. I think this will be my role from now on; I've had more than my fair share of thrills as a contestant. Still, I'll always accept any invite to go back. No other game show is like it. The game is played with such grace and class that it's so hard to let go. Which is probably why I continue to compete online (on Charlie's wonderful site) and in CO-events. It's great to be part of this family and I intend to stick around for a while.
The Mubeen-Reams decider will be aired on August 16.
Saturday 27 February 2010
Breaking it down
With just over a fortnight remaining before my first planned race, injury continues to paralyse my efforts. I've now had three sessions with therapist Patrick Cane, who continues to emphasise the importance of stretches, teaching me new tricks along the way. I almost look forward to our weekly sessions, despite the inevitable discomfort of his deep muscle massage. Sports therapists are the real world analogues of Jack Bauer; getting paid to inflict pain. In an almost masochistic way, I quite like the idea of my dodgy muscles being broken down so that they can rebuild in the right way. It's definitely worth putting up with if the long term result is easier, pain free running.
Speaking of which, I did venture out on an 8 mile run on Thursday. I'd not ran for over a week so was wary of my fitness levels, even though I had kept up CV training through swimming and the cross trainer. The result was adequate enough; 62 minutes suggesting I was still on form. The shin splints were minor extras, but the foot pains stole the show again. The pain surfaced at mile three, peaked at five and then stabilised. How on Earth I'm meant to run twice this in a fortnight is a daunting prospect. Still, with continued therapy and lots of stretching and therapeutic remedies (think Radox baths and hot water bottles), I'm hoping the pain will get no worse and maybe even disperse over the crucial weeks ahead.
Paris remains on, but with tempered expectations; I am mentally prepared for the very real possibility that the marathon will be delayed. The kilomathon will be an honest measure of if I am on course in two weeks. Until then, I am having to compromise on mileage, striking a balance between not overdoing it but running enough to condition myself for the full race. My training has taken a severe hit, but is not quite dead in the water.
A welcome relief from this strain was a return to the Countdown studios as a contestant; see the next post for a review (no spoilers).
Speaking of which, I did venture out on an 8 mile run on Thursday. I'd not ran for over a week so was wary of my fitness levels, even though I had kept up CV training through swimming and the cross trainer. The result was adequate enough; 62 minutes suggesting I was still on form. The shin splints were minor extras, but the foot pains stole the show again. The pain surfaced at mile three, peaked at five and then stabilised. How on Earth I'm meant to run twice this in a fortnight is a daunting prospect. Still, with continued therapy and lots of stretching and therapeutic remedies (think Radox baths and hot water bottles), I'm hoping the pain will get no worse and maybe even disperse over the crucial weeks ahead.
Paris remains on, but with tempered expectations; I am mentally prepared for the very real possibility that the marathon will be delayed. The kilomathon will be an honest measure of if I am on course in two weeks. Until then, I am having to compromise on mileage, striking a balance between not overdoing it but running enough to condition myself for the full race. My training has taken a severe hit, but is not quite dead in the water.
A welcome relief from this strain was a return to the Countdown studios as a contestant; see the next post for a review (no spoilers).
Thursday 18 February 2010
My left foot
It's been over a fortnight since my last post, the longest lull since I started blogging last year. It's due not to laziness (though that does account for a lot of other things in my life), but my lack of desire to discuss running whilst injured. Yep, I'm injured and then some. Shin splints were the problem initially but issues with my left foot manifested during a 'casual' 6 mile run. Before I knew it, running felt painful and lethargic, suggesting I was having real problems in my lower legs.
The cruel irony is that this flared up very soon after I launched my second fundraiser, advertising a trilogy of races beginning with the kilomathon on 14th March. In the last 10 days, I've done very little running. I gave RICE a try but even after six days a 5 mile run proved too testing. This was despite buying new running shoes (and socks!) and attempting a slower pace. With the first race looming, drastic action was needed. I somewhat randomly came across a local strength trainer, Patrick, and after a pleasant phone conversation arranged to see him on Tuesday. After a thorough 90 minute debrief, which including him stretching me out some, he was very confident in where my problem was: my leg muscles, particularly the calves, are far too tight, accounting for both my foot and shin problems. He demonstrated with real panache the difference a bit of stretching can do. By getting me to squat before and after, he was able to convince me that some sustained therapy might be prudent.
I am due to see him again on Friday. In the meantime, I am off running and all training is in the pool and on the rowing machine (which is growing on me despite its ruthlessness). In the meantime, I'm regularly performing some stretch exercises he taught me. We hope I'll be running again within a week and that my plans for 14 March, and especially Paris on 11 April, are still on track.
Patrick's sessions will no doubt prove useful, but also expensive, at £35 a pop. I am happy to invest some serious money as I feel he can and will make a difference. I hope it's enough to see me through Paris, as that is the only real goal for now. I can address underlying issues thereafter, no doubt aided by my sessions with Patrick.
So for now, patience is key. I may well have to resign Paris, but that will just mean delaying the marathon by a few weeks. Given how far I've come so far, and how long the experience will stay with me, it'll be worth the wait. I don't just want to finish the marathon; I want to run it and run it well, without stopping or walking. For reasons that will become abundantly clear in a few months time, I will only be attempting one marathon this year and not two, as I originally planned. So time is still on my side. But I am itching to get back on the roads. Heal, muscles!
The cruel irony is that this flared up very soon after I launched my second fundraiser, advertising a trilogy of races beginning with the kilomathon on 14th March. In the last 10 days, I've done very little running. I gave RICE a try but even after six days a 5 mile run proved too testing. This was despite buying new running shoes (and socks!) and attempting a slower pace. With the first race looming, drastic action was needed. I somewhat randomly came across a local strength trainer, Patrick, and after a pleasant phone conversation arranged to see him on Tuesday. After a thorough 90 minute debrief, which including him stretching me out some, he was very confident in where my problem was: my leg muscles, particularly the calves, are far too tight, accounting for both my foot and shin problems. He demonstrated with real panache the difference a bit of stretching can do. By getting me to squat before and after, he was able to convince me that some sustained therapy might be prudent.
I am due to see him again on Friday. In the meantime, I am off running and all training is in the pool and on the rowing machine (which is growing on me despite its ruthlessness). In the meantime, I'm regularly performing some stretch exercises he taught me. We hope I'll be running again within a week and that my plans for 14 March, and especially Paris on 11 April, are still on track.
Patrick's sessions will no doubt prove useful, but also expensive, at £35 a pop. I am happy to invest some serious money as I feel he can and will make a difference. I hope it's enough to see me through Paris, as that is the only real goal for now. I can address underlying issues thereafter, no doubt aided by my sessions with Patrick.
So for now, patience is key. I may well have to resign Paris, but that will just mean delaying the marathon by a few weeks. Given how far I've come so far, and how long the experience will stay with me, it'll be worth the wait. I don't just want to finish the marathon; I want to run it and run it well, without stopping or walking. For reasons that will become abundantly clear in a few months time, I will only be attempting one marathon this year and not two, as I originally planned. So time is still on my side. But I am itching to get back on the roads. Heal, muscles!
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Setbacks
Yesterday signalled the return to my long run, a 'casual' 14 miler at steady pace to maintain fitness levels before pushing it up to 18 miles next time round. Within minutes, I realised the run would be anything but casual. A stiffness in my shins suggesting I was either fatigued or was suffering from tight muscles. It imposed an excruciating level of discomfort in what would otherwise have been a relaxed opening few miles. By the end of the 5th mile I was forced to stop; I can't recall the last time this happened. I've kept up an impressive record of completing every distance I've set out to cover. However, it now seemed I'd have to settle for a shortened excursion.
After some desperate stretches and loosening my running shoes, I set off again. Breathing was a breeze but the pain continued to dominate. A frustrating experience which suggested I had 9 miles in me at best. I stopped again after mile 6 and found myself walking for a while before I resumed a 3 mile steady jog home. It was during this period, with Eminem blasting through my headphones, that my legs seemed to embrace a new lease of life. Within the next mile, I was feeling fresh enough to up the pace and contemplate the 14 mile run after all. By the time I'd finished mile 8, my face was plastered with a cheeky grin. An astonishing twenty minute turnaround; an emphatic demonstration of the beauty of triumph over adversity. The final five miles presented a new challenge but one I was expecting: the shin splints are back and here to hound me for a while. It'll be back to RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), but for now my concerns were drowned out by screams of joy at finishing the run in 1h 58. Six minutes above my last 14 mile effort in December, but this race was very much about endurance not speed.
By the end, I was grateful to have gone through the early suffering. There is no doubt in my mind that, however well prepared I may be, I will hit the wall in my first marathon. I anticipate the last few miles being a battle of will, which could well break me. It will be in these moments that I draw on past experience for inspiration. To know that you've overcome the suffering before is a huge weapon. That's what this run gifted to me. Never has suffering been such a pleasure.
I remain concerned about injury; it seems I'm always contending with something. Shin splints have been dealt with before but are a major hassle. More worrying is my right ankle, which seems to flare up in the latter parts of my long runs. They are setbacks, to be sure. But I'm still going for now, at a level that gives me confidence in launching my next project. Stay tuned.
After some desperate stretches and loosening my running shoes, I set off again. Breathing was a breeze but the pain continued to dominate. A frustrating experience which suggested I had 9 miles in me at best. I stopped again after mile 6 and found myself walking for a while before I resumed a 3 mile steady jog home. It was during this period, with Eminem blasting through my headphones, that my legs seemed to embrace a new lease of life. Within the next mile, I was feeling fresh enough to up the pace and contemplate the 14 mile run after all. By the time I'd finished mile 8, my face was plastered with a cheeky grin. An astonishing twenty minute turnaround; an emphatic demonstration of the beauty of triumph over adversity. The final five miles presented a new challenge but one I was expecting: the shin splints are back and here to hound me for a while. It'll be back to RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), but for now my concerns were drowned out by screams of joy at finishing the run in 1h 58. Six minutes above my last 14 mile effort in December, but this race was very much about endurance not speed.
By the end, I was grateful to have gone through the early suffering. There is no doubt in my mind that, however well prepared I may be, I will hit the wall in my first marathon. I anticipate the last few miles being a battle of will, which could well break me. It will be in these moments that I draw on past experience for inspiration. To know that you've overcome the suffering before is a huge weapon. That's what this run gifted to me. Never has suffering been such a pleasure.
I remain concerned about injury; it seems I'm always contending with something. Shin splints have been dealt with before but are a major hassle. More worrying is my right ankle, which seems to flare up in the latter parts of my long runs. They are setbacks, to be sure. But I'm still going for now, at a level that gives me confidence in launching my next project. Stay tuned.
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