Soaked to the core!

Today's Manchester marathon was got to be the worst conditions ever for a UK event. The wind and rain was incredible, bad enough for us in our wet weather gear, runners in shorts and vest...

Royton road runners were on duty at the 38k aid station dishing out water,gels and shot blocks. New to me was the water packs as they were like sachets with a valve, they were quite easy to prepare and dish out with the added feature of splatting if a runners stands on them.

The shot blocks however we ended up cutting them out and pilling into boxes as runners had a hope in hell chance of tearing them open with tired frozen hands... Lord know we couldn't!

It was good to see our Oldham parkrunners on the route, first passed our station was Dave Peart who I believe snook under 3 hours which was bang on his target and his very first marathon. I would easily credit 10 minutes off any runners time in that area due to the weather!

I missed Simon but saw Anne-marie, Tony and Angie as well as a few Heaton parkrunners, Scouse John, Andrea and thought I saw Ria Bright heading up the road as we were leaving... The trousers surely could be no others.

Well done to every one who part including Andi Jones and Tony Audenshaw, their legs must be strong given they were running in the VLM last Sunday!!!

Over the last month I have started back in the gym and I have a trainer working on my Core, Glutes and arms. This has been a great motivator but unfortunately work and family life have meant running and cycling at an absolute minimum (parkrun my only running and the bike looks a bit dusty) I have however done a bit of swimming. The Wilmslow Triathlon is only a couple of weeks away and I must say my enthusiasm is very lacking, not helped by the fact xtramile events have not sent any correspondence to suggest I am taking part, not even a start time!

After watching the VLM last week on the TV and subsequent session in the pub to ease the torment of not being involved, I had a shake up and decided to give up booze once more! The next drink I should be having will be in "The moon on the mall" after the VLM 2013!!!

So now I am soaking in a hot bath after taking some strong painkillers for my dodgy shoulder, which the physio will be beating up on Mondays session...

Have a good running week!

Mark K

Back to running

In the last few week's I have started to get the running mojo back again. I would like to thank club mates, parkrunners and my mentor coach Don for all their kind words, support and advice.

Running has always been a part of my life summer games at primary, cross country at senior school, 10k team with BAe Systems and so on. Sadly it all stopped once I qualified as an aircraft sparky and promptly made redundant, work and family life seemed to push running to one side.

In 2004 I joined Oldham and Royton harriers after by chance seeing them at Heaton Park, cross country was going on and it caught my eye. I took part in the Manchester 10k in 2004 and 2005 but never seemed to improve and get back to the times I posted as a youngster! I enjoyed being coached by Joe Ashcroft who sadly passed away last year but my knee was always giving me grief, somehow just icing it did not help and I fell out of love with running once more.

I re-emerged into the running world in 2009 after reaching a hefty 13.5 stone (traditionally I am a skinny fella) the desire to get back to fitness kicked in and I was back in the Manchester 10K to see if I could make it around. Whilst buying some new trainers the salesperson asked if I ran for a club (personal service from a running shop not from some kid in a superstore...) No I answered and he mentioned Royton Road Runners, I made a pact that if I made it around the 10k and survived I would join RRR.

True to form I made it around in something like 51 minutes and signed up at what I now know to be a great club. Long story short I lost weight, gained fitness and got my 10k times back into the 38 minute territory.

After the London marathon in 2011 I thought I was on top of the world, a 3:09:08 had secured me a "good for age spot" in the VLM 2012. Alas a couple of weeks later whilst taking my group out on a Thursday, I ending up hobbling back with the left knee in agony after a couple of miles. My old adversary was back...

I felt as low as you be, I rested, iced, rested and iced but after a mile the pain just came back. Just to make it worse I had a health scare and was in and out of hospital with chest pains and fainting spells that frightened the life out of me. Eventually I was given treatment and signed medically not dead yet by the cardiology department and told to get fit and healthy again!

Strange though my life insurance premiums are now double what it used to be... Any hoo what does my musing mean thus far, well after getting physio I now know what the cause of my knee issue is and with ample stretching can overcome the pain. I have taken stock of my situation and am resolute to getting back on track. The Wilmslow triathlon is my next major target, not for super fast times but to focus on building strength into differant area's of weakness (if my physio is reading this then yes... My gluteus are the weakest ever).

I enjoyed Oldham parkrun this week, the sun was shining and seeing friends really perked me up getting ab sub 25 minutes a boost for sure. On Friday I had a brief run after work which felt hard but the speed was hardly electric. The knee was bit painful but a brief walk eased the pain and gave the old chest a breather.

This Wednesday will be the Vera Hirst 5K and though I am still in the premiership at RRR I doubt very much that I will be a threat to any of the fast guys till next year, hopefully I won't be bumped down too much at the sorting hat ceremony in 2013!

Have a happy running week and my blog should become a regular feature again. Next week I hope to bring you up to speed with the Oldham Half-marathon ( I am assistant RD) and October 21st should be in your diary, just the Police to get onside and we are in business.

 

Mark K

 

 

 

parkrunfans blog: ...and they're off!

parkrunfans blog: ...and they're off!

Training still not up and running

2 weeks into the new year and I cannot get excited by marathon training, sure I wore my 26.2 (www.marathontalk.com) technical t-shirt at this weeks parkrun but still my mojo ain't there.

I did have a great run with Rob Titherington at parkrun this week, I could just hold onto a conversational pace in spite of the playful rebukes from Jason Chapman and Andrew Berkley! I did remind them that parkrun is not a race... But still when Robert and I caught young Jonathan Healy at the last corner we picked our pace up, my legs would not carry my enthusiasm. Rob stole eleventh and I settled for 13th... Central governor in hiding!

13th was prevalent as on Friday I was flying back from London on the 3 o'clock shuttle, I am not superstitious except about re-tying my shoelaces before a race, but I did feel a trifle bit hesitant boarding the plane! 

The good news was my pace around parkrun was very steady and I had no pain in the knee or calves, finishing in 23:06 felt good for a change. 

I have been amazed with the tacx flow turbo trainer, my pre conception was that it would be like a treadmill... utterly dull and far too easy to just stop when it gets a bit hard. OK so it's shiny and new but it felt great and I can appreciate that most people I have spoken can manage 30-40 mins on a turbo trainer before having to get off.

For me though it means I can get fit, strengthen my legs and glutes without hitting the tarmac and braving the weather. I have a pretty good set-up with a fan to keep cool and my iPad loaded with movies and music so grinding the miles without leaving the house is cool. I can also work on my "Changing gears" routine, there nought like looking to see what gear your in and realising your waving over the road!!!

So treadmills, turbo trainer and pockets of road running not on a par with last years London marathon training but I am a realist and want to just enjoy the marathon, training and all. I hope to build up over the summer and rock an Autumn marathon.

Now I have been challenged by a fellow parkrunner Nephi Alty in Jantastic I have to step up to the plate for sure :)

Have a good running week one and all (How are those New Year resolutions working out for ya?)

 

Mark Kelly