St Peter's Hospice - Meet the running bears

So here they are. Our companions for the next 6 months will be these two tough bears:

They look lean and mean and ready to take on the challenges of the Jurassic next week and the TransAlp in September. They have been togged up by David's highly talented PA Ann Readman. She's done a great job for them, so they are kitted out in the latest high-tec breathable running kit and headbands.

I am sure they will keep everyone updated with their exploits during the Jurassic and the TransAlp, and let you know what their running partners, David and Mike are up to.

The Jurassic - One week to go

We now have the race instructions for the Jurassic. That's 3 marathons in 3 days. A total of 78.6 miles on two feet. As the poster for the event says: 'The cowardly wont start and the weak wont finish!'

There are about 170 people entered for some or all of the event along the Jurassic Coast footpath. It runs along the Dorset coast from Lyme Regis to Poole, including one lap of Portland Bill (as you do!). I have copied three pictures from last year's event onto this blog. As you can see, it's very much off road along the coast path. It can be very scenic, but it can also be very wet.

This is when we hope that all the winter training has prepared us for the strain that we are about to subject our bodies to. We will soon find out! We will also get to know what the TransAlp will feel like, even if there aren't too many mountains along the Dorset coast.

One of the more depressing statements in the race instructions says that 'Skinners brewery have supplied the evnet with free ale. This will be available at each evening meal.' Now, I love my pint, but I do think it's a form of torture from the race director to put on free pints of a great ale when you can't (or at least shouldn't) be drinkingg it. It really isn't the best was to prepare for running a marathon. It will test our willpower to not just try a pint (or two).

My Life Personal Training - The training's working

Last Friday (12 March), Mike and I spent some time hooked up to a gas mask while running for a mere 10 minutes on the running machine. All this to try to find out how our metabolism has changed from when we first did the test in July 2009. The treadmill starts as an easy walk, with the pace increasing each minute to a speed of 7 mph (roughly 8 minute miles) after 5 minutes. The incline is kicked in each minute after that.

This picture shows Mike a little worse for wear after last time's test.

The steady increase in effort means that your heart rate makes a steady but continual trend upwards until your body says it's had enough, at which point you fall off the back of the treadmill (or more accurately, spat out the back).

The comparison of our results makes interesting reading (for us at least). They demonstrate quite clearly that our winter training has had the desired effect. My VO2 Max has increased from 56 to 59, but more importantly, when exercising at marathon race pace, I have increased my fat burning from 50% to 100%. That should mean that I can run much longer at marathon pace.

Also my anaerobic threshold (where your body produces large amounts of lactic acid so that your muscles are unable to maintain the activity, and frankly give up the ghost) has increased from a heart rate of 138bpm to 167bpm.

This picture shows Mike with Dave from MyLife, who's just been showing us some core exercises. Dave definitely looks happier than Mike!

We are being helped through the interpretation of this data by the fantastic team at MyLife on Apsley Road, Clifton. Andy Wadsworth knows his stuff and is helping us both understand the data. He is also providing us with tailored training plans to help us through the build up to the TransAlp. The key area to work on in the coming weeks is core strength, always a critical but often neglected area for endurance runners. We tend to resent doing anything other than running as we feel that we have to get the miles in. The reality is different in that cross training and building core strength develops all round strength to assist running form, nit just the strong muscles to cope with the long distances. It also rests the brain from just churning through the miles.

And it's only two weeks from that treadmill session to the Jurassic starting on 26 March. Don't we just look like we're ready?

The Ironwood Challenge

Mike and I were race directors for the Nailsea Running Club Ironwood Challenge on Sunday 28 February. A 6ish mile race through the woods around Long Ashton. One heck of a course. I ran it 3 times over the weekend. Once to clear the undergrowth, once to mark the route with fellow NRC runners and once to check the course early on Sunday morning. 6 miles of muddy hills. The winner completed the course in 45 minutes (and he would normally complete a 10km race in 30 minutes. The last finisher took 2 hours. A fantastic effort that just goes to demonstrate the sheer determination to finish a very tough course. I'm not sure everyone enjoyed every muddy yard of the route, but everyone seemed to be smiling at the end, so we (NRC) must have got something right with the course over the years. We also learned a lesson from last year and made sure that the route was very well marked. Judging from the number of runners wearing road shoes, I don't think many realised how off-road and muddy the route was going to be. They now now! A great race with 207 entrants this year, almost double last year and we have the larger NRC races to come, with the Long Ashton 10k next on the Sunday of the first May Bank Holiday on 2 May 2010. http://www.nailsearunningclub.org.uk/long-ashton-10k-entry.pdf

Blogging again

After a winter break from the blog, it's time to step up the blogs. Winter training can seem a bit of a slog, but can be great fun. The coldest winter for 30 years also made for some memorable runs. This included running round the parks of London when all the lakes were frozen. The serpentine was impressive, especially with a small window of ice roken to allow a pool for the birds to swim.

I have been finding many different routes around London. My favourite route being down from Moorgate to the River, along the Embankment to Big Ben, over Westminster bridge, then back along the South Bank to Tower Bridge. It passes lots of landmarks including the London Eye, The National Theatre, The Globe, the Oxo Tower, The Golden Hind, HMS Belfast and many more. Then its back past the Tower of London, past Monument and back to Moorgate. About 7.5 miles.

The number of runners on this route is always incredible, but about 70% wear ipods, so never say hi or even acknowledge you. Very boring (or am I just gettig old?).

Still just one month to the Jurassic Challange. That's 3 marathons in 3 days along the Dorset coast path from Lyme Regis to Poole. Looking forward to it!