Dive and cheat your way to success the Ashley Young way

Training for a marathon is hard. There are no short cuts to success. Unlike football, where you can dive and cheat the game as you make your way to having an opposition player sent off and an easy penalty and an undeserved win. A marathon offers no such short cuts. You either do the training or you fail. Based on this definition, Ashley Young hasn't got what it takes train for a marathon the diving, cheating little toe-rag.

I had my first attempt of running over a half marathon this last weekend as part of training for the MK marathon at the end of this month. My aim was to complete 20 miles, where I just made it to 18.5 before realising I could not go any further. Without wishing to be too hard on myself, I hadn't ran that far before and was in unknown territory. I was also knackered.

So a few bullet points, what did I learn?:

• I took 380ml of liquid with me, that was not enough for a run of over 3 hours. Fool.
• I did not pace myself too well to start with, but I think I settled into a reasonable marathon target pace of 11 min/per mile from mile 4 to mile 15 before gradually (well, dramatically) slowing.
• Long roads that disappear over the horizon can be demotivating - I need to think of small targets, not the goal that doesn't seem to get any closer.

My overall pace perhaps was too fast given my fitness level and more importantly my experience of marathon running (i.e. none). According to my log I started with a mile pace pace of 9.5 min/mile for the first mile and then settled at around 11 min/mile by mile 4. By mile 15 my min/mile times started to go to granny pace where each mile took one minute more until I gave up half way through mile 19 at a pace of 16 min/mile.

I remember that at mile 13 I felt good. My previous long runs have been ok until mile 9, then have got tougher, this time that didn't happen. That's good right? Maybe it's a mental thing. I do remember though that towards the end of the run I just seemed to run out of gas, things that had felt good 10 minutes before suddenly became sore and I couldn't think about much else other than when I was going to stop.

There are still a few weekends for some more long runs to get this done. I plan a 13 mile run this weekend and another crack at the 20 mile route one week before the MK 26.2.

Could Ashley Young do this - no chance!

Finding the accelerator pedal

Learning how to run with the chirunning technique is not easy. Although the chirunning book is well written, with many examples, any book can never replace practice. In my view it would be great if practice is guided in some way, perhaps by a peer who is already familiar with chirunning. Although I understand there are chirunning coaches, there are not any here nearby in north Buckinghamshire, so I will have to make do with the book!

In chapter 4 the book describes what are at first glance a bewildering set of steps that are intended to guide the runner towards the perfect chirunning technique:

• Keep your stride length short as you take off
• Keep your lower legs limp
• Pick your foot up over your opposite ankle, and don't push off with your toes
• Remember the wheel, pretend you are peddling a small cycle
• Lean from your ankles by tilting your column forward
• Let your feet hit at the bottom of your column
• etc etc

Pam is demonstrating the technique below:

Clearly, this is complex. I am reminded of when I learned how to drive and heard the instructor state: 'mirror, signal, manoeuvre'. When I first stepped in a car the guidance from the instructor was overwhelming, but after a few lessons, and now many years driving it's now second nature. Could it be that after years of practice the chirunning technique will also become second nature?

I believe that there may be some short cuts to mastering the chirunning technique, for example I have found through experience that by looking ahead while running and focusing on the horizon, the other 'chirunning techniques' follow in some way. Systems thinkers might refer to looking ahead and focussing on the horizon as a 'point of leverage'. After all if you are going to move a car you can get out and push it or you can touch the accelerator peddle! Could looking at the horizon be that accelerator peddle?

I usually put a note on music I have listened to when out running, so below is a link to a video of a band I watched last night in London, 'Shearwater': http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mBLB-_b3_Jk

You can find further information on the chirunning book here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chirunning-Revolutionary-Approach-Effortless-Injury-Free/dp/1847392784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333574092&sr=8-1

Bloody useless BBC weatherman

It is said that the English are not as warm as our European cousins, for example the Spanish are known for their fiestas - those colourful, noisy social occasions where the locals celebrate (not sure what, just having fun?) and drink Rioja, the Germans for their Beer Festivals - what can be better than just drinking beer for fun!, the French -  where going on strike is a national past-time as people leave their jobs for a day or two, cause chaos for everyone else and protest together somewhere, how wonderful. So what about the English? In my view, it is clear that the English are just as warm, if not warmer than our European cousins - you just need to be able to press the right buttons. For example, whilst out on a jog, if you just say 'Good Morning!' to an Englishman, around 60% bother to mutter a reply (maybe I am just deaf, but that seems to be my experience), but if you offer the proclamation: 'Isn't the weather lovely/good/bad/awful today?', every Englishman worth his salt will respond. The response is likely to not just be yes or no, you are likely to hear an opinion - how lovely! If you are not careful, you might even get pulled into a conversation about the weather. It is also great to hear the little 'moan' that us English bring into a pleasant discussion - we are full of surprises:

• 'Yes, well the weatherman said it was going to rain today, but the suns out - bloody useless BBC weatherman'
• 'The sun's out, but its bloody cold, what's the point of that?'
• 'It's overcast and it looks like its going to rain later and it looks like you don't have a rain jacket chap, oh dear'

Apart from chatting randomly to joggers and walkers on my long runs about the weather, I have been stepping up my mileage the last few weeks. It is 4 weeks to the MK marathon, 4 weeks! Its not long, but I plan to continue to increase my mileage up to around 20 miles next weekend. On comments made to this blog I have heard its advisable to do a long run to at least 20% short of the full distance on the 3 weeks before and 1 week before the race. I will be following this advice, so that means I will be running 20ish miles next Sunday probably followed by a 13 mile run the following week. I ran 14 miles today and generally felt good for the first 10 miles, while the final 4 were a bit of a trial. That might have been down to the burger and two pints of cider I enjoyed yesterday, but I am on the home straight now, not much more I can do but just get out and plod out these miles and make it as comfortable as I can. Gulp.

5 Pints and a Curry

So that's done then, wow that was great! The Marlow Half Marathon was a very well organised event, there were marshals throughout the course making sure that we didn't get lost and they also offered no little encouragement. If any Marlow marshals (or any other marshals on any other half marathon for that matter) read these notes - thanks for your time, support and enthusiasm. I must also make a special mention to the African singing drummers that were playing throughout the race and that were giving an 'African feel' to the event. The Marlow Half Marathon event supports the 'WaterAid' charity, and the race organisers worked hard to make this association clear.

I am writing this note a few hours after the race, and although the stiffness in my legs is slowly settling in, it feels good that I achieved my target, and also that I saw some lovely scenery along the Thames this morning. I hadn't ran 13 miles for a few years, and had forgotten how tough it is. On reflection I got caught up in the positive atmosphere of the event and probably went off a little too fast and suffered a bit on the last few miles as a result. Regardless, I made it round and had a few pleasant chats with a few of the 1000+ runners who got up on this beautiful morning in the Royal County of Berkshire for a jog.

So what did I learn that I'll take with me for my next race?:

• Don't drink 5 pints and have a big curry the day before a half marathon (it was great to meet up with an old friend on Saturday, but maybe it wasn't the best idea to get too carried away)
• Try to run the race distance at least two weeks before the race to help build some confidence that you can do it
• Don't get over ambitious - my relatively quick start had me dreaming of a fast time and maybe a sprint finish, but by mile 12 I was just happy to slowly put one foot in front of the other and plod my way home to the finish
• Have a fluid consumption strategy. There was plenty of water handed out throughout the race, but I think for the next one I will take my own (sugar) liquid supply that will help to keep me going over the final few miles

If you would like to find out more about the 'WaterAid' charity, you can go to the link below. This charity works to ensure that poor communities all over the world receive access to clean water.

http://www.wateraid.org/

It's squeaky bum time

The marathon is only 4 weeks away and I am nervous. I have crept my mileage up to 10 miles, but clearly that is some way from 26.2. Running a marathon is not just about putting your shoes on and running, you have to prepare for the race itself. To this end I have entered a half marathon in Marlow on Sunday. 13 miles, oh dear, that's a long way isn't it?

At a running event I guess you have to think about a few things:

• Where the hell is it, do I know how to get to this place?
• Is it hilly or flat, on pavement/road or a trail (what techie equipment do I need)?
• How do I run with all these other mad competitive nutters?

I have run with a local club here a few miles away in Aylesbury, but I generally run on my own. Why would I want to run with anyone else? I don't run to be sociable, part of the fun of running for me is that there is no one else there. It's an obvious point to state that to run a race you have to run with other people, so this Sunday run out will help me get used to that. I generally don't enjoy the competitive aspect of running or any sport for that matter. I run with the purpose of that good old British Corinthian spirit - it is not the winning or losing that counts, it is the taking part, of being there (that's why I support QPR - experiencing all those wins as Man City fans do must be bloody tedious the sad smug gits).

I have run half marathons before, a good few years ago, I remember it being a rather humbling experience. As a 19 year old you think you are superman, but I do remember being passed by some relatively senior people rather effortlessly (my times were 1.45 for a half marathon - that's not bad I thought for a fat bloke). A 19 year old huffing and puffing away and being passed by a 70 year old granny on mile 12 may sound odd, but I suggest you run a half marathon race on a Sunday if you think its funny. There are a few 'experienced' people out there who will take your lunch you young fool. On that point, I passed an old duffer last week on my 10 mile run whilst going up 'Mark Hughes Hill' (regular readers of this blog will know what that is) and the old bugger said to me, 'well you are much younger than me chap'. Bugger off I thought, I am just fitter, age has little to do with it, not when it comes to recreational half marathons. Maybe at the elite level it does, but I am some way from elite (putting it generously).

So the purpose of this half marathon is not for a 'chocolate medal' but to get organised for this daunting MK marathon at the end of April, and to experience a race. Oh god, I am nervous now. It's squeaky bum time.

And they think it's all over

My team QPR could have done with that Russian linesman that enabled England to win the world cup in 1966 on Saturday. The ball did cross the line! Does it really matter? No, QPR are rubbish at the moment, and anyone that knows me well will know that I find that comforting. It didn't feel right with QPR winning every week last season, oh crushing defeat and disappointment - where have you been my old friends.

Anyway, onto a more optimistic topic. I am not giving up on the marathon just yet. I have been outside in the elements running for the last few weeks and have built up to 8 miles on Sunday (slow 10 minute miles, but they felt good). Yes, I know that's a long way short of 26, but you have to start somewhere...

I am aiming for the Marlow half marathon on 25th March, and I will see how I feel after that as to whether I push up the miles for the MK Marathon at the end of April. I have been experiencing an achilles issue for the last few months as anyone who has read this blog may know and it feels much better having not ran at all for two months. Let's see if it holds up. What's the worst that can happen, if it really goes bad I can always stop :)

I guess I could just stop, but what's the fun in stopping? I have been training for this (well swimming and biking) for months now. I have the places booked on these races, so I will go for it. I will reduce my targets and will aim to just get round. I fear that 26 miles is an unforgiving distance, but again if things fall apart halfway through the race, I am not stuck in the desert on one of those crazy ultramarathons, I am in MK - I can just catch a bus hahahaha. You have to watch out for those dangerous concrete cows though I've heard in MK, look at these:

I haven't mentioned the music I have been listening to for a while - so accompanying me on these runs recently were:

School of Seven Bells. I like this very 80's pop (but released a few weeks ago) and that's great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUrQnDVWXvo
John Mellencamp. I haven't listened to this in years and recently came across it again. it reminds me of my 6th form back in 1993 before I discovered Britpop indie music (Blur, oasis, radiohead (is Radiohead Britpop ohhhh)). Oh it's great to indulge oneself with this american rock stuff isn't it :): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXCD7hmlicg

Reflection on the last 4 months

I have decided that I am not able to enter the MK Marathon this year, or indeed the Marlow Half Marathon that I had booked for the end of March.

I have been plagued with an achilles strain for the last few months and unfortunately this has prevented me from doing any serious running. By now, I should be building up to 20 miles a week of varying intensity - I am no where near that. As the MK marathon is now only 8 weeks or so away, I have run out of time. Over the last 4 months, I have lifted weights, been swimming and biking, so I believe my all round understanding of fitness has improved.

Although the MK marathon was always my end goal, I believe that I have had a reasonable attempt at my objectives. These objectives were never made explicit in this blog, but they may be:

• Improve my understanding of fitness and how to change my lifestyle to ensure I don't put weight back on
• Build fitness into my daily routine, so it doesn't become a chore, it just becomes something I do to help me reflect on my day to day work
• Enjoy long distance biking, swimming or other activities, otherwise what's the point

My goal hasn't been achieved (for now), but I believe that I have achieved my objectives. There will be other marathons to train for. I aim to continue to learn and improve my understanding of what it takes to complete a marathon. Once this achilles strain improves, I will restart my training and run a marathon.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog!