FosterRuns – Page 65

May 15, 2008

Snoozy tromping

When I started my last company, I would quite often feel tired during the day and developed the knack of having forty winks, sitting upright at my desk with my back to the office. My staff quickly cottoned on to what I was doing and used to fire elastic bands at my head, but they were either too scared or too poor a shot to ever hit me! Ten or twenty minutes would usually suffice to take the edge off a heavy-eyelid moment and I could then work on with a clear head.

This ability was very useful when commuting on busy trains as I could quickly escape from the journey and I was even able to zone out when standing up.

Thinking my alarm was about to go off, I leapt out of bed an hour early this morning and have been heavy-lidded ever since. Even running!

My nose took me out around the south-west of the town this morning, running on gravel paths and largely baked-hard mud. Despite the surface making for a more efficient run, my tiredness made it harder work and I merely tromped along and kept a steady pace. At the half hour mark I emerged onto a deserted road and had to walk for five minutes, my heart not being completely in it.

From there, rather than be intrepid, I ran straight back through the middle of town, probably scaring the early morning commuters half to death in my shorts. Despite inclement weather and a more than slight disinterest in running, it was an interesting run as I was able to look at all the lovely houses along the route.

I got back in 52 minutes, a few minutes before the torrential rain started and whilst normally the rain wouldn’t bother me, this morning I was glad… it would have just about finished me off! I dozed my way through a couple of pieces of toast and a cup of tea and then measured my progress on the map. 6.1 miles.

It really is amazing how you get used to recording slow times when you run cross-country a lot… and surprising when you get back onto a hard surface. Even including the very slow five minute walk, I managed an average speed of 7mph. Take the walk out and I had run at 7.7mph. And I had only been tromping.

No wonder I had to have a snooze at my desk before I started writing this!

May 11, 2008

Blisteringly hot new paths

I’m hoping that by sitting in the cool of my office, writing, my energy will return. For two hours now I have been walking slowly about the house, shallow breath, eating gently, spending a long time in the shower. The latter because I had too little energy to lift the soap.

It has been a beautiful morning, certainly ever since I rose at 7.30am. This may have been a trifle early for a sunday but it gave me a chance to sit supping espresso in the garden, reading at my leisure.

I had made a mistake yesterday, twice walking into town in a pair of old boat shoes and creating, then destroying, the blisters that quickly formed on both heels. I scoured the house for Compeed to no avail, but found some this morning in my depleted first aid kit. What would we do without Compeed?

I set out with one of my vague notions to visit the Beacon, or at least notgo north off the map again! My nose went south along Keymer Road, branching off left towards Oldland Mill and I dutifully followed. I was merrily hoofing along on firm ground when my feet disappeared into a heavily disguised puddle of almost liquid mud and I had to stop to take the picture above.

Once past the mill, I dropped down towards Ditchling but skirted right and across to Keymer. Here I aimed for Clayton and a very kind dog-walker pointed me in the direction of a boggy wood (with the delightful name of Lag Wood) at the point where I thought I was lost. This turned out to be quite beautiful, with a stream meandering its way through and though I initially scoffed at the use of the word boggy, I did indeed manage to find a stretch of deeper mud to splosh through.

Somewhere along the way I passed a glorious house with a statue of a traveller sitting by a pond. Overall quite idyllic.

Once through Clayton, there is a really (really!) steep path to Jack and Jill and I put my legs in low gear and made myself run the whole way…

… and then past and on to the very top of the hill. I took the next photo because you can just see the bright white Oldland Mill facing the Downs, almost in the middle of the shot. I thought it might give a sense of how far I had run. Especially bearing in mind that I was really feeling it by this stage.

From the Beacon, I dropped directly down into Ditchling and back up the lane to Oldland Mill again, where a chap kindly explained the presence of a marquee and assorted paraphernalia. It’s an open day today, so if you act fast, you might still be able to get there while the food lasts. And if the wind blows, which seems remotely possible, they will be letting the sails turn.

The stretch home from there was hard work, but I just kept the legs going, avoiding the odd squishy puddle and then avoiding the cars on Keymer Road. As I stood gasping for air and stretching my muscles out at the front door, so my neighbour emerged, probably to take his family off somewhere for lunch dressed in their summer clothes. They must have thought I was certifiable, standing there in my muddy trainers and shorts… and the recently removed and sweaty t-shirt that I had the dignity to put back on when they emerged!

Overall, it was just shy of a half marathon distance, at 20.5km or 12.8 miles, but I would have won no prizes for the two hours thirteen that it had taken me to complete. Set against the slow pace (5.78mph or 10.4 minutes per mile) was the fact that I explored a whole new set of paths through some very pretty places, did a small chunk of the South Downs Way with its stunning views, had no pain whatsoever from my busted blisters and managed to keep going without the need to walk.

I’m feeling better already!

May 10, 2008

Fading memories

The combination of a particularly busy post-bank-holiday four-day week and the hard-drive on my desktop that decided to fail, meant that I didn’t get to write about the Thursday morning run. And while your memory might be able to recall things from two days ago, mine seldom can, hence one reason for my writing! But I’ll do my best.

Nick had forgotten to dry his trainers so he had brought his old (still sparkling clean) pair. Based on his complaining about them most of the way round (like running with slabs of concrete strapped to his feet, apparently) I reckon they probably went in the bin when he got home. After he cleaned them up one last time, of course.

Our run took us out past Ote Hall and then off the top of the map (I know, I know) as we crossed Rocky Lane at the sharp corner tunnel and headed back towards the mill ponds. As we were strapped for time we headed back to Wivelsfield Station, cut up through the wood adjacent to it and made it back in 52 minutes. Which was the same as last time. I’m guessing that the distance was about the same too, maybe a little more at 5.5 miles… dunno.

Thankfully there was still enough mud to dirty Nick’s trainers, but the going was otherwise perfect. In fact, everything was perfect: it was warm but not too warm, gorgeously sunny and Nick’s slabs held him back as I sprinted ahead in the last 100m.

Suffice to say that Completely PC were extremely helpful, enabling me to collect my repaired box at 11.30am this morning, having only dropped it off at nine!

It’s now beautiful outside again, but alas I have to repent for my sins and stay in to catch up with work… oh, and my memories!

May 5, 2008

Legs out

It is rare for me to get frustrated by something sufficiently to dis it online, but www.mapmyfitness.com has just spent half an hour winding me up. I won’t go into all the gory details, but suffice to say that a site designed specifically for runners should have a map with footpaths on it. This one doesn’t even have a reliable feed to a satellite map. USELESS!

All I can tell you about yesterday’s run is that it took one hour 20 minutes and was probably longer than 8 miles.

Please can someone remind me to buy the two OS maps I need to see the land to the north of BH so that I never have to return to mapmyfitness?

Anyway, where was I before I was so rudely interrupted?

For the first time this year, my woolen Thurlo’s remained in the drawer, along with my longs and all my lovely cold weather gear. In their place were Oakley’s, Pearl Izumi shorts and t-shirt and cotton Thurlo’s. The warm weather had finally arrived.

I had lost track of time sitting relaxing and reading, so I had only a short window of opportunity to run, otherwise I would have sought to match a half marathon distance in lieu of not joining Cliff et al in Worthing (yes guys, I do feel guilty for not making it!). Setting out, the going was initially hard work, but after twenty minutes or so I relaxed into the pace.

I had intended to stay within the confines of my map, but I get curious sometimes and so I found myself running north from Wivelsfield along the road to Haywards Heath looking for paths off to the right. There were none, so I ended up on Colwell Lane again, where the mud was still in abundance, before dropping down through the woods and crossing to Spatham Lane… though I have no idea how, for the reasons mentioned above.

From there I ran south into Wivelsfield, straight down through the woods to the Royal Oak and on back to base. Quite simply a glorious day to run and I look forward to hearing the times from the proper race.

May 1, 2008

Slippy

Neither Nick nor I were in a mood to run this morning and we very nearly skipped it and went straight into breakfast but for two reasons: Firstly, we had our running kit on and second, I had already skipped one run this week, with Daren on Tuesday, in favour of breakfast. It seemed churlish not to go.

It was hard going though as we tramped off up the road, with both breathing and legs heavy. We decided to keep the run short so approximately reversed a normal-ish route and cut some corners off.

Spring was showing with the ground firmer under the surface but the impact of the recent April showers was apparent in a very slippery top layer of mud. Quite frankly, we were all over the place and only the constant core stability workout from running off-road and a little luck saved us from any number of muddy falls.

Although I did run headlong into a small tree at one point as there was insufficient traction to turn around it! For some reason Nick kept getting caught on the brambles along the side of the path, but that serves him right for being a wuss about keeping his trainers clean!

It was certainly a pretty little run that ended with Nick demonstrating, as per usual, just how much faster he is back along the home straight.

We covered a distance of 5.2 miles in 52 minutes (well, Nick in 51 minutes!) which is 6mph on the nose. Not bad bearing in mind how many of our footfalls were taken off sideways by the conditions.

April 27, 2008

The mud in Goodwood

On account of my fencing yesterday (I had particularly tight shoulders and, er, butt-cheeks for some reason!), I didn’t feel like running this morning. So despite the thunderstorms, we took a drive out to visit the Sculpture Estate at Goodwood.

This is a 26 acre wood, filled with over 70 outdoor sculptures that have been commissioned by the Foundation. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place to wander around is the perfect place to showcase the pieces, more magical today with the wood steaming from the last rain shower. As well as a slightly soft layer of mud, so I felt right at home.

The sculptures are all for sale, but with prices up to £290,000 (although there were a couple of £POA’s, from which you can draw your own conclusions!) it’s fun to just look! The one pictured above (Sunday Sport by Paul Day) is a cool £45,000, but it is amazing!

We decided to go back to the little visitor centre at the end and timed it perfectly with a really heavy downpour.

Entry to the Estate costs £10 per person but that’s a very small price to pay for the tranquility and the magnificent views north across Sussex.

We did think it was a shame that they did not have a small cafe to get a cup of tea though… until we followed their suggestion and drove down to the Goodwood Park Hotel. This is a four star hotel with real manners and though we only wanted tea and cake, they treated us like royalty.

Even to the extent that someone went to the other side of the hotel to find some cake, which a chef then iced especially for us! It was the most delicious coffee cake I’ve tasted in a long time. They then found us some newspapers so we could sit in the supremely comfortable leather chairs and read. I braced myself for the price of our simple afternoon tea… £6.90, all in.

We’ll be back!

April 27, 2008

Fencing in shorts

Yesterday morning was beautiful and as we sat outside eating breakfast I wondered exactly how I would spend the day relaxing.

Last year I removed the fence between us and our neighbours on one side, with the intention of replacing it with something more sightly. With the fence gone though, all agreed that it not being there was a marked improvement and it had stayed that way ever since, allowing the afternoon sun to filter gently through the leaves.

One downside however, was that as the honeysuckle and roses died back in the winter, so it became a little too open for my taste, so some time ago I conceptualised a cunning modesty panel. I use the word conceptualised quite deliberately, as I had no idea how I was going to do it. The panel would abut the wall and sit gracefully across the end of a gazebo, but this was too wide for a stock item. So, as an insight into how my mind works, I approached the problem thus:

First, I worked out where the post would go and drove a steel post holder into the ground… back in November! It was in a tricky place to swing the sledgehammer and there are some tenuous roots at that point, so inevitably it went in slightly skewed… and that’s how it stayed.

Next, early in April, I bought a stack of wood. And last weekend, a roll of bamboo screening.

So, yesterday morning, because it was sunny and I couldn’t think of the best way to relax… and because our neighbours went out (I hate an audience when I think I’m going to make a fool of myself!) I put on my shorts and worked out how I could fix a post neatly around the back corner of the garage. And then, having cut, drilled the pieces and assembled them, fixed it in place.

Next, I consulted my craftsman friend Andrew regarding the twisted post holder and he suggested the judicious use of a five-foot iron bar (which I just happened to have laying about!) to twist it into the right place. With some ingenuity (using a bar-size drill-bit and a couple of 2×4 offcuts) I coaxed the holder into the right place and dropped the post neatly in.

Now the tricky bit. Who knows how to construct a fence panel? Not I, as I had been more than aware for several months! Helpfully, I still have a few fence panels around the garden so I had an excellent template… and I scribbled down how mine would work for good order.

I first measured the space between posts, then cut and laid out two simple frames sandwiching two layers of bamboo screen, pretty side out. And firmly screwed it all together… which actually wasn’t that difficult. With the help of my excellent assistant, who had been weeding, cutting edges and generally catching the sun, we lifted it snugly into place and I screwed it home.

Et voila, there was a modesty panel. Not exactly what I had in mind for the day, but at least the legs came out as promised!

Redirecting the garden lights created a pleasing tableau and I now can’t wait for the weather to be warm enough to sit out in the evening!

April 27, 2008

Short d-run-ken

Nick and I went to an (er…) interesting networking event in Spitalfields on Friday night for entrepreneurs in the social digital space. If that term makes no sense to you, don’t worry, as most of the people there were making it up as they went along. We went for two reasons. Firstly, to chat to other like minded people about our idea and second, to enjoy a publicised free beer.

It got off to a poor start, as when we arrived half an hour after the event commenced, the music was too loud to talk to people inside, the free beer was gone and the Sol was £3 a bottle. Whoever was coining it in did not appear to be among the bulk of the people that we talked to, or who spoke from the rostrum in a series of short presentations (against an increasing groundswell of bar-room chatter). Whilst the general ideas presented were interesting, there tended to be a lack of thought given to the business model… as in, er, how does this make money?

Leaving after the presentations and a few bottles of (captive?) beer, we strolled past the cafe culture of Spitalfields until we realised what the time was. Twelve minutes to train o’clock. I remember some time ago Nick mentioning to me about running after a few beers before and I also remember reminding myself not to try it myself, but here we were, of a sudden, running down Bishopsgate like a couple of bag-snatchers.

What was quite surprising was that the beer made little difference to our progress and we ran effortlessly down Gracechurch Street, avoiding the myriad pedestrians, over London Bridge, in to the station and right up on to the platform. We even beat the arrival of the train by a minute or so. Probably not our fastest run, not our longest at just over a mile, but definitely the funniest!

April 24, 2008

More mud!

A short run this morning for two tired blokes …which reminds me that I forgot to mention that I had the £80k Vogue on two wheels at a couple of points yesterday. Anyway, it was a sunny morning and both my jacket and longs were pretty much superfluous. Which means that my shorts (and by extension, legs) may make an April showing if the weather is okay on Sunday.

We almost opted for a pavement run, but went the muddy way after all. Out around the common, with it’s marshland areas, up through the woods with its sticky mud, across the wet-land part of the common and back down Folders Lane.

It was 4.5 miles in 40 minutes: an average 6.8mph, but with a top speed of over 13mph according to Nick’s now functioning utility watch. Interestingly, these speeds are not dissimilar to yesterday!

April 24, 2008

All mud and no running

Would it surprise anyone if I said that I spent yesterday crawling around in the thick Chiltern mud? I don’t suppose so as any regular readers will know that I’m always up to my knees in the stuff.

But the main aim of yesterday was not to get too muddy, but rather bump and splosh around at an elegant ride height at least a couple of feet above the ground. Courtesy of the Land Rover Experience. The function of this truly excellent centre is to demonstrate to potential buyers the ability of this most English of Chelsea Tractor. In extremis.

I can tell you first hand that the streets of Kensington & Chelsea are cared for in a way that puts other councils to shame, with perfectly paved, level sidewalks, motorway standard tarmacking and regularly cleaned gutters. Outside of the garden squares and patio pots, mud does not feature widely.

This centre, by comparison, has an awful lot of the stuff. Deep, slippery ruts and complex cross-cuts, tracks submerged in watery mud, teflon-coated muddy grass, steep muddy inclines and dizzying drops, tree-lined forest tracks with mud mixed with roots… you name it, they have it!

I know from ice-driving in Sweden how much difference tyres make to safety so I was stunned to find out what kind they proposed to use to cope with this dictionary of muddiness: standard road tyres on all but one fairly old, green Defender. Moreover, all but the aforementioned were completely standard vehicles in every aspect.

During the day I got to drive the green Defender through the very worst of the mud and deep water, a Range Rover down through the forest trail (avoiding all but three of the myriad tennis balls suspended strategically from the trees), a new silver Defender round a typical time trial section with awkward gates, tricky changes in camber and surface and the very worst of the ruts and cross-cuts (Penny and Pete will know what I mean) and a Range Rover Sport out on the road.

To prove how truly amazing these vehicles are, we persuaded the team to let us drive the final vehicle, an £80k Range Rover Vogue TDSE, not out on the road as planned, but over some extreme bumps and at some fairly radical angles both sideways and endways. I’m pretty comfortable driving most anything, but we were at such an angle sideways at one point that I thought I was going to fall out of my seat!

I was so enthralled that I completely forgot to take any pictures, but late in the day I caught a short video. Watch the horizon very carefully to get a sense of what we were doing in a perfectly controlled way, in beautifully appointed comfort. the-drop.mp4

All-in-all a totally mud-tastic day!