Virgin Triathlon

Over the past few weeks I have been simply trying to build myself back up to being able to run a 10k race comfortably enough to be able to have a real go at it.

There is no doubt that the effects of the injury continue to plague me, mentally more than anything.  I can't quite 'go for it'.  Something still is holding me back.

Therefore I was more than a little nervous this weekend as I headed for the Excel Centre for the massive Virgin Triathlon.  What an amazing venture that is.  All the transitions etc are in one of the cavernous halls at the Excel, and there are multiple races, phases etc throughout the whole weekend.

I had teamed up with a couple of friends to head out in the 12:30 race on Saturday afternoon.  This whole concept of a team threw up a couple of unforeseen challenges for me:

1.  As a member of a team doing something very individual made me not want to let them down.  As it happened our swimmer swam a PB of 30:39 for 1,500 metres and our cyclist did a 1:24 min cycle having never done this before so he had a 'PB' too.... so as I headed out for my race knowing I really stood no chance of a PB made me feel a but odd

2.  I had to hang around for HOURS before I could run.  If I do this race again I will prepare very differently.  Not knowing exactly when you are going to start causes a few issues.  One of which is when to have to final loo pit stop!!

Anyway my race went pretty well although with some of each lap (4 laps in total) being indoors meant my Garmin was next to useless so my pace was a little quick at the beginning.  Also because of all the hanging around I felt very heavy legged even in the first 20 minutes of running.  This is unusual for me so was a little disconcerting.

When you add in the fact is was quite a warm afternoon, I guess I should be happy with my time but I can't help but feel that I should have run faster.  Still I have a couple more races (see below) to run quicker although the Rugged Radnage is not exactly a PB course!

As you will see below I have been getting back out there in the last couple of weeks, running either on my own or with Mrs LB.  Is is great to be running relatively pain free, I just have to remain patient and the pace will come.

Over the next couple of months I am remaining focused on 10k races.  After Christmas and into the spring I will carry on building the miles ahead of the marathon(s) in April.  I will find out about London next month; I am not holding out much hope but at least I have Brighton in the bag.

Have a cracking week all!

LBx

2012 RACES	Time
10k	00:54:19	Virgin Team Triathlon	22nd September 2012
FUTURE RACES
10k		Rugged Radnage	18th November 2012
10k		Up & Running MK 10K	9th December 2012
Marathon		Brighton Marathon	14th April 2013
Marathon		London Marathon (Ballot)	21st April 2013
PERSONAL BESTS
Distance	Time	Race	Date
1m	00:06:49	Magic Mile	31st January 2012
5k	00:24:30	Training	10th February 2012
10k	00:50:26	Training	5th February 2012
HM	01:52:00	Wycombe Half Marathon	July 1989!!!
16m	02:26:12	Kingston Breakfast Run	27th March 2011
Marathon	04:32:12	London Marathon	17th April 2011
2012 ACTIVITY	Distance	Elevation	Pace
06-Sep	3.2 Miles	175 ft	09:31 mm
10-Sep	3.2 Miles	175 ft	09:37 mm
11-Sep	4.9 Miles	341 ft	09:10 mm
16-Sep	4.9 Miles	341 ft	09:16 mm
17-Sep	2.3 Miles	150 ft	08:41 mm
18-Sep	6.5 Miles	361 ft
21-Sep	2.3 Miles	150 ft	09:11 mm
22-Sep	6.2 Miles	175 ft	08:45 mm
2012 TOTAL	238.9 Miles

The Joys of Being a New Boy

Morning all

Well that was an interesting morning run....  I planned out a 4 mile run on google maps this morning.  Being a new boy in a new area I am not yet up to speed on the best routes to run.  Anyway I set out and a mile or so in I had to turn right down a footpath... only problem is that there was a jock off padlocked gate across it!  Never mind I will press on I thought, a few hundred yards later I realised that I was effectively running through Woburn Safari Park!  Now of course whilst I was not exactly in with the lions etc I still got a few odd looks and waves from various people heading to work there!

I then realised where I was and cracked on and headed for an exit that I knew would get me back towards Woburn village.  Then I came across another locked gate and had to turn around.  Readers of this blog from last year know how much I HATE out and backs, they do my head in.  In fact the the 10K later in the month I am doing is 4 laps of 2.5k which if anything is worse... I will have to sort my head out for that one.  Anyway I trudged back a little slower than I had headed out but most importantly I had no pain in the groin which is great.  Also despite it being quite warm I felt fairly fresh when I got back.  It is amazing how quickly you lose fitness.  Earlier this year I was running this kind of run at least 4 minutes faster.  However I know that I need to be patient and get back into the swing of things slowly.

Slowly slowly catchy monkey, this morning that was literally about right.

Have a good un all.

FUTURE RACES
10k		Virgin Team Triathlon	22nd September 2012
Marathon		Brighton Marathon	14th April 2013
Marathon		London Marathon (Ballot)	21st April 2013
PERSONAL BESTS
Distance	Time	Race	Date
1m	00:06:49	Magic Mile	31st January 2012
5k	00:24:30	Training	10th February 2012
10k	00:50:26	Training	5th February 2012
HM	01:52:00	Wycombe Half Marathon	July 1989!!!
16m	02:26:12	Kingston Breakfast Run	27th March 2011
Marathon	04:32:12	London Marathon	17th April 2011
2012 ACTIVITY
Today	4.4 Miles	Elevation: 178ft	08:59 mm Pace
Total	205.4 Miles

The Return of Lard

It's funny you know.  I have spent the best part of 5 months now injured or feeling injured, and as I reflect on what I wanted to achieve this year all I have done is go backwards.  To demonstrate how this has affected my mindset on things, this is my first blog for nearly 6 months!  Hooray I hear you say, well LB is back!

Much has changed this year with the family relocating from West London to rural Bedfordshire.  The blog could focus on just how shit the whole process was and how stressful it all was but it would bore the arse off you!  Suffice it to say this along with other reasons (none of which are good enough) has meant that this year so far has been one of immense frustration fitness wise.  Whilst I have run a bit in the past few months I have not broken more than 3 miles at any time!  Pathetic.

However here we are in September and I have decided to set myself some goals to take me through to the end of 2012.  I found the blog a useful way to make myself deliver on promises so here's hoping that this is what happens!  The goal for 2012 is to hit 500 miles for the year (given last year's 1,020 this is piss poor!), and also to lose 1 stone in weight pre Christmas.  Simple in everything bar delivery....  In addition I am off the booze Sunday - Friday... if I don't type it, then there is a chance I might decide to not be committed to it!

After this morning's 2.8 miles with Mrs LB (lots of hills in Bedfordshire!), I am over 200 miles this year with most of these miles done before my injury.  The injury is still affecting me, it was diagnosed as Gilmore's Groin...  Painful I can assure you.

I still want to focus on running although I might look at some duathlons next year.  In the coming weeks I will use this blog to incentivise myself to keep going, and it will also refocus back on the Magic Mile at some point although I might just focus on being selfish for now!

FUTURE RACES
10k		Virgin Team Triathlon	22nd September 2012
Marathon		Brighton Marathon	14th April 2013
Marathon		London Marathon (Ballot)	21st April 2013
PERSONAL BESTS
Distance	Time	Race	Date
1m	00:06:49	Magic Mile	31st January 2012
5k	00:24:30	Training	10th February 2012
10k	00:50:26	Training	5th February 2012
HM	01:52:00	Wycombe Half Marathon	July 1989!!!
16m	02:26:12	Kingston Breakfast Run	27th March 2011
Marathon	04:32:12	London Marathon	17th April 2011
2012 ACTIVITY
Today	2.8 Miles
Total	201 Miles