I'm my own experiment

It seems like Sunday's Wokingham Half Marathon is going to be some sort of experiment for me. I have been an avid supporter of running with music since I started this whole running thing a few years ago. I've even written a post about the positioning and motivation about where I put particular tracks to help me during the run.

I was reminded of this last night when I saw a Facebook post from eatingtrees explaining that he was currently compiling his playlist for the Wokingham Half but then went into a mild state of panic that I don't have one this time. At all. This will be the first half marathon I've ever run without some musical stimulus helping me get through those last few painful miles. There's a reason for it though, and that reason is Portuguese.

Last year's Lisbon Half Marathon was a horrible, horrible run. Everything that could feel bad, did. I finished over 13 minutes slower than my predicted time and my slowest ever by 7 minutes. It completely knocked my confidence and it completely and utterly destroyed my faith in music getting my through the bad times. I have not run with music since.

In a nutshell, my playlist was designed to be turned on at a certain point in a race and then by knowing the order of the tracks, I knew exactly where I should be on the course at any given time and then finish with 4 really happy and upbeat (read cheesy) songs that got me through that last stretch without any problems. This playlist worked time and time again with me hitting my predicted finish times in numerous events and then Lisbon happened...

For whatever reason, I started falling behind my pace and couldn't get it back. In fact it just kept getting worse and worse. Then the worst thing happened. The first song came back on. The song hat usually comes on with 50/55mins running left. Remaining motivation. DEAD! I tried to ignore it and then had to turn it off. Then I skipped back to my last 4 happy songs to push me through but knowing it was the second time I'd listened just felt like cheating. Then they finished again and I was back to the start. The iPod came off and the last half mile was completed with just my heavy breathing for company. By the way, I in no way blame the music for my poor performance, it had nothing to do with it but they will eternally be linked in my head.

Mind you, all my training runs have been tuneless and I've got up to 10 miles with those so it will be fine. I'm sure... Either way, I'm looking forward to this run, it's gonna be great!

I feeeeeeeeeel good!

It's about bloody time too but over the last couple of weeks I've really started to enjoy my running again and obviously I know, the more I do, the more I will enjoy it. Saturday's planned run will take this months mileage to just shy of 87km or just over 54 miles. If I remember rightly, that's about London to Brighton! Considering the last 4 and a half months of last year, I managed a total of 44.5km, I think I'm allowed to be happy.

Yesterday's run was an 8.14km loop on some ropey pavements with some below average street lighting and it felt great to stretch the legs out again. 2 things I did that prove to myself that I'm enjoying it. Firstly, I purposely did the route in the direction that means I have 2 tough uphills to deal with and secondly, I managed a sprint finish.

Before I set off, I pitched a realistic time to myself of 42:40 to 43:10. Precise I know but I think I'm generally pretty accurate with my times although I have no way to plot the progress during the run. I'm not a Garmin man you see. Including my sprint finish, I stopped the clock at 42:01!! Happy boy again. 5:09 p/k (8:18 per mile).

My run this weekend will top 10 miles and will be the longest distance I do prior to the Wokingham Half. I'm hoping to do it in under 1:32:00 but it's going to be tough. However, I'm now confident I should be able to firstly finish, the Wokingham Half and also, come in under the 2 hour mark. That'll be a good base for the Hague City Pier City Half the following month.

This is what a runner is

You go to a brand new city that you've never seen before, eat some wonderful food, drink a little lot more than you should, see the sights and have a thoroughly wonderful time but then upon your return, your thoughts turn to how flat it was and 'I bet I could do a good Half Marathon time round here'. That's what Rotterdam was to me this weekend. A great industrial city which I reckon would be pretty quick if you can avoid the tram tracks! Maybe 2011. I already have Lisbon lined up for next year.

The trip was to celebrate me arriving and surviving into my 30's. Who would have thought! Anyway, myself and LG booked a lovely hotel that had all the good things that makes you enjoy a trip more and also a gym... that we used.... and in LG's case, on 3 consecutive days!!! (I think it was the guilt about the amount of great food and drink consumed). Just 2 days for me though, the final morning hangover told me to stay in bed as I'm not as young as I used to be. Who was I to overturn that decision?

Quick point, is there anything as painfully dull as running on a treadmill??? OK, I assumed it wouldn't be great but it's mind numbing. Your brain doesn't have to work at all! Not to push harder, not to skip the puddles, not to jump the cracks, not to trip on the kerbs. Where's the fun if there's no chance or getting wet, dirty or injured? Fitness??? I think not!!

Anyway, because I have lovely parents who still buy their elderly son presents, I now have a fantastic long sleeve Adidas top plus with some cash, I've been on a bit of a sock spending spree. New running socks ordered today (including a set of compression ones to help the shin splint thing) and now I just have to decide what to spend the rest on and no I don't want/need/desire a Garmin!

So overall a fantastic birthday weekend all round of which there are some photo's on Facebook for anyone who knows me there.

Update on the running club... Not a sausage. 2 weeks, they haven't even managed to tell me if the money has even gone over. I'm hoping this is just a blip and the general organisation is better but the plan is still there. I need all the help I can get after being pulled into doing some training runs with a mate for his marathon. A 12, 15 and 18 miler await next year all pre Lisbon with the possibility I might sign up for the Wokingham Half too slap bang in the middle of it all! Joy.

Only 2 weeks til Grim and the longest I've run his Oct is 4.1 miles. This is going to hurt!!!