Wednesday, June 29, 2011

NOTHING TO WEAR

        Apologies for lack of blogging this week....I've actually been quite busy of late. Now those of you who know me well, will countenance with, 'busy at what?' I shall not be offended but training was part of it and that word 'work' was the other. Anyway I have been asked several times this week how much training I'm doing..........strangely nobody has asked how much work. My next race is only 25 days away and so I am trying to do as much running as I can before I begin 'Tapering'; which I will explain at a later date. Very basically  I alternate one day running and stretching and the next a myriad of excersises including, sit ups, crunches, planks, squats, hip flexors, 100's, press ups, cat vomits (yes, thats what I said), burpees, superman, sprints  etc etc. Now as previously mentioned I don't go to the gym, I'm not against it, its just I'm not a gym person,....too loud, too many people, too complicated.........actually this sounds like I am against it! each to there own. I also do pilates. I've run about 60 Kilometres this week ( about 8 hours mostly up and down and uphill again - ouch!) I usually have one rest day per week. Yesterday I should have done a long run (4+ hours) but decided as I'm going to the mountains on friday to help acclimatisation, I would do it there.
        My plan is to run some of the route for the July race. I have been advised that due to the elevation of 7,500 feet (2,500 metres) that this may be a little adventurous for my first 37K run, which is just short of a marathon. Also, because of the height, it could take up to a third longer than a road run ie 1.3 marathons, we shall see. Much more importantly to my female readers...I haven't got a thing to wear! ( yeh,yeh sexist I know). This may sound odd but yesterday I appeared to Sue in what she described as 'support tights' and asked me, head in hands, 'What was  I wearing?'...........'They are compression socks and  help minimise soreness and fatigue' I said............'You look ridiculous' she replied; completely baffled by the whole thing . I do hope they work because looking like a complete idiot whilst being carried away on a stretcher is definitely not cool.
      Whilst in the shop I was considering new trail shoes and its just a minefield and I hardly know where to begin. Can anybody give any rock solid suggestions? The problem I have is that I don't know if they are for me until I've run a few hours......and unfortunately the shop don't want their dirty, smelly trainers back after I've used them.....and to be fair they have a point.. Next, its shorts, shirts, water packs, gloves, poles, hats, shades,......and apparently the girls wear 'moisture wicking knickers'...........the mind boggles!!
       I just want to run in the woods for a bit,; this is all getting totally out of hand.
       So, back to me, this race. I have recently discovered that after 24K's if I don't make this point after a specific time I will be pulled from the race; apparently its for your own good because they know you are not going to last to the end, fair enough and its standard practice in trail running the only problem is the French website has an unfortunate translation of this occurence........

                'If a rider (???) fails to make the cut off time they will be arrested and deported to the nearest village in a van along with the other failures.'

 Bloody hell, its not enough to get pulled out, now I will have to face the ignmony of incarceration by the 5th Republic in ball and chains!!!!............
        Is it all worth it?
   

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