Monday, June 09, 2008

Tagged

John tagged me a week ago, but I was a bit busy with the marathon. Since I haven't got much to write at the moment, I thought I'd take the opportunity and play along somewhat.

Tagging is easy. Just copy the following onto your post.
* The rules of the game are posted at the start of your blog post.
* In this case, I'm asking you 5 questions about running.
* Each player answers the 5 questions on their own blog.
* At the end of your post you tag 5 other people and post their names.
* Go to their blogs and leave a comment on their blogs telling them they've been tagged and to look at your blog for details.
* When they've answered the questions on their own blog, they come back to yours to tell you. Got that?

1.How would you describe your running 10 years ago?

Non-existent. I only started running 4 years ago, and I only started training properly 3 years ago.

2.What is your best and worst run/race experience?


I love running on clear nights with the moon and the stars bright enough so I don't need artificial light. Pure magic.

The worst experience was the Belfast marathon, my second marathon and my personal worst. I hated Belfast, the course, the weather, and running in general. On the other hand, it was that awful time that made me train properly from then on.

3.Why do you run?


Simply put, I love running.

4.What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running?

I've received so much brilliant advice from the likes of Mike, Mike, Eric, Rob, Andrew and a dozen others that I can't possibly tell what the best piece of advice was. But blogging about running was a godsend for me.

The worst? Don't run too far. Don't run too fast. Don't overdo it ... all of it well meant, all of it useless.

5.Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

Niamh and me met in Vienna and stayed together for only 2 months until she had to go back home to Dublin. We were separated for 2 years; I still can't believe we actually stayed together.

I'm not going to tag anyone else. Yes, that makes me a bit of a spoil sport.

The running over the weekend wasn't great. The weather was really humid, I was bathed in sweat after only half a mile, and felt pretty crap. If that had happened a few days earlier I would have blamed the marathon, and while that might still be a contributing factor, I think the conditions had more of an influence. Today I felt a bit better than yesterday, probably because I ran 3 hours earlier, and because I wore a singlet rather than a cotton t-shirt. I checked the weather website, and the dew point was basically identical with the temperature early in the morning, with 100% humidity. I'm mainly relieved I didn't have to run the marathon like that.

8 Jun
7 miles, 59:15, 8:27 pace, HR 143
9 Jun
5 miles, 44:10, 8:50 pace, HR 135

6 comments:

  1. I must of told you along the way not to follow my training plan and you'll be fine. I have attempted the Pfitz plan before, but eventually the ultras won out and the plan went by the wayside. I am confident that this time the marathon will take priority and the plan will be followed closely, but probably not to a tee.

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  2. thanks for sharing thomas. I think every one had sorta the same weekend

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  3. I see you received similar negative training advice about not overdoing it, run too far etc. Glad you didn't listen.

    The first 20 months that my wife and I were married we lived on separate continents. You know you have the right woman when that works out.

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  4. Hey well done on the marathon, you're getting that time down. The photos are okay to , you're right its no beauty contest though.

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  5. Hi thomas,
    I like your photo's, but I can see a lot of unnecessary tension in your face and body! Now not long ago i could have made it as a gurning champion,i use to pull some right faces as i ran hard. All that changed when I discovered CHi running , Not only have I learned good posture I have learned how to disengage the muscles that I don't need for running so that I don't waste energy. put it this way,make a fist and tense it up ,hold it a minute, feel the pain in your muscles . Now all that tension in your body is just increasing your pain,wasting energy and slowing you down.
    OK Chi running might sound a bit odd, but in truth as i have found it will teach you to run smoother faster and cut injury but most of all it will make running so much more enjoyable, give it a try. read Danny Dreyer's book Chi running and you will be on that next step to a sub 3 hour marathon1

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  6. You're not a spoil sport. This one's fun though, as it's about running.

    If only we knew what the best advice was before we started running!

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