Happily Ever After
Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running
Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.
Making Progress
by Russell Turner - 20:33 on 29 February 2024
It’s been a while, but there’ve been no dramas to report and training is going as smoothly as I could hope. The only out-of-the-ordinary excitement (apart from a trip to Glasgow to marvel again at Rick Wakeman and his band) has involved Matchgirl’s quest for The Perfect Mini, which in the space of a few weeks has seen her ageing (2019) blue one replaced by a red one, a green one, a yellowish one and almost an orange one. She’s settled for a Zesty Yellow one, which arrived today and is (almost) everything she’s ever wanted in a Mini. Happiness at last. My 2016 Seat Leon (85,000 miles and counting) trundles on.
As for the running, I’m now into Week 9 of 16 towards the Virtual London Marathon, and just over a week away from the year’s first race: the Inverness Half Marathon. But – horror – there’ll be no medals or shirts on the day because the shipment, presumably from China, has been diverted via South Africa because those pesky Houthis keep attacking ships heading for the Suez Canal. I’d be happy with a wooden medal made in the UK (the Royal Parks HM one is great) but I’m not a purist. We’ll get the medals eventually, in the post, which doesn’t bother me; first-time competitors might be more disappointed.
Race numbers have arrived, along with more safety pins to add to the growing pile of unwanted metal in the kitchen cupboard. We’ll find a use for them one day.
As for training, building up steadily seems to be working: comfortable easy pace has improved a little while heart rate has stayed low on long slow runs, some of them on a new route along Inverness Canal followed by the all-day breakfast at the Jammy Piece. Who needs Rego after a run? VO2 Max has improved to 46, although that’s still lower than my best-ever of 49. Maybe I’ll get there again as training continues.
I’ve stuck to the marathon programme and will continue to do so apart from the long runs, which I’ll adapt to fit in with the forthcoming three half marathons. Although that means my longest run before Virtual London will be a half, I’m not worried. I’m planning a run/walk and not bothering about the time, which means I’ll probably do better than in my real marathons
My Young Lives vs Cancer vest (officially for London Landmarks) has arrived, so it’s fortunate that my Just Giving total has passed the £350 I needed for my charity place. I’ve had a few as yet unfulfilled promises, so with luck I’ll hit £500 soon.
The Nairn 10k is held this week but I won’t be there – it doesn’t appeal this time. Instead I’ll do a 6- or 7-mile final long run before Inverness. Before then, the only thing I need to do is find an improved adjustment for my Camelbak. It’s been through several fittings, none of them quite right. However, I’m optimistic that I’ll find the perfect one soon, just like Matchgirl’s Mini.
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