faygate

Friendship

It’s been a funny few weeks. I’ve been thinking and preparing hard for a job interview at work and I’ve celebrated another birthday. This has led to me thinking about friendship and the bonds we make with people. Now I confess I’m probably not the best of friends to have, I’ve got a bit of a dark aura and I guess I’ve always been a bit of loner. However that doesn’t stop me enjoying other people’s company and maybe it’s time I made more effort.

Now you have to understand I moved around a lot as a teenager, so I didn’t really have a place I call home, and I don’t have any of those friendships that so many have from school days. It always puzzles me though that many of the people I’ve known in the past do not appear on places like facebook. Am I the only one who learned to use a computer in the early 90’s?

Now I’m not so naive to believe that any of the friends I had a school are the same as they were then. People change and I’ve changed, I’m definitely not the awkward boy I was twenty odd years ago, so maybe those friendships of yesteryear were doomed anyway.

Of course, I’ve got flickr contacts, facebook acquaintances and twitter followers. They are all lovely people I’m sure, but they are just people that appear on a computer and they have their own lives and their own ‘real’ friends and most of them live half way across the world! In some jealousy beautiful places, but still, half way across the planet!

So, my wife is my best friend. I spend more time in her company than anyone else. I probably drive her up the wall ;), but I don’t really have any greater bond than the one I have with her.

Recently though I believe I’ve made progress. I’ve spent some time lately with people I’ve known for various lengths of time, but maybe not that I’ve thought of as friends for one reason or another (define friend?), but I think it’s been really good for me. I hope they have enjoyed my company too! I’ve never been a blokley bloke, so maybe now that I’m older I’m finally finding the friendships I never had.

Still, now I have hopefully have some ‘real’ friends of me own. The next bit I need to work out, is how to hang on to those friendships. Any tips?

Commuter Challenge

Last summer I took the opportunity to supplement my running with some cycling, which in turn was part of 52 weeks of feeling fit photography project. After the struggle of the first week, using the other set of muscles in my legs, I actually quite enjoyed it.

So last week the opportunity rose again in the form of half-term. No kids to take to school and an understanding boss meant that I could get back in the saddle again. I’m not going to lie though, it has been tough, particularly the monster hill I have to climb up to the University. After cycling at a steady pace for 19km, that final 2km feels like Kilimanjaro! However, it’s been good for my motivation. Even though the weather hasn’t been great and did get a bit of soaking on the last day I haven’t had any trouble putting on my long shorts and peddling up a sweat.

I did have an ulterior motive though. The price of diesel! Currently at about £1.30 a litre (that’s $2.09 US dollars) it costs about £70 ($112) to fill up my car and if I’m lucky it’ll last me two weeks. So this week I actually saved myself about £30 (I still had to go out to do some shopping) and in return I burnt something like 8000 calories and progressively got faster over the total 105 miles.

So my next challenge? Well once it starts getting lighter in the evenings (and I can work a little later to fit in my seven and a half hour working day) I want to start making this a regular thing. I may not have a flashy bike with the best gears, or brakes for that matter, but that just means I have to work my muscles harder and one of the biggest lessons I learnt this week? It’s only a bit of water! ;)

I just need to do a bit more swimming now and I could become a tri-athlete! Maybe…

Motivational Readings

I’m really pleased that my little one has got the reading bug. I like reading but I don’t know how I passed the bug on to him. I’ve got a pile of books so big to read, they nearly reach up to my thigh!

It seemed easier a few years ago, or maybe that was just when I was holiday. Do you need to have a comfy chair and the warmth of the sun to get you in the mood for a good story? I’ve read all the Harry Potter books from start the finish pretty much as soon as they were available. I’ve not been able to put down the Dan Brown books, but I seem to have lost the knack lately to sit down and have a good read.

I really want to read Tess of the d’Urbervilles and I’ve started to read Yes Man, Accidental Empires and Murray Walker’s autobiography, but all seem to end back on the pile of books I want to read.

As with most stuff it boils down to motivation. Does anyone know where I can buy a jar of that? That would be really useful for so many things that at the moment. What’s wrong with me, I just can’t be arsed!! Meh!

Reflections and New Beginnings

For the past three years I have been very narcissistic, become very narcissistic! Okay, I’ve only taken 156 official pictures of myself for the project, when I guess it could have been 1095, but still that’s very vain of me! However, it is now at an end, for now.

Last January I’d already made the decision to get fitter. Something that most people do every January. I tried to document it in pictures too. On reflection I probably failed on that front as well as as achieving fitness goal. Well put it this way, I haven’t lost as much weight as I’d planned too. I do feel fitter though, so that’s a positive thing to reflect on. I took part in three half-marathons and I beat my 13.1 mile personal best time!

So as is tradition at this time of year, it’s time to look forward and to set goals for the year ahead. At this point it would be easy to roll off a list of things I’d like to achieve before the year is out but it’s probably better to set smaller targets first. That way you’re more likely to succeed, right?

So, what do I want to achieve first? Well actually I would like to be more confident. Then if I’m more confident then I’ll be more motivated. If I’m more motivated then I’ll get out running more. If I get out running more, then I’ll get fitter. If I get fitter…well, you get the idea. There’s probably whole lot of positive side effects to those things as well. 2011 is going to see a lot of changes at my work, so some extra confidence might come in handy.

I also want to be more confident with words, so I intend to come and try and write something here once a week.

I am here: 51 50.414 N 3 2.542 W http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:51.84025,-3.04237

The demon within

The last minute challenge

Finishing Sunday’s Cardiff almost-a-Half-Marathon* was probably one of the highlights of the year. I got up at 5:30am to make sure I had time for my usual runner’s breakfast of porridge with some sultanas and almonds, and also to ensure I got a parking space close to the start.

It was dark when I left the house (yep, autumn is well and truly here!), but heading the long way round to Cardiff the sun was just cresting over the sea and creating the most fantastic glow over the barrage of Cardiff Bay. At that moment I knew it was going to be a good day.

After a few pre-race jelly babies and a change of shoes I headed on over to the runner’s village. Set in the fantastic Roald Dahl Plass, people were already milling around and the various stalls were just setting up. Unfortunately with the sun hidden behind the Millennium Centre most people were just trying to keep warm, including me!

For me, I headed down to the dock side to find a nice quiet spot to do some stretching and just psych myself up for the 13 miles ahead of me. Perhaps because of my affinity with water, watching the sun rise over the Bay and the boats and the still water, was just wanted I needed. I also kept warm too!

With about thirty minutes to go before the start I decided it was time to (sadly) lose my nice warm jumper by heading off to the baggage area to store my bag for the race. For a while I did get a bit panicked, for I couldn’t find the baggage area, but then a nice volunteer pointed me the right way. With time running out I jogged over to drop my bag off and then off to find a suitable place to start.

Lloyd George Avenue was where it was all happening and I walked back towards the Bay trying to find a place to pop myself in to. Being my 4th half-marathon I was fairly confident in my choice, which was just behind the 1h45’ pace runner. I thought if I kept up with him for at least the first mile or two, I would be pacing myself correctly and would have a chance of beating my personal best set in Bath of 1h55’31”.

9am came and went and I got chatting to the guy next to me about the usual running things. Is this your first race? What time are you hoping for? etc. etc. Then we started to move. Then we stopped. We all walked a bit further and then with a quick ‘good luck’ to the people around me and I, WE, were off.

The start of a race is always a bit of a concentration game. Not only are you trying to ensure you get your pace just right (not too quick, not too slow), but you are trying to gauge the pace of others around you and moving around to try and find that spot, just for you to run it. Also, as it was for me, you’re also concentrating all which way you are going having not run the course before.

The first few miles were a little tricky mainly because there were a quite a few turns, a slippy shopping precinct, a variety of street furniture and the odd pedestrian to avoid! I missed the first mile marker so I had no idea of my pace until mile marker two; 16’29”, Great! I was averaging 8’15” and well under my target time of every mile under 9 minutes. And that is how the race went on. We ran through and round the park and the River Taff, and then out on through the residential streets of Cardiff.

I missed another couple of mile markers after that, which maybe was a good thing. About half way round I grabbed an energy drink, but maybe I drank a bit too much or little too quickly because I suddenly didn’t feel all that great. I kept going though and after a while the ache in my stomach subsided.

Rounding back round we hit the mile marker I was dreading. During the Bristol Half-marathon last month, the 10 mile point was where it all went wrong for me. I was suddenly sapped of energy and really struggled round those last three miles. So this time I was determined not to fall at the same hurdle. If I could just keep going at this pace until mile 11 then if I need to, I can drop the pace for miles 12 and 13. I never did.

Those last few miles out over the barrage with the sun shining and a good crowd cheering were great. I was feeling it though, but as I came through to start the last and longest mile, I could hear the tannoy and the announcer saying that the 1h45’ pace runner was just crossing the finish line, and he’s spot on time! What? You mean the guy that I lost somewhere in the distance between miles two and three was just in front of me? I didn’t dare look at my watch.

So I kept running…and running…and running. Eventually I reached the turning point and the finish line was in sight. This was when I looked at my watch; 1h47’20”. Suddenly I was on a high. I could get under 1h50’ here. I mustered up all my strength and headed for the line. I don’t remember much. I just ran to the finish with everything I had. I didn’t make it under 1h50’, but 1h50’10” was over 5 minutes better than my best ever time. I’m not complaining! ;)

I punched the air, collected my medal, my bag and a drink and went back to my (now not so quiet) spot by the water’s edge. I texted my wife and my friends and went back to the car for a change of clothes.

Cleaned up and feeling warm, I headed back into the city centre and celebrated with an ‘Amazing’ light lunch of Wild Mushroom Risotto at Jamie’s Italian. I couldn’t eat much so will have to revisit another time for a desert! But I took a leisurely walk back down the now deserted Lloyd George Avenue and a lovely drive home in the sunshine and over my favourite of the two Severn crossings.

What a beautiful day and I’ve almost raised £100 for the Fifteen Foundation. Can you still help them?

PS Mile times
1: 8’15” (*) 2: 8’14” (16’29”) 3: 8’21” 4: 8’15” 5: 8’19” 6: 8’12” (*) 7: 8’13” (16’25”)
8: 7’59” (*) 9: 7’59” (15’58”) 10: 8’31” 11: 9’02” 12: 8’59” 13: 8’51” 13.1: 56’

Official finish time: 1h50’10” (12.98 miles)
Predicted time for 13.1 miles based on official time: 1h51’20”

* F O O T N O T E

It’s shame that the route turned out to be 211 yards short and it’s a little deflating to here the news (and a little embarrassing to tell others). However, I still would have got my personal best had it been the correct length, so I can’t complain. The race was actually really good and suited me perfectly. I know that some people will be disappointed to learn about the missing 0.2 miles and some will be upset to learn that they didn’t get a personal best. Wouldn’t it have been better to have make us run a bit further up Lloyd George Avenue, even if it had made the route longer? Who knows. For me I feel I’m going to have to run another half, just to prove to myself that I could do it in either my official time or my unofficial predicted time.