Situation normal for a Monday: jaded after running at the weekend (2x10km) and with a niggling right Achilles. I thought of using the turbo later but rolled the doubling dice and decided on a day off completely.
I drove down to Bournemouth on Tuesday morning to take delivery of a new washing machine. The old one must have had a faulty drum bearing as the machine imploded at 1400 rpm doing a wash while our older son was there during lockdown.
We would have tutted and replaced it – he went online and found that there was a recall on the machine because of (surprise, surprise) possible defects in the drum mechanism. Hence, this was a replacement courtesy of the manufacturer.
I love running at home in Oxfordshire but there is something rather special about running in London and Bournemouth (perhaps it’s just the change of scenery) so mid afternoon I went along the seafront to Boscombe Pier and back for a really good run of 8.53km (5.3 miles) at under 5:30/km.
I hadn’t eaten anything all day and had drunk just a few cups of coffee. Provided I start reasonably hydrated, for anything under 10 miles I wouldn’t think of any specific pre-run fuelling or taking fluid with me (other than in hot weather, perhaps). I don’t know if that’s wise but I read that somewhere near 2000 calories worth of energy can be stored in glycogen so the nutritional side should be fine – and it seems to work for me.
An hour in the (still very cold) gym on Wednesday morning and a session in the charity pop-up bike shop on Thursday, playing mechanic on another donated bike.
Gym again on Friday morning – it’s good to be back to it twice a week – and out running on Saturday for 11.1km (6.9 miles), followed by a return trip to London. Another minor injury to add to the list – the inside of the left thigh, just above the knee – a small pull to a muscle, I guess.
It’s all part of running’s rich tapestry and on Tuesday and Saturday I also managed to prove that the Achilles does not like a run followed by a few hours of immobility driving a car.
I planned to run with my wife on Sunday but it was wet and my Achilles was painful. Instead, I netted the chickens’ run – there is avian flu in the country so they have to be separated from wild birds. An unpleasant job in the cold and wet – and the chickens were completely unappreciative, more focused on their loss of access to the garden and the constrictions of a greatly reduced run.
A much easier week as far as exercise goes, with three rest days, having done 26 sessions in the previous 28 days. I suppose it was the equivalent of a ‘cut-back’ week in marathon training?
As I get back to a bit harder exercising next week, the (entirely trivial) issue I now have is that I’d like to stay with two gym sessions a week and three runs. That means it’s just one session on the turbo if I want to keep a rest day. With the sportive being the first challenge of 2021 I’d like to keep the two sessions on the turbo – which might mean cutting down the running or one day doubling up on the exercise?
Interesting stuff this week
1. African wise words: Don’t think there are no crocodiles just because the water is calm
2. BBC News website: Rita Ora apologises for second breach of Covid lockdown restrictions
The 30-year-old flew to Egypt for a private performance on 21 November. On her return the following day, she should have isolated for two weeks. Instead, she threw a birthday party in London, which was itself in violation of lockdown rules.
Sorry for breaking the rules, or sorry for getting caught?
3. BBC News website: German court halts Tesla factory plan over snake and lizard habitats
Tesla has been ordered again to suspend preparations for a car factory in Germany after a successful court injunction by environmentalists. The electric carmaker has been clearing forest land near Berlin, for its first European plant – opponents argue this will endanger the habitats of lizards and snakes.
I like the ironic juxtapositions – quite apart from the lizards and snakes, isn’t it weird that to build the factory for the ‘green’ car means flattening forest land
4. BBC News website: China’s aviation regulator has recommended cabin crew wear disposable nappies and avoid using the toilet to cut the risk of Covid-19 infection
This is on top of the advice for cabin crew to wear medical masks, disposable gloves, caps, goggles, disposable protective clothing and shoe coverings. Flight crew are also advised to wear a range of protective gear, but not nappies.
Such a glamorous job, cabin crew
(an Old Man in Lycra) 
How delightful that would be, to be served drinks and a meal by a stewardess with a full load onboard…
Anyway, go easy on the training. I’m at two full weeks of Marcothon and I think given the choice, the body would rather do 10k every other day than 5k each day. And from the training perspective, it’s probably more fruitful too.
The considered opinion on glycogen is 1800. And typical consumption is about 100 per mile, hence the ‘wall’ hitting at 18 miles when the tank is empty. But overall, I would be the same as yourself. Nothing needed for a 10k, and I could probably manage a half as well, even without water, not that I would recommend it. But god bless the parkrunners with their bottles of water (and iPhones, headphones, Garmins and sweatbands…) And yes, that makes me a running snob. Guilty as charged, your honour!
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I was wondering about the longer, fewer vs more, shorter balance and guessed that having days without any run were probably more valuable than the longer distances were destructive – my Achilles tendons concur. Kudos for taking on the Marcothon.
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Well, no doubt I will let you know how it all goes at the end of the month, assuming, well, there’s a lot of things, so perhaps best not to tempt fate. Best case scenario is an injury-free month, some motivation, and some base training.
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Great post. You’ve written loads. Running every day for Marcothon has curtailed my usual verbosity. By the time I’ve run, processed all the photos, uploaded to Strava, ditto Facebook Marcothon group with write up, then started writing up the blog post, it’s literally dark outside –
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Thank you.
More words, fewer photos. I rather think that your approach is better, if more time consuming.
Very best of luck for the rest of December … and the days start to get longer in 5 days time.
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Well, mine is about the photos too – but writing has been my day job and I usually find I have too much to say! Onwards and upwards! Great blog btw
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Technically, I believe the sunset times are already better from a few days back. Not that you can tell around here… 😦
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That’s interesting, I’d assumed both mornings got later and nights earlier until 21 December – but according to this: https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/uk/london?month=12
the nights start getting lighter from tomorrow (but it looks like days only start to get longer from 21st). Of course, that’s London and we aren’t on EU time any more!
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Ah not to worry. I appreciate it will be the Dark Ages for the next wee while, but maybe one day we’ll have you back into the fold again, and we can all be friends once more. I assume you are building up a decent flock of chickens as I gather the UK govt. are recommending barter as the best way to purchase foodstuffs for the next few years…
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… or, if I cover them with chlorine, I can pass them off as US imports and sell them in supermarkets?
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Well, the downside is that you will be paid in… chickens!
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I might be asking for food parcels – provided the contents have long ‘use by’ dates in view of likely customs delays.
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