DFW running club part 4!! ALL ARE WELCOME!!

evab_2

Great running simply and rich, well done. Nice pace on your 3 miler squizz x

Feeling a lot better today so back to work only a couple of appointments this afternoon. Aiming to get out for a slow run tomorrow, probably about 3 miles.

RichOneday_2

Channel 4 showed a very interesting running documentary just after midnight on Tuesday (a very strange viewing time for such a good programme).

The program was entitled 'Running To The Limits' and is based around Alex Vero, the filmmaker, as he attempts to show whether it might be possible to go from a 16.5 stone very overweight slob to an Olympic marathon hopeful (ie a 2:20 marathoner) with 2 years' of hard effort.

Apparently he got a lot of abuse on the RW forum at the time (but whats new there?), especially a poster called JasonX, and he actually thanks them on the documentary for the extent of their negativity for helping him get motivated.

You cant fault his effort as he puts in several 100+ mile training weeks and goes from struggling to run for 5 minutes to running a 1:13:48 half marathon, via an 18:18 parkrun performance at Richmond and a 16:58 5K in Hyde Park. You dont run those sort of times without a lot of solid training.

In his marathon he gets to 24 miles in 2:30 and then hits the wall (Just watch his legs buckle) and takes 28 minutes for the last 2.2 recording 2:58:41 in Palma. He recovers to have another go and record 2:57:51 in Prague. http://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=43557

But it is also a documentary on the general decline in distance running over 20 years with contributions from the legend that is Ron Hill (with hair - where did that come from:p), the greater legend that is Haile Gebresellasie and Richard Neurerkar (the Cabbage Patch 10 record holder).

Filming locations include Ethiopia, Richmond Park and several clips in Battersea Park along with last year's Bristol 1/2 Marathon.

But the highlight for me was the very first person to appear on screen - an old chap ranting about the decline in British distance running. I was making a coffee at the the time and thought 'I recognise that voice'. It was Frank Horwill, who had the dubious pleasure of coaching yours truly for a short while - so if you wonder where my ranting comes from, now you know!:p:p

Put 50 minutes to one side and have a watch - it is very watchable.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/running-to-the-limits/4od#3018091

becky_rtw

Aww I meant to watch that - he posted the link the other day on RW and was still getting abuse for it!!

evab_2

That was a great film, thanks Rich very inspiring and makes you realise how lucky you are that you can run and you don't have the absolutely huge burden of providing for your very poor family too.

RichOneday_2

It didnt show anything that we arent already aware of but it is so stark to see a 29 minute 10K runner unable to get into his country's top 500 runners...and yet he would win most road races in Britain.

The tables were turned completely the other way around 20 years ago with hundreds of fast British marathon runners. There was no money dangling there as a carrot so it was more to do with the recognition (as Ron Hill pointed out).

The media couldnt care less who our best marathon runner is...has anyone on the streets even heard of Dan Robinson? They are more interested in Jordan's tales of woe and taking 7 hours to do something she shouldnt have even been taking part in....:rolleyes:

evab_2

I know it's shocking that Britain is so obsessed with celebrity culture where the celebrities have very little to show for their fame, I hate being in my office when they talk about X Factor and the other crappy reality shows - I don't care. They think I'm mad that I run, but then I'm the one who enjoys the freedom of running, who doesn't get stressed out about paperwork (very rare for me recently to be upset). Most shocking of all there are 20 assessors who work in our team - 3 of us are slim, me and one other who run, the rest are all overweight and obese!

1HANNAH

Becky, I don't think that guy on RW is listening to anyone, its very sad.

I am feeling a bit giddy this morning as I finally managed a decent run this morning!!
6 miles in 1:09:26 - 11:34/mile I really enjoyed that run today, much colder then when I had last run but no wind which was lovely!
Got another run penciled in for Sunday with a friend so hopefully I am back on track now for a few weeks as hubby finishes work tomorrow for 2 weeks so I don't have to worry about fitting in the running with childcare arrangements

RichOneday_2

Week 13/30 (Blackpool)
Mon7/12 Rest Day
Tues8/12 10K 42:45 (6:55/mile) (Pulse 108)
Weds9/12 10.0 Miles 1:12:10 (7:13/mile) (Pulse 106)
Thurs10/12 Rest Day
Fri11/12 10K 50:13 (8:06/mile) (Pulse 78)
Sat12/12 parkrun Bromley 5K 18:40 (6:01/mile) (4th) [73.86%] (http://www.parkrun.org.uk/bromley/results.aspx)
Sun13/12 16.5 Miles (12.5 Miles 1:34:57 (7:36/mile) + 4 Miles WU/WD)

Week 14/30 (Blackpool)
Mon14/12 Rest Day
Tues15/12 10.0 Miles 1:16:13 (7:37/mile) (Pulse 84)
Weds16/12 10K 48:58 (7:54/mile) (Pulse 84)
Thurs17/12 10K 50:23 (8:07/mile) (Pulse 74)

That was the first wintery run of the season - with a driving snowstorm and crunchy ice underfoot. It all adds to the variety though.:D

The only trouble is that I now have a frozen forehead ....its not often that I come back from a run with one of those.:p

becky_rtw

Brain freeze - too much mcflurry

RichOneday_2

I prefer the McFlurry route to brain freeze tbh.;)