This week has been pretty poor again. The quest for athletic perfection has been a victim of circumstance again, Monday and Tuesday I was work-tied, and on Wednesday I went to wave middle sister off to China. To ensure that this blog didn’t become another week of excuses I was going to do something on Thursday. Nigel was working so I dropped the gym in favour of going for a run. I have a half marathon in a little under a month to prepare for, and so far I have been running once, so I thought I had better.
I planned a shorter and more scenic route this time, 4.2 miles of country lanes around my house. Get away from the traffic I thought.
I set off at about five thirty at night. This is the time that commuters looking for a short cut bomb down these lanes like BMW encased demons. I enjoy a good bomb as much as the next man but holey moley I nearly had car grill knee surgery a couple of times. See, the trouble with country lanes is that they don’t have paths. The next run I plan will have paths.
So 4.2 miles, shorter than that last run I ran, where I managed an average speed of 7.4mph. I fancied myself to have run home averaging something in the region of 7.8mph, in my head I even had a half hopeful eye on an 8mph average. Time actually achieved. 38 minutes. Average speed, 6.6mph.
I don’t really know what went wrong, I ran at a similar pace, I got a stitch again (apparently this is caused by your internals bouncing putting strain connective tissue when you eat and/or drink too much) I got blisters again. I can only assume that all of the diving into the grass verge every time a car passed slowed me down a tad.
I prepared for blisters this time. A blister is where the skin is subjected to friction. Eliminate the friction, stop the blister. The answer was obvious, I took some electrical tape and protected the area of my foot that got the blister. I knew exactly where the blister formed last time as it has nicely scarred but despite my preventative measures, I got another blister in the same place anyway. And to make matters worse, I got some new additions too (which I think may have formed because of my blister protection).
All in all a good run but every time I go out I become more and more convinced that my trainers aren’t right for me. I am going to investigate what would be a better shoe for me.
On other, more DW related news, I have seen a boat and I am going to buy it (probably). This time next week I am 99% certain that I will be planning the first session in a K2.
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Training, Planning and Running the Devizes to Westminster Race
Welcome to my blog where I am documenting all of the training and planning toward competing in the Devizes to Westminster kayak marathon in 2010.
When I started this my one and only goal was to be ready to take part in the DW race but once I begun my training in earnest I started to look around at other endurance events with a desire to take part in those as well.
On the 22nd of March I took part in the Ironbridge half marathon finishing the race in 2h 01m 32s.
The 12th September I will compete in the Great North Swim.
8 days later I will take on the Great North half Marathon.
And then in April 2010 is the reason for all of this, the Devizes to Westminster kayak ultra marathon.
Thank you for your support.
When I started this my one and only goal was to be ready to take part in the DW race but once I begun my training in earnest I started to look around at other endurance events with a desire to take part in those as well.
On the 22nd of March I took part in the Ironbridge half marathon finishing the race in 2h 01m 32s.
The 12th September I will compete in the Great North Swim.
8 days later I will take on the Great North half Marathon.
And then in April 2010 is the reason for all of this, the Devizes to Westminster kayak ultra marathon.
Thank you for your support.
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Short sleeve thermal top
Short sleeve lightweight cag
Long sleeve heavy cag
Full length lycra or thermal trousers
Zipped spray deck
Normal spray deck
Paddling gloves
Poggies
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The Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race is the longest non-stop canoe race in the world. It starts in the quiet market town of Devizes in Wiltshire and finishes 125 miles later at Westminster Bridge, directly opposite the Houses of Parliament in the heart of London.
It is held over the Easter weekend each year and has been a fixture in the British sporting calendar since 1950. But DW is much more than just a canoe race - it’s an adventure! It forces competitors to dig long and deep into their reserves of physical and mental stamina which is why the race is often called “the canoeists’ Everest”.
Having the technical skill to paddle a kayak or canoe is essential but the most important quality needed to complete DW is raw determination. And the reward for making the mighty effort needed to cross the finish line is a sense of satisfaction so profound that many paddlers can’t resist coming back year after year.
It is held over the Easter weekend each year and has been a fixture in the British sporting calendar since 1950. But DW is much more than just a canoe race - it’s an adventure! It forces competitors to dig long and deep into their reserves of physical and mental stamina which is why the race is often called “the canoeists’ Everest”.
Having the technical skill to paddle a kayak or canoe is essential but the most important quality needed to complete DW is raw determination. And the reward for making the mighty effort needed to cross the finish line is a sense of satisfaction so profound that many paddlers can’t resist coming back year after year.
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