Bob's Blog

Food Rules, OK?

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2008-04-28T15:12:46+00:00

Now I know I am the world’s worst blogger, only managing one blog about every six months on average, but I must tell you about a great site called Food Rules.

Nutritionist Julia Shambrook, a State registered dietician will help you sort out your diet for weight loss, fitness and general health… and she runs as well! Julia has also (allegedly) been considering her first Triathlon and as she has a Sports Science Degree, she is well placed to give expert advice to us seasoned triathletes.

Julia’s web site is www.food-rules.co.uk and is linked in the left hand column.

Ironman fever gets the better of me

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2007-12-04T16:10:43+00:00

A few weeks ago in a moment of madness I entered the 70.3 German Triathlon, which takes place on the 10 August 2008. For all you non triathloning folk, the 70.3 series is a series of qualifying races which take place around the world with the world championships taking place in Clearwater Florida each November, the race distance being 1900 swim – 90k bike – 21k run. 70.3 stands for the miles you cover during the race, now I am not sure if that’s clever P.R. or just off-putting. Anyway I managed to talk a friend (or he was) into doing it, Dave has only ever done sprint distance races before but over a couple of beers at his house I convinced him that once he had gotten over his hernia he would be fine (seriously he does have time to train correctly).

A few days later he rang and asked if I had seen the profile of the course, to which I replied it’s a bit hilly. His response was he was looking into having a special back block made for his bike (gearing thing). At this point I decided to check the profile of the course for myself, the moral of my ramblings being always check the course before you are stupid enough to enter. Being a positive sort of person, another friend of mine (yes I have two friends) who lives in Cambridge and thinks speed bumps are hills, completed this event last August and has also entered next years race. So it can’t be that bad, can it?

The Philly Half Marathon

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2007-11-06T16:32:24+00:00

As reported previously, Lynn and myself went to run the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half Marathon in, you will never guess, Philadelphia! I must say it is a very well organized race (much along the lines of the Cirencester 10k really!); a flat course that takes in both downtown Philly and Fairmount Park which gives the impression of being out in the countryside. The start and finish of the race is outside the Museum of Art, for movie buffs these are the steps that Rocky runs up in the films series Rocky. It would seem most Americans are more interested in running up the steps, throwing their arms in the air and having their photo taken than visiting the museum, they even have inlaid footprints for you to stand on, oh and there’s a statue of Rocky in the grounds to be photographed by - American history, you can’t beat it, no wonder I love going to the place. Enough of me taking the proverbial, there were a few Brits plus other nations step running - no it was not me, I have the photos to prove it. Back to the race, after the national anthem (have you ever tried singing God Save the Queen to the tune of the Star Spangled Banner, it’s not easy) we were off. I have to say, I have never been in a race with such a smooth transition into the race, considering there were 14,000 in the event it was meticulously planned. The first 4.8 miles takes you on a trip downtown to the historic district and back to the Museum of Art, you then head out on the left side of the river. At the 15k point you cross over the river and head back to the Museum of Art. This part of the run feels like running in the countryside, you are on closed, tree-lined roads with the river always on your right, very pleasant. There was a painful (to me anyway) little rise in the last 1k - when I mentioned this to Lynn she said ‘What rise?,’ the bitch! Being a Rock and Roll½ marathon there were 10 or 11 bands around the course, which does make for a great atmosphere, but Rock and Roll!!! At the 15k point there was a guy dressed in tartan playing the bagpipes - Jock Rock (that’s probably politically incorrect), this did make me speed up for 800m. There were two or three good rock bands but the rest were just not rock bands, good but not rock, but who cares it was still a great race and atmosphere, I would recommend it to anyone.

Cracked it!

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2007-10-17T09:44:51+00:00

For the first time in twenty years of triathlon I crashed on my bike while racing, this is something I usually reserve for training, but don’t panic my bike’s fine. As for me I sustained some broken or cracked ribs (I don’t bounce as well as I used to), which looks like keeping me out of action until the end of August. I still hope to compete in the Cotswold Sprint on the 9th September and a week later in the Philadelphia Rock and Roll½ marathon, Lynn my wife always said I would run a slow time in Philly because I would never be able to run past a good rock band without stopping, now I think she could be right regardless of me stopping or not, I think secretly she’s out to beat me.

Dursley Dozen

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2007-02-14T15:06:04+00:00

On Sunday 11/2/07 I ran the Dursley Dozen, a twelve mile multi- terrain race, very muddy and hilly. I did run this race 17 years ago and vowed never to do it again, (my legs hurt for a week) but decided that 17 years ago I would have been racing it whereas in my more mature years I could take a more leisurely pace. This tactic must have paid off because my legs only hurt for two days, either that or I am fitter at 54 than I was at 37!!!

After a couple of days of a reasonable amount of snow (Thursday and Friday) followed by rain on Saturday, this made conditions somewhat muddy. The race starts by going up a steep hill - road to begin with then on to track - the hill seems to continue zig-zaging it’s way through woodland for about a mile, you eventually come out on a golf course. You then have a couple of miles of golf course and road, which is flat, then back to undulating track through wood land. At about halfway you have a descent that some downhill skiers would bulk at, this did hurt my legs, for the first time in my running career I had to walk the last 20m down hill (old age), this was immediately followed by a steep uphill, which is a lot easier on my legs than going down.

After this you had about four miles of undulating woodland track again, muddy but good running. Just before ten miles you have the mother of all climbs, I jest not, they tie ropes between the trees so you can pull yourself up, this part was so steep I overtook Edmond Hillary (first man to conquer Everest!) on the way up. Oxygen was supplied at the top - actually it was a man offering Jelly Babies, and very nice they were too. The last two miles are flat with a very steep down hill coming back into Dursley (legs suffered again here) where you finish in the town centre.

Did I enjoy it? Funny enough I did.

Will I do it again? Maybe in another 17years time, I’ll only be 71.

Get Off Road

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2006-11-17T12:25:13+00:00

Now as the nights begin to draw in and winter creeps up on us, no I am not starting a novel, I look forward to the cross country season. Cross country has always been my preferred terrain, this goes back to when I was a boy – x-c, rugby and football, I could come home covered in mud and not get told off by my mum. What does surprise me with x-c is the number of triathletes, road and track runners who don’t run, it’s one of the best ways to build speed endurance. Most races are 8 – 10k in distance, women about 5 – 6k (which is too short, women are just as capable of running the same as the men). You are running at race pace over mixed terrain which can sap the legs of energy, you normally have a few hills to contend with so you get a hill workout both up and down, and if you are really lucky it will snow or hail and will freeze your what-not off – best you forget the last bit. Seriously if you want to improve your running, do the x-c season.

Memories of the Marathon

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2006-07-23T23:31:26+00:00

What’s it like to run a marathon?

The operative word here is run. Thousands of people complete the London Marathon each year but how many run from start to finish? Now my next statement may seem harsh but you can only say you have run a marathon if you have run from start to finish, 26.2 miles. If you take walk breaks – even 15 seconds – you have only completed the distance, not run it.

Elitist ******* I hear you say! Not at all, I don’t care if it takes you 2hrs 4min or 5hrs 4 min, the marathon is a long distance running race, so your goal should be to do just that, run it. To achieve this is not easy, you have to prepare correctly. This can be anything from 12 weeks to 12 months depending on your present state of run fitness. Elite runners would have about a 12-week build up due to their everyday mileage (anything from 80 to 120 miles per week) whereas someone who has done little or no specific run training would need to get run fit to be able to start marathon training – ‘get fit for your sport, don’t use your sport to get fit’ – so this person could well be looking at 12 months gradual build up.

With my marathon training programmes I cater for the complete beginner (the last time you ran was for the bus) up to the more experienced runner who is looking to run under 3hrs or 2hrs 30min or just that new P.B.. I have not put any elite training programmes on my site as I can’t believe that our elite marathon runners surf the net looking for training programmes, if they do the coaching system is worse than I thought.

Pounding The Pavement

lynn[dot]ferris[at]btinternet[dot]com (Lynn Ferris) — 2006-07-23T19:43:49+00:00

On the cover of a well known running magazine the headlines read ‘train slower race faster’, plus ‘run your best ever race’. This go-faster-with-less-effort theme seems common with many running/fitness related magazines, my question to these magazine is, if running fast is so simple why don’t we all have a sack full of gold medals from major championships?

Alright I know that they are aiming at the general public and their main concern is selling the mag, but I still feel it’s misleading. No matter what your sport, for you to make the best of your natural talent, no matter how big or small that may be, it will take commitment and hard work.