Thursday, April 30, 2009
"The Ham and Cheese, and Margarine, they speak an evil language"
As always, it's been a really long time since my last update. I can't seem to be able to keep up regular posts on what's going on. Got to try harder on that....
Well, as I type, I'm sitting in the BA business lounge, waiting for my flight home to England. I've been on holiday in Vancouver for the last few weeks, staying with Sarah. I've done the predictable couple of days of work (which I *knew* would happen, despite not getting compensated for it!) but on the whole I've had a great time doing nothing. Those of you that I occasionally visit will know how much I appreciate the value of just sitting around doing "not very much in particular" these days. I think I must be getting old or something....
Anyway - I am pleased to report that I actually ran the Vancouver Sun Run again with a whole bunch of friends. Eddie, Shane, shane's lovely girfriend, and their cousin Eric. We all met at Eddies place downtown on the day of the race, and at around 9:15 we were off for 10km of running around Vancouver's downtown streets.
I have previously written about running training. To be honest, I hadn't run at all 6 weeks before this race, because I am suffering from what the doctor called "a potential hernia" that made running training uncomfortable. I was still trying to play football throughout this time, with little success. So - I approached the 10km race with minimal training, and carrying an injury of sorts. I was apprehensive before the race because I didn't want to break down. I ended up covering myself in almost a whole tube of deep heat pain rub, (and Eddie borrowed some too, cue much hilarity throughout the day as we talked about "Eddie's Magic Cream", after he managed to get it on his nut sack.) - Rub applied, we started the race, and I stuck close to Eddie as in previous years. I was shocked that we did the first 1km in 3.45 - almost a sprint pace. By 5km, we had taken 25 minutes, and I was really happy, because I was running faster than I ever had done in training. However, at around 8km, on the home stretch, I had hit a brick wall, and I was starting to feel aches and pains, and Eddie had long since dissapeared into the distance. Eric came flying by me at some pace, and my fitness had gone. I resigned to finishing the race as fast as I could... limping across the line in 57.12, which was dissapointing to me considering that I thought 2 years ago I was in worse shape, and I finished the race in 54.20.... But I can at least be glad I finished the race in under an hour, considering that that morning I had been doubting whether I could even take part at all.
Special mention must go to my brave (or is that foolish) girlfriend, who was suffering with an irritated meniscus of the kneecap, and had been finding walking difficult for the days leading up to the race. She did the run regardless, and finished in just over an hour despite the obvious discomfort of running downhill (of which probablu 40% of the course is downhill running). So, I am pleased and proud that we both managed to take part and had a wonderful day with our friends. (Apart from the lunch we went for at Moxys on Broadway, but that's a different story)
The Sun Run occupied our thinking and activites for the first part of the holiday, but after that, my time was my own, and it was great to be staying with Sarah in her place, and not being stuck in a hotel. I missed not being close to everyone in Richmond (and the Foggy Dew / Harold's Bar) but it was very nice to be able to make our own food in the evenings, and watch tv/visit local places in New Westminster. We even went swimming to the local pool which was really good, and I wish we'd gone a few more times. It's definitely given me the swimming bug again.
When I get home, I have to start packing to move into my new place. All being well, I hope to move on on May 5th. I'm moving into an apartment back in the city centre, 2 mins from the train station and bus station, so it will be like living on Broad Street again, but this time without all the going out and getting drunk EVERY night! I'll have a lot to do when I get back, but I'm hoping it will all go smoothly and I can find a couple volunteers to help me move, and of course I'll need a van as well (Dad? Alan?)....
Well - that's enough for now - we are getting on the plane soon. Looking forward to business class. Should be able to get some good rest before the train journey back from Heathrow...
More updates soon, (yeah right! See you in June)
Well, as I type, I'm sitting in the BA business lounge, waiting for my flight home to England. I've been on holiday in Vancouver for the last few weeks, staying with Sarah. I've done the predictable couple of days of work (which I *knew* would happen, despite not getting compensated for it!) but on the whole I've had a great time doing nothing. Those of you that I occasionally visit will know how much I appreciate the value of just sitting around doing "not very much in particular" these days. I think I must be getting old or something....
Anyway - I am pleased to report that I actually ran the Vancouver Sun Run again with a whole bunch of friends. Eddie, Shane, shane's lovely girfriend, and their cousin Eric. We all met at Eddies place downtown on the day of the race, and at around 9:15 we were off for 10km of running around Vancouver's downtown streets.
I have previously written about running training. To be honest, I hadn't run at all 6 weeks before this race, because I am suffering from what the doctor called "a potential hernia" that made running training uncomfortable. I was still trying to play football throughout this time, with little success. So - I approached the 10km race with minimal training, and carrying an injury of sorts. I was apprehensive before the race because I didn't want to break down. I ended up covering myself in almost a whole tube of deep heat pain rub, (and Eddie borrowed some too, cue much hilarity throughout the day as we talked about "Eddie's Magic Cream", after he managed to get it on his nut sack.) - Rub applied, we started the race, and I stuck close to Eddie as in previous years. I was shocked that we did the first 1km in 3.45 - almost a sprint pace. By 5km, we had taken 25 minutes, and I was really happy, because I was running faster than I ever had done in training. However, at around 8km, on the home stretch, I had hit a brick wall, and I was starting to feel aches and pains, and Eddie had long since dissapeared into the distance. Eric came flying by me at some pace, and my fitness had gone. I resigned to finishing the race as fast as I could... limping across the line in 57.12, which was dissapointing to me considering that I thought 2 years ago I was in worse shape, and I finished the race in 54.20.... But I can at least be glad I finished the race in under an hour, considering that that morning I had been doubting whether I could even take part at all.
Special mention must go to my brave (or is that foolish) girlfriend, who was suffering with an irritated meniscus of the kneecap, and had been finding walking difficult for the days leading up to the race. She did the run regardless, and finished in just over an hour despite the obvious discomfort of running downhill (of which probablu 40% of the course is downhill running). So, I am pleased and proud that we both managed to take part and had a wonderful day with our friends. (Apart from the lunch we went for at Moxys on Broadway, but that's a different story)
The Sun Run occupied our thinking and activites for the first part of the holiday, but after that, my time was my own, and it was great to be staying with Sarah in her place, and not being stuck in a hotel. I missed not being close to everyone in Richmond (and the Foggy Dew / Harold's Bar) but it was very nice to be able to make our own food in the evenings, and watch tv/visit local places in New Westminster. We even went swimming to the local pool which was really good, and I wish we'd gone a few more times. It's definitely given me the swimming bug again.
When I get home, I have to start packing to move into my new place. All being well, I hope to move on on May 5th. I'm moving into an apartment back in the city centre, 2 mins from the train station and bus station, so it will be like living on Broad Street again, but this time without all the going out and getting drunk EVERY night! I'll have a lot to do when I get back, but I'm hoping it will all go smoothly and I can find a couple volunteers to help me move, and of course I'll need a van as well (Dad? Alan?)....
Well - that's enough for now - we are getting on the plane soon. Looking forward to business class. Should be able to get some good rest before the train journey back from Heathrow...
More updates soon, (yeah right! See you in June)
