TERRY TATE

Well, I guess you're not Ali fans, but you have to like "Terry Tate"!!!

ALI

Uploading some clips with Muhammad Ali. If ever there was an inspirational man and story, it is him and his!

UP DATE

Marathon build up COUNTING DOWN


Week 10 ending June 4th. 60.8kgs, 13.5% Body Fat, Stomach 74cm, Mileage 173km

Week 9 ending June 11th. 60.5kgs, 15.0% Body Fat, Stomach 73cm, Mileage 204km

Week 8 ending June 18th. 59.5kgs, 14.3% Body Fat, Stomach 73cm, Mileage 203km

Week 7 ending June 25th. 60.3kgs, 13.7% Body Fat, Stomach 72.5cm, Mileage 173km

So here are the stats for the past 4 weeks. What amazes me is that I can run close to 800kms and still only be basically the same weight. That shows that I either eat or drink enough to compensate or I'm such an extremely efficient runner that I hardly burn any calories when I run! I'd prefer to think its the later but sadly it's not, I'm a bit of a pig when it comes to the chow!

On with the training and fingers crossed I can get through to the marathon starting line in one piece.

The link is a clip is of Japanese kids enjoying their World Cup success. There were a few empty looking classrooms in Japan yesterday, I'll give you the drum!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh1jMatjfsY&feature=player_embedded

SOCK PROBLEMS

I'm having some problems with my socks of late. It's not just because of the high mileage even in normal situations I have a knack for putting holes in socks. I really go through the blighters. Seriously, I took my last two pairs back the the shop after less than two sessions running. Even when the nails are trimmed I still put holes in them.

If I buy really expensive thick winter type ones they will last but I'm looking for thin summer type ones that last!

Do you know of any?

While this problem is annoying I have taken to making "sock puppets" out of the broken ones and it has, in fact, helped me to break the ice with strangers ;)

An unrelated but equally effective way to impress....

SO TIRED

This high mileage is starting to take its toll. You know it took me three tries to even get that last sentence out right. The First one read: "This high molage is strating to take its troll." So I'll keep this short.

201Ks this week and coming on the back of 200K + last week I'm shafted and I think it's time to back off a little before something breaks. While I have been handling the runs and have in fact had some beauties in the last month, the good runs are getting fewer and farther between.

Today I did 16K in the morning and 22K in the afternoon. Before both runs I felt hobbled like the guy from the movie "Misery" and although I did come good at the end it was just too hot, 32 degrees today, and now I have a thirst I just can't quench! A sure sign that I'm overdoing it.

Next week I'll back off a bit and try to get some more sleep but the "World Cup" in Sth Africa isn't helping matters. The games are all on from midnight to later in the morning here and I do like watching sport ;)

Just as well I don't have "Direct TV" or Cable were I'd get all of the games. I'd have to watch every game and "that would be painful!"

RUNNER'S DIET

Just read the interview with Keith Bateman that Rick put a link to on his blog. I was interested in the following comment

"I have consulted a dietitian to make sure my diet is tuned to distance running"

What does it mean exactly, a diet tuned to distance running? If you can help make that a bit clearer for me please do. I'd be interested to know specifics like what kind of food you should be eating daily, while training etc.

Anyway if you can shed any light on this subject I'd appreciate it.

Another old song. You are going to have to humour me in relation to 80s music but it seems I have a penchant for it these days. And this song also alludes to another 200K week under the belt! "How long can you stand the heat?" ;)

THE BEST THING

This song is dedicated to "running" but you're allow to think it's about you.

I'M RANKING!

Relaxing on the floor watching TV this afternoon when my wife walks in and says "You're ranking!" I responded "Alright, I'll just finish watching this and go take a bath" No sooner had I said that when I was struck in the back of the head with the new edition of "Japan's Marathon Yearly, top 100, Rankings."

Seems like I'm 21 again! That is, I ranked 21st on the list of top 100 hundred 45 year old marathon runners in Japan, last year! The number 1 ranked 45 year old who raced a marathon in Japan last year did it in 2:29:57. With my new beard I'm going to go gunning for that fella ;)



Having trouble scanning this book but when I do I'll show you some of the stats, really pretty interesting.

BEARD

I'm thinking about growing my beard long. Somewhere between the "Alpha male" short trimmed one I have now and a "Hobo" transient crazy looking one. I want my competition at the next marathon to be thinking, as I shoot past them, "Hey now that looks like a guy that likes camping....wait a minute! Why is he running so fast!!!"

Should be sufficient to blow a few minds and give me a competitive advantage. Still there is also the danger that I will come off looking like a pedophile rapist but I'm married and not looking to impress the ladiez!

GET IN EARLY

Had my boy's school's sports day last weekend. Enjoyed that and I'm please to report that although they both came last in their 100 meter races they were only last by a few feet not the long last that they usually are! Doesn't take much to make this Dad proud ;)

Had to take a day off yesterday due to work and frankly feeling spent. The ankles and Achilles are tender and sore to the touch and I've been avoiding hungry cats, small children and shopping trolleys, basically anything that might inadvertently rub and/or bump them.

This week will be just over 170K, down from last week still on track and higher than this time last marathon build up. One thing, if you want to run high mileage I'd suggest you always get in a good run before breakfast. If you miss that one it is hard to make it up in the evening and I find, more often than not, that if I miss the morning run I will take the day off altogether, rather than try to make it up or just do a short one.

Anyway back to work. Uploaded are some photos from the kid's sports day.

Hope you're all well.