Fun weekend off, after a fashion. Actually, not so much fun. Fulfilling, maybe.
Last week at work was something of a nightmare. They closed the M6 in two places on one night, two different sections the next night, and it was just miserable. The main lesson I have learned is; whatever the circumstances *NEVER* divert through Stafford. It took me about two hours to get through the 8 or so miles of diversion one afternoon, and an hour and a half to get back then next day at gone midnight. It takes you straight through a poxy town centre, replete with traffic lights, single lane streets and road works. The first night I ran out of driving hours (maximum of ten driving hours a shift, three times a week. Normally your maximum is nine hours.) The second night I just scraped in at ten hours.
As I say, you can only do that three times in a week, after that you have to just do nine hours, so I was a bit worried for the rest of the week.
The godawful reverse is still godawful, but I’m getting the hang of it. I’ve noticed my reversing in our yard is improving vastly due to the practice I’m getting at Cowley.
That was a 60+ hour week. The bum thing being the start time is 1400 so twice I finished at 0400, not in bed until 0530 then you start stirring when it gets light. Up at 1030 first day, can’t remember the second but it wasn’t great. By the end of the week I was shagged.
I got in Friday, well, Saturday at about 0230 and thought I’d get my race pack and kit sorted for the Rivington half marathon at 1000, it was gone. I spent an hour or so going through all the draws, the bins, all the draws again, under the draws, in my sports bags, through the draws, I woke Wendy (not pleased) and finally gave up. One of us must have thrown the envelope out. When I say ‘one of us’ I mean ‘Wendy’.
Not best chuffed.
Possibly it will turn up in a month or two and we will laugh about it. Or not. Either way, no race on Saturday.
Last week I was feeling a bit off colour, possibly just psychosomatically as Wendy was ill as buggery, but I put off my training and cycling to work. That and the being shagged every day. The odd thing is; the more exercise you do the more you want to do, the less you do the less you want to do.
So it was a struggle to put my trainers on Saturday and go for a run. I forced myself into it as I’d missed out on the half. I ran my flat 10 miles course, which it turns out was 10.24 miles. I was right the first time, my Map My Run app on my ‘phone said it was too short because it hadn’t picked up the satellite signal. Grrr. Anyway, the 10.24 was done in 1:14.34
A new PB, and nearly a quarter mile longer! Go me!
Today I set out to beat it. My first two miles yesterday were 7.10 and 7.18, today I managed a 6.50 and 6.45, my third mile was a 7.04! I blew it a bit on mile four and mile five is always the hardest, physically because that is where the only hills are and psychologically because it the furthest you have to run (away, after that it’s all homeward bound). I know, it doesn’t make sense, but it is the case. My time slipped to a 7.55 on the 4-5 mile, back to a 7.14 when I turned around.
Anyway, I set a new proper ten mile distance PB of 1:13.15, and that was second day of fast running. And those were my first two miles under 7 minutes! *chuffed face* That is exactly the pace I need to be able to maintain for 26.2 miles if I want to do a sub 3 hour marathon. More hills!
The other thing I’ve been doing is preparing the bike for Winter riding. All I had to do was take the tri bars off and thread a new gear cable through the handle bar lever things. It’s taken me hours to do one. Now I know what I have to do it will take me 10 minutes to do the other, but it is far from intuitive and I couldn’t find that model on the internet. *Shakes fist at google*
Back to it tomorrow. Biking, dieting, French. I’ve been being slack, what with the stress of the new run, the stupid hours and the malaise.
The other thing of note is I have been in contact with the coppers, and I will have to declare that drink/ driving conviction. As it was a single moment of drunken madness, with no other convictions, I hope to be able to plead my case to the Americans and Canadians. As I gave up drinking years ago (2007? 2008?) and they can test my hair to prove it, I reckon I stand a good chance.
…
That was last week, didn’t get around to posting it.
This week has been one of prevarication, mainly.
I didn’t get around to posting off my visa applications (I’ll fill them in today, post Monday) I rode to work on Monday after spending the morning fannying around changing the gear shifter cables. Five minutes into the ride the front gears refused to change back up to the big ring, so I was left pedalling like a madman to make it into work on time. On Tuesday I had a look and it wasn’t that I’d set it up wrong, but that I hadn’t replaced the cable housing with new stuff. The old one had frayed so when I put tension on the wire it sagged, so I wouldn’t move back. I had to change the cable and replace the housing. Still have to do the rear one set-up. It is working at the moment but it has the same problem. Best not to risk it.
I got the tri bars off and turned the front wheel around, (so the tyre is pointing in the right direction of travel) changed the pedals to the toe clip ones (as opposed to the locked-in, cleats) and left it pumped a bit softer for grip. I’ll change the rear cable and housing and get back to it on Monday.
The good thing was; that Winter cycling jacket is the business! I ended up taking it off and freezing in just my base layer top on the ride home, it was that warm. I should be sorted for Winter, then. The bike looks weird without tri bars, and the riding position is totally strange. As is riding in trainers. I think I may have to look for something with a stiffer sole.
Wendy has been trying to get her passport sorted. They wouldn’t issue her with one as she’s never had the new style one and she has changed her name through marriage. She had to write to Cornwall council to get a marriage certificate. They wrote back saying the church hadn’t submitted it yet. So then we had to email the church, then send them the letter. She’s got it now, so that can go back in the post on Monday.
The reverse into the warehouse is getting easier. I think I’ve sussed the proper turning point. The knock-on effect is that reversing in the yard at Irlam is vastly easier now. Good.
My computer has still not arrived. 7-10 days delivery. It’s now 13 days. I got an email after 8 days saying “your order is now in the ‘build and test’ phase.” In other words, for 7 days it was in the ‘sat on our arses, twiddling our thumbs’ phase.
Can’t think of anything to add. I’m strung out on too much coffee.
Better get a run done.
Later,
Buck.
PS, Had to force myself out of the door for that run, but when I got going I was determined to smash last week’s PB. Did I ever! Last week I set a new 10 mile record of 1:13.15, today I did it in 1:09.43!
I had really stepped up my game last week so that is a massive improvement. It’s my first ever sub 7 m/m 10 miler! I went out with a different mind-set. Go like stink and keep going. No easing the pace for the hills or slacking off because I was tired. I just kept pushing and my return miles were some of my fastest. I’ve obviously been too lenient with myself in the past, let the pace drop and settled for a finish. NO! Bad Bucky! Lazy Bucky! Push and achieve.
For my own sake I’m going to record the stats, nothing of interest. In keeping with the rest of the blog, really.
Mile 1: 6.47, 2: 6.57 3: 7.04 4: 7.04 5: 7.11 6: 6.53 7: 6.45 8: 6.57 9: 6.54 10: 7.05
6 sub 7 m/m’s, average 6.59 m/m. For the sub 3hr marathon I need to average 6.48. It’s looking at least possible.
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