Northampton Park Run and other stuff

Saturday 6 July

The sun is shining, there is no wind so the conditions are good for a PB in the Northampton 5 km Park Run. It also helps that this is my second attempt and my first run I did at a slow pace to ensure I got round without stopping. I am hoping to be around the 25 minute mark but I will have to wait for the official time to come through sometime today.

Me and my guru

I have received so much wisdom from my running Guru, Michael Williams. He gave me great advice and gave me an article to read on breathing whilst running.  Breathing, thankfully comes quite naturally to me but establishing a breathing routine whilst on a run, that improves efficiency and reduces risk of injury is quite difficult.

The pattern is breathe in for three strides and exhale for two. The result is alternate feet down down when one exhales. I suggest you give it a go because it is harder than you think particularly as I was also concentrating on maintaining a running cadence of 180 strides per minute. 

 It is my estimation that over 200 people took part this morning. It was great to see children in push chairs being taken round by fit parents, children and more mature people take part. I categorize myself as being in the maturing process and always on the look out for older people to beat. Saying that my Guru and inspiration is 10 years older than me but a lot fitter. Doesn't seem right to me but the challenge is at sometime in the future I beat him. Looking at the self portrait I do not seem to be in that much pain. For the next run I will try even harder. As the 'race' is only 3 miles it is an opportunity to really push myself to the limits. Who knows one day I may even throw up.

After the run we went for drink and stretch at Chaz's house. Chaz is a good friend who is going through the rigors of chemotherapy. He is an inspiration as never complains and maintains a positive outlook. He even allowed me to take photos of him undergoing chemo. It was my intention to try and record what he was going through. I hope for  his sake the Lions give the Aussies a dam good thrashing in the third and final test.

And one more thought. For those interested in photography please see before it finishing on BBC iplayer watch the film on the photographer Don McCullin 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b036j3fp/imagine..._Summer_2013_McCullin/

It is very disturbing and created in me a passion never to complain about anything again. (It lasted 3 hours until wifey was late coming home. "Doesn't she understand me? I am hungry!") Man's unrestrained evil and hatred is unbelievable. What he has seen, sometimes in the name of Christ, has formed a strong understandable atheism.

I felt guilty eating my left over pizza and salad. But if you can stomach disturbing images watch the film

I love my garden, as well as my wife, girls, running, photography, family, newts, birds, work,walking, cycling, eating outside, frogs and water boatmen.

Weight end of week 1 - 80.4 kilos

11 weeks to go to the Northampton half marathon 22 Sept 2013.