Small local race today in aid of a small children's hospital which takes care of terminally ill children (I think!). Expected it to be pretty low key as this is the first time it has been organised, except for the £50 prize money for 1st place.
Drove up there in a bit of a rush as I was late waking up and slow at getting everything ready. Packed a pair of cross country shoes as well as a normal pair of running shoes as the route is partly off road. The event HQ was a equestrian centre, not the luxury sort like Kiara, with fields all around it. There were some fields where something had been planted (probably wheat) and been harvested for autumn so there were some sharpish stubble poking out from the soil. Ouch. Hope we don't have to run through those fields.
Looked around during the warmup and couldn't really see any very fast runners except for Trevor and another guy who looked very serious (in terms of running physique, not expression on face). Trevor is usually a sub 37' 10k runner but has been recovering from injury recently. I actually finished 1 place ahead of him in the 4 mile race 2 weeks ago but I'm sure he is getting back to his old form.
My plan was to run with Trevor and he had the same plan too. We just had to keep an eye on any other fast runners and make up a plan as we went. The horn sounded and everyone was off across a ploughed field. It had been dry the past couple of days so the surface was quite hard. The serious-looking runner that we saw shot off into the lead. Tried to go at his pace but it was a bit too quick so I dropped back and went at my own pace. Trevor also did the same.
The lead runner started pulling away into the distance. I was feeling pretty good at this point and was swapping turns on the front with Trevor. Coming round a bend into a junction with a marshall, I was directed past several parked cars. Stupidly I went straight on into a field while the actual route went right up a hill. Damn!! Lost about 10s as I made a quick stop and U-turn to get back on course. Practically sprinted up the hill to catch up with Trevor and I think this is where I lost the plot by trying too hard.
Eventually I found it harder and harder to keep pace with Trevor. Started slipping back bit by bit. The thought of £50 being too far ahead to catch also made it mentally difficult to keep pushing hard. As this is a cross country race with a bit of road thrown in, there was no chance of doing a fast time (and no guarantee that the route was the right distance anyway). A weak mind is one of the worst things to have in a short race as the need to push through the discomfort barrier is an important requirement in these races.
Breathing hard and legs feeling a bit heavy, I finally got to the final section which I recognised from my warm-up / pre-race recce. Up the pace a bit but Trevor was about 100m ahead with insufficient distance to catch him. Managed to do a bit of a sprint for the crowds and finished in a slow time for the quoted distance in 3rd place just under 20s down on Trevor. Sat down for a while to recover but realised my legs didn't feel all that bad.
Trevor concurred with my suspicion that the race was somewhat longer than 5km. The terrain wasn't enough to cause such a big drop in speed. I found out that the guy who was going to walk off with £50 today also won the race I was in last week (Brambles 10k). Well I can't really complain as he did 33' something last week, way beyond my league (and still faster than Trevor even if he was going well).
This is definitely my last race for a while. Need to do a bit more training (which I haven't really done a lot of lately) and perhaps do a few off-road races in late October to November. Recent lack of speedwork is really showing but autumn isn't the time to do it. Better to build up endurance in the colder weather.
Location 52°N 2°W
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Runs at dawn
Been getting up early at 6am the past couple of days to get my dose of running. Mainly due to finishing work late as I was working on the ring mill. The place I'm staying in this week is just wonderful. In the Rivelin Valley, it is next to the path along the river as well as steep roads climbing up either side of the valley.
I've always found getting up early and going straight for a run quite a shock on the system. Far more used to running in the afternoon / evening. Especially when there is a big steep long hill at the start. Yesterday there was just a short flat section before Hagg Hill. I did intentionally want to go up this hard hill as a test. Well all I can say is that it is bl**dy hard especially if you don't pace yourself at the start, which of course I did.
Steep hill at the start...
Today I went up the other side of the valley. The climb wasn't as steep but it was longer and the final altitude somewhat higher. Running up the hill just as the sun was rising over the horizon is a good feeling, seeing the views over Sheffield and the surrounding hills. It was a bit colder and more windy that yesterday though. Luckily a tailwind was blowing along the stretch on the top.
A bigger hill today
In my younger days, I used to avoid these hills. That was when I was at Uni in Sheffield. Just before I stopped running around 10 years ago. My running history is interesting (I was a fat kid) but will save it for some other time. Anyway, despite my increasing age (still the right side of 30, thankfully) and loss of hair, I seem to be much stronger compared to my previous spell of running, even liking the challenge of hills. Perhaps this just means mentally I am more stupid. :)
Just another typical steep hill
I find that running in the hour between dark and light (and light and dark) is wonderful. The quality of the light is amazing, especially if it the skies are clear. The blend from azure blue to crimson red to pitch black. Unfortunately this clashes a bit with my attempts taking good photos because these are also golden times for photography.
Dawn with shaky hand on camera phone
Camera phones are still not good enough for real photos, regardless of how the technology has improved. Why? Because physics still rules. The size of the lens still determines how much light you can get. And taking photos is like painting with light. You can get away to some extent with insufficient paint or lower quality paint if you are a skilled painter. However, for the best pictures you still need to choose your materials wisely. That's how I see the market going, segmenting into camera phones which are good enough for most purposes and the "real" cameras (digital SLRs) for the serious.
Now I am digressing. Sign of old age?
Location 53°N 1°W
I've always found getting up early and going straight for a run quite a shock on the system. Far more used to running in the afternoon / evening. Especially when there is a big steep long hill at the start. Yesterday there was just a short flat section before Hagg Hill. I did intentionally want to go up this hard hill as a test. Well all I can say is that it is bl**dy hard especially if you don't pace yourself at the start, which of course I did.
Steep hill at the start...
Today I went up the other side of the valley. The climb wasn't as steep but it was longer and the final altitude somewhat higher. Running up the hill just as the sun was rising over the horizon is a good feeling, seeing the views over Sheffield and the surrounding hills. It was a bit colder and more windy that yesterday though. Luckily a tailwind was blowing along the stretch on the top.
A bigger hill today
In my younger days, I used to avoid these hills. That was when I was at Uni in Sheffield. Just before I stopped running around 10 years ago. My running history is interesting (I was a fat kid) but will save it for some other time. Anyway, despite my increasing age (still the right side of 30, thankfully) and loss of hair, I seem to be much stronger compared to my previous spell of running, even liking the challenge of hills. Perhaps this just means mentally I am more stupid. :)
Just another typical steep hill
I find that running in the hour between dark and light (and light and dark) is wonderful. The quality of the light is amazing, especially if it the skies are clear. The blend from azure blue to crimson red to pitch black. Unfortunately this clashes a bit with my attempts taking good photos because these are also golden times for photography.
Dawn with shaky hand on camera phone
Camera phones are still not good enough for real photos, regardless of how the technology has improved. Why? Because physics still rules. The size of the lens still determines how much light you can get. And taking photos is like painting with light. You can get away to some extent with insufficient paint or lower quality paint if you are a skilled painter. However, for the best pictures you still need to choose your materials wisely. That's how I see the market going, segmenting into camera phones which are good enough for most purposes and the "real" cameras (digital SLRs) for the serious.
Now I am digressing. Sign of old age?
Location 53°N 1°W
Friday, September 24, 2004
A Mini drive
Got the chance to drive a Mini today, a Mini Cooper-S to be precise (the top sports version). Some specs below for the more technically minded amongst you. Note that the 170bhp is achieved by supercharging the engine which is rather unusual. The difference between a turbocharger and supercharger will be explained if required.
The new Mini - by BMW
It is someone's company car but anyone in the company is allowed to drive it. Not surprisingly, many people ask to borrow this car if they need to go somewhere. Had some urgent testpieces to send to a testhouse so I drove to a motorway service station around mid-way to meet with someone from the testhouse.
The Cooper-S comes with sports seats with side bolsters to keep you from sliding off the seat during overzealous cornering. The soft interior trim, including most areas of the seats, are in fabric while the dashboard is a mixture of plastic and metal. I have to say I am somewhat disappointed with the quality of some of the plastic. For example, the finish on the indicator stalk looks a bit worn even though the car has only done less than 20k miles. Anyway, who cares what it looks like if it drives like a dream.
The first thing that strikes you when you get into the car is the location of the speedometer set right in the middle of the dashboard. Yes that's right, in the middle, between the two people in front. A bit incovenient if you need to check your speed. Personally I don't like the location of the speedo. As the engine is relatively small, one needs to maintain fairly high revs to get the best "pulling power" (i.e. torque) from the engine. Thankfully the rev meter is right in front of the steering wheel, great for knowing whether you are in the sweet spot.
The cockpit of the Mini
As most of the driving was on the M1 motorway, there was very little opportunity to find out its handling capabilities around twisty roads. For that a good substitute was the many roundabout that litter Rotherham. Certainly I wasn't going to go at crazy speeds into roundabouts on public roads. All I can say is that the car corners like it is running on rails and I was unable to get the front or rear end to lose grip. Yes just turn the steering wheel in the direction you want and the car goes where you want. None of this body roll or the car trying to make up its mind whether it wants to change direction.
Perhaps the stiff suspension will be a bit more painful on a long drive through rough roads. However, it is not true that sports suspension always means a very stiff ride - there is a lot of science and engineering in setting up the handling of a car. I hope that BMW have done their homework on this. Unfortunately I wasn't going into Sheffield so I couldn't find out. Some areas of Sheffield have truly awful road surfaces full of bumps and potholes. Enough to shake dentures out from the mouths of old grannies.
Anyway, the 170bhp on tap from a relatively light car means that it accelerates pretty quickly. Coming off the slip road onto the motorway, you can blend in and get into the fast lane very easily with a light touch on the pedal. Whilst the 0-100 time of the Mini is probably around 1s faster than my car (can't remember exactly) which also has about 170bhp from a 2.5 V6, the feel is very different. The Mini just feels quicker and more lifely. More fun and more smiles.
Going far too quickly on a nice sunny day
For the practical minded, the Mini has hardly any boot to speak of. Might be a bit larger than a Kancil, that's it. Furthermore, it has no spare tyre. Apparently the run-flat tyres can run for a long long time (I've heard 500km!) even if there is a puncture. Enough time to get you to a tyre shop, unless you are in the middle of nowhere, like the outback in Australia. Don't know what happens if there is a rip in the sidewall though.
How much is it? You can get a second hand one for around £15k (about 2 years old). Brand new ones are under £20k if I remember right. Remember that this is the top of the Mini range. Would I buy one? Not unless if I have lots of money. It can only really be a second car, and for a second car there are others which have a bigger grin rating. Like the Lotus Elise. Older (5-6 years) ones can be had for just under £15k. Reputed to be one of the best handling cars in the world. Might go test drive one. I have sat in one before and the seat fits me like a glove. Fat people need not apply... Now we are talking. Ear to ear grin type of fun.
Location 53°N 1°W
Displacement: 1598cc
Max power: 170bhp (120kW) @ 6000rpm
Max torque: 210Nm @ 4000rpm
Acceleration: 0-100kph in 7.2s
Top speed: 222kph
The new Mini - by BMW
It is someone's company car but anyone in the company is allowed to drive it. Not surprisingly, many people ask to borrow this car if they need to go somewhere. Had some urgent testpieces to send to a testhouse so I drove to a motorway service station around mid-way to meet with someone from the testhouse.
The Cooper-S comes with sports seats with side bolsters to keep you from sliding off the seat during overzealous cornering. The soft interior trim, including most areas of the seats, are in fabric while the dashboard is a mixture of plastic and metal. I have to say I am somewhat disappointed with the quality of some of the plastic. For example, the finish on the indicator stalk looks a bit worn even though the car has only done less than 20k miles. Anyway, who cares what it looks like if it drives like a dream.
The first thing that strikes you when you get into the car is the location of the speedometer set right in the middle of the dashboard. Yes that's right, in the middle, between the two people in front. A bit incovenient if you need to check your speed. Personally I don't like the location of the speedo. As the engine is relatively small, one needs to maintain fairly high revs to get the best "pulling power" (i.e. torque) from the engine. Thankfully the rev meter is right in front of the steering wheel, great for knowing whether you are in the sweet spot.
The cockpit of the Mini
As most of the driving was on the M1 motorway, there was very little opportunity to find out its handling capabilities around twisty roads. For that a good substitute was the many roundabout that litter Rotherham. Certainly I wasn't going to go at crazy speeds into roundabouts on public roads. All I can say is that the car corners like it is running on rails and I was unable to get the front or rear end to lose grip. Yes just turn the steering wheel in the direction you want and the car goes where you want. None of this body roll or the car trying to make up its mind whether it wants to change direction.
Perhaps the stiff suspension will be a bit more painful on a long drive through rough roads. However, it is not true that sports suspension always means a very stiff ride - there is a lot of science and engineering in setting up the handling of a car. I hope that BMW have done their homework on this. Unfortunately I wasn't going into Sheffield so I couldn't find out. Some areas of Sheffield have truly awful road surfaces full of bumps and potholes. Enough to shake dentures out from the mouths of old grannies.
Anyway, the 170bhp on tap from a relatively light car means that it accelerates pretty quickly. Coming off the slip road onto the motorway, you can blend in and get into the fast lane very easily with a light touch on the pedal. Whilst the 0-100 time of the Mini is probably around 1s faster than my car (can't remember exactly) which also has about 170bhp from a 2.5 V6, the feel is very different. The Mini just feels quicker and more lifely. More fun and more smiles.
Going far too quickly on a nice sunny day
For the practical minded, the Mini has hardly any boot to speak of. Might be a bit larger than a Kancil, that's it. Furthermore, it has no spare tyre. Apparently the run-flat tyres can run for a long long time (I've heard 500km!) even if there is a puncture. Enough time to get you to a tyre shop, unless you are in the middle of nowhere, like the outback in Australia. Don't know what happens if there is a rip in the sidewall though.
How much is it? You can get a second hand one for around £15k (about 2 years old). Brand new ones are under £20k if I remember right. Remember that this is the top of the Mini range. Would I buy one? Not unless if I have lots of money. It can only really be a second car, and for a second car there are others which have a bigger grin rating. Like the Lotus Elise. Older (5-6 years) ones can be had for just under £15k. Reputed to be one of the best handling cars in the world. Might go test drive one. I have sat in one before and the seat fits me like a glove. Fat people need not apply... Now we are talking. Ear to ear grin type of fun.
Location 53°N 1°W
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Another day at work
Argh worked from just after 8am to 7:30pm today. Needed to iron out the bugs in the new control system and collect more dimensional data from the parts produced. Loneruner, economists don't have to work with hot pieces of metal at over 1000°C and big pieces of heavy machines. :)
No time for a run when I got to where I'm staying this week as it is dark. Must try to get up before 6am tomorrow morning for a run. Damn my running is down to around 3 days a week for the past 2 weeks. Haven't run for 2 days since the 55 minute run on Monday. Shouldn't really call myself a runner anymore...
Location 53°N 1°W
No time for a run when I got to where I'm staying this week as it is dark. Must try to get up before 6am tomorrow morning for a run. Damn my running is down to around 3 days a week for the past 2 weeks. Haven't run for 2 days since the 55 minute run on Monday. Shouldn't really call myself a runner anymore...
Useless fact of the day:
In India, Horlicks contains buffalo milk rather than cow's milk.
Location 53°N 1°W
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
All jammed up
Got caught in a massive traffic jam today going to work. The M1 motorway was closed between junctions 29 to 30 in BOTH directions since late last night. Apparently a big lorry went through the central divider into the opposite carriageway. Official and unofficial diversions galore through other major roads and little villages. Staying at a nice place just above the Rivelin valley this week. Lots of good running nearby but very hilly. If I really like it I will book it for the next few weeks or maybe the next few months until my time in Rotherham is up.
Before and after the blockage
Location 53°N 1°W
Before and after the blockage
Location 53°N 1°W
Monday, September 20, 2004
Final 10k of the year?
Did the Brambles 10k race today. Third consecutive year I'm running it. It also incorporates the Worcestershire County Championships (a bit like a "kejohanan negeri") so there are some fast runners around. Last year the women's winner did 35 minute something but that was really fast and unusual.
Anyway I didn't do a really great race today. Did the first km a bit too quickly in 3'40". Manage to stay with a group and tried a few attacks which dropped a few people along the way. Went through a bad patch between 7-8km and got spit out from the back of the group. Went into survival mode for a while, struggling into what coincidentally was a strong headwind for this section.
Recovered a bit after the 8km sign and put together a strong finish. Got overtaken just before the entry into the stadium by someone who cut a little bit of a corner off. Tried to get back to him on the lap of the track but failed though I did manage to hold off the chasers behind me. Finished in 39'30" for 28th place. Apparently many people felt that this was a slow race, perhaps due to the gusty conditions. Winner did a short 33'. Needed to be under 36'30" to be in top 10.
Not a very good time because I am still chasing my low 38' for the year without many races remaining. Perhaps its my recent lack of training and uneven pacing. Found out that I beat the winner of last week's race by over 1 minute today. Oh I would most willingly trade this for victory last week.
Went for a walk in town later in the afternoon and did the usual Sunday afternoon things like reading the newspaper. Unlike last week, I didn't complain so much today after the race.
Location 52°N 2°W
Anyway I didn't do a really great race today. Did the first km a bit too quickly in 3'40". Manage to stay with a group and tried a few attacks which dropped a few people along the way. Went through a bad patch between 7-8km and got spit out from the back of the group. Went into survival mode for a while, struggling into what coincidentally was a strong headwind for this section.
Recovered a bit after the 8km sign and put together a strong finish. Got overtaken just before the entry into the stadium by someone who cut a little bit of a corner off. Tried to get back to him on the lap of the track but failed though I did manage to hold off the chasers behind me. Finished in 39'30" for 28th place. Apparently many people felt that this was a slow race, perhaps due to the gusty conditions. Winner did a short 33'. Needed to be under 36'30" to be in top 10.
Not a very good time because I am still chasing my low 38' for the year without many races remaining. Perhaps its my recent lack of training and uneven pacing. Found out that I beat the winner of last week's race by over 1 minute today. Oh I would most willingly trade this for victory last week.
Went for a walk in town later in the afternoon and did the usual Sunday afternoon things like reading the newspaper. Unlike last week, I didn't complain so much today after the race.
Location 52°N 2°W
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Work and play
Did the Monday early morning 2 hour drive to get to Sheffield (Rotherham actually) by 8am yesterday. Had some important visitors so had to go to another site about 50km south of Sheffield to meet them in the afternoon with my two bosses who had flown in from the US. After the presentations and site tour, had dinner with everyone at a nice old country hotel nearby in the Peak District. It was nearly 11pm by the time I got back to my hotel in Sheffield. Got the chance to drive the car that one of them uses in the UK because he was a bit tired from the jetlag and a full day of work. Didn't get to use all 225bhp since I was careful not to put my foot down too much on the twisty roads which I know so well.
Got to work for 7am today, luckily I was staying nearby (I now stay in Sheffield during the week), because we had to make a conference call with a contractor in a different time zone. Too early for breakfast at the hotel. By the time everything was done, it was already 11am. Neither me nor my boss have had any breakfast, this is despite him having run for 30 minutes at 5:30am (he has done Boston in sub 3:25 for the last 6 years except 2004) so we went to the local sandwich place. I introduced him to hot bacon, egg and tomato sandwiches in a large bun. Yes that's why a lot of people become really fat if they have this sort of thing all the time.
After another full afternoon of work, I really needed a run. Who cares if it is windy outside and the rain has made frequent appearances today. Well it's nearly autumn after all. Finally managed to get going at around 7pm in very light drizzle. Well not really rain, more a fine dispersion of water hanging in the air. Apparently the Eskimos have more than 10 words for snow. I'm sure there are plenty of words for rain in English English (as opposed to American English or Aussie English).
13km+ in just over 1 hour with a big hill
Headed out in the direction of Abbeydale Road. Planned to go along Abbeydale Road for a while and then turn right to eventually link up with Eccleshall Road near Hunters Bar. The first bit is once again a mild uphill. Hey this is Sheffield and all roads from the centre go uphill. Nothing hard, just cruising along. Past the restaurants and shops on London Road and onto Abbeydale Road proper. The rain had gone by now and the evening sun was trying its best to make an appearance.
Caught a glimpse of a runner on the opposite side of the road just behind me. Still keeping more or less the same disance behind me after a few minutes. Crossed the road to be on the same side as him. This is when the competitive instinct kicks in. It is a rare breed of runner who is not afflicted with this instinct, the only difference being how serious it is. Pick the pace up slightly, only by a little as this is just a training run. :) Checked back in the reflection from windows and cars. Ah he is still there so have to keep the pressure on - I'm sure he has increased his pace to keep up.
This continued for quite a while and I got further and further away from the centre. Went straight past my original right turn and kept on going. When I wasn't paying attention, the other runner crossed the road and increased his pace! Have to keep up... hanging on... oh you b**tard that's the end of your run!! He stopped at the entrance to a park. Now I have to run a long long way back!
Turned right at the next available junction and it was straight up a hill past Eccleshall Woods. This was a long hill as well which just kept going and going and going. Luckily I knew what this hill was like from my misspent youth in Sheffield so I didn't kill myself before the top, just got there nearly out of breath after 8 minutes of climbing. The wind had picked up and it suddenly got darker, not entirely due to the sun getting ready to pack up to go home.
Then the rain started coming. Sharp needles blown by the gusty wind right into my face. Floated over the undulations before the downhill began in its full glory. Except that it wasn't as easy downhill into a strong headwind. Over the last little sharp rise and I knew it was going to be easy going from here. Chose to avoid Eccleshall Road and instead went along the much more leafy alternative. The trees have not yet started shedding their leaves in earnest so the pavements are not yet covered in a brownish green mulch.
Finally got to the Safeway roundabout, through the underpass and made the last mild uphill dash for home. Well home as in a place to stay for the next few days. The Grosvenor House Hotel (the tall building at the head of The Moor) smack bang in the centre of Sheffield. Boring old hotel which had its glory days perhaps 20 years ago. 1 hour and 1 minute, makes it just over 13km I guess. A good run through some nice bits of Sheffield, all on the road.
Location 53°N 1°W
Got to work for 7am today, luckily I was staying nearby (I now stay in Sheffield during the week), because we had to make a conference call with a contractor in a different time zone. Too early for breakfast at the hotel. By the time everything was done, it was already 11am. Neither me nor my boss have had any breakfast, this is despite him having run for 30 minutes at 5:30am (he has done Boston in sub 3:25 for the last 6 years except 2004) so we went to the local sandwich place. I introduced him to hot bacon, egg and tomato sandwiches in a large bun. Yes that's why a lot of people become really fat if they have this sort of thing all the time.
After another full afternoon of work, I really needed a run. Who cares if it is windy outside and the rain has made frequent appearances today. Well it's nearly autumn after all. Finally managed to get going at around 7pm in very light drizzle. Well not really rain, more a fine dispersion of water hanging in the air. Apparently the Eskimos have more than 10 words for snow. I'm sure there are plenty of words for rain in English English (as opposed to American English or Aussie English).
13km+ in just over 1 hour with a big hill
Headed out in the direction of Abbeydale Road. Planned to go along Abbeydale Road for a while and then turn right to eventually link up with Eccleshall Road near Hunters Bar. The first bit is once again a mild uphill. Hey this is Sheffield and all roads from the centre go uphill. Nothing hard, just cruising along. Past the restaurants and shops on London Road and onto Abbeydale Road proper. The rain had gone by now and the evening sun was trying its best to make an appearance.
Caught a glimpse of a runner on the opposite side of the road just behind me. Still keeping more or less the same disance behind me after a few minutes. Crossed the road to be on the same side as him. This is when the competitive instinct kicks in. It is a rare breed of runner who is not afflicted with this instinct, the only difference being how serious it is. Pick the pace up slightly, only by a little as this is just a training run. :) Checked back in the reflection from windows and cars. Ah he is still there so have to keep the pressure on - I'm sure he has increased his pace to keep up.
This continued for quite a while and I got further and further away from the centre. Went straight past my original right turn and kept on going. When I wasn't paying attention, the other runner crossed the road and increased his pace! Have to keep up... hanging on... oh you b**tard that's the end of your run!! He stopped at the entrance to a park. Now I have to run a long long way back!
Turned right at the next available junction and it was straight up a hill past Eccleshall Woods. This was a long hill as well which just kept going and going and going. Luckily I knew what this hill was like from my misspent youth in Sheffield so I didn't kill myself before the top, just got there nearly out of breath after 8 minutes of climbing. The wind had picked up and it suddenly got darker, not entirely due to the sun getting ready to pack up to go home.
Then the rain started coming. Sharp needles blown by the gusty wind right into my face. Floated over the undulations before the downhill began in its full glory. Except that it wasn't as easy downhill into a strong headwind. Over the last little sharp rise and I knew it was going to be easy going from here. Chose to avoid Eccleshall Road and instead went along the much more leafy alternative. The trees have not yet started shedding their leaves in earnest so the pavements are not yet covered in a brownish green mulch.
Finally got to the Safeway roundabout, through the underpass and made the last mild uphill dash for home. Well home as in a place to stay for the next few days. The Grosvenor House Hotel (the tall building at the head of The Moor) smack bang in the centre of Sheffield. Boring old hotel which had its glory days perhaps 20 years ago. 1 hour and 1 minute, makes it just over 13km I guess. A good run through some nice bits of Sheffield, all on the road.
Location 53°N 1°W
Monday, September 13, 2004
So close yet so far
I am SO disappointed to have it slip out of my grasp. Someone once said, second is first loser. Well perhaps that is not entirely true, but third is definitely the pits especially if only the first and second get prizes. Despite what people may say about the importance of participation and finishing races, the mentality is very different when one is after a win. Either get a good placing or do a good time. Otherwise don't bust a gut. Might not be in the spirit of noble sportmanship but thats cold hard reality.
Consider this scenario, a hilly race of over 4 miles (6.5km or so). Not a huge race with hundreds of people. Just a good sized local race. Quite a strong wind blowing on the morning but sunny. Did the usual warmup and got ready for the start. Looked around and tried to identify a few people who might be faster than me. Not many of them here today.
The rush at the start, made even quicker by the sharp downhill just after the start. Gradually overtaking people who have started way too quick. Found myself at the head of the race with one other person. 1st mile in 5:40 (around 3:32/km), very fast but partly due to the downhill. Feeling ok. Went over the next few undulations without too much trouble, swapping turns at the front. Haven't been in the lead of a race since school days.
Felt a bit harder after the 2nd mile. The second half of the route is a lot harder than the first. Opponent put in a bit of a surge on a hill. Tried to counter. Couldn't really get back on. Tried holding the gap constant. Went through 3rd mile in 18:01 (average 3:45/km), breathing hard. Started having second thoughts about starting quickly, in contrast to my normal race plan. But hey, sometimes its worth doing it differently. Take a punt.
The final mile and a bit more was sheer torture. Hard to get the legs even to move. Attempts to gulp down more air only made my throat hurt. Gap to the leader opening up. Why do I put myself through this? Someone comes past just before the final hill. Hung on for grim death and closed the gap slightly on the hill. Trying to extract further speed appeared to be futile. My mind is not strong enough to overcome the discomfort...
Over the brow of the hill with the finishing straight. A mild downhill section where you can see all the way to the finish. Concentrate on arm action. Go faster to catch person in front. Leader of the race just crossing the finish line ahead. Why can't I go any faster? I want to close the gap. Sprint? Do I want the finish line to come quickly to stop the suffering or do I want it further away to give me more time to catch the runner in front? Conflicting thoughts. Finally got to the finish. About time too, or maybe too soon?
Do I sit or stand? Should I lie down on the grass? Trying to catch my breath. Somehow manage to shake the hands of the winner and runner up. Didn't stop my watch at all. Recover from exertions. Only myself to blame for starting too quick. Should have run it at a more even pace. Should haves and could haves. Too many possibilities. All gone. My chance is gone. Gamble hasn't paid off and the bookie has run off with all my money.
Short and sweet prize giving ceremony without me. Take group photo of runners from club (we are again the club with the most runners at the race, many in the top 10). Have a quick drink at the old country pub which is the event HQ. Go home and sulk about my failure. Got a warning that I wouldn't be allowed to go racing if I kept my unhappy face on. :)
Location 53°N 1°W
Consider this scenario, a hilly race of over 4 miles (6.5km or so). Not a huge race with hundreds of people. Just a good sized local race. Quite a strong wind blowing on the morning but sunny. Did the usual warmup and got ready for the start. Looked around and tried to identify a few people who might be faster than me. Not many of them here today.
The rush at the start, made even quicker by the sharp downhill just after the start. Gradually overtaking people who have started way too quick. Found myself at the head of the race with one other person. 1st mile in 5:40 (around 3:32/km), very fast but partly due to the downhill. Feeling ok. Went over the next few undulations without too much trouble, swapping turns at the front. Haven't been in the lead of a race since school days.
Felt a bit harder after the 2nd mile. The second half of the route is a lot harder than the first. Opponent put in a bit of a surge on a hill. Tried to counter. Couldn't really get back on. Tried holding the gap constant. Went through 3rd mile in 18:01 (average 3:45/km), breathing hard. Started having second thoughts about starting quickly, in contrast to my normal race plan. But hey, sometimes its worth doing it differently. Take a punt.
The final mile and a bit more was sheer torture. Hard to get the legs even to move. Attempts to gulp down more air only made my throat hurt. Gap to the leader opening up. Why do I put myself through this? Someone comes past just before the final hill. Hung on for grim death and closed the gap slightly on the hill. Trying to extract further speed appeared to be futile. My mind is not strong enough to overcome the discomfort...
Over the brow of the hill with the finishing straight. A mild downhill section where you can see all the way to the finish. Concentrate on arm action. Go faster to catch person in front. Leader of the race just crossing the finish line ahead. Why can't I go any faster? I want to close the gap. Sprint? Do I want the finish line to come quickly to stop the suffering or do I want it further away to give me more time to catch the runner in front? Conflicting thoughts. Finally got to the finish. About time too, or maybe too soon?
Do I sit or stand? Should I lie down on the grass? Trying to catch my breath. Somehow manage to shake the hands of the winner and runner up. Didn't stop my watch at all. Recover from exertions. Only myself to blame for starting too quick. Should have run it at a more even pace. Should haves and could haves. Too many possibilities. All gone. My chance is gone. Gamble hasn't paid off and the bookie has run off with all my money.
Short and sweet prize giving ceremony without me. Take group photo of runners from club (we are again the club with the most runners at the race, many in the top 10). Have a quick drink at the old country pub which is the event HQ. Go home and sulk about my failure. Got a warning that I wouldn't be allowed to go racing if I kept my unhappy face on. :)
Location 53°N 1°W
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Off day
I think I am getting old. My knees need some time to warm up in the mornings. Can feel them complaining when I go up stairs in the morning. Took a day off running today as I left work at 7:15pm. Will go out for a meal with a colleague and introduce him to some pubs in Sheffield later. Well after I post this and get back to my room.
I can see the huge amount of work looming on the horizon, starting from oh tomorrow. Good though as I am being thrown straight into the deep end at work. Good preparation for next year when I will be swimming in pitch darkness with lots of unknown sea monsters around me. Should still get some time to get a few runs in...
Location 53°N 1°W
I can see the huge amount of work looming on the horizon, starting from oh tomorrow. Good though as I am being thrown straight into the deep end at work. Good preparation for next year when I will be swimming in pitch darkness with lots of unknown sea monsters around me. Should still get some time to get a few runs in...
Location 53°N 1°W
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
On familiar ground
Sheffield is a wonderful city. Just ask Ketam Batu. Staying in a hotel in the centre of town. The hotel is not great. Might post some pictures of it some other time. Sheffield is supposedly built on 7 hills, a few more than Rome. If you have never seen seriously steep roads with houses either side of it, come to Sheffield. The city centre happens to be one of the lowest places in town. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the macho) it is also where I started my run.
Now the following route description will not make any sense if you have never been there but here goes... Up along West Street past the Engineering Faculty, wow so many new pubs, even the old Lloyds Bank is now a pub, turning right at the HSBC bank opposite the Supertram stop near the Union. Now the climbing starts. Past the Arts Tower on the left (it has lifts with no doors, really!) to the traffic lights with Crookesmoor Road with the second hand shop at the corner which is still there. Left onto Crookesmoor Road which continues climbing. Past no. 353 where I used to stay, past the steep roads on the right, one of which goes past the Law Department until just before the junction with Crookes Road.
Turn right up the supersteep Roslin Road which luckily is only around 50m long. Onto Crookes Road past Tapton Hall on the left. Look at the new extension to house more students. The gradient eases along the side of Tapton Hall but steepens again past the Old Grindstone pub. Steep all the way up Lydgate Lane till the top of the hill. By this point I had been running uphill for 17 minutes with a good view of Sheffield to my back (I didn't turn round to look). Down past the Crosspool junction round the back of Fulwood to Ranmoor Hall. Right down Encliffe Vale Road, past a few halls (I hear Sorby Hall is going to be demolished) and the modern Endcliffe Vale Flats on the left. Last bit of downhill down Bronco Bank to the Hunters Bar roundabout. Finally back to the city centre along Eccleshall Road which is thankfully flat. By this point I don't think I could take any more uphills or down.
Got changed and showered. Went out for dinner at a Italian place established in 1968. Looks like they haven't changed the menu or the chef since 1968 too but that's another story... Nice to be back. Despite haven't not lived there for over 8 years, I still say going "back" to Sheffield rather than going to Sheffield.
Look closely at the altitude gain - nearly 200m up in the first 17 minutes!
Location 53°N 1°W
Now the following route description will not make any sense if you have never been there but here goes... Up along West Street past the Engineering Faculty, wow so many new pubs, even the old Lloyds Bank is now a pub, turning right at the HSBC bank opposite the Supertram stop near the Union. Now the climbing starts. Past the Arts Tower on the left (it has lifts with no doors, really!) to the traffic lights with Crookesmoor Road with the second hand shop at the corner which is still there. Left onto Crookesmoor Road which continues climbing. Past no. 353 where I used to stay, past the steep roads on the right, one of which goes past the Law Department until just before the junction with Crookes Road.
Turn right up the supersteep Roslin Road which luckily is only around 50m long. Onto Crookes Road past Tapton Hall on the left. Look at the new extension to house more students. The gradient eases along the side of Tapton Hall but steepens again past the Old Grindstone pub. Steep all the way up Lydgate Lane till the top of the hill. By this point I had been running uphill for 17 minutes with a good view of Sheffield to my back (I didn't turn round to look). Down past the Crosspool junction round the back of Fulwood to Ranmoor Hall. Right down Encliffe Vale Road, past a few halls (I hear Sorby Hall is going to be demolished) and the modern Endcliffe Vale Flats on the left. Last bit of downhill down Bronco Bank to the Hunters Bar roundabout. Finally back to the city centre along Eccleshall Road which is thankfully flat. By this point I don't think I could take any more uphills or down.
Got changed and showered. Went out for dinner at a Italian place established in 1968. Looks like they haven't changed the menu or the chef since 1968 too but that's another story... Nice to be back. Despite haven't not lived there for over 8 years, I still say going "back" to Sheffield rather than going to Sheffield.
Look closely at the altitude gain - nearly 200m up in the first 17 minutes!
Location 53°N 1°W
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Mad dash
Planned to leave work at 4:30pm today so that I stood a chance of getting back for the 7:00pm run with the club. Busy busy busy during the day. Lots of things to get out of the way. Can't believe it is just 2 weeks since starting. Anyway, managed to get away at 4:45pm with a 200km drive in front of me. The patron saint of traffic was kind to me today, no lorries on fire on the motorway (last Friday, got stuck for 1 hour) or any other holdups. Even had time to fill up with petrol and arrived at the sports centre with 10 minutes to spare. No I didn't have to drive at 90 mph (work it out - 1.6 conversion factor) to be on time, only 75-80mph. ;)
The consensus of the fast group was for a relatively short run of around 6 miles (9.6km) so it should be a nice gentle one. The evening was still warm enough for shorts and T-shirts. September is forecast to be a really good month weatherwise. Then again, anything would be better compared to August.
Besides a few efforts up several of the short hills and a bit of a windup towards the end, it was just one of those occasions that you feel like your legs are just on autopilot. I still prefer the route that we did the Monday before with a few sharp hills at the end. Finished the run before the middle group which also did about the same distance but on a different route. Got a bag of homegrowth beans planted by the oldest member of the club. Hint, he runs in the male veteran over 70 group in races and usually wins.
Oh well, 4 more days of work to go. Will be staying in Sheffield for the rest of the week in a hotel. Saves on the driving.
Location 52°N 2°W
The consensus of the fast group was for a relatively short run of around 6 miles (9.6km) so it should be a nice gentle one. The evening was still warm enough for shorts and T-shirts. September is forecast to be a really good month weatherwise. Then again, anything would be better compared to August.
Besides a few efforts up several of the short hills and a bit of a windup towards the end, it was just one of those occasions that you feel like your legs are just on autopilot. I still prefer the route that we did the Monday before with a few sharp hills at the end. Finished the run before the middle group which also did about the same distance but on a different route. Got a bag of homegrowth beans planted by the oldest member of the club. Hint, he runs in the male veteran over 70 group in races and usually wins.
Oh well, 4 more days of work to go. Will be staying in Sheffield for the rest of the week in a hotel. Saves on the driving.
Location 52°N 2°W
Monday, September 06, 2004
Sunday cruise
The usual Sunday ride with the club. Fairly flat route, as seen by the route profile. Notice that the steep climb to my flat is almost half the height of the tallest hill we went up during the ride. Somehow my legs didn't feel all that good, perhaps due to the driving I did yesterday. Nevertheless my average heart rate (not shown on picture) was very low, around 112bpm (55-60% of max) which is just about verging on being awake.
Stopped at a cafe next to an old railway station on the steam train line at the foot of the Cotswolds. The steam train doesn't go anywhere useful, just for tourists, kids and railway enthusiasts. Mind you, it is a real choo-choo train running off coal and spewing steam. Sorry guys no photos of it since I haven't started carrying my phone on cycle rides.
Very sunny today, of course not compared to Malaysia. Actually got quite "warm" around noon, oh about 25°C. Hot days can be quite dangerous if one doesn't pay full attention to the road when cycling in town due to the "distractions" from people wearing a lot less than their full complement of clothes. :) At least I got home safely. Phew, the weekend just flies by...
Location 52°N 2°W
Stopped at a cafe next to an old railway station on the steam train line at the foot of the Cotswolds. The steam train doesn't go anywhere useful, just for tourists, kids and railway enthusiasts. Mind you, it is a real choo-choo train running off coal and spewing steam. Sorry guys no photos of it since I haven't started carrying my phone on cycle rides.
Very sunny today, of course not compared to Malaysia. Actually got quite "warm" around noon, oh about 25°C. Hot days can be quite dangerous if one doesn't pay full attention to the road when cycling in town due to the "distractions" from people wearing a lot less than their full complement of clothes. :) At least I got home safely. Phew, the weekend just flies by...
Location 52°N 2°W
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Tour of Britain Stage 4
The CSC team car
Closeup of the Cervelo team bikes
More closeups of Cervelo team bikes
More Cervelos - Azwar, are you drooling yet?
Team T-Mobile was there, but no Ulrich or Zabel
Sloping top tube of the Giant team bikes
Real Italian bike - Colnago C40 + Campagnolo Record
Location 53°N 1°W
Friday, September 03, 2004
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Run over Houndkirk Moor and Burbage Edge
Think of these pictures as the trailer to the movie... The full story will follow soon - I promise. :)
Taken during run with SE K700i:
Taken after run with real camera
Location 53°N 1°W
Taken during run with SE K700i:
Taken after run with real camera
Location 53°N 1°W
Modern technology
Modern technology is wonderful. I am typing this in my car outside a closed McDonalds (after 10pm) in Sheffield (a place Ketam Batu knows well) on my new IBM Stinkpad T42 which I just got from work today. Have to pay for the WiFi connection though... This is the first time I have used WiFi outside my flat to connect to the internet. Won't be a last time especially if the prices come down.
Went for a nice run earlier in the evening, around 10km with almost 100% offroad. Took a few pictures with my phone which I will post later together with a description of the run...
Location 53°N 1°W
Went for a nice run earlier in the evening, around 10km with almost 100% offroad. Took a few pictures with my phone which I will post later together with a description of the run...
Location 53°N 1°W
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