Archive for October, 2007
« Previous EntriesPro Tip #3: Wearing that race number
Tuesday, October 30th, 2007For years I did what most runners do: burglar my wife’s sewing kit the night before the race for some safety pins and fix the number onto my shirt. Works great for most races.A few years ago I ran the Hamburg Marathon. It was freezing cold at the start, so I wore a jumper over my normal running shirt. During the race it started to heat up, so I decided to strip down while keeping up the pace. It took about 10 minutes and a small miracle until I had taken that number off my jumper and pinned it onto my shirt. I lost two safety pins in the process.There is a better way which is great for those long races where you expect to adjust your clothing. While nicking those safety pins from that sewing kit, get a piece of elastic band, too. For the fashion conscious, they come in black and white. Put the elastic around your chest and tie the ends together, so that it’s tight but comfortable. Pin your number to the elastic with your safety pins. If you like, use a second elastic for the lower part of your race number. Now you can slide that number up and down your body in seconds - no undoing of safety pins during the race, no broken nails nor bleeding finger tips. If you expect torrential downpours, put your race number in a transparent zip-lock plastic bag for protection.And make sure you have a good excuse when your wife asks for the whereabouts of that elastic and those safety pins.
Father Thames
Sunday, October 28th, 2007Say, Father Thames, for thou hast seen
Full many a sprightly race
Disporting on thy margent green,
The paths of pleasure trace
(Thomas Gray: Distant Prospect of Eton College)
Tool Tip #3: Running with a GPS
Friday, October 26th, 2007When I did pacemaker recently at the Munich Marathon, a well-known GPS/Sportswatch company was one of the sponsors, so pacemakers were given a GPS watch to wear for the race. When we met before the race we had a good laugh after noticing that all of us were wearing a second, normal stop watch, too. None of us would trust the GPS alone.During the race I lost GPS reception whenever I had some trees along the route. All of a sudden I had a pace of 0km/h, then 20km/h, only to settle back in at 10km/h in open areas. Needless to say, I ignored the GPS after a few miles; its battery didn’t make it to the finish line anyway…If you are thinking about taking a GPS along to the Marathon des Sables or the Thames Meander, think again. You won’t need it on the Thames Path, as it is marked quite clearly, and the maps in the MdS road book do not have GPS coordinates and are not drawn to scale. Don’t get me wrong - working in IT myself, I am not technology-agnostic and I am sure these GPS devices have their value for certain activities. But for ultra-running, better invest those few hundred quid in some trainers and a good backpack, rather than a cool but useless piece of technology which won’t even tell you that it’s 114 days remaining for the TM, 157 for the MdS. Keep running, Andreas
No Comments »Landmark #2 of the TM: Marsh Lock
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007Marsh Lock, located a few miles away from Henley, has a surprisingly long walkway over which one reaches the lock side from the mainland. It is believed that this bridge was used in the past by horses towing barges along the river. There are records of a lock there from the early 1400s. The original bridge, however, has long gone and the current bridge is constructed of steel.
Running over the long walkway during the Thames Meander is one of the unforgettable parts of the race; all of the sudden you feel like floating over the water, rather than pounding along the path - delightful!
Marsh Lock attracts a range of wildlife. Buzzards, kingfishers and Egyptian geese are among the frequent visitors. Anglers report an abundance of species such as brown trout from the river here.
Inspiration #3:Ol’ Man River
Monday, October 22nd, 2007
Ol’ Man River,
Dat Ol’ Man River,
He mus’ know sumpin’,
But don’ say nothin’;
He jes’ keeps rollin’,
He keeps on rollin’ along.
He don’t plant taters,
He don’t plant cotton,
An’ dem dat plants ‘em
Is soon forgotten,
But Ol’ Man River,
He jes’ keeps rollin’ along.
(Showboat, music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
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Tool Tip #2: Shoes
Saturday, October 20th, 2007Every two years I go to my favorite runners store for a video analysis of my footwork on the treadmill and to choose an ideal pair of trainers. Every time I test about a dozen different models on the treadmill that suit my running style. And every time I leave the store with a brand new pair - of the same model I’ve been wearing for the last eight years.It’s a great all-purpose running shoe, great for training and racing, great for running on streets and in the parks. Last weekend I ran the Munich Marathon with a brand new pair of this model, straight out of the box; no blisters, no aches, just pure pleasure. I love that model, my model, I couldn’t run without it!But it’s a lousy shoe for the Thames Meander and the Marathon des Sables. I know it, because I tried it on both occasions - luckily I took a second pair of trail shoes along both times that I ended up using. So my ideal shoe for these ultra races is a trail model (same brand as my normal shoe) with a strong profile, thick outer sole and it’s two sizes larger than normal. The extra grip is great on the Thames Path when it’s muddy - and it will be muddy in February. The thick sole protects my feet on the rocky and uneven parts of the Marathon des Sables and stops those nasty thorns from piercing through. The extra size is for extra comfort at the MdS when my feet start to swell after day one.So for the Thames Meander and the MdS in 2008 I will leave my beloved normal running shoes at home. Another 350g less to carry around in my backpack.
No Comments »Health Tip #1: Flu Vaccine
Thursday, October 18th, 2007Heading into winter, it’s the start of the flu season. I just came off a few weeks of sore throat and coughing myself; last winter I suffered the worst mid-ear infection I can remember. So today I am getting my flu jab. While it’s not a guarantee against all sorts of bugs, it does reduce the risk of catching something I could better do without. If you have races planned this winter or are training for the Thames Meander or the Marathon des Sables, think about giving your immune defence a little advantage and get vaccinated. It’s likely to make running easier for the remaining 122 days to the TM and 165 until the MdS.
No Comments »Munich Marathon
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007On Sunday I ran the Munich Marathon in Germany. Every year in Munich I run as pace maker for the first-time marathoners (4hours 30min). They are the most fun group to lead, very cheerful and just happy to have someone to follow. They don’t criticize you for your pacing or whatever. Dragging along a large balloon marked with “4h 30min”, I managed to finish in 4hours 28min 45sec, so I am satisfied with my pacing and got lots of hugs and shake hands from runners that broke the 4:30 barrier.
Munich is a city-centre marathon with more than 10.000 runners. It is a great way to see some of Munich’s most beautiful spots - English garden, Königsplatz, Marienplatz & Rathaus, Münchner Freiheit, etc. The best part is the finish: You run into the Olympic Stadium for one extra lap on the tartan track to the finish line; truly inspiring!
However, Munich is a very noisy and crowded race - lots of DJs, bands playing, TV coverage, spectators, etc.; personally, I prefer the longer distances and smaller, quieter races in the countryside with a few hundred runners at most. I guess there’s just nothing that beats the Thames Meander!
There is one remarkable story I experienced on Sunday: In the 4:30 crowd that followed me was a very friendly gentleman, an experienced veteran runner that shared some great stories with the rest of the athletes. When I asked him, he told me he is 67 years old and now doing his 12th (!) marathon this year. Later on during the race, he said that he’ll have to quit running in 2008 because a year ago he was diagnosed with two tumors and cancer spreading inside his body. You can imagine, I was both shocked and astonished; it’s incredible what your body is capable of doing if you challenge it, and it is incredible what running can give you back in life if you follow your ambition and your dreams.
Keep running! 124 days to the Thames Meander, 167 to the MdS, Andreas
No Comments »Inspiration #2: The little prince and the flower
Sunday, October 14th, 2007
The little prince crossed the desert and met with only one flower. It was a flower with three petals, a flower of no account at all.
“Good morning,” said the little prince.
“Good morning,” said the flower.
“Where are the men?” the little prince asked, politely.
The flower had once seen a caravan passing.
“Men?” she echoed. “I think there are six or seven of them in existence. I saw them, several years ago. But one never knows where to find them. The wind blows them away. They have no roots, and that makes their life very difficult.”
“Goodbye,” said the little prince.
“Goodbye,” said the flower.
(Antoine de Saint Exupery, The Little Prince)
No Comments »Pro Tip #2: Total weight
Friday, October 12th, 2007When I ran the Marathon des Sables in 2006, I weighted 85kg. Add to that my backpack of 12 kg (at the start) and some water bottles, I lugged 100kg through the dunes. If you look at top athletes like the Ahansal brothers, they probably run with half the total weight I did. No wonder they can race the MdS twice as fast, or with half the calories, or half the water intake, regenerate twice as fast, enjoy this whole thing twice as much. Maybe all of the above. It is a vicious cycle: The heavier your are, the slower you will be and the more water you’ll need. The longer you take between each water station, the less water you have per hour. Having less water slows you down further. For me, water was clearly the limiting factor at the MdS, which due to weather conditions was extremely dehydrating in 2006 (high temperatures, high degree of humidity). This is my most important lesson learned from the Marathon des Sables: Reduce your weight. At the same time it became my biggest motivation for doing the MdS again next year: I want to see how a lower total weight, based on changes of life style, nutrition, training and equipment will pay off. I effortlessly lost 15kg during the last 6 months and will have a much lighter backpack; I expect my total weight to be below 80kg, backpack and water included.Tips on shedding some extra pounds and what to leave out of your backpack to come.
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