You don’t need a big change to make run fun.
This week I look at how to put in some hard training and have fun. Or should it be have some fun a get some hard training in by accident.
But first an apology for being a little bit late posting my blog entry this week. The day job and other stuff got in the way; at the beginning of the week I had to write the Ed & Phil monthly newsletter and on Thursday and Friday I was away from home. To read see the latest newsletter click here. If you want to sign up to receive the free e-newsletter, and nothing else, click here.
Now to the blog post. I think I must be getting old because it took two tree-related incidents to fire my imagination up for this week’s subject; fun! Newton just sat under one tree, had an apple fall on his head, and hey presto he’d thought up the whole law of gravity thing.
On Tuesday I set out on the route to the coastal path which involves passing under to big tree with widespread branches. A massive flock of starlings had setting in the branches of those trees and the white patches underneath indicated that it was not the place to hang around. I sprinted through the section under those trees as fast as I could and escape without any blemishes. I was quite impressed with my speed. On Wednesday I was invited to join a group of lady runners that meet every week for a muddy run in a new location. As they were in my area they very kindly asked me to join them. They had a route mapped out, but I suggested a variation so that we passed by a very old and twisted oak tree. A couple of the ladies decided to climb it, the leader of that bit of fun is approaching 60.
It was then I had my eureka moment (I know different scientist) - a lot of the time we’ve lost the child-like fun of running. Running books talk about ‘Fartlek’, a Swedish word for “speed play”, but unfortunately it has become just another interval session.
When I thought about fun running times I realised that many have come about by accident, but I am now more alert to the opportunities. The first that springs to mind was a rather incongruous event that happened in the middle of a 40 mile training run in preparation for the Comrades Marathon. I was about half way into the run when I meet some young kids on a farm track. One of the asked where I had come from. When I explained, he didn’t know where I meant until his sister said “It's near where we stop for McDonalds when we visit Nan.” “Cor that’s miles away” he said “you must be knackered. Do you want to race me on my bike?” I’ve never understood why he thought I would want to, but I took up the challenge. He pedaled furiously and I ran as fast as I could. Fortunately the track was muddy making cycling hard and I just managed to beat him to the gate at the end of the track. The kids went off for their tea and I had the prospect of 20 miles more running after exhausting myself in a pointless race. I chuckled to myself most of the way back at the stupidity of it, but it had been fun.
The next fun bit was post-Comrades on a recovery run. I was jogging along at a comfortable pace on a narrow path in a wood when I disturbed a pheasant. He decided to run away from me by running straight ahead along the path rather than dodging to the side into the wood. I sped up to see how fast he was, he sped up, I sped up some more. He was more than a match for me. I tried even harder and he resolutely refused to fly or escape to the side. I was determined to beat him. Then there was a sudden urgency as I realised that we would soon reach a busy road and I was probably chasing him to his death. I put in a lung-bursting effort and started gaining on him before he casually flew off to the side and into the woods. What a great speed session that was.
Since then I have chased deer, kingfishers, hares, herons, outrun lippy kids on housing estates, played aeroplanes running down hills, raced cars (not that difficult in London), run to beat the breaking waves on Hastings seafront and on one occasion chased a shoal of fish up a stream.
I urge you to find your inner child and have fun on the run. If you want fun in the sun then try the Al Andalus Ultimate Trail.
Love this when something you dont expect happens. Was out on an easy paced 90 minute run today after 10 hard miles yesterday when I remembered that I needed to detour past McDonalds to get some breakfast for the wife. As I was running back home with a bag of McMuffins and an Orange juice in the other hand. I saw quite a few runners in front of me so I decided to catch up and pass them even though this was supposed to be an easy one. As I run past them one guy commented about me carrying the food and asked if they could have some. I apologised and said I am late getting this order delivered :0) About 2-3 mins after passing them I slowed down again but was surprised to see that I had run a 6.30 mile at that point yet it didnt feel like it :0)
Yes it's strange how the sight of other runners make us speed up.
Amazing article althought to be honest I did get a mental image of the tv program last of the summer wine. Nothing wrong with that mind.
Over the years you notice small children at play. They do not walk. They run until they are out of breath, stop briefly and then set of running again and there is a simple enjoyment in it all.
A bit back I did a 5 mile race and it went from 'might get sunburned here' to 'there is no way I am going to get any wetter' in bout 5 minutes flat. Ending up doing a rendition of 'singing in the rain' while watching people ahead detouring round puddles when there really was no point.
dhughes2 yes it always saddens me that children are all full of fun and joy, but by the time they have been through the education system it has all been knocked out of them and most end up not liking sport. I hated it at school and only took up running when I was 40.