Downtime

Getting The Sunday Papers in

Hagg Bank Bridge

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Taking a 9 mile walk just to get the papers in seems a little excessive perhaps.

There's a good description of the Hagg Bank Bridge over on Cycle-Routes.org and yes it does look like The Tyne Bridge, that's because it was the predecessor of both the Tyne Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia.

Training: Flat Out

Ovingham to Wylam and back

River Tyne

I have decided running on the flat, or nearly flat is way way harder than running up hill! How, you may ask yourself, does he reckon that? He is mad. The problem seems to be all about pace.

On the up hill sections of a run, like last Tuesday's run up Causey Hill near Hexham, you can naturally pace yourself, gravity, friction and so all help to find a natural rhythm. On the down hill sections a similar state is achievable and a rolling forward slightly out of control hurtling gait seems like a recovery run.

On the flat a desire for speed and possibly an unfamiliarity seems to take over me and I end up averaging well over 6mph and completely knackered too quickly. I need more practice, loads more or a pacemaker. However there isn't time before Wednesday and I'm losing confidence fast.

Training : Flat Out

Along the flat

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Wracked with pain and not just in my ankle. This was supposed to be a longer distance training run in an attempt to get the stamina built up for iROC. In the end it was painful and demoralising and my bloody ankle hurts still.