Still here and still running.

It's nearly a year since my last post so I really think I should get back and update the blog.

I have still kept running and racing but after a good patch about two years ago things have being difficult running wise. Well over the hour for 10 miles and up to 37 minutes for 10k at the Abbey Dash. I still keep going because I feel the benefits of running are worth the effort for me and I don't wan't to get to the point of no return - where you feel there would be too much to do to achieve the fitness level you want. It also means that I don't have to refuse that extra slice of cake! It is a routine that I don't want to break but there are always loads of reasons to stay back in the warm house.

Often described as the most difficult of sports at competitive level. I think most serious runners would agree that running fitness can be very undulating to say the least. The saying that hard work always pays off sometimes doesn't hold true with this sport. Too much hard work in the form of training and your running fitness can break down and you are back to where you started - or worse.

I have so far completed 3 of the 4 cross countrys this season. This should come through as improved fitness for some 10k road races later on and I already feel stronger from these. Also I have bagged a few 10 milers, with the Guy Fawkes at Ripley and the Harewood 10 miles, done in approximately 1hr and 5 minutes.

So that is all for now. If I don't get back to the blog happy running and all the best for Christmas and the New Year.

 

Ready to join the comeback trail.

Since my last post in September a lot has happened but nothing very useful to running. Or should I say running fast times?

After about 12 months of vetting and short courses etc we finally got the approval to be foster parents. In the summer we got a new addition to join the family. A baby boy aged 3 months.

We then got the crazy idea to convert the loft of the house to make two extra larger bedrooms and a bathroom. This involved a total removal of one side of the roof to add a double dormer, addition stair case to the extra floor, and due to building regulations, changing all the existing 21 doors for fire doors. It seemed like a good idea at the time and so we went through the process of obtaining quotes for the work. We finally settled on one company who came highly recommended by a friend. They started the work in early November and they finished their part of the job on the 19th December. They were excellent tradesmen and I was over the moon with the job. We are now decorating and carpeting the new rooms so the kids can move in.

After virtually 2 years of research into the most economically way of heating the whole place we decided to come off gas and opt for a wood boiler. This needed to be at least 40 kilo watts, with 2000 liters of water to use as stored heat. These would be contained in 2 x 1000 liter buffer tanks. After calculating the heat loss for the house we estimated only needing to feed the boiler every 24 hours and the house would run off the stored heat within the tanks in the mean time. The boiler and tanks would be situated in the garage. A space would need to be set aside in the garden to use as log storage. So far this is working out really well and it is the first time I am looking forward to the gas bill!

Oh sorry, back to the running. I did the Denby Dale 6 miles in December in 37 something and the Brass Monkey in a very slow 1-29 something. Very windy conditions on that day. I am entered for the Dewsbury 10k next Sunday. I will be happy with something near 37 mins.