Reading Half-Marathon 2009
Total		02:03:39
Position = 7626 out of ~17,000?

The day didn't get off to too good a start: 6am on Sunday morning doesn't tend to happen for me, and the DST change was just an extra kick in the teeth, making it feel like 5am. Obstacle the first: the tubes aren't running at that time. Fortunately, I now live in civilisation and could just get a 24-hour bus into town and connect to Paddington fairly easily. Once there, it became clear how popular Reading is with London residents: every incoming tube train seemed to disgorge another wave into the foyer. True to form, the expected 7:57 was delayed coming in, so those who could jumped onto the later one that was actually present. After a while, enough of us had made it onto the train to match a packed 6pm weekday: but the air was tinged with excitement and anticipation rather than the commuters' resignation and despair.

The comparison didn't even quite stop there as we queued up for the shuttle buses for the stadium. Apparently, Reading is the third biggest race in the UK in terms of number of participants: and it's not a big place with lots of transport infrastructure! In fact I didn't realise Reading *had* this many buses!

The start was well organised, in direct contrast to the RTTB in October, although with everyone packed into the long avenue, it took a while for the crowd to thin out enough to feel comfortable. The race passed through Whitley and up the infamous Whitley Wood Road hill- eliciting a collective groan from some runners who thought that the shallow rise up to then had been all they were required to do! The highlight of the race this far was the ice cream van that started loudly playing The Entertainer just as I passed :)

Once up the hill, it was down past Reading University and Kendrick Road towards the centre. A dogleg left to pass under the IDR flyover, with a crowd of manic drummers invoking a rather Ravenholm ambience. Then a trek up through the town centre to the old Abbey site, twisting around to the soulless Friar Street, and off out to Oxford Road.

On reflection, I think it was somewhere around here and as we went uphill again along Tilehurst Road that I fell off the pace a bit- I certainly remember seeing an army guy running along with full pack and heavy boots, that somehow got ahead of me by the time we got to the top of Prospect Park. At this point it should have been a bit quicker on to the finish, since it was all downhill (a bit); but in fact, looking at the graph, I never seemed to take advantage of the downhills at all. In fact, by the time we came down onto Berkeley Avenue, the downhill slope was more of a grind, as my knees and fact were taking the brunt. It's almost definitely long past time I replace those running shoes, though: they will be two years old this June!

So along to Rose Kiln Lane: looking to my left I could see my old kitchen window... the area hadn't changed! and then a not-so-thrilling run down the dual carriageway back to GreenPark and the stadium. We had to do a loop down to the start point and back down the avenue: I saw the 2-hour pace group on their way back as I was going out and realised then that I was too far behind target, with just over a mile to go. Although I had my Forerunner with me, I hadn't been checking my pace all that often: and in this end stretch I realised that when I thought I was going at a disciplined 5:40-or-so pace, I was actually going at more like 6:05... Failure! Woe!

Still, I managed to find enough in the tank for a decent finish: and finishing the race with a half-lap of the stadium works really well. Lots of people cheering who also have somewhere to sit... probably works out for them, too! Then out the other side to be wrapped in Bacofoil and de-chipped.

After the race, the shuttle bus system had its last laugh... the queue for the buses was a good half-mile long. I walked back into town. I think less than ten buses went past me the whole time-- the other side of the dual carriageway was chock-a-block.

All in all, it was a good race: my final time of 2:03:39 was inside my previous time by four minutes or so--- but still outside my target of 2 hours. Well, that just indicates a need to train better for next time! :)

I guess it won't come as a surprise to those who know me that I've resolved to try and get fitter during the coming year. Which I've pretty much resolved every year for the past six or seven, with varying success. To recap, last year I managed to participate in the London Triathlon (3:16) and the Run-To-The-Beat Half-Marathon (2:08). I failed to get to the London Duathlon but managed to avoid injuring myself enough to need several months' worth of physio. I entered the London Marathon for 2009, but didn't get through the lottery stage. I did some commuting to work on the bike, but not regularly, and certainly not back to the 5-days-a-week I could do once; I failed to do anything else on the bike apart from occasional circular rides around London (boring) and the one trip up to my parents'.

So far this year I'm going for the Reading Half-Marathon (March) and the London Triathlon again (August). I'm not sure about later in the year--- the Barcelona Triathlon is in August, and while that would be nice (never been there at all) I suspect I'm going to have to watch the finances carefully this year (moving house and all). It would be nice to do something a bit special, maybe fly out to do a foreign race as a combined holiday. There's an Amsterdam Marathon in October, so that's a possibility. And it'll be flat, right? Although I'd prefer somewhere I've not been before... The Berlin Marathon is in September, and that's one of the big races (and also flat iirc). Hmm. Recommendations accepted.

It's hard to be enthusiastic about going out running in the winter, though. Although I did go out last Saturday when it was still -2 degrees: that actually wasn't as bad as I thought, although it was the first time I'd gone out with long-sleeved top, long tights, body warmer *and* gloves and not overheated! Fortunately it seems like that's in the past now, although the image of me in tights will linger with you all forever. I've been going to the gym instead, doing the occasional treadmill session (yuck) but doing more on the rowing machine; I think I've finally put my boatie-induced aversion behind me. I've managed to do 10,000m in 38:58 and 5,000m in 18:17; I'm not sure if these are actually good ergo times, but they're certainly a hell of a lot faster than I can run! I'm reusing the same training schedule I used for the half-mara last October; it almost did the job, hopefully I can push the envelope a bit this time round. And remember to take my Forerunner or at least a stopwatch on race day so I can know if I'm on schedule or not!

Once I've moved house, I should be a lot closer to work, so cycling in will be considerably less daunting in distance terms; although it's likely to be even more on road with the traffic than before, so I'll see how it goes. I might even be able to run to and from work some days! It's a little worrying how exciting that seems to me, although I'd also say that the option of being able to walk home after going out is alluring too :)

I see Mesh have a "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" ditty on their Myspace page...

Heading up to the parental home soon. Disorganised, as is traditional. I also have developed a cold, which is strange because I haven't even seen anyone else for 36 hours or so.

According to my Steam stats, I've already racked up 17 hours of playing time on Audiosurf. This is getting silly.

The original X-Com game is available on Steam now! It's bad and wrong for me to be excited about this... but... if I'm going to be carting the laptop up to my parents' anyway... :)

Seems I'm only getting round to posting once a month now. I wish I could say that's because I'm too busy with exciting fun things to post to LJ, but sadly not. Work is plodding on without much change, not much to say there. Although I do have some training to go on next week for the first time in years!

Continuing on the nostalgia trip, but in a slightly different vein, I was wandering around Cambridge a week or so back--- during the daytime this time, playing at tourist for a bit. This coming weekend I'm planning to head up to Stratford (-upon-Avon) and hoping for something other than a piss-down.

Since the last post, I went on an Inferno (pretty cool with lots of Rammstein) and Reptile (also cool) double-header. Which is looming again this weekend, not sure I can face both again. (Well, planning to drive on Saturday anyway especially with a day trip out the next day).

The weekend just gone was Vagabonds, which once again seduced me with its assortment of nice-if-pricey beers; admittedly since I stuck to Discovery, the assortment was lost on me in a sense but I appreciate it anyway :)

I've managed to get off my arse and go out for a run a few times in the past week, including a 25-minute 5Km on the treadmill, which isn't too shabby. I should probably find a winter race or something to aim for--- after all, my current 10Km PR was set on a post-Xmas run. I also need to think about what to do for next year now that I know I'm not doing FLM.

I've written and sent our ante-penultimate Greenford rent cheque. Moving house end of February. Well, moving out of the house and into a flat of some sort for me, I imagine... I think I'd relish living alone again for a while. So many things to sort out of what's here, though.

Last two weeks... hmm. I went to the Calling a couple of weeks ago. The place hasn't changed very much, has it? Met various old faces while there... certain others were muttering about turning up tomorrow as well? (pix: http://www.flickr.com/photos/araqnid/sets/72157608277281228/)

That weekend (anything in between was work and not worth commmenting on) I went out to Vagabonds on Saturday, which was indeed quite a bit better for being able to drink while there :) Good time had by all, except for that damn bus journey... (pix: http://www.flickr.com/photos/araqnid/sets/72157608381649904/)

On Sunday, I had a proper hangover for the first time in quite a while... :(

On Tuesday I went back up to Cambridge (getting all my nostalgia done and dusted in one burst here) for Wake Up Screaming. Am I getting old? Maybe the Halloween Party Special wasn't such a good plan after all. (pix: http://www.flickr.com/photos/araqnid/sets/72157608487938197/)

For the next few days I had Aces High-induced neck/shoulder ache.

The next Saturday I went to see Infected Mushroom at the IndigO2. Which I actually quite enjoyed, although everyone else was almost definitely more drugged up than me. I thought that the live performance was pretty cool, although I got the impression the raver kids in the audience didn't appreciate it so much. Fun though. Got back home at 8.30am, just like being at Slimelight... (pix: http://www.flickr.com/photos/araqnid/sets/72157608595962573/)

Today I was working on my workflow engine from a couple of years ago, generally swearing at the lack of documentation arouund JMS, JCA, XA and JBoss' implementation of same, and having a more interesting work day than I've had for a long time!

I'm pondering venturing out to The Calling (in Cambridge) tonight because:

1. I haven't been out in ages due to being in Bangalore
2. Nostalgia just isn't what it used to be
3. I have a car, so I can

Is there much chance of anyone I know being there? Or indeed anyone at all? ;) (I remember some of the old days...)

My home is not a place, it is people

Lois McMaster Bujold

Although there's a certain truth to that, nevertheless being back in a familiar place is a considerable relief. Arriving at Heathrow and simply being able to lug my case down to the Tube and get home under my own steam (near enough) was so familiar that it felt like bliss, even if it did take ages.

I managed to get here eventually: I'd had to get up at 5am to get to the airport in time, not a consequence I'd thought through when planning my flight. The domestic leg went fine, arrived at CSIA domestic terminal (the modern, refurbished bit) and then it went a bit pear-shaped: the bus that's supposed to shuttle people between the domestic and international terminals didn't arrive. I wasn't the only one put out by this... tempers were definitely beginning to fray as peoples' departure times crept closer!

The bus finally turned up about 35 minutes late--- several minutes after my flight was supposed to have started boarding. Fortunately, Jet were on the ball and had someone on the bus to guide us through the international terminal; including, for instance, bagging one of the first-class emigration desks to allow us to bypass the queue. After that, we hustled through the security check area and got advised to run for the gate. Which I did--- so I guess the half-marathon training came in useful! :) Admittedly, legging it through an airport in jeans and Magnum boots carrying a laptop bag wasn't quite the same. Nor did it help that the outside temperature was about 33C, and CSIA's international terminal only has working air conditioning in some parts: notably not the outboard sections past the gates.

But I managed to get on the plane, as did at least some of the others who had been on that transfer bus: I'm not sure how many made it. The plane finally departed 20-30 minutes late, but after that it was plain sailing. I still didn't manage to get properly to sleep on the flight: not helped by the fact that the guy in front of me had a habit of lifting the window shade to look out every 15 minutes or so, despite the fact that we were on the side with the sun shining straight in. However, I managed to get through it, rather glad that I'd remembered to keep my MP3 player in my hand luggage this time. Since my luggage made it to Heathrow with me as well, I can't be complaining.

On the whole, glad to be home. I was too tired to be going out last night (not that I had anything planned) and still feeling strung out today, although I did make it out to Tesco to restock the fridge. Back to work at Victoria Street tomorrow: this means investigating how our expenses claim system works.

Two weeks since I updated? No can can claim that's unusual!

( Running )

( Bangalore )

Photos so far are here

Today I went on the last training run (3 miles steady) before the half-marathon on Sunday. So the next couple of days are going to be extra anxious with no outlet for excess energy. And since I'm flying out to India on Sunday night, I'll be spending Saturday trying to pack and calm myself for the race in the morning at the same time, likely story.

The race is on Sunday morning at the O2 centre if anyone feels like coming along to point and laugh provide support. There's a course map on gmap-pedometer. Although it looks like they're predicting rain on Sunday, but what do they know?

I set myself a target of 2 hours when I got the training schedule. I've been able to keep up with the schedule pretty well (bar light injuries, triathlons and drama-related can't-be-arsedness) so now I'm beginning to wonder if that wasn't aggressive enough. Hmm, not a good time to start fiddling with the targets now.

I received my London Marathon rejection pack this morning. (Letter + magazine + fleece). So that plan's out the window for next spring, need to see about an alternative. I could do the Reading half, somewhere nice and familiar; or maybe get adventurous and go abroad, combine it with a bit of a holiday? For example, the Prague Half is at the end of March... Hmm-hmmm...

And off to Bangalore for two weeks starting next week. I am utterly utterly unenthused. Not sure if this is really a reaction to the trip itself or just general work-related depression and disassociation. Probably a combination of both. Hopefully I'll manage to do more than just stare at the inside of offices and hotel rooms while I'm out there... to facilitate this, I've bought a new toy invested in an upgraded camera to replace my aging FinePix A203: a Canon PowerShot G9, which is a kind of half-way house between a compact and a DSLR--- more tweakable (and bulkier) than a normal compact, but not so extensible (or bulky, or expensive) as an SLR. I've been experimenting with it a little: the results are up on Flickr--- with which I'm actually quite impressed now that I've used it. So now I can put photos on Flickr, Facebook, Scrapbook and Myspace. I'll have to devise a system...

A week after I get back, I'm heading to a friend's birthday/out-of-hospital drinkup at the Fox and possible outing to Decadence after. I've been invited to "bring a gang", so if anyone feels like maybe heading there before Vagabonds, or even giving up Vagabonds for a night more metal...?

And then the week after that it's Infected Mushroom at the Indiglo. Music taste swings like mood swings :)

Some weekends just don't go to plan. I did indeed go to Reptile on Saturday night, and it was actually a pretty good night--- Killing Joke, Ministry, Tool, QotSA, DM... a fair mix, notably lacking *bwoop* *bwoop* *bwoop*. Which is probably how I let myself get talked into going on to Slimelight afterwards (idiot, idiot, idiot), which led to the next day in fact being a complete write-off. Feel stupid for having paid to enter the duathlon now.

I'm back at work, and it's just depressing. Amongst other things, I'm battling with the visa process to go to Bangalore 5th October to 18th October. I am completely and utterly unenthusiastic about going.

Planning on going to Synthesizer this Friday (hoping that having something that looks like a social life if you squint will distract me from everything else); everyone else in the world seems to be going to Wrecked on Saturday, so no idea what to do then...

I've ordered a ticket for Infected Mushroom at the start of November though: that should be... interesting. I love IM's stuff, so I won't be completely out of place, but it seems likely to be very different to nights out that I'm used to going to. Maybe, maybe not. Won't find out by not going, though.

I went to Electric Dreams at the Purple Turtle last night--- tbh I wasn't too impressed, although it wasn't too bad either. Certainly stayed until the end. Mostly 80s not-too-tacky music with some extra fillips thrown in (One World One Sky?!). £5 to get in, £3 a pint not too bad for London I guess. Still, I think I'm unlikely to return unless really bored or going with a bunch of people.

I was considering going out to Reptile this evening--- although since I'm racing tomorrow I shouldn't be living the good life too much beforehand :) I was considering driving there so that at least I can avoid getting back via the night bus at 5.30am again. If I'm driving, that will keep me off the beer too, so the next day should be OK.

When I came back froma run earlier I noticed that there was a black-and-white cat sleeping under the car. Sadly, when I came out again, he was still there and in fact bone stiff :( Not quite sure what to do, I don't know whose cat it is (there are two or three black-and-whites that hang around near our house) ... his owners would presumably prefer to collect him/dispose of him rather than just having him disappear. Hmm, should go back and check for a collar.

Still off work, off until Monday. Been wandering around trying to relax :] I have CDs by New Model Army, In Strict Confidence, Muse and Goldfrapp. So what music subculture am I part of, again?

Got back from from the pub tonight to a letter from the landlord advising us not to pay the letting agency any more and to contact them. Which is a considerable relief! I was afraid it would take a couple of months to grind through the church bureaucracy...

Well, it's all happening this month! The post brought a letter from some accountancy firm addressed to me and Sue--- very odd. Turns out our letting agency is going into liquidation. Well, isn't this fun? I have no idea what effect this has, but since they are holding our deposit I'm going to guess that we've lost that :( Or, at least, we can try and register it as a debt and compete with all the other creditors for it :(

Woo! Just been watching the track cycling, and Steven Burke grabbed a bronze in the pursuit--- another Colne lad!

I'm recovering from the weekend. Kind of. Yesterday I got rained on cycling home; the stinging nettles next to the towpath seem to have been growing a lot recently, so I came home covered in wet sand and with my arms feeling like the skin was being boiled off. Rob suggested that the Romans thought that stinging nettles were good for you: but then they thouight that about vomiting and buggery too.

Today I swam 1500m in the pool, just. And since then feel like I've eaten about 5000 calories worth of food to try and recover. The latest instalment being king prawns and mushrooms in rogan josh sauce, schlurp. Hopefully after all this I'll be able to get some actual sleep tonight. The training menu for tomorrow says 6 miles easy running... "easy" sounds good to me.

London Triathlon 2008
Swim 1500m		00:46:50
T1		00:05:40
Bike 40Km	00:39:50
	00:40:34
		01:20:23
T2		00:02:59
Run 10Km	00:31:13
	00:29:20
		01:00:33
Total		03:16:25

Phew! Well, it didn't go to plan, certainly not at the start: I had a lot of trouble finding my rhythym for the swim, and my cap kept coming off--- I ended up having to hang onto a guy's canoe while trying to put it back on. And then drifted a long way out of the lane on the return leg of the swim, not helped by having to come back against the wind. I did manage to settle a bit as I was coming back but it still just felt miserable. Then about 10m away my right calf cramped up really badly, and I couldn't stand up on the pontoon! They sat me down and poured Gatorade down me and helped take off the top half of my wetsuit... when I'd recovered a bit I went on but was just really glad that bit was over.

The bike section was OK: I overtook quite a few people on the first lap, got overtaken quite a bit on the second--- evens out, I guess. Did manage to keep up with at least one guy with a nice shiny speciailise tri bike with very shiny sprockets :) Who then turned out to be on his first lap :D

After all that, the run wasn't actually as miserable as I'd thought it would be. I thought I was just jogging easily through it but looking at the split time, I wasn't actually doing too badly.

So, much better performance than the duathlon last year. Of course, not going into the race injured helps! There are pictures too. Considering doing it next year as well, I must be crazy...

Managed to get the bike in to ExCeL today. That place is huge. I have some pics of the main hall that they're using for transition, but I don't think I could do it justice. The weather was atrocious... lots of wind and rain (I cycled in from Plaistow so still had to suffer a bit). Fortunately the forecast for tomorrow is looking much better. I think I've got everything planned out... just hoping for no awful last-minute surprises! Wish me luck!