1. Break the world record for the marathon in the 50+ age group, when I'm 50 in 2015.
2. Never wear compression socks.
Personal:
Married with two girls (6 and 10).
The Qwer Old Fella's Marathon Method is a four year experiment.
The first year (2012) was about getting back into running, staying off the smokes and booze, while sticking to a healthy eating plan and shedding mountains of lard. All boxes ticked.
Year two (2013 - age: 48) Injured Jan through March. Build back up and work on my 5k speed. Goal 15:45.
Year three (2014) will be about doing my first marathon in the spring. (Just for the experience and on a tough course - maybe Tralee; goal time, 2:30ish.) Then begins the prep work for Berlin 2015
Year four (2015) is all about breaking the world record for the marathon in the 50+ age group - it's only 2:19 :).
The above might sound nuts; it is, but then I'm nuts. Please do not copy any of the training I do: if you do, you are likely to end up running like me - not a good idea.
The idea is to have a laugh along the way. If I fail, I don't know what I'll do - my whole belief system will crumble and I suspect that this little rock might just stop spinning for a couple of seconds. Jakers, I better not fail for all our sakes. That's some burden, even for SuperBam.
5:00 a.m. – 3.5 miles. No drama. Thought I may have struggled after yesterday’s double, but everything was tickety-boo. Got another 3.5 planned for tonight and a mammoth core and strength session: might go for 10 push-ups. Watch out ACorn and Jake, on the push up stakes, I’m coming after you. Be afraid, very afraid…
Okay, it’s time to be serious. Yesterday, Tom Slick asked a pertinent question – what is/are my goals? So here they are:
Short term – Shed more weight and when I get down near the region of 140lbs-147lbs, I’ll start training with serious focus towards my medium term and long term goals. I need to get down to this weight so that I lessen my chances of getting injured when I inject long runs and speed and tempo work. While the weight slowly vaporizes, my heart will become more efficient, as will all the other physiological stuff. My diet will improve. My strength will improve – yes, I know you’re quaking with fear and your stringy runners’ arms are shaking in the wind, kids. My flexibility will improve. My writing, hopefully, will improve. And so on. Race wise, I’m looking at a 15 miler in August 2012. It’s called the ‘Most Beautiful Race In The World’ AKA, The Killarney Maxi Marathon or something like that. It’s aided and if you check out the website – don’t know how to do all that high fangled link stuff – you’ll see that in one of the photo’s there is a sign saying, 'leprechauns this way'. It’s blarney: the leprechauns don’t live there. I’m the only human who knows where leprechaun land is and, of course, there is only one leprechaun left. And we all know that his future isn’t looking too rosy. He has revised the time I need to run in the 2013 Cork marathon – see below for details. Apropos of the 15 mile race, I’ll take sub 1hr 20 mins – it’s very aided: like, jump off a cliff, aided.
Medium term goals – get a decent 10k in the bank (low 31 mins – probably at the Irish nationals in spring 2013), run sub 2:25 for the 2013 Cork marathon, which will be my first marathon. This might seem ridiculous but I’ve a sneaky suspicion that I’ll achieve these goals, so long as I don’t drop dead on my first hill session or get injured.
Long term – in the spring of 2015, I want to break the world best for the marathon in the 50-55 year old age category. Stop laughing. I can hear you. I mean it, stop laughing. I’ll have you know, I’ve started doing push ups and, here’s a secret: I was a handy lightweight boxer. Yeah, you've ceased your chuckling now, haven't you? After breaking the world best for the marathon – he states nonchalantly – I’ll reevaluate things.
Now, back to more mundane things. I need to eat some nuts and seeds, drink some water and visit the health food shop – my new hobby.
RHR 53.
6 p.m. - 3.5 steady. Not bad, not too bad at all. Like yesterday, I seemed to have a bit more zip in the legs. Loads of folk out walking and jogging. Have to be more alert at night as the roads are plagued with cars.
Did my strength and core workout when I got back:
10 push ups - nothing to worry about ACorn and Jake. 15 crunches. 10 T.A. crunches on each side. 1 x plank (25 sec). My 5 year old daughter told me to get my buttocks down while I was planking. 'Is that it,' she said when I collapsed. 'Pathetic.' Ho hum.
Night Sleep Time: 8.00
Nap Time: 0.00
Total Sleep Time: 8.00
Weight: 162.00
Comments
From allie on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 08:21:26 from 24.10.191.18
i'm currently eating cashews...
great goals. great plans. i'm not laughing. you'll do it.
(i'm also working on improving my writing).
From Bam on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 09:34:47 from 86.40.11.136
allie - you write with a beautiful and natural fluency. Are you planning a cheeky little short story or even, perhaps, a novel?
Glad you're not laughing, what with my push ups and everything.
Cashews are nice. I had peanuts (sorry aleph) good for CO enzyme q10 and pumpkin seeds with a sprinkling of seasame and flax.
From Jake K on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 11:27:42 from 155.100.226.53
Bam - I like the goals, and I REALLY like that you have the confidence to put it out there! You have the mindset of a champion athlete, that is for sure.
Keep the big picture in mind, but just take it a week at a time.
From Bam on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 11:45:40 from 86.40.11.136
Jake - Thanks. I agree about taking it a week at a time - so important. Eg. I know that it's better to increase the miles before doubling up (for endurance etc) but from the point of view of taking a week at a time, short doubles are better for me than say a straight 7.
Hey, if I don't make the goals I'm sure the world will turn and then turn again and continue to turn for a good while after I've finished turning in my grave about this running malarkey.
I'm sending what little energy I have, over the pond to you and Andrea in the hope that you both wreak havoc in Philly this w/e.
From Jake K on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 11:50:11 from 155.100.226.53
I like the idea of short doubles. You'll build endurance no matter what by just being healthy and running every day for months and months. If doubles keep you healthy, that is the most important thing.
I think continually running doubles makes you recover quicker - especially in the longer term once the runs get longer and workouts get harder. Not to mention that it gets the metabolism boosted up twice a day.
We'll take all the energy you can send, as long as its not delivered with WIND! :-)
From aleph on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 12:12:23 from 67.63.231.130
I'll settle my lover's spat with peanuts someday, maybe by telling everyone I'm allergic.
I like this post! But what I love is your casual use of the word "blarney."
Also, I love short doubles, for a lot of reasons, not least of which is that you get to be excited about going for a run and then proud that you did it TWICE EACH in one day.
From ACorn on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 14:56:27 from 24.2.76.146
Bam, awesome to see your goals and confidence. Pretty cool that you're a boxer, I like to pretend that I'm a fighter but you really are.
Your daughter sounds like a great motivator too!
From Bam on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 15:09:15 from 86.41.111.210
Jake, your last comment - about the wind - made me chuckle. I haven't forgotten about the idea I have for you and Andrea; I'm doing some research so that the 'plan' is backed-up with facts. I'll wait until you have Philly out of the way and then I'll let you in on what the future has in store for both of you!
aleph - I appreciate your appreciation of 'blarney'; I'm surprised you clocked that one.
Short doubles are the way to go, and doing it 'TWICE EACH in one day' does give an old fella something to smile about.
From Jake K on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 15:10:39 from 155.100.226.53
I can't wait to see what my future is going to look like!
From Bam on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 15:21:26 from 86.41.111.210
ACorn, my boxing days were many moons ago and if I'm to be honest, I wasn't as handy as I like to make out. Technically good and a tasty switcher with fancy footwork, but I lacked power. 24 fights as a kid: 19 wins, 5 losses. 32 fights as a 'grown up':27 wins and 5 losses. In my last fight I took a terrible beating off a US Airman. I quit after that hammering.
From Tom Slick on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 15:25:29 from 168.179.157.25
My first and best suggestion to succeeding at all your goals, short and long....."PPPPPP"
From ACorn on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 15:30:21 from 24.2.76.146
Still very cool. My math shows an 82% winning percentage. Pretty sweet, I won't mess with you.
I spent a couple of years training at a Mixed Martial Arts Gym. Nothing more serious then sparring, and rolling around hoping to submit my opponent with jiu jitsu chokes or by other means.
From allie on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 15:31:27 from 161.38.218.168
"hi-yah."
From Bam on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 15:46:54 from 86.41.111.210
Tom, I agree. The plan's done. The execution has begun.
allie - 'hi-yah', sweet, I like that. Any recipes for buckwheat? Banged some into a soup today. Usual base of carrot, celery, red onion, organic veg stock - but added a chilli and a few cheeky slices of root ginger. Then I dropped in some green beans and buckwheat. Tasted like a pair of briefs after a twenty miler in the desert, not that I'd know what they'd taste like.
ACorn, the record looks good but it's all about the boxers I fought. When I lost it was usually against half decent fighters. I suppose if I were to compare my boxing to running, I would have been like a 36 min 10k runner. And with all those push ups and cups of coffee you make with that kettle thingamajig I wouldn't want to grapple with you.
From allie on Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 16:08:11 from 161.38.218.168
i typically eat buckwheat as a hot breakfast cereal, as i too discovered the "stale briefs" flavor in most savory applications. try it with your favorite type of milk, dried fruit, cinnamon, honey, pecans, and a bit o' lemon peel. shredded coconut too, if you are feeling adventurous. (basically the same recipe as your famous quinoa...)
sasha has a chinese buckwheat recipe here: http://asksasha.com/Healthy-Cooking/
never tried it though...
From Bam on Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 07:59:50 from 86.40.147.248
Thanks allie, I'll give them a try.
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