The world is outside Blog

Dumb, Dumber, Me and B.E.N.'s Masterplan

Picture this: together with B.E.N. and A.N. I'm off for a (training)weekend in Germany last weekend. Weather looks fine, training that week went perfect. All ok. All fine. NOT!

Friday evening we arrived and saturday morning I was up early. A long run of 38km through the snow covered mountains of Winterberg was scheduled. Warm socks, Gore Tex jacket, rucksack, food, fluids, gels, camera. Fully geared up-West Highland Way Race like-I made my way to the door of our hut.  

Nervous Blogreading

Reading Blogs of runners training for the West Highland Way Race living in Scotland, Wales and England makes me nervous. I read stories about training runs up and down mountains.

I read information on how many feet they climbed. How many feet they descended. This makes me nervous. Very nervous. I want hills: NOW!

Reflections

First serious training month for the West Highland Way Race is a fact. Looking back, I can say that training is going well. By the end of January I was training app. 65km per week, the last four weeks this was steadily increased to 90km last week. And with a nice 35,5km today, things are going as planned! February is a perfect bases to start training more WHWR-specific (something with mountains...).

Which is good news, as things are now getting interesting/serious.... Training frequency is from now on 5 times a week, steadily working to 100+km per week. Focus will be on hill work and intervals.  

Is this all interesting? Probably not. Maybe for some. But hey, I'm a running fool......

Those were the days: climbing Mont Blanc

I just had a bit of a sentimental mood (happens once/twice a year, according to A.N.). Looking at the pictures of climbing Mont Blanc last September.

 

  

Caught!

In the end IT finally got me. A cold. B.E.N. has been coughing and sniving for almost two weeks now. I was strong. Not giving in. But B.E.N. is stronger.

It's a half-half cold. A half sour throat, nose half full (empty if you like). Upto now IT has not  kept me from training hard. Let's get some extra vitamines in!

Once upon a time

"Once upon a time there were two buddy's. Two running buddy's. On a misty sunday morning they went out for a long training run. It was a misty and cold sunday morning. One of them had already been running for two hours, the other joined him later.

Their goal was to run for 3 hours and 15 minutes (one of them already having run 2 hours!). The two decided to run in the opposite direction they always ran. Into the unknown. Geared up with Camelbags, Powerbar gels and chocolate cookies they went of.

One small step for mankind, one gigant leap for me

New ways of training. Today was an interesting training day. In April and May I want to train ca. 150km per week. That's a lot. At least I think so. One way to collect these kilometers in a week is to train twice a day (or even more if you are a world champion).

My heart's in the Highlands - the movie

"Many start, but many fail. Some make it to the finish line, some make intensive care."

This is a 30 minute documentary about a Scottisch runner attempt to run the 152km of the West Highland Way Race. An amazing story of a proud and very stuborn Scotsman. It just hurts watching the video. Impressive footage! 

My heart's in the Highlands

Another video. More to come: gives me a mental boost! And you?

Squeezy

Last week it was almost impossible to squeeze my training in between work, family and friends. The only option was running in the night. For which I am not ready (yet). Maybe in April/May, if I have to. But not last week.

So I made it a 'rest week'. I trained twice, not quantity but quality training! Speed and hill work. Especially the hill repeats last weekend in Winterberg were hard, but efficient. I only ran 5 km, but it were 5 intense kilometers. Loads of snow!

Apart from running, we also enjoyed the beautiful winter weather on snow shoes. Together with my dad and J.A.A.P. (who was visiting us together with L.O.N.). Below some impressions: