Bang goes the plan
No time to run in Barcelona. And now I am plagued by a very painful buttock.
Monday, 15 March 2010
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Work gets in the way
I was called to Geneva, getting on an early flight there on Sunday and working non-stop since. No running. Again. Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh.
Plan is now to travel on to Barcelona on Thursday night. The conference I'll be attending is on the beach. I'll carry my gear. But apparently, Barcelona is covered in snow and temperatures are lower than low.
It's going to be an uphill struggle, getting in shape (-ish) for that 20k in May.
I was called to Geneva, getting on an early flight there on Sunday and working non-stop since. No running. Again. Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh.
Plan is now to travel on to Barcelona on Thursday night. The conference I'll be attending is on the beach. I'll carry my gear. But apparently, Barcelona is covered in snow and temperatures are lower than low.
It's going to be an uphill struggle, getting in shape (-ish) for that 20k in May.
Saturday, 6 March 2010
On track, more or less
Extreme weather conditions last weekend kept me from running in Ermelo. That's a real pity, because I know some nice routes and beautiful places in the local forests, where I used to hang out as a young teenager mainly for spotting birds.
As a result, my third 30 minutes run was on Monday, March 1st, one day behind schedule. It was a nice lunchtime run with Julie. Both of us confessed afterward that we wanted to stop at about 15 minutes but kept going because of the company. I should have more running mates - find me one in Geneva, for instance - as running alone is much harder.
On Tuesday night, in Geneva, I kept going for 42 minutes. It was dark when I followed the unlit path along the Arve river, but I could see the contours of a nice castle ruin high up on the other side and can hardly wait for daylight saving to begin.
Another 30 minutes at lunch yesterday meant that I am well on schedule. Tomorrow I will set off on my old 11k trail, hoping to not start walking till after 50 minutes.
In other news, I did indeed lose 2 kilos in February. Have not touched a single beer in two weeks.
Extreme weather conditions last weekend kept me from running in Ermelo. That's a real pity, because I know some nice routes and beautiful places in the local forests, where I used to hang out as a young teenager mainly for spotting birds.
As a result, my third 30 minutes run was on Monday, March 1st, one day behind schedule. It was a nice lunchtime run with Julie. Both of us confessed afterward that we wanted to stop at about 15 minutes but kept going because of the company. I should have more running mates - find me one in Geneva, for instance - as running alone is much harder.
On Tuesday night, in Geneva, I kept going for 42 minutes. It was dark when I followed the unlit path along the Arve river, but I could see the contours of a nice castle ruin high up on the other side and can hardly wait for daylight saving to begin.
Another 30 minutes at lunch yesterday meant that I am well on schedule. Tomorrow I will set off on my old 11k trail, hoping to not start walking till after 50 minutes.
In other news, I did indeed lose 2 kilos in February. Have not touched a single beer in two weeks.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Targets
I registered for the 20k of Brussels, on the last Sunday of May. Nothing special, were it not for my complete lack of training over many months. And for my weight, which perfectly reflects the previous factor.
Instead of a sophisticated training schedule, I decided to keep it simple. At the end of February, I should have run 30 minutes at least 3 times and weigh no more than 84 kilos. At the end of March I should have done 60 minutes 3 times and weigh under 82 kilos. At the end of April, 90 minutes 3 times, and 80 kilos. And at the end of May 120 minutes 3 times and 78 kilos.
That should get me to the level I had two years ago. Ambitious? Probably, but not doomed to fail.
Tonight I did my second 30 minutes, in hilly Geneva (the first was with Ellen early this month). Weight-wise I think I am fine too. So the start is there.
Mind you, in this schedule (as in The Waste Land), April is the cruelest month. Breaking through the 80 minutes brick wall barrier is notoriously hard.
Buckets of moral support, please!
I registered for the 20k of Brussels, on the last Sunday of May. Nothing special, were it not for my complete lack of training over many months. And for my weight, which perfectly reflects the previous factor.
Instead of a sophisticated training schedule, I decided to keep it simple. At the end of February, I should have run 30 minutes at least 3 times and weigh no more than 84 kilos. At the end of March I should have done 60 minutes 3 times and weigh under 82 kilos. At the end of April, 90 minutes 3 times, and 80 kilos. And at the end of May 120 minutes 3 times and 78 kilos.
That should get me to the level I had two years ago. Ambitious? Probably, but not doomed to fail.
Tonight I did my second 30 minutes, in hilly Geneva (the first was with Ellen early this month). Weight-wise I think I am fine too. So the start is there.
Mind you, in this schedule (as in The Waste Land), April is the cruelest month. Breaking through the 80 minutes brick wall barrier is notoriously hard.
Buckets of moral support, please!
Fare pay
My Geneva room is conveniently located along the tram line that also stops in front of the office, about 15 minutes from when I get on. The fare is a bit pricy at 3 Swiss francs or 2 euros, but the ticket vending machines at the tram stops accept both currencies. Which I consider a great plus, being an international commuter myself.
But. The machines only say they accept cards; my entire deck of them has been refused repeatedly. So it's coins I need. Another but. The machines do not give change. If I insert a 5 francs coin, the ticket will say I have paid too much and mention the amount of overpay. Apparently, one can go to the office of the Tram Exploitation Company to get a refund of the excess payment. I imagine piling up little dockets until, one day, I find the courage to queue up in an office building and receive what they owe me.
Funny system.
In contrast, the Flemish bus services have introduced a facility for paying one's fare through a text message. Much simpler, and much cheaper too: for a trip from the airport to home I now pay 1.3 euros instead of 3.0.
Switzerland vs Belgium: 0-1.
My Geneva room is conveniently located along the tram line that also stops in front of the office, about 15 minutes from when I get on. The fare is a bit pricy at 3 Swiss francs or 2 euros, but the ticket vending machines at the tram stops accept both currencies. Which I consider a great plus, being an international commuter myself.
But. The machines only say they accept cards; my entire deck of them has been refused repeatedly. So it's coins I need. Another but. The machines do not give change. If I insert a 5 francs coin, the ticket will say I have paid too much and mention the amount of overpay. Apparently, one can go to the office of the Tram Exploitation Company to get a refund of the excess payment. I imagine piling up little dockets until, one day, I find the courage to queue up in an office building and receive what they owe me.
Funny system.
In contrast, the Flemish bus services have introduced a facility for paying one's fare through a text message. Much simpler, and much cheaper too: for a trip from the airport to home I now pay 1.3 euros instead of 3.0.
Switzerland vs Belgium: 0-1.
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