Break in Assignments

Northern Israel
10 km from Lebanon Border

I managed to get out of Gaza yesterday and had a night at home before heading up to the Northern Border of Israel & Lebanon , I look at it as a sub 50 minute run from the office to the finishing line of Hezbollah , but the run has been cancelled.

Enough of that rubbish, this morning I got up at 5am as I really wanted to get a run in between assignments. Having not run since last Saturday when I had that disasterous and sore long run.

This morning I did have a great run, when you get one of those magic running moments. It came as the sun was breaking thru and I crested the highest point of my run. Every run should have a crest when you feel you can see your whole world in front of you.

8 km - very hot great time just wonderful to run

The Gaza Stairmaster , in pictures

The view up and the view down , 14 floors of training
Mal
Gaza City

The Gaza Stairmaster

So I thought that I would be having a non training day, but in adversity there is victory. The office we use in Gaza is in the main street in the city, yes there is a city here "Gaza City" as opposed to Gotham City, 1.4 million people make it possible to have a capital city.
Anyway back to the story, Israel gets annoyed, blows up Gaza Power Station, whole of Gaza loses 42% of total power available, City goes into power restrictions, old dodgy elevator in building does not work where office is on 14th floor.
So rather than a trendy machine, with watt displays and buit in fans, videos on demand etc etc.
Me I just climb 14 floors, might start timing myself.

Back in NON training

Tuesday July 11 2006
Gaza City

Weekend leave from Gaza, enabled me to just kick back and do some training.

In fact the first thing I did when I left the office last Thursday was to head to the Gym, in the old days perhaps I would of headed straight out for a beer or two. Nowadays I get far more enjoyment from heading to the gym than to the pub.

Now do not get me wrong I still really enjoy a cold beer in a frosted glass, but the feeling I get from a workout now seems so much better and when you wake up in the morning you have the desire for more and no regrets with a headache.

The Saturday long run was planned for 25km, and now for the excuse it was to hot and naturally after listening to Steve’s podcast of running in hot weather I managed to do everything wrong and get dehydrated to boot. Also both my knees started to ache along the illotoral connections.

But I got a solid 17 km’s (10 + miles) so I was happy and later in the afternoon I had a hash run this is where beer and running meet, another 7 km but with a lot of walking, due to the fact that my knees were really sore.

Sunday, I did my Spinning Class and followed it up with Yoga. I am finding Yoga to be a great way to stretch and get my flexibility back.

Monday – Well its back to Gaza but with my heart rate monitor this time and tomorrow morning out come the sunglasses and you know what that means

The sanctaury of the Gym

The first thing I had when I got out of Gaza yesterday was a cup of coffee , then next thing i wanted was to head to the gym and it felt great just being somewhere quiet again where I could work out in peace.
Gyms can sometimes be stale and sterile, but it just felt great after being in Gaza to be able to step into the steam room and feel all the crap come out of the pores of my skin
I plan to run a solid 25 km tomorrow morning, I have not been this psyched about a run since the NY Marathon last fall so till then I am going to relax and just have time to myself
Downloading the new Phedippidations and other podcasts , then the road beckons

Phedippidations & Gaza

I may not be able to run whilst on assignment down here, and since I am on my now newly regimented month off a year training schedule I do not feel so bad.
But I still do download aand listen to Phedippidations each and every episode. To download the show before last took nearly three hours, see how soon we forget the world of basic dial up Internet connections.
I want though to thanks all my friends at phedippidations both on the show and through the forums for their kind words and support over the last weeks it has meant a lot to me.
I may not be able to run long and listen to the latest episode #51 Passion but I was cleaning my armored car and getting it ready for another day out on the roads of Gaza
To everyone out there
RUN and enjoy the freedom it gives us all
Mal
Gaza City

Friday is Prayer Day

Now itr is Friday in Gaza and no one has ever had a better excuse for notr running than I have this week, with two nations teetering on the brink of war and spending hours running around in an armored car thru areas that any sane person would not go , and instead of running gear in true "Gaza Running" fashion I have been wearing my bullet proof jacket in lieu of my running singlet and Heart rate monitor
And now that the hotel has internet here, more later with photos
Just wish I had bought my heart rate monitor with me , see its the little things in war you miss ... like running

Reasons not to run

I woke up this morning at 5 am and had all intentions to go out and run as I have done twice this week, and yet i stopped and thought , listing reason why not to train. It seems so silly to go out and run when the comments you get from friends is " Be safe" and do I really want to run when at the back of my mind with every step I take is the risk I am taking for what take the time off use it as a rest period and not have to wory that a car will pull up next to me and throw me inside.

Four Legs good - Two legs faster

I decided that it would be ok to run again this morning down here in Gaza , there are things that you have to do to keep yourself sane in zones like this and running truly is my way to relieve the stress.
It was dark when I woke up and I decided that the best time to run would be a first light, that way the only people up are the Hamas Militia guarding the Fish Market and the traders on their donkey carts going to the fish market. Now the fish market is not a standard warehouse , but a roadside sit with fish kept definetely not in the cleanest standards that would pass many health and safety inspectors.

I had decided to do the same run as the other morning, but with a morning off in between in case anyone was watching me with bad intentions, in fact there was only one old beaten up car this morning with a few men that made me quicken my step, but they turned up and into Gaza City.

I still keep the no eye contact rule with anyone, like a racehorse with blinkers as I see anyone or hear anything my eyes focus on the road ahead and nothing else

So back to the training schedule - I wanted to push a little harder and make this more of a tempo run - so mile splits were as follows -
#1 8:38
#2 8:22
#3 8:12
#4 7:57 - now very happy with that split for a mile , not sure how this translates to km/min pace - a sub 8:00 min/mile

The reason I went under 8 is definetely my pacing partner for the last 500m , I turned at the roundabout at the same time as a horse (yes a horse not a donkey) was on its way to the fish market and moving along at a fair clip pulling its cart with owner and friend and thus the race was on back to the gate , the only eye contact I had was to glance into the eyes of the horse as I finished , the winner no photo finished required was yours truly.

Now that is a running story you do not hear every day

Mal
Gaza City

Reflections on yesterday

Was I smart to run yesterday down here in Gaza, I kept thinking about all day, one bullet, one angry militant, a drive by kidnap who knows. But I decided not to run this morning even though I work early with the plan to run, maybe just a sixth sense who knows. Maybe tomorrow
Mal
Gaza City

The burnt out dumpster

I could not bear it anymore, I have been down in Gaza on assignment for 9 days and have tried to avoid even thinking about running , as I have said previously for this reason and that reason I have not run. I even did not bring running clothes or trainers down here. However there was an opportunity to get some clothes down from Jerusalem (60 miles away) during a staffing crossover and I put the word out bring my kit down.
So I figured if I got up at 5am and was out the door by 5:30 there would be no one on the main road out the front of the hotel and if I avoided the fish market I should really not have any problems, figuring bad boys do not get up at 5:30.
You should of seen the look on poor guy on reception when I came down and went out the door.
Out from the hotel , past the Hamas Militia on the street corner up to the burnt out dumpster , turn before the Fish market, back past the Hamas boys and on past my hotel to the rotting dumpster, man this really smelt bad, and onto the roundabout where there had been a really good shoot out a fortnight ago and back to the hotel as my circuit , I actually measured it out in my armored car later in the day and it was exactly a mile.
I did four circuits - 4 miles - 34:42 minutes best split an 8:09 , 8:30 , 8:30 and a 8:39. so i was happy with my times given the location.
Somedays you just feel the need , today was one. I like to run it makes me feel good in a place that at times has no reason to be positive.

Checkout my daily thoughts on working down here in my other blog www.unholylandnews.blogspot.com

Running in not so fun places

Down here in Gaza , where I cannot run . I like to think and reflect on bizaare places I have previously run in. And Ramadi Iraq at the Marines Camp "Hurricane Point" rates up there

Why no Posts if you blog & run

Well I have to admit that the last week has turned into a forced rest week, not due to injury that is a good reason, not because i could not be bothered and that is a bad reason not to train but because as much as I would love to run and go to the gym, do a spin class even an eliptical session and would bend over backwards for a good Yoga class. None of those are available because since last Tuesday morning I have been on assignment down in Gaza.
Yes Gaza that place you read about and see on Television and down here the only running you do is from bullets and hellfire missiles.
I used to run down here a year or so, I could do a nice 45 minutes run , but nowadays the risk of kidnap is to high , my old runniong trail to the gunmen at the compound and down thru the Beach Refugee Camp is also a popular kidnapping section of local militia.
I took the first few days as a positive that a few days off training would be good for me , after six days it is becoming a real drag . I miss so many things down here but on a personal level not being able to feel the euphoria of a good run does start to affect you mentally and the next few days are going to be even tougher as there appears no end to my out.
Gaza is a prison and for the moment I am a captive who just wants to run
Mal
Gaza City

Sunday Double

Sunday,
11 Jun, 2006
Spinning
New York 2006
08:30
SPIN CLASS
30 km
1:00:00 (2:00/km)
Avg. HR:122 Max HR:131
Specialised Spin Shoes (240.0 km)
This spin class goes from bad to worse , and if was not for the YOGA afterwards would not go, the routine is flat and mundane , the music today hit an all time bad selection to the point that a couple of times we had our fingers in the ears to protest. I estimate that 45 minute of the class was in Position One , just turning for no reason

Yoga
New York 2006
10:30
Hp Gym
1:30:00
Rest HR:46 Avg. HR:59 Max HR:81
Really starting to get into this Yoga , thing hard to ascertain if I am becoming more flexible yet , but lets say no harm is taking place, only trouble being my black big toe

End of another week

Saturday,
10 Jun, 2006

Temp: 28
Running
New York 2006
06:15
Sat Long Yarkon Park
17 km
1:40:00 (5:52/km)
Rest HR 53
Avg. HR:122
Max HR:175

Asics Gel Kayano - March 06 (202.4 km)

New York Program , A little better than last week BUT still there are issues to be addressed within the group . I have stopped making excuses and have decided that if people want to train with me then train with me , do not expect me to train you. I like helping and assisting runners but have been burnt a few times and do not feel like going through that again. At the end of it you realised that you have made sacrifices for others and that up to know has never been repaid. As I have said on numerous occasions would love someone to ask me " How can I help you Mal "

Spinning
New York 2006
09:15
SPIN CLASS
30 km
1:00:00 (2:00/km)
Rest HR:63 Avg. HR:111 Max HR:140
Specialised Spin Shoes (210.0 km)
Saturday Spin Class - did the early class, totally full class - great music , great new instructor , good english all in all a great class Toe bloody sore

Swimming
New York 2006
10:30
Hp Gym
0.60 km
15:22 (25:36/km)
Avg. HR:101 Max HR:106
Sat Morning Swim - 600 m Breaststroke , with my black toe very sore on turns

5225.2 km

Just finally caught up with my running logbook , the old type where you have to write in and never suffers a hard disk crash or is infected with virus whereby all your information just disappears into a world of 1s and 0s never to be found, the one great thing is that I have kept a complete record of how many km's I have run in the past three years , from memory I actually started running back in November 2003 , well thats when I started to run and keep records.
It is when I bought my first running shoes rather than just another pair of trainers, when i started getting up in the morning before the sun, trained my body to do its ablutions before I stepped out the door, learnt how to try and enjoy a banana at 5 in the morning knowing that I will need the energy in the hours to come, regardless of the weather (Glad I live somewhere where the weather is generally nice) I have run three marathons half a dozen halfs 10 km's and 5 km's.
Learnt how much it hurts to train on hills and that the track is a long 400m when you keep going around and around.
And after all that my logbook now read 5,225 km and that is a long way , so far this year I have run 867.4 km just fyi .
What is intresting about 5225 km -
Well that is total length of electrified railway lines in the entire UK ....
It is the distance from Strassburg to Jerusalem , if you want walk it
The US Warplane the Flying Fortress B29 the plane that dropped the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki had a range of ... you guessed it 5225 km

Thoughts on the Long Run

Last Saturday, was a tough run. For more than one reason. Firstly it was bloody hot and for the first time I started to feel the heat, whilst we started at 6:30 it was still to late and as of next week we are shifting training back till 6am and will be at 5:30 and 5:00 before you know it. Also for a change we ran a reverse course of what we would normally run, and I was surprised at how mentally tough it turned a normal run into when you factor in the heat. The hard point was when we were approaching the halfway point, this is normally the start and finish, so as we approached mentally you started to think that you were actually finishing, but also realising that you are only halfway and also there was no water here which only added to what was becoming a miserable run.
There are many reasons why it was a tough run for me, - at this point I have deleted what thoughts I wrote , next week is another week and dwelling on the past is no way to train, the effort now is to get back on track as a group and for that I need to change

End of the Week Summary Week 1

I have now started my training program for earnest for New York and structure will be the core element . Last week looked like this

Running 42 Km
Eliptical XT 9.6 km
Spinning 2 Classes - 60 km
Swimming 1.5 Km
Gym Workouts - weights x 3
Yoga - 1 Class 90 minutes
Core Sessions x 3

This year going to concentrate on lots of cross training , to add to tri training , but will need to refocus back into running , just simple running , no junk miles

New York 2006 Training Program

It is about a month out now from starting the full scale Training Program for New York 2006, putting the finishing touches to the program, based on my experiences to date. This year I will be concentrating on three to four solid runs a week each with a focus, rather than junk miles where I have previously just logged ten km runs for the sake of mileage.

Each week will have

1. The Long Run (Saturday Morning)
2. A Track Session - working up to 10+ 800's (Yassos)
3. A Hills Session - again working up to around 10 repeats
4. A Tempo Run - Fast hard distance and pace

I will also keep up a more focused XT Program this year that will include
At least 3 Spin Classes a week
Yoga once a week this is needed for my flexibility , which is at an all time low
Weight Training twice a week coupled together with Core workouts

If I can figure out how to put the excel spreadsheet up will post that as well

Zen & The Art of YOGA

Over the last year or so of active training and pushing hard the one thing that I have lost is flexibility. The days of lifting my leg up onto a fence or post to stretch out have just been getting harder. So rather than settle for the loss of being limber I went to my first Yoga Class yesterday.

Now if you have never done a Yoga Class you will probably of had the same preconceptions that I did, that you sit in a pleasant incensed smelling room, listening to relaxing whale songs and everyone sits around cross legged chanting OMH and becoming incredibly flexible whilst not doing much.... WRONG

This was a full gym room and man it was physical , When you start sweating in a yoga class you know that any pre conceived ideas are out of the window for an hour and a half I moved and stretched my limbs beyond my wildest dreams, no it was not doing backward dolphins before twisting into the savage cobra. It was a total muscle stretch that felt fantastic , At least you have five minutes at the start and at the end when you just lie down and listen to the relaxing easy music, that bit I did do well.

Looking forward to going back, just like learning to run , learning Yoga will be a fun thing to achieve OMH OMH OMH