A happy-go-lucky English rambler dude goes to New Zealand for a year. Here he interfaces with some of those he left behind and details his nefarious activities. Or summat.
Recently clicked on MP3s - 7th June 2005 The Lucksmiths - Warmer Corners
Jens Lekman - When i said i wanted to be your dog
The Trashcan Sinatras - Weightlifting
Teenage Fanclub - Man Made
Laura Veirs - Carbon Glacier
The Decemberists - Picaresque
The Eels - Blinking Lights
Sunday, March 02, 2003
You know the kind of tiredness, where you're too tired to just go to sleep? That's the type of tiredness i'm currently experiencing, and hence i'm writing this, rather than going to bed. Although, i could nod off at any point, so if this post ends with zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I've probably fallen asleep with my nose on the z key.
Regular viewers may know that i did the 'London' half-marathon, round Silverstone this afternoon, hence the extreme levels of knackered-ness i'm currently experiencing. Despite feeling a bit weird now, i'm quite chuffed with how I got on, and my sub 2 hour time of 1hr:56mins:12secs(ish - the official results have yet to be posted).
Many thanks to Mum, Dad & Alison for their support, and post race flasks of tea. The sight of Mum & Dad hanging over the pit wall, like a slightly older, greyer and more mental version of the Ferrari pit crew spurred me on to a sprint finish. (Annoyingly though i was just out sprinted by a lycra-clad bird to my right, who got the louder cheers, bah!)
Also thanks to the makers of Power-Bars, Power-Gel and Lucozade sport - the heady cocktail of carbohydrates which got me round the 13 miles. Lucozade sport & bottles of water were also being dished out every couple of miles, far more often than was really needed, giving me the perfect opportunity to act like a professional cyclist, and take a couple of swigs from a water bottle, before slinging it off the side of the track with utter contempt. (Apologies to the poor buggers who have to pick up the litter and mop up the puddles of Lucozade sport before the F1 cars are allowed back on the circuit)
Regular viewers will also be un-suprised in the extreme that i set off ten minutes after everyone else. Look! It wasn't my fault i was late for this one OK??? Major traffic jams, and having to stop at a McDonald's to visit the lavvy, after 'over hydrating' myself, meant we even missed the delayed start time. However, as i constantly try to explain to everyone, being late usually works out alright in the end, and happily this was no exception.
Firstly i got to run with a charming Yorkshire lassie for the first 3 miles, which were almost deserted, save for a few 'plodders' and a man in a giraffe suit. I would have stayed with her for longer too, if i could run fast and talk at the same time, but sadly i can only do one or the other. The other benefit of missing the mass start was (apallingly) the ego boost of ripping through the slower half of the field for two hours! As i wasn't with the pace group i should have been with, I found myself weaving through slower runners the whole time, giving me the (entirely false) impression that i was possibly the most gifted athlete on the planet. Which may just last until the next time i go out with the Birstall Running club, and am left choking in the dust of a bunch of 50 year olds!
Well, i'll be off now, to go and polish my medal, and then fall deeply unconcious 5 minutes later. My official time, and pictures of me gurning my way up the home straight will be posted when i've edited them both to my satisfactionzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
