Diary of an Old Pair of Legs May 2016
Training Log for May 2016
Running - 155 km this month [1140 km. total for the year]
Ascent 1217 mtrs. [8655 mtrs]
ave. Training pace 6:32.4 mpk.
Cycling- 90 km [190 km]
My Event Calendar [June] Event: Venue: Target time:
Camel Muar Cross Country Muar None Eagle & Child Trail Perth, AUS. None
It seems to me that I am one of those unlucky people who loose fitness rather to fast. This year I have split my year into three distinct training cycles, aiming to peak for three specific races. It means my competitive ‘season’ will finish at the Penang Bridge Int. Marathon in mid-November, but, it also means two non-training breaks between cycles and a long break at the end. This ‘time off’ is to be devoted to Dee, my Pit-Crew, for all the support that she gives me through the year.
Well having just taken my first two week break in training, albeit that I did one hard trail event in the middle of it, I found myself starting my next training cycle some 4.4kgs. heavier and most certainly less fit as evidenced by my first training effort. Each of my training cycles start with a ‘5km. time trail’ to give a reference point for progress through the cycle. Well at almost three minutes off pace let’s hope the progress is as swift as the loss of fitness was.
Future non-training breaks will be complemented by plenty of easy pleasure runs, a little less food and, disturbingly, a lot less beer.
Segregated Running has reared its ugly head again and again.
This is an, unanswered, e-mail, subsequently posted on face book, that I recently sent to the organisers of a large town event.
Dear Sirs,
I am puzzled as to why you see it is necessary to segregate runners in your event.
If, as it would seem, your intention is to ensure that Malaysians win prizes then there is a fairer way to achieve this and to also encompass us older runners.
Your Open event could give prizes to the actual winners along with a separate set of prizes reserved for the first Malaysians.
By doing this you could also add Junior and Senior Veteran categories to the Half-marathon for us oldies to compete in.
The cost implications for such a schedule would be minimal, you would broaden your market appeal and it would not be a segregated event.
Yours sincerely James Willis non-Malaysian living in Malaysia, age 67 years
It is so unfortunate that the conversation, on face book, has been deleted from their post, but, in essence it was put to me that I should look for the opportunities in a situation not look for issues, they signed off by saying that the conversation should end because “I would never understand”. How right they are, I will never understand.
How sad it is. There are some Malaysians that believe that there is no wrong in segregation. I wonder if it is because these feelings are instilled in them by their everyday life experiences. They see segregation, in its many forms, around them daily as the norm.
Even at the sporting level there are some that think protecting the local ‘elite’ runners from losing to those who are better than them does is an incentive. All it really amounts to is a mechanism to ensure that Malaysian runners will never reach their true potential through real competition.
One team, four nations
For my own part, and I am not suggesting that I am an elite or even anything much above average, but, I measure myself against an entire field and against whatever veteran class I am dropped into. In many cases I could just be content, and/or complacent, and pronounce myself as first in the over sixty-fives, usually as I am the only one. But, this would give me no desire to improve, and yes, I am still working to do that because that is what running is to me, the desire to be better today than I was yesterday.
to be better today than I was yesterday.
All this is getting me more than ever excited about a venture I am working on. It is very much in the very early stages of discussion; I still haven’t bought a drawing-board so it’s not even that far forward, but I am canvasing a potential headline company on the idea.
Just to whet your appetites:
<> There will be a series throughout Malaysia.
<> It will be off road and over different distances
<> There will be no-one barred from running
<> There will be age group winners at each event and overall champions.
<> There will be no prize money, this is to ensure that those who run are there for our sport not for cash.
The future starts TODAY
My concept, if it is accepted by the headline company, is that the entrance fee to each qualifying event will be free, that is to say no extra to enter into the series, but the finale will have a cost, this cost will be used to ensure that the competitors have the very best experience at the very best event.
the very best experience
So, stay tuned for further information as and when it happens.
Happy Running.
Make peace with your past so it won't screw up your present.
