Eight weeks to go. The training is progressing though sometimes it feels like really hard work. I've been going through these gates a lot recently. But are they the gates of heaven or hell? Going one way leads through into the deer park. Past the church and the obelisk. It can lead to a wonderful world of antlered deer stags, ice houses, world heritage, buzzards, the foothills of the dales, and a cafe with scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Heaven on earth. But it also leads to a very long mile uphill - the 'Studley Mile', up to it's very own Barkley gate at the top which I have to touch to complete a strength sapping speed interval. Eight minutes of hell doing each hill effort. Only to have to turn around and repeat, again and again. Or onwards through those gates at the top to do another 23 miles to complete a back-to-back-marathon-long-slow-trails-weekend. The thought of doing it is daunting. Going the other way through the gate is usually good. It'...
I stagger as I jump off the treadmill or the static bike after a hard session. It's not because I've pushed it too hard. It's motion sickness - but it only lasts for a couple of seconds. It's a weird sensation due to the brain thinking the running/cycling action is actually propelling me forwards. Then the reality kicks in as I dismount the motionless machine and the inner ear and cerebellum realises and resets. It feels like I've taken something spacey that I shouldn't have, and I look like something out of the Wolf of Wall Street.
Heavy.
Its not helped by the techno beating sound that's pumped into all gyms - certainly all the ones I've ever been in. The moment you open the door it's 'Oontz. Oontz. Oontz. Oontz', mixed in with the TV blaring out something like Bargain Hunt.
I've been trialling different headphones to try and block it out and get to my own state of nirvana whilst pounding the treadmill or pedals. Over-ear head phones last about 40 minutes before they start to slip off. The frictionless warm sweat just too much for the tension in the headband to keep them in place. Yuck.
In-ear headphones don't stay in unless I use those ones with a clip that goes over the ear. The large squidgy plug thingies are too big. They hurt. The medium ones are perfect. Too perfect. They plug the ear canal so that I get a build up of sweat behind them that's released when I take them out like a volcano spilling out hot lava. Yuck. The small ones allow some ventilation though. I'm able to listen to music or podcasts that allow me to transcend all the distractions, become semi-conscious and time travel the hour or so I'm doing the exercise for.
Heavy.
My knee is behaving on and off and I'm feeling more hopeful. I've even been running outside more. This phase of my training programme is all about building the base fitness, increasing intervals, and lifting bigger weights with fewer reps to build strength. There's hinge exercises for my hips, push and pull exercises for my upper body, squats and calf raises for my legs, and core exercises for my, well, core. It gets harder and harder. The weights are getting seriously heavy.
Gym life - it's heaveeee, man
Stumbled on the Claro website and was captivated by the pic of the English countryside, read your blogs and was hooked. Apart from very much admiring the challenge you have undertaken and your support of such good causes I am just thoroughly enjoying your writing. It is so relatable. Have to admit I am keeping my fingers crossed for you that all goes well for the run (partly for selfish reasons) as I am very much looking forward to your trip through England but also because I love to see older people achieving and silencing the "why would you want to do that" people. My family moved to Australia when I was 7 and I have never been back. I sincerely hope you don't mind me mentioning that I have a cousin with the same name as yours in England. His Mum (my Auntie Audrey) is my Dad's (Gerald, known as Jud by the family) youngest sister. Sorry for the rather cryptic information (I am not particularly trusting of the internet). Any connection?
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