18/9/2020 0 Comments Staxx AberdeenCREATIVE - SOCIAL – MARKETAberdeen is going through a pretty tough time these days. We've seen some businesses unfortunately have to close their doors on a permanent basis, and with the demolition of Aberdeen Market on the horizon, it may only be a matter of time before we lose even more great businesses. This recent article in the Press & Journal really hits home as to what life without Aberdeen Market is going to be like, and further highlights why the city needs a space for exciting food traders and artists alike. That's where STAXX comes into the equation. Founders Michael Robertson and Dugbatey Teye developed the idea whilst working and living in London. Realising that Aberdeen will soon have no permanent street market facilities, and having witnessed other city’s across the UK already embracing the concept, the idea was born. I'm sure you're now wondering What Is Staxx? Well, keep reading to find out... What Is Staxx?STAXX is a new age start-up community house to connect street food, fashion & arts start-ups, with a pop-up market feel, moonlighting as Aberdeen’s first roof top bar and social space. Viewed as a creative social market which provides a low cost and low risk business opportunity for local food, drink, arts and retail concepts. STAXX space serves as a social hub for the city and offers a local alternative to shopping centres dominated by national chains. The STAXX vision is built on the following: The Build - The design concept utilises repurposed former shipping containers to create a multi-level community market complex. This design is both creative and innovative – just like the people in the STAXX community. The complex will house 28 separate units to house the STAXX community. Our house - STAXX is a first home for young and start-up businesses, offering a secure and affordable city centre location from which to launch or grow the business of their dreams. A variety of creative local businesses will call STAXX home, including: - Street food - Street drinks - Arts / design - Fashion - Eco-businesses The market is exclusively for independent businesses that stand together as one and see it as their duty to bring prosperity to the city of Aberdeen through enterprise. Social - STAXX is a social hub. A place to meet friends, family or colleagues at any time of the day to enjoy the best of the north east. A bustling marketplace by day and a vibrant rooftop bar by night. Sustainability - Throughout the design process the team has strived to make STAXX a sustainable complex, run on clean energy and with a strong focus on being as close to zero waste as possible. All of the businesses chosen to be part of our STAXX community must be able to demonstrate their commitment to green business practices during the application process. STAXX is here to support the little guys with the big ideas! Why Aberdeen & Where?Aberdeen is a city steeped in shipping history, utilising its shipping containers to create a vibrant social space where customers can dine, explore and relax, will pull a different audience out and into the city on a regular basis. The city’s social scene will benefit from the presence of STAXX and we will be proud to call it home. Also, as an Aberdonian lad, Managing Director Michael Robertson is hoping to help bring something creative, diverse and positive to the city. STAXX is currently working with Aberdeen City Council and progressing with a number of site options across the city. David Griffiths, co-founder of award-winning café AVO, formerly housed inside Aberdeen indoor Market, has joined the team as Operations Director. With a background spanning 14 years in restaurant management, business development, social media management, marketing and graphic design – David will oversee the operational development and marketing of STAXX. STAXX is currently in the planning stage with Aberdeen Council, and this stage is critical for interested parties to register their interest and help push the concept forward with the council, and also the funders. Are you interested in STAXX or do you know someone or a business who might be? Please use the link below to register your interest, or share the link / this post to help spread the word. https://staxxabz.com/become-a-vendor/ I only found out about the STAXX concept a few weeks ago, and I think it's totally great, unique, and would be a welcome addition to the city - so I'm extremely keen to help spread the word.
I personally think the city always comes to life most during events like Aberdeen Inspired Nights, or the various Christmas Markets where creative people come together with exciting food and drinks vendors, and I really think that something like this could really take off with the right backing and occupants. In a time where our independent & creative businesses in the city need our support more than ever, STAXX is a platform that can really help them thrive in a modern, social & sustainable space. You can keep up to date with all things STAXX by checking out their website, or following the socials, all linked below. Be sure to share them, and help spread the word! staxxabz.com/ facebook.com/staxx.abz instagram.com/staxx.abz/ twitter.com/staxxabz
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14/8/2020 0 Comments The Last of Us Part 2I Love Video GamesI often ask myself when I'll stop playing video games. Now, let me begin by saying that I know that the majority of my audience on this blog won't have much interest in this subject, but sometimes, when you feel so strongly about a subject, you just need to write about it. I don't play that many video games. I wouldn't consider myself what you would call "the average gamer" - I don't play Call of Duty, FIFA or ever really play online at all. I like to reserve my gaming time for immersive single player experiences, with captivating stories. Games like The Last of Us. After finishing my first playthrough of The Last of Us Part 2 (which took around 30 hours), I felt compelled to write about my experience. I just couldn't stop thinking about what I'd experienced over those 30 hours and I had to put it down in to words, to at least try to explain why I could not get this video game out of my head. Note that there will be some spoilers for The Last Of Us Part 2 (and Part 1) in this post. The Last of Us (Part 1) is one of my favourite games of all time. It arrived during the tail end of the PlayStation 3's lifecycle in 2013 and it completely blew me away. It's the first time that I really felt that a video game could be comparable to a movie in terms of complex characters and narrative. I enjoyed it so much that when it was beautifully re-mastered for the PlayStation 4, I bought it again and loved it every bit as much as the first time round (maybe even more). The Last of Us, is set in a post apocalyptic near future that is ravaged by infected, zombie like creatures and human factions struggling to survive. The story follows Joel (the protagonist), an emotionally damaged smuggler, a man still struggling with the death of his long dead daughter, who is tasked with transporting Ellie, a young teenage girl on a journey across America. It turns out that Ellie is immune to the disease and there are doctors out there who want to study her, and attempt to make a cure. Throughout their journey their relationship grows from Joel initially seeing Ellie as just "cargo" in the beginning, to seeing her as his daughter by the time that the credits roll, and it is beautiful to watch. Their interactions, from Joel teaching Ellie about "the old world" to them both looking out for eachother every step of they way is some of the most compelling video game dialogue I'd ever seen. Naughty Dog (the developers) along with Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie) did an outstanding job of making you care for these characters, and I did. What truly made The Last of Us stand out from the rest was its groundbreaking performance capture (by Troy Baker & Ashley Johnson), along with its shockingly iconic opening sequence, and equally as shocking ending (that you had no choice but to partake in) - two events that I cannot wait to see play out on the HBO TV series (more on that later). Fast forward to The Last of Us Part 2, set five years after the events of Part 1, and very early in the game, Ellie witnesses one of her closest friends get beaten to death with a golf club - a moment that had me on my feet, with my hands on my head in disbelief. Less than two hours in, and this game was already blowing my mind. It is these events that set the main story in motion, and this time around you play as Ellie as she journeys through Seattle over the course of three days to try to hunt down the killer and extract what we believe to be justifiable revenge. The game plays quite similar to the first as you, and various allies need to combat both savage human threats and the terrifying infected monsters as you make your way through the city. Throughout the first half of the game, we are also treated to some playable flashback sequences that fill in some of the gaps between Part 2 and the first game and these are easily some of the most evocative, emotional moments in the game - moments that make what happened in the opening act all the more devastating. Ellie's character arc throughout all this is absolutely one of the most heartbreaking aspects of this game. She goes from being the lovable teenager that we remember from the first game, to being a young woman, goofing around, flirting with her girlfriend, to going down the darkest of paths. She is so driven by hate and the need for revenge that she is willing do to almost anything - including torturing and murdering relatively innocent people to get what she wants, and this wreaks havoc on her mental health throughout the latter stages of the game. Actress Ashley Johnson is at the centre of all this - delivering one of the most beautiful, real and heartbreaking performances you'll likely ever see in a video game (I would suggest you'll struggle to find this in most movies). Just watch the video below, and try your best not to smile. Around 15 or so hours later, we reach what seems to be the game's natural climax. Ellie, having been through an emotional and physical journey unlike no other, has all but completed her mission - she's killed several of the group responsible for the horrible acts at the beginning of the game, and while she hasn't extracted revenge on the person responsible, she's willing to accept that for now, she's done enough. It's at this point that we are suddenly confronted by the game's villain - Abby, who is now looking for revenge for all the things that Ellie has done to her group on her journey. Before we get to see this encounter play out, the screen cuts to black and what this game manages to do next is incredible. I couldn't believe what was happening. I was now in control of Abby, the villain. Ellie hated this person and I hated her too. I did not want to be playing as her, trying to keep her alive - but it's a video game, and I didn't have any choice in the matter. It quickly became apparent that I was now going to be replaying the events of the previous three days from Abby's point of view, something that I wasn't initially keen on - but as the old saying goes, there's two sides to every story, and Naughty Dog was about to do the impossible. By this point we already knew why Abby did what she did at the beginning of the game, which was something that tied back to the events of Part 1's shocking ending. But whilst playing as Ellie, it was easy to dismiss Abby's reasons, because we didn't know her and I certainly didn't care, I wanted revenge. But as we make our way again through the previous three days, we start to learn more of Abby's story, and her relationships - and while it's clear that she's by no means a perfect person, she certainly isn't as evil as we first believe. Naughty Dog took an incredible risk putting you in Abby's shoes for such a large portion of the game. However, it is a risk that paid off beautifully. We spend around 10-15 hours in control of Abby, and in that time we watch her fall in love, confront her fear of heights and risk her life to save two people (Yara & Lev) that she'd only just met - two people that she'd spent most of her life believing were the enemy. Whilst these actions don't completely excuse her for her violence at the beginning of the game, it's clear to see that she regrets it, at least in some part, and is trying to make up for by doing the right thing for Yara & Lev. Her relationship with Lev is one of the most compelling aspects of the whole game - almost to the point where it mirrors Joel & Ellie's relationship from Part 1. When the game circles back on itself and we eventually reach its conclusion, the game puts you in a really tough spot trying to figure out who you should be rooting for. We've just spent the best part of 15 hours each with these two women, with both of them mentally, and physically exhausted, and now here they are fighting each other to the death. I found it a really uncomfortable segment of the game to play - and although it pretty much meant the end of the game, I was kind of glad when it was over. This game was relentless. All of this would not be possible without actress Laura Bailey's outstanding performance as Abby, who is truly phenomenal in the role - she really deserves all of the plaudits she is getting for this. I would absolutely love to see her back in any potential Part 3 (please). I've not even touched on how beautiful this game looks, and sounds. It is STUNNING, and easily the best looking video game I've ever seen. I found myself pausing to play around with the in game photo mode almost every 10 minutes. I took hundreds of screenshots throughout my playthrough, and every picture in this post was taken on my PS4. Composer Gustavo Santaolalla does a masterful job of scoring the game as he did with the first - the soundtrack is absolutely perfect Some of you might think I've gone a bit overboard here with some of the words I've used to describe a video game. However, any form of media - whether that's a book, a TV show, a movie or a video game, at its best should be able to draw some form of emotion and encourage discussion. That's exactly what The Last of Us Part 2 has done for me - since finishing the game I've read countless number of articles; reviews, opinion pieces, theories and listened to several podcasts on the game. It's maybe around 3 weeks since I finished The Last of Us Part 2, but I still find myself thinking about it. I've even started playing another game on my PS4, and it just isn't satisfying me even remotely like The Last of Us - this really was a once in a generation experience, and I can't imagine another video game coming along and having this impact any time soon. Unless, of course, Naughty Dog wants to give us Part 3 on the PlayStation 5... I mentioned earlier that HBO are turning The Last of Us in to a TV show and I could not be more excited about this. If seeing the characters from one of my favourite games brought to life isn't enough, it's being produced by game director Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, creator of the incredible HBO mini-series, Chernobyl. Whilst no specific casting details or story details have been announced, it has been said that it will be true to the game whilst enhancing it at the same time, and with Neil Druckmann heavily involved, along with game composer Gustavo Santaolalla, this only heightens my excitement for it. I can only imagine this is how excited fans of the Game of Thrones books were when the HBO adaptation was announced. I urge every single one of you with the means and ability to do so, to play this game. Sure, it's relentless and heartbreaking, but you will not regret a single second of it. For all you non-gamers, you will just need to wait for the TV show to fall in love with these characters and their story. I for one, can't wait to do it all over again. So, in closing, to answer my opening question on this post. When will I stop playing video games? As long as games like this keep getting made, then it won't be anytime soon. There just isn't another form of media that comes close for me. I better start saving for that PS5... Before I go, I want to leave you with one of my favourite parts of the game, a moment that happens maybe only 10 minutes into the game - Joel signing Future Days by Pearl Jam to Ellie. Thank you to Naughty Dog and everyone who worked on The Last of Us Part 2 for delivering this masterpiece.
30/12/2019 0 Comments 2019 End of Year AwardsThe Best of The Best2019 may have had its up and downs when it came to almost anything in the everyday news, but it was also full of a bunch of great stuff. I wanted to do this post to share some of my favourites from the year with you all to give you a chance to catch up on some awesome TV, movies, music & podcasts you may have missed. So, without further ado... Movies Favourite movie of the year: Joker Honourable Mentions: Avengers Endgame, El Camino, The Irishman 2019 has been a pretty solid year for movies, and my absolute favourite has to be Joker. For a movie that I was pretty sceptical about beforehand, it absolutely blew me away. Of course, the performance from Joaquin Phoenix is at the centre of it all - I almost want to call it a career best performance, but the has had so many, it's too hard to choose. The movie itself needs no introduction, and I'm sure almost all of you out there have seen it - if not, be sure to pick up on home release! Worthy runners up include the incredible Avengers Endgame - just purely for what it managed to achieve in tying up the storylines from 20+ movies over the course of a decade. It is also a visual spectacle, with an awesome performance from RDJ. Two huge Netflix movies; The Irishman and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, were also two favourites of mine. The Irishman, while admittedly too long, it features amazing performances and it is amazing seeing Joe Pesci back on screen. El Camino, whist maybe not as appreciated as much by everyone, is a worthy follow up to Breaking Bad, and Aaron Paul, is in incredible form as Jesse Pinkman, a role he was born to play. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywaker is also a notice omission, and whilst I absolutely LOVED it, I don't think I've had enough time to process how much just yet. TVFavourite TV show of the year: Succession (season 2) Honourable Mentions: When They See Us, Unbelievable, The Wticher As far as TV goes, there has only really been one candidate for me, and that is Succession. The moment I watched the first episode (after Kerry, my wife, had watched it), I was hooked, and the first two seasons were binged in no time. For those unaware, Succession is a dark comedy drama, that follows the Roy family (imagine the Murdochs), and their media empire. It has a whole cast of amazing characters - it's a bit like Game of Thrones set in the modern world, but with less violence and more politics. Season two ends on such a massive cliffhanger, and season three is already my most anticipated TV of 2020. When They See Us & Unbelievable are two amazing true crime dramas both to come to Netflix this year, that both feature an amazing cast, and harrowing stories - that must be seen to be believed. While I haven't finished it at the time of writing, I'm also really enjoying The Witcher on Netflix. It's a bit like Game of Thrones on steroids, featuring a great performance from Henry Cavill. The final season of Game of Thrones is missing from this list, mainly because as much as I enjoyed it - it was just way too rushed for me to be 100% satisfying. I've also seen The Mandalorian - but that isn't released in the UK until next year, but it is INCREDIBLE. MusicFavourite artist/album of the year: Sam Fender/Hypersonic Missiles Honorable Mentions: The Menzingers/Hello Exile, Dave Hause/Kick This was a tough choice, because two of my favourite artists, The Menzingers & Dave Hause, released new records this year. As good as they both were, none of them caught my attention as must as the debut record, Hypersonic Missiles, from Sam Fender did. From the moment I first heard the single, Hypersonic Missiles, I knew that he was good, but it wasn't until he released the track The Borders, that it took it to another level. That is the single best track I've heard from a UK artist in years, and a song hasn't caught my attention so much since I first heard The '59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem. Hello Exile by The Menzingers is a worthy follow up to the stellar After The Party, with particular highlights being Anna, and Strain Your Memory. Kick, by Dave Hause is an exceptional record, that showcases his talents, and how much he has grown as an artitst since his brother Tim has came on board. PodcastFavourite podcast of the year: Finding Drago Honourable Mentions: The Storyteller: Murder Most Foul, Triple Hopped, Bad Batch Now, I don't even know if this podcast was strictly released in 2019, but I only discovered it this year, and I do know that it is absolutely incredible. Finding Drago is an investigative journalism podcast that starts as one thing, and ends as another. I don't want to say too much about it as to spoil the events, but it starts as a journey to find the author of a Rocky IV sequel novel named Drago: On Mountains We Stand. As for the runners up, Storyteller: Murder Most Foul is a true crime podcast set here in Aberdeen, telling an absolutely horrible story, yet a story that needed to be told. Triple Hopped is a podcast all about craft beer in which each episodes the host talk about a certain type of beer, or a certain brewery. Bad Batch is the latest podcast to come from the team behind Dirty John & Dr Death, Bad Batch tells the story of a bunch of patients who were offered a miracle cure, yet were all rushed to the hospital in critical condition. So there you have it, my favourites for the year. I would have liked to have maybe included books and games too, but I don't think I read a single book all year, and I didn't play enough games that blew me away to justify making a list.
What were your favourites? Let me know in the comments below. No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn
The 2019 TCS New York City Marathon had 53,627 finishers. I was one of them.
In what will likely be my most memorable ever running experience, I ran 26.2 miles through the five boroughs of the greatest city on the planet - and while everything didn't quite go as I'd planned, it is certainly an experience I'll never forget. I applied for the 2019 NYC Marathon ballot on January 17th, without ever thinking I would actually get in. 41 days later, on February 27th, I received an email with the subject "Greg, Get Ready to Run the Streets of New York City!" Wait...what?! Fast forward a few hours later that day, and flights were booked (thanks Kerry!) We were actually going back to New York. I really was going to run the New York City Marathon! As well as giving a race report of the run itself, I'll also use this post to talk about the marathon expo too, because it's a huge part of the overall race experience and really adds to the excitement of it all. I spent the weeks and months in the run up to the race reading other peoples blogs, and watching vlogs all about the run, so I'm super excited to share this post with you all, and I hope that maybe in preparation for future NYC Marathons, someone somewhere will find this useful. The Marathon Expo
The first thing I had to do was get along to the marathon expo and pick up my race number and shirt, so we headed to Manhattan on Friday morning and got along to stand in line before it opened at 10am. The expo takes place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (it is HUGE), which is in the Hudson Yards area of the city, so it's pretty easy to get to. We got there at around 9.30am and I'm so glad we did because the line just kept getting bigger by the minute.
When the doors eventually opened there was a huge cheer from the crowds and the volunteers and we (the runners) were clapped into the exhibition hall by the volunteers, which I thought was a real nice touch. We were quite near the front, so there was almost no line at all to pick up my number and shirt which was a relief as I'd read beforehand that the queues can get pretty crazy! With my number collected, we then had a wander around the rest of the convention and the first part you get to is the official New Balance marathon store that is absolutely huge, and filled with all sorts of official marathon gear. There is so much cool stuff in there and it would be easy to spend a fortune - but I knew what I wanted (new shorts) so we didn't spend too much time in there. Once I'd paid for the shorts, we were then through into what could be described as the main expo hall - I guess if you're used to running these big marathons then you'd be used to this sort of stuff, but the only thing I could really relate it to is the Offshore Europe expo that happens here in Aberdeen every other year. There were a ton of different exhibitors each offering all sorts of different thing - you could literally come here and pick up your entire running kit; headphones, watch, sunglasses, underwear and shoes! Just as with the NB store, it would be so easy to spend so much money. So we had a wander round, stopped at a few different stalls and bought a few different bits and pieces as will as grabbing a bunch of samples. I'd definitely recommend picking up some Biofreeze samples - those little sachets can be invaluable when you're in a tough spot during a race! One of the cool things about the marathon expo is the name wall. It's a huge wall displaying the names of the five boroughs of New York and also displays the name of every runner. It's all sorted alphabetically by surname, and it's easy enough to find your name, so it's a pretty cool photo to get! It really does make you realise the enormity of the whole thing, when you see all those other names surrounding yours. It was quite a humbling moment for me.
Another cool photo opportunity (you are running the NYC Marathon after all - you are entitled to millions of photos!) is getting your picture in front of the giant medal, whilst holding your race number. There was a short line here, but it was worth the wait because it is a really cool photo and absolutely one for your Instagram!
And with that, we were done and it was time to explore Manhattan. We made our way out of the expo hall and to our amazement, there was still a line of people waiting to get in! I really can't state how important it is to get there early to avoid these queues!
race Day
The one thing I have always been pretty nervous about with the NYC marathon is race morning. Everything I'd read made it seem like such a journey to get yourself on the starting line. I already knew that I had to get an Uber, to get on a ferry, to then get on a bus - it all seemed pretty overwhelming, coupled with the fact my alarm was set for 04.45!
However, by the time I'd made it to the ferry terminal, I definitely began to feel a lot less nervous. There were so many people there! I had around 40mins to kill before my ferry, so I grabbed some water, and took a seat to wait it out.
We then boarded the ferry and I grabbed a seat, and took in the incredible sunrise views of Manhattan as we made our way to Staten Island. The ferry only took around 25mins, and we were there in no time. From there, it was off the ferry, and a short 10min walk to make our way to queue for the busses. By the time I eventually got on a bus, there was no seats left, so I had so stand for the journey to the start village at Fort Wadsworth. I think the journey took around 30mins, but it felt like forever because I was standing, and it was super hot on the bus too!
Finally, we made to Fort Wadsworth, and after a quick security check, we were finally in the start village, which was already absolutely packed with people. I was assigned Orange Wave 2, with a 10.10 start time, so I made my way to the orange area in search of some hot coffee, something to eat, and a seat. Thankfully, in the start village, there is plenty going on; Dunkin' Donuts are there providing coffee, bagels (and hats - make sure to grab one as they are super warm!), Honey Stinger were handing out crackers, you could also get bananas water & Gatorade. With coffee and a bagel firmly in my grasp, I took a seat on the ground and took some time to relax - it was still around 1.5 hours away from start time. I got chatting to some of the people around me, which definitely helped not only pass the time, but it was good to talk to someone who had some experience of this race. There was still so much time to kill, but that was easily sorted by standing in line to use the toilet. There was hundreds of them, but the lines were still so long! I’ve come to accept that it seems to be pretty standard at every race on the planet now…
Eventually, the time came to make my way to the starting corrals. After so long waiting around in the cold, it was good to get up and around and get the legs moving! It was a short 10min walk over a field where it splits everyone up by their assigned coral. There was also another opportunity to grab a cool photo, so of course, I took it.
I arrived at the corral, and after waiting around for another 10mins or so, it was soon time to walk to the starting line. There was music playing over the speakers, the sun was shining, everyone was buzzing – the atmosphere was electric! After a short walk, here we were at the start line on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge - after months of excitement, I was finally here! I was BUZZING!
There was a DJ getting everyone pumped up, playing tunes to get us in the mood, before it was then time for the national anthem. The American runners all joined in with the singing, whilst I just looked around and took it all in. The girl who sang the anthem was also due to take part in the race itself, starting in a later wave, which I thought was pretty cool. Then the countdown started...10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
BOOM! The cannon fired, and we were off. I hit play on my headphones and that ever familiar drum solo that kicks off Born To Run by The Boss, Bruce Springsteen filled my ears, with his hometown of Freehold, New Jersey only a stone throw away.
"...In the day, we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream..." I knew it was going to be a long, slow climb at the start as we made our way over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which was around 2 miles, so I tried my best to take my time. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't get caught up in it all - the atmosphere was electric, and it was hard not to get a little boost from the energy of it all. I couldn't stop smiling. I'd only been running for about 2mins and already couldn't believe how amazing it was!
For it being a steady incline over around 2 miles, I really didn’t notice it at all, and before I knew it, we had arrived in Brooklyn – and the crowds started to appear. As we made our way into the area of Bay Ridge, and 4th Avenue, which would be our home for the next 5 miles or so – the noise from the crowds became electric.
These crowds were unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a run before. For the first couple of miles, it was just incredible; people lining every single inch of both sides of the street, bands playing loud on every other street corner, and people holding up some of the most hilarious, and inspiring signs I’ve ever seen! For this stretch of the run, I really didn't need my music, so I had it turned down pretty low, only ever turning it back up when one of those songs would come on. These crowds would continue to be as crazy right through until around mile 10, where we entered the more traditional Jewish area of South Williamsburg, where it got a little quieter for a couple miles. I was still feeling good at this point too - my legs were feeling strong, I was making good pace, and I wasn't getting too tired either. I'd be lying if I said the crowd didn't have some sort of effect on me though, it really did make those 10 miles fly by. There is also an abundance of water stations on the route, with water & Gatorade available near enough every mile. Honestly, this race had everything - during this stretch of the run, I punched an inflatable Donald Trump, rattled a tambourine, hit a Super Mario mushroom power up, all on top of countless high fives. The was even a guy with "Springsteen" on the back of his shirt, so naturally, I gave him a "BRRUUUUUCCCCEEEEE" as I ran past.
Somewhere between miles 11 & 12, I managed to spot Kerry, who had been waiting for me at the side of the street. It was a much needed boost for me at this time in the run, as my legs had actually began to tire, and I had started to feel some pain in my feet. So I grabbed a quick hug, and I was on my way again, heading for the halfway mark.
Here's where the problems started... Much like the Cyprus Marathon earlier this year, as I approached the half way mark, my feet began to hurt like hell. The soles of my feet were seriously sore, and it started slowing me down significantly. I went from running between 8/9 min miles over the first 12 miles to somewhere between 10/12 min miles - which was not ideal, but it couldn't be helped as every step was pretty much hurting. I trained for a sub-4 hour marathon, I set off with a sub-4 hour finish in mind, but now I knew that was out the window. It was incredibly frustrating as nothing like this had happened over the course of my training, but I just tried to put it out my mind and push myself on, albeit at a much slower pace. The next few miles were pretty challenging, as I made my way towards the 14/15 mile mark, and the dreaded Queensborough Bridge - a section of the race that I knew was already going to be tough. My legs were already incredibly heavy, and a long, slow climb was the last thing I needed - but alas, you just have to get on with it, and of course, what goes up, must come down! I can't tell you how relieved I was when I reached the peak of that bridge, and was on my way downhill, and touch down in Manhattan. For the next 4 miles I'd be running up First Avenue, towards The Bronx, and another incredibly challenging section of the course. Again, it was another slow, gradual climb, but mentally, it was just a case of taking it mile by mile and water stop by water stop - and I knew I'd get through it. It wasn't just my feet that were hurting now either, pretty much every muscle in my legs were taking it in turns to hurt! It was manageable though, and the crowds absolutely buzzing again, which was a welcome relief, after a rather eery, silent spell on the bridge. Honestly, the energy and support from the crowds really can dig you out from some dark places and get you going again - I swear, at the right moment, a high five from a little kid can be as effective as a week in the hospital! First Avenue came to an end, and it was then time for two bridges in quick succession. First up was the Willis Avenue Bridge, before being followed by the Madison Avenue Bridge, which took us over mile 20 & 21 and into Harlem. Thankfully, neither of these bridges were anywhere near as challenging as the last and just as I touched down in Harlem, and the Biofreeze relief zone was in sight! I took the opportunity to get my quads, thighs and calves absolutely lathered in Biofreeze for the final 5 mile stretch. The cooling sensation was an unbelievable relief! I was now on Fifth Avenue, and well and truly on the home straight! It wasn't long before I was running parallel to central park, and the excitement and relief were both starting to ramp up. I was basically running on empty over these last few miles, and if not for the crowds, I really think it would have been much, much, more of a struggle.
Mile 24 took us into Central Park itself, and at this point I got a second wind - I forgot about the pain in my legs, and just tried my best to enjoy the crowds, and run these last couple of miles with a smile on my face... plus, I was running downhill again! To make things even better, I spotted Kerry again just after the mile 25 marker! I was delighted to know that she's made it from Brooklyn to Central Park. With one mile to go, this was exactly what I needed.
The end was in sight, and it was time for one last push. It must have been a combination of the adrenaline and the buzz from the crowd, but over the final mile, I actually recorded my fastest split since mile 11! I passed through the grandstand area, and gave one final push to get myself across the finish line - I DID IT! There was such a mixture of emotions when I crossed the like - sheer joy, utter relief and pure amazement... I'd just completed the New York City Marathon! I stepped over the finish line with a time of 04:30:22 - not quite what I was hoping for, but it was a new PB by 22 seconds, and at the end of the day, a PB is a PB.
After running 26.2 miles, you'd think it would be nice to be able to, you know, grab a seat, and rest for a minute... but that wasn't to be the case! Once we crossed the finish like, we had to walk a bit further to pick up our medal, then we had to walk a bit more to get our heat sheet, then walk just a bit more to get our recovery bags, at that point the line split into two depending on the finishing option you selected, where I then had to walk even further to pick up my post race poncho. All in all, we probably had to walk over a mile after finishing the race, which wasn't very fun - I found it a little ridiculous and probably was my only gripe with the whole experience. One thing I would say about the post race is experience is that almost everyone is super friendly - just about every single person I walked past would congratulate me in some sort of way, which is awesome, and really helped hit home what I'd just achieved.
The post race poncho is a pretty cool souvenir, and it does a great job of keeping you warm. I would definitely recommend going for this option if you don't really need a bag of stuff at the end. Eventually, probably around 30mins after finishing, I was finally able to meet up with Kerry and get a much needed hug! I know it's probably needed for security, etc in these big races, but waiting so long to see someone you actually know after you finish can be quite draining! It was then time to make our way back to Brooklyn, which was a whole adventure in itself - the last thing you need after finishing a marathon is to wander around from subway stop to subway stop because the one you need is closed! After arriving back at the hotel, and collapsing in a heap on the bed, I quickly came to the realisation that I was in no fit state to go anywhere that evening. So it was time for takeaway from Joe's Pizza and a much needed beer!
I'm gonna finish this post here - I apologise for the length of this post, but I had a lot to cover! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. Before I go, I'd like to finish this post with some important thank you's:
27/9/2019 0 Comments Marathon TrainingIt's Hard*note; this is how I've been training for a marathon, I'm not exactly a pro - I just get out and run. I'm writing this post following two weeks of pretty unsuccessful training, as part of my preparations for the 2019 New York Marathon (I still can't believe I'm running it). Over these past two weeks, so much has gone through my mind with regards to my training, that I decided I wanted to take the time to write about marathon training as a whole - as whilst I'm incredibly excited for the marathon itself, the training, in my opinion, is not so fun. The New York Marathon will be my second marathon to date, following my first in Cyprus earlier this year. Now, I had an absolutely amazing experience at the Cyprus Marathon for the most part, but just like my training for NYC, I found the training to be extremely challenging both physically and mentally. A marathon is hundreds of miles. The finish is the last 26.2. For my training, I gave myself a 16 week schedule, of running three times a week - Monday, Wednesday & Saturday. With some general core exercises on off days in between. During my training for Cyprus, I began following a plan that would see me running four times a week, but that didn't last very long. I hold my hands up and admit that I just couldn't handle or, or more specifically, my legs couldn't. It didn't take long for injuries to creep up on me, and I didn't want to make that mistake again in my training for NYC - so I decided to drop it to three runs a week. For the Monday run, I figured I would run between 6-8 miles each week, trying to run at what would be my marathon pace. On Wednesdays, I would run 3 miles (5k), trying to run that at a much faster pace, and on Saturdays I would run longer distances, 10+ miles, at marathon pace. For the first few weeks that schedule was working pretty well for me; I was enjoying my runs, and I was holding a good pace (for me anyway) - the 5k runs were pretty damn speedy, and the long runs were roughly where I wanted them to be. As the runs got longer, the more my legs would hurt - now, I'm not sure if that is a simple equation or not, but that's the results I was getting. Take my latest long run for example - I was planning a long run, longer than the 13 miles I'd ran the previous Saturday. However, three miles into the run and my legs were having none of it; they were both sore, it was frustrating me and I was getting super annoyed. I pushed on for a few more miles and nothing changed and I was contemplating throwing in the towel, but I kept going. I knew I was coming up to a long downhill section, so I decided to hold out and see if things got better, and they did. Sure, the pain never went away, but I didn't hate every second anymore - I just gritted my teeth and pushed through it, and I ran 15 miles. Now, you would think after reading that last paragraph that I should be happy - I just ran 15 miles right?! But that wasn't to be at all. The week following that run (last week, at the time of writing), I REALLY struggled with my running. I gave myself a little longer to recover, skipping the Monday run, and aiming for a 6+ mile run on the Wednesday. Then Wednesday came around, I set out on my run, and I hated every second of it. I ended up running 5 miles, however, my pace was way off, my legs were heavy, and I pretty much hated every second of it. But I got through it, I didn't give up, and I guess I should be happy about that. I didn't get my long run that week on the Saturday, but that's more due to alcohol consumption and epic hangovers...but I'm pretty sure I would have struggled, and the extra rest would do me good. Then take this week, all started well with a 10k run on Monday and I was feeling pretty good; I kept a decent pace throughout, and my legs weren't sore, albeit some slight pain on the uphill sections, but it was manageable. I was feeling pretty miserable in general that day (I thought it was just after effects of my hangover that weekend and a lack of sleep), but as the week went on, I started to feel worse and worse. By the time it got to Wednesday, there was no way I was going to be able to run - I was so choked up, I was coughing & spluttering and my head was killing me. Two days off work followed, and I'm unsure if I'm gonna be able to do my long run tomorrow or not - but I am hoping to hell that I feel better, at least good enough to do some sort of run. This all may seem like I'm just moaning about running, and I guess I kind of am. But it all takes its toll mentally too, and there are times where I think, "why am I putting myself through this?!". And it's hard not to have these thoughts when you are literally dragging yourself, and your body through runs because you feel that you have to. But in the end, you just get through it, because it is all gonna be worth it, and all we have to do is just have to drag our asses to the starting line. Now a HUGE part of training for any run, never mind a marathon, is recovery. One of my major failings in my training for Cyprus was not managing my recovery properly and I definitely suffered for it. I would find myself coming in from a run, grabbing some water, jumping in the shower and then I'd be making dinner or lazing on the sofa. I wouldn't stretch, or I wouldn't work on my muscles with the foam roller - unless I was really feeling something, and by that point, it was probably too late. I was determined to change this for NYC training and I have been trying to keep on top of it...but not as much as I should be, unfortunately. The thing is...using a foam roller sucks and it hurts like hell! Now, I still have another four full weeks of training left, one of which includes an epic 21 mile BrewDog Run, a week on Saturday. I'm hoping that run is going to be a real indicator of how I'll fare in New York, and after that I'll probably need to start thinking about tapering my runs and winding my training down. I really hope I get to run tomorrow, and I really want to make it a long one, but I guess I'll just need to see how things go. I really am determined to push through the rest of this training, to give myself the best shot at giving a good account of myself come marathon day. I want to end this blog post with a bit of advice; if you are thinking about taking part in a run - do it. Sure, you will train for it, and you may hate it, but stick with it, and when you do that run, and you cross the finish line surrounded by people cheering you on - it will be one of the best decisions you ever make. The rush that you get from it is up there with the best feeling you'll ever experience. Running a marathon is an incredible feat for any person, both physically and mentally. It is certainly my biggest achievement, and running those 26.2 miles through the greatest city in the world will be something I know that I'll never forget - and it will make all those painful training runs worth every step. I can't wait. I've learned that finishing a marathon isn't just an athletic achievement. It's a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible. 25/7/2019 0 Comments North Hop Summer Events ProgrammeAberdeenshire & AngusFollowing the success of their first collaboration event earlier this year with Haddo House, North Hop has again teamed up with the National Trust for Scotland, to put on a range of events across Aberdeenshire & Angus this summer. These family friendly events will be taking place during July, August & September, in the hope the sun will make an appearance – although there will be a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces to keep each even running smoothly regardless. Each event has a different theme, with each showcasing an amazing variety of local produce, street food, bars and market traders. NTS North East Catering & Hospitality Manager David Edgar said “I’m very excited to be working alongside North Hop over the course of this summer and bringing a series of events to the North East. It’s a great opportunity for the public to enjoy the fantastic castles, mansions, gardens and estates we have here, all whilst having the opportunity to experience some great food and drink from around the region.” David continued “For us it’s been amazing to see the love that is out there for the venues from both members of the public and our amazing suppliers. We are also absolutely delighted to have partnered with Premier Coaches, who will be making the Aberdeenshire venues accessible from Aberdeen, Inverurie, Old Meldrum and Ellon without the need for a car!” Michelle Russell, North Hop Director said "“Some folk thought we were completely mad setting up these events for this year with only a few months of build up and planning time, but the energy and effort from all involved has really shown it is possible! The unique themes and different vendor and entertainment line ups for these events has really helped them to stand out, and being able to reach out to both North Hop and National Trust for Scotland’s audience has been great too.” North Hop x House of Dun - Exploring AngusFirst up is the North Hop x House of Dun - Exploring Angus event. Taking place on Saturday 27 July 2019 10am to 5pm and Sunday 28 July 2019 10am to 5pm at the historic House of Dun, which gives stunning views out onto the Montrose Basin. Market goers will be able to enjoy amazing local produce and enjoy refreshments from brands such as 71 Brewing & Arbikie all whilst local musicians perform. This event is both child and dog friendly. North Hop x Castle Fraser - USA RootsNext up at the historic setting of Castle Fraser, Aberdeenshire is North Hop x Castle Fraser - American Roots. Taking place on Saturday 31st August & Sunday 1st September, 10am to 5pm, the event looks to bring together some awesome American elements with our Scottish roots. Festival goers can expect loads burgers, doughnuts, themed bars and local market traders, all in a family friendly environment. This event is both child and dog friendly. North Hop x Haddo House - Doggy Day OutAnd finally, taking place on Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th September from 10am to 5pm is North Hop x Haddo House - Doggy Day Out. Returning to the scene of their first collaboration event, North Hop has again teamed up with Haddo House to bring together an event filled with fun for dogs. Your four legged friends will be able to enjoy the doggy bar, treats, pampering products and more. Of course, there will be plenty for the humans to enjoy too with bars, market traders and more tasty street food. This event is human friendly. Tickets are available from http://northhop.com/events
Adults £4 + BF advance, £5 at the door, kids under 12 go free, VIP tickets available, small discount for NTS members at the door. 50% of all ticket sales go to National Trust for Scotland to support the great work they do across their properties. Premier Coaches will be running shuttle buses from/to Aberdeen, Inverurie, Old Meldrum and Ellon for all Aberdeenshire events for only £5 return. The Basin Rambler (Angus Transport Group) will be running shuttle buses from/to Montrose Train Station for the Angus event. Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @NorthHop and share your pictures using the hashtags: #pitmeddensecretgarden #exploringangusnts #castlefraserusaroots #haddodoggydayout 7/7/2019 0 Comments My Favourite Running GearWhat I Can't Run Without Ever since starting running, around three years ago now, I have gone through a whole bunch of different gear as I try to find what works right for me. When I first started out, I was wearing trainers that weren't meant for running, baggy assed shorts in which I would carry my phone in the pocket, all whilst going through about four pairs of headphones because they kept breaking. Yeah...it wasn't ideal Since then, I've slowly built up my running kit - and whilst I still don't quite have all the gear I need, I have definitely picked up a few essential pieces along the way. In this post, I'll run through a few of those items, and why I think they are so great. You never know, you might find something you never knew you needed! FlipBeltFirst up is the bit of kit on this list that I've had the longest, and probably the one that I find most useful - a FlipBelt. Previous to owning a FlipBelt, I used to carry everything in the pockets of my shorts, or whatever jacket I may have been wearing - which would include my phone, keys, energy/nutritional products and occasionally, cards/money. This just didn't really work in the long term, so I started looking for something more suitable. I'd never really been a fan of the running armbands, and had always fancied more of a belt option - and that's when I found the FlipBelt. The FlipBelt is a lightweight, high quality, one piece lycra belt that can store almost anything you need during a run. It has multiple pockets with plenty room for your phone, keys, cards, energy gels and anything else you might need - it is also extremely compact in width, which leaves minimum room for bounce during your run. It does a good job of protecting your items from the rain too, and it's also machine washable so you can chuck it in the wash to freshen it up when needed. I would 100% recommend a FlipBelt to any runner. I haven't looked back since buying mine, and if the day comes where it breaks, or gets lost - it will be instantly replaced. Jaybird tarah pro Wireless EarbudsNext up are headphones. Now, whilst not every runner likes to run without music - I can't do without it. I can't stand the sound of my own breathing when running, plus the extra bit of motivation the right song can give is priceless and that's why I decided to invest in a good, high quality pair - the Jaybird Tarah Pro wireless earbuds. Before owning the Jaybird Tara Pro earbuds, I went through countless pairs of wired buds that would all eventually break - sometimes even mid-run, which was ANNOYING! I eventually changed to a cheaper pair of wireless buds, and whilst these were great for a while, they weren't perfect; the wire would get sticky, uncomfortable and bounce around, the battery life eventually gave up and they would soon only last an hour or so - which was less than ideal during marathon training. I decided that I needed to up my game, and after lots of research, settled on the Jaybird Tara Pro's. Honestly, I read so many articles and watched so many YouTube reviews to make sure I'd made the right choice. And I'm happy to say that I have 100% made the right choice. I love these earbuds. They have such a high quality, premium build, the weighted braided cable doesn't get sticky or bounce around and not to mention the 14-hour battery life, which is just incredible in itself. You can even wear them in two orientations- over, or under the ear (over ear is my preferred when running). I just can't imagine running without them now. They aren't just my running headphones either, they are my everyday headphones that I wear in the office too, and the epic battery life means I can wear them all day, then head out for a run after work without worrying about needing to charge them up, or them dying on me during then run. Garmin Forerunner 235Ever since I first started getting serious about running, I always felt that there was something missing, something that would help take my training to the next level. That turned out to be a watch. I used to just run with my phone in my Flipbelt, using the Strava app to track my runs - which was fine, I mean it worked ok, and it gave me some base level stats to work with. But it didn't give me everything I needed; it couldn't track my heart rate, the GPS could be spotty and it was reliant on my phone's battery - which wasn't always ideal during longer runs. So I did some research, and decided I was going to go for the Garmin Forerunner 235 - I know it's an older model, and there are far more advanced versions out there now, but I knew it would give me what I needed, and not to mention the difference in price! It just so happened that Black Friday was just around that corner, and it coincided with the start of my marathon training plan. I managed to pick up the Garmin at a very decent price, and I couldn't be happier with it - sure I know a time will come that I'll need to upgrade to a newer model, but for now the Forerunner 235 is one of the most trusted parts of my running gear. It's so simple to use, and it links up with Strava seamlessly. There is the occasional blip, with servers being down etc - but that happens all the time (glares at you, Instagram). It may be part of my running kit, but I also wear it every day...it is a watch after all! Rockay Blaze Compression SleevesCompression is something you have to take seriously. I always knew it was a big deal, but I never really learned how big a deal until quite recently. Over the course of my running career I've quite often suffered with occasional issues with my shins, and calves - which is not ideal. Some basic research taught me that one potential solution could be calf compression sleeves, so I went out an bought a pair. My first pair were nothing fancy, a basic pair that cost around £10, and whilst they never completely solved all the issues (they never would though), they definitely helped. Over the course of the last year, I've had a fair few calf issues that has hindered my training, and even races (all whilst wearing my sleeves), so I decided to do a little more research. One thing I never really took into consideration with compression was recovery - wearing the compression sleeves after running to help my muscles recover. So I decided to buy a more premium product, and after yet more research I ended up buying the Rockay Blaze Calf Compression Sleeves. These are night and day ahead of what I was wearing before - It's hard to explain fully, but they just fit perfectly, and whilst not every run is pain free, these have helped massively, and I guess a large part of that is down to wearing them for recovery. I now wear these for a couple of hours after almost every run - I'll get home, stretch, jump in the shower and then put them back on and just wear them around the house. I really can feel the difference, and I never run without them, 3 miles, or ten miles, it doesn't matter. I would 100% recommend these to anyone that experiences any level of discomfort whilst running - I am fairly certain that they will help in some way or another. They fit great, they look great, and that aren't overly pricey either, for a premium product. I can't see me running without them any time soon! RunderwearFinally, I have the product that solved probably my biggest problem I encountered whilst running...CHAFING! Previously whilst out on longer runs - around five miles or more, I would almost always encounter some level of chafing, and it would drive me mad! It would occasionally make runs so uncomfortable I couldn't handle it. Thankfully, I quickly found a solution - Runderwear. I've had my first pair of Runderwear for around five months now, and there's no way I would ever contemplate running without them any time soon. They fit absolutely perfectly, they are made of a great cooling material and they are an absolute dream to run in! There really isn't much left to say about them, other than that if you go off and buy one thing from this list, then make it Runderwear - I guarantee that you will not regret it. So there you have it, the running kit that I absolutely cannot run without. Is there anything that's absolutely essential to your running kit that you think I should be using? Let me know in the comments.
There's a couple of special mentions I left off the list, because they aren't essential - my Goodr running sunglasses, because everyone needs to look cool whilst running right? And my race number magnets, because it's about time we all stopped making holes in our good running shirts! I also didn't add my running shoes to the list, because I don't think I've found the perfect pair yet. I'm currently running with the On Cloudflow, but I think they are near the end of their lift and I'm looking to upgrade with the NYC Marathon on the horizon. I'm currently weighing up between sticking with On, or trying out a new brand like Nike or Hoka. Any suggestions? 28/3/2019 1 Comment Race Report - Cyprus MarathonI RAN A MARATHON!
Did you know that only 1% of the world's population will run a marathon in their lifetime? Well, I can now proudly say that I have joined that 1%.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you will know that since October, I'd been trying my best to get in best possible shape to run my first ever marathon - the 21st Logicom Cyprus Marathon. Unfortunately, my training didn't quite go to plan, and during my second week of training I sustained an injury that caused me to miss five weeks of training. But I managed to recover, and cram as much training in to what time I had left as I possibly could. Before I knew it, we were on the flight to Paphos - luckily I had a few days of relaxation ahead of me before the big day, which was exactly what I needed. Also, thanks to my in-laws having a car, I even got the chance to check out parts of the route beforehand, giving me some idea of what was in store. Race Day
Race day arrived and I was ready to take my place as one of the 3,500 running across all races in Paphos that day. The marathon was due to start at 7.30am, so that meant a particularly early start, and getting up at 5am! I started the day off with a bowl of oats, a banana and some peanut butter to get my energy levels up, as I had a feeling I was going to need it later. I also started getting plenty of water inside me, without overdoing it as I didn't want my bladder going out of control in the early stages of the race! And with that, I was showered, changed into my race kit and ready to go.
We hopped in the car, and my father in-law drove us out to the starting point at Aphrodite's Rock, which was around a 40min drive from our apartment. When we arrived, the starting area was already buzzing with excitement - there were people everywhere, warming up, taking photos and there was even a live DJ to get us in the mood. There was still around 40mins to the start of the race, so I used this opportunity to get in the already long queue for a final toilet break. This is probably where my only gripe with the organisation with the race comes in, and it's something that I see too often - there was maybe only around six portable toilets for all the runners, which was nowhere near enough in my opinion. I queued for around 30mins, and by the time I got to the front, they were in a pretty poor state, with no paper or hand wash left.
Anyway, enough of the negativity, and back to the buzzing starting area. I made the most of the final few minutes to take some photos, do some final stretches and receive my good luck wishes from my family. Then, before I knew it, I'd taken my place at the starting line, and we were off!
I had a 4-hour goal in mind, so I had a plan worked out in my head how I needed the first half of the run to go. I also decided not to take photos during this run, as this was my first marathon, and I wanted to try and achieve the best possible finishing time.
Things started quite well, and despite some hills early on, I managed to navigate my way through the first few miles at a reasonably brisk pace, whilst taking in the stunning scenery. The bright start continued, as we worked our way inland, further away from the coast on our approach to the 10km point. I was feeling good and averaging around 8:30/mile which was the required pace I needed to cover the first half of the run. I was also starting to take advantage of the many water stops that were on offer, with one every 3k, which was perfect as it was already starting to heat up. The good start continued as we passed mile 8, and turned down the long three mile stretch of road towards the airport, where we would eventually double back on ourselves at the bottom. This was the part of the race I was least looking forward to, as I had learned from parts of my training that running back and forth along the same stretch of road is incredibly mentally draining. On the way down this road, we passed the half way point, which was on the other side of the road, where I also spotted the eventual winner on his way back up, way ahead of the pack. I'm not too sure if this was encouraging, or depressing, but at least I knew I was only six miles behind the leader! It was a long slog down the road to the airport, and we made our way past two water stops on the way, which was a welcome reprieve as the temperature had started creeping closer to 20°C, and we were quite exposed to the sun here. Everything was still going to plan as I closed in on mile 10, and I was still feeling good, maintaining a decent pace along the way. Now, I don't know if you can sense it or not, but there's one big but coming up... Just before I reached the turning point at the bottom of the road, on mile 11, I felt a sharp pain in the arch of my left foot, resulting in sudden tightness, and causing me to start limping. I could still run, but not very fast, or gracefully. I spent a few minutes wishfully thinking I'd be able to shake it off, but it didn't seem to be going anywhere soon. In our race pack, we were given a sachet of Bio-Freeze gel, which I'd packed in my Flipbelt - so I made the decision to stop at the side of the road and apply this. I removed my shoe, and sock, then applied the gel before giving my foot a bit of a stretch and putting my gear back on. I was soon off again, and I'd actually managed to regain some sort of pace, and even managed to find the 4-hour pacer and keep up with him for around a mile. This didn't last too long, however, and the pain was back, causing me to slow down significantly. Now, this was a sucker punch of the highest proportions. I can't really describe the feeling - it's hard to put into words, just how mentally draining the feeling of sustaining an injury at that point in the race was for me. I was so hyped for the marathon. I'd trained so hard. I was feeling great. And then this happened. It took so much out of me at the time, but I knew I couldn't let it get the better of me - I could still run, not quite as normal, but I could still run. I knew it could get through it, I just had to take my time. So I slowed it right down, and was running between 10:00-12:00/mile, a pace which lasted pretty much for the rest of the race. For the next few miles, I was trying to manage the pain by running for as long as I could, before giving myself a brief walking break through the water stops to let the pain subside. Eventually, the sharpness of the pain went away, and I stopped taking any real notice of it. But by that point, the race had taken its toll on my legs, and they were feeling really heavy, and I couldn't really pick up the pace. However, at least I was starting to enjoy myself again and when my watch alerted me that I'd reached mile 17 - I even had a slight smile on my face... we were down to single figures. This continued through the following miles, and as we reached the main roads, crowds of people were starting to appear, offering some much needed encouragement along with live DJ's, and more refreshment stops. Around mile 23, I also took full advantage of a Bio-Free stop, where I was able to get the gel applied to my calves and thighs, to help me with the final push - I can't state enough, just how much of a relief on my legs that was! I was soon back in familiar territory, making my way along the main strip of hotels in Paphos, with cheering tourists and locals all round. Now, while this was all very encouraging, it also felt a bit daunting as I knew I still had around 2.5 miles of running to go before I reached the finish line. As I made my way towards mile 26, I passed the hotel where we got married, The Annabelle, and it gave me the right amount of inspiration needed to pick up the pace for the final push. The crowds really picked along the home stretch on the harbour front, and by this point, I'd taken out my headphones so that I could soak up the atmosphere - I even managed my first sub 10:00/mile since I picked up the injury! The finish line was in sight, but there was one final sting in the tail, with an ever so slight hill to traverse before the home straight - I'm fairly certain I let out a curse at that point! But I got to the top, and as I made my way round the final corner, the crowds were roaring, and I managed to spot my cheering family, which gave me everything I needed to push for the finish line. I DID IT!
Crossing the finish line is a bit of a blur. There were so many thoughts and emotions running through my head, that I can't really remember it fully. I do know, however, that the sense of relief, happiness, and most of all, achievement, that I felt when I crossed the finish line is unlike anything I've ever felt. It was incredible. One of the volunteers put my medal around my neck, and then I think I picked up a banana and a bottle of water as I made my way through the crowds trying to find everyone. I know that I soon found myself in the queue for beer, as I eventually spotted Kerry, whilst I was trying to phone her. I was greeted with huge congratulations along with a big kiss and a hug, and my mother and father in law wasn't too far behind, offering their congratulations too.
We then took a much needed seat, and enjoyed the FREE BEER that was on offer, as we watched the prize giving ceremony, celebrating the runners and their achievements. I really was in awe at what some of the other runners had achieved, especially the older runners - it really was amazing.
Overall, despite the slight setback that I suffered, I am absolutely delighted the way things went. The fact that I was able to suck it up and get through over half the race, whilst carrying an injury left me extremely proud of myself. It may have not been the sub 4-hour marathon that I'd hoped for, but it gives me something more respectable to beat in New York in November. Oh, in case you didn't already know... I'M RUNNING THE NEW YORK MARATHON!
As for the Cyprus Marathon itself, I would 100% recommend this race to other runners. It is such a well organised event that caters for all levels of ability, whilst set against the stunning backdrop of Cyprus - I can guarantee you would enjoy it. All that's left for me to do is thank the organizers and volunteers for putting on such a great event, and most of all, thank everyone for their support - especially those that were there waiting for me at the finish line - it really meant a lot to me. 2/2/2019 0 Comments New Year, New PodcastsMore Podcast Goodness For Your EarsIt's a little over a year since I published my first non-beer related article, which listed my favorite podcasts at the time. Since a whole year has passed, and I've listened to countless new podcasts since then, I thought it was time to update this list. So in this post I'm going to run through some of my favorites from the last year Up And Vanished (Season 2)
In the Dark (S2)
Dr. Death
Monster - The Zodiac Killer
Now, for something of a lighter tone, with my non-true crime recommendations. Complete Load of Podcast
The Habitat
Creative Me Aberdeen
So, that's it for now. I hope you have enjoyed reading, and maybe even found a new podcast to listen to. Do you have any recommendations for me? If so, leave them in the comments below.
I'll try and not leave it so long until my next list of podcasts... 27/1/2019 0 Comments Marathon Diaries - Day 62Guess Who's Back...Well, after four weeks without running following my calf injury, combined with slowly expanding over the Xmas period from all the food, chocolate, and beer - my marathon training seems to be finally back on track.
I've been back running for around two weeks now, and I'm feeling pretty great overall. Sure, I don't quite think I'm at the level I was at pre-injury, but I'm slowly getting there. I've made the decision not to follow the initial plan I was following, which seen me running four times a week. I think that this was a little bit too much for me, and I was worried the additional strain could see a re-occurrence of the injury. So, I decided to take it down to three times a week, trying to run on a Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. I started out almost four weeks to the day of my last run, with a planned three mile run with the aim of a pain free run, whilst trying to take it as easy as I could. Before starting I gave my calf a spray with some deep freeze, put on my calf compression socks and had a decent warm up with a bunch of dynamic stretches. I was pretty nervous when I set off - the thought of pulling up after a mile or so was playing on my mind constantly but I soon hit my stride and the realisation came to me that this injury might actually be gone. Thrilled by that prospect, I pushed on and successfully completed the run, with an average pace of 08:53/mile. I was elated. There was some slight pain in my joints, but that was expected due to lack of exercise, combined with the cold - but there was absolutely zero pain in the calf. When I got back in, I was taking no risks, and immediately began to warm down with stretching and foam rolling, and later that evening I kept my calf on ice, as a matter of precaution. Buoyed by the successful run on Monday, I set out on a planned five mile run on the Wednesday, again planning to take it as easy as I could. Again, I managed to make it through the run pain free (in the calf at least!). Delighted with my progress, I pushed myself even further on the following Saturday, with a 7.5 mile run which proved to be my third pain free run of the week. I'd even managed to pick up the pace slightly, finishing that run with an average pace of 08:32/mile. It finally felt that my injury problems were behind me, and I really could get my marathon training back on track which was great as the marathon was only around eight weeks away! The second week began with another three mile run on Monday, during which I tried to up the pace as much as possible, finishing the run with an average of 07:30/mile. Now, that may not seem fast to some runners, but to me - that is speedy! I kept this going on the Wednesday by doubling the distance, whilst trying to maintain the pace, successfully finishing a 6.2 mile run at 07:52/mile. I really was feeling good about my running again. Sure, I wasn't running along, pain free with a constant smile on my face, but running has never been that for me - it's always a struggle to some extent, and there's always some sort of niggling pain, whether that's in my shins, knees or stomach cramps. But, it was starting to feel normal again, at least. So this takes me to Saturday, yesterday at the time of writing, and I decided to push myself even further with ten miles. Ten miles would be the furthest I'd run since the Crathes Half Marathon in September. It was a daunting prospect, but one that I felt that I could manage. I didn't exactly pick the best of days for a long run with it being cold, wet, foggy and windy - but I didn't let that put me off and I set out on my run. It really took me a while to get going on this run and around two miles in I was struggling to see how I was going to finish it but I kept pushing, and I soon hit a decent stride. For this run, I'd chosen to run from Elrick, along to dual carriageway to Hazlehead and back again, and at when I reached the half way point to turn around, I was struggling for motivation - but that's my own fault for choosing a quite mundane route to run. Anyway, I sucked it up and got on with it and before I knew it, I was back in Westhill and the end was in sight. The final mile was a struggle, and I really had to push to get through it - I'm not going to lie, I was so happy when it was over, and it even ended up being 10.5 miles. I was really feeling it in my legs after this run, I still do feel it as I write this and I don't think I'll be running on Monday next week, most likely Tuesday, or Wednesday. But I was delighted that I managed to do it, I even finished with a pretty respectable average pace of 08:23/mile! So with exactly seven weeks until marathon day, it really is time to push on with my training. My plan is to step up the long Saturday runs, building towards 20/21 miles in 4/5 weeks time and then start to taper back down. Next Saturday, I plan to complete a half marathon (13.1 miles), which will hopefully go to plan. Apologies for my rambles but getting back running was quite a big deal for me! Anyway, thanks for reading, and I'm sure you'll hear from me again once more before the big day. |
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