Exercise and heart disease

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Alive and Running February 18 2015

WP_20150215_002Disaster on the porridge front! I usually cook it on the hob in a saucepan except when I am pushed for time. Then the microwave comes in handy. The instructions are very clear concerning amount of milk to porridge and microwave time. So what happened? I’ve ruled out human error so that leaves the microwave machine itself independently deciding to exceed its remit. The situation could have been worse as in The Magic Porridge Pot (Ladybird) when an unauthorised user starts the pot producing porridge  but doesn’t know the magical word to stop it. Consequently, the cottage and then the whole village is  engulfed, lava like, in porridge. It’s rather extreme but who’s to say it couldn’t happen.

This wasn’t the only shock I had today. A marauding gang of limpets, the ones with the vicious, extra strength teeth gave chase to me as I ran along the river Cam footpath. Ah ha, you might say, these gastropods live in saline water and wouldn’t be in a fresh water river. Well, these were obviously an advance guard and thinking outside of the box. If they’re quick to adapt, we’ll all be at risk. Anyway, I managed to outrun them but an angler wasn’t so lucky.

Nevertheless, I managed a run of 5.5 miles. I think I was still a bit tired from last night’s run with the club. We did 4.5 mins running at between 5 and 10k race pace with 1.5 mins jog recovery. I think I like standing still recovery best! I enjoyed it despite being hard work. I’ll rest for the next two days and then do parkrun on Saturday. On Sunday or Monday I’ll do my last long run of 11 or 12 miles before the Cambridge half. Hopefully the limpet threat will have proved to be a damp squib and we’ll all be sleeping easier.

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Alive and Running February 16 2015

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Cambridge junior parkrun yesterday morning. They’re off, just over a hundred of them, running in muddy conditions and loving it. I volunteered as timer but this changed to photographer (or one of them).

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Seems to be rather a lot of adults running with their offspring and some of them are checking their watches. Good job it’s not competitive, isn’t it? You can clearly see how enjoyable it is for the children and they are constantly cheered around the course.

10366205_869057729799568_7495588904252193199_n On Saturday we went down to East Londinium and did Valentines Park parkrun in Valentines Park on Valentines Day for their 4th anniversary. Follow? I’m standing next to Joe who is marginally taller, marginally younger and marginally faster than me. You could say I’m living on the margins! We met up with some old work pals and friends from Cambridge, ran the race, had coffee in the large park cafe and then walked to a Wetherspoons pub in Ilford for a brunch. The food was surprisingly good and inexpensive.

We liked Valentines parkrun. Gill (not in the picture) also runs there. She is the sister of my Cambridge ex running rival, Mike and coincidentally someone I vaguely knew at work when I lived in East London (and had yet to come across Mike). Gill is also known to three of my children who also run sporadically at Valentines.

It’s Cambridge half marathon in 3 weeks. I’m back to full fitness but not running speedily. This is due to –

1. Being slightly overweight.

2. The cold weather.

3. Inconsistent running.

4. Taking my cardiac medication at different times before the run (possibly).

However on the longer runs I’m finding it easier. Yesterday I did 11.25 miles  comfortably and didn’t feel tired afterwards. As I loped along I thought how lucky I am to be able run such a distance, run regularly and take part in races despite having had a heart attack four and a half years ago. Since I was fit before my cardiac “event”, I regained my fitness levels relatively quickly. Of course I was highly motivated, my family were completely supportive and in Cambridge, the cardiac rehabilitation service was excellent and I had received treatment very quickly. But I was surprised that the take up rate for rehabilitation was only around 44-46%. Apparently this is regarded as a high. It consisted of a series of specific talks and physical rehab in the hospital gym conducted by cardiac rehab nurses, a sports scientist, dieticians and others over a period of several months. I found it extremely helpful. Why wouldn’t you take it up unless you had your head in the sand! Ah…there’s the answer.

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                                                                   Cambridge in the summer. Please bring it on…..quickly.

 

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Aliveandrunning February 12 2015 The Gloom, the Gloom!

WP_20150211_001 Very poor light levels in Cambridge yesterday. It seemed to be continuous  dusk ! I sat in front of the SAD lamp for a time and decided to brave the gloom. I felt like a hobbit in the dark murkiness of Mordor.But despite worrying about being fixed by the Eye of Sauron, I went out for a 10 mile run.

This Cambridge college eight was stationary and a coach was instructing them from the footpath as I ran past. I also passed a lone female angler, a very unusual sight. On my return journey, a man was holding the fishing rod  and the woman was standing behind him. They were both staring into the water and nothing was happening. Note to self : if I weaken and have angling type thoughts, squash them immediately.

I met five or six runners along the river path, all men, and no-one was particularly friendly. Two were talking and ignored me and another avoided eye contact deliberately. I condemn the former (unreservedly) but eye contact can be very difficult for some people. In the interest of fairness, my own visage, when running, doesn’t always suggest I’m Mr Happy and Receptive.

Anyway, the run went well, my mood was good and according to my borrowed Garmin I expended around 1100 calories. Later on I became ravenously hungry and felt like eating around 15,000 calories, one by one. I had an overwhelming urge to eat Christmas pudding and Ms Alive and Running thought we had one lurking in a cupboard. But no, I was cruelly denied. There was an empty space where a pudding could have easily have resided but didn’t. A delicious homemade one tried to shrink into the background and failed to avoid my attention. However since it needed a horrendous number of hours to simmer in water rather than 5 minutes in the microwave, I was doubly denied. I was forced to eat a piece of cardboard smeared with strawberry jam instead.DSC_0863

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The Orchard Tea Pavilion and gardens at Grantchester along with the Rupert Brooke Museum. It doesn’t look much but it’s lovely. You can punt down from Cambridge if you’ve got the time, stamina and punting skills. Or, as we did, walk along Grantchester Meadows from Lammas Land and Newnham. I’m not making up these names!

 

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Aliveandrunning February 8 2015

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Here am I making a supreme effort to shut my mouth when I’m running (or more specifically when I know a picture is being taken). As you can see the energy expended has furrowed my forehead and made my hair sick up. I’m not sure whether or not it’s an attractive look. Perhaps I’m trying too hard and less is more. Clearly it’s a work in progress.

I’m at Wimpole parkrun and I’m dressed for Arctic conditions. The mild frost and occasional cutting winds didn’t make it excessively cold  for me but I’m aware how much easier and relaxed I feel  running in much warmer weather. My ex arch rival came in 3 minutes faster than me which reflects his increase in performance (or use of performance enhancing drugs). Looking at my times on this course 2 years ago, I was surprised to see that I’m running it about the same time currently.

No run today. Instead we walked along the river from Cambridge to Grantchester via Grantchester Meadows and had tea, coffee and a fruit scone  with strawberry jam at the Orchard Tea Pavillon, originally brought into public notice by poet Rupert Brookes and his chums. Surprisingly, it was warm enough to sit outside in the deckchairs in the eponymous orchard. Quintessentially Cambridge, shabby not chic, still looks down at heel but still something wonderful about it.

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Aliveandrunning February 5 2015

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Another light snow covering in my village this morning. We weren’t cut off from the rest of the country but someone could have suffered a seriously wet bottom had they sat on this bench.

I considered going for a run this afternoon but decided against it. I did, however, go for a 9.2 mile run yesterday and it went well. Might do a short 2 miles tomorrow and then we’ll do Wimpole Estate parkrun on Saturday. Didn’t see many people out and about for the 9 miler. It was cold and overcast but no more than typical British weather for this time of the year.

My therapeutic gardening project is gathering momentum at last. I’ve completed the online planning application and I’m sending off the paper application forms for a charitable bank account tomorrow. The constitution is in place and I’m now thinking about funding, insurance and physically getting one of the donated polytunnels to the field. I’ve had the offer of another very generous donation from the same household as my first generous donation. So things seem to be moving on nicely.

IMG_20150203_133217230 This heron was a bit fed up when I jogged past him. He was waiting for a lift in the station carpark but no-one had turned up. At least I think he’s a heron.

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Alive and Running February 3 2015

DSC_0432 It snowed yesterday evening, not for very long, but enough to give a covering which lasted until today. These teasels were very happy with their little white hats. They tittered as I passed by with Rupert the dalmatian.

 It was a beautiful, snowy, sunlit morning but as a result of the snow and the continuing low temperatures, the club, which meets at the Cambridge University athletics track, cancelled tonight’s track and road sessions. I haven’t run since the end of Janathon so, as there was no club run, I went for a 2 mile jaunt locally. I’m now ready to return to fitness following my uncool fall in front of the club elite (after I failed to see a curb that no-one had stumbled over for the last two centuries). The big bruise on my bottom is fading and my pride is undergoing active restoration. I’ll get used to my nickname Trippy.

Cambridge half marathon is coming up on March 8th and long runs need to be run soon. I’ll try an hour or 75 minutes tomorrow, some of it along the river Cam, and see how it goes.

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 I sauntered into Cambridge city centre on Sunday, primarily to visit the Fitzwilliam Museum and to take some pictures. This dinosaur skeleton sculpture is a recent outside addition to the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences.

DSC_0335 The Fitzwilliam Museum. Only a partial image of a wonderful building. Too much traffic passing. The lower picture looks out from one of the flanking lions at one end of the museum.

DSC_0352 My latest wheeze is to start a photographic blog of Cambridge and its environs. It’s a privilege to walk around old Cambridge and there’s always new aspects to record. An occasional photographic blog will find a home for these images.

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Aliveandrunning January 31 2015 Janathon Last Day 31

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Cambridge parkrun’s 5th anniversary today and fancy dressers (or rather cross dressers) were  out in force. No surprise this wasn’t a record crowd because the weather proved to be entirely predictable for this time of the year – cold, overcast, threatening snow/sleet and lots of icy, muddy puddles to up end you. 446 took part and it was undeniably a fun morning. After the run, we had a good coffee with friends and discussed the races we intended to run over the next few months and into the summer.

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10388120_10153176092881159_7766766346408462217_n (1) I lead this small pack of aggressively competitive runners hungry for success. Because of my altruistic mindset I allow them to overtake me a few metres further on. I also opt to maintain my open mouth, thoughtful zombie look so they take the better picture.

10954552_919060101462016_7161758411558819207_o (1) The 118 on the left is Mary Holmes who, I believe, is 78 and occasionally gets a 95% age grade at parkrun. Her best time is around 26 minutes. Phew!!!

The days have passed and Janathon is now over. Janathon total mileage is 104, 9 miles more than last year despite my injury.

 

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Aliveandrunning January 30 2015 Janathon Day 30

DSC_0311 This is Widow’s Cottage in the village where I live and it’s having a substantial re-thatch. I believe this was originally a charity cottage built by an eighteenth century rector along with another (the adjacent Clerk’s Cottage). It’s always a joy to see a master thatcher at work, placing, cutting and fixing the wheat straw. An ancient art still going very strong today because there are still so many thatched cottages, most of them Grade 2 listed. Are there new build hatched houses? Well, yes but not in great volume.

I went for a 2 mile run today and felt almost completely running fit. I’m quite a bit slower than previously which I put down to insufficient longer runs and about 7 pounds of extra weight since early December. I note this but not with concern. Not surprisingly the way forward is –

1. Longer runs.

2. Eat less.

Tomorrow is Cambridge parkrun’s 5th birthday and 500+ are expected to attend although the weather forecast is for low temperatures, wind and possibly sleet. I’ll be very wrapped up so world wide fans need not worry.

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Aliveandrunning January 29 2015 Janathon Day 29

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I bought this book after listening to Joanna Bourke talk to Laurie Taylor on BBC Radio 4’s Talking Aloud (on podcast). It discusses how  military imagery and acceptance of violence is ingrained in society, along with dependence on jobs and expenditure on research in industry and universities. The UK’s annual expenditure on military expenditure is around £69 billion, the fourth highest in the world. I’ve just dipped into it (the book not the £69 billion) It makes for sober reading.

Too many people, I think, are excited by violence, righteous destruction, punishment, use and appearance of weaponry, controlling nation states and manipulating them economically. I could go on but I’ll leave it there.

So often, there is an apparent absence of empathy and unwillingness to respond to the suffering of others at the most basic level. We just cut ourselves off  from it and focus on  our own narrow interests. This Tory government is very adept in this respect, imposing   thousands of cuts on the NHS and putting services in the hands of private providers.

One of the most important features of a civilised and humane society is the degree to which it provides practical, financial and professional support to the physically disabled, to people with mental health problems, those with learning disabilities, to the vulnerable and to children. So much lip service is given to this segment of society’s needs and so many cost saving cuts inflicted upon them.            

Yesterday’s Guardian (Society section) had a report on delays and problems with new disability claims http://gu.com/p/45876/sbl  and a feature on the Haven project, a service for people with personality disorders which is now under threat following the ending of central funding and the local clinical commissioning group deciding it’s not value for money http://gu.com/p/456db/sbl . The tax payer can breathe a sigh of relief and protected, subsidised and tax break corporates can laugh all the way to the bank.

So, back to running! I haven’t done any today. I ran out of time. I could run a couple of miles even now, in the dark, but I won’t. Deep down, in the murky id sediment of my mind, I know that a bit more rest after my glute injury is probably a good thing. I still have to sit down and get up carefully but otherwise it feels OK. I’ll run 2 miles or more tomorrow and parkrun on Saturday. If all goes well, the longer runs will start next week.

Janathon total for today : 2 mile dog walk.

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Aliveandrunning January 28 2015 Janathon Day 28

WP_20140612_016 I haven’t bought a book in this Cambridge shop. I’m still waiting for permission! I don’t think I’ve even been inside it . It’s not very big and doesn’t give the impression of being haunted but the little shop window is always stuffed full of old books with evocative illustrations  and nostalgic content. I know if I passed through the door an ancient person would look up from reading at a Regency gentleman’s desk and murmour “I’ve been waiting for you to visit me……peruse these original 1940’s Rupert annuals and take your time. When you’ve made your choices, cast your eyes over these Dore illustrated bibles…..you’ll find them irresistible” Of course I would take them all, as recommended, and then start looking over the bulging shelves. As the natural light fell, the bookseller would light the many candles on the chandelier, still muttering “Take your time.”

I decided not to run today. Yesterday’s 7k with the club was quite a hard workout for me and although my glutes felt reasonably OK this morning, I don’t think resuming daily running would quicken recovery. Possibly the opposite! As before I’m counting a 2 mile dog walk in my Janathon total. At the end of this month, it’s around 5 weeks to the Cambridge half marathon so I need to be fully fit to do the longer training runs. The good news is I can take my own socks off and can get out of a car seat without help.