“…you need to be quick off the mark just to get a place at the start line…”

The Vitruvian Triathlon is happening right now just a stone’s throw from where I live.  Rutland Water is a beautiful setting for this incredible race.  Competitors shouldn’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the gorgeous setting though, Rutland Water will test everyone’s strength and stamina.

The race, organised by Pacesetterevents.com, has regularly received awards from the established Triathlon gurus at 220Triathlon.  Entries for this year’s Vitruvian sold out fast and the conditions today here in Rutland are perfect for a highly competitive and exciting race.

“…a full on tough, quad crunching lung buster of a race…”

First up is a two lap 1900m swim in the cold open waters of Whitwell Creek.  The bike transition then takes competitors on to an 85km race route that includes the notorious Rutland Ripple and nearly 500m of climbing – you gotta love them hills!  Returning to the transition area, athletes will then tackle the final stage .. a 21km run which will take them around the southern end of the reservoir and over the Dam.

Over 1,000 competitors will attempt to reach the finish line today and I’m sure, like me, you’d like to wish them GOOD LUCK!

(For those of you who prefer imperial to metric, the distances are: swim of 1.18miles, bike 52.81miles and run 13.04miles)

Yay! Marathon season really is upon us..

Today is often known as Marathon Monday, particularly if you live in Boston, MA.  The Boston Marathon is a hugely popular marathon and is the world’s oldest annual marathon.

It is traditionally run on the 3rd Monday of April, also known as Patriots’ Day.  It’s been going since 1897 and was inspired by the 1896 Summer Olympics where the first modern-day marathon competition took place.  The Boston Marathon is one of the five World Marathon Majors (Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London and New York)

Watch the Boston Marathon LIVE on TV on Monday April 18th 2011

If you’re in the US the race will be televised LIVE on local Boston TV station WBZ-TV (Channel 4) and LIVE online streaming will be shown nationally on Universal Sports (free).  The race will also be covered on American Forces Network to troops in 175 countries.

In the U.K. you can watch the Boston Marathon LIVE on free-view on Premier Sports TV, Sky Channel 433 at 14:30hrs on Monday April 18th 2011.

The Boston Athletics Association (B.A.A.) website will also provide real time leaderboards and commentary plus tracking information whilst the marathon is in progress.

Boston Marathon Tracking:

As with most marathons these days, the Boston Marathon uses computer chips inside a tag worn by each competitor to chart their progress at 5k intervals.  This tracking information is how your official marathon time (& splits) are calculated.  It’s also a wonderful method for family and friends to track the progress of their favourite runner.

• Log on to the BAA website (www.baa.org) and simply enter the name and/or bib number of the marathon runner you want to track.

You can track anyone who is officially running the Boston Marathon – friends, family, neighbours, celebrities or even elite runners.

Alternatively, you might want to investigate this iPhone app from Where M I – Revel Mob

GOOD LUCK to everyone competing in today’s Boston Marathon.. have a great race!

The fantastic Brighton Marathon is TOMORROW!!

Please note the WARM WEATHER WARNING for Sunday April 10th 2011 – this is especially important for all the wonderful runners taking part but also important for spectators to take note as well, particularly those taking children to the event.

Apparently there will be over 10,000 people running the Brighton Marathon tomorrow which is up from around 7,500 at last year’s race.  The crowds will be huge too – there were around 85,000 people last year who came to cheer on all the runners and significantly bigger crowds are expected tomorrow.  Lots of good causes will be represented by runners from all ‘walks’ of life fundraising for their charities.  The legendary Steve Cram will be firing the starter’s gun at 9am on Sunday morning and whether you’re running the marathon or going along to cheer, I’m sure everyone will have a great day.

Good Luck Everyone!!

…and for those of you running the Virgin London Marathon…there’s only one more week to go!!!

You have to watch the video .. look out for the chap in the red top, race number 2700 ..

I’m sorry, my apologies.. I’ve neglected you but rest assured I have plenty to tell you all and a whole heap of catching up to do!

So where to start?…

Any of you who have seen my previous post will know that I’ve been doing a little work to support Dave Clamp.  Dave is an extraordinary sportsman who has just completed the Deca Ironman World Championships in Monterrey, Mexico.  He came in a very respectable 2nd place having endured sleep deprivation, disorientation and injury. His amazing race diary, in this month’s 220 Triathlon magazine, gives all the gory details of what it’s like to run in a non-stop race spanning 8 days.

Many Congratulations Dave on your fantastic achievement!

My own training continues to be a little up and down.  I had a good half marathon at the Great Eastern Run in Peterborough in October and thought it would be a nice warm up for the Rutland Water Marathon in November.  Living close to Rutland Water is obviously a benefit and being able to regularly run the marathon course was strenuous but enjoyable.

Prone as I am to injury, you just knew it wouldn’t be long before something went twang .. and it did.. on a 22 mile training run for the RW Marathon!  It was freezing cold.. I could have phoned for help and a lift home.. but did I?  Nah, of course not!!  I limped the full distance and paid for it.    2 weeks later and within an hour of starting the Rutland Water Marathon I knew something was up .. with shooting pains from my right hip to my knee, I was in trouble.  Watching everyone overtake and disappear into the distance was hard but not as hard as taking the decision to pull out.  Oh well .. some you win .. some you decide to tackle again next year!
*Special thanks go to the wonderful runners who stopped to help me out with painkillers, sympathy and Deep Heat muscle rub!!*

Since then, I’ve been working hard to fix the problem and regain stamina.  I’ve incorporated weights into my training and I’m also going to be doing a lot more interval training using my new timer from Gymboss (more about that later).

So, over the coming weeks I’ll be posting tons more news and training tips as well as featuring lots of marathon runners gearing up for the Virgin London Marathon!  Oh yes, and I’ll be writing for online fundraising and ideas site JustGiving.com soon too.

Stay tuned .. it’s great to have your company

This will make you go WOW!

So you think I’m daft to run marathons? .. well, yes, you may have a point!  However, as you know if you’re a regular here at ‘Just One More Mile’, I know some spectacular nutters who compete in amazing races.

I’m going to ask a favour from you .. I want you to click on the following link and visit www.daveclamp.com .. There’s only one word to describe Dave …. Incredible!  He’s leaving the cold and frosty shores of the UK in just over a week’s time to compete in Mexico in the Deca Ironman World Championships!    He has an excellent chance of winning this incredible race and I’m asking you to support him by leaving some encouraging words on his brand spanking new blog!  (designed by yours truly!)

What’s a Deca, I hear you ask? … go to www.daveclamp.com and find out .. it’ll take your breath away!!

Just read a fabulous article in Runners World about the remarkable Fauja Singh.  Mr Singh is remarkable for a number of reasons:

1. He is a multiple marathon runner
2. He is a world record holder
3. He is a global ambassador for Sikhism
4. And, incredibly, he is 98 years old!!!

Dan Jones had the honour of meeting Fauja Singh and his article makes for fascinating reading.

“If inspiration is my legacy, I’ll settle for that”
Fauja Singh nonogenarian marathon runner

Fauja advocates taking one step at a time to regain/develop fitness levels and for those people that are retired ‘what else is there to do anyway?’  Fauja Singh was born on April 1st 1911 in northern India.  He’s a strikingly tall and slim man (weighing about 8st) and has a penchant for running in three piece suits!  He is part of a group of like-minded runners called ‘Sikhs in the City’ .. average age approximately early 80s!

Fauja has completed marathons in London, New York and Toronto and has been involved in 10k & half marathons in India, Pakistan & London.  His accomplishments have brought him to the attention of a fascinated YouTube audience and many public dignatories.  He is also featured in an Adidas advert alongside David Beckham and Jonny Wilkinson and tirelessly raises money for his charities

What an amazing man .. what an inspiration!

British comedian, Eddie Izzard, has completed 43 marathons in 51 days!

• That’s 27 miles a day
• 6 days a week
• for 7 weeks
• … and during that time Eddie covered more than 1,110 miles of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

For most of us, contemplating one marathon is scary enough.  To think of anything more, a lot more, well…you’d have to be a lunatic, right?!  The jury is currently out on whether Mr.Izzard is a lunatic, afterall this is the comedian who has a penchant for strange attire, but you have to admire his determination and commitment.  An impressive feat (couldn’t resist a pun!) to raise a staggering amount for Sport Relief, the sporty bit of Comic Relief.

With blistered feet, toenails blackened and dropping off (yuk!) he kept going.  He’s 47 years old and admits to having done only 5 weeks training before starting on this mammoth run.

Eddie gives me hope for my challenge in April – after all I only have to do one Marathon in one day…how bad can it be???