Malta: Living on the Edge of Europe
Thoughts and happenings from a life on Malta
Week 7 of 34 – Friday’s load
Housework is not high on the list of my priorities because there always seems to be something even more important to do. The most obvious is training but there are other things, such as spending time with an interesting book (just finished Running on Empty) or listening to music. And I mean listening, not just hearing it. Until not long ago, music was something to have in the background, while the mind is focussed on some other activity. However, since buying Anoushka Shankar’s CD, Traveller, I have discovered the pleasure of sitting down on the sofa and actually concentrating on the music. So this too has become a time-consuming activity.
However, there is a chore I look forward to and that’s the laundry, maybe because the only work involved is shoving the clothes into the machine, turning a couple of dials, pressing a switch and voila….time to pull the clothes out and hang them. Or even because I love the smell of cleansing detergent as I hang the clothes out to dry. I wonder whether the neighbours have ever caught me sniffing at the clothing as I pegged them to the line and what they thought when they saw my nose stuck into the crotch of a pair of shorts or undies. Anyway, last Friday was laundry day and in the evening I had the 4 lines which are stretched out on my back terrace heavy with wet clothing. It was then that I realized – three of those lines were completely taken up by sportswear! Where did I say my priorities lie?
***** ***** *****
My long run, usually on a Sunday, was 2 hours during which I covered 20k and succeeded in keeping an average heart rate of 135. Clearly though, my body still needs to adapt to these longer runs because I was not comfortable with myself; whilst happy to have covered 20k, I am less happy with the sensations I had throughout.
Road Mgarr 11-12-2011
Training hours: 9 / Weight: 71.4kgs / Body fat: 12.5% / Muscle mass: 69.6% / Water: 57.7% / Bone mass: 3.0 / Resting heart rate: 50
Week 6 of 34 – Feet on fire
“Feet on fire“, a heading that conjures up images of me melting the tartan track at Marsa as I speed around on my 3 x 20′ repetitions; the aftermath of lower limbs furrowing the soil-coloured surface of lane 7 to it’s hard substratum being the modern equivalent of the ancient cart ruts. An alternative, mythical image generated by this post’s title is that of flames flying from the superheated soles of my Diadora Mythos shoes, with only the onrush of wind suppressing their spread to pumping calves and thighs.
As it happens, the reality is more prosaic. I’ve worn these shoes for hundreds of kilometres and the socks likewise but, on my first track session in many months, the feet were uncomfortably hot. It was an overcast Tuesday, with the rain having done its worst a few hours earlier. A wind was blowing against the flow of the finishing straight, not cold enough for long sleeves yet neither comfortable enough for topless running. Yet, in spite of these conditions, my feet felt like they were on fire. Since I haven’t been inducted in barefoot track running, the only solution available was to seek out the occasional puddle that had settled on the surface, splashing into it so that the footwear could soak in its cooling effect.
***** ***** *****
I’m satisfied with this week of 9 sessions, 5 of which were runs and the remainder indoor activities: cycling, rowing and elliptical. The only problem is a pain in the lower front part of the left knee, which while sensitive to the touch, hasn’t precluded me from training. Hope it’s just another of those passing aches and pains that have a habit of forcing their temporary company on athletes.
Training hours: 8 / Weight: 71.0kgs / Body fat: 12.3% / Muscle mass: 69.6% / Water: 57.8% / Bone mass: 3.0 / Resting heart rate: 49
Week 5 of 34 – Shifting out of first gear
It’s easy to fall into a routine of monopaced running – an effortless session where the heart is hardly ever taxed, the lungs work at idling capacity and leg turnover is at a canter. It’s easy because the minimum parameters for maintaining basic fitness are met while another training day can be ticked off the calendar.
However, a marathon up the Etna is not easy so it’s time to shift out of first gear. This inceptive week for speed saw the introduction of a (tame) hill fartlek session but I will be transferring to the track for faster paced work once-a-week. The long run is now up to 1h45m although I am displeased with the pain in both knees that I became aware of after.
The highlight of the past seven days was a night trail run, ably led by Ruben. A route which by day makes for an excellent trek with some challenging sections takes on a completely different dimension in the light of head torches moving along at speed (whenever possible) under a starry sky.
Photo: Ruben Degiorgio
GPX file of route: here
Training hours: 9 / Weight: 71.0kgs / Body fat: 12.4% / Muscle mass: 69.6% / Water: 57.8% / Bone mass: 3.0 / Resting heart rate: 50
Eleanor Roosevelt:
"Do what you can, with what you've got, where you are."
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