tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71227147918484665932012-01-29T10:16:19.274+01:00adventures and misfortunes of a runner wannabeRuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.comBlogger691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-36035101609487758792011-08-25T20:14:00.000+02:002011-08-25T20:15:37.507+02:00

I run more often than I blog. Fortunately.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-85730025038899224612011-05-28T18:24:00.001+02:002011-05-28T18:26:24.588+02:00

The spoils of the day. Like the other guy once said, "I run for the t-shirt!"

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-64394279477054747232011-05-27T23:30:00.010+02:002011-05-28T09:57:19.046+02:00

Right, I admit. Not only am I a slow marathon runner, I'm also a lousy blogger.Last time I posted something, last December, I promised to come here more often and keep a report of the progress of my training for the 2011 Paris Marathon. Obviously it didn't work out as I had hoped so, before I promise again to make it better in the future, I'll just give a fast-forward story of how things have

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-76468089189113013062010-12-06T22:46:00.005+01:002010-12-07T00:23:00.537+01:00

After completing my first marathon in 2009, this journal became worryingly quiet. Not really intentional, but after all the build up to that race, it was a bit of an anti-climax at the end.Anyway, at the time I did wind down my weekly mileage by quite a lot, but after a few months the will to run came back with interest. Running-wise this year things have been going pretty well, managed to stay

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-73491438183971910582010-11-22T00:04:00.001+01:002010-11-22T00:06:52.433+01:00

Time to get a new lease of life to this old blog! I cannot believe it has been more than a year since my last post. Totally unacceptable!I'll be back! That's a promise.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-71292634715589308802009-10-05T08:23:00.002+02:002009-10-07T08:26:45.543+02:00

OK, the last 10k were very hard, but I made it to the finish in a not too embarrassing time of 4:08:28, chip time. Still under 4:10 official time.That is a... err... a PB!More to follow...

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-82861735885004401422009-09-28T19:12:00.003+02:002009-09-28T19:15:56.382+02:00

The countdown has begun, one week to go!Ran 20k last weekend, it really felt odd! Tomorrow morning a short 30 minutes run, a bit longer on Wednesday and then rest till Sunday. I'm already getting nervous.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-86896639383008158182009-09-23T22:51:00.002+02:002009-09-23T23:04:52.500+02:00

From the Merriam-Webster online: * Main Entry: taper * Function: verb * Inflected Form(s): ta·pered; ta·per·ing * Date: 1610intransitive verb1 : to become progressively smaller toward one end2 : to diminish graduallyThat's what I am trying to do. Not very consistently, but that's what I'm trying.After the over-enthusiasm of the last couple of posts, I finally had a difficult time

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-89885412154531836262009-09-17T22:39:00.003+02:002009-09-17T22:44:04.407+02:00

Another quality run this evening, 13k at just below marathon pace. Always felt relaxed and comfortable, this is almost too good to be true.Looking forward to that 30k+ run on Saturday, I'm getting really afraid of speaking too soon.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-21769287251940045852009-09-16T23:19:00.003+02:002009-09-16T23:25:40.421+02:00

I managed a 5k tempo run this evening, didn't exaggerate the effort but it did feel fast and hard. Somehow I managed to beat my race time of two years ago in Ostend. On top of that my average heart rate was almost 20 bpm lower than on that occasion. This is almost scary...

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-14425465622093871312009-09-16T00:09:00.002+02:002009-09-16T00:16:49.180+02:00

Back from a week off in the south of Portugal. Good break from work, but not so good to the running! I only managed to do four short runs, just over 20k in total. Shame on me.On a more positive note, I did plenty of swimming and... err... sleeping.Now planning a 30k+ long run this weekend and based on the quality of that run, decide whether or not to show up on the 4th. Fingers crossed.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-58723239406787189502009-09-06T23:57:00.002+02:002009-09-07T00:21:00.398+02:00

I kind of knew that training for a marathon was never going to be easy but if the 30k long run of this morning is telling me something about the race itself, I'm getting a bit scared. I'm not quite sure that I can make the distance...Actually the first 20k went by pretty comfortable, made 15 non-stop and then refilled every 5k. But the last 5k were quite painful. Shoulders, back and quads started

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-11306177222488063182009-09-02T23:50:00.002+02:002009-09-02T23:53:04.672+02:00

I'm thinking out loud, what produces more CO2, flying 2000km or running 2000km?Now that's a good exercise, feedback welcome.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-22665629562225273972009-09-01T22:51:00.002+02:002009-09-01T22:56:28.007+02:00

Tomorrow, the much anticipated moment: 2000km since log started, just over two years ago. Too many hours running!Unrelated, I need a new pair of shoes.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-89861235847757843032009-08-31T23:12:00.003+02:002009-08-31T23:57:37.929+02:00

After a little break, here's another sign of life!I've been busy training! August has been an incredible month, it started quite promising but then there was a bit of a wobble and the mileage didn't increase as planned. Always the same problem, overuse resulting in very sore shin bones. I can't actually remember what it is to run completely pain free. In the end it wasn't too bad, I made a bit of

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-9629606702743930392009-08-04T20:56:00.003+02:002009-08-04T21:02:02.866+02:00

Call it a builder's tan.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-73303117438359185382009-08-02T22:10:00.004+02:002009-08-02T22:27:24.948+02:00

Another mileage record, more that 49k in a week! At this rhythm I'll need a new pair of shoes in, say, two weeks!I did a 20k long run this Sunday morning, relaxed pace throughout and exploring a new route. We're a bit fed up with the route at the 'Watersportsbaan' in Ghent so I tried an alternative along the river Leie. It's definitely much more interesting but the ground is a bit too hard for

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-68281742303674504032009-07-29T22:56:00.002+02:002009-07-29T23:04:10.915+02:00

Holidays are over, back at work and back to the regular training!I rearranged the training schedule a little bit, made it a bit less ambitious that is. It's quite tempting to start playing catch up but I know how it goes, I would end up injured in no time. Anyhow, with another 6k run tomorrow, I will have run about 160k in July which is an absolute record! I know Paula Radcliffe may do that in an

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-71104653802301393392009-07-18T23:22:00.002+02:002009-07-18T23:32:53.929+02:00

I've had a few good weeks, training has been going pretty well! Mileage has been increasing steadily and the legs are managing the pace well. This week, with a long run of just over 20k, it should be going toward the 50k-week mark, an absolute record for me.However I am taking it a bit easier! I am on holidays and it's not so easy to get out of bed at 6am and go for a 60 minutes run when the

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-51755429384787640672009-07-05T23:45:00.003+02:002009-07-06T00:15:10.675+02:00

I've been away for quite a while. Sorry about that, I tend to avoid sharing bad news...As far as running is concerned, the last six months were a bit of a roller-coaster really. January started off rather well, or so it seemed, but then probably I just overtrained with cold weather and got myself a nasty tendinitis. On doctor's advice I got off my running for a few weeks and as a result I indeed

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-1035959740789279752009-01-03T23:00:00.000+01:002009-01-04T22:57:17.185+01:00

Will this be marathon year?No, it's not a new year's resolution. It would be nice though.Hmm, it will be nice!

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-37611802138733293562008-12-15T00:05:00.002+01:002008-12-15T00:12:41.912+01:00

Long time no hear (post)! I've been away from this log but I haven't stood still. Luckily the body is holding up well and I'm now shaping up for things to come.That summer injury was really a pity, I'm in nowhere near the shape I was in last June. Build up again you'll say.On a humorous note, I think I understand whom I got the heavy legs from. Call it geographic proximity.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-54402100225518862262008-09-28T16:51:00.005+02:002008-09-28T17:34:38.683+02:00

The great man does it again! 2h03'59", did anyone doubt it?!

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-11886329553409622272008-09-25T19:57:00.002+02:002008-09-25T20:03:28.963+02:00

Now I know what I want for Christmas, a new pair of gloves shoes!

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-52748150800903664842008-09-24T23:22:00.003+02:002008-09-24T23:41:57.655+02:00

This year's Berlin Marathon is approaching rapidly! I wish I would run this one, get another glimpse of Haile (the odds are he's going to break the record again, would you bet against it?) but the way things are at the moment, I won't be racing any time soon. The rupture in my right adductor is as good as healed but my lower-back is giving me a bit of trouble right now. Lack of activity I would

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-8012532165870230012008-09-20T10:12:00.002+02:002008-09-20T12:28:24.612+02:00

Save Miguel and help put a cork in pollution!

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-50199343253822785452008-09-19T19:31:00.002+02:002008-09-19T19:35:40.636+02:00

This journal is about our running adventures and dreams but, I've said it before, once in a while I dare make an exception.Here's one of them: ditch plastic bottle caps. Be good to the environment and your wine, put a cork in it!More to follow.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-55366739258354344602008-09-17T21:58:00.003+02:002008-09-17T22:16:11.553+02:00

Not me though. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sure I would want to but I would be impressed with myself if I could run for 48 hours.Apparently Dean Karnazes started running yesterday and will stop, say, tomorrow?! Have a look.Compared to that, flying to Portugal on Saturday, running a half-marathon in the morning in Porto and signing books in the afternoon in Lisbon is just child's play. I guess he

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-83833894886289063982008-09-13T15:10:00.002+02:002008-09-14T19:04:03.904+02:00

This is what I call good time management. I'm rather jealous actually.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-64607004932928107682008-09-10T22:15:00.002+02:002008-09-10T22:21:20.421+02:00

After nearly three months and thirteen sessions of physio, I finally managed to do a 5k run and maintain a decent form throughout. Pain free! My fitness is gone though. (sigh)

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-48636221345863186762008-08-29T00:28:00.000+02:002008-08-29T00:29:32.843+02:00

I've heard of high pain thresholds but this is just pathetic.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-55220166414565184052008-08-20T23:16:00.004+02:002008-08-20T23:36:30.914+02:00

They sang but, err, well, not quite. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go back to the physio at the Sports Medicine Centre but I got it slightly wrong. Unfortunately my leg still isn't strong enough so I'll have to pay them a few more visits.Anyway, I won't be able to resume normal running in less than two or three weeks so, I totally gave up on the idea of doing a marathon in the fall. Frustrating

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-31152351974121867862008-08-15T12:53:00.002+02:002008-08-15T12:59:44.034+02:00

It is slow but it is good progress. This morning, after a good static warm-up, I managed to do a 3k gentle jog. Felt just slight discomfort, not really painful anymore. Just as well because I'm fed up with the physio. I've got another session this Monday and will try make it the last one.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-29843517012536410862008-08-07T23:50:00.002+02:002008-08-08T00:02:14.830+02:00

It took me almost as long to scan as my injury takes to heal but, for the record, that's an echography you see there. That's supposed to confirm the diagnosis of a torn adductor...Anyhow, after eight sessions with the physio it did improve but running however is still off-limits. Last week I actually tried to make a few paces, not really running, more like a ridiculous form of non-walking forward

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-10335359517561356182008-07-16T22:16:00.003+02:002008-07-16T22:39:57.227+02:00

I've been away for a while, it's not really motivating to write about not being able to run.Anyway, as planned last week I went to the Sports Medicine Centre at the university hospital in Ghent and got the diagnose I had expected: a torn adductor muscle. That was the only good news, that is, confirming my self-diagnosis. Other than that, hearing that I would probably be five to six weeks off

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-62070624786206090202008-07-05T12:42:00.005+02:002008-07-05T13:04:42.740+02:00

Two weeks without a single run. Not by my own choice.My leg improved just a bit so I ran out of patience and set an appointment with a specialist. We'll see what they have to say.Tomorrow there's a big race in Brugge, the 10 Mile Guldensporen. I had planned to run this one as well but the way things are at the moment I'll be happy if I can make a competitive 5k-race in Ostend, like last year.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-36927217549301123172008-07-01T01:07:00.004+02:002008-07-03T20:24:42.469+02:00

Adjective of the day: dodgy.Dodgy ankles, dodgy back, dodgy knees, and since recently, dodgy hip.I think I'll pay a visit to a physiotherapist very soon.Making that 16-week training schedule for that fall marathon is looking pretty impossible...

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-14677859688116818932008-06-22T19:39:00.008+02:002008-06-23T18:47:16.710+02:00

My trusted shoes are pretty worn out so yesterday I got myself a new pair. The usual advice at RunningGent, go for stability shoes, so I brought home the 14th release of the Asics Kayano. Expensive rubber but then again, I've got plans for this summer!This morning I went for a test run. Normally I would have run long, like last weekend, but decided to make it an easier run, a slow 10k or so.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-43369001128735357712008-06-16T23:04:00.006+02:002008-06-22T22:43:25.705+02:00

I'm not really that committed to this blog but maybe I should reconsider: it made it to 26m.com! I can't really figure out how that happened but there you are, you too are reading this! ;-)Now for the "real" milestone, yesterday during my long run I completed 1000km since the start of the log last year! I guess I can now say I am a runner...The downside is I need a new pair of running shoes.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-48799460862087763612008-06-06T09:36:00.001+02:002008-06-06T09:37:41.080+02:00

I guess this is the ultimate marathon race calendar!

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-49358347825111675672008-06-05T22:37:00.002+02:002008-06-05T22:51:49.165+02:00

The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy so there isn't much time left to post here. Besides, I still have to get the internet connection up and running at my new apartment.Last Sunday, despite a pretty hard working week and without enough sleep, I managed to run another half-marathon as planned. This time we went to Ypres to take part in the McBride Run. Surprise surprise, despite all that

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-81211816807505228642008-05-12T23:16:00.003+02:002008-05-12T23:33:46.460+02:00

Race day!I ran the Stadsloop Gent 2008 10k race today, me and five thousand other people. I spent the first 3k zigzagging through the slower runners. That aside, great crowd support and rather hot weather! So, that's how it feels to race with high temperatures! Not for the faint of heart.Anyway, I knew the route wasn't an easy one, with lots of cobbled streets in the old city centre and the steep

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-20340148868605181102008-05-01T11:02:00.002+02:002008-05-01T11:25:27.533+02:00

No posting for a while, I've been busy running!Well, not really, but I did break my all time record on average weekly mileage last April. Averaging 35k a week might not seem much for someone like Dean Karnazes but for me that's not bad at all.In the meanwhile I missed the Antwerp 10 Miles, was planning to take part but could not get around the logistics. Anyway, it seems that the wind was much

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-70436796723630665732008-04-05T18:59:00.002+02:002008-04-09T21:44:19.883+02:00

This gives me ideas...

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-84255211519751520562008-03-30T15:04:00.006+02:002008-04-02T23:40:20.964+02:00

I got a nice medal in Lisbon, I'll have to take a picture of it some time.And then I also got this.No, I haven't started painting my nails. That's a black toenail. Nice souvenir. At least it doesn't hurt.And I thought my shoes were "roomy"...

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-53849281978593989252008-03-19T19:32:00.005+01:002008-03-19T23:39:29.652+01:00

That's a misleading title.Here's my bib!The official results are out. My chip time was 2:02:58, which was more than one minute slower than my time last October in Brussels. The official time was 2:04:27 so in fact I've got a PB! Last October I made it in 2:05:16. :-)

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-87817895461571032412008-03-17T23:35:00.007+01:002008-04-05T19:33:54.526+02:00

Much to be told: I ran the 18th Lisbon Half-Marathon yesterday! The weather was great, the crowd was huge and crossing the 25 de Abril bridge on foot was something to remember.There's a bit of good news and a bit of bad news too. The good news is, I ran my fastest 10k ever, managed to finish the race (really positive, huh?!) and from now on I can also tell that I raced Haile Gebrselassie! He won

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-45957436776841648262008-03-14T19:42:00.001+01:002008-03-17T01:00:17.691+01:00

After an absence of some days, here's the pre-race report from Lisbon!I got my bib yesterday morning at the Museu da Electricidade, number 3825, along with the timing chip! Let's see how high or low that will be ranked this Sunday. They're expecting 30.000 people at the start line but I reckon most of that crowd will line up for the mini-marathon (7km) which won't even be timed.Last time I posted

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-80800355314947476092008-03-03T23:37:00.000+01:002008-03-05T21:48:26.727+01:00

Last week turned out to be a bit of a disaster, training wise. Normally I would have made at least three short sessions and a long 18k in the weekend. In total I ran a meager 3.5k and as it stands it had been better not to do it at all.It's been a week since my foot started complaining. The 1h50 target is a mirage now, I'll be glad if I can stand at the start on the 16th, and get to the finish in

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-7343558187758764452008-02-26T22:57:00.005+01:002008-02-26T23:11:10.640+01:00

Not good. I thought I'd only get worried by shin splints every now and then. Apparently there's more to it.Yesterday I tried to make an easy jog, just to stretch the legs after that Sunday effort, only to see my jog halted after a few hundred meters. All seemed fine until my right foot started hurting! Somehow I've got some persistent pain on the side of the foot, today I felt pain while walking!

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-13025845079360543312008-02-25T23:52:00.006+01:002008-02-26T18:17:27.676+01:00

Look carefully, do you see the guy with the gaping smile?! Well, that's not me (but he was ahead!)Look better! :-)

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-73823389992002964952008-02-25T23:35:00.003+01:002008-02-25T23:50:58.264+01:00

Well, last time I posted something I was going to talk about a couple of gadgets that I found recently. Can't seem to find the time to post here as much as I'd like.OK, I'll tell you then, I want a Forerunner 405! I need something to tell me how fast I'm going!What am I on about?! Well, I ran a 10k race yesterday, the AVT Midwinter Jogging 2008, and as expected I started too fast. Tried to

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-9278902918130435702008-02-10T23:34:00.002+01:002008-02-13T20:22:34.123+01:00

Did I ever mention I was getting addicted to running? Who would have thought, I believe I am!News on running gadgets follow.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-13237496372402800422008-02-03T22:00:00.000+01:002008-02-06T22:18:26.404+01:00

I've reached a milestone this morning, 500km since "log start"! That may not seem that much but anyway, I'm impressed. This morning I made another long run of 80 minutes, nicely tired at the end but it went pretty well actually.Although not 100% confirmed, I'm kind of training for the Lisbon Half-Marathon in March. Still have to register for the race and most important, book myself a flight, but

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-63109342801053848192008-01-22T21:50:00.000+01:002008-01-22T21:57:35.060+01:00

This blog is about running. However, once in a while, I make a few exceptions. Here's one of them."Fuel burnt by ships accounts for 4% of global CO2 emissions - twice as much as the aviation industry produces."-- in "Kite to pull ship across Atlantic", BBC NewsI'll have to double-check that figure but that's definitely a very interesting fact I wasn't aware of.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-85423450130875931442008-01-16T09:59:00.000+01:002008-01-16T10:00:37.723+01:00

Good story, posted on 26m:Two gas company servicemen, a senior training supervisor and a young trainee, were out checking meters in a suburban neighborhood. They parked their truck at the end of the alley and worked their way to the other end. At the last house a woman looking out her kitchen window watched the two men as they checked her gas meter. Finishing the meter check, the senior

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-42007548268384355292008-01-12T19:34:00.000+01:002008-01-12T20:05:02.602+01:00

Service resuming as normal, the holidays are over! It was quite a long break from work actually, a good break but it's good to be back too. The planned holiday jogging went pretty good, some old friends are taking on running as well and there is a chance we might take part together in some city runs in the future.I had to cancel two or three scheduled workouts because, a couple of days before

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-63725976380786284022007-12-26T23:59:00.000+01:002007-12-30T13:57:23.043+01:00

It's nice to run in shorts, I tell you! Last time I ran in Belgium with a temperature above 10C we were still in October! :-) That's the best part of my running workouts in Portugal. Running along the shoreline is pretty cool too.On a not so positive note, I'm running with my old pair of shoes and I realise now that not bringing the good pair along wasn't such a good idea after all. My shins hurt

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-27065362306443507972007-12-18T23:57:00.000+01:002007-12-19T12:35:01.798+01:00

There was quite a change of rhythm after completing the Brussels ING Half-marathon last October. There was no rhythm!Anyway, after quite some weeks of little activity I'm slowly picking up the pace again. No clear idea as to what the next race will be but that's not the point either. Mainly I just want to get through the winter and maintain some decent fitness level. Then maybe take part in the

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-10987855703708141902007-10-16T22:56:00.000+02:002008-02-13T22:57:47.636+01:00

Not too good, not too bad.Here's my time.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-20941332477996186462007-10-15T23:05:00.000+02:002007-10-18T00:55:32.187+02:00

Long time, no post!Anyway, the summer went by, my training schedule went fairly ok too, now I just have to recover from my now seriously heavy legs! Why?! Because I ran the half-marathon yesterday!Full report within the coming days. When my legs stop hurting. Maybe tomorrow. Hmm, maybe later.

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-22695014474765160072007-07-22T23:25:00.000+02:002007-07-30T22:27:27.543+02:00

Yes, there was a race today. If I don't sound very enthusiastic about it that's because I'm not. Let's say it didn't go as well as I wished but all in all it was a good experience.Everything was arranged and planned to the minute but still I left Hasselt almost four hours in advance. I didn't want to run the risk of missing the start! It wouldn't be the first time! Anyway, it was quite a long

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-90955067046188460152007-07-15T09:37:00.000+02:002007-07-30T21:25:36.040+02:00

I was in Ghent yesterday and got myself a new pair of running shoes in my favorite store at the Kortrijksepoortstraat. They've got a few gadgets that really help in picking the best type for your feet. Treadmill, video pre-view, scales, weight-sensitive pads, cool stuff! I hope my feet like them too! :-) Normally, if all goes well with the training plan, these shoes will have about 200km by

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-15684096528703213512007-07-11T23:24:00.000+02:002007-07-18T23:36:12.725+02:00

My training schedule at MyAsics tells me to run a 5km race this Sunday and the next. I'm going to skip the first (will replace that by a long run instead) but I did found myself a race for the 22nd! I didn't even have to look for long, I'm sticking to the ING Running Tour, the same that organises the half-marathon in October. I dislike giving free advertising to banks and similar very honest

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-37820888417996318072007-07-08T22:56:00.000+02:002007-07-18T23:23:53.322+02:00

It's been a few months now since I started running in Domein Kiewit, a well kept forest area near Hasselt. The RLLK laid out a few walking routes, some of them linking to Bokrijk, and it's actually quite a nice area to run. There's some asphalt too but most of it is trail, that makes it ideal for my long(er) runs.It turns out those guys at the RLLK made some serious mistakes when measuring the

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-2407576820324469252007-07-02T23:09:00.000+02:002007-07-11T23:37:40.490+02:00

So much for a good training plan... According to MyAsics I was supposed to have run for 55 minutes last Sunday. Let's say I had other plans for the weekend.I had arranged with a friend to meet Friday evening in Freiburg, Germany, where he is working at the moment. It was quite a long drive, spending five hours behind the wheel is not exactly my favorite activity.Anyway, it was definitely worth it

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-85365812321346384682007-06-28T23:49:00.000+02:002007-07-11T00:19:52.152+02:00

I've been jogging regularly for years but never really took it very seriously. Kind of enjoying going out for a run but easily finding a good excuse for not going at all! Things are changing though: I got myself a training program at MyAsics and started logging the workouts at Runner's World.The weather has been rather bad considering that the summer has just begun. I've never seen so much rain

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-41026426781322562562007-06-27T18:57:00.000+02:002007-07-07T19:11:57.221+02:00

I found myself a race! The ING Brussels Marathon on the 27th of October! Well, not really the marathon :) they hold a few races on the same day, the half-marathon being one of them.Almost perfect really, nearby, not too soon and still within a reasonable amount of time. The only problem seems to be the route, I've heard a few bad things about the Avenue de Tervuren in Brussels, a long and steep

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122714791848466593.post-33465385026983464582007-06-26T19:34:00.000+02:002007-07-07T18:54:24.304+02:00

That's official, I've gone mad: not only have I decided to run a competitive half-marathon, I am also going to blog the training progress! Let me put like this, I've run a couple of 5km races before but that's about it. What has gone through my mind, you wonder.A couple of months ago I got an e-mail with an invitation to participate in a middle-distance race, the so called Exploot (Dutch only).

Ruihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10977921684972220343noreply@blogger.com0