Author: Phil Lengthorn

Bits and Bobs

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 1 Comment

Its been a while since a blog post, so here goes……

On the work front it has been a crazy last couple of weeks at school which has meant that I have a fairly long ‘to do’ list over half-term: marking, reading, marking, planning, marking….and….yeah….more marking.

On the running front the weather has meant that it has been a bit touch and go lately. The last two weekends I had planned to run a couple of races:

  • Last Sunday – Bourne Frostbite – cancelled ‘snow and ice’
  • This morning – Stamford St. Valentines 30K – cancelled ‘snow and ice’

Although in both cases, unlike the France/Wales rugby, they made a decision 24hrs before the start. I’m gutted the 30K has been cancelled, with all the miles I ran in janathon I felt like it would be a good way to finish it all. I have managed to do a few runs, although I hate the thought of starting a run in the cold, once I get going I think it’s fantastic. It’s great to fill the cold air in your lungs, very invigarationg! Since janathon came to an end I have had no problem settling back into the old ‘run when I fancy it’ routine. The dog joined me this morning for a gentle 4 mile jog through woods and over fields on the outskirts of town.

We also have some good and bad news on the music front…..firstly bad news….

Frank Turner has released another 150 standing tickets for his Wembley gig in April. Which is bloody typical since the only tickets I could get a couple of months ago were seating. I thought back then to hang-on and wait for some more standing tickets to be released, but began to panic as it was near sold out, so bought seating tickets. Damn! Damn! Damn!

And the good news….

It has been announced that Beans on Toast will be opening at the gig. Which is fantastic news!  So full line-up:

…nice! Also on the music front….I am loving The Vaccines and Bombay Bicycle Club at the moment….

Finally, my February challenge of learning to play the ukulele is not going particularly smoothly…..enough said.

 

February’s Challenge…

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 4 Comments

Did you see the headlines in the media? ‘Worried for his safety!’….. ‘Run comes to an end!’…..

If you did you will be aware that I haven’t posted on this blog for 4 days. Shock! Horror! Due in part to two big events: Project365 and Janathon. Meaning that until recently I had posted everyday for 13 months.

So with the ‘ridiculous’ idea of doing a challenge every month, and on the back of Janathon, comes my attempt at playing the ukulele. Here is said ukulele….

Having obtained a book from @ladymarples and trawled the web for some ‘how to’ advice, after 4 days I’m still struggling, not really getting the hang of the strumming. But it is only early days! Wish me luck….

 

#janathon Day 31

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 8 Comments

Janthon Day 31 – 133+ miles

Well that’s it….it’s over! I have managed to run every single day of January! Woop woop!

Today’s run was a club training night:

  • Warm-up
  • 5 x 1km reps with 90sec recovery
  • Cool-down
Summary
******
Distance: 4.32mi
Time taken: 00:35:44
Average/Max Speed : 7.25/10.42 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:17/00:05:45
Calories: 493
Total janathon mileage = 133.37 miles

Overall it has been a great month, legs are really looking forward to tomorrow’s REST DAY! Well done to all janathoners! It has been fantastic reading everyone’s blogs, and a big thank you to everyone who has bothered to read this blog (and comment).

Well done everyone who ran a #janathon letter (fab organisation by @timcnicholls) and a big thanks to @copy7t for the final runart collage (I ran the wiggly last ‘N’), click here for more details (including a few variations):

…..and a final jokeathon me thinks…

One man’s hobby was running, he spent all his weekends on the park trails, paying no attention to weather. One Sunday, early in the morning, he went to the park as usual. It was still dark, cold and raining, so he decided to return back to his house. He came in, went to his bedroom, undressed and laid near his wife. “What terrible weather today honey,” he said to her. “Yes,” she replied “but my idiot husband still went running!”

All together now…

#janathon Day 30

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

Janathon Day 30 – 1 day to go….

Tonight’s recovery run, after yesterday’s long run, was a gentle affair. A couple of miles around the town, I felt like I could have carried on for ages but mindful of the fact that maybe the legs need a rest. Pretty uneventful, although I did shout at some kids that were messing around where that shouldn’t have been – Cameron’s ‘Big Society’ is a success!!

Short blog today – I’m saving myself for the FINAL run and blog!

Summary
******
Distance: 2.84mi
Time taken: 00:24:34
Average/Max Speed : 6.94/8.71 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:39/00:06:53
Calories: 331

Total janathon mileage after day 30 = 129.05 miles

…jokeathon…only 1 to go…thank God….

After driving for about six hours, a trucker decides to pull over and sleep for a little while. As soon as he falls asleep, he is awoken by some knocks on the door of the cab.

“Can you tell me the time, please?” asks a jogger.

“Yeah, it’s 4:30,” answers the trucker. He falls asleep again, but he is awoken again by another jogger who wants to know the time.

“It’s 4:40!” yells the trucker. Deciding to really try to sleep a little, he writes on a piece of paper: I DON’T KNOW THE TIME. He sticks the paper in his windshield.

But he is awoken again. ‘It’s 5:25,” says another jogger.

#janathon Day 29

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 4 Comments

Janathon Day 29 – 120+ miles

‘Long Run Sunday’ – the runner’s bread and butter. A steady 13-miler around the local woods and fields in around 2 hours, pretty pleased with that, could have run further but I’ve got a stack of marking to do. Not sure if I will get in another long run before the Stamford St. Valentines 30k. Although considering I’ve passed the 120 miles for the month, don’t think I’ll need to. Today it was a lovely bright morning, lots of runners and dog walkers about, in fact at one point Bourne Woods looked like Oxford Street!

95% of people out today gave me a greeting/nod/wave in reply to a ‘good morning’. Although there was a particularly miserable woman out with her dog that I passed TWICE and BOTH times failed to even get an indication that I was there!

But on to the important news of the day……the #janathon runart is nearly there. Latest news suggests that we are waiting on an ‘A’….

Summary
******
Distance: 13.77mi
Time taken: 02:03:34
Average/Max Speed : 6.69/8.61 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:58/00:06:58
Calories: 1617

Total janathon mileage after day 29 = 126.21 miles

…..jokeathon…

Q: What do you call a group of runners creating #janathon in a runart style?

A: Anything you want, they are so messed up from running EVERYDAY in January they won’t even know you’re there!

 

#janathon Day 28

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 7 Comments

Janathon Day 28…3 days to go

Today’s run had two purposes:

  • Complete day 28 of janathon
  • Create an ‘N’ in a runart style

A 3.6 mile run around the local fields was pretty uneventful except for the dog being attacked by some crazy bulldog (that had escaped it’s garden) before we had even got out of our road. The bulldog’s owner gave me a lame ‘sorry’ – I wish it legal to throw rat poison over garden fences!

But on to the important job of the day….run an ‘N’….

Before I began, like an artist imagining his work on canvas, I surveyed MY canvas (the black thing is Billy Boy)…..

I’m pretty pleased with the outcome, a bit wobbly in places, but I’m putting that down to satelite signal issues. May I present an ‘N’…..

I’ll leave it to @copy7t to do any editing that is required. Can’t wait to see the finished article!

Summary
******
Distance: 3.60mi
Time taken: 00:31:27
Average/Max Speed : 6.87/8.61 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:44/00:06:58
Calories: 422

Total janathon mileage after day 28 = 112.44 miles

…jokeathon…

Q: What do you call a group of runners creating #janathon in runart?

A: Crazy