#DeadWeight - the cumulative impact and effect

This should be a blog to myself - I should read it and learn - ha!

It is spring and there is plenty to do on my allotment (I am miles behind). The walk to my allotment plot from my garden gate is probably about 250 yards. A good bit of it is gentle uphill. From time to time I have to carry stuff from house to plot - and it is always the same. What starts off as light and manageable becomes a heavy burden within that short distance. I have learned to discipline myself and not try and carry too much otherwise I can start cursing - ha!

I am back in running training. One of  my offspring gave me and entry in the London Vitality 10000 event being held on the late May Bank Holiday as a very thoughtful xmas present. I like to have something to focus on. It is a huge event that even has Sir Mo Farah running. What makes it special is the course - I have downloaded the outline below :-

The Vitality London 10,000 starts and finishes in St James’s Park and uses Green Park as its assembly area.

The race starts on The Mall and finishes on Spur Road opposite Buckingham Palace. Runners follow a clockwise route around the City of Westminster and the City of London. The course passes many of London’s famous sights including Admiralty Arch, Nelson’s Column, St Paul’s Cathedral, Mansion House, the Bank of England, the Old Bailey, Somerset House, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

So I have been out jogging again and most of the time I love being out there. However it doesn't come easy because I am so slow. My stamina is pretty good I think - I can keep going - not least because it is mainly about mind over matter and I am ok with that - but my pace is back of the field stuff. While I am not really unduly bothered about it I would like the credibility of being a bit faster - ha! 

Anyway I know what the main issue is (apart from age) - it is the allotment path effect! Deadweight and the cumulative effect of it ! I take my son James to his running club. All the keen distance runners are slim. I am not slim - lol - body shape what might generously be referred to as "stocky"!

I am not one for excuses - I am not giving myself an out - but the obvious is obvious - I do not have a long distance runners build - far from it! When it comes to distance running, muscle bulk is not helpful - fat obviously even less so - ha! When you look at sporting build - you can see for instance a massive difference between a sprinter and a distance runner. My sporting background is football and rugby and for the last I don't know how many years - squash. Like most squash players my legs are heavy with muscle developed from lunging, quick sharp movement and lots of turning. It doesn't help distance running. Good distance runners are pared-down - hanging as little body weight as possible on their skeleton frame.

With this in mind I was out running and started to think about the allotment path carry and running. If I had to carry a stone (14lbs) up the allotment path my back and arms would be aching. What would be the cumulative effect if it was 3 stone and what if it was over 10K (or the marathon I did) rather than a paltry 250 yards. The drains on energy needed to carry an extra 3 stone over 26 miles - for 5+ hours is absolutely enormous when you think about it. It is terrifying.

Clearly to be a good distance runner you need a distant runners shape. The more you run the more that should come about  - but it is clear running is a specialist activity and probably does not sit that that well with playing other sports if you are really interested in getting good distant times.

While I am thinking about training and body shape - one thing that is definitely true - you cannot exercise yourself slim. I have always played sport and trained for it. I have always enjoyed my beer and grub and broadly have taken the view that as long as I exercise I do not have to be too concerned about food and drink consumption. It gives me licence to indulge. I have all my life fallen into this trap (if it is a trap) - a fallacy - even though I am aware of it. Certainly if you want to be a good distance runner you need to limit your calorie intake too!

Tis next day. Reflecting on above after another bike ride. I came up with this analogy. Two secondhand cars - same make and model - same age - identical mileage on the clock. However one of the cars had towed a heavy trailer all its working life! Which one would you buy?

Having said that of course being whippet slim is no guarantee of longevity or good health - obviously many factors come into play but if you are overweight it must be obvious your vital organs are under more strain - are having to work harder. It does make me think about carrying extra weight up that allotment path!

Now the pithy conclusion. I often think about lifestyle. I have mentioned Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs before. Needs - motivations can change. While I am not materialistic I do have quite a lot of stuff and things that need my time. It is a weight. How much do I need a lawn? Decluttering is a fashionable term. Minimalism is too. Life's journey would flow more readily - almost certainly be easier - if I was not carrying the cumulative impact and effect of a lot of stuff - my things. It would make sense to jettison some.

#ManchesterMarathon2019 James and George and Naomi and Victoria.

We are just back from the Manchester Marathon - a huge event with over 20000 runners. It could have hardly been more emotional!

First of all - the event itself. It doesn't always rain in Manchester! The run starts in the Trafford area close to the Manchester United ground and using some of the facilities of Lancashire Cricket Club. These aren't platitudes - it was a very well staged event - well supported and organised. Running events of this scale present massive logistical challenges but the spectators were great - even when being squeezed into the metro, Mumbai style, trying to get to the best observation points around the course. There were a few fancy dress runners - but nothing like London. The participants seemed to be the widest cross section of age and abilities but they were there to run a marathon. It was a tremendous watch and of course a diabolical emotional roller coaster.

Why was I there spectating? Probably over a year ago my daughter Victoria and Naomi her friend and training partner chose Manchester to run their first marathon. My son James (who has run 3  marathons before) wanted one to aim at in 2019 so Manchester made sense from a family point of view for James to run Manchester as well. James's previous best time was 4 hours 8 minutes. The plan was for James to train to try to get under 4 hours. That all sounds straightforward enough!

Victoria and Naomi are young mums with busy lives. Neither had running pedigrees. From a standing start they had built up their distances and ran 3 half marathons before stepping up their marathon training. They did a 20 miler together. Vicky overnight got a knee swelling and eventually ended up in hospital for several days. Vicky has ulcerative colitis and has to take strong drugs which affect her immune system. The knee infection spread rapidly and became serious. This happened at a crucial time in her marathon preparation. It was obvious Vicky could not run Manchester - it was too soon. But Naomi could and obviously Vic wanted to support Naomi all the way.

And then there is James. Here are links to 3 blogs I have written before about James's marathon journey. It puts Manchester in some perspective.

http://davidshoulder60onwards.blogspot.com/2015/04/parismarathon-2015.html

http://davidshoulder60onwards.blogspot.com/2016/04/brightonmarathon2016-james-shoulders.html

http://davidshoulder60onwards.blogspot.com/2017/04/londonmarathon-from-spectators-point-of.html

So Vicky's entry became available and there was already hotel bookings. James's twin George is an experienced runner but running is not his main thing. However the opportunity had now presented itself for George to pace James and George was confident he could get around the course in 4 hours without specific marathon training. George has always set James's training programme and between George and I we act as good cop bad cop regarding James's training - we alternate the roles! Everybody wants the best for James but no one more than George. Their bond is a twins bond. James runs without timekeeping - to be honest he is not too worried about time but at the same time loves to get a PB. We all agreed it would be fantastic for James to get under 4 hours - and that he had the potential to do it - but pacing was the key. That's why George ran Manchester - to help James - for no other reason.

We had dinner together on the Saturday night at the Trafford Centre following a gentle afternoon at Mardis Gras (Wetherspoons) - also with two of Naomi's longstanding friends there to support - Lucy and Anne-Marie. (The Grand National was on - won by Tiger Roll.)

Sunday morning was an early start. The race start was 9.00 am and we need to use an Uber and then the metro to get there. The morning was cool - but still and dry. Perfect really. The atmosphere was tense as always. Hearts were with Naomi. She was very nervous - the usual self doubts - about preparation etc. Amazingly meaningful hugs a wet eyes before the start. She had worked so hard and no one knew that more than Vic.

George had his usual gallows humour - the Shoulder family are strong on taking the P - but it is all underscored with a tremendous bond. George is a bit pessimistic about James's chances of getting under 4 hours because he will have to run under his normal pace and do it for 26 miles - a massive ask.

Vic and I leave the 3 runners to find their pen. They are scheduled to start 30 minutes after the elite runners. So it is back to the Metro for us to Sale for the six mile mark. We meet up with my youngest son Rich and his partner Andy and Naomi's friends Lucy and Anne-Marie. There was a brilliant choir outside Sale town hall. They sang fantastic pop songs for all the time we were there. We saw the elite runners come through and then a full on stream. George and James come through - big smiles - all seems ok. Naomi comes through - she is aiming to break 5 hours. She is running well. Big smiles. All looking good.

Back to the Metro but the rest of Manchester has the same idea. A mega crush - but all good natured. Trains are very frequent. We get to the 15 mile mark at Timperly and find a good place to view. It is a gentle hill.

It is a fantastic heart lifting spectacle as marathons are. All that amazing endeavour. All the hard work. The weather is warming - runners passing us still have 11 miles to go! They look much different from the cheery faces at the 6 mile mark - but optimism, grim determination and fantastic support is there to be seen.

George and James come through. James is labouring - George looks serious. In all his life whether we have been walking, bike riding or running James has always been a bit behind - but always the same distance behind. He has often said I have little legs I can't keep up and he would never concede he was actually running the same pace as in this case George. A few years ago on the IOW Randonee or maybe the Walk the Wight he revealed his clever strategy. He said "if I catch up you lot will go faster!" so he makes it his business never to quite catch up - ha!

This made it very difficult for George. Of course he didn't want to push James at a pace he could not manage but at the same time he had to push. Apparently James grumbled - swore - and James told me later when he saw us at 15 it was when he was feeling at some of his worst.

We wait for Naomi to come through. The ladies particularly are very emotional to see her. Naomi is all smiles - she is going well. It is lovely to see.

So then it is back on the Metro to the finish at Old Trafford. The crowds are obviously massive - a carnival atmosphere - the elite runners have long finished. We get a good view about 200 metres from the finish and wait. What a great spectacle as the runners know they are almost there. The spectators are great. The number bibs have Christian names on - so you shout encouragement particularly to the ones that are struggling - and most are. It is warm. Mega respect for everyone.

We are not sure exactly of the boys chip start time - but the clock is running down. I am convinced they are not going to do it. And then they appear - George just a few yards ahead of James almost running backwards so he can encourage James. James is struggling - doesn't really acknowledge us - hopefully he can see the finish. We think it is too late. Wow it is a hard watch. Rich has the chip monitoring app on his phone. We wait. It comes through. They get over the line together 3 hours 59 minutes 47 seconds - they make it by 12 seconds! The fam hug and cheer with relief. Definitely tears. I rush off to meet the boys because I have their bag. The rest wait for Naomi to come in.

It takes me a while to get to the agreed rendezvous point but a phone call comes through - James is in the medical centre - George says he is ok but needs treatment. It turns out James lent on the rail right after the finish - and they have spotters to help runners who seem distressed. Apparently he was disorientated and he was whisked away for treatment. George must have felt terrible - that he pushed too hard. When I get there James had been fully assessed. He was overheated and they worked to get his temperature down. He could hardly communicate. After half an hour or so it all comes good. The Doctor and nurse were really great. There was a very professional team there and loads of people being treated. It was a hot day.

Eventually we meet up with Naomi - she is all smiles - tired but elated. She looked in a good state to me and she was. She had just broke 5 hours - a great achievement. Everyone is emotional - Vicky is so pleased for Naomi. It is a great place to be - all that effort worth it. They have achieved what they have set out to do. The overwhelming feeling is respect and regard for everyone. Their goals were personal to them and now they have achieved it they have memories for life. That is a powerful thing. It is wonderful for James and for George something equally fantastic. What an amazing thing for the twins to achieve together.

Victoria is now even more determined to get back on track and to run a marathon. She will. There is talk of the Paris marathon next spring. Our family will be a 100% behind her but boy will it be an emotional day. xxxxx

Pre race dinner James & Victoria

Naomi (left) Anne Marie and Lucy - Saturday

James at the start

Great effort at 6 miles - the choir as an early group speed by

James wobbly at the end - over heated. Fantastic commitment.

Recovered and smiling. Free non alcoholic beer

Naomi James and George. We are so proud of them.

Me and my little dears. xxxx

James's mile splits. Great job George!

 

#Brexit we are at the cliff edge again (or are we?) - what will happen this time?

While the cliff edge is technically April 11th - prior steps have to be triggered now if the UK is to avoid leaving on 12th April with a "no deal".

This morning there is a crunch meeting of the Cabinet. Decisions have to be made (but will they be - can they be?)

This is the raw material they have to work with I believe.

• Half the cabinet including TM can only accept TM's deal (Withdrawal Agreement) or No Deal.
• Half the cabinet can only contemplate TM's deal or a soft Brexit (Brino).
• Each half are threatening to resign if TM backs No Deal (as seen as too damaging for the economy) or a soft Brexit (seen as Brexit in name only - Brino - and not what people voted for).
• TM has previously indicated she cannot take forward a soft Brexit because she does not believe it delivers on the referendum result. But will she agree to agree to it in deference to some of her Cabinet and to the emerging consensus in Parliament?
• TM likely to keep pushing her own deal to try and maintain just a gesture of cabinet unity rather than forcing/allowing a nuclear decision to be made. (even though it is only wishful thinking it could ever get through with the current back stop).
• Parliament are going to cobble together a majority for a soft Brexit - but it is indicative only - not legally binding unless Parliament can make it so in the short time they have. There are massive constitutional issues here.
• TM has said she will listen to Parliament but neither she or many of her party will allow soft Brexit to happen. (How can it work that Parliament try and force TM to go back to the EU to negotiate something that is not Government policy!?)
• Many in the Tory party have been fighting for Brexit for years. They also believe not delivering it will be unthinkable because it will trash our democracy.There is probably enough of them that feel so strongly about it they would be prepared to force a General Election rather than concede a soft Brexit (Brino) or a referendum. Deep principles are at stake for some.
• Some still believe (hope) there is a chance the EU might even at this late stage offer a concession on the back stop to avoid a no deal reality because that will be so damaging to the EU too. TM's deal gets over the line.
• However you look at a second referendum or "peoples vote" it creates more problems than it solves and will not happen. It will also not happen because it is a blatant attempt to stop Brexit and thwart democracy.(The Labour Party do not want to be held responsible for thwarting Brexit)

So what will happen in the next day or two? My view.

• To preserve unity TM can only say at the end of the Cabinet meeting she believes "the only way for a No deal to be avoided is for Parliament to agree a deal" and will confirm that some how there will be MV4.
• She might say she is talking to the EU for further concessions to help her deal negotiate parliament !
• If I am wrong and a decision is made there could be mass resignations in the next 48 hours - (that might include TM herself but I doubt it because I think she would have stood against a soft Brexit in favour of countenancing a No Deal as a last resort.) Either way can the Government survive? Will this not create a General Election in itself? Possibly - depends on scale. Some Tories might move to the new Change Party!.
• Parliament will pass an indicative vote for a soft Brexit and they will try and force it on the government as the will of Parliament.
• If TM attempts to follow Parliaments lead there will be a Tory revolt forcing a General Election.
• If Parliament is able to force the indicative soft Brexit option on the government by making it law - the Government will fall and there will be a General Election.
• TM herself has previously indicated she will not be prepared to go back to the EU and ask for a long delay and enter into EU elections in May because she personally feels she would be betraying the British people and the decision they made. (What would be the purpose?)
• But there will have to be a delay past 12th April if TM's deal does not pass by 10th April unless there is a No Deal leave. Someone will have to do it !?

All I can see isTM's deal finally passes (considered unlikely but all the options are unlikely!), No Deal happens (we leave on 12th April) or TM goes and there is a General Election. (I think the EU might agree a delay in Article 50 for a General Election without the need to participate in the May EU elections on the basis that if the new government decide to rescind Article 50 they would be able to hold EU elections afterwards.) As I have said - the only thing that could change this - the EU makes a cliff edge concession to get TM's deal (withdrawal agreement) over the line.

(Opinion polls are now putting Labour ahead in the polls - so it is easy to argue that makes a  General Election less likely and possibly TM's deal more likely to be voted through. Labour have played a blinder with their strategy. They have managed to ride all the Brexit options at the same time - including supporting a second referendum and supporting the end of free movement! The reality is they have been self serving throughout - but they are getting away with it and more and more people are laying the Brexit fiasco (nightmare) at the Tories door.)

My own view is a No Deal is the best and most practical option for the UK. There will be pain - there will be petulance - but as they say no gain without pain - and Brexit was about so much more than jobs and the economy - it was about democratic freedom - and our democracy would remain in tact.

The Grand National is on Saturday - with that in mind my punt on the outcome for Brexit. Only 3 runners - TM's deal passes, General Election, No deal. Too close to call - so I am going to back what I want. As I have said my horse is NO Deal!

POST SCRIPT - Wednesday morning 4/3/2019

Surprised and disappointed by the Prime ministers new strategy. She seems to conceding a soft Brexit (brino) and seeking to ensure the Labour Party are held partly culpable. Many in her own party are outraged. Might be clever politics in the short term - but a democratic travesty and will be a disastrous decision for the UK going forward. I doubt she will get away with it unless there is a failure to find agreement, the EU refuse to offer a further extension and we move to NO Deal.