Wow I’ve missed that dull ache in my legs, the ravenous hunger, those priceless endorphins. How did I run a marathon, seriously? Went for a short 7k run yesterday and today amongst the aforementioned side affects, my hips are now really suffering. I had to go to a place mentally that I’ve not visited for a long time now. I’ve missed that dark, dark place.

Talk of a second Marathon is heating up amongst my circle of equally-ambitious friends.  Having trained through a hard winter last time in 2011, we are all keen to choose a date later in the year in order to make the preperation less laborious.  I knew as soon as I crossed the finish line last time around that it would take a while, but one day I would return to run the Marathon motivated this time by the pursuit of a sub-4hr clocking. I have been obsessing ever since that day in Rome about what could be improved upon for next time.

Assuming that this isn’t just a pipedream, my preperation this time will focus predominently on cadence.  I know I can run the distance, I just want to train myself in speed endurance as I genuinely agree with my most craziest of mates that it’s better to “just get the run over and done with”.  I don’t want to make a meal out of it as I so very nearly did last time.  

I start having ran 10miles with minimum training over the past two years. 

This is something I’ve been contemplating for some time now. Cycling has been my new obsession directly since hanging up my High Jump spikes a few years ago.  I have however had this contradicting desire burning deep inside of me to hit the gym since the days of being a skinny high jumper, through my marathon training and up until now.  I realise that it stems from insecurites about my appearance and that somehow by pumping iron I will look better but I’ve had enough.  The rewards are minimal and shallow at best.  I think I’ve finally got it out of my system.

I hereby hand in my resignation to my local gym. What was I trying to prove? and to who?

It’s hard to differentiate the experience I had this weekend at the Ludgershall Winter Series from my last visit, two years ago.  Dressed in a similar outfit, on the same bike and with a similarly poor speed in my legs the race went to form.  I feel I have made slight improvements as it looked like I was catching a fellow competitor who had also been dropped from the bunch for a long period of time.  Invevitably however I trailed home in last place and with a lot of training to do.  i just couldn’t keep up with the guys, I don’t know how they do it.  Must get faster on the flat. I can’t wait to be at a stage where I can stay in the pack for the entire race because then on the sprint finish it’s all up for grabs and I’m confident in my inherant fast-twitch fibres to place me well.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/84508/Army-Cycling-Union-Ludgershall-Winter-Series-8#results

First outing of the 2012 Season after a two year break and the very next day after obtaining my new bicycle - Penhurst Off Road Cycling on my Trek Crossrip.

Lining up on the start line and having a competitor run his finger down the length of your tyre, stating “oooh, there’s not much tread on there” didn’t exactly fill me with confidence.  I gulped as I looked around and saw a sea of knobbly tread patterns.

By the end of a manic lap one, I was ready to give up.  I was obsessing, throughout the second (and hardest) part of the lap, about coming to a stop soon after the finish line to where my Father was in support, him giving me an ‘its ok son’ hug and us sneaking off home.  As soon as I spotted him I said to myself ‘just one more lap’ and so it continued.  

Six laps in all I completed, with the winner achieving nine. Disappointed I was not as I had finished the race. After the exhaustion of the first few minutes I couldn’t believed I’d completed the race. I put it down to the marshalls and spectators cheering me on throughout the twists and turns of the Penshurst circuit that drove me on pedal stroke by pedal stroke - or in some cases step-by-step as I carried my bike through the thick clay and steep ascents.

‘Alex Gardener’ 113th out of 118 finishers and three DNFs the results read: - who is this Alex Gardener chap they speak of? At least he wasn’t last!

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/80297/London-League-Round-10#results

Coast-to-Coast May ‘12

“It’s 5 O’clock?…so we’ve been cycling for 5hrs and only covered 29miles? …I’m not being funny but I ran a 26mile marathon in 4hrs!”
It immediately dawned on us that we weren’t going to make our accommodation that night in Alston. We’d woken uo early to travel up to the Start line and get on the road just after midday.  Such was the intensity of the unprecedented Gradients within the Lake District, progress had been far slower than we ever could have imagined.

We sat there on our first real break, chowing down on high-carb baguettes after completing the most challenging of inclines, tired, hungry and cold. Ideas were flown about, with the most-favourable being an attempt to make it as far as penrith, get a decent meal inside us first and foremost, and then try to arrange some transport to our overnight stay, rather than seeking alternative accommodation locally, thus putting us in a better position for day two.

So set off again we did, soon coming to another revelation that the designated route really wasn’t the most direct way of cycling from East to West. This is something I had realised when planning the trip as it would be a 100mile drive, yet 140mile cycle from Coast to Coast. “

Surely there must be a better way to get from Coast-toCoast without zig-zagging all over the place just to take in the sights - that really wasn’t our priority at that point. And so inevitably out came the map and thanks to our chief navigator, Jim we spotted a main road which was smoother, less undulating and more importantly a far more direct route to Penrith. We adopted a four man train in order to slipstream each other and I took it upon myself to go to the fore. For another 3hrs we got our heads down, pedalled hard through the rain and managed to make the 30miles to Penrith by 9pm. A local eatery was identified and in we stumbled with wet, smelly and hungry. A phonecall was made and transport arranged by ther Hostel, to the Hostel in order to make our accommodation commitment and take us the first 20miles into the Penines.

Day two came and we were up early to get down some hearty breakfast and get out on the biked into the low visibility, rain and relentless cold. This time, with the realisation however that we would simply cycle until 3pm and see how close to the coast we could get - therefore making the taxi back to the start line and our bikes in enough time to travel down to Leeds that night for celebratorary drinks.

It was obvious in the first few pedal strokes of day two that the Penines weren’t going to be kind to us. We we in a very different, Isolated and exposed where the decents were as enjoyable as the inclines were challenging.

A few wrong turns later and we stumbled upon a Hotel which would act as a resting point while we warmed our feet by the fire and checked the Map. “there’s a couple of big hills along the road to Stanhope yeah” the barmaid had warned. A few minutes later and as we came over the crest of one hill, we stumbled upon the Penines-equivalent of the Stelvio Pass. It took our breath away to see the road winding up a 2000’ ascent. I’m proud to say that I sat in my saddle for the entirety of that ascent and it is probably my proudest cycling achievement to date - the summit of Hillside Moss.

From then on, we nursed ourselves as far as Consett on the outskirts of Newcastle. 16hrs of pedalling and over 100miles covered, drinks in Leeds that night would be well deserved.

The Rome Marathon 2011. Wow, what an enduring 4:39:36 that was.

Started off great. Enjoyed darting through the crowd for the first few miles and even overtaking, working my way past the pacemakers and then keeping an eye on the 4hr marker, safe in the knowledge that it was over 5mins before I got to the start line.

Each corner I turned I would stand tall in my posture, eagerly looking over the heads of the fellow runners to see if I could get a glimpse, until inevitably, I lost track of the pink balloons of the 4hr pace maker.

As I crossed the 20k mark, I knew I was not far off target however - with a 2hr clocking I was on for a 4hr 40k anyway. Disregarding the fact that the Marathon distance is 42k this was enough to spur me on and let my mind come to terms with a low-4hr clocking.

I decided to reward myself with my first scheduled break (after stopping for a bandage and cheeky toilet visit) at the half way stage.  I planed to walk whilst consuming much-needed fluids, salts and solids. As soon as I got into this routine and the enormity of the task ahead sank in I could do no better than to use each water station - spaced apart by 5k - as a target to get me through the rest of the race.

30k came. “Imagine what it’s going to feel like when I’m 30k in and on the home straight” I had thought. “I’ll be able to blitz the last 10k, knowing that I was nearly home and dry” I had even dreamt. In reality, however I was beginning to cramp up, seize up and generally just run out of energy. Not cardiovascularly however, I was not out of breath, but the lower half of my body was feeling the endurance for sure.

And so I went on, using each 5k as a target and a chance to recoup while I consumed blood oranges, biscuits, Gatorade and Water. The inhumane nature of the race means that you rely on these station to path you through the race - everyone does!

40k came and I felt like I had planned to feel at 30. A sudden realisation that I was genuinely nearly home and dry washed over me and I picked up the pace. The route circled the Colaseum in the final stages and the finish line simply seemed to take an age to appear. When it did I was able to stride my way over the line.

I don’t remember doing this but on one of the photos above, you can see a comedy shot of me crouched over, hands on knees looking jaded.

As I looked up I spotted my great friend Simon with whom I travelled with for the event. He had passed me at 30k on my scheduled break and finished just ahead. I conjured up the energy to run to him, almost tearful. He spotted a fellow mate, Mark and I could hear him shout his name as I came up behind the two. We embraced at the enormity of what we had just achieved and it was at that moment that it hit me. I was genuinely holding back the tears of emotion as I realised the ordeal of the last few hours was finally over.

the stats tell the full story:

Split   min/Km   RealTime

Km 5   6,37   0:27:50

Km 10   5,29   0:55:18

Km 15   5,35   1:23:16

Km 21   6,31   2:03:04

Km 25   6,36   2:28:50

Km 30   7,18   3:05:24

Km 35   7,54   3:44:58

Km 40   7,45   4:23:44

Arrivo   7,13   4:39:36

Me on the start line and then getting overtaken by the peleton at 4:05

My debut Road Race in ‘11 - The Upavon Winter Series @ Corunna Barracks, Ludgershall, Wiltshire

Dune Jumping - Cornwall ‘10

A grueling [and very muddy] hour on board my bike in my debut Cyclo-Cross race in ‘10

Leicester Half Marathon ‘09

Arundel Castle 10k in ‘09. My debut long distance race and part of the training for the Half Marathon