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      Fitness thread

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      RED1028
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      Fitness thread
      Jan 01, 2008 09:14:04 am
      Happy New Year REDS!

      A New Year and a chance to wipe the slate clean! New hopes, dreams and ambitions... this could be the year when all those ifs, buts and maybes turn into a reality and only one person can make that happen - YOU!

      If you plan to shed a few pounds, give up smoking, eat healthier or improve on an already concerted effort of self improvement then with a bit of effort, and a lot of grit, determination and willpower you can discover a new you in the coming year!

      Good luck to everyone who has a dream and the desire to make it happen. It won't be easy, what would be the fun in that! You only get out out of it what you put into it... over to you...  ;)


      ***********************************************

      2007 for me was a fantastic year in so many ways culminating in me completing my 1st ever Marathon in Venice in October. A unique location and a life long dream achieved. It was hard work, bloody hard work at times, all the training, early nights (! - me?!) and aches and pains! They all fade away and you are left with some amazing memories.

      And so to start this year I am heading off to Box Hill in Surrey for 11am to take part in the
      'TOUGHEST 10K IN THE COUNTRY!'


      The run starts at the bottom of the Burfott Slope of Box Hill (cross the road from Ryka's car park and follow the signs.) The run starts with a lung-bursting ascent of Box Hill, to the Old Fort, cross the road at the marshal's direction, and then a long slight descent to good views of the Zig Zag road and the Tower. Tricky route finding down to the first drinks station at the car park (don't worry, it will be well-marked). Then proceed back through the kissing gate, up the grassy slopes to Juniper top. Veer left and plunge back into the woods, towards what is now the Smith and Western Bar and Grill, and what used to be The Pilgrim's Rest. Crossing the road (look out for yourself!), you will again descend all of the altitude you have previously gained, and at the bottom (now on the south side of the North Downs), you will climb back up to the top of Box Hill on very narrow paths. Turn RIGHT, and run to the water station at the Lookout - drink in the views! However, you now you have to lose all that height again, descending to the footbridge over the River Mole, running to the stepping stones (and over them if they are not underwater), before running back up Box Hill ('the hardest run you've ever done') - keep left! At the top, the marshall will direct you to your left, where you will pass the grave of an eccentric (possibly syphyllitic) gentleman of Dorking buried head downwards, before emerging on to the flanks of Box Hill, with gloriously open views, for the long run down to the bottom of the Zig Zag Road, and the finish between two obvious trees...

      Total distance around 10km, with around 1500ft (475m) of ascent and descent.

      ***********************************************

      This race was voted number 6 in last year's top 100 races in the UK. I wanted to do it but was unable to as a friend had been told she had to move house between 18th - 31st December, I was the van driver!
      This year I'm signed up along with 200 other nutters and I can't wait! I did a 'run through' of the course on 16th December and it is one tough course I can tell you. In short, 4 hills, 435ft of elevation and a river to cross on stepping stones... sounds interesting?  :f_doh:
      I think most of you have the best idea, staying in bed with a nice warm cuppa... nursing that hangover! Not! :f_doh:

      Must dash but I'll be back with a full race report later on...  ;) :f_run:
       
      « Last Edit: Jan 02, 2009 06:37:59 pm by JD »
      smigger15
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #1: Jan 01, 2008 12:35:08 pm
      Good luck Red !!  Don't know were you get that energy from, its taking me all my time to lift my fingers to type !!   Look forward to the full report later  ;) :D
      MsGerrard
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #2: Jan 01, 2008 12:37:07 pm
      Good Luck and all the best Andy........you truly are an inspiration to us all  ;) ;D
      F9T
      • Forum Ian Callaghan
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #3: Jan 01, 2008 12:40:23 pm
      Good luck Red! Never find me doing something like that, say I wonder where that swin the Chanel pamphlet is...................... .
      CRK
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #4: Jan 02, 2008 02:25:16 pm
      Good luck Andy! ;) I don't know how you do it mate, but you're an inspiration! :)
      Cy
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #5: Jan 02, 2008 05:07:48 pm
      Good Luck Andy..what an inspiration...all the best mate..

      Next race let us know..maybe we could sponsoring Andy a few quids each for the charity of his choice..??..what you guys are saying..?
      MsGerrard
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #6: Jan 02, 2008 05:11:45 pm
      Good Luck Andy..what an inspiration...all the best mate..

      Next race let us know..maybe we could sponsoring Andy a few quids each for the charity of his choice..??..what you guys are saying..?

      What a nice idea, or even to sponsor him to raise yet even more for Zoe's place ;D
      AJ
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #7: Jan 02, 2008 05:40:24 pm
      Bloody hell I'm worn out thinking about that course, good luck mate I await you report of what looks to me like a nightmare of a race.


      Good Luck Andy..what an inspiration...all the best mate..

      Next race let us know..maybe we could sponsoring Andy a few quids each for the charity of his choice..??..what you guys are saying..?

      I'm up for it I would also like to start doing something similar in terms of being sponsored to do these runs then not only can I help out Zoe's place but I can keep fit and have a goal to work towards.
      Cy
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #8: Jan 02, 2008 05:46:53 pm
      What a nice idea, or even to sponsor him to raise yet even more for Zoe's place ;D
      Absolutely..I need to give some money for Zoe's though..I'll do that tonight when Ill be home first thing....but I'm up for it..nice though MsGerrard..
      RED1028
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #9: Jan 03, 2008 09:48:24 pm
      Hi Guys and sorry for the delay in my ' Knacker Cracker ' report, my Internet connection has been down for the past 24hrs. I am going to hold back with the report for a short time until I can get my videos posted on YouTube then you can get a feel for the event / awards ceremony which is very funny in itself  ;) There are a few highlights and one in particular that will make you gaze in disbelief!  :o It will be worth the wait!  ;)
      I can see why the event is so popular and I even heard one guy who had traveled from Holland thanking the race organizer for putting on a fantastic event!  :nod: :gt-happyup:
      Back A.S.A.P...:f_run:
      P.S. The idea about raising money for Zoe's Place is fantastic, a very worthy cause. I have just visited the website and I am in full support of the idea. How can we help raise money for it?
      I am thinking along the lines of a Guess My Time for the next race. I will give you my current Personal Bests for specific distances and guesses can be based upon those times - not forgetting every race is different! The results will be based on my GPS results so they will be official!
      Reds donate £ ... per guess? ;)
      Any other ideas are welcome, if we can raise money regularly from something I do regularly lets get the ball rolling soon.
      « Last Edit: Jan 03, 2008 10:17:04 pm by RED1028 »
      smigger15
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #10: Jan 03, 2008 09:55:06 pm
      Looking forward to it Andy  ;) :D :f_run:
      graham135uk
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #11: Jan 04, 2008 07:31:27 am
      Good Luck Andy..what an inspiration...all the best mate..

      Next race let us know..maybe we could sponsoring Andy a few quids each for the charity of his choice..??..what you guys are saying..?


      What a nice idea, or even to sponsor him to raise yet even more for Zoe's place ;D

      I will put my few bob in, good idea.
      EddieC
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #12: Jan 04, 2008 08:10:25 pm
      Yeah I'd put a few quid in too.
       
      I'd also run with Andy, people could donate money for every mile I keep up with him. Actually scrap that, better make it every metre, won't raise any cash otherwise :D
      benforrest
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #13: Jan 05, 2008 08:33:04 am
      I probably need to get back into shape when i was 12-13 i was running in total 5.5km each morning and night, and a few fun-runs every now and then, I stopped after i threw up after a 15km long run, good luck hopefully it isn't sickening.
      RED1028
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #14: Jan 10, 2008 01:55:44 am
      BOX HILL KNACKER CRACKER 2008
      Tuesday 1st January, 11am

      BRITAIN'S TOUGHEST 10K RACE!

      Whilst many people were unfortunate to have the Christmas flu bug or a hangover or both,
      I was focused only on preparation for this race!
      I drove 245 miles home to Liverpool for Christmas then returned South East via Prestatyn and Rhyl on Boxing Day and Colwyn Bay and Llandudno in North West Wales on the 28th.
      At 9pm on the 30th Dec I did a 10K 50 minute prep run on the coast in North Wales to burn off some of the Christmas crap before then driving home to Croydon via St Albans and then through Central London :f_steam: on the 31st! A 600+ mile round trip!  :P
      I watched the fireworks on Tv at Midnight at the London Eye, the contrast of being in a 400,000 crowd as I  was last year or alone this year, it was only another night - tomorrow was no ordinary day!


      The weather was drizzly on the morning of the run but everyone was in great spirits and anticipating the lunacy that lay ahead! Runners were started under 5 minute handicaps given their estimated finish time, slowest 1st, fastest last. This is not a PB course, that is a fact. You are asked to add 40% to your normal 10K time! If you finish this race in good shape you have done well.

      There are 4 ascents / descents of Box Hill varying in difficulty:
      :P Hard :P
      :P :P Harder still :P :P
      :P :P :P Harder than that or :P :P :P
      >:D >:D >:D >:D Harder than Holy hell... >:D >:D >:D >:D
       :) 8) :o :P :angel: All challenging but so rewarding!  :) 8) :o :P :angel:

      I'm just left of middle, in front of the guy behind me in a Red hat!

      This link gives you an aerial view of the course: http://www.goodrunguide.co.uk/CourseMap.asp?RaceID=33


      The 1st ascent was up a bumpy, stony track with a gradual gradient but it seemed to go on for ages! Footing was uneven and nobody was in any rush here, just nice and steady, getting the body warmed up and the heart pumping a bit harder! At the top of this climb we entered a clearing which progressed into sparse woodland for a nice level section (although it was uneven with tree roots!)  MILE 1 marker soon appeared after negotiating lots of mud, twigs, fallen branches etc.

      Descent 1 was a twisty, turny affair, easy to get taken along by your momentum or lose control on the steep muddy steps if running too fast but the section was compensated by some clearer, straighter bits. One view to the left was of the largest vineyard in Britain. The descent ended at the 2 MILE marker in the small car park at the foot of the hill, there was a drinks table but I was carrying my own water so continued on the course.

      We turned back on ourselves here and turned left through a swing gate before the 2nd ascent. This section felt like a 2 in 1 gradient, very few people ran the whole hill I'm sure perhaps apart from the elite athletes! It was bloody hard work, simple as that! I managed to take 2 photos here and they are the only ones I took on the day of the race, I did take a few others on the familiarization run on Dec. 16th. Eventually the summit became visible but there was still a bit more to do before the 2nd descent! A stile and fallen tree were to be negotiated in the mud before the 3 MILE marker, my watch registered 30 mins at tree / halfway point ;)

      The course soon crosses a country road before the descent into the Chute, thus called because it resembles a slippery water slide. Curved edges and a downhill slope with rounded stone, mud, roots, branches, twigs and leaves made for interesting footing at speed!
      I actually ended up on my arse in the mud at one point!  :lmao:

      A snaking descent to the bottom returned us up the 3rd ascent of Box Hill... a very steep, narrow, muddy affair. Not too many people ran this, I tried but it was hard, especially after 4 miles of Britain's Toughest 10K! At the top there came the now legendary 275 Steps, (I didn't count them on the day!)
      I was aware they were coming up after the pre Knacker Cracker on the 16th December.

      We turned left for the 3rd descent of Box Hill. Steps varied from a few inches high to 12" or so and yes, they were muddy and busy with people running down them and striding up them!  :f_run:  :P
      At the bottom is a nice section where competitors cross a footbridge over the River Mole then slalom between some trees before approaching the river again. Now it was time for the stepping stones over the river... Ready! Steady! Go! I gaged my 1st two steps before bounding off, Boing! Boing! Boing! across the stones. The river was a matter of inches below me and was flowing fast... this is one part of the course I wasn't gonna mess up!
      I screamed a jubilant YEAH BABY! as I reached the other side without falling in!  :champ:

      What goes down must go back up... a reversed statement and true of the lunacy that is Knacker Cracker! Each one of those steps was a hike in itself and with fancy dress runners running with glee downhill and stepping stone survivors heading uphill it got a bit congested and muddy! Once at the top you were left gasping for oxygen, my lungs nearly burst and my heart nearly exploded! It was a fantastic feeling to have  conquered the mighty steps and I smiled with pride!  ;)

      All that was left to accomplish now was the final section to the finish! En-route we passed a grave of an eccentric gentleman who was buried head first. That's all I know, I wasn't paying attention to the history lessons given at various points at the pre run on the 16th.

      The 4th downhill can be described as a welcome horizon - a wide open, smooth, fast downhill and it was simply the best finale to any race I have encountered for a long, long time! I gave it my all as I approached the finish line and completed an amazing, outstanding, and simply stunning event!

      *****************************************************************

      200 or so people competing in this run is great testimony to Dr Rob McCaffrey and his team. The organization is fantastic, the marshals and spectators were hugely encouraging. A great T-shirt with a list of all the runners on the reverse plus a medal and commemorative mug and as much food / drink as you could manage was the prelude to the post race awards ceremony which was worth turning up for in it's own right - Dr Rob ad libbing his way through the awards plus a raffle / lucky bag with numerous prizes and the generosity was heart warming, everyone was a winner!

      1st Female and Male Winners!
      Special mention for the guy who set a new course record - 44mins!

      Shortest Course Record Holder
      and Female Fancy Dress Winner!

      Male Fancy Dress Winner - BORAT!
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1x20DEu_is&feature=related
      A thumbs up for the fancy dress runners and the now legendary BORAT! How we laughed!

      Box Hill Knacker Cracker 10K

      Here's the stats!



      Time              DataTotal    % of Total
      Total Time      1:05:57         100.0
      Moving Time   1:05:40         99.6
      Ascent            0:34:45         52.7
      Descent          0:21:15         32.2
      Flat                0:09:40         14.7
      Stopped         0:00:17           0.4
      # of MotionBased Stops = 0  ;)

      Easily one of my top 5 races, this was a great way to start the New Year! Looking forward to next year already!  ;) :nod: :gt-happyup:

      *****************************************************************

      Official summary by race organizer Dr Bob:
      A record-breaking field of 175 runners completed the Knacker Cracker 2008, in overcast and cool conditions, with sticky, slippy and treacherous conditions underfoot. An increasing proportion of runners come in fancy dress, and notable among the particpants this year were a bee, a monkey, at least one Bedu tribesman, two cavegirls and a caveman, several runners in dresses and assorted festive headgear, a female devil, fairies, french maids (ooh la la!), bunnies, hula-girls, Hawaiians, a pirate, the Pink Panther, a wizard, a team of elves, a Morris Man, a smurf (?) and, last but not least, a gentleman running as Borat, in a fluorescent mankini.

      Despite the difficult conditions underfoot, both the male and female course records were broken. First man home, in an amazing 44:57, was David Rollins. In fact, the first five men home would have beaten the previous course record. First lady home was Sarah Rollins (making it a husband and wife one-two), also in a new course record of 50:06, bettering the previous record by nearly nine minutes.

      The last person home ducked in under 100 minutes, coming in at 96:30, four minutes faster than the previous year's last placed runner.

      At the post race gathering, raffle prizes were dished out and the race prizes eventually awarded to the correct recipients. By common assent, the prize for the best fancy dress went to Dave Dixon of Watford Joggers for running - on the edge of decency - as Borat.

      The race raised several hundred pounds for charity, once again primarily Rianna's Fund.
      « Last Edit: Jan 10, 2008 02:12:43 am by RED1028 »
      benforrest
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #15: Jan 10, 2008 06:37:17 am
      Well done great time, for the hardest run. I guess you would have been stuffed for a long time after this.
      MsGerrard
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #16: Jan 10, 2008 08:54:13 am
      Andy.......Well Done on your race, I'm surprised you had the energy to put all that together after what you'd done. 8)

      A Big + from me ;)

      Bet Borat was a bit chilly :lmao:
      smigger15
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #17: Jan 10, 2008 06:46:15 pm

      Imagine running behind him !!  It would put you off !!  :lmao:  Well done Red, we knew you could do it   :kop5cf8koxp6:
      MsGerrard
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #18: Jan 10, 2008 07:14:53 pm
      Imagine running behind him !!  It would put you off !!  :lmao: 

      You wouldn't know were to look, would you :f_tongueincheek:  :lmao: :lmao:
      AJ
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #19: Jan 10, 2008 08:44:41 pm
      Well done Andy that looked like a tough one I can't imagine a better way to start the year!

      I have sort of started my running this year by doing a 2 mile jog at weekends, I know it's not alot so I'm gonna improve on it just need to ease myself in like and hopefully I will do one every morning. 
      RED1028
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #20: Jan 10, 2008 10:16:36 pm
      Imagine running behind him !!  It would put you off !!  :lmao:  Well done Red, we knew you could do it   :kop5cf8koxp6:
      You wouldn't know were to look, would you :f_tongueincheek:  :lmao: :lmao:

      Borat started in the same wave as me! I had to pass him ASAP because it was a distraction having a set of naked male butt cheeks just in front of me... there could be some nasty rumors circulating that I was running after a naked man!  :o :lmao:
      LazyFingers
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #21: Jan 12, 2008 05:14:32 pm
      Well done on your run man, looks painful! :D
      Rafa La Bamba
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      Re: Fitness thread
      Reply #22: Jan 17, 2008 01:07:21 pm
      Box Hill isn't far from me, and I wish I had taken part but thing is I've only started running training since the new year and I can only do 5km in 25 minutes... I could probably do better than that but I'm telling you it is quite intense!!!

      But training for endurance is easy, not like training for boxing, football etc.. thats when you need to do cardio training but I guess 5km in 25 minutes is between endurace & cardio training.. does a bit of both!

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