Slip sliding away.

I realised I never posted anything about my ski holiday to La Plagne, France. So here goes...

I obviously survived with out major injury and we had a fantastic week. The hotel was excellently situated right on the slopes and next to a chairlift which meant we could be out of the room and on the slopes with in 5 minutes in the morning and apart form a couple of ropey days the weather was good and the snow was great.

We had gone half-board and considering the cost of the holiday the food was very good and due to it being a mainly buffet style arrangement I ate far too much in the morning and at night. Morning was a battle to restrict my croissant/toast/egg/yogurt/fruit eating to one go at each, a battle I frequently lost and in the evening my main nemesis was the desert section. Each night they had a selection of options with flan bases dominating the scene with various toppings but the main problem was the ice cream chest. That is right we had open access to 10+ flavours of ice cream. Mint-choc chip, vanilla, lemon sorbet and raspberry were regularly features with an open guest spot each night for the various other flavours. Suddenly my time at LA might have a much more obvious cause.

The skiing at La Plagne was very good with the options of many changeling blue, red and black runs. We all pushed ourselves to try higher levels than we are used to and I think it is fairly safe to say that by the end of the week most of us had taken a good number of falls, which is what a skiing holiday is all about. The highlights for me though were the Glacier and the snow parks they had available. It took us most of the week to get to the Glacier as wind higher up kept closing the one lift you could use to get there but when we did it was well worth the effort. The snow was great for off-pisting for Martin and I and Gayle and Andy had some great slopes to work down as well.

Also on the Glacier was the Ice-Grotto. This was a huge caveren that had been carved into the glacier and wher lots of very large ice sculptures were created. When we had to pay 3 euro for the priledge of entering I was unsure but I have to say it was amazing. Very well done and lighted nicely and more than a little scarry thinking that you were underneath so much ice. It was very cool to see different layers of ice and earth in the walls of the grotto as over the years the glacier had melted and frozen over again.

The snow parks were very well laid out and kitted out, with lots of jumps and course to test our 'mad' skills on. After seeing the ski-cross at the Olympics we had to have a go on those courses, not as crazy as the Olympic one but still great fun and for me the main aim of the holiday was to improve my jumping ability. There was a beginners set of jumps which actually scared be half to death but somehow we all managed to survive, if you haven't noticed yet, survival was the key word of this holiday. There were three jumps in a row all pretty tame looking until you went over them and all though the video show that only a few inches of air were achieved it felt like you were flying.

The main event though was a big adult sized jump they had set up, it was over 6ft high and at about at 45 degree angle, and what made it irresistible was the big ass air cushion they had positioned after it. What could possibly go wrong? We had been looking at this obstacle all week trying to find the nerve and then on the last day we thought sod it, lets give it a go. As I vowed to keep these blogs short and to the point I won't break down the full story but the key points are as follows, Martin and I decided to go first and after paying our nominal fee for use of the cushion we lined up with a couple of snowboarders in front of us. First person we see go down was a girl on her board who appeared quite nervous, she should have trusted her instincts. She was so nervous that when she got half way up the jump she decided to shave some speed off, big mistake. Her board dug in and as her face bounced off the top of the jump and she fell over the other side, not making the air bag we all had time to reconsider how wise this really was while the first aid team picked her and her teeth up. Her friend was next and learnt the lesson and cut speed before the jump and made a nervous little jump which I have to say I don't blame her.

Me next, now I seem to have something slightly mis-wired in my head because all I can see is an image of me acing a triple tuck mid-air spin with a graceful landing. As soon as the cushion was clear I point my skis and go, briefly hearing the guy at the start of the jump mumble something at me. No slowing down for me, I admit to great trepidation as I near what seem a wall of ice that forms the jump and I hit the jump at full whack and gracefully fly through the air arse first until I land on my back with skis in the air about one third of the way into the cushion. Not quite what I had in my head. Martin follows suit and successfully make sit to the cushion with a lot more height in his jump. When he gets off he explains to me that what the guy at the top was saying was you had to start further down the ramp where the big start flags were, not just hammer it from the get go, oopps.

Next jump Andy decides to join me, now please remember that Andy has only been skiing once before this holiday and I have never been so impressed with some ones lack of regard for life and limb as Andy. His skiing is still at the beginners stages but his willingness to have a go at what ever run we are doing is brilliant. Andy goes first on the jump this time and after having got his very long skis wedged into the start gate he makes a great effort and lands safely on the air bag. So far so good, the problem here is that now I have my ego kicking in, the male part of the brain that says "you da' man!" and "you can do it!". We had seen a few skiers go down and do some nice flips and twists and you know what, I thought "I CAN do that".

Well as it turns out, I can't. I had a good run up, launch was great, started to spin into a back flip, in my head the cheers has already started for awesome display of athleticism, that is when I landed on my head and got a ski in my face. After a second of being quite stunned, I managed to crawl off the air bag and was quite convinced I had cut my head up and was bleeding. It turns out the only damage apart from to my pride was that I had bit my tongue but hey it hurt at the time.

To be honest after the adrenaline had worn off several other aches and pains kicked in, especially my right shoulder which had taken a bump earlier in the week (cough, Gayle, cough). All in all though a well worth it experience, not something you get to do every day.

And with that it was over and so unfortunately was the holiday as well.

Well apart from a very early morning high altitude hill workout by running up through La Plagne town centre which resulted in a near asthmatic David and an iced up beard. Odd feeling that.

Brilliant ski holiday location and great company. Next year I get them to come to Canada.

Heat, Hills, Hydration and no Hollywood ending

This weekend I took part in the 25th LA Marathon. I shall cut away any suspense and tell you that my finishing time was 3:25:06. Which give or take a few seconds is 15 minutes slower than my last marathon and about 25 minutes slower than my goal for this race.

Am I disappointed? Errrrmmm, the answer is I'm not sure.

With Chicago when I got my 3:10:54 I felt and said at the time that it was one of those perfect races where everything comes together perfectly. This was payback for that race. I don't want anyone out there thinking I'm making excuses for my performance with what is to follow, I'm not, I ran the time on the day that I was capable of, there is no need for excuses just reasons that I didn't do better, which most of them were under my ability to control. 3:25 is still a good time and one I'm honestly happy with, just at the same time disappointed too :)

It was the 25th anniversary of the race and the first time that they have used the new Stadium to Sea course, running from Dodger Stadium through Downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and into Santa Monica.

I initially had intended to try for a sub 3 hour race in LA and had whinged at, moaned at and generally annoyed most people at PRR in my attempts to achieve this, for which I do apologise for. They are an amazing source of tips, help and most importantly encouragement and I do feel that if I let anyone down it was them. By the time race morning cam round I had already re-evaluated by goal to be around 3:05 with the intention of at least beating by Chicago time.

I headed out at around 4:20 per kilometre thinking of staying ahead of the 3:10 pace group. Unfortunately I had been in the starting corral for quite a while before the race started and with in the first 500 metres of the uphill start I need to make a visit behind a tree to relieve myself, I was not the only by the way. Having got that out the way I sprinted off up the hill to catch up with the 3:10 group and tried to get into a pace I was comfortable with.

My first major mistake in all of this was not giving the elevation profile enough respect. The overall profile of the race is downhill and it was far to easy for me right off any bumps in that line as just that, bumps, they weren't. Hills are not my strength and from the starting line we tackled a few respectable inclines and my sympathy goes out to the wheel chair racers as several were really struggling early on and one even got out and pushed their chair up the hill (I kid you not!).

I took the early up and down hills to hard and basically drained myself before the race really got going. At mile 7 I was still a little way ahead of the 3:10 pack when I was passed by a man in a Minnie Mouse costume. I have to say while I do respect the runners out there that can do it in costume and help buoy the spirits of flagging runners, it does nothing good for me.

Mile 9 I felt everything come apart. I have hit "The Wall" in previous races but always after Mile 20. When it happened so early in this race it completely demoralised me. My legs were feeling heavy, my breathing was not even and was a little raspy, I was soaked with sweat already and I had another 17 miles to go. The 3:10 group sailed by and at that point it was the first time I have considered dropping out of a race.

Mile 9 to 10 was a very low point for me. But I have hit hard point in races before and I know you can come back from them and I really did not want to drop out. So I readjusted my goal from time related to survival. I decided that if I wanted to finish the race I was going to have to cut the pace and just get through the miles.

The course I think was great, we went through or past many famous landmarks and for a change I do actually remember seeing them. The Hollywood sign, Capitol Records, Sunset strip, The Chinese Theatre, Rodeo Drive, The Beverly Wiltshire Hotel, Echo Park (a high point for me) and many others and I would recommend this race as the organisation was fantastic, water and powerade were plentiful, volunteers were great and spectator support was good. It was just not the course for me to run a good race.

From Mile 10 the heat of the day had started to build and it became about me making to the next mile marker and water stop. I always walk when I grab a drink as I think the seconds it costs me to make sure I drink plenty with out choking on it are made up for by keeping properly hydrated. This time I was walking most of the length of the water stop and probably drinking too much.

Mile 13 came and went and normally I feel good at the halfway point as I know it is at least half done. No such feelings this time as I just saw another 13 miles in front of me. I think one of my biggest failings in this race was the lack of mental preparation I had done. I normally from a couple of weeks out start picturing different parts of the race and how I'll feel and how I'll deal with things if they are not going to plan and to have little mantras to keep me going (it might sound stupid but it works for me) I had done none of that this time and my brain was working against me.

One plus I could take while I was running, was that everyone else seemed to be struggling too. I have never heard so much swearing from a group of runners. So many times when I was passed or passed some one I could hear them cursing under the breath about the course, their personal god of choice, their decision to run anywhere let alone 26.2 miles. Also I have never before seen so many people taking walking breaks in the sub 3:30 crowd.

At mile 22 the 3:20 pace group came on by which surprised me as I thought I had seen them earlier on and this gave me hope that I could still finish in under 3:30. I know how silly it might sound but my major concern about finishing was getting back to the hotel before checkout time. They would not give me a late checkout and with the race starting a little late and me being a little slower it was going to be cutting it close. Another tip for future runs, don't have that sort of thing hanging over you, it does not help your concentration.

From that point the course was pretty much all downhill to the beach. I am a big lover of palm trees and to be running along the sea front with huge palm trees lining the road and crowds cheering you in was brilliant. I had developed a tunnel vision a little towards the end, seeing the finishing line from a mile away focused my attention, but I tried to wave at kids cheering us on and to enjoy the moment.

Crossing the line was emotional. Not everyone feels this way but a lot do. It is the accumulation of 4 months of training and a lot of effort and you see many people just break down in tears or laugh hysterically. I did neither but I it was one of the strongest feelings I have had at a finish, happy to be done but disappointed at the same time and I still haven't resolved it in myself.

The biggest factors I believe that played apart were I went travelling 5 weeks before the race and I didn't maintain my training properly during that time. I went skiing a few weeks ago took it's toll on my body, I had a few spectacular falls and I'm still feeling them now:) Not mental preparing myself for the challenge. All things that are my responsibility and under my control, so bad Davey! But still things I can improve upon for my next time.

The heat and humidity on the day were more than I like and if you have read previous blog entries you will notice my aversion to heat, I'm a sweaty runner and my body has just not adapted to running in warmer weather. To be fair though, there was a very nice breeze through out the course and I can't place any blame on bad weather.

I want to thank all the people that listen to me go on about running and always encourage me and show patience no matter how trivial my issues are, so thank you, it is noticed and greatly appreciated!