Birc Is Life, And Life Is Good

[[old] Bayko]

Thursday afternoon my son Pete drove me to the bus station, which is good because I love him more than life and enjoy any few minutes that I can spend with him. Had an uneventful trip on the bus to Boston, the plane to Amsterdam, and the other plane to Grimsby, touching down Friday morning and being met by SteveG.<br /><br />After a quick 2 X 2' TR workout in Steve's garage his granddaughter Louise arrived home from school and I gave her one of Paul Flack's Bridge Street Toys building sets which we all enjoyed playing with. Hit the sack at 7pm and got 12 hours rest.<br /><br />Saturday morning was the final fine-tuning with 3 X 45" AN in the garage, then off to a local park to do duty as a course marshall for a 5km running race. Did well, if I do say so myself, as no one got lost at my intersection. Grabbed some Take-Away fish & chips on the way home which Susan served with mushy peas. Putzed around a bit then picked up John Gibbins and headed off to Tamworth and the Travelodge to cut down the Sunday morning driving time. Met up with John Powell there.<br /><br />Rude awakening at 6am when the motel fire alarm sounded. At least there was no danger of oversleeping. Got back inside after the Fire Brigade gave the all-clear with enough time for instant coffee, then we were off. Got to the NIA without further incident at 7:30am and weighed in. Fully clothed for ballast, included overcoats, Steve tipped the scales at 71kg and I managed 70.3kg. True lightweights if ever there were any.<br /><br />The air felt dry while warming up, although that seems normal at BIRC. The event ran on schedule, so at 9:30am the moment we had waited for arrived and off we....false start (Dammit!). Reset, and off cleanly second time around. Former internationalist Rod Stewart of Australia blasted out with a 1:35 opening 500m, chased by David Aldridge and John Harvey. I joined the second pack along with Pete Platts, John Booth, Ted Taylor and George Meredith. Felt a little slow, but like the dry air, that has been typical of my four trips to BIRC. Held onto sub-7 pace through 1000m but with more strain than I'd been feeling at home, then saw the average pace creeping up to 1:45.0, 1:45.1, 1:45.2 as the PM3 showed 1:46's and 1:47's. At 500m to go, with the three medals out of sight, my focus changed to a desperate attempt to rally for a sub-7. It wasn't going to be easy but it seemed possible. Managed to get back on track with some 1:45's and 1:44's, then with 300m to go yelled inside my head that there was only a minute to go and that I could do just about anything for one minute. Stroke rate kept climbing, reaching 46 by the end, and with some 1:43's and 1:42's down the stretch the average pace at the finish was at exactly 1:45.0. Please, please be under 7, don't be 7:00.1! Wish granted. 6:59.9, the narrowest of margins, and just nipping Pete Platts (new PB) and John Booth for 4th.<br /><br />As for the leaders John Harvey ran his stroke rate up to 56 in the final stages to pass Stewart at the finish, but ended up unconcious on the floor. After administering oxygen and keeping him in the medical area with skyhigh blood pressure, the staff eventually took my word for it that this was completely normal for John and released him after 20 to 30 minutes, so that he could walk it off a bit.<br /><br />Seven hours of funtime commenced. I got the free massage. Pete Platts was on the table beside me wailing in agony as his tight muscles were worked. Mrs P sat nearby smiling as she watched his pain. Between the massage to loosen him and the erging tip that I gave him earlier I expect that he will be even tougher to beat next time we meet.<br /><br />In the refreshment area a group of 50+ lightweights congregated, with Harvey, Roger Prowse, Booth, Green and me standing around comparing notes. George Meredith wandered by, as did Roadrunner, Malcolm Fawcett, Cathy Rogers and Roy Brook. Before we knew it four hours had passed! It had hardly seemed that long.<br /><br />We headed back to the grandstands in time to catch Wullie Brown's race, joining forumites CaroleMac, Citroen, NiallW, CraigL, CathyJ, Bane, Gibbo, Little Weed, Neptune (God of the Seas), and others that I know I've forgotten. (Check out Neptune's fine account of the day here: <a href='http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/weblog.php?w=87' target='_blank'>http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/weblog.php?w=87</a> in his blog, the Tuesday Nov. 22 entry) Had a great afternoon watching race after race after race. The best was saved for next to last and last as we first got to see the front row displays of 5:44.0 by Jamie Schroeder and then 5:46.9 by Graham Benton, both winning by open water and looking as if they had plenty more to give had it been necessary. Said goodbyes and headed out.<br /><br />Back to Grimsby for Mrs G's Chicken Curry w/red red wine, then a good night's sleep. Up Monday morning for a 10km in the garage, hitting an SB of 38:47.1, which indicated that maybe I didn't expend enough the day before at the race. What a wuss! Susan served up a breakfast of porridge, eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, beans, orange juice, bread & butter, mushroom, and coffee. She must be trying to make me a heavyweight. Probably Steve's idea. Strolled the eerily-quiet Cleethorpes resort area waterfront for a while, picked up Louise at her after-school jumprope class, then later went to Steve & Susan's running club meeting. Enjoyed a Cheesburger & Chips (french fries) with more red, red wine and had the honor of reading Adrian Royle's handwritten training diary from the 70's & 80's. I hadn't realized that Royle had come from Grimsby.<br /><br />Tuesday morning, and vacation over for another year. Steve dropped me off at Humberside Airport loaded down with jelly babies and jaffa cakes, and I reversed the pattern, a plane to Amsterdam, a plane to Boston (with NO inflight entertainment (Dammit!)), a bus to Newburyport, and Mrs B meeting me there for the last few miles home. Passport tucked away (Dammit!). <br /><br />Time now to start bashing away toward the CRASH-B's in February.<br /><br />Rick Bayko, cub reporter.

[[old] johnnybike]

A really nice summary Rick and a nice Sub 7 time.<br />Glad you liked Neptune's diary entry<br /><br />John

[[old] Bayko]

Thanks John. I received you PM and will be responding by email.<br /><br />Cheers, mate.<br /><br />Rick

[[old] Mark Keating]

Nice recap of the day Rick, well written. Sounds like you had a lot of fun.<br /><br />Happy training!<br /><br />Mark

[[old] johnnybike]

Don't they sell Jaffa cakes your side of the Pond Rick?

[[old] AdiR]

"the honor of reading Adrian Royle's handwritten training diary from the 70's & 80's. I hadn't realized that Royle had come from Grimsby."<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed MY training diary! Did you learn anything useful about training? <br /><br />I'm originally from Manchester but grew up in Grimsby. Wonder when I'll be getting my diary etc back? The wonders of Google. Must send Mick an email.<br /><br /><br />Adrian Royle

[[old] Bayko]

<!--QuoteBegin-AdiR+Dec 12 2005, 12:19 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(AdiR @ Dec 12 2005, 12:19 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"the honor of reading Adrian Royle's handwritten training diary from the 70's & 80's.  I hadn't realized that Royle had come from Grimsby."<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed MY training diary! Did you learn anything useful about training? <br /><br />I'm originally from Manchester but grew up in Grimsby. Wonder when I'll be getting my diary etc back?  The wonders of Google. Must send Mick an email.<br /><br /><br />Adrian Royle <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />I am twice honored! After Mick and I were introduced we got along famously, happily chatting away about great runners of the recent past that most current runners seem unaware of.<br /><br />I suppose that I didn't learn from the diary so much as I enjoyed reading what seemed similar to my own, albeit at much faster paces and with races in the faraway places that I had dreamed in vain of going to myself. My own bests over 30+ years of running were a 2:20:56 marathon (Boston 1974), and an indoor track 2-mile of 9:16.4 in college. A wee bit slower than what it took to attract the invitations that you justly deserved.<br /><br />Don't be in too much of a hurry to get the diary back. In Mick's hands it will probably be read by more appreciative fans than it would tucked away in your own bookcase. Too say nothing of the computerized charts and graphs that he has created from it.<br /><br />Rick

[[old] Steve G]

<!--QuoteBegin-AdiR+Dec 12 2005, 12:19 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(AdiR @ Dec 12 2005, 12:19 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"the honor of reading Adrian Royle's handwritten training diary from the 70's & 80's.  I hadn't realized that Royle had come from Grimsby."<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed MY training diary! Did you learn anything useful about training? <br /><br />I'm originally from Manchester but grew up in Grimsby. Wonder when I'll be getting my diary etc back?  The wonders of Google. Must send Mick an email.<br /><br /><br />Adrian Royle <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Hey Adrian, that will teach you to ego surf <br />I had a quick look too, and even recognised some of the races I had done at the same event on the same day. I never really met you, probably because you were too far in front The locations weren't the exotic and exciting places mentioned in your diary, but more mundane locations such as the Grimsby and District Cross Country Championships (My old Club).<br />Nice you have located our Indoor Rowing Forum, reckon we could knock you into shape for a career change !<br /><br />Mick and I had a chinwag tonight over your e-mail to him, we also have another common friend in your old coach and teacher, Mike Hobden, a good friend and walking companion.<br /><br />I like your riposte on Letsrun.com, when somebody asked when you had passed away, the reply. "It was the highlight of my day. Fancy waking up to find yourself dead. I knew I was invisible, got that mastered long ago, but dead, never tried that before" A Classic<br /><br /><br />For info for those who have never heard of Adrian Royle, this result from the American TAC Cross Country Championships 28/11/81. Just note some of those ilustrious names behind Adrian, a real whose who.<br /><br />1. Adrian Royle 27:20<br />2. Alberto Salazar 27:22<br />3. Jan Hagelbrand 27:41<br />4. Nick Rose 27:43<br />5. Thom Hunt 27:45<br />6. Steve Scott 27:49<br />7. Peter Koech 27:54<br />8. Herb Lindsay 27:55<br />9. Don Janicki 27:56<br />10. Graham Fell 28:03<br /><br />Others of interest...<br /><br />17. Pat Porter 28:16<br />21. Jim Spivey 28:20<br />32. Dick Quax 28:36<br />35. Doug Padilla 28:42<br />36. Henry Rono 28:43<br />49. Eric Hulst 28:52<br />52. John Zishka 28:53<br />101. Paul Cummings 29:43<br />125. KCTrack 30:03<br />190. Mike Fanelli 31:15<br />267. Irv Ray 34:47<br /><br />Cheers<br />Steve<br /><br />

[[old] AdiR]

"Too say nothing of the computerized charts and graphs that he has created from it."<br /><br />The graphs and charts are my work also. I did them while laid up for several weeks after an operation which was botched. <br /><br />Somebody should suggest creating a repository for all the useless training dairies collecting dust around the world, even in digital form, for all to enjoy.<br /><br />Adi