Congratulations Pads and Lou

On the birth of Daniel James O'Reilly
Yup, Pads and Lou are parents now, Daniel having been born in the early hours of Monday 25th June. Well done to all concerned, and welcome to the wonderful world of parenthood, guys!

Lack of updates explained

Those of you who read this,
and I gather there are a few, have probably noticed it's gone a little quiet of late. No "jog blog" updates, less than usual general wittering... where's Minshaw gone? Well, there's a simple explanation. I've been poorly. Not badly poorly, before you all start sending flowers or anything, but poorly enough to make me concentrate on getting better rather than posting gibberish to the interweb. It's been a combination of things - over indulgence on the beer, a back injury due to weight training, and a virus type bug on top of all that. Basically, I hurt my back, had too much to drink, and my body's given up on me. I've been off work, off karate... even been off housework!
Ironically, the way I hurt my back was trying to strengthen it: deadlifting. I've been doing it for a few weeks, having added it to my workout, and been upping the weights fairly steeply (having started with just the bar to make sure I got the form right). Too quickly it seems. It's a week later now and I'm probably 95% of the way back to fitness. I've been lucky with my recovery speed on this one!
So, normal service should be resumed shortly.

Aerosmith!

Hyde Park Calling 2007
Well, it's the end of June, but you wouldn't know it. Cold, wet and downright bloody miserable. Still, that's not going to deter the four of us (Mike, Lou, Sarah and I) from heading down to London, wandering around in a field (alright, a park, but it's so big it's just a glorified field) for a few hours and enjoying the mighty Aerosmith's first UK gig for eight years.
The train ride down was good, and we headed straight into a tavern to take on some vittals. The food took some time to arrive, and we were forced to imbibe fine beverages in the interim. From there, we eventually headed for Hyde Park, using public transport! You buy your bus ticket from a machine before you get on the bus, in London! Oooh, get them!
To the gig, then. The sound quality was a bit naff, we thought. I was comparing it to the NIA - when we went to see Kaiser Chiefs there the sound was crap for all the support bands, but the Chiefs' engineers obviously had access to additional resources because the headline act sound was awesome. This was not the case in London, sadly. All the acts suffered with the same low quality system. Some made more of it than others - Chris Cornell was a great example of overcoming technical issues to play a top set - but it, along with the rain, made the occasion less than it could have been. So, who did we see? The Answer, Jet, Chris Cornell, and of course, Aerosmith. The Answer were good, pretty much as expected, a sort of Irish Led Zepp type sound, all very nice thanks. Jet, well, I konw their albums inside and out and thought they played a good mix of tracks. Chris Cornell was the revelation, the highlight of the day really. I remember lots of Soundgarden stuff, and I've listened to some Audioslave, but hearing him perform them added a freshness to them, a zing... like Richard Ashcroft performing tracks by The Verve. The theme from Casino Royale was a good one, Spoonman another, and of course Black Hole Sun and Cochise were favourites.
Then Aerosmith. Love in an Elevator opened the show. Hoh yeah, we're rocking now! Their back catalogue is sooo extensive than there's always going to be favourite tracks excluded, and surprises instead, but they pretty much played a best-of set, with the usual strutting performance from Mr. Tyler, and the sublime skills of Mr. Perry. Relying on public transport as we were, we had to leave before the end of the gig (only two songs as it turned out), to make 100% sure we got our train home. Sweet Emotion was playing as we left. I commented that we were probably going to miss the event of the century when they play "Walk this way" and DMC comes on... much chuckling and "yeah, right"ing.... IT BLOODY HAPPENED THOUGH! They played it as the finale, and the surviving member of Run DMC did indeed turn up to guest with them. D'oh! D'oh! D'oh! The highlight of the set, that we saw, was Dream On, I think, although I Don't Want To Miss a Thing ran it pretty close.
A taxi was obtained outside Hyde Park, and we actually got to St. Pancras in plenty of time - but the risk of staying later and then trying to get a taxi, along with seventy thousand other people, would have been too much. So, we made it there, we made it back, we saw some Rock. A Good Day.

Jog Blog #17

Another drag myself out of bed morning...
I'm sure this getting up in the morning is becoming harder. I didn't manage to haul myself out until ten past six this morning, and left the house five minutes later. Started running without having decided a route, so made it up as I went along. It was an effort, but I made sure that I kept turning away from home - the temptation to take an early turn back was almost overwhelming, such was the lure of a hot shower and some green tea. Mental fortitude proved sufficient, however, and I ploughed on.
I ended up running 2.8 miles, without too much bother. The ankle issue I was suffering with the other day reappeared, but a minor modification to my technique removed that irritation, and my running was pretty much unhindered from that point on. My general fitness level is far in advance of where it was a few months ago, and a few people have commented that I appear to have shed a few pounds, so there are side benefits to the running. On top of that, against all the odds, I'm actually quite enjoying it!
I did think that I might skive off this morning though, and use the excuse of a poorly foot; Jack contrived to drop a full three litre bottle of squash on the top of my foot yesterday morning. Three litres equals three kilograms. From about eighteen inches up, without warning. There was very nearly child unfriendly language, but it's amazing how ones instinct becomes honed to the presence to the extent that all I uttered was a kind of snarliing noise!
Oooh - did anyone watch the program with Bill Bailey and the jaguars last night? Magnificent beasts, they are. However, it did prompt Sarah and I to comment on the hedgehog which had run across our decking the night before, and brought to mind the squirrel I saw the other morning, which raced me - him along the top of a fence, me on the path. He was quicker. I saw three rabbits this morning too, in rolling countryside, all very Watership Down. So there are exotic and magnificent beasts abroad, but we have some ace wildlife over here too. Wildlife which is unlikely to tear out your throat, too!

Jog Blog #16

Misty and miserable...
but still I go out running. And running it was this morning, as I was late going out due to the extreme comfiness of our bed, and the rain on the roof. However, I eventually girded my loins and headed out at about quarter to seven. I reckoned I knew a route which was about a mile - I've done enough tromping around now to know how far most bits are, and thought I'd shake things up a bit with a quick run around there. So, instead of jogging two and a bit miles, I ran for a mile. I went through a few phases during the run: firstly my legs felt heavy and tired, as though I'd only just got out of bed... then as I got going, there was a good feeling - I was running quicker than I have been recently, and it felt good. I was covering ground quickly, the ground was flat at that point, and everything seemed to be coming good. Then I turned a corner and had to slog uphill - one of the drawbacks of my chosen route - all the way home. Killer. My legs turned to lead and my lungs started burning... all good signs, I was obviously working them! Shaking things up won't have done any harm - quite the opposite, in fact; a step beyond the comfort zone is a good thing!
As a side note, I've lost over a stone since January, through a combination of karate, running and weight training. Not that I thought I particularly needed to, it's just a side effect of the fitness kick!

Jog Blog #15

Running off the chips!
Sarah was on a course last night, and got home at about half ten with a jumbo sized portion of chips and curry sauce! Yum! Just what I needed after spending the evening alternating between lifting weighs outside in the evening sun, and running upstairs to placate Sam, who was clearly irate at having to go to bed on such a lovely evening! However, the chips were also a good incentive to get my backside out of bed this morning and get off on another tour of Whitwick. The running was easier than last Thursday, given that I hadn't imbibed enough booze to float a battleship, but I did have a problem with my left heel / ankle as I was running, which meant that I had to modify my technique to stop it hurting. Seems alright now, though.
Covered 2.3 miles, which was a good distance although I keep intending to push myself further. Maybe Thursday morning - I was up for it this morning, but the heel thing made me turn for home sooner than I would have done otherwise.
So, still running, still feeling the benefit, and still enjoying it. Maximo Park blasting out the soundtrack this morning, I highly recommend their album. You can probably get it through one of the links on this page!

Post party post

Just a quick note about JP's party...
Big thanks to Jon and Nicki for the gathering on Saturday night. Good time had by all, and any opportunity to see / hear the Justin / Gav duet belting out Queen (or McFly) numbers is too good to turn down. Sunday was a quiet day, it's safe to say!

Jog Blog #14

Late nights and drinking...
... don't mix terribly well with early mornings and running. This morning was the epitome of not allowing oneself to think more than ten seconds ahead, and the "just get out the door with your trainers on" principle. It was murky, the ground was wet, and I didn't feel like dragging my sorry ass out of bed! No wake up call from Sam, either, so staying in bed would have been a very easy option. I didn't run yesterday though, nor did I do any weights, and missing exercise two days on the trot is a bit too habit forming for my liking, so drag my ass out of bed I did. Stumbled into the bathroom, cleaned my teeth and splashed some water on my face. Stumbled out of the bathroom, looked wistfully at the warm bed I'd just vacated, and pulled on my shorts and a t-shirt.
Hitting the road was easy once I made it out of the front door. It stayed easy for precisely two minutes and forty three seconds, which was the first time I looked at my watch and realised I'd only just got started. The remaining twenty minutes were a mixed hell of dry mouth, heavy legs and laboured breathing, and an exercise in mental toughness as much as much as physical endurance. All thoughts of intensity, time and speed went out of the window and were replaced with the repetition of a two word mantra - keep going.
Route pretty much made itself up, and turned out to be quite a good one. Up past the park, down Church Lane, down Thornborough Road to the bridleway, along there, up past the golf course and around the lake (because it's there!) once, then over the stepping stones and onto Church Lane again, back past the park and I even managed a little sprint home. Twenty two minutes of pain, to cover two and three quarter miles. Pleased with myself for managing it, though. For keeping going. For getting out of bed!
Toughest run so far. Managed it. Bring on the next one!

Road vs Treadmill

Or Outdoor vs Indoor
I'm road running. Running on roads and pavements in the open air, exploring, taking in the countryside. Other people prefer to remain stationary on a treadmill, in front of a mirror in a gym, or in front of the television at home. I'm sure there must be a good reason for someone wanting to stay indoors, hermetically sealed in front of something unmissable. I can't think of anything other than staying dry if it's raining. Now, fair's fair. If it was lashing it down then I think I'd probably go for the indoor option too. The key word there has to be option, because to blindly pound away on the treadmill - using gradients to simulate inclines, no less - takes away one of the main joys of running, being able to explore! Road running has another big plus - incentive! If you've done 2K on the treadmill and you feel a bit tired... you can just get off. If you're out on the road and you're 2K out away from home.... you ain't got a choice. Running in front of the telly? I can't find anything to watch when I'm of a mind to veg out anyway!

Jog Blogs #12 and #13

Two for the price of one!
Well, not quite, but two jog blogs in one, anyway. I'm an addict! This running is brilliant. I get withdrawl symptoms if I don't go out at least once in a couple of days. I feel lethargic, sluggish and mentally less alert. SO, it's a good job I'm managing to fit plenty of them in then, isn't it!
Yesterday was a glorious day, but the morning was cool and cloudy, and Sam slept in past his usual waking hour, so I lazily stopped in bed missing my scheduled weights session. No matter, I'll catch up in the evening. Except Sarah was off to pad class at karate in the evening, and by the time I'd put all three of the lads to bed I wouldn't have much time left for a workout. Since Sunday's a rest day, that's be a full two days without exercise! Eek!
So, a brief schedule juggle later I was out running at half past five, in the glorious sunshine. Glorious for sitting outside a pub, maybe, but not so glorious for slogging your way up a monster of a hill! I did the two and a half mile loop from here up and over Redhill, and back past the lads school, New Swannington, on Church Lane. Two and a half miles, twenty minutes in the sunshine, and a racing pulse. All good! Music was on random, so all kinds of eclectic treats - including back to back Maximo Park tracks which really helped me press on!
This morning's a cool one again, although I think the sun will again burn through later and we'll have another treat of a Summer's day, which means driving to and from work with the windows down, the sunglasses on, and the rock blaring out of the speakers! Yeah! Anyway, I digress. This morning's pleasantly cool, and when I hit the streets at twenty to six there weren't many people about! So, headed off towards Coalville to loop round the bottom of Whitwick and back up through the village. I thought this might be a little further than my "usual", so with plenty of time in hand I thought it was worth a try.
One of my favourite things about running is being able to explore the paths and bridleways that I see signposted when I drive down the road. As I drive past I try and connect the signposted walks and paths in my head, although I'm never sure whether I've made a good job of it or not. So, when I'm out running and I see a new track to explore, the nit gives me a little boost, a little kick, and I'll see if it matches up where I think it's going to go with where it actually leads! So this morning I headed off down the bridleway which runs parallel to the bypass, at the bottom end of Thornborough Road. This crosses the middle of the golf course (golf course?!) and emerges opposite the Morrissons roundabout. Okay! Now I know!
Back up Hermitage Road, up Silver Street, through the village on North Street and up Brooks Lane to our estate again. Sprinted up Hervey Woods too. Well, it felt like sprinting, although how fast I was actually moving is open to debate! Still, it tallies up as 2.8 miles, just less than the three I was hoping for. Not to worry, I feel good for the run, feel good for having explored another new track, feel good for being up and about this early! I've got time to type all this, have a coffee, and then start on breakfast and lunches for everyone.
This is only my thirteenth run? Feels like I'm a proper runner now. I'm pretty pleased with what I've achieved in thirteen runs, particularly over the last couple of weeks where I've been hitting the two and a half mile post with relative ease. Need to push on, escape the comfort zone... what next? Add in some sprint sections, some high intensity work, with jogging intervals to recover. More on that soon!

Check these bad boys out!

These are my new Kama.
I've started attending kata and weapon classes at karate now, and the first weapon we're going to learn the kata for is kama. Kama are adapted sickles; agricultural tools form the bulk of karate weapons as weapons were outlawed in Okinawa as karate emerged there, during the reign of the Satsuma.
No, not the small orange.
I'll post more as I learn more about them, and how to use them! The other weapons in the list to learn are nunchucks, tonfa, sai and bo staff. I think the trick is to learn how not to injure yourself as you practice with them!

Jog Blog #11

Well, eleven and a half, really.
The runs aren't coming as thick and fast as I'd like at the moment, due to fitting them in around Sarah's training schedule, and SJM's dictatorial regime demands! Still, got out this morning, bright and early for a two miler. Which proved to be flippin' hard work!
I say eleven and a half, as we had to do a mile after karate on Thursday night, as we were the losing team in the Thursday night fight off (primarily due to me getting *trashed* by Matt - good work, sir!). Eleven laps of the business park - which fells a lot easier than two laps of the surrounding roads which constitutes the timed mile track for gradings.
So, up and about this morning - out the house at 0610, in the mist; another glorious day in prospect - the sun has already burnt off the mist as I sit here wrestling with Sam and trying to write this coherently! I could feel it was going to be a tough run as soon as I set off. I was still running when Shihan Craig drove past - which was a relief! I say still running, but I didn't actually stop until I got home. I did have to do an extra lap of our estate to use up a little more time, but I was concious that I needed to be back in time for Sarah to get ready to leave for training.
So, still going. Feeling all the better for it. Long may it continue!