Monday 19 January 2015

Vertical Rush - get ready!

There was a photo shoot
disconcertingly the cafe at the top has a mirror wall all the way round
view from the top
  
19.01.2015
Day 280

Cycle to Old Broad Street, Tower 42, for a training day for Vertical Rush
I did this race up 932 stairs last year, and on March 3 I am to be part of  a Women's Running Magazine team, We had a photoshoot, a lecture, some hints about dynamic exercises to do as training from Anne-Marie Lategan, then practised running up 20 flights. I was much slower than the guys from Men's Running Magazine (except the celebrated 83-year old Gordon) and much slower than Fiona Bugler, my team-mate and fellow Women' Running writer. Overtook the women readers though.

It may not be too late to set my mind to training seriously for this event, given there's about six weeks to go. It's a question of finding the stairs. If time allows, the Greenwich Foot Tunnel will be a useful training ground. The training is good for the glutes, and will be a worthwhile addition to the training plan I am supposed to be undertaking for the marathon.
Last year I was advised by a bloke who'd done it before, to start conservatively, two steps at a time, so that my legs didn't turn to wobbling jellies at level 21. It was good advice, but I fear I could have really pushed myself harder. This year there's a bit more of a game plan. David Castle, Editor of Men's Running, gave an advisory talk, some of which I disagreed with. He's a single step guy, fast feet, one step at a time, whereas I can't imagine not taking the stairs two at a time. He talked of becoming travel sick, which was not a problem I'd encountered. He made sure we all knew he's done it in six minutes, though (I fear I was nearer 9) so what do I know? my two-by-two strategy would be better performed at running pace, but I never really get out of powerwalking speed, so perhaps one-by-one running will be quicker.
The exercises advocated by Anne Marie were interesting. She gave us plyometric bunny hops with left turns (the stairs have all left turns your left hand grasps the handrail, that give left handers, like me, something of an advantage). One legged squats from seated position, burpees, calf stretches, all useful stuff.
Trying the stair run, I was depressed to see how lightly and bouncily Fiona bounded up the ten flights, finishing way ahead of me. Next to her I felt lumpen and somewhat rotund. She's a 3.08 marathon runner and all round success story. I cycled away feeling rather defeated by the prospect of all of this. I have to admit I'm rather dreading the spread in the magazine.

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