Hollow Man - The Cult

Lyric:- It's so nice to get away, get away for a day - Astbury & Duffy

Song Choice:- Loved The Cult back then and still love 'em. Download, plug in air guitar, play very loud and thirty second dance party to this f*cker as it's just awesome!

After exchanging many an email today over the relevance of an apostrophe in my email signature I know it's time to go and take a long break away from the minutiae of a crazy non-stop existence.

If anyone comments on the above I will have to seriously kill you btw!

Ahhhh I feel better now The Cult have finished playing their awesome anthem and I have got the apostrophe incident off my mind - you see we spend hours picking holes in things, making points, being emotional limpets.

You'll know where I'm coming from...when I start to care about that stuff - I give myself a good firm kicking. It's as close to an Energy Vampire as I'll ever get.

Maybe it's time for a Spring Clean?

This weekend's a good place to start so clear out the negative baggage, re-inflate your tyres with fresh ambition and stop being a Hollow Man or Woman indeed /-)

Rory Coleman - 890 Marathons - 231 Ultras

11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows

Lyric:- 'Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream' - Mccartney & Lennon

Song Choice:- My first Boss played this album every working day at work 'God Rest his Soul', along with Fleetwood Macs 'Tusk' and Paul Simon's 'Graceland'.

Turning off your mind, relaxing and floating down stream, sounds just perfect to me right now as I'm middle of two MdS Training Days. 

I'm not moaning though as I'm loving the distances. It wasn't all plain sailing though as the mud of Penarth proved quite a challenge today, especially for my client, Ana Umbelino, from Madeira as they don't have that out there. Then again she stepped up quite nicely to the 42.2km on the Welsh Riviera and amazingly she was still running at the end. Not bad for someone who'd only ever run 28km before in one go.

It just shows you what can be done if you out your mind to it...

What are you putting your mind to today?

Numbers - Kraftwerk

Lyric:- Eins zwei drei vier funf sechs sieben acht - Huetter, Schneider-Esleben & Bartos

Song Choice:- Well it's about time I had the Godfather's of Synth on my blog and what better choice than Numbers from their awesome 1981 album Computer World, I bought at University.

Now, I'm not sure what it is about numbers that really flicks my switch but they play a vital role in my daily routine that governs my way of thinking. If you've ever received an email from me you'll will have seen my signature with my array of numbers that are SO important to me listed.

Ask me to do some calculus or explain SOHCAHTOA for my older 'O' Level Maths (when it was a lot harder) readers and I'm not sure I can help that much. Ask me my Credit Card number, endless Numeric facts or Tubular Bells Catalogue Number and I'm your man.

When It comes to the weights of MdS Kit and Calorific Return of Energy Gels and Hi-energy Food then I'm in seventh heaven.

Numbers aren't just my Forte, they're my Forty...

More tomorrow...

On the Beach - Chris Rea

If only it had been like this today...

Lyric:- The sands of time will blow a mystery - Rea (Interestingly Chris Rea is an anagram of 'Rich Arse' which I've always found amusing)

Song Choice:- Less amusing was my run today where this song rang round my head today during 26.2 miles in the sand dunes of Merthyr Mawr in the most horrendous running conditions I've experienced in a long, long time.

I did it as part of some hard-core training for this year's MdS and of course the sand provides perfect specificity for what the 500 British Competitors are in for in just 41 days time. Funnily enough I didn't see any of them doing the same session today. Getting the feel of running in endless sand in extreme (and I stress extreme) conditions should play a massive part of anyones MdS Preparation as far as I'm concerned. Lots of this year's competitors have signed up for Heat Acclimatisation which is a great idea but if their first experience of sand is in the race itself it's going to be one hell of a shock.

Sand running speeds are basically whatever you run on the road in mph becomes your speed in kph in the sand.

Today in the driving rain on 6 x loops of 4.36 miles - I hit the grand speed of you guessed it, 4.36 miles per hour a heady 13.75 minute miles. At the end of the 5th lap, it would have been SO easy to have just given up as my legs had become so cold and wet they just lost their ability to work properly. My average heart rate of 117bpm shows it wasn't a lack of energy...The Sand had got to me and I just felt completely destroyed just like you feel in the race itself when the shit hits the fan on the long day.

If you haven't run lots of miles in sand yet or up some 800 metre high mountains, it's time you did! Come and see what it's like next weekend with me at my Desert Training Camp .

Then you'll know what you are REALLY in for at MdS and you'll soon be packing a whole lot lighter too... 

Pure - The Lightning Seeds

I could have gone more full frontal!!!

Lyric:- Pure and Simple Everytime - Broudie

Song Choice:- This great 1990 hit popped up on my radio yesterday. Whatever happened to to them?Anyway I love the above lyric and it's homage to being PURE as that's where my thoughts are today.

Actually, my thoughts are more about accessorising as folk love to over-accessorise the pastimes or things they love much to my amazement and frustration.

You see the thing I love about running is that it's such a pure and simple thing to undertake - I started my running career without ANY running kit at all...There wasn't a Brooks Trainer in sight.

Fast forward and you'll need Prescription Oakleys, ULTRA-vest, Garmin with Heart Rate Monitor of course, arm guards, calf guards, nipple guards, compression top and shorts, buff and a solar panel to power your MP3 with Bluetooth Headset to listen to The Lightening Seeds sing Pure.

Go back to basics folks, don't Pimp up your running or your life. You'll find out you'll run a little quicker without the excess weight and you'll enjoy the freedom you first had on your first run when you first started.

You'll be richer both in mind and wallet!

More later... Now where are my Orthotics

Rory Coleman - 887 Marathons - 231 Ultras

11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Caerdydd

Epic - Faith No More

Lyric:- It's magic, it's tragic, it's a loss, it's a win, It's dark, it's moist, it's a bitter pain. It's sad it happened and it's a shame, you want it all but you can't have it. It's in your face but you can't grab it - Gould et Al

Song Choice:- I used to really enjoy listening to FNM back in the 90's well before my running days started and I thought it would be a good chance to revisit their 'Real Thing' album on today's run.

So in a state of remembrance I decided to run a 10km at my 1996 3.24.21 marathon PB speed, roughly 7 mins 50 secs/mile. All I can say is 'My God' how on earth did I ever do that for a further 36kms I'll never know. Then again I was nearly 20 years younger and I must have been at my optimum fitness back then.

Today's recreation was predominately downhill and although it had quite a few road crossings I did have to work really hard to keep my sub 8 pace all the way, I can only say I felt totally buggered at the finish and that my smoker's cough of the said 90's returned for a good hour post run. Luckily I ran to my own front door so it wasn't too far to stagger to a well earned sit down and a few thought gathering moments.

Ok, it was tough but it proved to be quite an inspirational run as I think I can expand on the distance and work away at my speed, especially post MdS and have a bit of a crack at getting back near that old PB.

Time will tell eh?

More tomorrow when my legs feel less bandy...

Something for Nothing - Rush

Lyric:- You don't get something for nothing - Lee & Peart

Song Choice:- Time for some Rush I think, especially after a return to the dreaded Coleman Power Hour today.

We live in a funny old world don't we? And I thought long and hard about the getting 'something for nothing' especially following a week of receiving the best possible care and advice from a plethora of Healthcare Professionals in Cardiff. I didn't question their experience as it's really obvious to me when to LISTEN to good FREE* advice.

I thought I'd try and take some of this ethos on board and offer some FREE advice to some of my fellow MdS Runners going to Morocco in just 45 days time on the 2015 Facebook Group.

Well it's amazing that some folk on receiving quality professional advice gained from 21 years of running 887 marathons including 11 MdS feel the need to question things that are proven to work and part of my everyday professional coaching, then choose to ignore the exact thing that will save their race. It beggars belief how myopic folk can be about something they know very little about.

I can only hope that's part of getting information for FREE.

I'm sure the same people were in my situation last week, they would have been, elbowing the anethsetist out of the way, wanting to put in their partners epidural by following a Youtube Movie or Forum Thread.

I can say that I tried but I'm going back to payment in full for my intellectual property as FREE advice is worth nothing.

More tomorrow...

Steam - Sir Peter of Gabriel

Lyric:- Get a life, with the Dreamer's Dream - Gabriel

Song Choice:- Ok I've been rather busy but Sir Peter of Gabriel hit the ripe old age of 65 yesterday which needs celebrating in my opinion...So Steam seemed a fitting song to mark his present of a free bus pass into old age. The lyrics are apt too as they are about being fired up enough to know what makes us tick and what we want out of other people and our world.

Getting the most out of our world? What the heck is that all about you might ask and it makes it sound quite an onerous task doesn't it. I do feel pretty confident though that I've managed to build up a good head of steam over the last 21 years. However I'm not sure that the same applies to most folk. My sample section is taken from five days spent in a maternity hospital watching new lives come into the world from some very luke warm beginnings,

Allright, I'm a bit of an old lag at parenthood and done my fair share of the darker side of life but I did raise my eyes heavenwards far many times to remember at the lack of basic life knowledge and common sense that some folk seem to have missed out on. I now see why it's called the Jeremy Kyle Generation!

Calling ones child after Harry from 1D isn't the best of name rationale nor is the constant wave of Ante and Post Natal Mothers legging it and out determined to get a couple of fags down them in between contractions. 

It's been a bit of an eye-opener. I do feel very lucky to live life at a mere 100 degrees C - Can you feel the heat?

Rory Coleman - 887 Marathons - 231 Ultras

11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Cardiff,United Kingdom

Boy - U2

Lyric:- A Boy tries hard to be a Man - From I Will Follow

Song Choice:- Ok, I've cheated a bit here today and chosen a track from an album but hey today's a good day to bend the rules, I think.

Yes as Baby Jack comes into the world and the Coleman Four become the Coleman Five, it's interesting to think on about the life of someone whose Birth Day is today.

He could easily see the year 2115 if not potentially 2155 if life expectancy hits 140 years as medical knowledge continues to develop. And on Jack's first day in the world, all we know is that he's male, healthy and could play for Wales at Rugby as he is a true Welshman being born in Caerdydd - which can't be a bad thing,

We don't know if he'll Swim, Bike, Run or Ultra yet...that's the beauty of when you start out on a journey. Life is really all ahead of you.

It makes me wonder what I would do if I went back in time to 1962 and had my time over again. What would I change? What would I keep? What a choice that would be eh?

Then again it doesn't matter as today was another Birth Day for me and tomorrow is another. So really Jack and I have a huge thing in common , apart from a mere 53 years or so, in that our whole lives are ahead of us. Which is exciting for both of us and means it could be for you too.

Happy Birth Day for tomorrow - I hope you get what you asked for. If you didn't, then it's your own fault.

Rory Coleman - 887 Marathons - 231 Ultras

11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

The Red Shoes - Kate Bush

Lyric:- And this Curve is your Smile and this Cross is your Heart and this Line is your Path.

Song Choice:- This track has some great lyrics. As well as the above there are 'Feet Lissing the Ground' which 'Dance a Dream'.

I just love the poetry of the song and as a late comer to Miss Bush, I now am seeing more and more what I've missed this past lifetime.

I've only recently caught up on her and Sir Peter of Gabriel but it has made me think - well what other great growers of albums are there that I've missed out on.

Any ideas would be most welcome :-) No Van Morrison, Springsteen or Paul Simon albums though!

More later...

Rory Coleman - 887 Marathons - 231 Ultras
11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Caerdydd

Don't Look Back - Boston

Lyric:- 'Today is the Day' - Scholz

Song Choice:- Boston fitted the bill yesterday and fit my thoughts exactly again today.

Some days in life are bigger than others...Today will no doubt be one of those. Massive life changing days that turn the world in a whole new direction and brings a new dawn of direction and hope.

If you experience the world the way that I do, you'll know what I mean. If you don't well maybe it's time for a Life-Laundry, you might have heard of it - it's when you haven't used something for 12 months, you throw it away...or you do what my first ever client did...bought a skip and emptied most of his house contents into it.

I've just read that part of my book and it was a very daring thing to ask him to do. It was well worth the results though as he was then liberated from his life-baggage and could then start afresh for the second, far more enjoyable, part of his life.

Cos that what it's all about isn't it - Today's the Day - Grab hold of it - And enjoy it - ALL of it no matter how BIG or small it might be...

Rory Coleman - 887 Marathons - 231 Ultras
11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Caerdydd

Foreplay/Long Time - Boston

Lyric:- Keep on chasing a dream - Scholz

Song Choice:- Ages since I listened to the amazing Tom Scholz the multi-talented musician behind Boston. One of the defining bands of the American Soft Rock movement of the mid to late 70s.

This track is truly awesome and I loved listening to it again today and the song has some great lyrics to match its multi layered guitars and vocals.

I love this long shot that was taken during my Lisbon Run where I'm a long way distant running in the heat of a Spanish Afternoon on a deserted road. The feeling of freedom was truly amazing and it's one you should experience yourself if you ever get the chance.

I know I have to go back and take another drink of that run. I read my story of that day today with the hair on my neck on end in sheer recollected excitement. Have you ever had a run which you enjoyed so much you didn't want it to stop...ever.

If you have you'll know what I mean - if you haven't you're not doing it right!

More tomorrow...

Rory Coleman - 887 Marathons - 231 Ultras - 11 Marathon des Sables 

9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Caerdydd

Papa was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations

Lyric:- That day I'll always remember.

Song Choice:- if I'd been listening to music in 1969, this particular piece of vinyl would have been played to death.

What an amazing song...what a bass line...what a massive wait until the vocals hit.

What a great line...'That Day I'll Always Remember'.

How about today? Will you remember it for always? It's not to be taken lightly and in an age of Facebook and Twitter where folk can announce their daily routine of life to all and sundry, I wonder how many posts would be ones that would be indelibly etched on the brain...forever?

I'm reliving some of mine from the past 53 years and I'm living ones now and creating memories that I will hold equally close to my heart in the future.

Are you? If you're not, you're wasting your time...

Tomorrow is already here so don't miss out on Making a Day to
Remember :-)

Rory Coleman - 887 Marathons - 231 Ultras
11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Cardiff - God's City

Wire - U2

Lyric:- Is this the time, the time to win or lose - Clayton, Evans Hewson, Mullen

Song Choice:- Phew, I bet Bono will be punching the air tonight knowing that the Oirish Warblers have made my desert island discs - with the track that lured me into loving everything U2 back then in the 80s.

The next line is again about choice as we make thousands of decisions each day of our lives. Some REALLY BIG ONES, yet some little tiny ones that hardly need a second thought they are so trivial.

However the little ones seem to tot up that's where we can really cock it up as its far too easy to become complacent with stuff, running, home life and job etc. that before you know it, the big decisions are made for you and your choice has been made for you.

As I career headlong into being 53 tomorrow I'm making a Birthday Resolution to make sure none of the above lose my attention.

All the running I'm doing now is helping me to focus in on this and I will be fine tuning 'Life's Menu' over the next few months.

Right now? Well my second seven miler today is in the 'Bank Frank' and I need to find a Dead Horse to go and butter for supper as I'm a starvin'.

Have you earned your Horse today? Are all your little problems still little ones!

Rory Coleman - 884 Marathons - 231 Ultras
11 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years Alcohol Free.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

Santana - Choose

Lyric:- 'The time is right' - Ligertwood, Santana & Thompson

Song Choice:- The 'Choose' word in today's blog being the main point of today's focus as I've been 'Choosing' my twelve Desert Island Discs to accompany the chapters of my book.

The thing is, this is proving harder than writing the book itself as there are just too many songs to choose from in the thousands and thousands in my entire music library. I've got it down to eighteen right now but there's no U2 in there for instance or any of my favourite one hit wonder tracks from the likes of Feeder, Snow Patrol or 30 Seconds to Mars. For instance or Black and White Town which accompanied me during the Flora 1000 Marathon Challenge in 2003 for instance.

It's a bit Pink Floyd Heavy right now but that reflects my mindset over the years and I've not chosen Bohemian Rhapsody or Stairway to Heaven and I've left out any of my favourite Tubes tracks as well as Electronic and Synth Bands - so New Order got no order from me to grace my literary masterpiece.

Shit...Metallica's, Enter Sandman!!! I'd forgotten that one. Bugger, the more I think about it, the more I seem to have left out.

I know, I'll concentrate on what's made the cut, it's better to be positive.

Sir Peter of Gabriel, Kate's Bush and some Prehistoric Genesis of course! Plus the Mighty RUSH, my all time favourite are in there, playing their hearts out for me.

Bet you can't think of the eighteen tracks I've chosen! I wonder if they'll be the same ones I'll choose tomorrow?

More then...

Showdown - Pendulum

Lyric:- 'That I'm so far ahead of the lines, you've be drawing in the sand' - Thompson

Song Choice:- It's been a Drum and Bass Weekend for my eardrums and this banger of a song got me through a tough power this afternoon. I'd have a download of it yourself if your inner soul needs a wake up call.

It played a good part in my own wake up call today as I gave myself a good arse kicking on the treadmill. Following hours of book editing where I'm bigging myself up as some kind of great Ultra-runner/Coach I thought I'd take a massive spoon of my own medicine.

I didn't feel too intimidated as going in to the gym. I passed one guy having his last cigarette at the door before his work out and quite a few Lycra clad women pedalling very slowly on their exercise bikes in front of 'Homes Under the Hammer', so their nice pink tops didn't get sweaty.

Beats me why they go...

I know why I do though as I'm in need of Speed Endurance and this is the best way to get it! The words I'd edited earlier came to mind in the last 15 minutes and I felt proud that I'd lived up to my own expectations.

Do you live up to yours? If you don't listen to the Lyrics of Showdown closely and do what Mr.Thompson says and 'Blow your shit away'.

More from 'Drum and Bassworld' tomorrow.

Hold your Colour - Pendullum

Lyric:- When they take everything away, Hold your colours against the wall - Thompson

Song Choice:- This latest offering to my collection really blew my away and fits my thoughts perfectly right now.

You see I'm finally in the middle of the last edit of my as yet untitled book. It does feel like its the end of an era and writing it down will now take it all away. Hearing 'Hold your colours against the wall' makes feels quite vulnerable and rather than holding my colours, I feel I want to nail them very securely to my wall thank you.

Yep, it all got a bit personal for me today and it's blown away what grey matter I have away as I've ploughed my way through 16,000 of it's 63,000 word total. It's a strange process to go back through what I thought was nearly there only to edit out irrelevant stuff about myself that wasn't important and correct my grammatical errors. It hurts your head after a couple of hours and makes you wonder what the hell you were thinking when you wrote it!!!

I want the book to be an honest account and complete the circle. I'm not writing it to save myself.

The proof will be in the pudding though and in the next week or so I should demolish the rest of it...and then finally publish the results of my labours for you to get your teeth into.

I could do with some help with a good snappy title though so any help might well receive get a signed first copy!

More tomorrow luvvies...as now I'm going to be an author! Whatever next!