Brick Run

[Rignold]

Well, finally got round to doing my official 5k with a brick - have done a couple of practice goes at it but without being spectacular. Time is running out though so went out before lunch with the dog and made a proper stab at it.

... except, couldn't find the housebrick I had used on my trial runs. Children have usd it for den building or wife in some gardening hoohah. So, not to be dterred I took a fire brick instead. It felt a bit heavier, but I figured that would be okay so I wouldn't be cheating.

Was quite brisk out on the levels, with a light drizzle and chill breeze. All of which was to the good as I got quite hot quite quickly.

The firebrick was rather a lot heavier than I had first given it credit for. On my earlier attampts I hd carried the housebrick in one hand and swapped every 500m. After 500m with the fire brick I was almost at the point of collapse and my arms, having swapped at least 27 times by this point were at least 4 inches longer than when I set off. I had to run the rest of the way clutching it against my body with both hands.

Was grim work. And rather futile in the end. I had kept at it hoping to get a sub 30mins before submitting a time: whilst I can usually run quite a bit faster than that at a push, the housebrick attempts had been severaly hamoered by the upset rhythm of swapping the brick about and I had 30:06 as the better time. Wasn't even close to that this time. Although when I got home and weighed the firebrick, I felt marginally better about it. It was quite an interesting experience (now it has finished) - I have run with a weight vest before but that is evenly distributed about your body and doesn't require thinking about. Running carrying something is an entirely different kettle of fish. Quite apart from the weight issue, there is the loss of use of your arms as part of your usual running style, the balance issue, the chnage in your centre of gravity etc. Definitely a fun thing to play around with in your training. Well, interesting might be a better word than 'fun' per se.

[Tomas Graduate]

Better you than me, mate, but I'm impressed by what you can get your body to do. Whilst hard work, it must also be great for overall fitness.

[Keep_on_going Graduate]

Well done! I'd probably drop it on my foot and put myself out of action for a couple of months!

[poppypug Graduate]

Very impressive Rig ....

Well done , youre nuts ! ha ha

Nice scales ! xxx

[Peter_B Graduate]

Don't Travis Perkins (other building material suppliers are available) deliver bricks en masse on a lorry?

Surely has to be better than carrying them one by one?!

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Peter_B]

Ah Peter, but this is Rig, he doesn't do things by halves xxx

[Peter_B Graduate in reply to poppypug]

In that case he ought to be carrying 2 bricks

Would help with the balance issue

[Pigivi]

You're mad ! Or just launching a new profession: the running bricklayer

I couldn't even dream of it - I already have a water bottle and a dog on a lead in my hands when I run!

[Rignold]

Dog was running with me but free range. She is due to whelp next week. There was a moment when she suddenly sat down nd I wondered if I was going have to add canine midwifery to my running activities, but happily not.

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Aw puppies !!!

I am sure you would make a marvellous midwife, Rig xxx

[no-excuse Graduate]

Oh well done Rig, I would be well happy with that time without a brick. I don't even like carrying my water bottle x

[dagshar Graduate]

I may be as thick as a brick (sorry, couldn't resist) here, but is this a particular type of fitness training or just something to torture yourself more? When I read about the brick first, I was expecting that you were going to put it in a back pack as training for long trails or something...Or are you epxcting to run with a really huge bottle of water?

[Rignold in reply to dagshar]

It was a charity challenge, but running with a housebrick is a common trick they play on you at OCRs and hence quite good training practice - a normal housebrick isn't terribly heavy but quite awkward to carry and you have to keep swapping so it disrupts your rhythm. Same thing with the running with a log or a car tyre.

It seems strange that we spend so much time and research improving our technique at doing things, then find ways of spoling all that to push further. LOL. But what would life be without challenge?

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

That made me laugh. I read the headlines and then when I opened the page and actually saw a brick I was confused and had to continue reading. I thought you were doing a triathlon "brick" training session. Are real leg wobbler the first time you do it. Well done on your unique training sessions and time.

[Hidden]

8 kilos ?! Thats more than a stone...you really are mad....I once ran back from Budgens with a box of breakfast biscuits for daughter and that nearly finished me off so no idea how you managed that !

[misswobble Graduate]

Tee hee. Ha ha. Can't stop giggling now. I thought same as you Keepongoing! Bust another ruddy toe nail!

I agree Henpen, those Weetybix are really heavy! Chortle

I can't even run with my house keys. I now run with my house key.

I take my hat of to you Rig. Respect.

[goonkeepgoing Graduate]

You are totally bonkers! That said, when hubby told me building the muscles in my arms would improve my running I found some £3 wrist weights in TK Maxx and attempted to do the house work in them. You are most definitely made of tougher stuff than me as I gave up within 10 minutes. I think they were only a kilo. ......

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Rigs, why don't you just put all that weight you lost, back on........I dunno boy, I worry about you sometimes.