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I got an email from Loic in Sebola to let me know that they have a new video released on you tube. Its a measure of their company and culture that even though i have only bought a couple of pieces of sustainable performance sportswear from them - i actually "know" one of the guys from the company. The video captures my ethical runner ethos pretty well, and the subtitles even give it a bit of gravitas. Its important to mention that these guys are the best of whats out there...made in france using tercel - a closed loop recycled polyester that is the best sustainable performance textile available. I am currently having the opposite issue with zombierunners.com in the US, i bought some arm warmers from them for winter training on september the 3rd and as yet i haven't received them - their communication is shocking.  Won't be making that mistake again...think i'll be making my arm warmers from old socks from here.

Tags: sebola, ethical sportswear, zombierunners.com, loic, closed loop,

Monday: 5 miles recovery run after previous days 18 miler. Legs felt ok, but last mile was a struggle. Today was the Dublin city marathon, which was to be my original goal race. The weather was perfect and around 12,000 took part. Tuesday: rest Wednesday: 8 miles at 7:30 Thursday: I went into the watershed gym where Tommy showed us a weights and core routine for runners. Friday: 4 sore miles around a sodden football pitch. Mind numbing stuff.

So far this week i've done zilch running and i have no plans to do anything until next week, in the meantime i am getting my bike out and trying to put one hour a day on the road. On the bike i struggle to get my heart rate above 135, but i'm going to include some hills tomorrow and see if we can get the average up!

In the week following lisnavagh i had some ups and downs with the running. This week i completed 30 miles over 5 runs. I am no longer going after a sub 3 in florence, my new goal is just to get fit for the race. if i make it to the race, i'll pick a goal time on the start line. I am not going to run at all this week and  just cycle instead. Dublin marathon my original goal race is on in two weeks and i'm gutted i can't take part. But hey, i lived 37 years without a sub 3, one more won't kill me.

We spent the most amazing weekend in a country house we rented with friends for the weekend. The house is called lisnavagh and it is a beautiful gothic mansion on a 1,000 acre estate on the carlow and wicklow border. I have known the owners emily and william bunbury for a few years now and you couldn't possibly meet nicer or more obliging people. They rent the house out for weekends and for use as a wedding venue. On saturday, i did 15 miles on the roads around the estate at 8:02 min miles. I suppose i could have run a little quicker - but i was more concerned with trying to do a two hour run that push a distance. On sunday, i woke up hungover and snuck out for a quick 5.5 mile run around the trails through woods and fields in the estate. It would be a magnificent venue for a xcountry or trail race ;-) When i returned to the house there was just time for a quick recovery swim in the outdoor heated swimming pool...i'm not sure how green that is --- but hey, everyone deserves the occasional treat. Between the bits of training i've done this week i've managed to clear 39.5 miles - my best week in a month. 8 weeks to the marathon in florence.

After the previous nights light tempo run, i wanted to get out again, just to see the effect of the run on my leg. I did a simple 5.5 mile loop at 8:30min miles in apprx 45 min.s. It was the first time since the summer i had been out in the dark - but i stuck to lit areas around the village so, whilst a little mind-numbing - not so bad. We're off to Lisnavagh today to spend a weekend with friends. I hope to do 6 miles today, 15 miles on saturday and rest on sunday on trails through their 1,000 acre estate. Come monday then we are into an 8 week countdown to florence marathon.

brooks launch with biodegradable midsole
After confessing to my physio i wasn't wearing my orthotics (and getting firmly scolded for same offence), i had to buy a pair of neutral trainers that would suit the orthotics. Ethical Trainers are in short supply around the globe, especially after END trainers bit the dust in September. The best of the rest i believe are New Balance and Brooks. I already have a pair of Brooks ST4's so i chose to go with them again. I ordered them by phone from Sean in http://www.amphibianking.ie in Bray, Ireland. They had to get them into stock, but they arrived 2 days later. I chose the new launch as they are lightweight yet have enough cushioning to be suitable for marathon training and racing. Their key green features include - BioMOgo biodegradable midsole - 100% recycled laces - 100% post consumer recycled cardboard with no additional finishes other than 1 colour ink. In 2008 according to the company that saved the following

• 1,680,617 lb. of paper (that’s 14,285 trees)
• 5,882,159 gal. of water (equivalent to 341,985 eight-minute showers)
• 3,361,233 kW of energy (enough to power basic items in 672,246 homes)
• 50,419 less tons of air pollution
• 134,500 tons of global freight weigh

In term's of environmental strategy formulation, this is what they have to say:

Brooks recently partnered with The Bainbridge Graduate Institute to benchmark our company's sustainable business practices. After providing an initial evaluation of Brooks' social and environmental impact, the Institute counseled us on how to make additional improvements beyond programs currently in place. As a result, we've already made advancements in areas such as office operations, footwear design and development procedures, internal communication, carbon footprint evaluation, and more. We recognize sustainability is a process and will continue to develop supporting efforts on an ongoing basis. We currently work with a sustainability advisor from OASIS Environmental to further our momentum.

Brooks Sports is also a member of Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), a nonprofit business association that provides socially responsible business solutions to many of the world's leading corporations. Through advisory services, convenings and research, BSR works with corporations and concerned stakeholders of all types to create a more just and sustainable global economy.

I'm going to do some more digging around over the next few weeks and i'll see what substantiation is behind their policy and strategy.

brooks launch with biodegradable midsole
After confessing to my physio i wasn't wearing my orthotics (and getting firmly scolded for same offence), i had to buy a pair of neutral trainers that would suit them.  Ethical Trainers are in short supply around the globe, especially after END trainers bit the dust in September. The best of the rest i believe are New Balance and Brooks. I already have a pair of Brooks ST4's so i chose to go with them again. I chose the new launch as they are lightweight yet have enough cushioning to be suitable for marathon training and racing. Their key green features include - BioMOgo biodegradable midsole -

Training Update: 1st october 2010 I met up with Jimmy last night to go running after work. We went down to the river to run on the track, he was doing a light tempo session so i decided to tag along. The session was  3 X 10 min with 2' recovery at 165HR. I wasn't sure what pace this was going to be, but they averaged around the 6:20 min mile mark. Before the run and during the warm up, i was "stepping" a little bit according to jimmy, but once i got going i was fine. I struggled through the last two intervals and after a warm down we stood in the river for 10 minutes to cool our calf's a little. There was no real discomfort afterwards. When i woke up this morning, my legs were really stiff and my shin is quite sore now...i fear i've torn it again.  i'll take anti-inflammatories later today and ice it when i get home....