Talking To Myself.

When I ran the Marathon in 2010, I learnt a lot and there were certain rules I picked up along the way, some were to improve fitness, stay healthy, make best use of your time and so on. But the most important one was “Listen to your body”. There were times when I felt twinges and pushed on, I may have had a cold and still run in the rain. But pretty quickly I learnt that if something didn’t feel quite right…. It wasn’t. Then of course there were the times when half way through a run something just felt “off” and I would pull up and walk home or jog home and stop the run 4 miles short of that days aim.

I woke up this morning and couldn’t move. Running *cough* up to Christmas has been extremely busy and this week I’ve stuck to the “every other day” rule in my build up, and yesterday was a big boost. My timings for the three runs this week were 51 mins, 50 and 48 mins. Today I was due a ‘long’ run 6.2 or more. But I can “feel” it, there is something missing, a sort of dull ache deep inside which says “recharge, have a rest” a dull ache in my legs which usually disappears overnight after a run, but it’s still there. There's a complete lack of energy....... But I want to run, I want the mileage, moreso as tomorrow and Tuesday, there’s no way I’ll be running. 

So as an unusual turnaround of events, my psychological battle is one where I am convincing myself NOT to run, rather than psyching up and pushing on when I don’t want to……. 

Marazanvose?

I have a friend (just the one!) who has recently swum the English Channel. Well, he swam the distance that the English channel covers in the Penzance swimming pool. Quite a feat (particularly when you consider he was getting up at 6 in the morning on a regular basis in order to click off the mileage……. and this got me thinking. In my build up and training For London 2013, I am pounding the ground, clocking up the miles and running round in circles on a small island, flung into the Atlantic ocean.

 But what if I was running in a straight line, say from Lands End. At the end of each week, where would I find myself and in the course of 5 months, just how far could I go…… John O’ Groats? Last time around I completed just over 416 miles but encountered a few injuries which slowed my progress. So maybe 500, 600, 650 is a sensible target and I literally have a head start this year as I have begun training and keeping a record, a month early. So what do you think, where should I run?

I have already left Lands End and by the end of week one, had made it to Canons Town. Week two and I am in the middle of nowhere, “Town and Country Motors” at Marazanvose on the A30 dead north of Truro…….. Today I packed in a 4.6 mile run to kick the week off which gets me to the Shell garage at Carland Cross…… I am still in Cornwall, but once across Brunel’s fantastic feat of engineering, where do I head for then? Do you want me to visit YOU? Should I call in at certain landmarks, visit the 13 National Parks of England and Wales, target major cities or the tiniest of Hamlets. Give me some Ideas give me something to run for, in the comments box, on Email or via facebook! You can follow my training, on the island and across the South of England and further afield. 

So thank you Ian Harris for giving me the inspiration to turn my circles into a journey across England and more.

So What was Dantes 3rd Circle of Hell?

No. It wasn’t that bad, not by a long way. I have settled into a routine and I think it is one acceptable to my body… I am heading out every other day for a simple run, for time on my feet, to get my body used to the abuse that is to come. But it’s circles…..always circles, lapping the island in different ways which should help me measure distances when I am able.

The first three sessions went well. Starting out with a small loop lasting 38 minutes, then again two evenings later a minute quicker. The way I judge my fitness is not necessarily through distance or time, more in the comfort I feel at the end of the run and the recovery time after. Both were very satisfying, so tonights run was to be a touch longer, adding a small loop in at the back end of the island. Thankfully, it was comfortable, sensible and came out at a pushy 46 minutes!!!!!

 Unfortunately, with the amount of mud there was on the road at watermill I won’t by doing it again for a while…. I’ll have to add the loop in down Porth Loo Hill until it’s cleared up.

So two weeks have passed since my last post and in that time I have piled onto the crosstrainer, putting in anything up to an hour and 50 minutes at a time, steady rate and not overdoing it, increasing heart rate to encourage fat burning (or is that an old wives tale???) and also getting into the habit of drinking more water throughout the day.
One problem though..... the day after the longest session, my right foot was very very sore which came as a complete surprise as CTing is a completely impactless form of exercise and on top of that I do tend to concentrate on my left leg generally as I am naturally right footed. It felt bruised and hurt whenever the instep bent, taking a step forward, but after a few days off, the pain seemed to have changed and I am not convinced it wasn't some sort of infection or minor strain rather than shock damage.
It has settled down a lot, so, at the start of a week at the beginning of the month, I am heading out onto the road tomorrow, nice and easy, with music to settle into the routine I am developing over the next 5 months, fingers crossed for the weather.