Best Laid Plans.....

I'm a patient man, but I'm also someone who likes making plans and does not like to have them change. The strain I suffered on Saturday knocked out my 12.5 mile run Sunday and I had a recovery day Monday anyway. Tuesday, and it was still a little tight but Wednesday morning nothing felt out of place or out of sorts and I was prepping food wise and mentally for a 4.6 mile run to ease back into it.

But come three o'clock, there was something there, as my right foot left the ground, a faint niggle would flutter (if niggles 'can' flutter!) So I reigned myself in for another day. That's three planned training sessions missed and possibly one tomorrow. The upside is, if I go out Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, that's four in a row, building the mileage back up which is manageable, whereas going out tonight would have been five and I think (if you'll excuse the pun) a bit of a stretch!!!!

What I've said all along is that I'd rather lose a weeks training now, than get back too early and cause a problem that knocks me out for four weeks etc.......

Injuries are a frustration, but not unexpected. Three years ago I had a break in training due to illness on week  10 and the last four weeks I wasn't able to put in any mileage because of groin strain, though by that point the hard work had been done! This is week 5, with 10 proper training weeks to go, in the grand scheme of things it's a minor blip, but one I must not exacerbate.....

We'll see what tomorrow holds.......

The Good and the Bad.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Three days in a row banging in sensible runs in sensible times. Tuesday a relaxed 6.2 with music and no rush. Wednesday was six ascents/descents and back of Church Hill totalling 6.5 miles in horrendous rain and a little wind. Thursday again was a sensible plod round 6.2 at sub 10 minute mile pace no pressure. Friday was a day off.

And Thursday I was aiming for consistency, the plan was for a steady 6.5 no pushing and music to keep me company. It was all right, not euphoric or comfortable as on previous occasions but at the top of Pungies and the coastguard tower something felt tight in the base of my right calf. It faded, then reappeared at the POrth Loo duckpond. Tightening and sore. I walked, gently stretching it and easing it back to the way it should feel and at that point decided to complete the circuit at 4.6 but not go for the short addition to take it to 6.5 . I cooled down and stretched more than normal after the event and showered. It played on my mind for the evening, the what is it, what if and what next all running through my mind. There is no question about the Marathon itself. I have time to recover and crack on, it's the immediate future I am turning over. How do I treat this, complete rest, cross trainer, carry on regardless????? I was due a long run tomorrow (Sunday 27th) at 12.5 miles but, approaching midnight, I can't see it happening. Though I'll sleep on it and see how things are tomorrow.

It's a downer, after things had been going so well, but not unexpected. I think probably the thing that worries me most is the fact I didn't stumble, I wasn't sprinting, it wasn't a different pair of trainers and I hadn't set off dramatically..... It started half way round the route after about 2 miles. If I haven't got a reason I can't protect against it in the future.......

That was the week that was....

I've been lax.... in some respects. Exactly a week since my last blog and update on the marathon training but as you may expect, there are reasons. Along with work, family and training, Week 3 of full on marathon training saw the countdown shrink to double figures and THAT was the point (99 days to go) I had told myself I would start with the begging e-mails. Half a dozen a night, individually typed rather than copied and pasted asking for support at www.justgiving.com/marathonmez and yes, training was still required!!!

Tuesday was supposed to be a simple single circuit of the island, 4.6 miles but to make it a little more interesting I made it a Fartlek run. Varying the pace of the run after the warming up 10 minutes with bursts of speed, walking and pressured stretches, one of the most useful parts of this in "Mass" runs is it gets the body used to little bursts of speed required to accelerate past other runners.
Wednesday was "Hill Climb" with 10 ascents and descents of Church Hill here on St Marys and Thursday was again a straight circuit of the island, though this time, no Fartlek. The wind was pushing gale force, there was driving rain and though physically it was comfortable, it was a struggle against the elements.
Friday was a rest day and Saturday, to get me back into it I ran a 6.2, relaxed and with random running music playing.
Sunday was the "Long Run". A little stretch more than last week at 10.8 miles and....... it went well. In very chilly conditions (there was snow all across the mainland) and at a steady pace I was just 2 minutes outside 10 minute mile pace and after nearly 11 miles, that's something I'm happy with.

In terms of my Virtual Run across the south of Britain, I ran 32.1 miles round St Marys this week, equating to a run from Plympton to Dartmouth, calling in on three friends, two "I CAN" affiliated schools and about 16 family members in and around South Brent.

and that's what my training looks like, in linear terms rather than "Running round in circles".

I Can.

My progress in training is here for anyone to see, but what of the charity I am running for. I came across “I-Can” after Vicki had an e-mail from them asking for people to run. We had had information from them in the past through a group we are part of called “Isles Of Scilly Parent Carers”. Our son Joshua has Aspergers and as such, life is a little different!!!! He has certain quirks and idiosyncrasies which set him apart and in certain circumstances make communication difficult. Communication is what I-Can is all about. They have two specialist schools in England, provide facilities and support in schools across the country and provide on-line and telephone support for individuals and families. They help children with all forms of communication difficulty be it dyslexia, autism, stammering, speech and language and more.

I-Can is celebrating its 125^th anniversary this year, the same year I am running the London Marathon for them. Please support them, please support me. So far I have completed over 100 miles in training and I still have fourteen weeks to go. I am anticipating covering a total of 500 miles in training (health permitting), a distance which would easily get me from Lands End to Broadstairs in Kent.

The last time I did this in 2010 I said to people, “The Marathon doesn’t take place on a Sunday at the end of April, it takes place in the four months leading up to it. I’ll put the hours in and the mileage to get me to Blackheath on April 21^st, please will you donate something  to get me to my target of £2000 to help children across the country communicate.

 Please visit www.justgiving.com/marathonmez and be a part of my effort.

and look at      www.ican.org.uk      for more information.

Extending myself.....

Friday was a recovery day, yesterday was a nice 6.2 mile standard which was comfortable if not Euphoric (like the previous blog!) and this time it was Brandon Flowers' "Flamingo" which was keeping me company.
Today though was the longest yet, 9.2 miles, two straight circuits of St Marys and all would have been well had it not been for a somewhat 'burbling' stomach. I'm hoping it was a somewhat larger than normal lunch (though I left more than the minimum 3 hours before running) and sticking to usual foods in the future will eliminate the problem. It's something I have encountered before and looking back on it, I also started with the Lucozade Sport on this run which may be a contributing factor, so I'll be drinking it during the week (in moderation) to get my body used to it.
 Finally, it's the end of week two of full on training and I'm bang on the plan. Mileage is ticking over, I haven't missed a session and most importantly, no injuries.
Having started easy training at the beginning of December, today I clocked up mile 103. In terms of transferring the mileage to my Virtual run from Lands End To Broadstairs it gets me on the outrun from Plymouth, having crossed the Tamar Bridge yesterday and visited 5 friends and 7 schools supported by "I-Can", the charity I am running London 2013 for.
Thankfully, a recovery day tomorrow.

 

A Good Week.....sofar.

Absolutely nailed it today. No idea why, it wasn't necessarily anything I did, but EVERYTHING came together. I had a straight run to achieve and was aiming for another 6.2 after Sundays 6.3. I set off and didn't feel any of the listlessness that usually acompanies me for the first 15 minutes. The first lap was comfortable to the point I "felt" energy towards the end of it rather than having to look for it. The second lap, was smooth, relaxed and I took a couple of the hills with ease and pushed easily on the others......UPHILL! home stretch was a breeze and even after finishing, it felt right. So what of the conditions, it was dark, very dark. Sometimes you can see a lot but tonight you could only see a little. It was cold and with a fresh westerly coming in. Dry on the roads and this time listening to Muse's The 2nd Law. My breathing was comfortable, I could feel my lungs fill up there was no real stitch and and and..... dreamlike!

Maybe, just maybe, the run I had yesterday was the set up. Wednesdays in 2010 were Hill Climb day and this time round it's no exception. four times up Church Hill and down the other side, AND back again. Four times. That makes it 2 miles running up, two down and half a mile too and from home. It was a good set up I think for today as it wasn't a struggle. Maybe not as comfortable as todays, but certainly sensible.

Monday of this week was a recovery day, as is tomorrow and Tuesday was a standard 4.6 circuit only this time in Fog and rain at lunchtime.

I'm not naive (enough) to think that everything is going to be fine in training and all runs are going to be like this, but psychologically it is a big lift to have a memory like this to look back on when things are nowhere near as good.

End of Week 1.

Satisfaction has been obtained. Seven days in to the 16 week training program and it’s ticking over sensibly. From here to 15^th April, I get two days a week off, Monday and Friday, every other one has a run of some sort and this week was simply to adapt to the intensity of what’s coming, nothing fancy, just time on my feet and steady. Thursdays run was much better than the previous couple. I had been aching in the morning, but stretching out regularly and when it came to run time the running action itself didn’t invoke any pain or stretches, it was opposite actions that had been causing the discomfort. Anotherther changes to Thursdays routine was a haircut, but I can hardly attribute any improvement to a close crop!

 It was a straight run, round the island only this time I listened to “Killer Sounds” by Hard Fi… seemed to work quite well as I finished up knocking 2 mins off the lap time and finishing with a time of 50 minutes.

Friday was a day off….sorry, recovery day.

Saturday I decided to experiment and NO MUSIC. I was able to listen to my breathing, think about what I was doing or allow my mind to wander on to other things. The rhythm of my feet barely changed and I was able to press forward (just a little) in my favourite spots. The end result? A 50 minute circuit, 2 minutes quicker than the previous day but a lot more enjoyable (though still a little struggle in places) and not an ache to be had.

Sunday (for the next 14 odd weeks) is “The Long Run” and it didn’t feel like it. Two shorter circuits and a straight gave me a distance of 6.3 miles in a very gratifying 60 mins flat. My pace is up and the mileage is building…..

In order to put this in to some form of perspective I am transferring the mileage run in training on the islands, into a mapped progress......map, so far since I started running in December, I have got from Lands end to 'almost' Dobwalls. That's the Yellow Pin, bottom left, to the yellow pin top left but not necessarily in a straight line...... I am calling in on friends along the way!

Bog standard Circuit

It was better again today (though still not back to the enjoyment of mid December) but still a struggle at times. The aim was a single lap of the island, 4.6 miles and that was accomplished. At times it hurt, at times my mind was wandering and almost over thinking what my body was feeling and there was no rhythm to it for much of the run. Having said that, there were stretches which did bring back the enjoyment, I've always enjoyed the run down Bishop View and past the boat park and the Tree Tunnel at watermill is another which always feels nice. The other BIG positive from tonights trial is the afterglow....My legs "feel" like they have worked hard and there is no escaping the simple fact that I completed. 
 The other difference for this afternoon was a change in music. Up to this point I have been relying on "Muse-The 2nd Law" but tonight it was back to The Foo Fighters Greatest Hits. It was they and Muses last release (Resistance) that got me through it all last time.........

Recap and Restart.

It’s the 1^st January 2013 and 58 days since I got my place in the London Marathon 2013. In that space of time I have worked on general fitness in the first month and took part in a 24hr rowing marathon, then for December it was an easing in routine of running every other day and increasing distances when I was comfortable. “Time on Your” feet is an important part of any distance training, it’s not there for cardio, muscle building, core strengthening or stamina. It’s simply conditioning, training your body and muscles to understand what is going on and to get miles under your belt, physically and psychologically “time on your feet” can give you a great grounding and carrying on simple straightforward ‘runs’ throughout your training program can be invaluable! So that was December, running round in circles on an island in the Atlantic……at least until I had the idea of putting my weekly mileage down on a map, plotting from Lands End to Broadstairs, The mileage looked good for a 16 week training program so I tweaked it to add a bit and intend on “Calling In” on friends along the way.

The first two weeks were all over the shop. Escaping from West Cornwall and twisting turning to see so many friends and family, it looked like this,

Week three was a little more sensible, St Day, Truro and Probus, calling in on my past primary school headteacher and sleeping the end of the week on a roundabout at Probus.

Week four was tough…………… I was under the weather, had an aborted run and a three day “temple specific” headache which I am putting down to a cold. On top of that it was Christmas. Lack of road running found me in a layby just short of Grampound, 

however…….

Week five started on January 1^st and the first day of a 16 week training schedule. Easing back into it after a week off with a 3.3 mile run. Not comfortable, but no where near as bad as the last (aborted) one. A change of kit for today as well as I have had a nigh on neon orange T-shirt made especially for day runs by a friend in the states………

In terms of my Mainland Challenge, I’m plugging my way along the A390, heading for St Austell next and a visit to my old babysitter, Anne Double. If any of you live south of a line between Warminster, Winchester, Reading and Romford, drop me a line with your postcode and I’ll see if I can “virtually” call in on you, on my way through.

All being well it’s a week of “time on my feet” to get me back in the swing of things and then to fartlekking and hillclimbing alongside the mileage. It’s 58 days since I got my place, and 110 days to go until the marathon itself…….