62 days to go..

This week has been relatively quiet, I ran 10 miles the Sat before and 5 miles on Monday before and felt an injury coming on so I decided to go to the Physio on Tuesday this week. I had a Sports massage which was rather painful at times but helped, my legs were still really stiff from the 45 mile race a week and half before. I got lots of tips off the physio (Nigel Kimpton - ex International Athlete) who was a great help - he is looking to swim the Channel next year which is a massive achievement. He gave me 12 stretches to do twice a week, take ice baths after long endurance events, this speeds up recovery massively - I have been taking hot baths - not good. So next time I run a big run I am going to try a 10 minute ice bath post race. This weekend I ran 2 x 8 mile runs in times of 59 and 58.20, my leg held up and left knee was okay but could feel little niggles, so hopefully should be okay for the Thames trot 50 on Saturday. This week I am going to run but low key in preparation for Saturday. Saturday will be my longest training run pre 100. 50 mile race along the Thames path starting in Oxford finishing in Henley, I am running this one on my own, a friend from Jurassic coastal challenge (Paul) is running it so hoping to hook up with him at the start of the race to run a bit with him as not that confident map reading. I am going to have to learn one day so this is the time to do it, how hard can it be ... a compass and a map...I am staying in Oxford on Friday night as it's too far for me to get to on Saturday morning and then my mate Ash is picking me up in Henley. This race is costing me a few pounds but it's got to be done, I am hoping it's a good one and the weather holds out. This week I bought 72 Gu gels costing me £108, this will take me up to the 100 miler. I sat down with James a couple of weeks ago and for the 100 miler I will need to fill 2 x drop bags with 20 gels, ibuprofen, salt tables, cap and jacket, will also need head torch. I am going to have to run with my polar watch as well and wont be able to track distance apart from laps as the Garmin only lasts for about 10 hours which I think is pretty poor for a £250 watch but there you go.With 62 days to go I am starting to get excited, it's going to be a massive challenge but a great achievement.

Follow your body, Not your mind...

Today I woke up, wanting to run something in the region of 13-16 miles. I woke up and had some really sharp pains in the back of my right leg, even walking to the kitchen it was really stiff. I was thinking I could probably run on this as would warm up after a couple of miles. After 5 minutes of procrastination, I was like, rest and see how it feels in the morning and if bad I will go to the physio tomorrow night. I have done the right thing here as would have only made it worse and with Thames trot 50 in under 2 weeks I need to be in okay shape, not trying to run 50 miles with pain killers on a bad leg. So even though pretty p8ssed off today, it shows that I am learning to rest and not push it when my body is in pain.

A few photos from Country to Capital 45

The week after

This week has been pretty low key running wise. I rested Sunday, ran 5 miles Monday, attempted to run Tuesday - ankle and knee were playing up so I thought best to leave it so cycled 20k then rested until today, popped in 10 miles today and was a little hungover but managed to do it an hour and 15 mins. There was a pain running up the back of my right leg which I am not sure what it is, will have to see how that goes. Going to pop out tomorrow for a similar length run, need to get back into training now for Thames Path 50 in 2 weeks.

Wendover to Paddington - 45 miler

Today, we started off at 8.30 in a pub in Wendover, today's run for me was a training run for the 100 miler, good way to get back into running after Christmas. We started off running through Wendover, through Chorley wood, all off road, muddy and slippery. When your running in this kind of terrain even though your running slower, you don't realise how much it takes out of your legs, they have to work harder. I was dripping after 10 miles and it wasn't amazingly warm and I was thinking this is going to be a long day. Ploughed on, we covered the first 25 miles in 4 hours which was good and then we were on to the Thames path into Paddington for 20 miles, head down running slowly, my ankle was playing up at points so took some of James' ibuprofen, he had to take a couple for his knee as well.When we got to around 32 miles I was really feeling hit, I had to walk for half a mile, I had only had one wee all day and had probably drunk 3 litres of waters, I hadn't really eaten much solid food as at the aids stations they provided sausage rolls and crisps but that's not really what you want, you want pizza, sandwhiches,etc.I think I was feeling sick because there were lots of energy gels and water in me swishing around, after walking for half a mile i picked up again and carried on at a steady pace ranging from 9.30-10 min miles, again at around 38 miles I was feeling rather sick again so walked for a while, then battled on, when I knew I had 10k to go we ran pretty much the whole way in, James and I ran with a few people today - a guy called Ian who was training for the Gobi desert Challenge and an American girl who was very fit (She won best girl in Sahara desert race last year). We finished the race in 7.09 which was pretty good considering last years time was 8.06 so happy with that, I feel pretty tired writing this but good to get a long one in. Got a 50 miler in 3 weeks and then Cambridge marathon end of Feb, I will try and get some other long runs in as well then taper out through March up to 2nd April for Umstead. Today was tough at points but very enjoyable.

Just 5 miles today

Just the 5 miles today in the gym in 36.28, pretty chilled out run. My Legs are getting used to running tired now having run the last 9 days with no rest days. I am starting to feel a little fatigued now in the afternoons, eyes watering, etc. I am going to give myself 2 days off now for legs to soften up and get some rest pre 45 miler on Saturday. I haven't run over 20 miles since November, I am actually really excited about Saturday, getting a long one in, hopefully the weather is better than last year. Speaking to James tonight, it looks like his injury has rectified itself so hopefully he will be there on the start line on Saturday.

Interval training and 5 mile run

The last 2 days have consisted of interval training and a 5 mile run
Interval training on Monday in the gym, it's very intense, you start by warming up for 5 mins. Then you set the speed to 17km per hour and gradient to 2% and you do 30 secs on 30 secs off. This then increases to a min on and a min off on 17km speed, then up to 18km speed for 1 min on and off, 45 secs on and off, then 2 mins rest. Then set the gradient to 1% for 15km for 2 mins and 1 min off x 2, then 8-12 x 20kms 15 secs on and off. This really is intense and gets your heart rate right up, the beauty of interval training is it increases fitness massively and gets your legs used to running to proper speeds. If you keep the above up 1-2 times a week you are on your way to breaking 3 hours in a marathon, something which I would like to do this year but not sure I have the time with lots on but we will see, you need to find the right race, conditions and timing, etc. Today I just ran 5 miles up the gym in 35.28, so quite a strong pace. With 3 days to go until 45 miles I am feeling a little tired having run the last 8 days, I think I will squeeze in a run either tomorrow or Thursday and take Friday off pre 45 miles. Last year I ran the race in 8.06, hoping to beat that this year but you never know how your body is going to react, specially after a month of boozing, this race is a funny time of year just after Christmas but great to get back into it. I am suppose to be running on Sat with my mate Elson but he may not be able to run now due to knee problems but he hasn't completely ruled himself out.... It's much more fun to run this race with someone as you can have a chat, bit of a laugh, etc but if Elson can't run I will have to go it alone.
P.S - 81 days to go

83 days to go....

With 83 days to go until Umstead 100, my mind is really focused now...2nd week back running looked like this http://www.attackpoint.org/log.jsp/user_8677. 44 miles in the last 6 days, not a bad effort with tomorrow still to run. I am getting used to running everyday now and running with tired legs, runs are taking a lot longer, for example yesterday 9 miles took me an 1 hour and 17 mins and that was along the seafront which is flat, wind against on the way back, it was a tough run but good to finish. Today I ran 8.95 miles on an off road course, really muddy and slippery around Benfleet and then up Essex way which is 3 quarters of a mile uphill, that took me an hour and 17 mins, admittidely I was a bit hungover as had a few beers last night for my brothers birthday. To put 9 miles into perspective, it normally takes me 1 hour and 5 mins to run 9 miles so running everyday takes it's toll but it's good to get the body running through pain. Hopefully as the weeks go on, training will get easier. This week I am going to do a few small runs in the gym Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then I will take 2 days off as have Country to Capital 45 miler on Saturday which I am looking forward to, ran this race last year with my mate Elson and running this year as well with him, it's the first big run of the year, not sure I am in good shape but we will see. I must say writing this at the end of this week I am glad to be back into running, todays run was really fresh, sunny, bit of wind and good to sweat out a few beers.

Getting back into it...

After the Amsterdam marathon I was on a massive high and training died down a bit...I kept running when I could, I had Luton marathon in the diary on 6th December. In the build up to that I went out on quite a few runs but unfortunately this was called off due to snow, very disappointing as wanted to get a cheeky marathon in pre Christmas. I was running 2-3 times a week in December as December in the media industry is very boozy, your out 3 nights a week and out with friends as well, with all this going on training goes out the window but still tried to get the odd run in when I could. I started running again properly this week, I had this week off work so it was a good opportunity to get some proper runs back in... specially with Country to Capital 45 in under 2 weeks. So this week consisted of Tues - 16.2 miles, Weds - 13.7 miles, Thurs10.2 miles and Sunday 14.35 miles. I hope to run 10 miles tomorrow as well to put in a 66 mile week- I do have some massive blisters on my heels though as put some orthotics in my trainers which have been rubbing against my heels. This week has been tough, specially putting 3 biggish runs in 3 days in a row and I haven't run over 40 miles a week for at least 10 weeks so good to get back into it.I am now going to run a lot over the next week and half in the build up to Country to Capital 45, but wont be running anything over 10 miles. My main focus this year is the Umstead 100 miler which is on 2nd April - just under 13 weeks away......99 days to be exact...I have the Thames Trot on 5th Feb which starts in Oxford and finishes in Henley, Cambridge Marathon 27th Feb, Brentwood Half mid March and any long runs I can get in. I am nervous about the 100 miler as when you think about it, it's a massive distance to cover in one go without stopping, well stopping for food and drink...Elson reckons I can do it in 24 hours...also you need to think no sleep and on your own for 24 hours, my brain is going to be going f8cking crazy but lets bring this big boy shit on, life is all about testing yourself, Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!