A map of recovery and you are here ----->

Doing alright :-)

So taking it steady, easy & sensible in my running comeback has seemed to have worked, also other stuff in Mr. K`s world has settled down after a turbulent but necessary time which means Mr K can smile at the world again.

After May`s 85 miles & looking at June`s plans I decided to play it sensible and taper before the South Downs Half marathon, well I say taper in a loose sense of the word - if you count 3 parkruns in 4 four days, followed up with a 10Km during the week a taper BUT I did only run 9 miles in the week before that.

Within those 9 miles it did include a fitness test or commonly known as the 1st in a series of 3 Woodland 5 & a bit - 5.27M in 47:18 - Ave 8:59/m.

Yes and big thanks to the Queen`s long reign it did mean 3 parkruns in 4 four days. On the Saturday we went over to Bushy Park for their parkrun, it was great to go back - my other two outings were in my early parkrun days & did include a Christmas day run. For so many runners they do run a slick operation there (basically if you get the chance do make the effort but get there early). Pleased with my run as it was a `good effort run` - in terms of constant pace, work rate & final time - 3.14M in 24:26 - Ave 7.47/m.



On Bank Holiday Monday we went over to Riddlesdown parkrun - a great set-up on what I thought was a great course. Again a good effort run & sneaking a sub 25 min run (3.06M in 24:50 - Ave 8.07/m). The post run coffee was unusual in the fact it was at a pub but pleased to see that quite a few runners made the way over there. On Tuesday it was back at Frimley - felt like ages since I ran there last - it was actually good fun to jog round except for the last 50 or so metres when `someone` could not resist racing ~ 28:xx + mins

On Wednesday night it was another fitness test - I do think these series of tests will be a strong feature this Summer plans - it was the Yateley 10Km. The plan was again a `Good effort` run, which generally it was but no-one likes to be beaten by a club mate of 3 seconds....always next month I will plot my revenge. (6.24M in 51:22 - Ave 8:14/m)



So the South Downs Half Marathon. I had originally entered the full when I was planning in my TR24 but changed it to the half...and thank goodness I did :-O Now having driven past Queen Elizabeth Park & the radio I had often seen walkers going up to the radio mast - not many running thou. It has been a while since I`ve entered a 2:09 events race, I had tried to get there early and watch the marathons runners going off but a Costa Coffee stop & Danish on the way down got it the way.

As the runners assembled the time ticked towards 10.00 am start - soon enough we were all on the grassy bank above the start / finish gantry. We had a count down then we were off. The start was fairly flat for a short while then up, up & up a lot more. I hadn`t checked the course (much more `fun` this way) but it felt to me like the start of the Midsummer`s Munro Half Marathon on Box Hill - I did that half in 2:33 (& torn my shin tendon) - 1st mile in 13:xx, managed to get my lungs back into working order at the top. The 2nd mile was unfairly slow as we all made our way down a slippy chalky track & waited patiently at a stile. After that we made our way around the Radio Mast & back down towards the start / finish.

The 5Km in just over 40 minutes - right that was my parkrun out of the way lets do this 10 mile run. As we made our way over the the other side of the Park, and even thou I wasn`t racing I clawed back quite a few places which was nice. It was such a nice course & pleased that we could enjoy the views & SO pleased the weather had completely changed & it was turning out to be a nice day & that the tracks had dried out otherwise it would have been a long day. At 7 miles I took the opportunity to tweet an update - I made 5 miles in 60 mins.


By this stage in the race I had noticed two things I had forgotten - the smell of the countryside - I had not taken any Clarity tablets in the days before so suffered a bit but have to say that was really a small price to pay & the other is that the Garmin loses distance in the tracks & up & down the hills. By half way I was apparently `out` by about 0..5 miles, the upside to this was in the latter stage was seeing 10.4 miles on the garmin and then seeing the 11 mile marker on the course. I didn`t appreciate the energy sapping climb at 9M - this passed & I enjoyed the run for home.

Afterwards I made my way to the grassy bank to watch the remaining runners coming home but my running efforts & the sun beating down got to me & I fell asleep - opps sorry about that.

Totally enjoyable day & pleased for Mike & his team at 2:09 that the day turned to be good one. It is on the expensive side but totally worth it. I have a sneaky feeling that I`ll toe the start line again....unsure if it will be the half or the full......


 
My recovery run on Sunday made my weekly mileage a yearly best of 34.8 miles - I am planning an easy week this week,


It would seem that my paces are;
5Km - around 8:00/m
10Km - around 8:14/m
10M - around 9.00/m

Next up is the Forest 5 next Wednesday.

On the road again.....

Not wanting to upset the Running Gods but I think I`m getting there. After I ran the Fleet Half in March I was still planning to jog around London but I wanted to run without the constant thoughts about the ankle. So I decided to rest up completely again.

My monthly mileage since the start of the year is 6M for Jan, 12M Feb, 82M March & 33M for April.

Whilst I was happy with the recovery of the initial problem I wasn`t happy with a click that has developed - it only happens when I bring the toes in from left to right & I was concerned that it was bone rolling around somewhere it shouldn`t so I went to Physios again. Nothing to worry - basically my arch on the left foot is dropping which is putting pressure on the front tendons making them inflamed which then clicks. The answer is to wear `Formthotics` - the jury is out at the moment on these at the moment but I`m giving them a try. He did say I can run but no more than 20 miles a week. This limit is quite challenging itself as it`s a mid week run, parkrun (plus W/U) & a Sunday run but it`s quite fun too. So far I`m on 60M for May but the important thing is that I cannot feel or constainstly thinking about the ankle when I running. I do think of my form, drills & lessons learnt from the recent Chi Workshop which is good.

Bearing in mind all this I have changed my plans & targets for the year - no longer doing the Solo Thunder Run (this year) as I wanted a real crack at 15 laps or maybe 16 laps. My training plan was to follow a 100 mile training plan (taken from Relentless Forward Progress – Bryon Powell) but I`ve missed so much training & pulled out of many races already that this postponement is the best option. I will be there as part of a mixed 5 - I guess it`s one of the few times I can be called a lightweight of a group :-) If you don`t believe me then...

The photo on the right was taken last September at around mile 10 of the Great North & the one on the left was taken shortly after I found a ball during a recent parkrun.

It is nice to be able to run again - running for the fun of it. A couple of weeks ago it was the Frimley Park 10Km (52:26) and then last week I totally enjoyed the Alton Ten - a new event for me. Set around the hills of Alton & for the bargain cost of £9.00 I couldn`t resist it plus seeing as it was hilly I knew I would not be fast plus my stride would be shorter than normal when I tackled the many, many hills. Even thou I wasn`t racing & was my longest run since Fleet I was pleased with my time of 1:34 :56 (unsure what`s happened with the Garmin connect timing splits but e-mail has been sent to Garmin)



Basically I wanted to know that if I could do the Alton Ten then I could one of my favourite events of the year - the Hook 10. I do like this one - 4th year on the trot but last year I did do the 6M event. Again the plan was not to race it (unsure if I`ll be able to `race` the NF10 in July) but to finish with a good run under my belt. Yes it was tempting to run hard but on the whole really pleased with effort & finishing time. I kept the pace steady & constant with a push towards the end the only disappointed was the post race analysis of the garmin data - again poor recorded timing splits. Must remember to charge the 305. BTW Cracking medal.



My current plan is to build up the running & then after the TR24 is to move to the longer distance later in the year.

9th June - South Downs Half Marathon

8th July - New Forest 10

28th July - TR24 (mixed team of 5)

16th Sept - Pilgrims Marathon

20th Oct - Caesars Camp

I do have my eye on one for the Salisbury events - 30Km, 42Km or the 50Km in August, and maybe just one or two other events ;-)

Next up - is my jog around London - BUPA 10,000............................must remember it`s this Sunday & not Bank Holiday Monday.

Seeing as I`m posting music videos - I quite like this one...

The tricky stage......

Since the 1st March I`ve been `running`...well so far this month I`ve run 77 miles. I think I am being sensible - no banging in `fast` parkruns *, keeping mileage down, cutting out the odd run here & there, building up the `long` runs.

My `long` runs;

4th March   6.72 miles @ 10:09/m (av)
12th March 8.76 miles @ 10:26/m (av)
18th March 11.5 miles @ 10:39/m (av) - inc Tempest 10M in 1hr 45 mins.
25th March 13.1 miles @ 9.41/m (av) - Fleet Half in 2hrs 7 mins.

* As I said I think I`m being sensible - I did run a 25:11 parkrun but it was my birthday and it was `promote your club` day so when a couple of rival vests went past I knew my 30 mins plan was out of the window :-)

As for the Fleet Half - this was a major point in my recovery I so wanted to be in a position where I could run / jog those 13.1 miles (I had planned to run there & back), as for the latter part of the race on Sunday I did increase the pace for 2 good reasons;

1. I did want to see what I had - I can confirm that I`m not in 9:00/m shape !!
2. I did want to get ahead & importantly stay ahead of Peppa the Pig & Denise the Menace.

This Sunday I will be taking a more leisurely run around Reading with a couple of miles before making up to 15 & a bit.

As the injury improves & even though I do still feel it a bit, my tendon is improving I guess I am at the stage where it`s just so easy to make silly mistakes and ramp up miles too quickly or run too fast and slip backwards in my recovery.......hey at least I can see more stuff around me - it is amazing what you see out and about when you go slower.




My Chi Running workshop was kindly re-arrange to next month so I`m looking forward to that....plus it does give more time to read that book.

Next up - Reading Half, then the following weekend I might even try a `long` run with the club.

Dusty Old Shoes.....

....Well ok maybe not this dusty but you get the idea.


(Is it just me that `Dusty Old Shoes` sounds like a song title, and no not by Jimmy Nail as that was `Crocodile Shoes`? )

Anyway & quickly moving on it`s been a while since I last blogged - and since that time I`ve run in total a magnificence 15 miles (my longest run being an ankle testing 4.5 miles).    Things have improved – no pain in the shin muscle when raising the toes now but still slight swelling in the tendon around the joint area on the ankle. The physio said there was also signs of Tenosynovitis (inflammation of the actual tendon, as well as the sheath) which is why it`s taking longer to improve than first thought.

I have not been bored thou – but didn`t hit the gym & pool as much as I thought I would thou. I have watched & marshalled a few races & parkruns. I marshalled both days at the Pilgrim Challenge (2 day x 33M) – one day was nearly a DNS for me as the car nearly got stuck in the snow...great weekend supporting those runners.  I watched the incredible good Wokingham Half – I was just before the 3 mile mark & it was such a great place to watch as no sooner had all of the runners gone past me on the way out the lead car came back with the lead runners trying to chase it down.

I guess it`s all about mind set when injured – it`s good to put something back into races, whether it`s donning a high viz jacket or giving other runners a cheer & abuse...err I mean encouragement when they go past.

Next event – jogging this Saturday at Frimley Lodge parkrun & really take it from there but I hope it will be the start of the comeback. I have also booked another Chi Running workshop next month.

I best clean off these shoes then :-)


Oh - if you go to the Virgin gym in Farnborough and use their weighing scales I think they are `a bit off`..........if you know what I mean :-O

Benched...

Yeap been benched for 3 weeks as per the lovely lady at Physiotherapy Practice

I sent an e-mail on Tuesday morning, Sally phoned me back that afternoon & I was booked in on Thursday night for an appointment. How late does she work, anyway after going through my recent running history and looking at it she said it was an `overuse` injury. I was shocked.

Ok, not that shocked - I had over done it during the Christmas break - it would seem running Ultras & Marathons are ok but 5 parkruns in a short space of time is over doing it...Only joking I was chasing the miles doing doubles & streaking - opps.

I have Tibialis Anterior Tendon Sheath inflammation on the left leg just above the ankle - I guess linked to a problem I got after the 15M track session I did months ago. Anyway one session down - quite wierd watching my toes flex uncontrollable whilst being zapped & some serious ultrascanning, with another session booked next week. Hey at least I can get on the bike, hit the gym & I guess my 1st love - the pool - it`s bound to be empty in January !!!

This is the 2nd time I`ve had this injury. Last time was upper shin & on the other leg, the cause then was sprinting down Box Hill during the Midsummer`s Munro (July 09) - I love that hill.

Looking on the bright side I will be fully rested when I start my TR24 training plan next month - which must be a good thing.

Next up.....for my mate is the Stubbington Green 10Km next Sunday (with proper runner exchange in place & agreed with Race Director).

12 moments of 2011

- Some of my moments in 2011...

1. One Track Marathon.
2. Two weeks volunteered at parkrun (pretty poor really).
3. Three PBs (St Patrick`s 5M Scurry, Elstead Marathon (5.4M), Hook 6).
4. Four weeks ran over 50 miles (shocked).
5. Five weeks ran less than 10 miles.
6. Six laps of the Thunder Run completed...how many next year?? (clue = see below).
7. Seven miles extra ran in races by getting lost.
8. Eight Marathons / Ultras completed.
9. Nine times ten – my target for 2012 (gulp).
10. Ten new parkrun events ran.
11. Eleven events already entered for 2012.
12. Twelve hours & 9 minutes ran at SIS Lightning Run resulting in 51.43 Miles.

May the New Year bring you all you wish for.


Happy 2012 folks.

Next Up - Stubbington Green 10Km (15th Jan). My TR24 training plan starts in the 2nd week of February so having an easy January to ensure feeling all fresh & free from niggles for that.

Andover Track Marathon.

Apart from the 5 x 1 mile races & 15M practice run the other month all this running around a track is a bit new to me. I`m not a track person but a track marathon is something I`ve wanted to do for a while now - mind over matter stuff / strong minded so I jumped at the chance when I saw this event open. Plus I think the door is slightly open for 6 hrs or maybe 12 hrs track events :-)


Come race day - I was a bit concerned with the weather forecast - more concerned with possible rain than the cold. I had managed to twist Alan`s (from the club) arm & he entered too , I collected him nice and early and made our way down the M3, A303. Well talk about black clouds - I thought the world was coming to an end - lucky just after Basingstoke it cleared up.

We got to the Andover AC track really early - we had half planned to run the Andover parkrun if we had time - and guess what - we had time Well we would have got cold standing around. It was so icy that they had to use an alternative parkrun course (3 laps of football pitches) - pace was going to be very easy. It was all very social & nice to chat & catch up with folks - parkrun done in 29:05 (yes I know I need to go back a grab that sub 23 for a `new` event). After a quick change of gear & drink it was time to make our way over (talking less than 200 metres) to the track.

I have to say it was like an Ultra event - with a small, relaxed field of runners (35 runners). I looked around and saw some faces I knew & some I didn`t.

Great race briefing by Ian. It covered all the points I was concerned with - how are the laps going to be counted, am I going to run more - not that I minded too much as I`d already run a parkrun plus I don`t mind more than 26.2M anyway but it`s always a concern I guess at these types of events.

My `race` plan was not racing - somewhere around 4:20 + would be good. It wasn`t about time today it was all about head & body reaction. I did feel quite weird not carrying stuff - gels, water etc. Kit wise I went with bouncy shoes, Full recovery legs, Tec T-Shirt, Fetch vest, arm warmers, gloves, buff around my neck & hat & sunnies.

We made our way over to the start - it sure was cold when not in the sun plus a little bit icy still. After a couple of minutes we were off. One thing I was looking forward to was seeing how the faster runners would be especially towards the end of the race. There was no point in getting worried about being lapped......however I didn`t expect it to be lapped within TWO laps yes 800 metres Lets just say I stayed in the second lap most of the race - I guess it was a bit like going into the fast lane of the motorway when you first learnt to drive a car Come lap three of four I generally stopped trying to count the laps, I looked at it as no point worrying until at least maybe 4 hrs 15 mins into.

Now at the race briefing we were told about Garmins about GPS and that they should be turned off - well I didn`t. I used the stopwatch function a bit ensuing I had a gel every hour but wasn`t using it for distance travelled until later on.

Looking back I cannot tell you too much of the race itself - the laps kept ticking over - I had switched off. It wasn`t a `heads down look at the floor` race I was looking around seeing where people were, how they were running. Thanking the lap counters with thumbs up as I went past. Chatting to other runners when paces permitted. Time (& laps) soon ticked by.

I looked at the Garmin - & I knew I should have asked but it said I was coming up to `20 Mile`. I had always planned a treat at 20M - the ipod A bit of music then a catch up on Marathon Talk. Before I knew it I was was thinking I was around 98 laps - I thought I better ask....only to be told I was on 92 laps - 6 out - that`s 1.5 M out :0 What was ever worse than that was hearing the bell for other runners who had one lap left !!!

Never mind - switched on ipod & listened to the show... I couldn`t believe it. I just got round to the interview with Steve Jones - well the bit with Will Cockerill & I only to be told I have two laps to go. Well packed the ipod away and enjoyed these last two laps. I didn`t mind running but I didn`t mind finishing either - it was nice to be congratulated by Matt. I was handed the goodie bag and the most unusual `medal` I`ve ever received....

I stood around talking but I was getting cold - I had bought extra clothes & a thermos of coffee - I`m so glad I did. I`ve never got so cold after a race before. I sat in the car to defrost.

If you get a chance to enter a `TZ Runs` event then snatch it (& do buy a T-Shirt)

Race Stats;

1) - 1m - 9:14(9:14/m) - 116cal
2) - 1m - 8:45(8:45/m) - 117cal
3) - 1m - 8:52(8:52/m) - 118cal
4) - 1m - 9:03(9:03/m) - 117cal
5) - 1m - 9:14(9:14/m) - 118cal
6) - 1m - 9:18(9:18/m) - 117cal
7) - 1m - 9:13(9:13/m) - 118cal
8) - 1m - 9:20(9:20/m) - 118cal
9) - 1m - 9:24(9:24/m) - 118cal
10) - 1m - 9:37(9:37/m) - 117cal
11) - 1m - 9:30(9:30/m) - 118cal
12) - 1m - 9:34(9:34/m) - 118cal
13) - 1m - 9:38(9:38/m) - 118cal
14) - 1m - 9:45(9:45/m) - 119cal
15) - 1m - 10:13(10:13/m) - 118cal
16) - 1m - 10:12(10:12/m) - 118cal
17) - 1m - 10:20(10:20/m) - 120cal
18) - 1m - 10:51(10:51/m) - 121cal
19) - 1m - 10:46(10:46/m) - 121cal
20) - 1m - 10:58(10:58/m) - 122cal
21) - 1m - 11:05(11:05/m) - 121cal
22) - 1m - 12:21(12:21/m) - 115cal
23) - 1m - 11:34(11:34/m) - 120cal
24) - 1m - 12:00(12:00/m) - 117cal
25) - 1m - 11:59(11:59/m) - 116cal
26) - 1m - 12:44(12:44/m) - 111cal
27) - 1m - 12:15(12:15/m) - 111cal
28) - 0.64m - 7:26(11:36/m) - 76cal

Finish time - 04:45:10

Final Garmin Distance - 27.64 M - opps but all good experience

(I`ll try to get the actual lap splits as they would be quite interesting to see)



Race Website / Results

Next up - a parkrun festive overload & (if the cold subsides) a `Sunrise to Sunset` Challenge on the 27th Dec.

Oh - The training plan for next year`s Thunder Run is coming on nicely :-)