A twelve mile run on Sunday, three miles on Monday and four miles tonight and still I am able to walk! The physio, exercises and measured return to running have all got me back on track.
Right now I guage it at about 80/20 in favour of me getting to that start line - this coming weekend will provide a real test when I am due to do a fifteen miler - only one mile short of my longest ever distance.
As a measure of my new optimism I have even sent off my newly received male Asthma vest to have my name added to the front.
Everything seems to be finally falling into place and I am enjoying it all again.
Just need to up my food intake with my mileage - right now I can eat for Britain!
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Thursday, 19 February 2009
It Wasn't Meant To Be This Way...
This is not how I wanted it at all. This was supposed to be my time to get really fit, loose some weight, have some fun and get to run the London Marathon. Instead it's turned into a long. pain strewn slog that I am not sure I am enjoying or is worth it. Right now I guage my chances as 50/50 - that's probably being a little pessimistic but frankly I am fed up with the pain.
It's not that it hurts when I run, or that I never know what's going to happen when I run. Will my calf do the thing where it feels weak? Will the pain in my ankle be sharp or dull? Will it all seize up if I have to stop for traffic? It's also that it just hurts. It's only been the last week or so that I wake up and that's not the first thing I think about because I feel it straight away. It's only been the last week or so that I can go downstairs without really thinking about it. Yet it does still just hurt - all the time.
I am trying to be bloody minded about it. Long gone is the idea of getting around in less that 4 hours - now it is just about getting round. I could defer - and I still might - but then what's to say that something similar won't happen next year. I am determined to get on that start line the question is in what shape?
Sunday will be a real check point as I am scheduled (on my new schedule) to run 11 miles. I have no doubt that I can complete the distance it's all about what the reaction is from my ankle afterwards. Then of course there is also what toll this injury is taking on other bits of my body.
Last week when my leg felt like it was on backwards I found I was twisting my back when I ran which was causing pain there.
You know if I do make it to that start line - and hopefully then to the finish line - at least no one will be able to accuse me on not trying!
I just need to practice the correct mantras: pain is my friend, pain is just weakness leaving my body and my current favourite use the pain, wrestle it down
Oh alright then 60/40 in favour of running - bring it on!
It's not that it hurts when I run, or that I never know what's going to happen when I run. Will my calf do the thing where it feels weak? Will the pain in my ankle be sharp or dull? Will it all seize up if I have to stop for traffic? It's also that it just hurts. It's only been the last week or so that I wake up and that's not the first thing I think about because I feel it straight away. It's only been the last week or so that I can go downstairs without really thinking about it. Yet it does still just hurt - all the time.
I am trying to be bloody minded about it. Long gone is the idea of getting around in less that 4 hours - now it is just about getting round. I could defer - and I still might - but then what's to say that something similar won't happen next year. I am determined to get on that start line the question is in what shape?
Sunday will be a real check point as I am scheduled (on my new schedule) to run 11 miles. I have no doubt that I can complete the distance it's all about what the reaction is from my ankle afterwards. Then of course there is also what toll this injury is taking on other bits of my body.
Last week when my leg felt like it was on backwards I found I was twisting my back when I ran which was causing pain there.
You know if I do make it to that start line - and hopefully then to the finish line - at least no one will be able to accuse me on not trying!
I just need to practice the correct mantras: pain is my friend, pain is just weakness leaving my body and my current favourite use the pain, wrestle it down
Oh alright then 60/40 in favour of running - bring it on!
Sunday, 15 February 2009
When two puffs is not enough....
It's been interesting in the last few weeks that a run is followed, 4-6 hours later, by a reminder of why I chose the charity I did - the wheezing starts. Right now, for some reason, two puffs is just not enough.
I don't know why this is suddenly the case or why it doesn't happen everytime - but I still consider myself lucky, my asthma is well controlled and pretty much predictable.
Many, many people are not so fortunate.
If you can donate something for my marathon attempt please do so at http://www.justgiving.com/nicoughton - thanks!
I don't know why this is suddenly the case or why it doesn't happen everytime - but I still consider myself lucky, my asthma is well controlled and pretty much predictable.
Many, many people are not so fortunate.
If you can donate something for my marathon attempt please do so at http://www.justgiving.com/nicoughton - thanks!
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
I Am a Boy!
All became all a bit more real today when my Asthma UK shirt arrived.
I had asked for a large although a recent email had warned that the sizes came up quite small.
Well I would need to lose about 3 stone to make this fit and not be totally self conscious - then I noticed that they had sent me a ladies large! Presumably making the assumption that this Nic was a Nicola - but I am a boy!!
The shirt looks something like this 
Friday, 6 February 2009
Weak at the Hips
Turns out I have a weak hip and that what is driving the discomfort in my ankle, seeking out the weak area i.e. the previously broken bone. It probably explains why running at the moment feels like my right leg is on backwards.
The physio wants me to try upping the mileage a bit and see what happens.
Feeling relatively positive although it's probably still 60/40 in favour of deferring until 2010
The physio wants me to try upping the mileage a bit and see what happens.
Feeling relatively positive although it's probably still 60/40 in favour of deferring until 2010
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
....what is this white stuff...
Can't believe that not only is it snowing but it is also settling. How much harder can all this get.
Tried going fo a short run but gave up after about a tenth of a mile - way too slippy - I have enough problems already without falling over and hurting something else!
Tried going fo a short run but gave up after about a tenth of a mile - way too slippy - I have enough problems already without falling over and hurting something else!
Monday, 2 February 2009
Schedules, Schedules, Schedules...
First published in the February 2009 edition of Footnotes the magazine of Great Western Runners
If you are one of those people who from about October onwards gets annoyed or even infuriated by the amount of time spent on the London Marathon by publications such as Runners World – it’s probably time to turn over the page and see what races are coming up soon.
Try as I might I find that I have become obsessed with the prospect of running the London Marathon and sadly, currently, as each day passes that prospect gets a little further away at least for 2009. In the last few days I have discovered that marathon running can be affected by something way in the past – something that happened long before you ever considered running let alone running a marathon.
I had two schedules. My pre-schedule schedule and my actual schedule, all carefully considered, pondered over, reviewed by those in the know and yes, let’s be honest, learnt by heart. Ignoring my two weeks off waiting for the results of an x-ray (the signs were there if only I knew where to look!) my pre-schedule had gone well. I had built up to an average 35 miles per week by Christmas fitting in a 14 and 16 mile run during the festive period. At this point everything else started going wrong – the heating broke, a radiator burst, work (like lots of other peoples) got very bad – but at least I still had the marathon to look forward to. Five years of waiting drawing to a close as I ticked off each training week. I was amazing myself by enjoying training five days a week, even looking forward to those lung bursting sessions on a Tuesday night.
You already know what’s coming – something started feeling a little odd in my right ankle. More disturbing was the fact that it was my right ankle my injuries are always in the left leg – always. Hangover 10K the pain was occasionally sharp but bearable. I decided to treat it as a training run with a fast 1.5K finish. I overtook two people in the last 750M and was even thanked for towing someone else in – now that’s never happened before but post race everything began to seize up. My right leg lost the ability to bear weight my groin was sore and stiff. Panic sets in, what about the schedule!A few days later, and the allotted schedule start date but still things are no better. I’ll take a week off I think that’ll fix it. A week later still nothing doing. After three weeks it was worse and so I went to the doctors and was then referred on to the hospital physio department.
All the while the schedule slips by - untouched.
The cause of the problem was not tendon, not muscle but bone. The joint of my right ankle deciding now was the time to remind me of when I broke it 17 years ago. Ironically the cause of the break was the wall separating Redland Green from the road. I used to live opposite and often shortcut the route around by hopping over the wall. Despite popular myth amongst my family, I wasn’t under the influence at the time ( in fact the doctor said that if I had been I would have just flopped) a party, an argument and an ex had left me in a bad mood and not concentrating I went over the wall too far up. The cast, so the hospital said, was the worst they had ever seen – and now, 17 years later, I am paying the price for that grumpy fug mistake.
After four weeks I have just managed a 2 mile run. I may end up having to (don’t even say it out loud!) defer but with only 12 weeks to go I know it’s a long shot and not the way I wanted it – but forget the schedule (well the original one anyway) – I am more determined than ever, by hook or by broken, strained or pulled crook to be on that start line. Let’s just hope there are no more (broken) skeletons in the closet!
If you are one of those people who from about October onwards gets annoyed or even infuriated by the amount of time spent on the London Marathon by publications such as Runners World – it’s probably time to turn over the page and see what races are coming up soon.
Try as I might I find that I have become obsessed with the prospect of running the London Marathon and sadly, currently, as each day passes that prospect gets a little further away at least for 2009. In the last few days I have discovered that marathon running can be affected by something way in the past – something that happened long before you ever considered running let alone running a marathon.
I had two schedules. My pre-schedule schedule and my actual schedule, all carefully considered, pondered over, reviewed by those in the know and yes, let’s be honest, learnt by heart. Ignoring my two weeks off waiting for the results of an x-ray (the signs were there if only I knew where to look!) my pre-schedule had gone well. I had built up to an average 35 miles per week by Christmas fitting in a 14 and 16 mile run during the festive period. At this point everything else started going wrong – the heating broke, a radiator burst, work (like lots of other peoples) got very bad – but at least I still had the marathon to look forward to. Five years of waiting drawing to a close as I ticked off each training week. I was amazing myself by enjoying training five days a week, even looking forward to those lung bursting sessions on a Tuesday night.
You already know what’s coming – something started feeling a little odd in my right ankle. More disturbing was the fact that it was my right ankle my injuries are always in the left leg – always. Hangover 10K the pain was occasionally sharp but bearable. I decided to treat it as a training run with a fast 1.5K finish. I overtook two people in the last 750M and was even thanked for towing someone else in – now that’s never happened before but post race everything began to seize up. My right leg lost the ability to bear weight my groin was sore and stiff. Panic sets in, what about the schedule!A few days later, and the allotted schedule start date but still things are no better. I’ll take a week off I think that’ll fix it. A week later still nothing doing. After three weeks it was worse and so I went to the doctors and was then referred on to the hospital physio department.
All the while the schedule slips by - untouched.
The cause of the problem was not tendon, not muscle but bone. The joint of my right ankle deciding now was the time to remind me of when I broke it 17 years ago. Ironically the cause of the break was the wall separating Redland Green from the road. I used to live opposite and often shortcut the route around by hopping over the wall. Despite popular myth amongst my family, I wasn’t under the influence at the time ( in fact the doctor said that if I had been I would have just flopped) a party, an argument and an ex had left me in a bad mood and not concentrating I went over the wall too far up. The cast, so the hospital said, was the worst they had ever seen – and now, 17 years later, I am paying the price for that grumpy fug mistake.
After four weeks I have just managed a 2 mile run. I may end up having to (don’t even say it out loud!) defer but with only 12 weeks to go I know it’s a long shot and not the way I wanted it – but forget the schedule (well the original one anyway) – I am more determined than ever, by hook or by broken, strained or pulled crook to be on that start line. Let’s just hope there are no more (broken) skeletons in the closet!
Sunday, 1 February 2009
That wasn't so bad...
Did 2 miles on the grass of the Downs. It didn't hurt too much - will just be interesting to see what the reaction in my ankle is. I was ready to stop after the 2 miles though - it's amazing how quickly the fitness falls away
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