Bite Me....

...erm actually no please don't.

Looks like my new injury is actually an inset bite of some description. When I got home from work last night my ankle had exploded (of course not literally but I'm trying to paint a picture here!) The swelling is totally reminiscent of previous insect bites, also anti-histamines seem to be helping curb the sweeling in a way in which ibuprofen wasn't even touching it.

If you are faint hearted or have a weak stomach look away now.....

OK here's the offending ankle

I'm sure there is a foot under there somewhere!

Tempted to ask What else can go wrong? - but instead I am looking to see if you are allowed to hop the 26.2 miles - lets take the problem leg out of the equation!

Time To Stop Counting Chickens...

I suppose I should have suspected it was coming - a few weeks of relatively pain free running is almost inevitably followed by some problem or other - or at least thats generally the way it goes for me.

Sunday should have been a relatively perfunctory 14 miles (in that statement alone we can see some progress - 14 mile? perfunctory?!). Only slightly thrown by the clocks changing I set off with a new route previously mapped out via MapMyRun.

At about 3 miles the first hints were there - a slightly stiff right foot, must have slept on it funny. I quite often slide too far down the bed pushing my feet between matress and bed frame.

At about 9 miles, my first stop - well a pause really - maybe my laces were too tight. That's the most common cause of unexplained foot pain in runners - or so I had read somewhere and was now persuading myself that this was the issue. Sadly no instant pain relief.

At 11 miles it was now becoming a problem. This was serious discomfort. I kept going in a stop start manner for another 2 miles before then (of course) finding myself at a decent distance from home finally gave up and walked the last two miles.

The pain is across the top of my right foot at the point where the foot bends. I must assume that it is in someway connected to the previous issue that I had treatment for except that there is no pain or discomfort in the previously problem area. I am still clinging to the hope that it's just the result of a night lying in an odd position. However, Monday morning finds my foot/ankle swollen and with what looks like a bruise coming - hmmm - maybe I slept funny again.

I have had my foot resting on an upturned bin for most of the morning which seems to be helping a little but it maybe time to crack out the emergency last few weeks schedule especially with the prospect of another 20 mile run looming this coming weekend.

Right now I am not overly concerned - but I guess it shows that getting to and around this marathon is not yet a fore gone conclusion

The Man From Nike He Say...Ouch!

With a 20 mile run the target I thought it was high time I had some means of in-run hydration and so purchased a running belt. It was only then when I was getting changed for my run that I started to feel like Nike Man. Everything I put on was emblazoned with the little swoosh [that, I believe, is the technical term!] - I felt like Joey in the episode of Friends dressed in head to toe Porche gear (Series 6 episode 5 in case you're interested!) - and just like Joey there was no car involved!

The best part about Sundays run was that I had a couple of companions. Lucy and Oli very kindly came along for the ride (sticking with the car theme!). I did a three mile route via the Downs and then we hooked up and headed off towards the Portway, over the Avonmouth Bridge and down the cycle path on the other side. It was incredible how quickly the miles go by when you have someone to talk to. The first time I glanced down at the Garmin to see how far I had gone I was already at 12.5 miles.

All too soon it seemed we reached the Create Centre - the point at which I was to run on my own once again. Immediately my legs felt tired and heavy. It was about the 16 mile point so there were still 4 miles to go. My pace seemed to drop right off. At 18 miles I had to walk a few paces just to change the pace a little - and there was no way I was going to be able to go faster!
I had had a twinge in my left knee early on which soon passed but at 18 miles it appeared that the problem there was being compensated for by my left thigh in someway.
By the time I dragged myself the last few feet down our road I was wondering if I would ever walk again - let alone run.

As soon as I stopped I couldn't decide whether to pace, sit, lie, cry - I just didn't know what to do with myself. Then I found that I was getting a little dizzy which was somewhat unexpected.
This, though, was quickly resolved by a large almond croissant (my second choice after a maple and pecan danish)

The amazing thing, after an hours fitfull sleep I was fine. In fact we even went for an afternoon walk.

So much of this is in the head. Twenty miles began to really hurt at 18 miles - i.e. the furthest distance I had previously reached. Come the day of the marathon, though, I am sure that the crowds and other runners will drag me through a few extra miles - so then it's just mind over matter. The thought of that Nando's tea dragging me along the mall!

Five weeks to go - I can't wait!

My Last Bath Half?

Every year I am asked the question why do you do it? It being the Bath Half.
This year I entered thinking that it couldn't possibly be as bad as last years debacle.

To be fair it was as bad as the wind swept, rain drenched atrocity that was the 2008 Bath Half but then it was great either - which when this is the most expensive race of the year (yes even more expensive than the London Marathon) you are entitled to expect.

The weather was perfect. Cool and sunny. We arrived in plenty of time, parked up, even had time for a relaxed cup of tea. Then the start got delayed by thirty minutes - congestion on the course apparently. Seeing as we had driven half the course - which was entirely clear of traffic, parked or otherwise - we have to assume that the problem was either in the other section of the course of was some kind of knee jerk reaction to a minor issue.

So hydration/food plans thrown into disarray we now found ourselves starting in the hottest part of the day in what must have been the hottest day of the year so far.

Next the new staggered starts. I had a number indicating a green start position D. No idea where that was as it was impossible to get to. Maybe if you had a white start which was both easily accessible from The Rec as well as more spaced out, then perhaps you were OK. From where we were there was a countdown and a cheer. Then another countdown and another cheer. Then the same again. Wait..... Gradually we shuffled forwards and actually saw the start line.

The first four-five miles were spent overtaking/falling over people. The course was tight and jammed. So jammed that at some point around two miles my arm got knocked and my watch stopped. Now I was running blind. Then just as we were starting to spread out a bit the leader caught us up. We were bawled at by some obnoxious man in the lead car. There really was no need for the attitude that exuded through his megaphone. Once again we were all squashed together.

The second loop was more enjoyable. I had long since given up on any kind of time and finally we could actually use the width of the road. Ultimately, my time was 2:06 - pretty much where my planned marathon pace is so - but once again the whole experience left me feeling ripped off.

The organisers need to decide do they want an elite race or a mass participation race. If they want an elite race then either dramatically reduce the numbers and go back to starting everyone at the same time or start the elites off 45 minutes earlier. That way they will be well into their second loop before the hoi polloi start. Even if they want a mass participation race they still, in my opinion, need to drastically reduce the numers. The streets of BAth just can't cope with the current volume. At the end of the day we all pay the phenomenal entry fee so we are all entitled to being given the best chance on what is a flat fast course.

I know this will fall on deaf ears. There will always be thousands prepared to pay the fee knowing what it is like. Will I do it again..right now.. I honestly don't know.

Monster Month

According to the Runners World Marathon Training newsletter that I have just received this is Monster Month! This is the month when 1) your weekly mileage is at its peak 2) your motivation may be flagging and 3) you're most likely to get sidelined by an injury.

Mileagewise - each week brings a new first. Last week it was the first time I had run more than 16miles this week it is my first time past 18 miles. The really interesting thing (well to me anyway) is that each week I can almost feel the previous weeks training as that is the distance beyond which it starts to hurt. Last week 12 miles was the point at which I started to get really sore this week it was 16 miles. I wonder how much is psychological and how much is actually physical?

This week actually seems a lighter week as it is the Bath Half on Sunday. It will be an interesting run as I would, obviously, like to get under 2 hours. Last year I squeezed in by 25 seconds - but I don't have any change of gear at the moment. I was assuming that this was mainly down to the building blocks missed during January but the trusty newsletter says that this is likely to happen due to the level of current mileage.

On the motivation issue - whilst the 3 hours 22 minutes that it took me to run 18 miles did seem, at points, a long time I don't think I have yet hit a demotivation point. Primarily, I guess, because I am still happy that I am actually running and in with a strong chance of making the start line but also I started some serious fund raising last week and I have had such a great response from people that it can only inspire me to keep going.

As for injury - well you would have hoped that I would have learnt my lesson but I still find that I am having to reign myself in and not do that extra couple of miles to make up for missed runs over the last couple of months. I am trying to listen to my body - mostly it is saying Feed Me!

Which is my additional point 4 - The Hunger - I spend most of the time eating, peckish, hungry or just down and out queasy from hunger - the don't mention that when you apply!

One Down - Thirty Four Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine to Go!

Sadly Paula's London Marathon 2009 came to an end today http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/7927115.stm - having almost been down the same route I feel a lot of sympathy.

On the other hand I could see it as one step closer to crossing that finishing line first myself - only another thirty odd thousand to go and that winners prize is mine!

What I don't understand is why she gets half an hours head start. She can already run at least twice as fast as me - she should be made to start at around 2pm and see if she can catch up.

Perhaps there should be weight handicaps like with the horses. Faster runners have to wear fat suits to even everything out!

Your thoughts please!

Game On...!

Just under eight weeks to go and it's game on!

I have been signed off by the physio, who has been fantastic. I have a whole heap of exercises to keep my pesky weak hip in check but basically all i can do now is keep increasing the mileage and see what happens. My ankle is still not 100% and can be very stiff for the first few miles but at least now it is just a dull pain rather than the sharp, stop you dead in your tracks pain I originally started with!

Speaking of increasing the mileage - successfully ran 16.5 miles on Sunday. It should have been 15 but having run into the city centre via the cycle path I realised there was actually no way back in the 2 miles I had left to complete. Still this now represents my longest run ever and the next day I could still walk - so result!

Glancing back at my original schedule - distance wise - I am not far off where I planned to be it is just the 120+ mile building blocks that I am missing from January. I am noticing that each week the previous weeks furthest distance is the point at which it all starts hurting - I guess this demonstrates training in action!