I'm going on Holiday

I'm off on Holiday for week Yipee, Mrs W and I are taking the miniW's camping int he New Forest, could be busy! Looking forward to it. I stop work in an hour then say goodbye to a work colleague that is leaving then we have to pack the car up.

I haven't run since Monday and my little trip and don't plan to be running while on Holiday either. This will give my niggles more time to heal up. Achilles has been a bit sore, It must have been put under tremendous strain when I went over on my ankle. The Plantar Faciitis is also getting better.

When I come back I need to settle straight back into marathon training as it will only be 19 weeks to Abingdon and I need to get back up to a consistent running pattern.

anyway have a good week folks

Catch you later.

Is it Monday already?

Its been 4 days since I last blogged so I'd better make this a good one.

Didn't run on Friday, despite not cycling in I just could not muster the energy to run, being in a meeting till 12:15 didn't help either. The only good thing was I got to leave a little earlier.

Saturday was a morning tempo session. 10 minutes of easy warm up then 20 minutes at half mara pace then 10 mins of warm down. I'll confess to cheating on the route. I ran a route that has a gentle downslope for about a mile. Come on recovering marathon runners need a little help. Ended up doing 5.3 miles all told. It was nice being able to open up the legs a little.

Spent the afternoon taking the kids to a Rugby BBQ, where it rained for a lot of the time. At least I didn't have to cook lunch for them. Then the entire evening was spent trying to get some downloaded music to work. Could I do it no, Internet explorer/Media Player kept crashing everytime I tried to get the licences to play the music. Gave up in the end no I know why most people hate Microsoft

Was supposed to run on Sunday but I didn't wake up until gone 9. This is very unusual for me, even when tired I'm normally awake by 7:30. Took the hint from the body and didn't go running - not sure MrsW would have been too impressed with me disappearing out for 90 mins anyway, she had plans for me. We're off camping next week so all the camping kit had to be looked out and the car checked. Good job I checked the car one of the tyres was a bit flat it was pumped up not that long ago so decided to change it to have it checked. Now taking a tyre off should be a simple affair - loosen the nuts, jack it up, take the nuts off then take the wheel off. Not on a VW Sharan (or Galaxy as my neighbour told me). Could I loosen the nuts? No!!
This wasn't about me being feeble, the tyre iron broke before the nuts loosen ended up borrowing a torque wrench from a neighbour.

Then onto today, found a way of overcoming Plantar fasciitis - give yourself more intense pain elsewhere! Was out for my lunchtime run with DK and was on the last mile when I didn't pay attention when coming of a pavement onto the road and went over on my ankle. Not an ordinary twist - this was a glorious wipe-out. The ankle decided it wasn't supposed to go in that direction and the rest of the body had to go over instead. So I end rolling around in the road. Ankle wasn't to bad was able to run on it after a very short walk, its the grazed knee and hand that got me. Spent the rest of the run trying to avoid getting blood on my nice white T-shirt.

Why did I start cycling again?

Used the bike to get into work again, that was a bit of a mistake. It was wet and and a windy this morning, but I felt good at the end of it.

At lunchtime I subjected myself to the treadmill and some speedwork. This was post-marathon speed training session. Short fast bursts with longer recovery periods. Today was the promised 8 * 400 session at 5 K pace with 3 minutes of gentle jogging in between. Nice way to work up a sweat and I didn't feel too bad at the end of it.

That's more than can be said for how I was feeling at the end of the day. As I'd cycled in, I had to get home on the bike. This was tough, weather was against me and the legs were complaining that they wanted some rest. Struggled home and now spent the rest of the evening feeling really tired. Early night for me I think, and I may give the ride into work a break in exchange for some more time in bed.

Oh Rats

MrsW got a shock today. LittleW was playing in the back garden and brought something to the back door and said "Poor thing its dead". MrsW was expecting it to be a dead bird or something like that. When she looked it was a dead rat - complete with maggots!!!! Needless to say environmental health have been informed and will be out on Friday to start a rat hunt. Flame throwers at the ready.

Enough of non-running matters. Plantar fasciitis (thanks for the spelling Leon) had calmed down enough to allow me out for a stretch of the legs. We had a new chap start in the office last week who is quite keen to go running, so he joined me for a bit a of a guided tour of where to run. I'm glad to say it was a leisurely jaunt round a familar route. I'm still not wearing my HRM or Garmin so have no accurate idea of the pace, but its the easiest I felt running for a while.

It won't be easy tomorrow, its speedwork and 8*400m, can't wait NOT!

Pompey Chimes

Been a couple of days so a few things to report

Knee was being a pain (literally) until Friday night when something went click and the pain went almost as quickly as it came. Curious, gave it an extra day of rest on the Saturday. As I hadn't had any problems decided that a run an easy run on Sunday was worth a try. I had one of the best runs I've had for a while. Went on a route I have never run before - up an old Railway line then through a couple of country lanes then a return down a main road though being Sunday morning it was quiet. First time I've actually run back to home from the North and you pass a large tract of green fields with crops it made me forget about the road. All in all no problems whatsoever from the knee. That was a relieve. All in all 7 miles in a little under 1hr, longest run I've had since the marathon. Followed up today with a steady rollercoaster 6 with PH at lunchtime. Only problem now is I've got a sore Plantar Facitiis (or however its spelt!) rest tomorrow. I just seems to be one thing after another at the moment

The glorious weather yesterday persuaded me to get the bike sorted out so that I could cycle into work as opposed to taking the car. I used to do this all the time, but gave up commuting by bike when doing my marathon training just too much time and effort. Anyway rode in this morning and it was great. Arrived at work, showered and was at my desk a refreshed and happy worker bee.

Oh and the best bit about the weekend?

Southampton got relegated!!! Yipee - Play Up Pompey Pompey Play Up.

That hurts

Was playing with LittleW yesterday evening and he insisted that I knelt on the floor so that we could race toys cars. OK I said only problem is that having knelt down something went in my knee!

Don't think its anything major it feels sore in a very specific area - I suspect I've tweaked a ligament/tendon. The leg is painful to extend but I can walk on it without any problems. A couple of days of rest are hopefully all that is required - and no kneeling down.

Must admit could do without this at the moment. I seem to be piling the pounds on at the moment despite doing less exercise I'm eating more. But then exercise can be an appetite suppressant. Someone (not me!) going out to the shops and returning with a tub of mini-muffins doesn't help.

Busy Busy

What a couple of days.

Saturday was spent driving up and down the M3 to Twikenham to take the big 2 to watch the Army v Navy. Entertaining experience had a middle age woman sit next to us that was so drunk she couldn't remember which team she was supporting. Middle W was for reporting her to a steward becuase she was smoking in the stand.

Sunday was Middle W's birthday and boy was he excited. Up a 6:30 to unwrap his presens. Not what you wanted if you only got to bed at 1 in the morning after sorting out birthday things.

Ah Monday go work to have some rest! Went running at lunchtime with PH, he is feeling much better so I had to work a bit harder. Was supposed to be an easy run yeah right. Something like 5 miles in 36:30. As we reached the end of the run PH turned round and said we definitely picked upthe pace in the 2nd Half. WE PICKED UP THE PACE? I was only trying to keep up! Had to rush home because MiddleW had a bowling party with some friends

Sanity is beginning to return, tready time at lunchtime. 1 Problem all 3 of the treadies are in use. Have to hang around for 10 minutes while waiting for someone to finish. In typical fashion all 3 become free at the same time! Anyway today was supposed to be 8 * 400m , however I had an outbreak of sanity and decided that as I'd missed all of last weeks speed work doing the full compliment of reps this week may not have been a good idea. Settled for 6 *400 m instead.

Need to go now I've got sandwiches to make and bed to go to.

Old Running Partners

Another run just for the sake of running. This time I hooked up with another old running partner of mine. For the sake of the blog I'll call him GP. We had the most interesting of conversations about common mode failure in safety critical software. The fact we were able to have a conversation shows that the pace wasn't breakneck speed, so brownie points in the post marathon recovery stakes.

I now seem to have a variety of running partners

GP - At my standard, though once he gets back into proper training after his broken arm and other injuries he'll be a lot better than me
PH - A bit above my standard, but close enough for me hang in there and improve
and
KJ - Now she is a class act and is the lady of the moment with a sub 3:00 FLM'05 time under her belt. I go running with her only after I've made arrangements for ambulances to meet me with oxygen supplies at various parts of the routes.

I won't get the chance to running the next couple of days as I'm taking the Big 2 LittleW's to Twickenham to see the Army v Navy and its MiddleW's birthday on Sunday.

Last thing I was a very proud Dad this evening. BigW won the Player of the Year award from the coaches of his Rugby Team at his teams award ceremony. He has worked really hard this year.

No Running Electronics

Yip, gave them up for the day ( apart from a simple stopwatch ) and went out with another runner at lunchtime around the woods and fields near the office. I didn't miss them one little bit I relaxed and enjoyed the experience of running.

Now that the weather has become nicer a lot of the local woods and fields are drying up and are providing an excellent running enviorment. Much better than the pavement pounding in the run up to the marathon.

Mood much improved.

Spot Award

Still sidelined though I did pack my bag last night for a a lunchtime run. Thought better of it, followed Pix's advice and went for walk instead.

My mood was lifted somewhat by a pleasant surprise at work - I was given a spot award during a department meeting. Basically its a little something for doing a good job. Even better its financial, a sort of well done bonus. Not a large one just enough for me to go up to Glasgow to see the relatives or more likely to put towards a new washing machine. My idea of a wireless network at home didn't get past MrsW spoilsport!

Man Flu

I've got the lurgy and its depressing. I'm really impatient to run, I can feel feel the post marathon lethargy setting in and need to run to remind the body what its capable of doing. I came down with something on Friday but was feeling OK by Sunday but today is worse. I've got a resting HR of 70 compared to mid 50's so running wasn't a good idea today.

I need to run!!