Ton Up

Been a sort of busy boy the last couple of days. After repeated attempts to get through to the doctors I've been able to get an appointment on Wednesday to get a referal to the chiropractor, yes I know I've been to see the Chiro already but the company health insurance want a referal letter from the Doc. Unfortunately this has meant that I've had to cancel one of my Chiro appointments for next week. I am however bearing his advice in mind and taking it easy with the running. This has been helped by the fact that this week is a cutback week so my longest run is only about 8 miles.

By hook or by crook I've been able to get in runs in the last 3 days and I just managed to cover 100 miles in June. This is the first month since March that I've run 100 miles. So another milestone on the way back to running a marathon. Having said all that I've just realised that I've mucked up my rest days and I'm not scheduled to have a rest day until next Friday. Glad I'm not doing a long run on sunday then :-)

Visit to the Chiro

So how did my trip to the Chiro go?

On the whole very good. He gave me a check over lifing the arms, marching on the spot etc etc. His diagnosis matched that of what Sue the sports therapost said if got a cracker of a pelvic twist. My left leg is slightly shorter than my right but as I walk (and run) this changes and my left leg becomes longer because of the twist in my pelvis. This is causing strain in a variety of places and stops me from exerting full strength in my limbs. Apart from that I'm fine.

So consultation over lets move onto the treatment. I was told to lie face down on the treatment table while he put some wedges under my hips in different places. These force the pelvis into the correct alignment, I was then left on the table to "relax" for 5 minutes. After this the middle section of the table was raised up slightly and then with his hand forcing my pelvis down the mid section was suddenly dropped. This seemed to cure the twist, though for how long he's not sure. For all his patients he likes to see them twice a week for the first month so that he can constantly re-adjust until the body re-learns what the correct position actually is.

Now for the downside - cost. Each visit costs £30 and I have 8 visits planned in the next 4 weeks so thats £240 - a lot of money!! Especially since today was a very expensive day with the car. We're off camping in the summer and want to take a trailer so we had someone come install a towbar to the car OK that was planned and money set aside what wasn't planned was that the fitter saying the rear box of the exhaust was loose, well separated from the rest of the exhaust actually. Took the car to the exhaust place. New mid and rear sections needed for a turbo diesel. Oh and to cap it all it's time to renew the Road Tax - talk about open wallet surgery.

I'm going to make an appointment with the GP and see if they'll refer me to a chiropractor, then I'll get the Medical insurance to pay for my treatment. Apart from that Giovanni suggested a way of getting some extra cash in a hurry, but I'm not sure about the stocking masks and sawn-off shotguns....

Fleet Review

I haven't succombed to the insanely early running currently undertaken by Evil Pixie but I was up at and out of the door by 7:45.

Decided to head off to the seaside as there are a lot of ships gathering in the Solent in preperation for the start of Trafalger 200 celebrations. Queenie is coming out to look at them on Tuesday, but I decided to give them my own review from the shore and mighty impressive they were as well.

The mileage build-up continues and today was 13.1 in 2:05:38 and an AHR of 143. Much better than last week but then it was cooler and a flatter route. Though being asked by LittleW to play tennis when I got back was interesting. Played with for 10 mins until MiddleW took over and I went off for a Cold Bath. No Ice unfortunately don't have space in the freezer for such luxuries.

Off to the Chiro tomorrow so I'll hopefully find out what's giving me the hip problems. More Later.

Dodging the Thunderstorms

Today was a little errm wet. Torrential downpours with some rather spectacular lightening which was a little too close for comfort. Most of the office stood at the windows watching the lightening crashing into the woods at the back of the office.

I was going to wimp out of a run because it was so wet but at spot on 12 the rain stopped and it started to dry to off I set. Did a 5 and a bit miles at no particlar pace the schedule said just go and run so I did.

{Loud lorry noise}
Oh hello Giovanni- nice trip back from Liverpool?

Bit wet, never mind. How was Leon?

In good spirits, excellent.

Ice bath?

I'm not running tomorrow, but can I book one for Sunday?

I Can wonderful, see you then

{Giovanni wanders off with a smile knowing he has another satisfied customer}

Is this going to hurt?

Bumped into my Sports Massage person at the coffee machine yesterday and she asked how I felt after my treatment. "Worse actually" I responded, my left leg hip was achy again. " You need to go and see a Chiropractor" was her response. She recommended the one she uses but its too far away so I asked around and got one within a mile of home.

The downside to asking for recommendations is that people tell you what they did to them and some of it makes me feel a little quesy. Holding you down then flipping you over while listening for a pop, sounds sort of, ah, painful. Then I thought about it, it won't hurt for long and is better than mucking up my training for months at a time, so I booked an appointment for Monday.

In the meantime I'm still running. Went out for a gentle 3 mile plod yesterday evening HR of 141 and 10 m/m. Pace ain't important its keeping the HR down that recovery run is about. Today was marathon pace run time. Still to hot at lunchtime to do a sensible training run so for the 4th day in a row I was on the tready. Much better I have to say. 4.3 miles in 34:50 at an average HR of 154, though it was beginning to climb in the last mile and a bit so cardiac drift just setting in.

On the Treatment Table

My old Sports masseur decided to retire to France shortly after FLM, can't say I blame him as Sports Massage was his 2nd career after 30 years with a certain large computer corporation with the nickname of Big Blue. I have been able to find another one and even better she does treatments at Lunch time in the first aid room at work. Today was my first appointment and I heard she can inflict pain so I looked forward to my appointment with a little trepidation. I had done a tempo run on the tready before work so was expecting some comments. I got them!

Session started off with an assessment of my general flexibility, yes I can't bend at the knees too far, yes my knees come in together, Oh my hamstrings are tight as well and the less said about the hips the better. I am glad too say she wasn't able to make me squawk, wince a couple of times maybe but not squawk. Overall she was able to free most things up but the left hip (the one I injured before FLM) is still not right. There doesn't seem to be anything muscularly wrong, but my left hip/pelvis is raised when lying flat on my back. I may need to go and see a chiropractor to "re-align" my pelvis. That sounds as if it will hurt.

In the meantime I'm not injured so I can continue my Marathon build-up, but I will get this hip resolved before the really long distance training starts in about a month.

Slow Roasted Rob

In answers to CAD's question - yes I did do 11 miles this morning, 11.48 to be precise in 1:50:10. I won't pretend it was easy cause it wasn't.

I was quite late to bed last night so didn't get the really early start I wanted. Got out the door just after 8. Start was a bit funny I had made sure that my sports drink was made and I had put on the high factor sun cream but I had forgotten to "grease" up the moving parts. Quick detour off route back to house and a rapid application of vaseline later I was on my way again.

Following yesterday's misery I paid very careful attention to the HRM and tried not to let it stray over 150. This produced some interesting paces for the first couple of miles before settling in to a nice 9:45ish pace. Found myself hunting the shade all the time as there wasn't a cloud in the sky and I didn't fancy sun burn or sun stroke.

Decided to take Lucozade sport in my Nathan drinks bottle as I wanted something to replace the salts etc I would be losing through the sweat, instead of my normal plain water. I was glad my run was't any longer as I had run out inthe last half mile, so getting a 2 bottle drinks belt is now a matter of urgency.

Oh CAD - I did really fancy the cold bath at the end but MrsW insisted I showered immediately as I was dripping everywhere, maybe next time

Who turned up the heat

Getting a bit warm down here on the South Coast.

Stepped out the door at 8:20 and already it was warmer outside than inside. Target of today's run was 5 miles at Marathon Pace (MP). Did half a mile or so of gentle jogging for starters and then into the main course. My target HR for MP should be about 160 first 3 miles were OK then I started to seriously overheat. Next mile was 168 followed by a 175! I was in trouble,but no matter what I couldn't get the legs to slow down. Things were made worse when I tried to wipe some sweat from my eyes and succeded in removing my contact lens at the same time. Relief was soon at hand when the Garmin bleeped to say I'd down 5 miles in 39:34. So I stopped and walked the last couple of hundred yards home.

Tomorrow threatens to be even hotter. Oh I'm supposed to be doing 11 miles slow. I'd better make that an early start.

Double Glazing

Its odd how the most mundane things get in the way of going running. I was planning a run on Wednesday Night - not far a short recovery run when the Wife phoned me at work and said that the people doing our new double glazing wanted to fit the windows on Thursday and Friday. That was a whole 2 weeks earlier than planned. Of course I said. Why did this stop me running? well I spent all of Wednesday evening moving furniture around to make sure the windows could get fitted. I then spent Thursday putting all the furniture back!

So 2 lost training days when not injured, hmm don't like that. I decided to convert today's scheduled rest day into the lost tempo run. I did this on the tready again as I can control my pace a lot better. Started off with 10 mins of easy stuff at about 9:30 m/m then cranked up the pace every minute until I got to 6:35 pace where I held it for a couple of minutes before starting a 5 min wind down. 3.67 miles in 30 minutes not bad considering.

Longer steady stuff planned for the weekend, I'll let you know how it goes.

Back to the tready

As the weather is really nice I feel I ought to make the most of it and do as much running as I can in the woods that are near the office. Yesterday was a case in hand. Lovely day outside and I was scheduled to do a recovery run so nice and easy. For some reason I didn't enjoy it. It was hot and trying to keep the HR down was a chore. I think its because its an undulating route and over tracks and footpaths so you can't settle into a steady rhythm. For future easy runs I'll use the flatter road routes I'll save the cross-country as a treat for the more testing steady runs.

I was due to have some preventative maintence in the shape of a massge at lunchtime today so I had early start on the treadmill. After a couple of weeks of uncertainty about my fitness it was time to let the machine drive the pace and I wouldn't be wearing a HRM to get upset about. Today's session was 4*800m repeats. As I've had a couple of niggles I choose a relatively conservative pace of 6:40 m/m for the reps but this is still a good 10K pace. The good news is I came through the session without any problems at all, still had plenty left in the tank for number 5 if I wanted to. This session cheered me up no end it should my speed is still there its just the aerobic fitness that's a bit lacking at the moment. That's easily sorted with a diet of long slow runs and with 17 weeks to go I've got time to lay down a very solid base.

In the end my massage got cancelled so I wondered over to the outlet shops and had a look at some bum bags which can hold 2 bottles, just perfect for those long summer runs. Hmm - Am I starting to look forward to this training lark again???

The return of the long run

Went swimming for the first time in ages yesterday. MrsW and the 2 smallest W's had an event to go to so I was left with Big W. He has got his swimming distance badge test next week so it was time for practise. He may only be 9 but he can go a distance! His record is 275m. Bit more than Dad.

Speaking of distance a marathon to train for I have to do some ( or perhaps quite a lot of) long runs and no time to start like the present. Went out for a surprisingly comfortable 10 miles first thing this morning. Maybe I'm not so bad as I thought I was. Time for the reality check!

Its 18 weeks before Abingdon and I've just down a 25 mile week with a 10 mile long run. At the same point before FLM I had just done a 37 mile week with a long run of 14 miles, add in the 14 miler was 20 sec/mile quicker and 5 bpm lower then its time to PANIC!

No its not I tell myself. I'm coming back from a couple of niggles give it another couple of weeks and everything will sort itself out - he says hopefully

Only mad dogs and Scotsman go out in the midday sun

I know it was Mad Dogs and Englishman but I'm not a mad dog and I'm most definetely not a Englishman, but Noel Cowards song sprung to mind at lunchtime when I was being baked at a nice Gas Mark 9.
It was, shall we say, a little warm at lunchtime for running but now that I have a marathon to train for not running wasn't an option. I met up with a couple of guys who where going out for a plod around the woods so I decided to join them, nice bit of shade I thought. There is something really odd about the route we took, all the nice easy flat bits and downhill sections are in the shade. Its just the uphill sections that are in the full glare of the sun! Despite the heat today's run was better than yesterday much easier running terrain and not so much dangerous plantlife.

My vital statistics for the run where
Distance 5.73 miles
Time 48:43
Ave HR 166
Ave Pace 8:31

I could whinge and drip about this being slow and hard work, but I won't. It was a lumpy route, hot and cross country, there supposed to be hard work. In fact overall it was a good early marathon training run at a steady pace. Roll on Abingdon!

Doing stupid things

I did a couple of really stupid things today. One was just dumb and the other is, by some peoples standards, certifiable crazy.
Number 1 was to running in the country over a route I have never run before via some never explored right of ways. For my sins I got lost, went round a small collection of houses twice not realising that it was a circular road, tripped up over a tree route, got scratched from the bushes and have a leg that is still tingling from all the stinging nettles my bare legs came into contact with. Oh and to cap it all in the last 15 yards I slipped off the pavement and twisted my ankle - the other ankle. Fortunately it was only a slight twist and its OK now.
Number 2 - The crazy thing. I finally entered the Abingdon Marathon on the 16th October. This could be a big mistake, having looked back at my running log I haven't run properly since March, I've put on nearly 7lb in weight, am totally lacking in motivation and generally feel like something unpleasant you step in. Hopefully this will all change, I need to focus on this run, no mopping around feeling sorry for myself and stuffing my face. I have a marathon to train for!!

I'm back!

I'm back!

Spent a great half term week at a very nice campsite in Dorset. Only problem is there is camping gear all over the house, though we (or should I say MrsW is winning the battle to get it stored away). I won't bore you with all the details of the trip apart from I enjoyed it - and yes Pixie I didn't run.

Sadly we came home to some bad news - Emma the hamster passed away while we were away. Luckily the kids accepted that these things happen (this was their 2nd hamster) and have moved on, perhaps helped by the swift removal of the deceased and her cage from sight.

As I mentioned above I didn't run at all last week so yesterday was my first run in 2 weeks and my rather unfortunate tumble, so I was to say the least a little rusty. I was going through the "Shall I, Shan't I" debate just before lunchtime when the phone rang and PH asked if I was going out, nothing too difficult nice and easy. How could I resist? Back to wearing the Garmin so that I could get a gauge for how fast I was running or perhaps should I say how slow I was running for the effort I was having to put in. It was felt like a lot of hard work. I felt quite depressed at how much fitness I've lost, however PH pointed out that it was a very muggy day and I don't like running in the heat.

Couldn't get a run in today, too many other things going on. Unlikely to get running tomorrow but I have got a run pencilled in with PH and GP (The triathlete) on Thursday - more hard work lined up then.