Ancient History

WARNING THIS COULD GET LONG

Access to the computer has been a bit difficult the past couple of days - MrsW seems to have taken it over. It all started with a coin, quite an old coin in fact. MrsW's Great-Uncle dug it up a long time ago and she was looking it what it actually was. The answer a King Menander drachma from 150 BC. Its not valuable but it is very interesting in that it was found in Hampshire very near the South Downs. King Menander came from what is now modern day Afganistan.

We found an article written by an Oxford academic about one was discovered in Tenby in Wales about 100 years ago. Sadly the museum that was keeping has since mislaid it. We dropped the academic an e-mail to let him know that we had one found in Hampshire. We were expecting an e-mail saying "thanks, but so what". What we did get was a quite excited academic who beleives it was brought here in ancient times which makes it very very unusual. He's off to talk to some colleagues and then get back to us.

That was only the start of it. MrsW is now locked up into full "Who do you think you are?" mode finding out more about her Great-Uncle and that side of the family. So far she reached back to the 1891 Census and her Great-Great Grandparents, and she show no sign of giving up!

Managed another 20 miles over the past 3 days. Did another cardiac drift test yesterday. Still think I'm running too fast

Lap	Time	Ave HR
1	10:13	152
2	10:14	154
3	10:15	155
4	10:16	157
5	10:15	159
6	9:54	162 - OK I put the foot down

Total distance: 7:71
Time: 1:01:08
Ave Pace 7:56

As it was cutback week this week today's run wasn't long and slow more sort-of-long and comfortable. I won't bore you with the in-depth details but the headlines were

Total distance 9.66
Time: 1:24:25
Ave Pace 08:44
Ave HR: 150

From these 2 runs I think 8:30 should be my marathon target pace, that would work out at a sub 3:45 marathon. We'll see I'll settle for anything better than last year at FLM.

Withdrawal symptoms

Cold has got much better over the past couple of days. Was well enough for a 3 mile plod yesterday. Forced myself out of bed this morning to go and do my interval sesion on the treadmill. Now up to 5 repeats of 800m @ 6:58 pace

Heartrate was very stable and to honest a bit low 159,157,159,161,162. I think I'm not pushing myself hard enough I either need to run faster or shorten the recovery time. By the time I'd finished I'd covered 7 miles.

Work day was a bit odd started off OK got a few things out of the way, then lapsed into an aimless day no meetings to go to, not being motivated to do anything. I recgonise these symptoms. By 4 o'clock I was getting anxious for no reason and also felt as if I was beginning to shake.

Wandered straight round to the boss and said things weren't too good and I was going home early. If I wasn't in tomorrow he'd know why. "Sure thing Rob" was his reply. I've got an appointment with the company Doc tomorrow so I'll do my best to keep that.

I'm not that concerned about not feeling great

1) Other people are feeling a lot worse with other things
and
2) I'm coming to the end of my wean off period.
I didn't have any fluoxetine today and its been alternate days for the past week, so a slight downward turn is to be expected. Start the new stuff tomorrow.

One thing is for sure I'm sleeping a lot better at nights now.

Sniffle Sniffle

Yep - I've got a cold (or is it man flu?)

Probably not helped by having to stand at a ferry terminal for 90 minutes yesterday morning waiting for a coach to come and take us to the ground the kids were playing at.

So sensible head on today no running.

Finally got all the radiators in the house to go warm at the same time. Though I think MrsW was thinking I was losing it when I was going round the house saying "I can hear you little air bubbles and I'm coming to get you" while waving a radiator key around.

I need to get out more often don't I ;-)

First 100 miles

Managed to convince myself that I should do my long slow run this morning. I wasn't in the best of shapes for running, late night and yesterday's 7 miler had left me feeling a bit drained. The ice on the cars was also giving me second thoughts.

I think the Garmin was picking up on my bad vibes as it decided to switch itself off once and then give up with dead batteries at about mile 8. This miffed me as I had changed them night before. Perhaps I should start making a case for a new one, one that does pretty graphs. Luckily I was running the same route as last week with an extension at the beginning so I could judge the total distance.

Distance: 14.1 (ish)
Time: 2:11:50
Ave HR: 145

The run also brought up the 100 miles for the year. I'm tired now glad its rest day tomorrow and cutback week next week. Only problem is BigW is playing Rugby on the Isle of Wight tomorrow and we need to be at the ferry terminal for 8:30. Early bed for me tonight then

New Gadget

I've commenced the weaning off of the Fluoxetine. I didn't have any yesterday. I'll admit I didn't really feel any different yesterday. I did sleep much better last night, still fitfull but better than the middle of the night wake-up's I've had recently.

Spoke to my boss about the situation, he was as every great. I'm not to step up my hours next week. I was due to go to another company's offices next week for some tech-head discussion, but I'm not going now as its one less thing for me to worry about. I will confess that I did do more hours than I was supposed to this week. Somethign took my interest and I stuck with it - don't know if that's good or bad.

Been doing some more work on the Thin Controllers railway. The track is laid and is about half tacked down. The tacks ain't half fiddly though. Only problem is he wants and extentsion to the baseboard already!!

I have the offical role of making the tea first thing in the morning. MrsW doesn't function very well if she doesn't get her tea in bed. Problem is with me not going to work so early her tea isn't ready in time, so I bought a new kitchen gadget. A drinks maker, bit like to old teasmaid but electronic and it can make me a coffee at the same time - clever ehh.

Oh yeah being running the past couple of days. Today's effort was 7.12 miles in 1:00:38 (Ave pace 8:31 Ave HR 153). Again a run I can be pleased with. Tomorrow will be interesting the long slow run at the end of the week. Maybe another jog round the seaside.

Change of treatment

Was lucky enough to get an appointment to see the Doc today. What's even better was it was an evening appointment. Told my boss that I had an appointment to discuss my problems sleeping and he was and walking me off to the coffee shop for a cup of tea and a chat. He asked if everything was OK did I want to make any changes etc etc. I reassured him that I was fine it just that the sleepless nights were giving me problems.

Talked to the Doctor explained that I was still having problems with sleep and it wsa beginning to become an issue. She offered me 2 courses of treatment

1) A short term perscription of mild sleeping pills to see if it was just a remenant of the depression
or
2) A change to a less agitating medication.

I didn't liek the sleeping pills route, as if it is the Fluoxetine that is giving me the problems then the sleeping pills may mask the problem but when I stop them I'll be back to square one. So option 2 please. She thought it was a good long term plan as well. So I've got some new medicine - can't remember the name of it at the moment.

Changing medicine could get a little tricky. I have to wean myself off the Fluoxetine by taking it on alternative days before starting the new stuff. The problem with that is I could go back to being nervous/upset etc etc before the new stuff starts taking effect. Oh Joy!

The Doc offered to sign me off if need be but I said I would like to carry on. If I didn't feel up to working then I would just phone in sick. If it carried on then I would phone her and get an appointment/sick note.

I'll speak to he boss tomorrow and explain the situation to him. He'll then understand if I don't come in one day or go home at very short notice.

On the positive side I went for a run afterwards, schedule said tempo run and I felt like turning up the speed. So a gradual build of speed and then on warp factor 8 for a couple of minutes then slow down.
Here is the vital stats

Mile	Time	HR
1	9:21	145
2	8:21	158
3	7:01	171
4	8:37	163
4.54	4:58(9:15m/m)	146

Total 4.54 miles in 38:19, Ave HR 157 and Ave pace of 8:26. Again I'm quite pleased with that effort.

Interesting discovery

We have heat in the house in all bar 2 rooms the hall and the Lounge. The new radiators will are fitted its just they need connecting up to the rest of the system. I must say the plumbers have been excellent, though perhaps me making sure they were well watered with tea and feed with Ginger nuts helped!

As I type MrsW is putting the house back together.

The thin controller was a bit miffed yesterday when I told him we couldn't work on his model railway, though I was able to placate him by showing him the new track. I think I know what I will be doing at the weekend.

Managed a run this evening

7.1 Miles
1:04:12
Ave Pace 9:03
Ave Hr 145

Beginning to feel better about my running. I'm not running as fast as I was last year but I do seem to be running better - work that one out.

Now for my interesting discovery.

As you probably know I've been having problems with my sleep, waking up in the early hours of the morning and not been able to get back to sleep, just doozing. This has been getting me down at times. I've put this down to the depression as early waking is a sympton. However something had been bothering me. Previously I would wake up early in the morning realise what the time is and roll over and go back to sleep. Now I can't get back to sleep.

I was just chatting to someone about what medication I was on when I realised that this particular kind of sleepless nights started when I started my medication (fluoxetine). In fact when I first started taking it they were horrendous. So I put in Fluoxetine and insomnia and found this. I've cut the interesting bit out

"Anxiety and Insomnia:
During premarketing clinical trials, anxiety, nervousness and insomnia were reported by 10 to 15% of patients treated with fluoxetine. These symptoms led to discontinuation of the drug in 5% of the patients. "

So - It seems that insomnia is a fairly common side effect of my medication. Now I'm not stupid enough to just stop taking my medicine (it does its main job quite nicely thank you very much), but I will have to have a serious conversation with the Doc about it. MrsW posed an interesting question "If its the medicine, which is worse the insomnia or the depression?".

I don't think I have the answer to that one.

What a difference a day makes

Thanks again for everyone's support yesterday, it was really appreciated.

MrsW and I had a little talk when she got back from work. She thought I was a bit "fed-up" yesterday morning and she regretted letting me wimping out on my run. She did however offer to take the boys to rugby on her own to let me go out for a run. With an offer like that I couldn't turn it down.

Disappeared out of the door ready to do a long one but prepared to take whatever the body (or mind) was willing to give. It turned out they were both prepared to give a fair bit! 13 miles in 2 hrs and 47 seconds. Averageing 9:17 per mile and HR of 144

Mile	Pace	HR
1	9:04	140
2	9:20	145
3	9:05	141
4	9:20	143
5	9:29	143
6	9:15	142
7	9:15	141
8	9:14	145
9	9:17	143
10	9:19	143
11	9:12	150
12	9:22	147
13	9:30	147

Net effect is that I'm well pleased with that run. Ok I sort-of rigged the route by running along the seaside for a fair bit but that left me with the lovely hill at Mile 11. Anyway Lochaber is as flat as a pancake and they say you should do runs that mimic the race course.

More time spent on the Thin Controllers model railway. The base board is now painted the closest colour to grass that I could find in a tester paint pot. Trouble is the Thin Controller now expects me to go and get the track tomorrow and have it ready for when he comes home from school. Excuse me we've got the plumbers in tomorrow and I may be a little busy!!!

That reminds me, the plumbers will need to take up the study floor so I'll have to disassembly the computer and put it out of harms way. I'll try to blog from one of the boys computers but don't worry if you don't hear from me for a couple of days.

Tired and worried

I'm feeling a bit low at the moment. My sleep has being getting worse not better. Woke up again at 3 AM and only really got sleep in short snoozes from then on in. Couldn't face my Long Slow run this morning, it was due to be 13 miles but with MrsW working today and tomorrow I'll need my energy for the boys.

I suppose things are particularly stressful in the house at the moment as we are having the central heating upgraded next week. The plumbers will want the floor up in almost every room upstairs. MrsW has done another sterling job in moving things. The dining room is packed with chest of drawers and boxes of clothes, Big W's room isn't much better. I've got Monday off to help move things around but have to work the rest of the week so things are only going to get worse.

If the truth be told I'm worried that I'm on a downward slope again. I feel as if I'm as low as when things first started happening in November, I was planning to see the Doctor the week after next as part of a regular check-up. I think I may need to bring that forward.

Evening Edit

I'm glad to say things are looking better. The boys went and did their own thing Big W and middle W to the PS2, little W to the computer. This allowed me half an hour or so to just sit down ignore them and relax.

Took them out in the late afternoon to look at furniture - yeah boring but I want a new chest of drawers as my existing set are the 10+ year old MFI self assembly and are in danger of doing some self disassembly!! Saw a nice set but resisted the temptation to buy them as the last thing we need in the house next week is more furniture. I had warned them that I wasn't at my best but they were excellent at the shop. Then went and did some DIY shopping, well went to look but came out with stuff.

I've promised Middle W (Who I shall now call the Thin Controller) a shelf model railway so I bought the bits and pieces to make the baseboard. It was quite interesting that all 3 of them where interested in how it was made and helped gather the materials.

Thin Controller then help me start to make it handing me clamps and screwdrivers, though he decided he was going to stand outside of the garage when I got the circular saw out! Its still a work in progress, but its something I have done to make a difference and the look on the Thin Controllers face as he helped certainly brought me some happiness.

Oh took a couple more photo's to show you what the dining room and Big W bedroom look like

Cardiac Drift Test

Read an article by Windsurfing Susie about cardiac drift sometime ago and wanted to test how long I could hold a steady HR at a target rate of 8 min/mile.

Used a loop of 1.3 miles which also happens to be almost flat. This is what I came up with

Lap	pace	Ave HR
1 (inc warm up)	8:17	155
2	7:57	156
3	7:54	159
4	8:00	161
warm down	8:12	161

Total was 6.04 miles in 48:37 with an overall average HR of 158 and pace 8:03.

I'm not too sure what to make of it and I'm too tired to think about it now. If anyone has any ideas let me know.

Umm anything to say?

Not a lot to say today. Forced myself to leave on time yesterday despite a problem breaking out. Nobody asked me to stay but I felt guilty leaving with it unresolved. I'll find out what happened later when the US wakes up.

Completed the treadmill session yesterday morning 4 * 800m. Slower pace than I used to run them but finished with lots in reserve.

Feel like having a snooze now as I didn't get a good nights sleep last night (again!). I wonder if anyone will say anything if I start snoring at my desk?

Getting better

Up to 5 hours a day this week - what luxury I hear you say. A couple of people in the office are keeping an eye on me to ensure I don't overdo things. One chap stood at my desk tapping his watch and holding up 4 fingers, trying to tell me I'd done my 4 hours and I should be going home. I responded by holding up 5 fingers (I was on the phone at the time) and he said "Let you off then".

In a way that was quite good as I was tempted to work longer today because I hadn't done some of the things I wanted to and felt guilty. I then thought it was nothing that won't keep till tomorrow so left. I think this is a good sign, I believe it shows that I'm re-engaging with work, yet not let it rule me.

Running continues, though a bit aimless this week. Over cooked the 6 mile comfortable run on Monday by running too quickly and not backing off. Today's run was a recovery 3 that was just one foot being put in front of the other. Tomorrow should shake out the doldrums. I need to concentrate, its the return of the tready intervals.

End of the week

Well made it to the end of the work week, though only just.

Had a really bad nights sleep on Wednesday night - so bad I considered not going into work but going to see the Doc instead. Decided to tough it out at work as I didn't need to be there until 11 and I had to see the company Doc anyway.

Saw the company Doc and had a , at times painful, chat. He went back through what had happened (the painful bit) and life over the past year. His opinion was much the same as my own Doc (he knows her BTW). No one thing had being getting me done, but a whole succession of things possibly even starting with being upset by what I considered was a poor FLM. He reckons I was probably running on emergency power for some time and on that weekend it gave out. His advice like everyone else is to take things steady and not push things.

I'm glad to say that since Thursday my sleep has been a lot, lot better. I suspect I was just worried about meeting the company Doc. Certainly feeling a lot brighter now, even managed a run this morning the first since Tuesday. A comfortable 9 miles in 1hr 21min 30 (ave 9:02) with an Average HR of 145. Nice way to round off the running week.

Booble hats

WARNING THIS POST HAS A HIGH GEEK CONTENT

Another day at the office, was planning to do an interval session before starting but had another poor nights sleep and was just too tired. If these sleep problem continue into next week I'll be going back to the Doc sooner than I planned. Having said that I've got an appointment to see the Company Doctor tomorrow, so I'll mention it to him as well. It seems my Boss and an HR representative talk to him before I go and see him. Could be an interesting conversation.

I've not got on well with my Christmas present (PS2) can't really play any of the games. After watching one of the Top Gear presenters doing a program about toys from the past and finishing with a Model Railway I've been hankering after a Train Set. MrsW thought it would be good for me to have a hobby. I'll admit I had a Train Set about 20 years ago and I loved that.

I only went and bought one this afternoon with some extra track. Its only a small one and is currently on the floor in BigW's Room but its great. MrsW has given me permission to set a permanent one up in the loft. The boys love it and want to buy their own things for it, Bah who needs Playstations....

Back to work

I didn't sleep very well last night, something to do with going back to work this morning. As I'm only doing part time I had enough spare time to go for a short recovery run, though with hindsight I wished I'd given it a miss, it left me feeling really tired.

I was apprehensive about today, how would I be treated? what would people say? I stood at the entrance briefly, took a deep breath and stepped in. I hadn't gone 5 steps before meeting someone "Hi Rob" and the person kept on walking, no big song and dance which is the way I wanted it. Went to say hello to the managers before heading for my desk just in case tehre was anything I needed to know before I even sat down. My boss wanted to chat to me, but had to see to something first.

Logged on ( I even remembered my passwords!!) and opened the dreaded inbox. A couple of people were taking good humoured guesses at how many e-mails I would have. 800, 1000, 1500? In the end the answer was 1432, yes that's one thousand four hundred and thirty two e-mails. Won't be reading all that will I? to be fair 1100 hundred were from automated systems telling me people had put comments in Problem Reports or this was the daily Problem Report status. These were ruthless dispatched using a CTRL-A followed by the key marked "Del". I then chose a people that would talk to me if there was anything important and deleted their e-mails without opening them. A cursory glance at the rest, nothing of importance - delete. Out of the all my e-mails I replied to 3 and talked to someone about a 4th. What does that tell you about e-mail????

Spent the rest of my time having a one on one with my boss, talking to people finding out what was going on and booking an appointment with the "I'm going to hurt you but it's good for you" lady. Everyone was great, just the whispered "nice to have you back" or wave of the hand. I work with some really great people. By 2:30 I was very tired and ready to finish, but the difficult bit is behind me now.

Happy New Year

A Happy New Year to one and all

Quite funny last night, all three of the little W's wanted to stay up for the bells and the fireworks. Small W made it to 11:10 before falling asleep on the floor, the other 2 were rewarded with a fantastic show of fireworks from some of the neighbouring houses. Unfortunately we also had to put up with a lot of foul mouthed shouting from some drunken chavs on their way somewhere or other. I think there is a definite market for a sound targeted machine gun, great for dealing with such disturbances - no repeat offences.

Started off the new on what I think is the right way, with a run. A long slow run. I was supposed to do it yesterday but as I didn't get to my bed until 2:30 on Friday (or should I say Saturday Morning) I thought it wise to postpone it. Also thought it would be a nice way to celebrate the new year.


Finally managed to work out how to transfer an excel spreadsheet into a picture which saves me the hassle of handtyping an HTML table everytime, though I've still got to type up the spreadsheet. I've no idea what happened in mile 3 its 90 seconds slower than anything else. I suspect its a Garmin fault it did lose the signal for a bit.

I was very pleased with the run, good consistent times, mile 8 onwards are slower and higher HR because they are a little undulating but the averages are good.