FROM RECOVERY TO BEYOND

Lakeland 100 Recce video

2012-03-05T08:15:00.000Z

Had a fantastic day out with John yesterday. Full report to follow but here is a taste of the day.

Training/Recovery balance

2012-02-26T21:09:00.000Z

After my confidence boosting day on the West Highland Way during the half term holidays, I have been caught in limbo. I definitely suffered in the few days after the long run, which suggests that I did really push myself, perhaps a bit too hard. As I have thought about the run over the last week or so, I have come to the conclusion that the psychological benefits I gained, outweigh the physiological negatives I have suffered since. Knowing I can cover the big distances at a reasonable pace again is really important and, as I stated previously, it takes some pressure off me.

This week, for the first time since the operation, I have been torn between waiting to fully recover from the long run and wanting to get back into full training. In previous years, a couple of easy days would have been enough, however, after my training runs this week, it is obvious that I currently need longer.

After some easy runs during the week, I planned to have a tougher weekend. On Saturday, the weather looked quite nice so I decided I would have a run up Skiddaw with a view to doing some quad conditioning on the descent. Despite being a nice day, I thought I would just pop an extra jacket, gloves and buff into the bumbag; well you never know!? Turns out this was one of the best moves I will make this year. Just as I reached the summit ridge, the weather changed dramatically. Gale force winds, snow, hail and sleet!! All the layers went on and I toughed it out along the ridge to the summit, running at a gravity defying angle just to stay upright. I wanted to take some video footage but it would have been impossible to stop, take off the glaves and work the camera. It was simply a case of touching the trig point and getting the hell out of there. On the way down, I met another runner going up and told him the conditions on the summit were brutal. He thought I was joking as we were bathed in sunshine at the time. Whilst up there, I could here a helicopter (visibility was too short to see it), I wonder if it was involved in a mountain rescue?

The long climb has obviously put some extra strain on the tendon and for the last 36 hours my calfs have been screaming. I had planned to do a cpoule of hours today but decided to rest up, having one eye on my long Lakeland 100 recce next week with John Kynaston.

My short term targets have changed radically in the space of less than two weeks. After the long run on the WHW, I thought I could start to gently increase the tempo of training and add in more hill work. After this last week, I realise I don't need to trun up the gas yet, in fact, I can afford to turn the gas down for the time being and just gently build on the base I have got now. So, this next week I am going to stay off the hills and just tick over in the hope of being in a better state to make the most of next weekend.

During the recce run I want to try and carry the full set of kit that you have to carry in the race later in the year. I spent an hour this afternoon trying out different bits of my mountain marathon kit, deciding which combinations would work and fit into my favorite trail running rucksack.

I will need to have the extra small pack attached to the waist band and I think I will add some webbing to the main rucksack to give the option of carrying jacket, gloves, etc on the outside. Overall, I was pleased with the system and it weighs much less than a typical mountain marathon rucksack.

Gels, energy powder to mix with water, electrolyte tablets, compass, whistle, 1st aid kit, spare drink and food, hat, gloves, headtorch, foil blanket, phone, base layer trousers and top, waterproof jacket and trousers, extra pertex jacket.

The extra webbing will make life easier on the run to access the most likely gear and leave things less cramped in the sack. Big test next week for the kit system and an even bigger test for John and I. All we need now is some better weather!

West Highland Way training run

2012-02-19T18:36:00.000Z

This has been a really important week for me. Those that have viewed the video in my previous post will understand why, but it goes deeper than just being able to call myself an ultra distance runner again.

On Monday, Tracey and I travelled up to Arrochar at the tip of Loch Long where we had booked 5 days in a self catering apartment. It turned out to be a superb little base, immaculately presented with every mod-con you could need and we had a lovely week. (Check it out here)

For me personally, Tuesday was the big day. I decided that I would run from Balmaha to Tyndrum, along the West Highland Way. This particular run was my first experience of the WHW back in 2009 when I ran with a friend who was training for the WHW race. Back then, I had such a fantastic day out that I entered the Highland Fling Race as soon as I got back and have been concentrating on ultra running since. I have done this route for the previous 3 years during the February half term holiday, getting a little faster and more confident each time, though last year I knocked something like 35 minutes off my previous year's time.

1st training run on WHW - Feb 2009

This year, I didn't really know what to expect. Most parameters seemed to be against me; double the longest run since the operation, 7 month lay-off during the injury, normally done 2 1/2 months training at this point (only 1 1/2 this time), blah, blah, blah. On the plus side, I was just so excited to be out there again, I thought that might help me through.

I set off from Balmaha feeling so much better than I had just before Christmas when I dragged my self to Rowardennan kicking and screaming. I knew straight away that this was going to be a much nicer experience. I took lots of video clips along the way as I have done on many of my outings, including some where I place the camera on the trail side and run past so I get some footage of myself running. Not only does this look good on the video but it also gives me some insight into how I am running mechanically; something I think more runners should try and do.

I knew I was making good time, though it wasn't until I reached my first marker after 35 minutes or so, that I realised just how fast I was going. Not long after this, I met John and Katrina Kynaston as they drove past on the way to Rowardennan to walk up Ben Lomond. We had a short chat about our future training plans for the Lakeland 100 and our first outing together in a couple of weeks time. As ever, John was straight out with the camera and kindly sent me a copy of the photograph.

I carried on, still with a lovely bounce in my step, reaching Rowardennan in around 1:18 hours, 12 minutes quicker than in December. From that point I knew one of two things would happen. Either I would have a storming day out and finish in a better than expected time or the wheels would fall off and I would have to dig deep to get to Tyndrum, leaving Tracey to pick up the pieces.

There is a long climb out of Rowardennan, so I used this time to walk a little. I tried to visualise where I would attempt to run or walk during the Fling race in April, trying to break the long climb into smaller sections which make the whole thing easier to cope with, both physically and psychologically. Once I reached the single track section, I let things fly a little. This is a really nice trail with lots of short ups and downs, requiring smooth running and quick transitions from a walk to a run; really interesting stuff. I reached Inversnaid in just over 2:30 hours.

The next 3 miles are the "Marmite" section of the WHW, you either love it or hate it! Fortunately, I love it. It is really technical with lots of rocks, short climbs, longer climbs, tree roots and just about anything else that could throw you off your stride. I find the key is not to fight the trail but relax and be smooth - easier said than done. Not long after, you pass Dario's post and have to take in the view - it's the law!!!

View from Dario's Post

It is always a relief when you reach Beinglas Farm and can put the loch behind you. I still felt pretty good at this point, well as good as you can be after running for 4 hours, though I did begin to think that I might be able to hold this pace together to the finish. The next few miles do allow you to get more of a rhythm and the miles seem to go that little bit quicker.

The most important point of the whole day came after crossing the main road and railway, just before Cow-poo corner. I kept a close eye on the GPS and stopped when the distance ticked over to 26.3 miles which officially made me an ultra distance runner again. Yippeee!!

From this point on, I suddenly became interested in what time I could do for the whole route. My quick calculations suggested I could better last year's time which would be some kind of small miracle and a huge confidence boost. So I set about being smooth and running as much as I could, picturing how I would do this in the Fling. It was pleasing how I was able to respond despite the growing tightness in my calfs and I simply ground out a steady pace through the rollercoaster woods and on to Tyndrum.

I finished in 6:08 hours for the 33.5 miles and, to be honest wasn't in too bad a shape, certainly good enough for a quick change and drive back to Arrochar.

My confidence has taken a wonderful boost from this and, in many ways, it has taken some pressure off as I know I am getting back to my pre-operation levels of fitness. What I am still doing well is to listen to my body. I have done things very easy since the long run, despite the programme asking for more, I have missed some sessions to allow myself to recover properly and am going to have another easy week next week. That is perhaps the next target; to be able to complete the mega long runs and then recover more quickly to resume normal training. We'll see how I cope after the first Lakeland 100 training route in a couple of weeks time.

A happy boy, signing off!

I'm back!

2012-02-18T08:19:00.000Z

I'm an ultra runner again!

Felt like a runner

2012-02-12T16:24:00.001Z

I started last week's training with a really positive attitude, trying to think of myself as a runner in training rather than a runner on the recovery trail. I have no idea whether the positive attitude helped or I am simply getting fitter but this week was my best effort so far with everything going to plan, clocking up around 45 miles of trails. The most pleasing part was that I seemed to cope with the week far easier than the last "medium" week I did, which I finished rather drained, requiring a full recovery week after. This time I feel I am ready to jump into a "hard" week, including a long WHW section.

It was nice to get some variety into the week, with each session having a different tone, making things fun and easy to cope with mentally. I started with a common session of mine; round the small singletrack paths in the woods below Latrigg Fell. It's only a 5 mile loop but is very technical, great for working on a smooth running style and includes my favourite 1 mile of running anywhere (for those that know the area; the river terrace path towards The Forge.)

Tuesday, I did a full hill rep session (note the singular) which was a 40 minute run up Skiddaw, nearly reaching the top of Jenkin's Hill, and a blast down. This was my first sustained uphill run, which obviously puts some extra strain on the tendon, though it seemed to hang-on in there and wasn't too sore later on. This was an important session, psychologically, as it should now give me the confidence to spend a little more time in the mountains knowing that the tendon can cope.

I had a good run on the old railway line on Thursday. I found I was running a little too quickly at times and had to hold back which is always a nice feeling. This session is often used to improve running style and efficiency as the surface is uniform, allowing for a nice rhythm.

Tracey and I were attending a wedding in Yarm on Saturday (congratulations Iain and Karen), staying at Tracey's sisters house, so I did a new run out along the River Tees. This was, without doubt, the most enjoyable run I have had since the operation. Freezing cold, no wind, no mud (as it was all frozen) and some picturesque views I've not seen before. The 10 miles flew by and I was bouncing at the end.

Derwentwater from Ashness Wood

Today, I rounded off the week with a 16 mile loop, basically round the lake, going down the west shore first, right down to Rossthwaite, climbing over to Watendlath and back via Ashness Bridge and Great Wood. Despite a late night, I felt pretty good as I set off and, again, had to easy back the pace every now and then as I dipped under the 8 min/mile barrier. It was one of those days that remind you why we do this sport, you soon get lost in your own thoughts or the beauty of the landscape, simply feeling good about the moment, thinking back or planning ahead.

Running through Brandelhow Park Woods

I did struggle a bit on the climb over into Watendlath, though managed to just about run the full climb. The ankle was starting to stiffen up a little towards the end but that could just as easily be due to the harder training week or being at the tail-end of a long run. Either way, I had a nice second wind over the last few miles and finished quite strongly.

Top of the climb to Watendlath

So, a very positive week, my highest mileage so far, my highest weekly hours so far, all done with the minimum of fuss. Now for the really big test next week - I'm going to try and become an ultra runner again as I run from Balmaha to Tyndrum. I am sure I can complete the run, what is more important is that I complete the run in one piece and am able to recover quickly enough to continue with the training rhythm I have established. If all goes to plan, I've got three weeks until the first of my long Lakeland 100 recces with John Kynaston and I obviously want to be in a position to make the most of that outing. (Note to self; I need to be fit enough to run and have a 7 or 8 hour conversation!!)

A state of mind

2012-02-06T21:54:00.000Z

During the last week, I had a simple conversation with a colleague, but then spent a great deal of time mulling over my responses. As ever, my friend asked how my heel was feeling and how the running was going. Simple enough questions. It was later in the day, as I was training, I realised that my stock responses to those frequent questions reveal a great deal about my current state of mind. I always say things like "I'm slowly getting there", "Good days and bad" and "It's going to be a while yet". The thought in my head as I ran along was when would I change this attitude? At some point I have to draw a line and describe myself as an ultrarunner again. That is easy to do in black and white, within these blog pages, as soon as I complete a run longer than 26.2 miles, hopefully in about 10 or 11 days when I plan to have an outing on the WHW. In reality, it's a bit more complex than that.

Attitudes, once formed, are enduring and work at a sub-conscious level. In order to re-shape the attitude that has formed over the last six months, I need to break one element of that cycle that makes the attitude so dominant. I feel that breaking the 26.2 mile barrier will be a significant part of this process but I need more. I'm going to try a different response to general enquiries. Phrases like "Training is going well", "I can feel myself getting fitter" and "Had another solid week of training". These statements are all true, but I never use them at present; at some point I have to stop hiding behind the recovery from the operation, when standing on the start line there is no special category for me, nowhere to hide, no special asterisk next to your name on the results, you are only assessed on the result of the race.

So, to start the ball rolling, I had a really good, solid week of training. Completing a normal easy week, exactly as planned, though I definitely coped better with the sessions than the previous easy weeks. The recovery week I slotted in has made a real difference and I'm going to make sure I repeat that at times when I feel sluggish, tired or even just a bit demotivated. I found that I had to hold myself back at times during the week, looking down at the GPS and seeing that I was faster than 8 minutes/mile. The first two months of the training programme, whether recovering after a lay-off or not, are kept at a comfortable pace and I force myself to keep to the rule (8 min/mile max pace).

This next week is classified as a medium week, where I intend to run 5 sessions, with a total of about 45 miles, which I hope will set me up for the following week, where I'm going to attempt to run from Balmaha to Tyndrum and call myself an ultra distance runner again. I'm really looking forward to this run as it is the exact route that got me hooked on the WHW after I ran with a friend who was training for the race in 2009.

Children of the Revolution

2012-02-01T17:59:00.000Z

Not a great deal to talk about with regard to my training this last week. Having started the year with three solid training weeks, I decided I needed to spend a week recovering and repairing, which is exactly what I have done. Simply running three times, all around 4 miles, at a nice easy pace. I feel much refreshed and ready to start the next three week cycle of training which will be an easy week, a medium week and finally, in the half term holidays, a hard week to include the biggest test so far; running from Balmaha to Tyndrum. Last year I did this run in about 6:15 hours but will be happy with something in the region of 7:00 hours, with the number one priority of being in one piece at the finish.

I thought would take a little time to tell you about my growing stable of athletes I am advising/coaching. The names of the innocent have been protected!

Everone has their own special needs, each a particular characteristic and each sits on a different step of the running ladder. Take S, she started running simply for the health benefits but after a while the lure of a proper race proved too great. She needed a simple plan to gradually increase her distances but also build some confidence. P is the adrenaline runner; he used to just hammer every run, which got him into good shape and made him competitive in lots of races but he really wanted to get that little bit more and focus on a few specific races. We have now got him having a purpose for each run, more variety in his training and some time to recover and regroup. He is a very experienced runner and really just needs someone to suggest what he already knows!

Now we come to the dynamic duo. These guys have ended up training together but, again, approach things from very different angles. Firstly, A is methodical planner. He has been training well, with a correctly structured week, the problem being that he did the same basic stuff, week after week. What we have done is build a plan for the year (on a spreadsheet, of course), targeting a number of races, peaking for his main target of an off-road marathon later in the year. This is the first time he has had a periodised training plan and, interestingly, he is finding that he may be getting too fit too soon, I think due to the built-in recovery periods which he has not used before. We are going to leave the plan as it is for the next month and then review things. Then finally, there is S. He is relatively new to running, like a puppy with a toy. His enthusiasm is catching but, again, he needs to be warned about hammering training too often. He is following the same basic plan as A, simply because they do most of their training together. S is at the point where he is making rapid gains in his performances, which is obviously great for his confidence, but his area for improvement is pacing, in both training and racing. I am sure that he will boss this as he gains more experience. On the plus side, this guy knows how to push himself; open the hurt box and climb inside!

I'm really enjoying giving advice to these runners and, in fact, nudge a number of others in the right direction, whether it be training, racing, kit, shoes, nutrition, etc. It probably benefits my training and racing too as it makes you spend a little more time analysing things which you may otherwise take for granted.

Finished off the week with a visit to The Revolution cycling event at Manchester Velodrome. What a fantastic evening. Three hours of non-stop entertainment, including some of the world's top ranked cyclists, like Sir Chris Hoy. They look fast on the TV, but it is a sight to behold in the actual stadium with 17,000 spectators cheering on. I have put together a short video of the races, however, you'll have to forgive the quality of the shots as it was done with my phone and they just move too bloody fast.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

2012-01-24T21:17:00.001Z

Last week was quite a mixed bag; you will have to decide which bits are the good, which the bad and which the ugly!

I started the week hoping to put together a "medium" week of training which would be 5 sessions, somewhere in the region of 40 miles, including possibly my longest run so far. Things started in a rather unorthodox way on Tuesday as I borrowed a friend's pair of Hoka Combo XT shoes. After having a look some Hoka shoes last weekend, I really wanted to have a go in a pair, especially after reading lots of reviews and blogs by runners, some with Achilles tendon problems. The snag was that my chum is way taller than me and two shoe sizes bigger! Just to get a feel for the radical design, I did half my route in my normal shoes with the Hoka's in a rucksack, then swopped shoes out on the trail (along with two extra pairs of socks.) Well, first impressions were very positive. Despite the size problem, I was soon bouncing along which rarely happens on my sessions after work, these runs are often just steady plods.

I only had the shoes until Thursday, so had to squeeze in another short run on Wednesday after refereeing a football match but could only manage 3 miles. Even so, the shoes seemed to make everything easier, looking after my legs nicely. I finished the run, walked into the house and said to Tracey that, even though I am trying not to like them, I'm going to have to get a pair; the comfort factor is simply too great and they feel fantastic to run in.

Thursdays session was a complete disaster! The intention was to do a single hill rep, the aim being to condition my quads to long downhills, something really important for the Lakeland 100. The plan is to run uphill for 40 minutes, then bomb back down, increasing the length of the rep as the year progresses. For whatever reason, I felt lathargic but still set off with headtorch to run a fair way up Skiddaw, however, the weather decided to kick a man when he is down, with a dramatic hail storm arriving just as I started the first steep climb. After battoning down the hatches of my jacket, I did a Falstaff, turned tail and thought about fighting another day.

Looking to St John's in the Vale

After spending Saturday morning with some of our pupils at the Cumbria Schools Cross Country Championships, I called in at The Climbers Shop in Ambleside and am now a proud owner of a pair of Hoka Bondi B shoes. These are actually the road running version but had by far the best fit for my narrow feet. The trail shoes had a rather large toe box which my feet just rolled around in, the Combo shoes were a little too short in the toe area, but the road shoe is a lovely fit with hardly any difference between the grips, particularly at the speed of an ultra race (one full size up on my usual UK10.) I may have to change my name to Goldilocks!

Lakeland 100 route, just beyond Latrigg

The good bit of the week came on Sunday with a 16 mile run, my longest so far since the operation. The new shoes were superb. They really take the sting out of the trail but I did still find I had some connection and did not feel it detracted from the whole aesthetics of the experience. Stability was good and you feel very confident, especially over rocky terrain. The large footprint gives good grip and, interestingly, the minimal drop from heel to toe (something like 4mm) gives a really natural mid foot strike, even though you assume that with so much padding you will be more likely to heel strike. The shoe's biggest asset seems to be decending; you eat up the terrain with great confidence and so much less pounding. I know it's still early stages but, so far, I am impressed. I finished the run strongly and, satisfyingly, in the same sort of time I was doing last winter. This week, I am having a lovely recovery week, which I feel I deserve, followed by easy, medium and hard, including a long run on the West Highland Way, so that's the next month sorted. Easy!

Another solid week

2012-01-15T16:41:00.000Z

I now feel that I am into a training programme. Like most runners, I am a creature of habit; training, for me, is all about routine. Having not trained for 8 months, it has not only been a battle back from the operation, but also to reform the training habit.

I stuck to the plan, aiming for another "easy" week consisting of 4 sessions. The first two outings, on Tuesday and Wednesday, went really well, so much so, that I put Wednesday's run down as a tempo session as I felt I put in that kind of effort. Did not suffer any major complications in the evenings after those sessions, I just have a general stiffness around the ankle joint which is gone by the next morning.

Friday's session was another story! I planned to run around Derwentwater Lake straight from school and I also wore a pair of compression socks for the full day as I have been feeling sluggish in my lower legs by the end of the working day. Whether it was a problem with wearing the socks (something I have done before), just being the end of the working week or a combination of the two, I had some problems during the run. All started well and I felt fine for the initial 3 or 4 miles, but then struggled to run naturally and felt very awkward in my gait for the remainder of the run, almost hobbling by the end. I had the usual soreness in the evening, but was fine again on Saturday so, hopefully, nothing to panic about!? I suppose you have to have the occasional sorbet to clear the palate!

Today, I went down to Ambleside to have a look at a few of the Lakeland 100 trails around there; the small footpaths of the route are not trails I know well. I first ran back round the route, skirting below Wansfell towards Troutbeck, turning at the Post Office to return to Ambleside. The race route seems easy enough to follow and, like last week, I kept imagining I was in the race, thinking about how I might be feeling at this point (knackered!) The route follows some lovely paths with great views down to Ambleside and Windermere.

As I returned to Ambleside, I made sure I followed the exact route through the streets to The Lakes Runner shop, which is the official checkpoint and then continued out on the next section of the race over Loughrigg Fell, down to Skelwith Bridge. I finally turned again, climbing back over the fell to Ambleside. Felt fine all the way which was a big relief after Friday's disaster, still skipping along at the end. Again, I was able to just run without thinking about foot placement; it almost seems that I am running more smoothly/naturally in the rougher terrain, whereas on the smoother trails on Friday, I struggled. Go figure! Just over 11 miles in 2 hours.

Had a little wander round Ambleside after, calling in at The Climber Shop which stock the Hoka shoes (see earlier post) just so I could have a look. I tried a pair on but I'm not sure I could run in them. I think they would take some getting used to and I would love to have a trial run in a pair just to get a feel for them properly; jogging around the shop laughing at yourself is not really a suitable test run! I cannot justify spending that kind of money on a radical pair of shoes that might be exactly what you need in a 100 mile race, but equally might not suit my running style. Might keep my eye out for some cast-offs or secondhand shoes that don't agree with someone else - they may give the comfort my heels, ankles, knees, hips and back desire!!

First week of training

2012-01-08T17:02:00.000Z

Well, I have actually managed it. I planned to make this week my first proper training week, doing what I would normally complete in an "easy" training week when fit. I strongly believe that recovery time is vital in your long term preparation, so make sure that an easy week has three days off from running; this is the period in which your body repairs itself and becomes stronger.

On the three runs since seeing the physio on Tuesday, I have tried to run more naturally but really struggled on Wednesday and Friday. My heel area tends to stiffen up during the day at work, so running on top of this makes it more difficult to run freely and I found I was concentrating on my foot strike most of the time, getting more and more annoyed with myself which only made me think about my action even more (something to do with a book by Joseph Heller!?) On both occasions, the heel was quite stiff in the evening, but fine again next day. On the positive side, I am starting to feel that I am coping with the physical side of the training, I am definitely fitter than before Christmas and, more importantly, a routine is starting to form.

Today, I decided to continue picking off sections of the Lakeland 100, so parked at the end of the old railway near Threlkeld and ran the length of the Coach Road and back. The majority of this section is run on a rocky path, going out over fell land without ever getting too high, which I thought would be an ideal trip considering the weather. After a short easy initial section, there is about a kilometer uphill over very wet and muddy ground (Bob Graham route from Newsham to the Old Coach Road.)

Just beyond Newsham Farm

On a day like today, with the current ground conditions, there is no point tip-toeing round the mud, it is simply a case of picking a line and splashing through it. I remember from my Bob Graham training from a few years ago that there are a number of possible trods to take here, but the pace notes for the Lakeland 100 give a nice simple route which is easy to follow, even in the dark, keeping just to the right side of Birkett Beck.

Heading towards the side of Birkett Beck

Once up on the Old Coach road, I made good steady progress and this time managed to allow my mind to wander, not thinking about the heel. The physio was right, the less I think about what I am doing, the smoother I run! I really started to enjoy this section, trying to picture myself running this during the race in the summer, which distracted my mind from the heel and the rain. I did not see another sole along the entire length of the Coach Road, which is quite a rarity in the Lake District. I finally reached the end of the track at a small car park, which I think is a checkpoint for the Lakeland 100, in about 70 minutes.

End of Coach Road

The return journey was tougher as it was into the wind and rain, but it did not involve the climb up through the swamp. I felt a bit stronger towards the end today, more so than previous longer runs, which was encouraging. In addition, there was less stiffness in the tendon, so I am hoping this is a sign that my body has coped with the weeks training. Without the long climb, it only took about 50 minutes to run back to the car, giving a total time of about 2 hours for the 11.2 miles.

The weeks summary is; 4 sessions, 32 miles and 5:36 hours. That is a good solid start, but I must make sure I do not overdo things, so I am going to aim for basically the same again next week and really concentrate on not concentrating!

Just run!

2012-01-03T21:41:00.000Z

The title refers to the instructions given to me by my physio. I had another appointment today, which developed into a rather interesting talk.

She gave my heel area a good look over and checked that the tendon is moving freely and not grinding. Everything was fine and she could see a definite increase in muscle size in the calf, so it now just looks small rather than pathetic.

We discussed the running I have been doing and I commented on how I have been using the GPS watch to keep my pace slow to avoid too much stress. To my surprise, she suggested that I try to up the pace to the level I would normally train at, as this would probably give me a smoother run using my normal gait. I talked about how I spend all my training runs thinking about how I am putting my foot down rather than just running normally and she suggested that this could be making things more difficult.

Somehow, I have to retrain my brain to realise that there is no longer a mechanical problem with the foot. At the moment, my brain is trained to protect the injured area (built up over the last few years of running with the problem) and will not let me run naturally, probably causing the calf to tighten and therefore putting more strain on the tendon.

We have decided that I'm on my own for the next couple of months, though I can call at any time I need help or advice, and then she can assess the situation, hopefully for the last time. Her parting words were "Just run!", so that is what I'm going to try and do.

On a different note, I received one of my regular emails from a friend who lives in Spain (Hi David), commenting on the previous post which I thought I would copy part of here;
"Your photo of the trees at Buttermere, start of Scarth Gap ..... I planted them when I was a National Park Ranger, for footpath erosion control."
Small world!!

First Lakeland 100 Recce

2012-01-01T18:50:00.001Z

Happy New Year to all.

Things have been progressing well over the last two weeks. Since I broke up for the Christmas holidays two weeks ago, I have been able to get into more of a training routine, at least with regard to regular running; whether the running I am doing at present can be classed as "training" is another matter.

I am certainly not at the point where everything is free and easy, the running is always a bit of a struggle but it is getting easier. I had a run on Christmas day where I felt really good and found that I had to hold back the pace a bit which was a great feeling and equally important for my confidence. I recovered quite quickly from my run along the WHW last week and feel that I am just about ready to try a "training week" rather than just a "run as you feel week". I have been pleased with the way I have built up my running over the last 2 months, starting with the 30 second jogs to a point where I can tackle training sessions.

Yesterday morning, I thought I would start my training for the Lakeland 100 with a recce of part of the route from Blacksail Pass to Buttermere valley. So, despite the abysmal weather, I ran/walked from Buttermere, over Scarth Gap, down into Ennerdale, up to Blacksail Pass and back again.

Start of climb to Scarth Gap from Buttermere

I took the first climb nice and easy, walking the steeper first part, running the easier middle section and walking again up to the pass. I caught and passed three folks pushing mountain bikes up the hill; knowing how rough this terrain is, I wondered where they were expecting to ride; each to his/her own!

Scarth Gap to the left

The drop down into Ennerdale was a bit slippy in the wet conditions, so much so, that I ran most of it off the rocky path on the grass. I stopped at the YHA at the head of Ennerdale to change my gloves for a second (Goretex) pair and put on an extra jacket for the climb up to Blacksail Pass as the weather was getting more brutal. I ran the first half to generate some heat and then stomped to the top, feeling pretty good but glad I was not continuing on into Wasdale.

A quick turn round at the top and lots of concentration on the descent. This was now the Lakeland 100 route and it became very clear that this section would need more recceing. During the race, this will be in the dark and, at times, the path is very indistinct particularly through the rocks. It gets much easier towards the bottom and you always have the handrail of Sail Beck on your right, but I am definitely going to have another look at this descent before the race.

The climb back up to Scarth Gap is much easier and shorter than I thought, taking less than 20 minutes. Once again, the descent from the top is very technical and is not the palce to make a bid for glory in the race. The objective for me will be to get to the valley in one piece and protect my quads for battles later to come.

Back in Butteremere Valley

I got back to the car in just over 2 hours, tried not to get too depressed to find that I'd only covered 7.2 miles, but felt great to be back in the hills again after such a long break. No major problems with the tendon other than a little stiffness later, but this was again less than I was suffering only a week and a half ago.

So, next week I will try an easy training week and see how the legs cope with that. Watch this space!

Oh, I'm so unfit!

2011-12-24T11:36:00.000Z

During a little pre-Christmas break in Scotland, I had a run out on my favourite section of the West Highland Way. The original intention was to run from Drymen to Rowardennan, however, I noticed that there was a diversion in place to avoid the forest above Drymen. After a quick consultation with the WHW Race Forum to get the full story from the horses mouth, I decided to change plans to avoid the fallen trees and run from Balmaha to Rowardennan and back instead.

When I am running well, this is without doubt the section of the WHW I enjoy the most. The scenery is breathtaking, the trail interesting without being too tough and it's always sheltered from the worst of the weather. During the previous week, my confidence has been growing as I have suffered less and less from the stiffness/soreness in the evenings after a run, but did realise this would be the biggest acid test so far.

As I left Balmaha, it felt great to be back on this section again and I had a nice spring in my step. I allowed myself to run maybe a little faster than I have done so far and just tried to concentrate on a fluid style. For a while, I did not really think about my heel, everything felt normal and smooth as I settled into a lovely rhythm. As ever, I walked up the small climbs, but I noticed how much I was enjoying the downhill parts. I remember thinking how my quads would pay for that later; how right I was!

After an hour, I started to feel the heel, though it was more awkward rather than sore or painful. The problems seem to occur in the calf muscle as it tries to "protect" the tendon and, at present, the muscle is just not strong enough to make this compensation. Unfortunately, the only way to build up the muscle is to keep stressing it in a controlled way; it is just going to take time.

I do not think my running style was compromised on the return journey (take a look at the video) but I did take things noticably easier on the way back to Balmaha. Once I got past the 2 hour mark, I started to feel knackered, made worse as I remembered how I would zoom along this section when fit and here I was struggling to finish. It was great to get 3 hours under my belt, but it has highlighted the length of the road ahead to get back to full race fitness.

I am hoping to start a more structured training programme in the new year but am just going to concentrate on a few easy weeks at first, then in the middle of January, I'm going to try a "medium" week and see how the legs cope. Between now and then, I'm going to limit my runs to a maximum of 1:30 hours, with the majority under an hour. I find that writing things down in the blog tend to make them stick in my mind better and I'm more likely to follow the plan. That gives me another 4 weeks of steady training before I have my next serious test.

Happy Christmas to all!

Keswick AC Christmas Handicap Race

2011-12-19T13:38:00.000Z

Yesterday, I competed in our club's traditional Christmas handicap race. We start and finish at the cricket pavilion in Fitz Park, doing a loop up into the woods on the lower slopes of Latrigg Fell. I set myself the same targets as last week; never faster than 10 mins/mile and walk all the hills. This did make my handicap rather difficult to work out, but I slotted in fairly near the front of the field.

It was a beautiful morning and I was just so excited to be in a "race" again. My previous competitive outing was in March and I've been so looking forward to this moment. It was a rather inauspicious start as the runners in front steadily ran into the distance and those behind slowly but surely caught and passed me, but I was loving it!

As we got on to the muddier and rougher ground, I was better able to keep up, though, stopping to keep filming did ruin my chances of a comeback win. Towards the end, I felt like I could have pushed the pace a bit, but forced myself to stick to the plan, using the video camera as an excuse to walk.

I eventually toddled over the line having been passed or outrun by the entire field, bar one, to claim second last place. Never has such a lowly placing felt so good.

In the last week I have been out running four times and each one has felt a bit more comfortable than the previous one and I have suffered less and less from soreness and stiffness in the evening. I feel very close to the point where I might be able to start a more structured training programme but have decided to keep this ad lib training going for the time being. The problem at present is the strain that hills put on the tendon, but even this is getting easier. During the last week of term, I got back into the habit of running from school after work and it felt really good to get back into that routine.

I received a few entries for the photo competition from last week, thank you to those that entered and I hope you enjoyed working out where the shots were taken and how far along the route each site is. Most seemed to comment that Photo 3 was the most difficult to pin-point. For those that had a look, here are the actual answers;
   Photo 1 - Crossroads in path at Arlehaven, just after crossing B821 (4.49 miles)
   Photo 2 - WHW marker post in last field before Drymen checkpoint (11.76 miles)
   Photo 3 - Ruin in Mugdock Woods, just as path swings to the left (1.43 miles)
   Photo 4 - Sharp left turn just before Gartness (9.55 miles)

Results

		Photo 1	Photo 2	Photo 3	Photo 4	Total
	Distance	4.49	11.76	1.43	9.55
Ian Wallace	Guess	4.4	11.9	1.5	9.8
Ian Wallace	Error	0.09	0.14	0.07	0.25	0.55
Thomas	Guess	4.65	11.8	2	9.94
Thomas	Error	0.16	0.04	0.57	0.39	1.16
Tim	Guess	4.56	11.8	1.54	9.53
Tim	Error	0.07	0.04	0.11	0.02	0.24
Debs M-C	Guess	4.7	11.9	1.5	9.1
Debs M-C	Error	0.21	0.14	0.07	0.45	0.87
John Kynaston	Guess	4.81	11.82	1.25	9.77
John Kynaston	Error	0.32	0.06	0.18	0.22	0.78

Congratulations Tim, less than a quarter of a mile out overall. First name in the Hall of Fame!

At last! A run on The Way

2011-12-12T20:57:00.000Z

In the early stages of my recovery, I set a target to have an outing on the West Highland Way before Christmas. Initially, I hoped to get as far as Balmaha but over the last month I have had a sensible head on and realised that would be a bridge too far for now. Instead, I thought the relatively flat 12 miles from Milngavie to Drymen would be a more realistic target.

I set myself a couple of ground rules before I set off; firstly, I would walk every uphill section regardless of how small and secondly, I would not run quicker than 10 mins/mile at any point. Following these rules would ensure I did not put any strain on the tendon and I could really enjoy just being out there.

It was a fantastic day, with a light dusting of snow but nothing to cause concern or risk slipping. Once settled in to the run I tried to run as smoothly as possible, but I am aware that at times I am perhaps not as balanced as I would normally be, trying to inflict as little pounding on my tendon as possible. It sounds so easy to try and run normally, but as soon as you start thinking about your running gait, it changes. I think running is best left to the sub-conscious.

It is moments like these that remind you why we do this - what a small number of people get to experience what we do - how few people see the vistas we see!

I got to Drymen in about 2:30 hours which was suitably slow but gave the tendon a good controlled workout. More importantly, I felt that buzz again. Getting all the kit together, packing for a weekend away, zooming up to Glasgow on Friday night, it's all part of my running regime and something I've missed.

I was a little sore and stiff in the evening but no more so than if I do a 3 mile run, so I guess things are going in the right direction. I feel a little more confident about the next few months now, so much so that on Sunday I spent a couple of hours with John Kynaston planning our training runs round The Lakeland 100 route. We are aiming to cover the route in 4 stages, each approx. 35 miles, once a month between March and June. This suits us both as we have generally kept to that kind of plan with our individual training over the last few years. I think it's safe to say we are both a little bit excited about this adventure!

As I ran along the WHW on Saturday, taking in the view and snapping away with the camera, I came up with the idea for a little competition. This one is for those of you with a knowledge of the WHW route (or who are especially good with maps/Google Earth). I have taken 4 photos along the route along with an exact distance for each via my GPS watch. I started the watch at the WHW post in the middle of Milngavie and took a split at each photo. What you have to do is estimate the distance travelled to my standing position for each photo from the start (in miles to 2 decimal places). The person with the least cumulative error over the 4 photos wins. The photos are NOT in the correct order!

If you send an entry via the comments box, I will not publish your comments until after the closing date which I'll set at midday on Sunday 19th December.

Hope it gets you thinking and looking at some maps - enjoy!

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Also got thinking about some other ideas for competitions, so we will see how those develop in the future.

First Run

2011-12-03T17:32:00.000Z

I am still very much in the dark as to how sore I should expect to be at this stage of the recovery. On Wednesday I went for a run/walk (mainly run) along the old railway and found myself chugging along at 8 min/mile pace, which at the time felt great, thinking I'm well on my way now, but later that night I was in quite a lot of pain and hobbling round the house. It feels a different kind of pain to the tendonitis trouble I've suffered with for a number of years, but I'm still not sure if this is what I should expect for the next month or so, or am I doing some damage. Each morning it feels OK, which is again, very different to tendonitis. I'm going to make an appointment to see the physio again next week, mainly for a chat rather than some physical physio.

On a positive note, I had my first full run for 8 months last night. Earlier in the week I fired an email round at work, inviting anyone who would like to join me for my first run. Most of the usual suspects responded, though I did get a few surprise responses along with comments like "this is my only chance to beat you". In the end, the weather was atrocious and only the hardy few toughed it out.

Pre-run photo

We did a nice steady 5.5 miles, working our way past the rugby club and theatre, down to the lake shore, along the shore through the woods, returning through the woods parallel to the Borrowdale Road and back to school. Everyone was chatting away, commenting on how much they were enjoying the get-together, suggesting we could make a regular thing of this - I hope so.

I felt OK as we were jogging along, but I made sure I kept my pace much slower than Wednesday's outing, generally keeping between 10 an 11 min/mile. Didn't feel too sore after and was just happy to get muddy and be with runners again.

Muddy again at last

It was lovely to have such support, but it was also simply one of those occasions where everyone enjoyed having some running company on a horrid night, rounding off the working week with a bit of banter. Who could ask for more?! I suppose there was only one way we could finish the whole occasion; this last photo is of the cool down. We are all stretching and having a few protein recovery drinks!

Cool down

There has been a bit of talk about "The Man Suit" and how you adapt to the toughness of the challenge. The general theory seems to be that when things start to get tough, you zip up your man suit and get on with it. If things get worse, you might also have to roll up the sleeves. I had an email from a friend in Spain (Hi, David) who suggested the next level of hardship would require spitting on your hands. Where do we go from here? In terms of a 100 mile race, the man suit might come into play at the 3-4 hour point which always seems a bad patch, the sleeves are rolled up at the 35 mile point when you realise you need a caffeine blast and you spit on you hands at the halfway point knowing you have to do it all again. How do we cope with the rest of the race?

Nearly there!

2011-11-26T18:03:00.000Z

When I saw my physio again on Tuesday this week, I asked her about the stiffness after I do some jog/walk sessions and she said that it was to be expected, nothing to panic about. The general rule of thumb I need to use is if the stiffness/ache is still there 24 hours after a session, I've slightly overdone it and need to ease off a bit. Fortunately, I've had less of a problem this week and each morning no stiffness at all. This is a big change from the last few years and my morning ritual of hobbling for the first half an hour of the day.

So far this week I've done three sessions of about 3.5 miles each, jogging more and more each time. I am now able to actually get some work done in the sessions and today actually labelled the outing as a "steady run" in my training diary rather than a recovery session. I feel confident that I could now run for this length of session so I have set next Friday (2nd Dec) as the great comeback run. After work, starting at 4pm, I'm going to do about 5 miles on trails down to the lake shore. I'm inviting friends from work to join me and then go to the local pup after for a celebratory drink. Everyone has been so supportive over the whole injury/operation/recovery process, that I would like them to be with me at the end of the "recovery" and the start of the "beyond".

As a treat, I've brought myself a new pair of training shoes. I wanted something with supportive but soft uppers, some cushioning, but not too much. For many years I have been a Salomon man; I do most of my training in the Speedcross shoe which offers a good blend of comfort, grip and cushioning. I've probably had 7 or 8 pairs of these over the last few years. I have a relatively new pair of these, brought just before I had to stop running, so they are ready for some hard workouts. Today I brought a pair of The North Face Singletrack shoes. They felt great as soon as I put them on and if they are good enough for Jez Bragg, they will be good enough for me!!

On the topic of shoes, a friend of mine, who was part of my support crew on the 2010 WHW race, has recently purchased a pair of Hoka shoes. He has previously suffered from a stress fracture in his femur and wanted something to give maximum cushioning. He has entered the Highland Fling next year which is sponsored by Hoka and thought he would give them a go. As you can see from the picture below, they are a little radical and you can imagine the hours of fun we have had sending him emails with pictures of Herman Munster attached.

Our recent text conversation went like this;

My friend - Showaddywaddy trail shoes. I was 6 foot 2 and now 6 foot 4! For the ultimate cushioned run.

Me - Remember, at one point in the Fling you have to duck under the A82, you might not make it!

My friend - I'm going to wear an LED light on top of my hat as I believe I might be on the flight path for Glasgow Airport!

Joking aside, I can't wait to have a proper look at them. Five years from now the barefoot/minimalist approach could be passe and we are all running tall, literally!

More run than walk

2011-11-20T15:01:00.000Z

As the title suggests, I have managed to do a couple of outings where I have jogged (10-12 min/mile) more than I have walked. The first one was on Thursday night along the old railway. After, I felt a bit sore and stiff in the heel area and was worried I had done too much too soon, though, the following morning, it felt OK. Prior to the operation (and for 5 years before that) I would hobble when I first got up in the morning, so it was nice to not have that feeling despite being sore the night before.

Today I went for a lovely run/walk in Great Wood and down by the lake. I estimate I ran approx. 75% of the time and just walked on the rougher sections. It was one of those mornings that remind you of why we do this sport; incredibly mild, dry and the Lake District looking her best.

Catbells and Derwentwater Lake

Most pleasingly, I don't seem to be suffering with any pain this time. The only things that were different this time are that the trip was made in the morning, not after a full day at work and I wore a different pair of trainers today. The previous trainers have a different style of insole which may be a factor, so I think I'll swop the insoles back to the originals that came in the shoe.

I have done a couple of core stability sessions as well this week; those words are still ringing in my ears - "... more economical runner". However, I had some problems with the plyometrics (skipping). Early in the week I tried the suggested 10x30 secs and was crippled in the evening. Midweek, I dropped down to 5x30 secs and still suffered. I have decided to keep away from these until I see the physio again on Tuesday. What I really need to know is should all ths stuff hurt as it's just the process of strengthening and will ease with time OR am I doing some damage and need to hold back a bit. If it is all to be expected, then fine, I'll just zip up the man suit (maybe even roll up the sleeves) and get on with it, if I need to hold back, that will be a lot harder.

Blair Witch Project

2011-11-15T20:51:00.000Z

Just a very quick post.

Thought I would see how the mini camera copes in very low light and darkness, so took it with me on a 4 mile walk/jog. With very little light it obviously struggles to get any quality, but it does give a flavour of the route. The view over the fells was stunning tonight and I'm glad some of it was picked up on the video.

Don't imagine I'll be doing much night videoing anyway; just wanted to do a bit of a test. Without the music, the video is very "Blair Witch Project" so I thought I needed to put an upbeat sound track over the top to stop anyone having nightmares!

Race plans for 2012

2011-11-12T17:35:00.000Z

Seems a bit strange to be doing this post now. Last night I managed a 3 mile session, walking 2 minutes, jogging 2 minutes, repeat, along the old railway. My legs feel a bit heavy today, but this has to be expected as I have not done any running for SEVEN MONTHS. I did feel that I could have run longer, however, I don't want to overcook things yet.

In order to celebrate running for 2 minutes, I thought I'd commit to my racing plan for 2012. All this is obviously dependent on my tendon, but I'm being positive and looking forward to next year.

Those that follow John Kynaston's blog, will already have a heads-up on my number one target for next year. Even before my injury problems, I had decided that in 2012 I would do the Lakeland 100, rather than attempt a quicker time on The West Highland Way Race. I know I will return to the WHW race at some time as the race and everyone involved make it such a special occasion. Getting under 20 hours for the WHW race is still an aim I have tucked away after running 20 hours and 21 minutes in 2010. I want, however, to have a good crack at my "local" race so this will be my focus for next year, having the added bonus of being in my summer holidays so I can rest up properly beforehand.

John is also doing this race and we intend to do some significant training/recces together over the first half of the year. I might be able to run with him but I certainly can not keep up with his blog reports!

By missing the WHW race, it frees me up to have a "proper" go at running the Highland Fling at the end of April. If you have read my thoughts on training for the WHW Race you will know that I consider the Fling too close to the big race to give it my all as I know I do not have enough time to recover and train again between the two races. My two times for the Fling are around 10 hours, so an obvious target is to get that time lowered down to something like 9:30.

At some point in May or June I would like to go off the grid and spend a weekend doing the Bob Graham Round mountain marathon style over two days with a wild camp overnight. I completed the round proper in 2007 but have a hankering to do a more "pure" round without support, whether that be solo unsupported, unsupported but with a friend or two, mountain marathon style or even a winter attempt. The start is about 500 yards from my house so I can just wait for a nice weekend and go for it. Lucky git!!

Three weeks before the Lakeland 100 is Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon which is a great two day event. The elite class (called Klets) is a solo category and offers a great deal of route choice as the controls can be taken in any order. I think a personal best may be just out of reach as I hit my zenith in 2009 when coming 2nd in the event based at Coniston. I think that weekend will lead me straight into my taper for the Lakeland 100 so, although I'll give it a good shot, I will keep those following three weeks in mind. The Lakeland 100 is the priority.

I'll give myself lots of recovery time after the Lakeland 100; I think it took me two months to recover from the WHW Race! The latter part of the year will be the build up to the Original Mountain Marathon which is the biggest and most prestigious of them all. My racing partner (Simon) and I came 9th on the Elite class in 2010 on Dartmoor, so another top 10 finish is the aim.

The dress rehearsal race for the OMM will be the RAB Mountain Marathon at the start of October which is a superb event with a lovely laid back feel to it. If you are wanting to have a go at your first mountain marathon I can fully recommend it and it has that extra navigational twist, in that all classes are done as a score event (collect as many points as possible in a time limit, rather that the traditional fastest round a set course). Again, Simon and I have been the bridesmaids at this event in 2008, finishing 2nd when it was held on the Back o'Skiddaw area to the north of Keswick.

Depending on how I feel after that year, I may have a run out at the Tour de Helvellyn which takes place in the middle of December; if so, it would be as a means of kick starting the winters training for 2013. I will leave that decision to much later in the year.

As I type this, I'm smiling to myself. Last night I ran for two minutes at a time and here I sit detailing racing plans for seven events with a total running time of about 105 hours, or 15 hours per event! You've got to love the capacity of the human brain to ignore the reality and focus on the fantasy!!

A good time to be snotty

2011-11-08T18:51:00.000Z

For once, the winter's cold has come at the perfect time. As anyone who works in a school knows; if it's going around, you're going to get it! I usually get a cold at some point over the winter and it often arrives when I'm in full training, just got the whole rhythm sorted, weekends away planned, etc, and everything gets kiboshed as I wollow in the self pity of man-flu. This year, I seem to have done my stint early (over the last week) and will hopefully build up some immunity for the rest of the winter. I actually lost my voice completely on Thursday and Friday last week, which makes being a PE teacher a bit difficult, but we somehow got through despite my voice tone wavering like a pubescent 14 year old.

Things are moving forward again on the training front. Despite having no voice, I didn't feel particularly ill, so on Friday last week I made my most significant foray on the trails post op. Doesn't sound much, but I did 3 miles in the woods below Latrigg fell, walking for 4 minutes, jogging for 1 minute. I had running kit on and used my headtorch for the first time this winter and I can't begin to tell you how good it felt to be out there doing it again. My favorite running is at night, off-road with a headtorch. I love just being out there, total solitude, just the cone of light and the sound of my breathing and footfalls - it's about as close to a Zen thing as I get anyway. During the winter, all my mid-week training is done like this. I walk to work with my kit in a small rucksack, get changes into running kit after work, jog the mile home as a warm-up, dump the rucksack in the hallway, turn straight round without thinking about the sofa and do the training session. (Always off-road, always in the dark)

I saw the physio again this morning. She suggested that I am now at the stage where only I can tell what I should and should't be doing. Don't know whether that is a good or bad thing!? So far I have been told what to do by the experts and now she is expecting me to make rational decisions. Is she mad? Anyway, I thought I would try 3 sessions over the next week where I cover about 3 miles doing 2 mins walk, 2 mins run and see how that feels. The physio said that sounds about right but I must mix that up with some simple plyometrics (that's skipping to you) to increase the power of the calf muscle.

It has been interesting how more and more of each physio session has been about core stability. She got me to do a series of exercises whilst I held my pelvis so I could feel how much it moved about. I thought I had quite good core stability, but this illustrated some deep failings. My abdominal muscles are fine, it's what lies beneath that needs sorting. It's not called CORE stability for nothing!! I had the typical runners attitude, it was all a bit blah blah blah to me, then she said "This will make you a much more economical runner". At this point, I sat up and started listening. I'm really going to try and incorporate this into my training, even once I'm running again.

My next target has to be a proper run, something in the region of 3 miles, without any walking. Once I can do that, I think I will feel that I am then in a position of training rather than recovering. Looking at the blog title; I'll be going into the "beyond" bit! I think I'm looking at round about two weeks from now to try that, but again, there is no need to rush things.

Finally, I have been thinking about next year a lot and have decided the major races I will target. (Even entered some of them) I will reveal all in the next post.

Tentative steps

2011-10-30T21:21:00.000Z

I have been off the map for a week, with a visit to London and then to my sister's to see the family. Clocked up a lot of miles walking in London just being the country bumpkin but the heel seemed to cope OK, though it was a bit stiff on a couple of evenings. Mastermind specialist subject - History of London docklands! Test me!

Prior to going away, I was getting more regular with the turbo training sessions, but nothing beyond 30 minutes. Most importantly, there did not seem to be any adverse reaction to being back at work for the full day, so tomorrow I go to a full teaching timetable and cannot wait to do some rugby with the Year 7 boys in the morning. I'm not going to wear my boots to teach in as they are a lot stiffer than trainers and don't want to take the risk, so I'll wear an old pair of Salomon Speedcross II for the time being.

For the last couple of weeks I've felt that I could do a few seconds of running but have held off until today. I see the physio again on Tuesday and just wanted to be able to report on where I was having tried something with a little more impact. So, I wore a pair of trainers that are well worn-in, and Tracey and I went for a walk in Great Wood, below Walla Crag. Every five minutes or so, I had a little jog for between 10 and 30 seconds, trying to take small steps, but also to use as normal a gait as possible. Along the way we took some video clips so I could get a look at how I am running to see if there is any imbalance, but it looks like everything is OK.

As I write this in the evening, it doesn't feel too bad, though it is a little stiff after I've been sat down for a while. Once I start moving, it loosens up quickly. It will be interesting to see how it reacts in the morning and after a full day of teaching, but I have actually ran some steps now and put on running kit. I almost felt like a runner again!

Over the weekend, I was following the OMM race in Scotland and it seemed very strange not to be part of the event this year. Looking forward to reading the reports and especially analysing the Route Gadget maps. Here is hoping that this time next year I am writing a report about running the OMM Elite class race rather than a report about running for 30 seconds!

Open the hurt box

2011-10-17T21:40:00.002+01:00

Firstly, I must explain the post title. A work colleague, Adam (he of the man suit comment - see first blog post), came out with another cracker last week. When describing a fellow runner who was able to dig deep and suffer, he used the phrase "He knows how to open the hurt box and climb inside", which I thought was a fantastic graphic image; we've all been there. Can't wait for the next Adamism.

Things have been a little stagnant on the recovery front. Ever since the operation, each day has felt better and a step nearer to running again, but over the last week I just feel that not a lot has happened. I've still been getting on the bike and doing the exercises, but want the same rapid recovery I've witnessed for the previous two months. I do feel a little more confident about coping with the day at work and have to remember that the surgeon suggested three months post op to aim for with regard to running, but the heel and tendon still feel a long way from being able to cope with training.

Trying to be more positive and looking ahead to training, the mini video camera came towards the end of last week. First impressions are that it is tiny but quite rugged; small enough to carry on training runs and even in races.

I wanted to try it out, so took some short clips as I walked into work through the park on Thursday last week. There is no view finder so I will have to get used to the positioning of the unit but it's really simple to use and should be great for recording some adventures in the wild. Just so I could have a play, I've spliced together some of the clips into a short video, some parts of which those of you who have started out on a Bob Graham Round will recognise.

Off to do some more floor exercises; got a couple of episodes of Wilfred to catch up with - how do they get away with it?

Three miles!

2011-10-09T15:49:00.000+01:00

Before anyone gets too excited (or worried) it was only a three mile walk on the flat. This still represents my longest test of the tendon to date and I'm pleased to report that it feels OK, maybe a little stiff now I've been sitting around after.

It has been a typical wet Keswick day, but I thought if I was running I'd go out so out we went; no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. A walk out through the park, turn at the Bouncy Bridge and back to Keswick. Most pleasingly, there didn't seem to be any limp, even towards the end.

The Bouncy Bridge

Towards Keswick, Latrigg beyond

I've also been thinking about the time when I do eventually start running again and have decided I will try and do my usual kick start to the winters training by having a run on the West Highland Way. In the last two years I have run from Milngavie to Rowardennan at a nice easy pace just to ignite the fire. Last year I joined my friend Ali for a lovely run in the snow. To this end, I have booked a weekend in December and will aim to get at least to Balmaha, if not Rowardennan, but I'll be quite happy to walk bits and just be thankful I'm out there. So the first running target is written in the diary!

Many a time, I have been training in the mountains and wished I had a camera with me, I do live in the most beautiful part of the country after all and I would like to be able to post pictures and perhaps video clips from my runs. Both my phone and camera are too expensive and a bit too heavy to use, so I have sent off for one of these;

It's a micro video camera, only 5.5cm hight and weighs only 50g. No real idea how good it will be, but I'm getting a returned reconditioned model for a real bargain price so I think it's worth taking a punt. I'll let you know (and show) how it goes.

Finally, I have only just discovered the statistics available to bloggers. I expected to get readers from the UK and western Europe; welcome to you, but I would like to extend a special welcome to my readers from the United States, Canada, Russia and Azerbaijan.

I'm beginning to think computers and this Interweb thingy might start to take off soon!

I'm a good patient

2011-10-04T18:48:00.001+01:00

Had my latest appointment with the physio this afternoon. She was encouraged with the news that the surgeon was happy with his side of the recovery and we talked very positively about the next couple of months.

After checking the scar to make sure it is staying supple and comparing the range of movement to the right foot, I mentioned the ligament pain in my ankle. She did a quick gait analysis (I had a good limp as it was straight after work) and noticed an imbalance in muscle tone in my calfs and gluteus minimus.

She then put together a series of exercises for me to do, some of which strengthen the tendon and soleus muscle and some address the muscle imbalance.

Step exercises with the hard work being done eccentrically on the way down. (3 sets of 12)

Bridge exercises (10 x holding position, 30 up & down, 10 x alternate legs)

Clam exercises (20 x on back, 20 x right side, 20 x back, 20 x left, 20 x back) Resistance band round the knees.

Then some deep massage to release trigger points in the calf.

...... and obviously some stretching!!

If you include 30 minutes on the turbo trainer, I estimate I will spend about 3 hours a week more in "training" now than I will when I'm back running fully. Anyway, it keeps me off the streets!!

She finally suggested I could try doing something a little more runningesque in 3 or 4 weeks time to see how it copes with short 1 minute runs with 5 minute walks, but I said I would prefer to see her again before I take that step. (I hope you are reading this mother)

What a good patient I am!

That felt like training

2011-10-03T19:45:00.001+01:00

I feel that I have had a slightly different outlook on my rehabilitation over the last week. When I am on the turbo trainer, it doesn't feel like a way of exercising my tendon; I am now able to cycle normally on a much higher resistance and might tentatively call it "training".

I saw the surgeon again on Friday. He was REALLY positive, to the point that he said he was happy to leave me in the hands of the physio here in Keswick. So I don't have to make the long journey down to Wrexham again.
This feels like a significant moment and draws a line under that episode, in the same way that making the decision to have surgery put a stop to the "just live with it".
For those that are interested, this is the consultant that sorted me out from diagnosis to surgery. I only wish I had done this five years ago. http://www.sportsinjurysurgery.com/

I am not really sure what the next goal should be. My immediate target is to be able to raise and lower myself using my left foot only which may be a week away. I'm seeing the physio tomorrow and she will no doubt have a few tricks up her sleeve for me!
The only negative point is some pain in the ankle ligaments which comes on during the day as I limp. This is something that is getting easier but is still very noticable.

On a complete change of tack; I have to say congratulations to those taking part in the Commonwealth Ultra Champs last week. I followed John Kynaston's Twitter feeds and loved the videos http://www.johnkynaston.com/ (watched when on the Turbo trainer). I must mention Debs and Sharon. I have never personally known a national record holder before and after one 24 hour period I know two!! I assume the talent flows to the rest of us like some kind of osmosis thing in the same way that I become a better golfer after I make my annual trip to watch the Open Championship on some wind swept links.

West Highland Way Race Report (2010)

2011-09-18T12:59:00.011+01:00

Going for a bit of a cop-out post today.

The blog posts I like reading the most are the race reports, whether from known faces and courses or from strangers and even stranger races. I find it inspirational to read about the highs and lows, how do folk react when it's all going swimmingly and, more importantly, how do people cope with the rough times.

Thought I would copy the race report I put together for The Pacemaker (Keswick AC magazine) after I completed the West Highland Way Race in 2010. Apologies to the various WHW race family members I met along the way who do not get a mention, but this was originally written for a different audience.

West Highland Way Race

Saturday 19 June 2010
Milngavie to Fort William
95 miles, 14,000 feet of climb

When you do 8 months training for one race, there is a lot of pressure to get to the start line in one piece. Having wrapped myself in cotton wool for the final 3 weeks of build up, I had at least achieved my first aim.

Any thought of a few hours kip before the 1.00 am start was soon dismissed, so I just tried to relax and respond to the huge amount of text messages I was getting. All I really wanted to do was to get running, so it was a great relief when 1.00 am finally came!

It’s a surreal sight as 150 runners with head torches set off, the biggest threat is running too quickly so I used a series of checks along the way to keep myself at my planned pace.

After 1½ hours, I met my first support crew, Simon and Tim (colleagues from work) who quickly handed over my fresh water bottle and gels and I was quickly on my way, knowing it would only be another 45 minutes and I would get the psychological lift of turning the head torch off. The night was crystal clear and cold enough to require a jacket on the climb over Conic Hill just before Loch Lomond, but knowing Tim and Simon were waiting at the Loch shore below kept a skip in the step.

The plan was to arrive at Balmaha (19 miles) in around 3 hours 25 mins, having expended as little effort as possible – I was relieved to tick both boxes here. The crew did a great job of keeping spirits high (though I am not sure if it was for my benefit or theirs!) and I was away within a minute.

The next section to Rowardennan is lovely, following the loch shore with a few little climbs thrown in for good measure. The day was warming up and I was really starting to enjoy myself but still keeping an eye on my pace checks and nutrition. Rowardennan (27 miles, 4 hours 54 mins, 37th place) would be the last time I would see Simon and Tim for 3 hours as I made my way up the rougher and more technical section to the north end of the loch, so I took extra fuel and made my lonely way. On training runs I have developed a mantra during the rough sections of “Don’t fight it”, on race day I found myself singing Oasis’ “Roll with it” which seemed to work, but I’d had enough after 3 hours of rolling with it!!

It was great to finally meet up with Tim and Simon again at Beinglas Farm (41 miles, 7 hours, 57 mins, 30th place) and you can’t underestimate the psychological lift you get at these moments. I took an extra minute here to say thanks and goodbye to the lads as they had finished their stint. They had missed a night’s sleep, kept me watered and fed, raised my spirits, would now hand over the support roll to Crew 2 and go mountain biking in Fort William – I thought I had the tough job!

As I left Beinglas Farm, I checked my watch and saw that after 8 hours of running I was 1 minute ahead of schedule – another confidence boost.

The next section to Auchtertyre has a much better track to run on than the last few hours so you are more able to settle into a rhythm and the miles seem to pass that little bit quicker. The short but sharp hills through the woods above Crianlarich begin to take their toll on the quads but as I reach the A82, I realise I’ve covered this section about 10 minutes quicker than planned, so I phoned ahead to Crew 2 to let them know I’m a bit early – no problem, they are already in place.

I am met with cheers from my new crew of Martin, Liz (both from Keswick AC) and my father Paul, who usher me across to be weighed. Having been weighed at registration, the organisers set an upper and lower threshold which you need to stay within; otherwise the race doctor is required to check you over and has the authority to withdraw you from the race. All this led to my first major problem of the day (if you don’t include running for 50 miles) as the marshal misread my weight card and informed me that I was close to my upper limit. I was, in fact, the same weight as I started but after 10 hours of running, it didn’t really register that a mistake had been made and I spent the next 45 mins panicing until Paul (who is a doctor) realised the mistake and got word to me to start drinking properly again.
The spiritual half way point (50 miles, 10 hours 2 mins, 26th place) required a special treat so I had a change of shoes, socks and shorts and left with a relative spring in my step. As I looked around me, it was hard not to enjoy it, sun in a clear blue sky and now entering the Highlands proper. Despite this, your mind still wanders ahead to other battles to come; the slog over Rannoch Moor, the climbs of the Devil’s Staircase and out of Kinlochleven and the quad trashing descent into Fort William.

At Bridge of Orchy (60 miles, 11 hours 56 mins, 22nd place) I could see the benefit of having a previous competitor to lead the support crew. Martin made it perfectly clear that all that mattered was my needs – it was like a Formula 1 pit stop, he had even commandeered another car boot to use as my crew had parked further away! I quietly resolved to be as cheerful and perky as I could during the stops, resulting in our meetings looking a lot more sociable than many others.

Rannoch Moor passed rather better than expected despite the strong headwind. A group of 5 of us formed up and basically ran together for a couple of hours in some kind of cycling peloton, taking turns on the front running into the headwind. The group pulled away from me on the approach to Glencoe Ski Centre but with another marathon still to go, I though it prudent to save something for later. Another moral boosting pit stop and I was told for the first time what position I was in. 17th place after 70 miles and 14 hours 20 mins of running - suddenly it became a race!

As ever, the crew went one step beyond and moved on to walk halfway up the Devil’s Staircase climb to provide extra moral support and give me enough fuel to get to Kinlochleven. I found the climb tough so took it steady and was able to more than make up the time on the long descent into Kinlochleven (81 miles, 16 hours 50 mins, 17th place). I had mixed feelings here as Fort William was nearly in sight, I was on for a time beyond expectation but for the first time I looked knackered and felt it too! I took a tactical regroup here, stopped for about 7 minutes, had a good chat and drink and then walked for the first 500 yards on the way out.

This, allied with the news that two other runners were not too far ahead, was enough to get some kind of a skip back. Those competitive juices run deep! I caught one man quickly on the climb; we exchanged words of encouragement, though his state of disrepair made me feel even better. It still took half an hour to catch sight of the other runner. We ran together until 1½ miles from the finish, both pushing on to stay ahead of another runner. On the final forest road section I was able to push on, throw my bumbag to Paul at the Braveheart car park and hold on until the finish.

You hope for crowds, fireworks and marching bands – you get your support crew (all five in my case), a few organisers, the double doors of the Leisure Centre and a lady with a clipboard. “20 hours, 20 mins and 59 secs, 15th place, congratulations!” Time to get reweighed. My body had now started to shut down and I really struggled to get on to the scales but I was eventually revealed to be exactly the same weight as I started.

My emotions suddenly started to get the better of me, particularly after a chat with my wife and my mom who stayed together back in Keswick, as eight months of blood, sweat and especially tears were vented. Once recovered from that, we then had to deal with a sudden loss of blood pressure – lie down in the car, legs in the air and pose for the cameras – and that was pretty much it for me for that day.

To say I was elated would be an understatement, to say you can’t do it without a superb backup team would be an understatement, to say it’s an awesome event would be an understatement.

So that was my summary of the day out. Shorter than some tomes and lacking the names and personal touches of others; something I'm going to have to rectify in future reports.

Road to fitness starts here

2011-09-17T12:24:00.003+01:00

Had my second appointment with the physio yesterday and things are progressing well. I have just about got a full range of movement in the ankle, no pain at all and the scar is just about healed (disappointingly small).

This time I had to try lifting myself up onto tip-toes. Initially, using both feet together and the wall as support. With more weight on my good foot, this was fine, however, as soon as I tried to use my left foot only, I couldn't lift at all. It's a strange sensation as you look down at you foot, send signals from the brain saying 'lift' and watch as nothing happens. The whole area is obviously still protecting itself, so I now need to build up greater strength and confidence.

To this end, I have some far more dynamic exercises to do over the next few weeks. Lots of going up onto tip-toes, initially, both feet together, then more and more weight on the weak foot until I can do the lift on one leg only. In a similar way, doing concentric and eccentric soleus muscle contractions on a stair with my heels overhanging the edge. (A classic tendonitis exercise) I'm also going to make use of a balance cushion to sharpen up the muscle reactions around the joint.

Most importantly, I have been told to start using the cycle turbo trainer. I CAN DO SOME CARDIO-VASCULAR EXERCISE!!! This is the moment I've been waiting for as I haven't done any form of proper training since April. So, I'm going to be a good boy and start easy, build up slowly and hopefully start to lose a few of these extra pounds I've put on.

For those with some medical or anatomical knowledge, I received a copy of all the post operation notes that were sent to my GP. It turns out that when they opened me up, they found that the bursa sack that pads the tendon from the bone had burst/spilt so it was no wonder the tendon had started to fray. It has now been removed and the bone shaved back further from the tendon to compensate for this. (At least that is how I understood all the long words)

The more I think about the whole situation, the more relieved I am to have caught the problem when I did. This had full tendon rupture written all over it!

Core Conditioning

2011-09-09T13:53:00.003+01:00

Progress seems to be going really well.
I'm doing as I was told, 2 or 3 sessions a day with the resistance bands, working on the mobility of the ankle joint and the strength of the significant muscles in my lower leg. Sitting to watch the Vuelta a Espana, I'm sure my repetitions fall in pace with the riders. (What an awesome ride by Chris Froome on Wednesday!)
I've also been chipping away with some core stability exercises. Having no upper body strength at all, I find these REALLY hard and feel sick after only 5 - 10 mins. I don't look like the photo from the previous post yet!!
I am a little limited in what I can do, bearing in mind I'm wearing the bionic boot and don't have any equipment. I have rotated round these drills: press ups, sit ups, plank, tricep dips, V sits, reverse plank, crunches, alternate arm/leg superman.
If anyone has any ideas for some alternative drills that I could try, please make suggestions.
I've now spent 2 weeks walking in the bionic boot using the crutches, so after this weekend I'm due to spend the next 2 weeks without the crutches. This is my next significant milestone!

Physio visit

2011-09-02T20:41:00.000+01:00

Had my first appointment with the physio today. Huge bonus that she has also done a fair bit of running so understands where I want to be and in the past has attended a lecture talk by the surgeon who carried out my operation.
I did not really know what I should or shouldn't be doing so have wrapped myself in cotton wool since the operation. The physio checked out the ankle, made lots of encouraging remarks about the progress and then proceeded to attack me with a vengeance, twisting, prodding, pinching. I wouldn't have used that much aggression on my good foot, but even within a short time the range of movement increased and along with it, my confidence.
She then gave me a variety of resistance bands and showed me some exercises to do over the next few weeks. In addition, I was advised to do some core strength drills to help speed up the recovery.

So, this could be me in six weeks time. Tracey has been very encouraging with regard to this stage of my rehabilitation!!!!!
This all gives me the first opportunity in five months to put together an exercise plan, though it's going to be difficult to include a winter base, speedwork and a taper before I see the physio again in two weeks.

Only taken three years to start a blog!

2011-08-30T17:15:00.000+01:00

Well, I've been an avid blog reader for at least three years and have said a thousand times "I'd love to do that." As I am presently somewhat incapacitated, I feel that I finally have no excuse.

2010 was my first year of ultra distance trail running, culminating in a fantastic day on the West Highland Way during the race in June. All was going well this year after another solid winter of training. Then in mid March I took part in a charity basketball game and it all kind of stopped there.

I have been carrying an injury to my left Achilles tendon for the best part of 10 years. I was resigned to the fact that this was just a sign of getting older and a by-product of 25 years of pounding the ground. To borrow a phrase from a work colleague, (I love this image, thanks Adam) I just zipped up my man-suit and got on with it!

This time, however, the man-suit was not big enough. I withdrew from the Highland Fling (53 miles) and the West Highland Way Race (95 miles) and didn't bother entering any others. Something had to be done.

I travelled down from Cumbria to see a specialist in Wrexham. Having had a barrage of tests done, it turned out that the problem was not tendonitis as assumed, but a spike of bone growing from the back of my heel which had been rubbing on the tendon. This had been going on for so long that a few fibres of the tendon had started to fray, so it's a good job I caught it when I did!

For the medical minded out there, it's called a Haglund's Spur or Haglund's Deformity. I prefer to use the term "spur", my wife likes to think of me as deformed!

As soon as I saw the x-ray, it was obvious what the problem was. The consultant, my father (a doctor himself) and I discussed the options, most of which dealt with the symptoms only. To treat the cause would require surgery.

So on the 10 August I went under the knife to have the bone SPUR removed and some of the tendon tidied up (ie smoothed). The operation went well, quite a large SPUR removed, but not as much damage to the tendon as first anticipated.

As I lay on my hotel bed that night I got hundreds of texts (thanks everyone) and a lovely phone call from John Kynaston. It was a significant moment as I tried to think, not of the next three months recovery, but of the coming winter and the possibility of running pain free for the first time in a decade.

So, where are we now? Well since then I have had 2 1/2 weeks in plaster and am now in a very hi-tech walking boot for the next 4 weeks during which time I have to slowly start increasing the amount of weight I place on my foot. I start physio later this week and I'm obviously going to have to do some serious left calf building. It was not big to start with, but now it's puny!

Mid November is my target to start running, hopefully cycling before then. I've vowed to be a good patient for the first time ever and listen to the experts, perhaps they do know more than me!? I've already started planning for next year, both training and racing, but I'll save those thoughts for another day.