Month: March 2010

Here we are again. Had three days off since the hard long run, and have been living it up!!!.. So out this morning, tired and with a bad foot at 7:30 this morning. Was considering an eight miler today, but had to get back for a work call, so just did the usual 5.5 lap. I wore one old and one new shoe today, as my left foot is now very painful under the arch. It seems that my new shoe “lifts” the inside of the arch too much and its causing it to ache. It means I have trouble walking at the moment, which cant be good. I will have to get it iced up and hopefully it will be OK – at least its the only proper pain I have at the moment.

So didn’t bother with a watch or timing today, it was more just to get out there, and other than the foot it felt really good. I even “sprinted” the last three quarters of a mile, and felt great.

Had a bad foot since though, hopefully it will be better by Thursday when I am thinking about doing a 12 – 15 miler, as with Easter coming up, it will be difficult to get a long run in place. Although I am thinking of running to Broad Haven and back on the Sunday – we’ll see..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 29

Confidence: 72%

Ability: 78.12%

Did I manage it? Did I actually get to the big two-zero? Could I have run for 3:30 hrs and burst the 20 mile barrier?

Well – to be honest I don’t know. It was probably close, and definitely over 19 (well I think so) but was it really 20 miles – I’ll never know. What I do know, is that it really, really, really, really hurt. A lot, a lot with cherries on, a lot with cherries and hundreds and thousands on.

Started well, out for 7:45 and decided to do the same route as last week, just add a longer beginning, which would have added at least a mile to the run. Feet and legs not too bad, but did find that I was a little out of breath. After about two miles got the usual pain above the heart which disappeared quite soon thankfully, and felt pretty good, although not fast. Things went very well until about 6 miles in. The normal route was closed as the electricity board were pulling through the overhead cables, so no chance of getting passed. This ballsed up the run a little bit. So as I was at around 6 miles, I figures 3 miles (or 30 mins) the other way, then run back will get me around 12 miles in total.  Not the best, running away for 30 mins knowing you are coming back again!!!

About this time the refuelling wagon, with my wife and daughter came along to swap out my drink. Our 8 year old then ran with me for a while, very keen to help me eat the few jelly babies I brought. Fuelling done I was left after around 2hrs 10 minutes with the final part of the run. I felt alot better at this time of the run than I had before so had good feelings about the run – that changed..

By the time I had 4 miles left my feet were really aching, I attempted to run through puddles to get some comfort to my feet – which helped a tiny bit. The rest of the run was terrible, my phone sat nav turned itself off after 17.6 miles, probably as knackered as I was, my legs hurt more and more, and I even had to stop and walk for 30 seconds or so.

But I got back – three and a half hours of running, well jogging – longest yet, but mean that a sub 4:30 marathon looks un-doable. My current target times are

5:00 would be brilliant (well to be honest just finishing will be brilliant),

4:45 would be fantastic and sub

4:30 unbelievable – so we will see.

This is now my longest run, and the longest I will be doing before the real one. I have completed around 3/4 of  marathon each week now for the last 3 or 4 weeks and I think my legs have just had it!!!! ;o) The super-interweb seems to suggest a tapering down, and with a month to go I think I will try to limit the rest of the big runs to 16 or 17 miles

Pretty much a month to go – soon be over!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 32

Confidence: 78%

Ability: 76.12%

Another day another dollar. Went out this morning for just over 8 miles, pretty good run – found that I didn’t have much of a pain for the first few miles, then got a pain just above my heart, which moves across a bit but is just some kind of muscle ache I guess.

Although the run was pretty good, it didn’t seem too fast – checking my expensive(!) Casio I am still keeping a 10 minute per mile pace which is good. Tried wearing normal socks today as the others didn’t seem to help much, but because I have my shoes loose now they seemed to gather up a bit – although this might just be in my head.

Legs and knees been pretty good the rest of today, but my biggest pain area now is my feet and ankles. I am a little worried that the bridge of my foot seems to be aching more and more – but hopefully it’ll get better..

So, day off tomorrow, then off to attempt 20 miles on Saturday, or maybe Sunday – and I will attempt to get at least a little gardening in over the weekend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 34

Confidence: 76%

Ability: 76.1%

Well, woke up early today ready for the “little” run of around 5.5 miles, got up and ready to go by 6:45 and stepped out into the early morning cold. As I opened the door I noticed that the garage door was open about a quarter, so fearing the worst I looked inside and some ****** **** ***** **** thieving **** ******* people had nicked one of our bikes. They had obviously seen the opportunity of an open garage and with the complete lack of respect for anyone thought they’d make a fast buck out of someone else – the ******s. Why on earth is it that we have to live in such a hideous world that people who may well live in the area would go into someone else’s home and steal from them.  They’ll only get probably 40 quid for it, but it means i now have to pay way more to replace it. One good thing was that the pedal was knackered and falls off after a couple of miles peddling, hope it causes them a serious accident.

It also means that unless they just dumped it, someone, somewhere, probably a parent knows that their child now has something that they didn’t have yesterday. Unfortunately the families of these people generally just don’t give a sh1t about other people or their property, so nothing gets done.

So, anyway – got the police out, who after the initial stupidity of having to phone 101 rather than my local police station (because the sodding local police station isn’t manned), were very good. They said that a house just 50 yards away had actually been broken into and their car had been stolen, and they thought that perhaps it was the same gang – who apparently are “known” to the police. It just really, royally ***** me off that these ****** criminals get away with things time and time again when anything I might do slightly out of line (like over 80 on a motorway) I get hassled non-stop by the police.

Anyway – ran a bit and now I have a new pain which is under the arch of my left foot. Seems better tonight, hopefully fine by Thurs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 36

Confidence: 75%

Ability: 75.5%

Great, the weekends here again, and the dreaded “big run”. Was all ready to do the run on Saturday this week, but was dragged kicking and screaming down the pub on Friday afternoon so decided to give Saturday a miss, as any dehydration is a real killer now that the mileage is getting a little high. So spent a lazy, raining Saturday watching Wales finally playing a little better, the Scots doing over the Orish and France winning everything. With an exceptional flare for marketing some guy dropped a new Indian take-away through the door in the afternoon, so that sorted din-dins – would have been rude not too.

Up and around at 7:30ish, had a couple of pieces of yesterdays vindaloo chicken, and a piece of toast and i was ready for the world.. Got the sat nav working and my new fabulous watch, which i bought yesterday – has a digital stopwatch which helps me know how far I’ve gone – and only £7:08 delivered from Amazon. Yeah – jog on that man.

So hard for the first 20 minutes as usual, everything hurts, shooting, stabbing pains from everywhere, but then after a couple of miles the rhythm sets in and you just plod on. Pretty much the same route as last week, which is great – it is almost perfectly flat and big enough with slight variation to give up to perhaps 21 miles with only around 2 miles you have to do twice.

Some guy running crept up on me around 11 miles in, he was on 14 and off to do 22, he was in the London run and was making it look easy. We had a quick chat where he said if I was in a club, and I told him that i didn’t actually enjoy running and that once the 26 is over that may probably be the last time I run these distances – he looked at me with disdain and ran off at a far old clip..

Met up with the Mrs just after that for replacement water and our youngest joined me on the jog for a little way. Just after they left we were up to 2hrs in, so checked the mileage, and Mr Sat Nav said 12.8 miles, so not too shabby at all. After 13 miles is where the hurt comes back. A half marathon is a long way, but very do-able – I quite like that distance. It’s when you stupidly run further, my feet really start hurting around now. Had been running with my shoes quite loose, so didn’t get the pain in the top of my foot, but just underneath. It almost feels like my legs are seizing up too – hate it!! ;o)

Anyway looks like just about 19 miles today in a little over 3 hrs – could i run another 1.5 hrs – no too long to wait and see!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 38

Confidence: 73%

Ability: 75%

Nipped out for another little 7.5 mile trot this morning, left the house before 7 and would have GPS’d it but the battery ran out before I had the chance to. So did it in around 1.15hrs so another 6 mile/hour. Wasn’t so cold this morning, so doesn’t take long to get warm. Still running with no knee supports and seems fine, although I still get this pretty severe pain the the top of my kneecap after around 6 miles or so, but only when I then flex my knee back – stiff more than anything else.

My foot was better today, although the way my shoes are laced does feel like they might be too undone, but after 7.5 still no pain seems good. Did get more pains in the ankles though, still get this in the mornings as well after getting up – something’s not right, but only have another month and a bit and it will be all over.

Again attempting to have an easy night tomorrow, then good brekky and another 18 miler on Sat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 41

Confidence: 69.1%

Ability: 70.3%

So out around 7:00 and just went for around 5 miles – undid my laces quite a bit but my foot still ached. Am thinking about taping it up to my other toe to see if that helps, maybe try that on Thurs.

Very foggy this morning, and other than the foot went well, my legs were aching down by the shins afterwards, but I had to go to see HP in Bristol after the run, and walked around 3 miles to the station and back which didn’t help. Got some ice on it this evening so hopefully that will makes things better…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 43

Confidence: 69.1%

Ability: 70.3%

Off work today, and was going to leave the run until Tues, but watched a film in bed this morning, so thought it would be a good idea to go for a quick run after, as payback to being so lazy. Just the 2 miles today, which was pretty pathetic really.. Figure I will do this every morning when I don’t run properly, just to keep the legs going. It’s slightly weird to think how hard 2 miles were only a couple of months ago, and today I had not even got into the swing of things and it was over…

Nothing really to say about it except it still hurt my ankle!.. Proper run tomorrow…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 44

Confidence: 69%

Ability: 70.2%

Well, here we are – big run day. Watched Eddie Izzard last night to get some motivation and was almost looking forward to the run this morning. Unfortunately, as usual had a beer too many last night (only had a few) and had a slight bad head today. But all in all the legs and feet were feeling as good as they have been for a few weeks now.

Set off at 7:30, but the blummin sat nav on my phone wouldn’t pick up the signal, so I wasted 10 minutes fiddling with it, in the end I just stuck it in my pocket to check later. Lovely day again today, slightly chilly, but blue skies – nice day for it guv. Started OK, still always feels tiring at the beginning, but after around a mile and half you get into it – I also found that the sat nav had magically started working, which was nice.

Slightly different route this week ( http://routebuilder.org/3s5 ) with around an extra mile in the big loop, and it was not too bad up to around 8 miles then I started getting the pain in my toe again, it feels like my big toe is stretching itself upwards and its really sore, but if I run with my toes curled under the pain goes way – weird.

Met the Mrs at around 11 miles in for some replacement drink, this is great it saves having to carry two bottles, and gives me a half way point too.  Just after I noticed that the cars were really slowing down for me, then realised that there were a pair of runners just behind me, probably running at least 50% faster than I was they slowed as they overtook, they had already run 14.5 miles (I was on around 12 at that point) and after 30 seconds of chat away they went. Makes me realise that some\people do this for “fun” they probably run 17, 20 miles to see how fast they can do it, or just for a nice morning out – and I do it just purely to see if I can carry my aching body the distance.  Checked distance at 2:00hrs to make sure I was on time and the sat nav said 1:52, 11.6 miles so looking good for the continued 10 minute/miles. Toes was really hurting now, so stopped to undo my shoe – and I think that helped a lot, either that or I had become acclimatised to the pain!!

So last 5 miles were ok, if quite painful, you know your nearing the end so I think that this makes me a little more “tired” as I know the end is near. Legs, knees and feet were quite painful today – more so than last week. I think I really have to fuel up next week – decent breakfast, and take some munchies for the trip – I did have a piece of toast and took a fruit string for half way round – but next time I promise to try harder…

When I got back the sat nav had 16.8 miles on it, 2:48, but it was at the very least an extra mile, so I think I might have made 18 miles, but I’ll leave it with 17 and be happy!!!!!… Afternoon on the sofa, watching Wales hopefully beat Ireland, I thought it was in Cardiff, but in Croke Park is going to make it very difficult for them.. Oh well, if they win celebrate with a Chinese, if they lose commiserate with a Vindaloo ;o)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 46

Confidence: 68%

Ability: 70%

Yippeee, another running day.. To be honest I felt more like it today, was out and about around 7:00 this morning and had decided to do a slightly longer than normal weekly run. So went for 7.5 miles in around 1:15 which keeps up on the 10 min/mile speed, which is fine.

Legs and feet biggest pain today, but the pain behind my knee is slightly better – I got some deep heat on it yesterday, and after the massager its not too shabby at the moment – still hurts but nothing like before. Worse thing now is the “bad toe” which actually is a bruised top of my foot. It seems that that my new shoes have been pressing down on the bone and that’s where the pain has been coming from – what a shandy. Also I seem to have quite a sore ankle, but that might be related to the bad foot?

So run seemed OK, tried it without either knee strap, both knees seemed good, one of them seems to be better without the strap,so may try that on Saturday. Have a 17mile route scheduled for Sat morning, shouldn’t be going out on Friday (saving it for the Welsh match on Sat) so will make sure I fuel up before and during. Can’t wait ;o)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 48

Confidence: 66.1%

Ability: 69%

Oh, so fed up of running now. After the quite good weekend run, just wasn’t in the mood at all today. Felt tired before the run, my legs hurt all the time and too be honest i really just couldn’t be bothered today.. However, its days like this you have to get through to make sure you can actually do it in the end. And I am absolutely, definitely, without question, 100% sure I am going to complete this blumming thing after getting this far!!! ;o)

So, went round almost the same course which finished off the 16 miler on Sunday, and it was almost as hard.. Completed around 6.5 miles this afternoon just over an hour – and hated it. Only 50 days to go – thank god.

Bah humbug – running is rubbish..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 50

Confidence: 65.1%

Ability: 68.43212%

Waited an extra day for the run this week. Accidently had a beer too many on Friday, just celebrating that we won the school quiz night though – honest!!. And for some ridiculous reason didn’t go to bed until two o’clock, so thought it was the best bet to forget running Sat morning and left it till today instead.

So out this morning at 7:30, feeling pretty good for a change. Arranged with the wife to get a mobile drink station at around 9:00 and out I went to a beautiful but chilly morning. Had been stretching before I left this morning, but my right leg, behind the knee, was still quite sore. Decided against the right knee support as I think its making things worse if anything. Legs and knees hurt from 10 meters in, but once you get to about 3 miles or so it seems to click into place, unfortunately for me this only lasts about 12ft, but you do get into the rhythm.  Did a slightly different route today, similar to the one I did for 13 miles, as its very flat and I thought that perhaps after the up and down running of the last two weeks it would be better for me.

Found the run pretty “easy” today, well up to around the 11 mile mark. I had completed this in around1:46 which was pretty good, but once I get over 11ish everything just hurts – a lot. It doesn’t seem to be physical tiredness, but my feet start to hurt and I tend to just slow down my running. I also noticed that I got a bad big toe again, not sure why that is but it seems to tighten. I find that in the first 10 miles you can think about anything, the world and how great it is, fluffy bunnies and all things nice. After 10 miles I can only think about the sodding pounding of my feet, and how much I want to get back and put my feet up.

Completed just about 16 miles today, furthest yet and although I was pretty knackered and my legs were sore it wasn’t “too bad”. Happy to get home, but for the first time I felt after the big run that I could have possibly carried on – not sure I could do another 10 miles yet, but am certainly feeling more confident. Knees are quite sore tonight, and that blumming muscle or tendon or whatever behind my knee is really sore and I am hobbling around around like a biddy. Also found that the new shoes have been over used and I may have the beginnings of a blister for the first time, so will get a pair of proper socks which should help, and the new shoes will hopefully fit better by next big run… There we are then, 16 miles in around 2hrs 40 – still hate running. ;o)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 52

Confidence: 65%

Ability: 68%

Why does this blog, that only perhaps 5 people have ever read keep getting blumming spam everyday? They keep posting rubbish on the comment sections, pretty much every day I have to delete posts – crazy..

Anyway, back on the streets today, and although I was pretty tired this morning I was out and about around 7:15 (in the light!) and off for around a 6 miler. Little worried about my leg, but after some stretching it seemed ok. And was pretty good around the circuit. Not too much aches and pains today which I was quite surprised about – so nothing to moan about today…

Legs are OK this afternoon, still a little achey – as they have been for 3 months – but all in all feeling alot more positive tonight. Back for another 15 or 16 miler on Saturday morning so we will see how that goes, fingers crossed it’ll be ok. I will be doing a flat circuit this time so might be easier on the legs ;o)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 55

Confidence: 60%

Ability: 64%

Had a day off yesterday, a real day off. So decided to head into Cardiff and Run and Become ( http://www.runandbecome.com/ ) to get some more shoes. Mine had completed around 250 miles now, and my legs are really sore from the last run, so I figured perhaps some new shoes might improve that. Also I would have had to have bought a new pair before the race, so good opportunity. Traffic was awful which was a pain as every minute was a minute of my day off wasted. Anyway, the bloke in the shop was very helpful, I tried on around 8 pairs but finished with an upgraded version of the Saucony show I had before, which should have a little more padding.

So went out with the intention of a little run, but ended up doing around 6 miles. Shoes seemed ok – not as comfy as the old ones, but that’s to be expected I guess. How ever my leg is really very sore now. I have had a sharp pain in the “tendons” behind my right knee which hurts a lot on full extension, I also have stabbing pains in the knee itself as well. Its not too good, and to be honest I am a little nervous and just keeping my fingers crossed that things don’t get worse. I would like to take a week off to get the leg fine, but I am worried that it would impact the training too much.

I am going to see how it goes this week, 6 on Thurs another 15 on Sat. If the pain is still as bad as it has been I will have to go see the doc or something, as it is just not right. Although I did work out that on a 15 mile run my feet hit the floor around 30,000 times!!!…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days left: 57

Confidence: 25%

Ability: 64%