Week 8 - Dealing with my first injury...

This has been a tough week. I woke up on Monday with all sorts of aches and pains - a bad headache, stiff all over, bunged up and fluey and worse of all, a pain on my left shin. I had taken a bath on the Sunday night and I think that helped but I still had all sorts of issues. And it wasn't me being a hypochondriac!

First priority was to shake the cold. I drank lots of water and had a series of early nights... that helped a lot, I guess it just had to work its way out of my system. The most worrying thing at the start of the week was the sore shin. I was scared about shin splints and so I tried to take it handy. It was still sore on Wednesday morning and I bought some deep heat and a deep heat pad to apply on it. It made all the difference.

By Friday, I was feeling a lot better and was ready to run. I felt guilty for not having run all week. I know it was a good achievement of having completed the Sussex Beacon but that was just one step on the way towards training for the Flora London. It meant I fell behind my training schedule as well, which the book doesn't really address. So despite the frustrations of not having trained, I am grateful that I had recovered from my cold and also that my leg feels a lot better.

Feeling better on Saturday morning, I got back into the groove and went for a run. I ran just under seven miles around Clapham, which I marked out on gmap pedometer. My legs felt fine and I was happy to be running again. I ran around the Common a few times. It was the first time I had run on the Common and I enjoyed it a lot. Loads of other runners out too. Everyone starting to get focussed on the Marathon, I'll bet! Good stuff. Looking forward to running more again in Week 9....

Week 7 - Susex Beacon Half-Marathon Week

Week 7 - Susex Beacon Half-Marathon Week

What a week it's been!

Coming back from India was a knackering journey as I flew at 5am local time (check in 3am- euch) and went straight into work on Tuesday lunchtime. My earlier stated plans for a run on Tuesday night evaporated when I arrived home, knackered. Weds early morning didn't materialise and a work dinner on Wednesday night meant it was Thursday, three days to the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon and I hadn't trained all week.

I headed home after work and got focussed again for my run on the Thursday. 6 miles was the aim.. it was kind of an amalgam of what the three different runs were meant to be that week. I plotted out a map on gmap and headed for the door. I felt pretty bad for not having run all week so, particularly for the first couple of miles, really went for it. I managed to get back in around 52 minutes and I felt ok, a bit stiff but not too bad. What a crazy place I've come to... running 10K and feeling guilty that it's not long enough! That was enought to bring a smile to my face but not enough to remove the lingering trepidation that lay ahead of the Big Day on Sunday...

The Sussex Beacon Half Marathon, 19 Feb. '06
It was a cold, wet, wind-swept Sunday morning... yup, it felt like a scene from some dreary poem. Pam & Andy and Devika headed down to the start line. Unfortunately Pam fell ill on a recent trip and her medical advice was not to run the race. She was about as gutted as I was fearful - i.e. loads! Devika (and Andy!) were full of encourging words. We met up with some good friends, Carmel & Marthena and Carmel's boss, Bill, who were running the Half Marathon too.
I kept my bottle of water with me, even though there were a couple of formal Water Stations set up. I have gotten used to running with it and thought it better not to change my routine. I was wearing my gloves coz it was SO cold. They're woollen gloves, so they were getting a bit soggy in the rain, but it was that cold that I kept them on.

To the line... the countdown.. five... four... three... two... one... the starting gun! What a great feeling as everyone counted down together. I was in the second batch and set off at my own pace. The first couple of miles were pretty crowded but the momentum of everyone running carried me. I saw Devika, Pam & Andy after about a mile, when they cheered for me - what a brilliant feeling. I then got into a rhythm which felt good. Amazingly, at 5 miles, I was feeling strong and the split on my time was something like 40 minutes. Wow! Just focus on getting through it, I thought. I saw the three again - it really does push you along, it was so good of them to stand in the rain to cheer all of us along. I felt OK working through the mileage.. and I started doing loads of Maths in my head - was it really that I was going to break the magical 2 hour mark?? No sooner than I started having such cocky thoughts in my head that I started feeling a bit of a twinge in my left hammy. Doh. I kept going though and until mile 9, I felt well. I was picking random people in the group and trying to keep up with them. It was a good tactic and was a good way to add a bit of personal competition, without the other person realising you're doing it! A bit of tiredness started creeping in and the weather was horrific - cold, wet and windy. They gave us a great bottle of lucozade type of drink at around the 10 mile point, which gave me a great lift. I don't know if it was psychological or physical, but it felt like the end was in sight and I kept going for it. Mile 12 was a great point as I realised that I was indeed going to break 2 hours if I was just sensible and ran the last 1.1 miles with a steady pace. Seeing the finish line in sight.. what a feeling.. a bit of energy from nowhere.. sprint finish.. a smile on my face. YIESSS! I made it, I had gone from never having run more than 5k to finishing an official half marathon. I checked the time as we had these cool electronic chips we attached to our laces and my time was officially 1:51.22 (http://www.sussexbeacon.org.uk/results.htm). That was half an hour quicker than I thought I'd do it in! I was feeling a bit stiff, a bit sore and quite tired but the objective was achieved - I had completed a Half Marathon. Carmel, Marthena and Bill were there too and we were all very happy and relieved to have done it. I could feel I was developping a bit of a cold but that was going to be a problem I'd address on Monday. Today, I could feel proud that I had taken a step towards running a Full Marathon. Still loads to do, must keep the focus.

Week 6 - Finding time still remains of the essence...

Week 6 - Finding time still remains of the essence...

Another hectic week, this one more than any other!

Short Runs
My three runs during the week again proved hard to squeeze in. Fortunately, I managed to squeeze in three runs. However, I 'only' managed to squeeze in 3 miles into each run. Two were on the treadmill and I was in such a rush, I really pushed myself! I now feel good running at an 8.0-8.5 on the treadmill, which means I can finish 3 miles in around 22 or 23 minutes. Nice one. I ran my third run around da streets of Clapham again. Managed it in around 25 minutes. Steady as she goes... but the problem really is, this was a week, according to my book, that I was meant to run 15 miles in my three runs. Falling behind.

But that was nothing compared to what my long run was going to entail...

Date: Sunday, 12th February 2006
Distance covered: 8.5 miles
Time taken: 1h 25mins
Venue: Juhu Beach, Mumbai, India!

Where to begin... with my first steps taken on my road to being a property magnate (sic.), I found myself, accompanied by my parents, in Mumbai. It was a fantastic long weekend but one of the key things we knew I was going to have to find time - and a place - for was my 'long run'. After all, with the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon exactly a week away, I need to get the practice in.

And what an unforgettable experience it was! I dragged myself out of bed at around 7am and after a quick bowl of cereal, my Dad showed me the beach and suggested a route. We both underestimated just how long 11 miles was.. I reckon the beach strip that I had at my disposal was about 2.5 to 3 miles long. So the plan was to run it a couple of times and be completed before the sun really hit.

There were so many unique aspects to the run it’s hard to know where to begin. Running on sand was tough – I don’t know how the Marathon de Sablers do it.. I tried to find the firmer parts of each part of the beach, given running with your foot sinking on each step wasn’t exactly ideal! Running with the sun rising over water was pretty special. The sights, sounds and smells were phenomenal. I must have been some (poncy) sight, running in my shorts and shoes and baseball cap, water bottle in hand. At a couple of stages, a couple of street children, whose families had shacks along parts of the beach ran along with me. They may have been looking for money at first but then probably ran along for the novelty of running with, let’s be honest, a bit of a freak!! :) I had to combat a few dogs as well… my first experience of having to fend them off. Not fun. I saw meditators, walkers, kids playing cricket and football (one with a Man Utd. jersey – get in!), martial artists… you name it, the beach was a happenng place. And all this before 8am!

The run itself was pretty hard work. As is customary for me now, the first two or three miles were a struggle. But the distractions proved a welcome relief; after the initial strain, I was too busy soaking it all in. I was aiming for twelve miles and the six mile mark came and went without too much stress. But then a bit of a problem struck. The sun was emerging and it was starting to get hot. Really hot. I underestimated this and, given I started consuming more water, I ran out after about 8 miles. Given I didn’t know any of the locals (and have virtually no Hindi!), I couldn’t work out how to say “please give me a bottle of water and I’ll pay you back later” so I decided to call it quits about half a mile after that. I got back to the flat, did my stretches and recounted my tales to my folks, which they found as fascinating as I did.

From the outside looking in, Week 6 may appear bit of a disaster – I didn’t run enough for my three shorter runs, and I was 2.5miles short for my long run. However, I am actually pleased with how it went. Given how busy I was, I am pleased I got out for three short runs. The long run was a mystery of whether I would find the place and time to run in India. But that I managed to run as much as 8.5miles and gain such an unforgettable experience, meant that I end Week 6 feeling positive.

Well, I did, until I realised that Week 7’s Long Run is the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon on Sunday morning………

Week 5 - Knowing I have to make the time... ("you can't cheat your legs")

Week 5 - Jan 30th - Feb 5th

I had a cracking time skiing. One of the biggest bonuses is to have returned to London largely injury-free. I was worried about breaking my proverbial leg, but happily not. The long weekend away with the lads (James & John) was a cracking mix of boozing and skiing. But obviously no chance of running... so time for renewed focus.

‘You can’t cheat your legs’. Time to get running again. The week didn’t start great as I logistically could only work out a way to go running twice during the week but the key, according to the book at least, was to ensure I did my first 10-miler. TEN miles!!

Run 1 - On the Treadmill
Back on the treadmill… object of 3 miles. The guilt of having missed so many days running incentivised me to push myself. Ran at the 8.5 setting, so managed to do the 3 miles in 23 and a half minutes.

Run 2 - 5 miles in Clapham South
Using my favourite toy in the wRun 1 - On the Treadmill, I mapped out five miles around Clapham Souff. It took me a bit of time to get my strength up – remember, when it used to be called Thirsty Thursdays – but I knew I had to do it. I found the first couple of miles pretty hard going, looking at my watch and balking at only 20 minutes being gone. That said, I still felt ok and kept pushing myself. Running round familiar turf where I’ve driven around quite a bit is quite nice and I tried to take in some of the sights round Battersea and Clapham. I went for it at the end and hit my objective (set during the course of the run!) of breaking 45-minutes and 9-minute miles. I did it and it felt great! To the unsuspecting reader, this may not sound too impressive but, for me, it felt great. Now for that ten-miler…

Saturday afternoon – My first 10 mile run
Up in Newcastle for the weekend, the first challenge was to map out a course whereby I didn’t get lost! I set out to go from Devika’s flat, along the coast road and loop my way back. 10-and-a-bit miles, if I could do it. It was meant to be a Saturday morning jobby to get it out of the way for us to watch the rugby but various bits and pieces meant I didn’t set out till after the Ireland-Italy game and so I’d miss England-Wales. The sacrifices of being “a runner” eh!!

Cheered on by Devika, I set off. As seems to be the way for me, I didn’t find the beginning that easy. The first couple of miles were tough. Calculating what twenty minutes was a percentage of my total run wasn’t exactly the best way to keep going but I knew I had to do it… if nothing else, so that I could get back to D’s flat! The book talks about creating mental images for yourself, including one of being cheered on by friends & family during the race and at the finish line. Whilst I thought it was all a bit cringey and cheesy when I read it, I did actually think about it on a couple of occasions and it does give you that little push. I reached roughly the half-way mark and actually felt a bit of a serge. Running for almost fifty minutes, I was still able to inject some energy into my run. Positive thinking. Long distrance running really does seem to be a battle you need to win in your head. At about 8 miles, it began to hurt a bit. My right hamstring and quads in particular. Kept going and, after 1:35.36, I made it back to Devika’s flat! WOO HOO! Lots of stretching later and a glorious Man Utd victory on the box, it was time to recoup and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Best invention in the world? For runners, p-r-o-b-a-b-l-y:

Sorry, but how cool is this :

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/