22nd August 2008
Just been to Pure Sports Medicine in the city; I saw a Sports Physician who put me on the slab then prodded and twisted me around for half an hour. He does not believe that I have a hernia nor a groin strain, but it may be nerve related so he then packed me off for an x-ray and I’m due back in a couple of weeks to see an osteopath.
He did however say that I could continue training, but that I had to listen very carefully to what my body was telling me and if things worsened then to stop and come back. Methinks some low intensity training is in order for a while.
Someone who will be very pleased though is the dog, who does not understand why we haven’t been running through the mud and puddles for the last 3 days. In her mind, all of a sudden I just got lazy :(
Friday, 22 August 2008
Thursday, 21 August 2008
The honeymoon is definitely over
21st August 2008
That’s it, I’m crocked!
On Sunday I ran round the heath as a warm up and then went swimming in one of the ponds. I spent a long time peering into the murky depths trying to see the size of the fish before I got in. I should have taken more notice of the shivering swimmers exiting the water before I got in. It was freezing, my body went into shock and I almost went straight to the bottom. Suffice to say, I will not be repeating that experience any more than absolutely necessary.
I’m pretty sure that I’ve pulled / torn my groin. It doesn’t actually hurt when I run or swim, but the rest of the time its absolute agony.
Anyway I’m off to the physio tomorrow for the good news
That’s it, I’m crocked!
On Sunday I ran round the heath as a warm up and then went swimming in one of the ponds. I spent a long time peering into the murky depths trying to see the size of the fish before I got in. I should have taken more notice of the shivering swimmers exiting the water before I got in. It was freezing, my body went into shock and I almost went straight to the bottom. Suffice to say, I will not be repeating that experience any more than absolutely necessary.
I’m pretty sure that I’ve pulled / torn my groin. It doesn’t actually hurt when I run or swim, but the rest of the time its absolute agony.
Anyway I’m off to the physio tomorrow for the good news
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Progress of sorts
16th August 2008
I didn't drown, so that makes it twice that I've been swimming and survived! This time I managed 60 lengths, but before you gasp in amazement, as before it was in sets of 2 with a breather between each set. I'm not despondant however, I just need to increase the number of lengths in each set until I can match the 11, 22, 14, 9 breakdown required so that I survive this madness. You just gotta love the logic of an eternal optimist :)
I'm off to Hampstead Heath in the morning for a swim in the ponds so I can get an idea of what it is like, murky with big fish waiting to drag me to the bottom is how I imagine it.
Had a good run today, did 9.5 miles (my longest so far) and felt remarkably good, which in my language means that I didn't need CPR at the end.
My training target for August was 60 miles, and it looks like I'll beat that with room to spare. So I'm going to up it to 85 miles on the basis that if I can't run 85 miles in a month, then trying to run it in under 27 hours is just a pipe dream.
I've also discovered that I do need these challenges to drive me on, so I'm going to look for some events through the winter to keep me motivated.
I didn't drown, so that makes it twice that I've been swimming and survived! This time I managed 60 lengths, but before you gasp in amazement, as before it was in sets of 2 with a breather between each set. I'm not despondant however, I just need to increase the number of lengths in each set until I can match the 11, 22, 14, 9 breakdown required so that I survive this madness. You just gotta love the logic of an eternal optimist :)
I'm off to Hampstead Heath in the morning for a swim in the ponds so I can get an idea of what it is like, murky with big fish waiting to drag me to the bottom is how I imagine it.
Had a good run today, did 9.5 miles (my longest so far) and felt remarkably good, which in my language means that I didn't need CPR at the end.
My training target for August was 60 miles, and it looks like I'll beat that with room to spare. So I'm going to up it to 85 miles on the basis that if I can't run 85 miles in a month, then trying to run it in under 27 hours is just a pipe dream.
I've also discovered that I do need these challenges to drive me on, so I'm going to look for some events through the winter to keep me motivated.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Ahhhggg, swimming
14th August 2008
This swimming lark is beginning to seriously worry me. I got some more details on what is worryingly being called a duathlon, it goes something like this.
Swim 180 metres (11)
Run 800 metres
Swim 350 metres (22)
Run 500 metres
Swim 220 metres (14)
Run 1.5 miles
Swim 150 metres (9)
Run 800 metres to finish
The pool at my gym is 16 metres in length, so the numbers in brackets represent the number of lengths. Obvious isn’t it, I put the telly on, get a few tips from Michael Phelps and pop up to the pool and swim 56 lengths.
Wrong!! I managed 8 lengths before I was rescued from my resting place at the bottom of the pool and had the water pumped from my lungs. I then managed another 22 lengths in groups of 2, yes a whole 2 at a time with about 15 secs rest between each group.
What’s with this whole moving of the arms, turning the head and breathing thing? Don’t they know I’m trying to keep myself off the bottom of the pool and kick my legs at the same time?
So, it’s back up to the pool tonight for another go. If I’m not back by 9pm, then the fishes have got me!
This swimming lark is beginning to seriously worry me. I got some more details on what is worryingly being called a duathlon, it goes something like this.
Swim 180 metres (11)
Run 800 metres
Swim 350 metres (22)
Run 500 metres
Swim 220 metres (14)
Run 1.5 miles
Swim 150 metres (9)
Run 800 metres to finish
The pool at my gym is 16 metres in length, so the numbers in brackets represent the number of lengths. Obvious isn’t it, I put the telly on, get a few tips from Michael Phelps and pop up to the pool and swim 56 lengths.
Wrong!! I managed 8 lengths before I was rescued from my resting place at the bottom of the pool and had the water pumped from my lungs. I then managed another 22 lengths in groups of 2, yes a whole 2 at a time with about 15 secs rest between each group.
What’s with this whole moving of the arms, turning the head and breathing thing? Don’t they know I’m trying to keep myself off the bottom of the pool and kick my legs at the same time?
So, it’s back up to the pool tonight for another go. If I’m not back by 9pm, then the fishes have got me!
Monday, 11 August 2008
Has anyone seen my marbles?
11th August 2008
Can someone tell me if I am going through a mid life crisis, or have I just lost my marbles! My brother phoned me on Sunday:
Pete: George (brother-in-law) wants to know whether we are still doing it.
Me: Doing what?
Pete: The swimming / running race on the Heath.
Me: eh?
Pete: You know, you said that you would make up a 4 man team in a race that swims round every pond in the heath and runs between them.
Me: Why on earth would I promise to do that, I’m no good at swimming!
Pete: Drink?
Me: Good point.
So that’s all I know, the result of much drink and bravado at a summer wedding, means that I am doing a race I know absolutely nothing about the morning after another family wedding reception in 4 weeks time.
I’m off to buy some buoyancy aids and find my marbles!
Can someone tell me if I am going through a mid life crisis, or have I just lost my marbles! My brother phoned me on Sunday:
Pete: George (brother-in-law) wants to know whether we are still doing it.
Me: Doing what?
Pete: The swimming / running race on the Heath.
Me: eh?
Pete: You know, you said that you would make up a 4 man team in a race that swims round every pond in the heath and runs between them.
Me: Why on earth would I promise to do that, I’m no good at swimming!
Pete: Drink?
Me: Good point.
So that’s all I know, the result of much drink and bravado at a summer wedding, means that I am doing a race I know absolutely nothing about the morning after another family wedding reception in 4 weeks time.
I’m off to buy some buoyancy aids and find my marbles!
Saturday, 9 August 2008
Back down to earth with a bump
7th August 2008
Well that was a bit of a wake up call. I went for my assessment at the gym last night and was given a dose of reality. I must admit that I thought that it would be completely different, I was expecting for him to put me through my paces until I dropped and then set me up with some sort of training routine. It couldn’t have been more different. I was weighed, had my height, waist and hips measured, had my blood pressure taken, did 3 minutes of step ups and held some fancy machine which after 30 seconds told me that I was fat. I did some basic stretching and he gave me the following results:
Body Mass Index (BMI): Current= 25.44, Target = 20 to 25
Body Fat: Current = 25.30%, Target = 20% to 21.5%
Waist to Hip Ratio: Current = 8 +, Target = 5 +
Blood Pressure: Current = 125/90, Target = 120/80
Resting Heart Rate: Current = 60 bpm, Target = 50 to 70
Fitness: Current = 96, Target = 70 to 95
Flexibility: Current = 15 -, Target = 10 +
So, just a little bit of work to do then!!!!
For anyone who is interested, here are the details of my runs so far:
Jun-08: 10 runs, Total distance 19.92, Total time 03:16:02
Jul-08: 25 runs, Total distance 67.83, Total time 10:16:30
Well that was a bit of a wake up call. I went for my assessment at the gym last night and was given a dose of reality. I must admit that I thought that it would be completely different, I was expecting for him to put me through my paces until I dropped and then set me up with some sort of training routine. It couldn’t have been more different. I was weighed, had my height, waist and hips measured, had my blood pressure taken, did 3 minutes of step ups and held some fancy machine which after 30 seconds told me that I was fat. I did some basic stretching and he gave me the following results:
Body Mass Index (BMI): Current= 25.44, Target = 20 to 25
Body Fat: Current = 25.30%, Target = 20% to 21.5%
Waist to Hip Ratio: Current = 8 +, Target = 5 +
Blood Pressure: Current = 125/90, Target = 120/80
Resting Heart Rate: Current = 60 bpm, Target = 50 to 70
Fitness: Current = 96, Target = 70 to 95
Flexibility: Current = 15 -, Target = 10 +
So, just a little bit of work to do then!!!!
For anyone who is interested, here are the details of my runs so far:
Jun-08: 10 runs, Total distance 19.92, Total time 03:16:02
Jul-08: 25 runs, Total distance 67.83, Total time 10:16:30
Thursday, 31 July 2008
The pain subsides
31st July 2008
The black eye is looking less like the aftermath of an afternoon of fun down at Millwall and more like a bit of tiredness. The bruising on my face, knees and hands has turned into the golden glow normally associated with a tanning session but with slightly longer results than you get from the average bottle and the pain in my left knee has dulled from excruciating to hardly noticeable. I’m back :)
For my birthday, my young lady bought me a gym membership and for the last couple of days I have been doing non impact exercise as I have not managed to run for more than a mile and a half in the mornings without collapsing in a heap. It’s a great little gym with a swimming pool and the couple of times that I have been there after work; I’ve almost had it to myself. I’d tell you where it is except you might join and crowd me out :) It even has bikes that I can take out on the various trails in the area which should allow me some cross training. The only negative aspect of joining the gym is that I have an assessment next week and I’m going to have the humiliation of listening to how unfit I am. I was chatting to Mark, who will be doing my assessment and he asked what my goals were, the conversation went something like this:
Me: I have an 85 mile race that I want to do next year.
Mark: Oh, you’ll need a bike then
Me: No, I’ll be running it
Mark: Do you run Ultra’s then
Me: No, but I’ve run 6 miles though
Mark: (walks off tapping the side of his head muttering)
This morning I ran 3 miles with the dog before work and I’ve not seen her look so relieved for some time. She’s been a bit miffed with me recently, not only did I climb Snowdon without her but I came back a wreck. Without the runs that she has come to expect, she’s been a bundle of energy the last couple of days.
The black eye is looking less like the aftermath of an afternoon of fun down at Millwall and more like a bit of tiredness. The bruising on my face, knees and hands has turned into the golden glow normally associated with a tanning session but with slightly longer results than you get from the average bottle and the pain in my left knee has dulled from excruciating to hardly noticeable. I’m back :)
For my birthday, my young lady bought me a gym membership and for the last couple of days I have been doing non impact exercise as I have not managed to run for more than a mile and a half in the mornings without collapsing in a heap. It’s a great little gym with a swimming pool and the couple of times that I have been there after work; I’ve almost had it to myself. I’d tell you where it is except you might join and crowd me out :) It even has bikes that I can take out on the various trails in the area which should allow me some cross training. The only negative aspect of joining the gym is that I have an assessment next week and I’m going to have the humiliation of listening to how unfit I am. I was chatting to Mark, who will be doing my assessment and he asked what my goals were, the conversation went something like this:
Me: I have an 85 mile race that I want to do next year.
Mark: Oh, you’ll need a bike then
Me: No, I’ll be running it
Mark: Do you run Ultra’s then
Me: No, but I’ve run 6 miles though
Mark: (walks off tapping the side of his head muttering)
This morning I ran 3 miles with the dog before work and I’ve not seen her look so relieved for some time. She’s been a bit miffed with me recently, not only did I climb Snowdon without her but I came back a wreck. Without the runs that she has come to expect, she’s been a bundle of energy the last couple of days.
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Not your average night!
26th July 2008
We left Sonning at 9pm stopping briefly just outside Telford to pick up Tom; arriving in the car park at the bottom of Snowdon at 1:30 Saturday morning. It was pitch black and the moment that I switched on my head torch reality struck (actually, reality had struck Friday lunchtime so I rushed out to buy the aforementioned head torch as the alternative of climbing in the dark was slightly worrying!). I was almost ready and looking up to where I assumed the mountain was awaiting our arrival, when a voice came out of the darkness, ‘has anyone see the compass?!’ There was much rustling followed by a few choice phrases which belonged after the 9pm watershed and then it was decision time; do we climb in the dark with no compass or wait until dawn. I looked up, there was no moon, the cloud base was too low, a moments hesitation, I shone a torch in Simon and Tom’s faces to check their fear levels and we were off.
The planned route was to reach the summit via the horseshoe and finishing with Crib Gogh in the daylight - a sensible decision considering the warning from the ‘hightrek’ website:
‘Warning: Crib Goch should not be attempted in poor conditions. It is a serious climb in winter, and is dangerous in strong winds.
The Snowdon Horseshoe is one of the best ridge walks - if not THE best - in the country. The route should not be attempted by anyone with a fear of heights, since it includes the knife-edge arête of Crib Goch, and for the same reason it should be avoided in high winds.’
The first 45 minutes was simple, we were able to switch off the torches and walk with just the ambient light. Then it got difficult, the gradient steepened, the path became harder to follow and we were completely reliant on Simon’s knowledge of the mountain. In short, he was an absolute hero. How he managed to keep us heading in the right direction without disappearing over one of the many vertical drops I will never know. Each time my worry got the better of me, the path would appear again in the beam of the torch. If I was worried for myself, poor old Tom was having a nightmare - he had 2 head torches, both of which were failing and a hand held torch which hampered his ability to clamber over the rocks. I spent so much time swivelling my head around to show him the paths, I felt like I was at a tennis match.
After a couple of hours we were in the cloud, visibility was appalling and at some point we lost the ridge we had been following. We quickly came to the decision that it was time for a brew and we would wait for first light before moving on. Simon again showed his hero tendencies when he produced not just a stove and tea bags, but also a fresh pint of milk. It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a cuppa as much as that one.
All too soon it started to get light and we were on our way. Then it was just a slog to the top, too often sliding on the wet rocks. If I hadn’t realised it before, there was a slight difference in conditioning between myself and the other two; basically I was paying for the last 20 years of the good life and it hurt. The top was a great feeling, the cloud was swirling all around us and we took turns to stand at the summit looking up into the whiteness. All too soon it was time to move on, the decision to finish on Crib Goch was confirmed and we were off.
All I can say is that it was magnificent, totally awe inspiring. ‘The arête was formed from the cooled magma of a great volcanic eruption sculpted by glaciers on both sides.’ We were tired and it demanded respect every step of the way. After about an hour the ridge dropped down into the valley and we were passing people just starting their climbs. The energy started flowing back into my limbs and we ran the last mile. I finished on an absolute high collapsed in a heap next to the car, 7.5 hours after we started, with two knackered knees and a bruised face from getting too familiar with the mountain as momentos.
What a blast, good to meet you Tom, bring on the next challenge :)
We left Sonning at 9pm stopping briefly just outside Telford to pick up Tom; arriving in the car park at the bottom of Snowdon at 1:30 Saturday morning. It was pitch black and the moment that I switched on my head torch reality struck (actually, reality had struck Friday lunchtime so I rushed out to buy the aforementioned head torch as the alternative of climbing in the dark was slightly worrying!). I was almost ready and looking up to where I assumed the mountain was awaiting our arrival, when a voice came out of the darkness, ‘has anyone see the compass?!’ There was much rustling followed by a few choice phrases which belonged after the 9pm watershed and then it was decision time; do we climb in the dark with no compass or wait until dawn. I looked up, there was no moon, the cloud base was too low, a moments hesitation, I shone a torch in Simon and Tom’s faces to check their fear levels and we were off.
The planned route was to reach the summit via the horseshoe and finishing with Crib Gogh in the daylight - a sensible decision considering the warning from the ‘hightrek’ website:
‘Warning: Crib Goch should not be attempted in poor conditions. It is a serious climb in winter, and is dangerous in strong winds.
The Snowdon Horseshoe is one of the best ridge walks - if not THE best - in the country. The route should not be attempted by anyone with a fear of heights, since it includes the knife-edge arête of Crib Goch, and for the same reason it should be avoided in high winds.’
The first 45 minutes was simple, we were able to switch off the torches and walk with just the ambient light. Then it got difficult, the gradient steepened, the path became harder to follow and we were completely reliant on Simon’s knowledge of the mountain. In short, he was an absolute hero. How he managed to keep us heading in the right direction without disappearing over one of the many vertical drops I will never know. Each time my worry got the better of me, the path would appear again in the beam of the torch. If I was worried for myself, poor old Tom was having a nightmare - he had 2 head torches, both of which were failing and a hand held torch which hampered his ability to clamber over the rocks. I spent so much time swivelling my head around to show him the paths, I felt like I was at a tennis match.
After a couple of hours we were in the cloud, visibility was appalling and at some point we lost the ridge we had been following. We quickly came to the decision that it was time for a brew and we would wait for first light before moving on. Simon again showed his hero tendencies when he produced not just a stove and tea bags, but also a fresh pint of milk. It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a cuppa as much as that one.
All too soon it started to get light and we were on our way. Then it was just a slog to the top, too often sliding on the wet rocks. If I hadn’t realised it before, there was a slight difference in conditioning between myself and the other two; basically I was paying for the last 20 years of the good life and it hurt. The top was a great feeling, the cloud was swirling all around us and we took turns to stand at the summit looking up into the whiteness. All too soon it was time to move on, the decision to finish on Crib Goch was confirmed and we were off.
All I can say is that it was magnificent, totally awe inspiring. ‘The arête was formed from the cooled magma of a great volcanic eruption sculpted by glaciers on both sides.’ We were tired and it demanded respect every step of the way. After about an hour the ridge dropped down into the valley and we were passing people just starting their climbs. The energy started flowing back into my limbs and we ran the last mile. I finished on an absolute high collapsed in a heap next to the car, 7.5 hours after we started, with two knackered knees and a bruised face from getting too familiar with the mountain as momentos.
What a blast, good to meet you Tom, bring on the next challenge :)
Friday, 25 July 2008
No longer just a dream
24th July 2008
If I was under the impression that Simon was going to go quietly enabling me to crawl back onto the sofa with my dreams for company, I was rudely awakened yesterday. My phone bleeped with an incoming text ..
‘Don’t suppose you fancy climbing Snowdon on Friday night for sunrise. 1st stamina session, back sat afternoon’.
I sat and stared at it for some time, obviously he was tired and not thinking properly; that would mean that we were going to climb in the dark! I gave him a quick call, to have a laugh at his expense, but he was serious. So, here I am, bag packed, waiting for tomorrow evening, hoping that the weather will be good, because I don’t have a torch of any kind. If I’m honest, my stomach is a bit knotted; but it’s a good feeling, I’m looking for my boundaries again, something I haven’t done for 20 years.
If all goes according to plan, I’ll be having a brew on the top of Snowdon watching the sunrise on my 42nd birthday.
If I was under the impression that Simon was going to go quietly enabling me to crawl back onto the sofa with my dreams for company, I was rudely awakened yesterday. My phone bleeped with an incoming text ..
‘Don’t suppose you fancy climbing Snowdon on Friday night for sunrise. 1st stamina session, back sat afternoon’.
I sat and stared at it for some time, obviously he was tired and not thinking properly; that would mean that we were going to climb in the dark! I gave him a quick call, to have a laugh at his expense, but he was serious. So, here I am, bag packed, waiting for tomorrow evening, hoping that the weather will be good, because I don’t have a torch of any kind. If I’m honest, my stomach is a bit knotted; but it’s a good feeling, I’m looking for my boundaries again, something I haven’t done for 20 years.
If all goes according to plan, I’ll be having a brew on the top of Snowdon watching the sunrise on my 42nd birthday.
How it started
22nd July 2008
I got bored talking about what I used to do when I was younger, how much I loved my running and how my life changed when I injured myself. I don’t remember exactly when I made the decision, but I did, enough was enough; it was time to stop living on past glories, get out there and find the buzz again.
First of all the smoking had to go, I’m still clean after a year and am very chuffed with myself. Next I stopped walking the dog and started running with her instead. Then when I moved jobs, the wonderful people that I worked with bought me a Garmin 50 and all of a sudden I knew how far I was running. Not far, as it turned out, 2 miles of huffing and puffing was about my limit; but it didn’t matter, I was hooked again.
Then last weekend at a family BBQ, things changed. I was chatting to my cousin Simon about the Exmoor coastal marathon, by all accounts a pretty impressive 28 mile run with 10,000ft ascent thrown in for good measure. The article I had read enthused me and I was waxing lyrical to Simon about it and an 85 mile run along the Ridgeway, which happens to be where I run with the dog; when he upped the stakes and said he would run them with me.
Oops, now I have a target and someone to run them with me. My bluff has been called so I thought I would start this blog to track how I am getting on. As the saying goes, for better or worse.
I got bored talking about what I used to do when I was younger, how much I loved my running and how my life changed when I injured myself. I don’t remember exactly when I made the decision, but I did, enough was enough; it was time to stop living on past glories, get out there and find the buzz again.
First of all the smoking had to go, I’m still clean after a year and am very chuffed with myself. Next I stopped walking the dog and started running with her instead. Then when I moved jobs, the wonderful people that I worked with bought me a Garmin 50 and all of a sudden I knew how far I was running. Not far, as it turned out, 2 miles of huffing and puffing was about my limit; but it didn’t matter, I was hooked again.
Then last weekend at a family BBQ, things changed. I was chatting to my cousin Simon about the Exmoor coastal marathon, by all accounts a pretty impressive 28 mile run with 10,000ft ascent thrown in for good measure. The article I had read enthused me and I was waxing lyrical to Simon about it and an 85 mile run along the Ridgeway, which happens to be where I run with the dog; when he upped the stakes and said he would run them with me.
Oops, now I have a target and someone to run them with me. My bluff has been called so I thought I would start this blog to track how I am getting on. As the saying goes, for better or worse.
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