Last week I said I would not do any running this week, due to on-going knee issues. Well, that lasted until Thursday. This was brought about by a gym session I did on Wednesday. I did half gym, and half swimming. However, I’ve moved to a new gym recently and the pool is rubbish. It's only 15M long (versus 25m at the old gym), it's also half the width. To make matters worse they had half the remaining width roped off for swimming lessons. It was barely possibly to get two people swimming abreast. However, I swam (mostly dodging oncoming traffic) for 20 minutes. A few months ago I rolled my ankle, once it healed it hasn't given me a moments trouble running but it started to in the pool. I guess it's the wiggling motion of the feet on front crawl. I took that as a sign that it was time to get out. Not sure if or when I'll return to the pool again given those issues. My ankle is fine incidentally.
So, on Thursday I went for a run; nothing too exciting, just an undulating 3.5mile run; half road and half cross-country. My knee did hurt, but less than I expected. On Friday I did my usually gym session, no problems there. Clive went through some back stretching exercises as I feel all these knee issues are related to a tight back. Well, I don't think that's helping, but It may not be entirely to blame as you'll hear later.
On Saturday I decided I’d try a longer session, but I would also try to emulate the conditions I will experience in France in June. I loaded up a 5Kg pack. From calculations of food and equipment, I estimate my pack weight to be 5.5 to 6kgs for the event. I also adopted what I hope will be my race strategy which is a 4:1 run: walk ratio. I run for 20 minutes, and then walk for 5 minutes, and repeat. The other way of doing it is run until you can't and then walk. The problem with that strategy is that once you stop running, you have done so because you are too tired. So, you are psychologically beaten. A strategy of walking every 20 minutes, allows you to recover for 5 minutes, and you also know you are walking because you have planned to, not because you can't run anymore. Another strategy that I have used in past LDWA events is to walk uphill sections, and run the downhill and flat sections. This does work, but again you are faced with potentially running out of steam and grinding to a tired and beaten walk. So, I think a combination of the two is the most sensible. A 20:5 run/walk, but also walking up steeper uphill sections whenever they occur. On the flipside, running downhill sections even if they occur during the 'walking phase' will balance that out.
I took my GPS speed/distance watch with me for pace information. Pack-loaded I run at 5.5mph, and walk at 3.5mph. This averaged out to 4.9mph over the distance for Saturday. I didn't walk any uphill sections though, as being just 7.5 miles I felt I had enough in the tank to keep me going. I also carried only water and no electrolyte. It was a hot day by April standards, 23C. I was covering familiar territory, so no map reading or sat nav required. There are two main hills to take in as you can see on the map of the route below; marked 1 and 2 in the green circles. I've also posted an equivalent satellite image, so you can get the idea of the area where I live.
I start off on an immediate hill climb to '1', a local landmark the Wedgwood Monument. It's a local high point, at 236 metres. Ok, that's not high compared to my 3300M in Tenerife two weeks ago, but it's a challenging start to any route. The route then winds down into Apedale Country Park, a former coal mining site, and then climbs up to the high point in Apedale. The crest is marked '2' in the green circle on the map. It's marginally lower that the Wedgwood monument. I took this photo standing at point 2. I took it looking back to point 1, which you can just see point 1 (the monument) in the centre, on top of the distant hill.
You also see what a lovely sunny day it was too. It's going to be 10C hotter in France in June, but it was a good taster for how I would feel pack-loaded and running in some heat. I actually ran out of water 2.5Miles before the end. Well, that's not strictly true. I was using 3 litres a water as some of the pack weight in my backpack, but I refused to drink it and lighten my pack! I was pretty thirsty when I got home, all good practice for the desert next year!
My knee held up better than I expected, although I did take an ibuprofen and put an ice pack on it when I got in, and continued to ice it periodically all evening. It had taken me just under 1.5 hours to complete doing the run: walk strategy.
On Sunday I wanted to do more of the same, but longer. It was the same temperature, I carried the same 5kg pack weight, same run: walk strategy but this time 11.5 miles. Part of what I need to build on in the next 6 weeks is multi-day race simulated training. So, wearing myself out one day, then getting up the next day and doing more of the same. It's all well and good doing one 25 mile route once a month, but if you can't get up and do the same again 6 days on the trot, then you are in trouble. The route is shown below.
The route through Swynnerton old forest is very enjoyable. Parts of it look very similar to the pictures of the La Trans Aqu. There are some sandy trails through very pretty forest and you don't meet anyone at all in parts. I ran 20, walked 5. However, this time I also incorporated the 'walk steeper uphill' sections, and always run the downhill’s no matter if doing the 'walk phase'. I did make a few exceptions to push myself. There is a particularly short sharp climb just before 7 miles that I pushed myself to run all the way up. I did notice how much my pace slowed. I was running at 5.5mph on most sections, but on the steep uphill my pace dropped to about 4mph, even less of the steepest. This just shows that it is essentially pointless trying to run uphill. Your legs may be going through the motions, but you would lose little time, and save more energy by walking. I pretty much knew this already, but it's useful to confirm it. I managed the 20:5 strategy up to the 2 hour mark, of what turn out to be a 2.5 hour route. The last half an hour, I walked as my knee was now troubling me a little too much and the last 1.5 miles was all on tarmac road, so tougher on the joints.
It was during the last half an hour, when my knee was aching that I really began to analyse the pain I was experiencing. I forgot to mention I was using an older pair on orthotic shoe inserts. This pair is less severe than the ones I have been using. My problems really all started when I had my running orthotics adjusted a couple months ago when I though about it. I assumed it would take time to adjust, but I have given them more than enough time and if anything my knee problems have got worse. The hip pain I get after running (but not during) has also not improved. It was that hip pain that the orthotic change was supposed to target. I've noticed that I have been turning my right foot out (pointing toes out at 2 o clock so to speak). When I point my foot forward, as I should be, I get knee pain. So, I think my body has been compensating and trying to ease the pain my forcing my foot out to 2 o clock. However, when I deliberately turned it out a little further for a few steps, I got my familiar hip pain. The conclusion I have come to is that although my back being tight is a factor, I think the orthotics are causing more problems that they are fixing at the moment.
I am going to try running with either no orthotics, or just a small heel lift on my left foot (to compensate for a slightly short left leg). If that works, then I'll be having words with my orthotics maker. I've had a troubled couple of months with knee/hip pain, and this looks to be prime candidate for the cause.
I'll let you know how I get on next week. I usually post updates on Sunday/Monday, but now and again I will update on a Wednesday if I same something important to log.
Overall I'm happy with how trainng has gone this week, and I'll continue to build this week.
Have a good week.
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