Sunday, May 20, 2007

All coming good at last.

I've had a very successful week.

After Monday, my day off training, I ran every day, no gym sessions this week.

I did an 45-55 minute run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Tuesday I started off thinking I would do a very gentle run indeed (10 min miles), but ended up picking a hilly route and running a little quicker at 9 min miles. On Wednesday I did intervals; 2 minutes fast, 3 minutes recovery. Thursday I decided to pick a familiar route heading down to a canal and then putting in a loop of Westport Lake before coming home. This turned out to be a very useful run for all the wrong reasons. It's 80% concrete or tarmac; surfaces I avoid at all costs. I pretty quickly found that I was experiencing foot pain on the mid part of my left foot when on this hard surface. I knew that this was the orthotic in my shoe causing this. In my running shoes the orthotic that has been built, to replace the insole has an 8mm lift on the heel to compensate for a leg length difference. (I didn't even now I had it until a couple of years ago when I started getting pain when running). Anyway, the lift tapers down from 8mm towards the front of the shoe. There is a hard plastic plate surrounded by foam. Where that plate ends, and the foam begins I was getting pain. I had to keep stopping every half mile it was so bad.

So, I struggled home, but I was pleased. I had found a potential major problem that I would otherwise not have known about unless I had chosen this route. I dropped my shoes off to sub4 and they are sorting out the problem. I was due to pick them up on Saturday, but couldn't get back to the shop before it closed.

My car is in for a 12k interval service at the moment, dropped in on Friday morning. It won't be ready until Tuesday! So, car-less instead of going to the gym for my session with Clive, Clive came to me and we went out for a run. I just wore a light 2.5kg pack and we did a local hilly little route at a faster pace than I would usually run with my pack. I was forced to use my second pair of orthotics (reserved for my shoes) and I did get a few problems, but nothing too serious.

On Saturday, still using the same orthotics I planned a 10 mile route, carrying 7kg. I assumed I would run at 5mph, my long-distance-shuffle speed, so 10 miles would cover the 2 hours I had penned in my training plan. The weather was shocking, and I once again took on the characteristics of a drowned rat shortly after leaving the house. I passed a few cars on one short stretch. I hope I got sympathy from the drivers and they saw a poor, bedraggled and drenched guy loll by with his rucksack.
Soon after, the rain eased up and I headed into Bathpool, a reservoir and sports field whose single claim for fame is as a crime scene for a famous murder about 30 years ago.

I managed to avoid the 'Black Panther' and safely navigated Bathpool, before heading up to Talke pits (you've guessed it, another former mine!). From there I headed down into that bizarrely named wood 'Parrots Drumble'. I took a photo for you, so you can see. It's like a grown up adventure playground with loads of these bridges across streams, fallen trees and narrow ankle-breaking paths. Sorry the first photo is a bit blurred. Hard to keep still when you have briefly stopped mid stride, snatched out your camera phone and clicked off a shot before running on.




Once through Parrot's Drumble, I dashed across the very busy A500. There is a gap in the central reservation where the footpath crosses it. Big thanks to the council for not building a footbridge. I then headed into Audley and Bignall end (yes more mines) and up a fairly steep road for about a mile, across a field to the local Wedgwood monument another mining legacy, before the final 1.5 mile downhill dash home. I love finishing on the hill, as it gives an opportunity pull the average speed back up after losing it on the ascent. The 10 mile route had a total of 830ft of ascent and I did it faster than planned, averaging 5.3mph. Very impressed! I know 5.3mph sounds pathetically slow, but when you are carrying an extra stone in weight, and your knees are not thanking you for it, it's an achievement. Speaking of knees, I had forgotten to put my cho-pat strap on, but my knee was ok. I iced it as a precaution, and took an ibuprofen just in case.

So today, Sunday, I need to run for 3 hours, so I planned a 15 mile linear route; running from home to my parents house. However, my parents’ house is only 5 miles by car, so I had to be fairly creative in my route selection. I took in Apedale, Silverdale, Audley, Keele (as in Keele University), Butterton, Hanchurch, Swynnerton old Forest, and Clayton. The route map is below; but more importantly the hill profile and speed profile from the effort.



There was 1350ft of ascent in the route, but slightly more descent. However, the hills were longer and steeper than yesterday and some of the terrain less friendly.
I set off at 5.3mph, knowing that I would struggle to maintain 5mph on this route by the end. There was a little more tarmac and hard surface running that I would have wished, but using the less severe second pair of orthotics I had no foot pain. Once again I carried 7kg; 800ml of which was SIS Go electrolyte (I used the same the day before too). I remembered the knee strap this time. It was quite a warm day today, plenty of blue in the sky. I'm not sure of the temperature, perhaps 19 or 20C?

This shot is looking over towards Keele.



After Keele, the terrain took a turn for the worse and I had to negotiate some heavily cattle-divoted fields. You really have to watch every footstep to avoid turning an ankle.



However, this kind of ground also builds ankle strength, so it's a double edged sword. All was going well and I was feeling strong to 10 miles into the run, when I hit an obstacle. Again, I apologise for the picture quality here:



For the record I was wearing my La Trans Aq outfit; Ecomesh shirt, cycling shorts, MDS1100 shoes, Asics Kayano socks, and cap. The only item of interest there is shorts, and those pretty plants in the photo are 150metres of waist-high stinging nettles.



Ignore the bit of a scratch, it's the red blotches/spots that you are looking for. both legs from the thigh down were nettled hundreds of times. I am sitting here at 11pm at night 4 hours after I have finished and my legs are still throbbing and tingling. I've even tried a hay fever (anti-histamine) tablet, but nothing works.

So, after having to run through hundreds of stinging nettles I had my way into Swynnerton Old Forest. Here I ran out of electrolyte and tired somewhat. My pace did slow to 4.9mph as I tackled the steep sandy forest tracks.



Swynnerton old forest has been an excellent training ground over the last few weeks, and I am expecting the terrain in La Trans Aq to be similar.



As I began the leave the forest, a welcome descent meant that I was able to pick up my pace over the next 1.5 miles, and despite ending the route on a challenging bank I managed to pull the average time back to 5mph and finish in just under 3 hours.

I've iced my right knee and taken another ibuprofen tonight. I think the amount of miles I am clocking up with the extra weight is a big factor in a lot of these knee niggles. Bearing that in mind, I think I will shorten my routes next Saturday and Sunday, as the week after I will be on the start line for La Trans Aq. I am tapering more this week anyway, but now is the time I should be healing and gathering my strength for 2 weeks tomorrow. So I will do less miles next Saturday and Sunday and concentrate on feeling as close to 100% as I can.

A few other items have arrived this week. Some earplugs, so I can get to sleep. Apparently we are often sleeping by the sea, so I don't want crashing waves keeping me awake. Also arrived; 2 forms of insect repellent to ward off horse-flies. The organisers have warned us that there could be a plague of these nasty stinging flies and they really are a menace, and my medical certificate and ECG. I hope they accept my ECG, which shows as borderline. I have sinus rhythm and left ventricle enlargement (something like that anyway). Basically these are physiological changes to my heart that are because of endurance training. They are common in endurance athletes, so I hope I get through La Trans Aq medical. I am taking a letter from a cardiologist along with me. I saw one last year because of the abnormal ECG, and he said 'it's normal for someone trained like you'. So, I should be OK.

So, 2 weeks to go before La Trans Aq. I plan to do a full dress and kit rehearsal next weekend to iron out any faults in my planning.

I will post my kit list and take some photo's later in the week. Until then, have a good week.

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