Running OK in the UK

Here comes the Sun

2012-02-27T22:04:00.000Z

20.14 miles, 2:56:03, 8:45 min/mile pace

Sunday, traditionally the day of the long run in the runners week. Although I've been following no specific marathon training plan for London, I decided my longest run this year would fit in nicely today. The milestone 20 miler.

Most my recent long runs have been in the company of friends, which has been great company and motivation but I was actually looking forward to heading out the door on my own today and have a bit of me time. It was a glorious day, blue skies and warm. Spring had decided to come early in February. It seemed only like yesterday I was running in leggings, gloves and hat.

Over this sort of distance it's a great chance to try your nutrition out. I filled my Camelbak with 1 litre of Lucozade diluted with a little water to make it go further. Lucozade is the official sports drink used on the marathon course, so I thought it best that I get used to it. I also took one Lucozade gel which I used at mile 12 and one of my favourite Carmen Muesli Bars (Real Food!) which I happily munched through at mile 15.

I had been troubled the days leading up to this run with some slight discomfort on the inside of my right shin and was in two minds whether I should be taking this run on. I decided after chatting with my Twitter running friends that this would be make or break and I let my head rule my heart. This time I had made the right decision with absolutely no pain on the run or after. Quite a relief.

For a short while at mile 16, I had the canal path to myself, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face and listening to my footsteps on the gravel towpath, it was one of those moments on the run when everything felt just great.

As I went through the last miles I gradually starting getting tired, and leading up to mile 20 I asked myself the question 'Could you go on for another 6 miles today?'...possibly! but I've still another couple of months to go of training so hopefully will have a more positive answer to that question on 22nd April.

After all a marathon has only just begun at mile 20!

Back to Back Runs

2012-02-18T09:10:00.000Z

Back to Back!

It's Saturday morning and I've just awoken from a much needed 10 hour sleep. Yesterday I completed my first back to back run. I read recently ultrarunner Scott Jurek's explanation of a back to back run or a 'double' as he calls them "Doubles should include a recovery period of six to 10 hours between runs."

A back to back run is a way of training for long miles without cramming it into one long run and so reducing the risk of injury. Although you have a recovery period it's not long enough for the legs to recover and so the affect on the legs is that they've just run a big distance.

Believe me when I say the legs definitely do not recover. I ran 12.25 miles home from work on Thursday evening slower than marathon pace on a generally flat course along the canal tow path before finishing with a few miles on the undulating terrain and hills across the ranges. When I got home rather than soaking in a nice warm bath and getting too comfortable, I showered and done some stretching so not to give too much time concentrating on recovering the legs (after all this is half way through a long run).

Homemade tomato sauce and pasta and...ahem...some chicken nuggets (PROTEIN!) and then bed. Before I knew it, morning, change and then back to work this time all the way along the towpath. For the first six miles my legs felt fine, so in theory I was on mile 18, and just like if I had gone out for a long run of this distance my legs began to complain. The final six miles were tough and felt like I had been running straight through, so the back to back runs had worked with the affect of time on my feet.

I'm going to do a back to back run every other week and then the in the alternate weeks in between do a 18-20 mile long run on a Sunday. This way I've got a two week break from running long straight through runs and cutting back on the risk of injury.

The long run of course is still the most important part of marathon training as essentially it's getting the body prepared for the big day and last Sunday I got out for an 18 mile run. It was great because I met up with friends Tim and Brian although we were all doing our own thing. Brian had set out an hour earlier to do his 18 miles as he had to get back home and Tim was out for one of his 'small' training runs of 34 miles! The Basingstoke canal is over 30 miles long and runs through the Village where Brian and myself live through to Woking 12 miles away where Tim lives, so at some point we could all meet up with each other.

Like a fine tuned SAS rendezvous the timings were perfect and I met up with Brian and Tim where I had expected. Brian continued with us for another 6 miles before tailing off to complete his 18 miles for the day and Tim and myself continued. I completed all my 18 miles with Tim which was great before Tim went on to complete his momentous ultra training run.

I'm looking forward to a nice weekend off after some big miles over the last 7 days and it will be nice to enjoy it without the pressure of getting out for a long run.

Tupper#9

2012-02-11T20:33:00.001Z

You can check out Mark's excellent Blog @ www.runner786.com

Making the most of the lunchtime run

2012-01-22T21:17:00.000Z

A measly 45 minutes is all I get for lunch at work, which gives me enough time to eat my lunch, catch up on Twitter, a 5 minute walk to stretch the eyes and legs and then back to work....

...Or, I can get out for 35 minutes for a run. It used to be a plod down the canal or over the local common, which is great but they were becoming 'junk' miles. Junk miles are those miles where you run for the sake of running because you're paranoid about the 'numbers', and you must complete 'x' amount of miles each week (We all do it!)

So now it's a case of making these 4 or 5 miles count. I probably get out for about 3 runs during the week at lunchtime, One of these runs is now a Tempo run which has me pushing myself to the limit for 4.12miles (I told you we all obsess about the numbers, notice I had to include the .12!!!).

Amazingly the week before last I managed to run the fastest I've ever run the 4 miles..Ahem, sorry 4.12 miles with a 7:07min/mile pace, which goes to show that as you get older, it does not mean you cannot push the boundaries. I'm not sure I can push into the 6 min/mile bracket, but who knows, watch this space.

I don't look forward to these runs, as at the end I'm doubled over with my legs and lungs screaming at me to get back to the old routine. Tempo runs hurt, but then 'No pain, No gain'.

Tempo Runs!!!

My second run of the week will be a hill session, this is a 4.9 mile route which I can just about squeeze in the lunch break. This consists of running down and up, four times, a quite testing hill in a quiet residential street in Woking town. I must admit I do quite enjoy hill running, and much prefer this to the tempo session. After any hill training I always feel stronger as a runner and have really benefited from the session.

The third run will probably be an easy run where I can enjoy the surroundings and have a chat with work colleague and running buddy Brian.

With this weekly routine and a long run, marathon training is coming on nicely. The last couple of weeks has seen the long run increase to 16 miles, running at my marathon pace (8:50 - 9 min/miles).

With 3 months left to London, my running at present is in a good place.

Random Training and nutrition

2012-01-10T21:32:00.000Z

As I said last post, I'm not following any particular training plan for my marathon. I read enough and am experienced enough to know essentially, what you put in is what you get out. I know I have to do my hill runs, my long runs and my tempo runs. Combine those three elements plus put the miles in and you're not going to be a million miles off.

God knows I read enough about the subject to know a bit about running! I subscribe to Runners World and Running Fitness magazines each month plus magazines online that are free to read: Go Trail (South African publication), Running Free, and Competitor magazine (US publication). If I'm not reading these then I'm catching up on fellow runner's blogs (see blogroll on the right) or I've always got a running book on the go. I'm basically reading about running everyday...blimey, maybe I should throw in the odd Stephen King novel for some variety!

Arghhhh! Information overload!

Training's not rocket science, or is it? There are many other aspects that play a part in training such as nutrition and cross training and these are two area's I could do with concentrating more on. Since Christmas I've developed a sweet tooth but am getting back into the swing of eating a little healthier again. Anyway I think Christmas is the perfect time to have a little down time and enjoy those treats that normally as runners have us feeling guilty. But I feel my running definitely improves when I my nutrition improves.

That's all you need - Flaxseed

I eat porridge everyday, I have this once I get to work as I never feel like eating first thing when I get up. I've started adding flax seeds to the porridge and rather than sugar, some honey. This is the perfect start to the day and by adding the flaxseed, turns this already healthy breakfast into super healthy! Flax seeds are high in fibre and Omega 3 so an easy and great boost to your breakfast.

Australian treats - Delicious

I'm running around 30 miles a week at the moment, I'll probably stick with this through January before increasing to 40 miles through February and up to the Marathon in April. This weeks training consisted of three lunchtime runs at work, 4.9 miles of hill training and 2x 4.12miles along the canal. Sunday I got out for half marathon distance around the North Downs, one of my favourite runs. For nutrition I had drunk one bottle of Lucozade sport before the run and another bottle on the run. For my last couple of longer runs I've taken with me a Carman fruit muesli bar. These taste amazing and I seem lucky to be able to eat these on the run without any indigestion. You can't beat some 'real' food on a run rather than sickly gels. As far as I know the only major supermarket that stock the Carman bars currently are Sainsbury's.

A couple of other tweaks I've made is eating more fish, and healthier snacks in the day rather than a chocolate bar. For this I have started buying tin salmon for my sandwhich at work, perfect after a lunchtime run. To beat the trip to the office snack box I now head to the fridge, get my cottage cheese and pineapple and have this on a couple of Crisp breads. Subtle changes that will hopefully improve my overall health.

That's where I'm at, 2 weeks into the new year and only 15 weeks away from the London marathon.

I'm running for the British Heart Foundation, so if you can spare a small amount, please sponsor me at: Virgin money giving, Ian Chitson .....Thank you :)

What a way to start the New Year!

2012-01-01T15:57:00.000Z

The North Downs

An amazing run to kick of training in the year, across the North Downs. Starting at Newlands Corner just outside of Guildford and getting nearly as far as neighbouring town Dorking, this was a stunning run clocking up a nice distance of nearly 14 miles.

2012 should be a great year running, what with me taking my place at the London Marathon in April. Training has now started in Earnest as I try to aim for a sub 4 hour finish. I am not following any particular training plan, just getting out there, putting in the miles but specifically putting in some quality runs. This week I've completed a tough hilly 13 miles, an 8 mile run and concluded with this run today of 14 miles putting me on 35 miles for the week with just 3 runs.

The UK despite the rain has some beautiful scenery to offer (beautiful and green, due to the rain!). Down South we have the North and South Downs, Further north, the Lake District and in Scotland the mountains. Wherever you are on our small Island there is plenty of great trail running to be had.

If you are competing in your first marathon, whether a road or trail race, get on the trails for part of your training. The hills and multiple terrains will condition and strengthen your body and make you a better runner. As I said in previous posts, I'm going to spending most my training on the trails. Although I'm training for a road race, I now consider myself more of a trail runner. Most my runs are done off road and I enjoy it so much more, the fresh air and scenery beat the concrete jungle any day!

I ran today with usual partner in crime, Brian at an enjoyable and relaxed pace. The only downside of the run was the muddy paths in places, that had us sliding around and having us slow down in a few places on the slopes. For the first few miles I struggled to get into the run, but then I always do. Note to self - This feeling is where your body is warming up and adapting to the challenge ahead. The feeling will pass as it always does come mile 5! Once I settled into the run I felt strong on the hills and enjoyed the stunning scenery that was on offer today. Brian done well, on the back of running everyday this week and clocking up over 50 miles (Show off!)

Beautiful views all the way

I carried a bottle of Lucozade Sport with me, which is the official drink around the course at London, so I thought it best to start getting used to this.

This was the perfect start to the year and was well worth getting up for while others were recovering from the previous evenings festivities. A tough run mainly due to the mud, but if I can keep putting in quality runs like this, then maybe that sub 4 hour marathon can become reality.

At the end of a great run to start the year

Tupper #8

2011-12-30T13:23:00.000Z

Post Christmas...Hill Training

2011-12-29T10:48:00.000Z

I'm lucky to have the Ash Ranges on my door step (Just over a mile away to be exact). The area is owned by the MOD and most days is out of bounds till after 4:30pm while the Army train here. Great in the Summer but not so good in the Winter with the shorter days. Credit to the Army though, in the holidays the red flags are down and you can access all areas every day.

The area is well over 2000 hectares and consists of heath and woodland but gives you just about any other terrain you can think of....and plenty of hills. Short and sharp and plenty of long tough climbs, it's the perfect place for hill training. The beauty of it is, is that some days you can be out here and not see a soul. Even members of the British Olympic team come out of London to train here, so that gives you an idea of the quality of the area.

Hills...

...Hills...

...and more hills (This is a tough hill, even though
it looks just like a flat path in the picture!!!)

Paula Radcliffe on the trails

I've read recently that Paula Radcliffe does a lot of her workouts on trails for her marathon training. If it's good enough for Paula then it's good enough for me and my London marathon training. Trail running is perfect conditioning for the runners body, The uneven paths under foot strengthen your feet and ankles while the undulating landscape and hills strengthen both the legs and the core muscles. Spend 10 miles over here and I always feel that my core muscles have been worked as much as my legs.

After the indulgences of Christmas this was the perfect run to bounce back.Three days at my Sisters, eating too many sweet things,not moving and sleeping dodgy on an air bed was enough to throw my body out of kilt and feel like I had turned into a slob! But this workout which consisted of nearly 13 miles, 10 of which were spent on the hills went a long way of burning off the excesses of Christmas and get my mind firmly back on marathon training.

Out with the old....

2011-12-21T20:55:00.000Z

I decided to trade in my old broken running partner Brian (Twitter: @bsmithy100) for a new updated model for the weekend run....Tim....OK not such a glamorous name, but check out the Twitter name.....@jedirider.

Of course, I'm joking! He's not really broken and still my regular running partner, but today I had the chance to run with Tim whom has been out many times with Brian and myself and we've also ran in races together including my last Marathon.

Tim, me and Brian at a previous run

With time permitting I could only get out for 10 miles today, which was a third of what Tim was completing. Tim is embarking on a wonderful journey into ~~mad marathon~~.....I mean ultra marathon running and competing in next years North Face 100 in Australia, a 100km ultra race in the mountains. You can follow Tim on his journey at his new blog Tim runs the North Face .

Tim was running along the Basinstoke canal from Woking, which passes through Ash Vale where I live. Nice and flat, which was a nice change from my recent training runs where I've been hitting the hills.

Nice and flat!

I want to train a lot on the hills for next years London marathon. I spent alot of time training on them for my last marathon which was very hilly but with London being relatively flat I'm hoping the time spent on the hills will make things easier???

Another thing I want to concentrate on next year is my nutrition, I eat fairly well at the moment, but like everyone there is room for improvement.

I'm also considering doing the brilliant Janathon, a concept that will be familiar with bloggers in the UK. Basically you need to exercise and blog everyday throughout January. At the moment I'm not sure how that will fit into my marathon training and whether I have to time to blog everyday, but I still have a couple of weeks to decide.

Janathon

Before then I'm going to relax and enjoy Christmas, and not worry too much about what I eat and come back in January fully focused on the London Marathon.

Thanks to everyone who follows my blog or just stops by once in a while, it makes doing it really worthwhile and I wish you all a Merry Christmas:)

Return to the Pilgrim's Way

2011-12-15T22:42:00.000Z

A day off work and with the London marathon starting to appear on my radar my thoughts are now turning to a return to some serious training. Last Saturday, early morning I was fortunate to be able to get onto the Army land that is less than 2 miles from my door step. The red flags that are usually up in the day at the weekend preventing you to get on the land were down, meaning I could take advantage of the brilliant hills and trails that are available. It was one of those great runs you get once in a while where everything falls into place, the weather was good and there was not another soul around. Beautiful.

With a days rest in between I was out again on the Monday, this time a tough 14 miles over the North Downs. This was my longest and hardest run since the Pilgrims marathon back in September taking in a route that gives you 2000ft of elevation to deal with.

The run takes me from my house along the tarmac through Ash Vale village, out towards Normandy village before getting off the roads and hitting the trails.

Early trails en route

After the early trails it's then on the road again and the start of the hills through Wanborough. After a gradual climb I hit the killer climb to the Hogs back (A31) and up Wanborough Hill, a hill that even cyclists in low gears struggle to climb.

Ouch!

The downhill recovery takes me through the quaint village of Puttenham and the steady climb onto the North Downs.

Puttenham

The Pilgrim's marathon runs from the Village of Seale to Guildford and gets its name from using part of the ancient Pilgrim's Way trackway as part of the course. The full route of the ancient Pilgrim's Way runs from Winchester in Hampshire to London. There is evidence that the trackway was a main trade route between 450 to 500BC. After the growth and importance of London and the decline of Winchester as the Capital with less metal supply coming from the West, the trackway was in danger of becoming redundant. From a trade route the trackway was saved following the murder of Archbishop Becket in 1170 with pilgrims journeying to Becket's shrine along the path, thus gaining the name of the Pilgrims Way. Some of the original medieval cobbles can still be seen today....History lesson over!

The Pilgrims path can still been seen today

In the marathon you have to run up the path which is a never ending climb, but today I was heading the other way and flew down the path desperately trying to avoid turning my ankle on the uneven cobbles. The route then continues along the undulating North Downs and eventually onto the village of Seale, but not before I had the unusual experience of running along side some farm land and being hit with the strong smell of Coriander. It was in abundance in one of the fields where Farmers were at work harvesting the crops. I had no idea where Coriander grew, I thought it was somewhere exotic not just round the corner!

The Beautiful North Downs

After Seale it's time to leave this beautiful side of the Hog's Back and head homeward. To get back over the Hog's Back from Seale I take the brilliantly named Thundery Hill and head back to civilisation.

Having struggled across the Downs the temptation was to call in here......

Water Stop?

....I decline, and before long I'm on the Blackwater valley path that then a brief spell on the Basingstoke Canal before reaching home. I thought I'd share with you in pictures this wonderful route that gives a real testing run but in beautiful surroundings.

One other thing I'd like to share is the brilliant head...er...band..gaiter..scarf??? I'm not quite shaw what it is called but it was in my goody bag after the Marathon. When the weather is bitterly cold I like to wear a hat but the trouble I have is that I get too hot after a while. The brilliant thing about my head...thingy, is that it keeps my ears and forehead warm but allows the head to breath and cool out the top. It can also be pulled down as a neck warmer. I would strongly recommend.

More Rambo than Runner!

The Grim 2011

2011-12-07T20:30:00.000Z

Sunday morning, one week on from the Hellrunner, time to put on my oldest pair of trainers and head out the door to my latest planned race...The Grim.

The weather was not as kind as the previous weekend, and the temperature was more what you would expect for the time of year.

The Grim takes part on the Army vehicle training grounds in Aldershot a short drive from where I live. As with most races I was running with my trusty sidekick Brian.

We had taken part in this same race last year, I say last year but it was actually January of this calender year. It was postponed last December due to the snow. We arrived about 50 minutes early although there was no need, the parking for this event is ample, even for the 2000 participants taking part.

This year the course has been adjusted to 8.5 miles rather than the 9 miles, and has a couple of new features, one being some railway tracks to hop over??? and some logs to scuttle over, not really the most challenging of obstacles and looked a little out of place in the wide open area that they were situated. On the plus side the pathetic small cargo net that you had to crawl under last year had been removed.

The main water feature of a ravine filled with muddy clay water that varies in depth depending which side you run on (stick to the left if you don't want to be submerged!) remained, and the mud that follows is nigh on impossible to move in, let alone run.

Grim and bare it!

Before and after this water feature the course is a mixture of woodland trails, sandy hills, stony paths and lots of puddles. With the puddles it is up to the participant how wet they want to get, as you can go around a lot of them. Last year I got in the spirit of things and went through most of the water, this year I decided to skip them where I could (Been there, done that, got the T-shirt).

Overall I managed an average pace of 8:26 min/mile which over a course where at times you are waist high in water or in a bottleneck at the beginning of the course, I was pretty pleased with.

The £25 for such a short course is steep and although you pick up a cotton T-shirt and a shake at the finish, this race is wildly overpriced. At least the Hellrunner organisers put some effort in around the course last week, with fireworks at the start and some overhead fire and music as you go through the water features and a decent goody bag and medal. No goody bag or medal here! Although well marshaled and a good pre race atmosphere this is all there is to offer. There were no stalls to look around at the beginning while you wait unless you count the hot dog vans!

In my opinion this is an event that you do once for the experience, the short course is more playful than challenging or 'Grim'.

If you want more for your money for a similar type of event, go for the 12 mile Hellrunner race, a real challenge, worth the money and takes place around the same time of year.

Hellrunner 2011

2011-11-29T21:19:00.002Z

I awoke Sunday morning unaware of the weather waiting outside. Rain, Wind and Cold...Marvellous! The scene was set for a wet and cold Hellrunner!

Hellrunner South takes place at Longmoor Army Camp, Bordon, Hampshire. It is part of a national series of events that take part yearly up and down the country sponsored by Brooks.

I didn't know the course but I did know to expect the infamous 'Bog of Doom' and the 'Hills of Hell'.

When it comes to running, I'm a bit of a purist, I run because...well, I like to keep running! I've done a similar event 'The Grim' (which I'm doing again next Sunday) which like the Hellrunner, features water obstacles along the way. To me this is more like competing in Total Wipeout than a running race.

As long as you go into these type of events with a different mindset, ie: Time means nothing and I'm going to get wet! then you will be fine. I had this in my head that this was more a training run than a race.

With 2000 people running, and the run starting at 10am, I would advise to get there at 9am. I was running this event with running partner Brian, and we were not parked up until 9:15am, which wasn't a problem and made for less waiting around but meant queueing in traffic for a while.

Miraculously the weather had broken into clear blue skies and not as cold as expected for the time of year. At the start area there was the usual stalls set up selling running apparel and the Clif company selling their energy and recovery products. They also had bite size tasters of their products to try, which was a welcome pre race boost and very popular with everyone.

Lined up at the start we waited for a devil on stilts to make his way down the road ahead wielding canisters of green smoke, followed by fireworks and a large explosion which I assume meant that we were off.

The course is, and I quote from the official web site 'Somewhere between 10 and 12 miles'. Not the most helpful but I'm guessing that it is nearer to 10 than 12....I'm going with 10.5 miles.

Brian and myself, early on...dry and clean!

The first couple of miles is pretty much flat or heading downhill along quite well drained terrain, but what goes down must go up and from there on in that is what you can expect....hills!

The course is challenging not only with the hills going up but coming down can be quite hair raising too and very unpredictable under foot. This would be a great course to run on your own one weekend because with the amount of people running, from the very first hill you hit a queue and are forced to walk. This was the biggest problem all the way round, every hill for the best part of the race was a bottleneck.

There are some hills that were very tough not only because of the gradient but also a lot have sand under foot making it doubly hard to get up. The water features are probably the highlight of the race because they are so different to what you're used to on a Sunday run. The good thing about the water features are that they come towards the end of the race, so there are no silly water obstacles along the way put in for the sake of getting wet.

The Bog of Doom is the first of the water to overcome, a stretch of black, stinky water that you have to wade through with the level above the waist. There are roots underfoot that cannot be seen and can easily be tripped on, and yes right towards the end I tripped, luckily my arm partly breaking my fall.

The Bog of Doom

After this it's more hills to cope with and with wringing wet trainers and shorts to drag you back. It's not long before you're back in the water again, this time with the lake crossing. This consists of reaching the top of a 20 ft sand bank that you have to slide down before wading across a quite large expanse of water before attempting to climb the same sized bank back up again.

With the water features out the way it's then the final couple of miles back to the finish, which again consists of...you guessed it, hills and also the sand dunes, an undulating trek across the sand before hitting the tarmac and crossing the finish line.

The sand dunes

I finished with a chip time of 1:39:52. If this was nearer 12 miles or 11.75 miles as someone told me on Twitter today then that would give me a mile pace of 8:30. When running I was probably running close to this if not a little faster, but with the stops at most of the hills and the water obstacles there is no way I was maintaining this pace. If I go with 10.5 miles that gives me a pace of 9:30 which overall is probably nearer the mark. If anyone has the precise distance, please let me know.

Overall this event was better than I expected, as I said at the beginning, you are best going into this race with no expectations and treating it as a really good testing, training run. The organisation was generally good, a scattering of Marshall's, one water stop (It needed no more) and a great goody bag at the end which included a Brooks tech training T-shirt.

The night run

2011-11-22T20:11:00.000Z

This was one of the best runs I've done in along time for the following reasons:

1) It was on the spur of the moment.

2) The novelty factor and a bit of an adventure.

3) I couldn't see the big hills I had to run up!

Sunday, early evening, I'd spent the afternoon sat freezing watching my son play football desperate to get out for a run to get my legs warm. I text friend and regular running partner Brian to see if he was up for a evening run. He was having the same kind of afternoon and was as keen as me to get going.

The fog had not lifted all day, so we went out on our run at 4 o'clock which gave us about half an hour of remaining daylight. With head torches at the ready we head out across the Ash ranges (a mix of stony and woodland trails plus hills).

It wasn't long before the daylight turned to dusk but the eyes adjusted well to the ever fading light. The fog was quite thick and so the landscape was just silhouettes of trees and distant hills. It was a brilliant sensation to be running in what felt like the middle of nowhere in the dark and fog.

We took the pace fairly steady but was slowed by the gates and cattle grids along the way, which meant we could have a good old chat. 90% of the conversations Brian and me share on runs or at work are about running (much to the disappointment of work colleagues!) It felt like we were running in the middle of the night and we imagined how this run would compare to running in an all night Ultra race. We were soon put off the fact by the thought that it was only 5 o'clock which would mean there would still be probably another 12 hours of running in the dark ahead of us!

There is a few challenging hills along the way but because of the dark and fog, you could not see far enough in front to see how far the hills went on, which seemed to make them easier.

The head torches were ineffective against the fog and the light just bounced straight back at you. Most the time we spent with the lights off which gave a bit of adventure to the run and it's amazing how the eyes become acclimatised to the dark. In the final few miles we did work out that putting the head torches on the side of the head gave a dull light in front of us that was easier to run with against the fog.

I'd done this run many times in the day, but it was amazing how different it felt at night. This is something I would recommend if you are tired of the same routes, what feels like two different runs for the price of one.

After spending an hour and a half of running in the still of night across the trails it was actually frustrating to come back to civilisation, street lights and waiting at the road for cars to pass!

No Google Images, I typed in Night running not Knight....doh!

Winter Training Looms!

2011-11-11T20:36:00.000Z

It's been 6 weeks since my Marathon triumph, I use the word 'triumph' in the sense that somehow I managed to complete the hilly 26.2 miles albeit a mixture of walk/running in the final 5 miles.

Fun?

Thoughts now turn to Winter training and ultimately destination London, and the Marathon in April. In between then, two races that I have booked in are The Hellrunner and The Grim. The races are within a week of each other, 12 miles and 8 miles respectively. The first of which is 2 weeks away. For those who have not heard of these races, they consist of a lot of water! The bog of doom is the name of one such obstacle, so you get the idea. When booked up on a hot summers day, these races sounded quite appealing, now it's November...not so!

Since the Marathon it was always my intention to have some down time but at the same time not losing what I had built up to through training for my last Marathon. I've been running a lot less recently but hopefully the base fitness remains.

Today it felt like Winter training had finally begun, a 9.7 mile run to work with colleague Brian, equipped with head torch, gloves and a long sleeve top but I have not resorted to the running leggings yet, I'll save them till the real cold weather takes bite.

Winter Training

The plan now is to slowly build back up the mileage and get to somewhere between 30 - 40 mile weeks come the new year. I reckon on that being just about right for me and get me to my goal of a sub 4 hour Marathon.

Nike Lunarglide +3

2011-10-31T17:24:00.002Z

I have been lucky enough to receive these running shoes to review. I say lucky because I currently run in the previous model, the Lunarglide +2. I've had two pairs of the +2 model previous because I love them a lot so although I was looking forward to putting the +3 to the test, I was also a little apprehensive having been happy with the previous model.

Sometimes a new model of a trainer is not necessary an improvement, and there comes a time when you keep re branding a model, that over the years it becomes a totally different trainer. Take the Nike Pegasus for instance, this is one of Nike's oldest models. If you look at the design when it was originally brought out, it looks and probably performs like a different trainer. Something I need not worry about with the Lunarglide (at the moment!).

My initial thoughts on the Lunarglide +3 as I took them out the box was that I was not so impressed with the new look of the trainer. The new mid foot strap that has been added in my opinion looks ugly but on the positive side holding the trainer, it is still amazingly light for a support trainer.

Putting the trainer on, immediately you notice how comfortable the trainer is underfoot. The new mid foot strap does feel a little tight across the top of the trainer when you lace up, in all it's quite a snug fit. I guess this is down to personal preference and how you like a trainer to feel, I prefer to have a little more room, but having said that, once I got on the run the snugger fit was not a problem and actually felt quite secure and comfortable. A heel-support clip has been added that helps to moderate excessive pronation.

The Lunarlon sole looks a little chunkier than it's predecessor, but again once running any additional support felt beneficial and not a hindrance. The Lunarlon sole is a bit of genius by Nike, light,cushioning and supportive.

I've been out on 3 relatively short runs with these now and have to say they are just as comfortable, if not more so than it's predecessor. The mid foot strap actually works rather than a new gimmick added and with more ventilation than before, overall the updated model is a winner, if not on looks. As with all Nike's trainers they are Nike + ready with a place under the left inner sole to fit the sensor.

Overall Performance 35 out of 40

Cushioning - 9 out of 10, Better cushioning than previous, but still super light.

Comfort - 9 out of 10, Very comfortable on the run.

Flexibility - 8 out of 10, Generally Flexible.

Responsiveness - 9 out of 10, Very High with good movement with the foot.

Virgin London Marathon - British Heart Foundation

2011-10-15T08:53:00.000+01:00

Next year I will be running the 2012 London Marathon, which is exciting because a) It's London,one of the worlds major Marathon's and b) It is the Olympics here in the UK, so what a year to be doing this race.

I did not get a ballot place this year but found out a lot earlier that I had gained a place with the British Heart Foundation (BHF). I could not run for a better charity because it will give me a chance to give something back.

In October 2007, my youngest child had to undergo open heart surgery to repair a hole in his heart. A harrowing time for the family but I'm glad to say a huge success thanks to the amazing surgeons and staff of Southampton General hospital. Ideally I would love to give something back directly to them but am doing the next best thing by running for the BHF.

Although 2012 is a great year to be running London it's also going to be, I expect another tough year on people's finances. I need to raise £1500 which is going to be tough in these times we live in.

The easiest way of doing this is if I can get 1500 people to donate to me a single pound. Hopefully I will be able to achieve this and spread the word with the help of readers of the blog and followers on Twitter.

People have already been generous and donated more than this amount and hopefully family,friends and work colleagues will continue to do so, but I would not expect people who I don't know to do the same.

So all I ask of followers of the Blog and Twitter that they can help spread the word and retweet messages etc, to help me achieve this goal.

A massive Thank You in advance!

You can make your donations by clicking on the banner on the right or follow the link: Virgin Money Giving to my page.

Winter Marathon training, here we come!

Er..Maybe double this for my finishing time!

New Balance 1260

2011-10-02T08:48:00.001+01:00

This stability shoe has recently taken the Editor's Runners choice award in the Runnersworld Autumn shoe guide, so if you overpronate and have low arches, then this is the trainer for you. In it's previous life this trainer was the 1226, but has been updated with a new heel collar,more pronation support and a more flexible forefoot. Weighing in at 349g (Men's), 285g (Women's) it's up there with the heavier stability shoes on the market.

The first thing I noticed when putting the trainer on was the comfort, the fit was perfect and felt snug around the foot particularly around the upper part of the trainer. I'm not necessary a one brand running man, so I've tried different makes of trainers in the past but this was by far the most comfortable I can remember.

Out on the run the trainer responded well and although the medial support of the trainer was not obtrusive, the chunkier support could be felt, but this is a stability trainer so it needs to be there. I also run in the Nike Lunarglide +2, I don't want to steal the limelight of the 1260 in this review but Nike seem to have created the perfect sole which not only supports well but has taken away the chunkier stability of most other trainers on the market. If I could combine the base of the Lunarglide with the upper of the 1260, then you would have the perfect trainer.

The lacing system, as always with New Balance is brilliant and the grip of the trainer is designed well. Overall a great trainer and easy to see why it went down so well at Runnersworld.

Overall Performance 33 out of 40

Cushioning - 8 out of 10, Plenty of cushioning, firm with medial support.

Comfort - 10 out of 10, Perfect.

Flexibility - 7 out of 10, More flexible in the forefoot.

Responsiveness - 8 out of 10, Good, but chunky mid sole holds it back.

eglove

2011-09-25T22:43:00.000+01:00

Question: When is a glove not a glove?.....Answer: When it's an eglove!

The F3 sports glove is a traditional running glove but with a difference, the conductive metalic material on the forefinger and thumb allows you to operate touchscreen devices without the need to remove your gloves, clever eh?

The gloves also have rubber detailing on the remaining finger tips and palm which gives you better grip and the feeling you could climb walls like Spiderman!

I have had the gloves to review for a little while now and was waiting for a colder morning to put them to the test, The British Summer may not be the greatest but does not require the need for gloves so obviously this product is going to be part of your Winter running kit.

Although made of a thin cotton/lycra material the gloves surprisingly gave a lot of warmth, although we're not in Winter yet, I put the gloves to the test by holding a tub of ice cream for a few minutes with little affect of the cold coming through. When I took the gloves on a run I had my touch screen mobile phone with me. The conductive material on the finger worked well on the screen without problems scrolling through menu's even the smaller icon's on the screen did not cause a problem.

The gloves are well made and very comfortable to wear. I personally don't run often with music so have no need to operate a music device but do carry my mobile with me on longer runs, but I will happily use the gloves whether I have my phone or not because of the good thermal properties and comfort of the glove.

With most devices now, whether it be for music or a phone being touchscreen I can see a place in the running market for the product. The gloves are priced at £21.99 but if you use the code OKUK over at http://www.eglove.co.uk you can get 20% off any product.

Farnham Pilgrims Marathon 2011

2011-09-18T18:19:00.000+01:00

We found the sign to the car park OK but somehow missed the one with 'Welcome to hell on earth' written on it! Today was the day of the Farnham Pilgrims Marathon, now in it's second year, this is probably one of the toughest marathons the south has to offer, extremely challenging with it's hills. So what better way to take on my first marathon!

There is a famous running quote that says "If I'm still standing after the marathon then push me over because if I've tried hard enough I should not be standing". Well believe me I was close to not be able to stand, so I guess I tried enough.

Like the Spitfire 20 a couple of weeks ago, I ran this race with friends Brian and Tim. Like the previous race Brian started strongly and after the early bottle neck where there was a couple of minutes wait to climb the first of many stiles, soon pulled away from me and Tim.

The upside to the challenging course is that the route takes in some stunning scenery along the North Downs and up to to the halfway point I was able to enjoy the views.

If your not in too much pain, the views are worth admiring.

The terrain of the course changes all the time, one minute you could be running on Tarmac, Sand, Trails and narrow mud pathways through fields. This course really does throw everything at you.
If you are looking for a PB on this course then forget it, however good you are. I say that because of three things 1) The Hills 2) The Stiles 3) The narrow pathways in places, because you just can't pass people until the route opens again.

The course is undulating from the start in the village 'The Sands' through Puttenham and then onto Guildford. But it's in Guildford that the course really gets challenging, in particular the halfway stage which is up St Martha's hill, a long steep climb up to the church, but the consolation is that the views are amazing. I've trained on this hill before and never managed to get up to the top, well today I almost made it but had to walk the final summit. This was a good chance to take a gel though and I recommend good fueling on this course although the plentiful water stops are stocked with biscuits, banana's and drinks.
The good water stops leads me on to praising the whole set up of the race. Brilliant cheerful marshaling, and a well run start and finish of the race. A medal and T-shirt at the finish and while you wait to collect these a choice of drinks and selection of cakes. You can also get a print out of the results there and then.

The hills of Guildford took their toll on me and I finally hit the wall at mile 19. I say I hit the wall but it was more like smashing into it. The legs were gone and even seeing my family at this point could not revive my spirits. The remaining miles were a mixture of mental games and running down and walking up the hills.

I was hit with a massive down pour about 10 minutes from the end but was lifted at the finish with a respectable time of 4:34:02 on such a tough course. I felt like I was walking more than running the final miles and expecting to come in over 5 hours.

Massive praise to Brian and Tim who finished in amazing times of 4:11:27 and 4:12:08 respectively.

Me telling tales of great adventures
of the journey at the end of the race

A Burger King and a hot bath have gone a long way to take away the pain. To sum up the race, the organisation was second to none but the course was brutal. If you are up for a challenge I would highly recommend this but I am now looking forward to a flat London Marathon in 2012.

Everyones a Winner! Me,Tim and Brian

Spitfire 20

2011-09-05T22:41:00.000+01:00

Tim, Me and Brian pre race (and still dry!)

The Spitfire 20 is held at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey and is famous for being the race test track for the popular British TV programme Top Gear. The Aerodrome is a vast open area and made for a totally new experience in running for me. The course consists of 2 laps of 10 miles, 3 miles of which are running around the Airfield, so it gives you a feel for just how large this area is.

I was running the race with friends Tim and Brian, the race was fairly local to us. It was an early start though, race registration opened at 7:30am with the race start at 9:30am. We arrived at 8am which meant we had plenty of time to relax. It was great because we had a chance to meet up with a couple of other runners from Twitter, suddenly conversation had to be longer than 140 characters!!!

As well as meeting Jo and her boyfriend, I also got to meet the remarkable Kevin Betts, a runner attempting to run 52 Marathons in a year, one a week and all must be completed in under 4 hours. Today the organisers had marked out an additional 6 miles for Kevin to complete this weeks Marathon. You can follow and support Kevin on Twitter or his Website 52marathons .

The vast Airfield

The weather conditions were perfect, (to begin with!) overcast and cool. With my first Marathon just 2 weeks away this was my last planned long run and I set myself the target of 9 - 9:30 minute miles. As per usual I went off quicker than planned (as I always do at races) with the first few miles at around 8:20 minute pace. I ran with Tim the whole race, Brian had pushed on after the first few miles which was as expected as he is running strong at the moment. Tim normally the strongest runner out of us all, was coming back from a serious mountain bike injury, and had done little running in the last couple of months, so was happy to 'plod' with me. It was great because we kept the conversation going for the full 20 miles! I'm sure at times though Tim knew when to talk me through some difficult moments of the race (hills and the last couple of miles).

As I said earlier the course consists of two laps, the first 3 miles around the flat open airfield before moving onto country lanes to the village of Dunsfold and the surrounding area before returning to the aerodrome. The country lanes can be described as undulating, some short sharp hills and a longer hill heading up to mile 8 (and 18). The roads are not shut but very quiet and the any cars made their way past slowly. There were plenty of water stops with each stop supplying water, Powerbar energy gels and Jelly Babies. The course was very well marshaled. I didn't stop as I was practising my Marathon fuelling which consisted of Sports drink in my Camelback, mini flapjacks and Jelly Beans.

The dark sky that was threatening most of the race finally decided to down pour around mile 16, by the time we reached mile 18 we were soaked to the bone and my trainers were squelching with every step. After the final hill at mile 18, I was really tired but Tim managed to spur me on to the finish.

I came in at 2:54:52 an average of 8:45 minute miles which would make for a sub 4 hour Marathon, so I was really pleased. I will take this on board when I run the London Marathon next April but my Marathon in 2 weeks time is a different kettle of fish. The Marathon is extremely hilly so I will be happy with sub 5 hours in 2 weeks time.

To sum up this was a great event, a little disappointing that there was no goodie bag at the end, but a great medal made up for that. The course was different and interesting and was a great distance for anyone doing an Autumn Marathon. There was the option of running a single 10 mile lap also. Great company with friends old and new, now for the 2 week taper!

Medal (Worth waiting for)

Run...Dean Karnazes

2011-09-03T17:33:00.001+01:00

I guess if you are reading this review, you're here because you like running and because of that reason you probably don't need any introduction to the Author of 'Run...26.2 stories of Blisters and Bliss' - Dean Karnazes.

This is Dean's third book, of which I've read his first, Ultramarathon Man. The first autobiography is very much a structured story following Dean from his Ultrarunning beginnings through to some of the unbelievable achievements he has recorded in the Ultrarunning world. Run although autobiographical, jumps around Dean's life, so you could read any chapter in any order rather than following a story.

That is not a criticism, I felt like I learnt a lot more about the man than in the first book and some of the chapters and the stories within them are just awe inspiring and keep you very much engrossed in the book.

You also get to dig a bit deeper into Dean's life, and a continuing theme throughout the book of his friendship with fellow endurance runner Topher Gaylord, who even gets to write his own chapter. You also see the strong bond he has with his Farther who is also one of Dean's crew on the races.

The stand out chapters are the ones where Dean writes about his experiences during some of the Worlds toughest races. I particularly enjoyed the chapters describing the 4 Deserts races, 4 155 mile races across the Atacama, Gobi and Sahara deserts and the largest and coldest desert Antarctica. These stories give a real insight into what Ultra running is all about.

There are a few 'Book filling' chapters that could easily gone a miss in particular the 'Letters to Karno', a chapter dedicated to fan mail.

Dean Karnazes is without a doubt an Inspiring person and it truly amazes me what the man has endured and achieved.Who else could run for 48 hours non stop, rack up 212 miles and all live in a TV studio!

So it miffs me somewhat, why Dean has as many haters as admirers especially in the Ultrarunning world. The reason behind the haters? From what I understand Ultrarunning used to be very much an underworld sport and people liked it that way. Along comes Dean and puts the sport into the limelight literally overnight. Events then become oversubscribed with runners now relying on lotteries to get them in.

Hang on a minute Ultrarunning world! Dean is not the first or the last to bring the sport to the Public's eye and make money from the sport. I've only just finished an article in Running Fitness magazine written by Jez Bragg about his race report on the Western States 100, and what about the success of 'Born to Run'. Dean may have been one of the first, and has put your sport on the Map, is that a bad thing?

I'm in the Dean camp, he has given the fascinating world of Ultrarunning a high profile and as a man has done so many great work for charity, and that should not be forgotten.

Run is as enjoyable as the first book and a great inspiring read into the realms of Ultrarunning and I would highly recommend the read.

24...The Long Run

2011-08-27T07:25:00.000+01:00

I have not completed any specific Marathon training programme, but I am aware of what they contain and knew the time had come to complete my longest run ahead of race day. With 4 weeks to go my plan was to run 22 miles on a fairly undulating course, which would reflect some similar elevation to my race. I was intending to run this alone, but by the weekend it was all change. In the end I decided to run with friend and running partner Brian. He planned to run 24 miles; our route of 12 miles along the Basingstoke Canal to work, get there and then turn around and head back, One for all, and all for one!

Although this was longer than I planned, the canal is very flat apart from about 15 locks that on the way back give you some short hills to go up. Brian's thinking was this would be more of a confidence booster in completing the distance rather than struggling on a hilly run.

It was also a chance to fine tune my nutrition. Like my previous long run I stuck with my bite size flapjacks, jelly beans and Powerade sports drink. My Camelbak can take 1.5 litres of fluid, so I put 2 x 500ml bottles into the bladder, It didn't quite last the run, but come race day will be plenty of water stops.

It was around mile 18, I noticed the tiredness, and this was more mental than anything else. But I kicked in and broke down the final 10K in my head in the typical way all of us runners do. " If I can just get to the BP garage.....train station.....that tree!".

So I made it and Brian had been right, this has boosted the confidence. The short walk home was more of a struggle than the last 4 miles had been running, but I was lifted when my two son's came past me, the eldest going for a run and his brother following on his bike. If I had inspired, then job done!

Just under a week later from this run, and as I conclude this post, I have been out for a couple of runs. I went for a 4.5 mile run 2 days after the long run. The legs were heavy but by the end of the run had loosened, so I think this was worthwhile. Yesterday I ran into work on a 12 mile run, again I took this easy.

That now leaves 3 weeks until race day. I have a 20 mile race next Sunday which will leave 2 weeks to taper. I have not planned what to do in them couple of weeks and have never tapered before, so any thoughts let me know.

Bouncebackability!

2011-08-07T22:18:00.000+01:00

An English football manager once described the ability to comeback as 'Bouncebackability'. This was exactly what I needed to do today following a blow out on my last long run a couple of weeks ago.

I didn't put too much pressure on myself but deep down I knew this was a big week of running for me. After taking a weeks rest, I got back into it this last week. I had a week off work so as well as fitting around the family I also managed to get some decent runs in. These consisted of medium runs of 6 and 9 miles, a tempo run of 4.5 miles and today's 17 miles, totalling a very nice 37 mile week.

The real satisfaction though came from today's run. Before I set off I was far more confident than I had been for two reasons: 1) I was really up for this run, and 2) I was a lot more confident with my fuelling today.

Today's Fuel

I had my Camelbak filled with a Powerade sports drink which I topped up with a little water. I also tried the Lucozade Jelly Beans which tasted no different to the regular beans you can buy, just twice the price! I also packed some flapjack pieces. I individually wrapped these in cling film and nicknamed these my 'Scooby snacks'. My thinking was I would have a flapjack and a few beans along with a swig of drink every 3 miles. This seem to work really well although somewhere along the way I must have dropped a flapjack as I was one short come mile 15! I also like the fact of having some real food with me and I had no problem with stomaching these.

As well as getting the fueling right, I think the course helped give me a lift as well. It was a similar route to what I have done a few times before but to give it a fresh feel I run through a couple of typical quaint English villages set in the heart of the Surrey hills.

Seale

Puttenham

The villages of Puttenham and Seale were quiet and still on this sleepy Sunday morning and were the perfect back drop for the run. The course in parts was quite undulating and the best part was running up 'Thundery Hill' I thought this was just a great name for a road and would sound brilliant to have as an address.

OK so this was still 9 miles short of Marathon distance but I could have quite easily gone on today. So with 40 days to go till my race it was good timing to show some 'Bouncebackability'.

Thank You!

2011-08-02T08:14:00.000+01:00

Following my bad run last week, I've had a great response from people offering advice that I thought I'd share as it may help others. I haven't put names but you know who you all are, from the Blog, Twitter and Dailymile. A massive Thank you. I've taken everything on board and putting it all into practise.

Sorry to hear about your dead stop. Maybe a couple of lower-mileage weeks would help? I
can't get my head around gels either - pricey, sticky & yukky! surprising how many of the ultrarunning bods on twitter use jelly babies or haribo instead... 3 jelly babies=1 gel, by all accounts. certainly taste nicer & a fraction of the cost.

Most of those gels just don't agree with people's stomach's, that carnitine theory of the gels will only work in the long term, i cant see it getting to your muscles fast enough to switch your major carbon source to fat. I'm all about jelly babies, they taste good, there cheap and if you suck them you will absorb the sugar straight away. Sorry maybe don't be so harsh on yourself, you got 8 weeks to your Marathon, that means you got 4 weeks to get to 20 so maybe slow down take your time. It may hopefully just be a mental thing.

I've tried jelly sweets but they are harder to digest (more solid) and therefore upset my stomach on a run. I don't go for sweet food at all anyway. I'm back to gels and I don't notice a "kick" from them, but my energy levels stay OK, which is the goal. Note that you have to be taking 500-600ml of water per hour with the gels too. Have you tried Endurolytes? I take one every 30mins along with gels.
Good luck!

My preference is for a mix of caffeinated gels (powerbar) and jelly beans, I also fill my camel back with electrolyte sports drink and water half and half.
Are you making sure you're 100% hydrated before your long runs and picking your evening meal the night before carefully? All these things can have considerable effect, especially the hydration. If I have a load of booze on Friday night, I suffer from not being totally hydrated by the time Sunday morning and the long run comes along.

And don't forget getting enough sleep: a brief period of sleep deprivation has shown not to impact performance significantly, but a prolonged period of sleep deprivation does. If your mileage increases, so should your time asleep.

I'm no expert but previous distances looks OK. I have lots of calories the night before and usually just water on the run.

If I run for 3 hours I take about 600/800 cals, you sure your not just bonking because of lack of cals.

Take another rest & re-focus. Look at your nutrition, maybe that's why you bombed?

Sorry to hear Ian :( I'm not nearly as experienced as you at running so I can't offer any advice about your schedule. But looks like you have a good mix of workouts going on so maybe your body saying 'i need a little break'? Have you tried Power Bars before - they give about 39g of carbs, and are more filling than cereal bars/gels. I haven't had one for a few years, but used to eat them a lot during running or squash back in the day.

Hi Ian. Just spotted your posting. IMHO, you are possibly pushing your body too much, too fast. Maybe you should run flat terrain for your long runs and separate out your hills/speed work to shorter weekday sessions. Also, if you sweat a lot, you need to replace lost salt/electrolytes so SiS Go in your water is a good idea. Good luck and keep up the good work.

You have a lot of long runs in there Ian, I think you can do a marathon for sure. You might try salt tablets, and Magnesium and Potassium pills at key points during your long runs. The electrolytes are important, so if the GU isn't working for you switch off to the beans! And Fig Newtons and Smarties (M&Ms here) and Swedish Fish!

Don't sweat it mate, one bad run doesn't a bad runner make or change any of the hard work and miles you have already banked. Have a rest the let the body recover and you'll come back stronger than before, but hopefully not so strong that you leave me trailing in your wake. :)

Help!

2011-07-24T20:20:00.000+01:00

Today my legs gave up! They finally just cut out on me like an old battery in a car. I was on a planned 18 miler, admittedly it was a tough 18 miler, undulating with some testing hills around 12 miles. To my surprise I got up these hills but they must have sapped the last of the energy from my legs because come mile 15 I just stopped. I've never felt like this before, but I mentally and physically could not go on. I walked for a couple of minutes and tried to go again but within a few hundred yards I was forced to stop again. This was the pattern for the remainder of the ~~run~~ walk! albeit the running part was getting less and less. I stopped the watch at 15.75 miles I couldn't include the rest as part of the run because it wasn't running.

The worrying thing is that recently the last couple of long runs have gone this way and I have a tough Marathon approaching in 8 weeks time. I'm not sure of the problem, but this is where I need people's help! Any advice big or small would be much appreciated, please leave a comment.

I'll give you a little bit of recent history. You can see below my running for the last couple of months. Have I been doing too many long runs? Not enough of something else?

My second concern, Nutrition. Today's run I took my Camelbak filled with water, so there was plenty of water on tap! I also tried a new gel. The SIS Burners gel, these work in a slightly different way than a usual gel, The theory behind the gel is that the added carnitine in the product increases the levels of carnitine stored in the muscles so you become more efficient at burning fat as a fuel and therefore helping to spare your carbohydrate stores. Gels just don't seem to give me any benefit and this one was no different. I took it half way round, and the only thing I noticed from it was the bad after taste in my mouth. So if Gels aren't working, what else can I try, filling the Camelbak with a sports drink? Ideally I would like to go on a long run without the Camelbak but a 330ml sports drink is not enough for me for 3 hours running.

I actually don't mind running with the Camelbak, it's a great product and after a little while you soon get used to it on your back. I have tried running with a cereal bar. I found this great (real food!) but just not enough to keep me going.

I'm getting concerned. As I was walking at the end of today's run, thoughts of 'Maybe I'm not a Marathon Runner' filled my head, but I remind myself that apart from the last couple of runs, I've been out for 18-20 mile runs and have been OK. My thoughts are that maybe I'm making my long runs too hard, they do tend to be undulating.

I would really appreciate any help on the above in my quest to get me back up and running.

Thanks in advance.

Ian

Beauty and the Beast: G3 series 2011

2011-06-27T21:30:00.000+01:00

The North Downs

I caught the last of the G3 races yesterday. The race is part of series of five races which take part in the beautiful surroundings of the North Downs in Surrey here in Southern England. The first three
races take part in the early months of the year finishing with the final two back to back over this Weekend in Sunny June.

I say Sunny, the forecast was for this to be the hottest day of the year, fortunately though the day started very misty and the race start was 8:30am.

Setting Up at the Start

It was an early start as I had offered to help friend Tim whose Company sponsor the event, a helping hand in putting up his Company banners. Tim had got me my race place so it was the least I could do to help out. It also gave me a chance to meet some of the Organisers and chill out a little before the other competitors turned up. I enjoy helping out at events, especially shorter races as it makes more of the time rather than just turning up racing and going straight home.

The Calm before the Storm!

The race course consists of Forest trails and Woodland sandy paths with quite a few challenging hills thrown in too. The well organised start to the race made a prompt start as scheduled at 8:30am. Tim had warned me that the first two miles of the race were fast and downhill and it would be easy to get swept along at a fast early pace. He was not wrong and I shot off from the start like a greyhound. This was my first mistake as I would learn later in the race.

I'm really pleased with the way my Nike Lunarglide's handled this type of terrain although a Trail shoe would be recommended for this course. After the easy start to the race and crashing through two seven minute miles, the false sense of achieving a PB was slowly but surely zapped out of me. The next mile and a half was by far the toughest I have competed in, the ups were tough and the downhills just as daunting. Be warned the Down hill's are steep and fast with the terrain uneven and rocky!

The toughest of the hills follows up to the Church of St Martha's. Not only is this steep but the terrain is loose sand. I've run this hill from the other side on a training run. That particular run was the first time I have ever had to stop and walk while running and today would be no different. Despite my recent efforts to include more hill runs as part of my training, St Martha's, my Nemesis, had reduced me to walk for the first time in a race.

The Final Stretch

Once I had got past this, my confidence came back and I was able to go past a few people up the smaller hills that followed and finish the race strongly. I finished with a respectable time of 52:12 on this very tough course. It was nice to be greeted by the race director who I had met earlier while setting up, with a "What took you so long!" I like this kind of banter at the end of the day and laughed along while I ate my Banana and Recovery Shake that you receive at the end of the race.

There is no medal, which was a little disappointing but you do have access to download your photo for free after the event and I was pleased that the Recovery Shake was my favourite 'For Goodness Shakes' which I swear by as part of my recovery at the end of a tough event.

The race was faultless in it's organisation and the Marshall's were encouraging and friendly. I will definitely be up for doing the full series next year, a great race although not one for the beginner.

The Course

Getting There

2011-06-19T21:25:00.000+01:00

I was unsure what to name the post this week, 'Nearly There' was an option, but after 20 tough,tough miles this morning, 'Nearly There' felt along way from the truth at mile 16 and 'The Run from Hell' was feeling more appropriate at mile 20!

This was probably my toughest run to date, 20 miles consisting of 2 circuits of the route I ran last weekend, titled in my last post as 'My favourite Run'. It still is my favourite place to run and the weather was perfect this morning for running, overcast but the odd spells of sunshine to lift the spirits.

I don't like to run repeat circuits if I can help it on long runs, I find it hard to know on the first lap you've got to do this all over again, but this is a great course to get some tough hill training in, as well as dealing with the undulating terrain on the way.

Today's Fuel

I forgot to purchase some Gels beforehand, I wanted to try something different rather than the Lucozade ones that I don't really like. I had my faithful Camelbak with about a litre of water in, and I thought I would try taking a cereal bar with me. That really went well, the thought of having 'real' food along the way worked as a motivation tactic. I broke small pieces off and rewarded myself after completing a hill. So not to suffer any stomach problems I made the bar last for probably 45 minutes in the middle part of the run. The only problem was it was quite a small bar and didn't give me enough energy for the over 3 hours that I was out, but is definitely something to work on.

I got to half way round (10 miles) feeling quite strong, I took the hills steady and my pace slower than usual for a long run. Mile 12 and slowly but surely the breakdown begins. It's amazing how one moment you can be feeling strong and within minutes struggling. I finished my last piece of cereal bar which renewed some energy and over the next few miles kept me going but once I hit the main hills for the second time round I was reduced to a staggering mess, looking like a boxer at the end of round twelve and trying to hold on.

A tough hill in the distance (The Photo does not do it Justice!)

As I approached home I realised that my distance was going to be nearer 19.5 miles rather than 20, and there was no way that was going to happen. I was not going through all this to still have a '1' in front of the distance, this was going to be 20 even if I had to crawl in. My mantra of 'Push' (I was saying this out loud on each breath!) seemed to do the trick and get me to my door in 3:08:39.

I'm hoping that I am not peaking too early, I still have a few months to go to my first Marathon, but it's a tough one and I want to be at that start line knowing I prepared well.

My Favourite Run (Despite the Rain!)

2011-06-12T18:32:00.000+01:00

Burger (Home made) and Fries, Bottle of Beer, 2 glasses of Wine, and watching Batman Begins till after midnight...Oh and a Ready Salted Crisp and Cream Cheese Roll (The Best!), all in all not the best preparation for an early morning hilly 11 miler.

It made me think about my nutrition today and how it definitely affects your running (Must try better!) because the run felt harder than usual and I partly put this down to last night indulgences. We eat fairly well as a family, I do the cooking in the household and try to cook most things from scratch, even the burgers when we have them but I reckon that there is room for some improvement.

I knew the forecast today was for rain for much of the day (The Weatherman always seem to get that one right!) I was OK with this, as of late we have been blessed with some great weather, it made a nice change to get out in the rain again.

My favourite run takes me over the Ash Ranges which are about a mile from my front door. The Ranges is an vast area of common land owned by the MOD which the nearby Army at Aldershot use for their training, The area of Trails and Woods with plenty of hills makes this the perfect place for running. Sometimes on these runs I don't see a soul, so is the perfect way to escape from the world for a couple of hours.

The only trouble is that when the Army are using the Firing Ranges you can't use the area, the use of Red Flags around the perimeter are used to show when this is happening (and the sound of shooting gives you a good idea to keep out!) Normally at the weekend the flags are flying until about 4 o'clock, but I was fortunate that the flags were down for the whole weekend.

The Long and Winding Road

From door to door the run is just over 11 miles. Its fairly undulating all the way although early on there are some flat straights. Between mile 7 and 9 is where the main hills lie, in this area the elevation rises by a few hundred feet. One hill in particular (Tunnel Hill) is a tough steep hill that you think you've got to the top only to bend round and climb some more. This hill is a real 'Thigh' burner! and when I'm grunting my way up it, I question and try to remind myself why this is my favourite run!

On a Summers day this run gets a 10 out of 10, today with the rain maybe a 9.

I have to apologise to all fellow Juneathoners for not sticking to the task of exercising and blogging everyday through June. a) I was struggling with the time b) I was struggling to write everyday. Especially when I'd just been out for a routine regular 4 miler it was hard to come up with something half decent to write and the posts were losing quality. I salute the other bloggers who are sticking to the task and getting the blogs out everyday. Well done to you all.

Easy Run - Juneathon #9

2011-06-09T19:34:00.000+01:00

After adding speed work to my schedule on Tuesday (I now do long runs and hill work also) It was only right to add the final piece to the jigsaw, The Easy Run!

I kept it flat (along the canal path) and headed out nice and easy. I think that by starting out comfortably it acted as a warm up because as the run progressed I naturally picked up my pace and by the time I finished, the pace overall was quite respectable yet did not feel uncomfortable.

Distance: 4.12 miles
Time: 33:26
Pace: 8:07min/miles

I took it fairly easy after an exhausting previous day that in the evening had me behind the microphone and recording a couple of songs. This is another interest of mine that offers something different to the running which is becoming quite a big part of my life now, with my work and family added to this, it fills up the time quite nicely. See http://www.myspace.com/ianchitson for the results!

Swapping the trails for the Studio

I'm back on track with Juneathon now after misunderstanding the rules (I know they are simple!). I thought you just had to blog everyday about exercise and could afford some rest days. Well I've kept half of the bargain up, now I just need to concentrate on the hard bit!

Rest Days - Juneathon #8

2011-06-08T13:25:00.000+01:00

I take my rest days seriously. I probably take them too serious and have too many of them. My typical week of running looks something like this:

Monday - Rest

Tuesday - 12 mile long run into work

Wednesday - Rest

Thursday- 4.5 mile hill work
Friday - 4.12 mile easy run
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 10-20 mile long run

This can vary I may do a long run on the Friday instead of Sunday but generally the last month has been following the above.

I understand that not only does your body need to recover ie. Muscle repair, but also your Immune System becomes depressed. Pounding trails over 30 - 35 miles is going to have some effect on my joints and last year I suffered from quite a bad Achilles Injury, so I'm probably over cautious with my recovery.

When you read up on this topic, most advice is to try to get at least a day's rest into your weekly schedule, but I think I benefit personally from the 3 days I allow myself. I guess everyones different or maybe I'm having too much rest?

I know I could certainly infill with Cross Training on my rest days, I'm determined to get more Core Training in also. But the beauty about having these rest days is it keeps me fresh and looking forward to my next run, it's quite satisfying to enjoy the rest day following a 20 mile run.

I would be interested in any ones thoughts on this subject and in particular my current weekly schedule.

Speedwork - Juneathon #7

2011-06-07T19:41:00.000+01:00

I'm hoping I've got the rules of Juneathon right. Although I've had two days of not exercising this month, I have been blogging everyday, so this counts, right?

Anyway I took to the Canal in my lunch break today. I thought I'd do something a little different for me today....Speedwork! I tick all the other boxes, long runs, hill work but Speedwork is something that I don't do enough of.

Usually my lunchtime run is done at the same old speed, sometimes faster but generally a steady plod. I guess I could be falling into the trap of these becoming 'Junk' miles.

So I decided on doing some Fartlek training. It was fairly random, with my first burst I sited some chap walking ahead so decided to run to him. I probably scared the living daylights out of him, this mad grunting runner heading full speed at him, but he seemed not to care of my antics. From then on I would recover for a couple of minutes before charging again to the next big tree I could see in the distance. I continued this throughout the 3.43 mile run and I guess I was running anywhere between 100 and 200 metres at a time when picking up the speed.

I'm not sure if this was correct with what I was doing today, but I was well and truly knackered by the end. I think I'll read up a bit about Speedwork, definitely a weak point in my running at the moment where as everything else seems to be going well. The long runs are up to 20 miles and I'm getting some good quality hill work in also.

Distance: 3.43 miles
Time: 25:38
Pace: 7:29 min/mile

New Running Kit

2011-06-06T20:11:00.000+01:00

The good people of Simply Sweat kitted me out in some super new running kit this week. I ordered online late on Thursday night and was impressed to recieve the kit on Saturday morning, which meant I could give it a good test on my long run on Sunday. The Website's clear and easy to get around and is stocked with all the leading brands you'd expect at very competitive prices. A nice touch is that you get the chance to view some products on a short 'catwalk' clip which I found really useful.

With the warm weather upon us I got myself a Vest, Shorts and new socks.

Ronhill Advance Running Vest - Indigo and Slate - £16.45

Product Info: This lightweight and breathable running vest has excellent moisture management, drawing moisture away from your body and once at the outer surface it evaporates, keeping you cool and dry on your run. In a relaxed fit with UPF 50 protection its great for hot sunny days.

Features
Vapourlite fabric: 100% Polyester
UPF50 protection
Reflective graphics
Flat locked seams

This done exactly what it said on the tin, very lightweight and comfortable, at times the top was completley sodden and the next dried out.

Ronhill Advance Running Short - All Black - £23.00

Product Info: The mens advance running short from Ronhill is lightweight, breathable and highly wind resistant. Ideal for urban and rural environments this relaxed fit short is water repellent and has reflective graphics to keep you visible in low light.

Features
Activelite fabric: breathable and wind resistant
Durable water repellent treatment to fabric
Reflective graphics providing 360 degree reflectivity
Inner Bamboo brief
Bonidex waistband with draw cord
Power mesh inserts
Back zip security pocket - ideal for mp3 player

Specification
Fibre content: Outer: 100% Polyester, Inner: 50% Polyester, 50% Bamboo
11cm inside leg
Weight: 129g

Definately the best part of the kit, The most comfortable shorts, I've ever owned. Comfortable and lightweight and loose with no ristriction 10 ot of 10.

1000 Mile Ultimate Racket Sock - £7.75

Product Info: The Ultimate Racket Sock from 1000 Mile us a sock within a sock. The Tactel inner stays with the foot reducing friction and wicking moisture away. Side airflow channels add breathability and arch bracing gives extra support. Outstanding comfort and no blisters - guaranteed!

Specification
Outer: 76% Cotton, 22% Nylon, 2% Elastane Lycra
Inner: 100% Tactel

For the Price, this is great sock, The Tactel inner sock works really well and is really comfortable. Kept the blisters at bay.

Twenty Twenty - Juneathon #5

2011-06-05T18:57:00.000+01:00

New Kit

Today is officially the furthest these little old legs of mine have taken me in forty years. Sunday = Long run, I was up early for a Sunday (6-15am) so I could get some sort of fuel inside me. I managed a slice of Fruit loaf and half a bottle of sports drink, before crashing back to bed for half an hour,getting back up,stretching then leaving for my run. The weather was perfect for running this morning, mild but cloudy and I had my new running kit on (See tomorrows Blog for kit review).

I headed out along the Basingstoke Canal, The same Canal that I run at work but this time I was heading the other direction towards the Hampshire town of Fleet. I needed this to be a bit of a confidence booster, my previous two long runs of 18 miles were run on a very undulating course and had broken me by mile 16. Today I wanted to go longer but on a pancake flat course to see if I was stronger.

Trees and Water

By mile 4, any minor twinges had disappeared and I was soon in my rhythm and going along nicely. The plan was to be just under 9 minute miles, which I plan to be running for my Marathon in September. There was the odd Jogger, Cyclist and dog walker but generally quiet (Sensible people stay in bed on a Sunday morning!) The Canal can be quite hypnotic, it's very much the same mile after mile, the intense surrounding of the trees and the water. I got to mile 10 comfortably before turning round and heading back.

Er...More Trees and Water

I only had one gel with me today and my Camelbak filled with water. I took the gel halfway. By mile 13 I was starting to feel a little tired, which fills your thoughts with "Oh No, there's still 7 miles to go" but after a further couple of miles the tiredness had lifted and I was back on track. Mile 16 passed and 17 & 18 I actually picked up the pace. I tried to concentrate on my posture, as my head was dropping and I was looking down, I focused on looking ahead. Mile 19, I was feeling tired but not in the same way as my previous long runs.

I got home, stretched and sat in the Garden enjoying my Recovery Shake (Damn they taste so good after a hard run) I then hit an ice cold bath for 10 minutes to relieve the legs. After changing and feeling good about my run today, I was brought back to earth by my good wife with her comment of " God you look Ill".....Happy Days.

End of the Road

Tupper #7

2011-06-04T13:26:00.001+01:00

The Old Routine - Juneathon #3

2011-06-03T18:53:00.000+01:00

I've managed to get to the dizzy heights of Day 3 of Juneathon and today's activity was my good old regular lunchtime run down the Basingstoke Canal. I run this probably twice a week and have done for the last 5 years. Amazingly I've never really get bored of this run, and on a day like today (It must have been the hottest day of the year so far) it's perfect. Fortunately the Canal backs onto the office so I can get out quick and usually get just over 4 miles in. If I push it I can get it to 4.5 miles.

Obviously it's a flat course so it's good for doing Tempo runs or a nice easy run. Today's run was somewhere in between. With an overall time of 33:14 and a distance of 4.12miles, that gives 8:04 minute miles. Not bad as it felt fairly comfortable, despite suffering a bit of a groin strain of late which seems to be hanging around.

I'm not sure either if I have the start of a cold or Hay fever. That's the trouble with Hay fever you never can quite tell, both make you feel lousy.

I'm feeling better now though, rested and sitting writing the blog having just finished a delicious meal of Lightly spiced and seasoned Chicken pieces on a bed of sauted potato's.......Ok it was KFC! and I may even treat myself to a nice cold lager on such a beautiful day. The plan is for a big run on Sunday so I need to think quick on what to be logging and blogging tomorrow.

Strength Training - Juneathon #2

2011-06-02T06:43:00.000+01:00

So it's Day 2 of Juneathon and I'm thrown into blind panic! I must confess I had not thought much past the first day,I had a game plan for Day 1, I could blog about my run for that day. I'm a runner, I run 4 or 5 days a week, I rest in between those days which in Juneathon terms, means.....I've got a problem.

I had thought I would use Juneathon (How many times am I going to mention 'Juneathon' in Blog posts and Tweets this month!!!) to do some cross training, so this morning I come up with a make shift Strength Training session. I always read about the importance in a strong core to improve as a runner.

Maybe by the end of ~~Juneathon~~ this month I will be looking like Peter Andre....although probably more like Peter Kay!

So my session went like this:

3 sets of 10 Press Ups
3 sets of 10 Crunches
45 seconds of the Plank
5 sets of 'V' Sits
20 seconds 'Bridge'

Short and Sweet, and an early bird this morning (Up at 6am) but I'll add to this over the month, and it's more than I was doing last week. Day 3 of Juneathon (Doh! I mentioned the 'J' word 6 times) will see me back running again...Happy Days :)

Lunchtime Hills - Juneathon #1

2011-06-01T20:14:00.000+01:00

So today is the start of Juneathon. For those who are unaware of the concept, basically myself and other like minded bloggers have to post workout activities every day through the month of June on our blogs. Check out the Juneathon Website for details (and join, it's never too late!)

Today was my regular weekly short hill training session which takes me and running partner/work colleague Brian away from the office and into the centre of Woking. The course is 4.55 miles long and we can just about squeeze it into our measly 45 minute lunch break. It involves two trips up the hill you can see in the above pictures and some challenging steps to endure.

It was quite a struggle for me today, my legs were aching where I did not get chance to stretch before hand. I suffered quite badly from Achilles Tendonitis last year, but providing I keep my stretching up everyday I seem to be able to keep the injury at bay, but alas today the quads and calves were sore.

On the plus side the pace was still quite good for the hills, 8:10 minute miles, so you have to take the positives out of it. The sun was shining too which always makes for a better run.

I try and get as much hill work as I can at the moment. I have the Farnham Pilgrims Marathon in September which takes in the North Downs and is a very hilly course. My thinking is what you put in, you get out and although this is going to be a tough debut Marathon, I should come out the other side a better runner.

If you have the time, have a look around the blog, otherwise see you here tomorrow :)

UltraMarathon....Not for me thanks!

2011-05-29T16:38:00.000+01:00

Thanks, but no thanks!

I'm nearly back to normal now as I sit and write this latest post.

I've had something to eat, had my recovery shake, lanced my blister on my big toe (It was that big, it looked like I had six toes!) and I've had an hours nap.

This morning I set out for my 18 mile long run in preparation for the Farnham Pilgrim's Marathon in September. I know this is only my second time I've been out at this distance but I'm hitting 'The Wall' at mile 16 making the last 2 miles hell! I'm being hard on myself. This is quite an undulating course with the first half mainly climbing, and it's 18 miles which is not to be sniffed at. You tell non runners that you've been out for that kind of distance at the weekend and they hail you as some kind of super athlete...or idiot!

I felt quite nauseous after the run, just to add to today's 'Joys of being a Runner',although I think this is down to the fact that I filled my Camelbak with Lucozade rather than water. I guess you have to try these things out, but in the end it was too sickly and I was craving water at the end of the run but having to quash my thirst with the syrup Sports drink.

It was on those last two miles today that I thought, I've still got to do another 8 miles after I finish so why the hell have I been flirting with the idea in my head of actually doing an Ultra race. It stems from the daft brain of my running partner Brian and until today we were trying to finalise a day in July to do this. Talk about 'Run before you can walk' we have not even done a bloody Marathon yet, so why am I even contemplating running 35 miles (this is what we planned). I know Brian has the capabilities to go on to this and beyond, so good luck to him on his journey.

I must admit the subject fascinates me and I am currently reading Ultra Marathon Man for the second time. I know of a couple of people on Twitter who I regularly ~~talk with~~ tweet with who have tackled anything from 50 miles to 100 miles. I also follow a couple of blogs on the subject too. I really cannot fathom how people can physically and mentally run this sort of distance.

So I'm staying in awe of these people, why I concentrate on the Marathon distance. I'm sticking to what Pheidippides set out to do back in the day (490BC to be exact!). This to me is the ultimate distance to first complete and then master and I have decided this to be my goal in my running life.

The Story So Far...

2011-05-22T09:25:00.000+01:00

This is a picture of me running in my first ever race at the age of 15 in 1986. The race was the Ash Vale Half Marathon, I ran this race two years in a row, I can't remember my times but I have always had a time in my head of 2h:08mins. I don't know why I ran the race, one reason I think was for charity, the other because a couple of friends were running too. I can't even remember liking running that much back then, but I must of partly enjoyed it to run the following year. I think a big part of it was the Rocky Films. I distinctly remember having the Rocky IV soundtrack that I used to play on my training runs on my Cassette Walkman (I don't know how I used to run with that great lump attached to me!) I ran a 10K back then too, but I can't remember a lot about that race. I guess this was the time in my life when a seed was planted, which would go on to blossom some twenty years later.I don't know why I decided to take up the sport again, it was 2004, I certainly could not even think of running a Half Marathon like I did when I was 15. I was playing football regularly but that was about the extent of my fitness activities.

It was by chance that I joined in a conversation with two work colleagues one day, one of which was Brian, who still to this day I run with. The two of them were planning to start running at lunchtimes, I wanted to get fit again so joined them. I remember going on my first 3 mile run and feeling so chuffed that I had got round without stopping. From then on the distances have grown and my love with the sport has followed. It's a massive part of my life now. I constantly read about it, blog about it, talk about it,Tweet about it, and between all that with working and bringing up a young family I get to do it as well. Like all runners I've kept my finishers medals and amazingly have found the badges given out from those first races. Below are my races to date to share and just as much to serve as a scrap book to me.

Ash Vale Half Marathon 1986
Details Unknown

Ash Vale Half Marathon 1987
Details Unknown

Cranleigh 10K 2005
Race Number 62
Time: 57:50
Position 169 out of 220

Julian Farrell Memorial 10K 2005
Race Number 220
Time 52:53
Position 88 out of 145

Frimley Park Hospital 10K 2008
Race Number 72
Time 54:29
Position 206 out of 391

Cranleigh 10K 2008
Race Number 118
Time: 52:20
Position 123 out of 215

Peter Driver Memorial, Fleet 10K 2008

Race Number 192
Time: 49:41
Position 234 out of 425

Cardiff Half Marathon 2009
Race Number 8715
Time: 1:58:44
Position 4682 out of 8768

Frimley Park Hospital 10K 2009
Race Number 15
Time -:-
Position - out of -

Frimley Park Hospital 10K 2010
Race Number 196
Time 49:02
Position - out of -

The Grim 2010/11
Race Number 4343
Time: 1:22:07
Position 654 out of 1826

Fleet Half Marathon 2011

Race Number 2440

Time: 1:44:50

Position 768 out of 2309

Random Running Photo's

Cardiff Half Marathon 2009

Pre Fleet Half Marathon 2011

Frimley Park Hospital 10K 2010

After The Grim 2010/11

Minor Set Back

2011-05-14T14:44:00.000+01:00

Since my last Post I had a minor set back with my training (The clue is in the title!). Yes, I managed to put my back out. Now I wish I could tell you it was while completing 200 sit ups or maybe running 50 miles, but sadly no. I managed it while getting out the car! The actual day I done it, the agony was unbearable I was getting cramping pains that according to my wife were probably no where near as painful as labour pains! To this day I don't actually no what I'd done, but on day one I believed I was going to die (Well I'm a man, I would think this!). The pain improved daily and within four days I was back to running. I figured I'd probably missed out on about 20 miles, a long and short run.

I bounced back though and after running a gentle 4 miler to check I was back to normal, I followed this up with my new longest run, an 18 miler. I was really chuffed with the run not only for the distance but also the quality. The first half of the run was progressively rising and entailed some challenging hills. The run also took me on part of the Marathon course that I am training for, on the North Downs, so this gave me a chance to get a feel of the terrain. I still have till September to train so to be at 18 miles on a long run already is ahead of schedule, but I want to be prepared for this challenging Marathon.

I suppose what you could class as another set back was losing my Running Log from the last 4 years. I was signed up to the Training Site 'Buckeye Outdoors' which due to the recent severe weather in parts of the US has lost all information stored on their server. I was gutted when I learned of the news, I realise this site is a one man band and appreciate all the effort it must have taken to set up and maintain the site but to lose my log from so far back is so disheartening, and I feel for everyone else in the same boat. I would have thought that there would have been or at least should have been a better back up system for a site responsible for holding thousands of people's treasured logs......There, I've got that of my chest!

On the flip side I now have a new site that I have joined, recommended to me by Dan from 4 feet running which is Running Ahead. I have managed to upload some runs that were still stored on my Garmin, but it looks like I've got to start over. I will learn from the experience though and back up my information.

That's it for another running week, but lastly I will share a video that Marathon runner Ryan Hall 'tweeted' the link to on Twitter. There is a series of short interviews from the RunnersWorld website with legendary Coach Jack Daniels with some great advice on several aspects of running. I recommend taking the time out to take a look.

Training Partners

2011-05-01T20:58:00.000+01:00

I probably at the moment spend 50% running solo and the other 50% with my friend and work colleague Brian. I've known Brian since I was 18, so over half my life, we used to work together back then, but for many years worked for different companies until about 8 years ago we ended up at the same company again. (Jeese! I can't seem to shake him!!).

In the time we worked at different places we still used to play 5 aside football together every week, but it was about 5 years ago that we both embarked on our new love of running.

Brian when younger used to do a lot of Cross Country running and I myself had run half marathon's at an earlier age, but like most people over the years the toll of Beer, Women and Football (in no particular order!) take there toll.

So 5 years ago, although still playing football, we were both compared to where we are today, pretty out of shape. Brian, and he won't hate me for saying this had put on a few pounds, and I was feeling pretty unfit.

We started running a 3 mile route at lunchtime from work. I can this day remember my first run with Brian and another colleague and being so chuffed and surprised that I had got around without stopping.

We progressed slowly, and the thought of doing our first 10K seemed a daunting proposition. I remember embarking on a training run that took us twice around our 3 mile course and that would be a huge achievement and step forward.

10K's then became more regular events and in October 2009 we completed the Cardiff Half Marathon. Since then I probably plateaued a little but Brian really used this as a point to losing a lot of weight and improving his time's remarkably.

To start with I would be finishing 10K races quicker than Brian, but now, and it pain's me to say it......Brian is the stronger and quicker runner now (Note to Brian - I'll be back!)

We both have young families but as they get older the chances to get out for more serious training is becoming easier.

We are both training for The Farnham Pilgrim's Marathon, our first Marathon, and looking back we have come a long way in our running together.

If you get the chance to find a training partner I would recommend it. The sport of running can be quite a lonely existence (Although that sometimes is why we all run). With Brian, we spur each other on, mostly wind each other up (See our Dailymile comments!) and pretty much talk non stop about running. Our colleagues at work must be really fed up as they listen to us babble on all day about New training routes, Injuries, Running Web sites etc. etc. and is probably why they wear headphones for most of the day.

We are always challenging and pushing each other, we're even talking about doing Ultras now which is a long way from them two unfit boys struggling to run 3 miles!

2011-04-29T17:27:00.001+01:00

This is a bit of a 'fill in' post, I don't like not posting regularly, it's been a couple of weeks now, but I've been busy with work and if I do get free time then I'm either 'running'or 'running' a family. I've got plenty of idea's coming up for post's but need to have an evening or two free. So this will be a bit of an update Post :)

I've been getting some good quality runs in over the last month or two. I'm signed up for The Farnham Pilgrims Marathon which means I've signed up for an extremely tough hilly Marathon.

With this being the case I've been hitting the hills, I've got a great 10 mile local run through woodland which is really undulating and from start to the highest point is 170ft in Elevation. It's definitely been a case of 'What you put in, You get out", and since the hill running I've felt a lot stronger runner.

My run to work yesterday was a new interesting undulating course which took me on every type of terrain you can think of, including a field of crops!

I feel like I'm training for the big day 'Rocky Style' No flashy equipment just out there training with Nature hurdling tree trunks (or through fields of Crops!), bit like how Rocky would train for his fights rather than in a High Tech Gym like 'Ivan Drago' in Rocky 4......However I digress!

Training More like This...

...Than This!

I've been upping the Mileage too. I'm regularly running 30 mile weeks now and within that I'm trying to get in some shorter faster runs so to get a good balance of training.

This week I've applied for next years London Marathon (Not very hopeful!) and for Olympic Tickets (A little more hopeful!). My boss has also enrolled my running partner, and work Colleague Brian, and myself in to doing THE GRIM and HELL RUN both at the end of this year. I've done the Grim before but the Hell Run looks a lot tougher.

Short and sweet this week,

Good Luck with your running in the week ahead.

Ian

A New Voyage

2011-04-15T21:32:00.001+01:00

My Legs are in agony, but it's all worth it, as I look down to my Garmin, I read 13.2 miles. I've done it, for the first time in my life I've run past the half marathon distance. I didn't stop there though, although at this point I did shout a 'Yes' as I moved past this milestone distance.

I managed 16 miles in the end, although I was in a bit of pain I pushed on as I wanted to make my new record distance significant.

In a week where many have and will be hitting the 26.2 mile mark in Marathon's such as Brighton, London and Paris, my run distance is lost as thousands achieve the milestone Marathon distance. But I don't care, for me this was a massive barrier to push past as my own Marathon training begins.

As I ~~cruised~~ ~~accelerated~~ wobbled to the office, a bit of self doubt did cross my mind 'I've still got to do another 10 miles for Marathon distance!'...Ouch!

I've got until September to get there though, so I'm well ahead of schedule, but the Marathon I'm taking on (Farnham Pilgrims Marathon) is not an average Marathon, it's filled with many hills and sandy trails, so it won't be easy, but as it stands I'm looking in good shape as I continue my journey to my new destination.

A Helping Hand - Frimley Park Hospital 10K

2011-04-10T21:58:00.000+01:00

Something a little different today. Rather than running a race, I was helping out as a volunteer at the Frimley Park Hospital 10K. I've run this race 3 times in the past and is the race I currently hold my 10K PB at.

For once I would be the other side of the barriers
and not with the runners gathering for the race

It was an early start, arriving at the hospital for 8am (the race start was 10-30am) I didn't know exactly what I was doing until I arrived, but it turned out I was one of a team of 4 at the finish line who would be responsible for relating finishing times back from the finish line to another team collecting the data. So no pressure here then!!!

I'm friends with one of the Race Directors, Bob who introduced me to Steve, who would be looking after me and giving me my orders today. Now Steve must sleep well every night, because I've never seen someone so energetic and enthusiastic as him. His energy made me feel quite tired, so just as well I wasn't running today. Steve organises the Frimley Lodge Park run, so I was in good hands.

Steve (In red) briefing a fellow volunteer

It was the first year the race organisers were trying a new timing system. Rather than chip timing which is costly we were using a similar system to what is used for the Park Runs in the UK. In fact we had the timing team from the Bushey Park Run, the biggest Park Run in the country, who are used to dealing with getting a similar volume of people across the finish line.
I think I was more nervous than the runners today. The briefing made things sound rather complicated. As the runners came across the finish line we would take it in turns between the four of us to pick out random runners, take down the runners finishing position and race number, follow alongside them as they made their way down the finishing funnel and relay the information back to Ann (From the Bushey Park Run) who would record the results. We would then run back to the Finish and repeat the process. At the same time stickers were being placed on the runners which had their finish position (which should be the same as what we recorded as they crossed the line the other end). They would then make there way past 4 tables where everything was finally uploaded......Phew! Sound Complicated?

At the finish line.
As the finisher came across the line we had to check their position on
that small device on the table and remember along with their race number

You can see the finishes 'funnel' on the far left of the
picture with Ann and Ray (Bushy Parkrun) in the centre

I still don't quite know how it all worked. But work it seemed to, and the whole thing turned out to be a great experience. It made me really appreciate just how much work goes into such events and it was great to see things from the other side of the fence, so to speak.

Volunteers Unite!

One thing I never get to see, as I'm usually running somewhere in the middle of the pack, is to see the winner come pounding across the line, and today I was the first person to see them across the line. I actually really enjoyed this part as there was not too much for us to do with the first runners coming through, it was not until the main bulk of runners from 40 minutes to 60 minutes came in where we had our work cut out.

It was difficult to know quite when the race had finished, we talked about it afterwards and that it would have been good to have someone cycle behind the last runners so you would know when everyone was in. There was a couple of times when we thought of packing up only to see someone come running through. But I can say it was just as satisfying to see the last person come through as the first.

I would definitely say to anyone who gets a chance to volunteer for a local race, to do it. I will now run future races and really appreciate just how much hard work and effort has gone in to make the race happen.

Running Begins at 40!

2011-03-28T23:06:00.000+01:00

It's been a funny week, I hit the highs of a PB at the Fleet Half Marathon and then the lows of hitting the big 40, seven days later.

The bit in between has been a bit of a struggle too.

Now I don't know if it was because I got my PB but mentally my brain seemed to think it was 'Job done' and 'You got your PB, now you can quit'. I just seemed to shut down and was struggling to get going again. But I was back out running a 3.5 miler on the Tuesday and a 4 on the Thursday. Come Friday I was completing my regular 12 miler to work. What seemed to be comfortable a couple of weeks previous was now proving to be both mentally and physically tough.

Looking back, I should have taken more time off. Although the distance of the Half Marathon was not a problem, I ran it quick (for me) and the course was quite demanding. I had not appreciated how the combination of the two would effect the legs. I guess this is how you learn.

My faith in Running was restored as I ~~commiserated~~ celebrated my 40th year. I've kind of been fearing this Birthday, I always remember when my Dad was 40 and thinking how old that sounded! But where as most people would be relaxing and enjoying a drink or two on their Birthday, I decided to celebrate with a nice Sunny 10 miler around the local Ranges with fellow runner and friend Brian. This also gave me a good chance to try out my new Camelbak, and with the demands of the course (It's bloody hilly!) my new water storage system on my back was just what the Doctor ordered.

So instead of fearing these numbers, I instead embraced them, and I thought to my self...I've just recently run the fastest I've ever run over 13.1 miles, I'm running more than ever, and I'm probably the fittest I've ever been in my life.

Not bad for an Old Boy!

Fleet Half Marathon 2011

2011-03-20T20:14:00.000Z

Me Pre Run

The Asics sponsored Fleet Pre - London Half Marathon to give the event it's full title, is for many a last competitive run before London next month.

With perfect running conditions to look forward to and with the race being local to me, it meant I could start the day relaxed and not panicking to force myself to eat something at the crack of dawn.

The race start was 10.30am. I made good time to arrive to enable a warm up and take in the good atmosphere. There was a few stands set up including a local running store and a beer tent.

There was various celebs running in the event, mostly soap stars. I was close to actress Vicky Binns who played Molly Hobbs in Coronation Street. I refrained myself from saying to her that "I thought she was dead" (Her character was killed off in the soap), I bet she'd heard that a thousand times!

The Warm Up

The start was prompt and the route made a swift left turn down a side street which proved a bit of a bottle neck, especially with the immediate parked cars with which I saw many runners caught out with and almost ran into them.

Plenty of Stability in that Shoe!!!

I managed to get into a good pace early on as the course took us around the town centre a couple of times and some early hills. This part of the route is much the same as the 10K course which I have run before. Although great support in the centre it was nice to get away from the now familiar town streets.

This was definitely a race of two halves because by mile 6 we were away from the town and into more rural surroundings. In fact as the race went on the scenery got better and better as we were taken through picturesque villages.

The course is best described as Undulating, although the hills aren't horrific there are enough and come steadily throughout the course, but as the old saying goes "What goes up, must come down!".

One village in particular deserves a mention and that is Winchfield, the locals were out in vocal support and were handing out Jelly Babies to the runners. At mile 9 the sugar shot was just what was needed, although 'note to self ' don't use Jelly Babies on a run, they turned my saliva to glue!

Come the final mile we were back in the town centre. I took advantage when there was a down hill and increased my speed, and grimaced back up the hills. The adrenaline then took over to see me through to the finish line. I had smashed my previous PB of 1:58:44 with a new time of 1:44:50.

I collected my medal, banana and water bottle but was disappointed to find there was no goody bag. I quickly refuelled with my Clif Builders Protein bar, which I had brought at one of the stands beforehand, before making the short drive home.

A Well Run Baggage Area

The race was really well organised and ran smoothly. There were plenty of Marshall's on course who on the whole were encouraging. The baggage tent was well run, and there were plenty of portaloo's.

My two moans would be no goody bag and the repetition of the early part of the course. On the whole though an enjoyable event well worth taking part.

The Finish

Finishers Medal

Bushey Parkrun

2011-03-12T20:54:00.000Z

Hampton Court Palace

Today's run, once again had me taking part in the Parkrun 5K events taking place nationwide (and Denmark!) every Saturday morning at 9am. I usually run my local event at Frimley but today I was at the original and biggest Parkrun at Bushey Park, London.

Bushey Park is one of the Royal Parks that sits proudly to the front of Hampton Court Palace former home of Henry VIII.

"No I am not joining in with this mornings activities"
One of the many wild deer that roam the park

I went along with friend Bob who the Race Director at the Frimley Park Hospital 10K run. The Bushey Park team are going to be doing the timing at the Hospital run next month and Bob wanted to talk through some final preparation with the organisers. This was not a problem for me though as I listened in and enjoyed the early Spring sunshine and fantastic surroundings.

The Park is soon filled with early morning runners

The great thing about the Parkrun series is that once you have downloaded your barcode (You use this at the end of the race to log your results) you can just turn up at any event and run for free!

Mid Run

Along with the 690 other participants we were gathered at the start line ready for the prompt 9am start. The claxton sounded and we were off. I was towards the back of the crowd, I hadn't really thought about positioning and in my mind today was just going to be a pleasant jog around King Henry VIII's front garden.

But amongst the fellow runners and a good atmosphere, my race instincts took over and the chance of a PB on a flat course was now the focus of the morning. The paths are nice and wide so it was not long before I was able to move up the field. I took off too fast, but my thinking was that it is only 3 miles and the pain would soon be over. I managed to maintain the pace, although the legs were feeling quite tired from the previous days 12 miler into work.

I finished a respectable 198th and managed a new PB of 23:02. My official time on the website results is 23:08, but I started my Garmin once I started moving across the start line. The great thing about the system is that once you have scanned in your personal barcode at the race finish the results are waiting for you once you get home on the website, and all of your previous times are kept on the data base too. This is how my results look to date:

A great mornings work at this great organised network of events, as with both locations of the Parkrun I have done, another 10 out 10 for this free event :)

Nike Lunarglide +2

2011-03-06T19:59:00.003Z

2nd August 2011 - I have updated this post with further comments at the end.

The favourite day in any runners year has arrived.

I've had some minor niggles in the knees, this yearly occurrence always seems to coincide with the need to purchase new trainers, so that's exactly what I did.

Although I've recently got myself some Orthotics, which have been working a treat, I still wanted to try something new.

This time I've gone for the Nike Lunarglide +2 trainer.

I overpronate and have flat arches so always have to go for a well supported trainer which normally tend to be a heavy trainer. I tried these out in a reputable running store on the treadmill. The video analysis surprisingly showed that these were keeping my lower legs nice and straight. I say surprisingly because these are quite lightweight and appear to have less support than other stability trainers.

I love the look of the Nike Lunar Range, and when you put them on, it truly is like putting on a pair of comfy slippers. They are the most comfortable trainer I have worn to date. I know you are meant to break trainers in gradually but I decided to take these out for a good 8 mile hilly test on multi terrain.

On the flat roads, the trainers felt fast and very responsive. As I moved onto the wooded trails, again the trainers did not disappoint and there was plenty of grip to handle the more uneven terrain.

Where I was really pleased was when I hit the hills, with the Lunarglide's being a lot lighter than I am used to I was able to, well literally 'glide' up and down the hills.

I felt some slight pain in my knee, and I'm worried that these may not have the overall support that I require but my thinking is I can always replace the insole with my Orthotics.

It's early days, and L love the look and lightweight feel of the trainers. After an 8 mile first run, there was no signs of rubbing and blistering which again emphasises the comfort of the trainer.

Too good to get dirty!

As well as tarmac, I gave the trainers a good workout up hills and wooded trails

Overall Performance 35 out of 40

Cushioning - 8 out of 10, Soft cushioning, rather than firm & some medial support.

Comfort - 9 out of 10, Perfect and unbelievable comfort.

Flexibility - 8 out of 10, Generally Flexible.

Responsiveness - 9 out of 10, Very High with good movement with the foot.

Post Updated 2nd August 2011

I have now covered about 500 miles in these trainers. My thoughts above have not changed. These have been the best trainers I have had to date, I've been injury free and the trainers have kept their comfort and responsiveness. I have been on all terrains, none of which have caused the any problems. I will definately be buying these all the time now, the only dilema is whether to upgrade to the Lunarglide +3. I would highly reccomend these trainers to anyone who overpronates, a great lightweight supportive trainer.

Hill Training

2011-02-28T23:37:00.000Z

Brian (My Work colleague and regular Running Partner) and myself met up for the first time this Sunday morning with our Dailymile friend Tim.

It was a glorious morning and the perfect opportunity to get some proper hill training in. Tim is quite a veteran on the hills in this part of Surrey. Brian himself has done some hill work recently and me....A hill newbie!

I've been doing some more hillier runs local to work but nothing compared to what we took on here today.

The main reasons for wanting to get some serious hill running into my training is a) To become a better runner, and b) I am competing in my first Marathon this year, the Farnham Pilgrims Marathon.

The Marathon course takes in part of the route we were running, so it is a bonus being local and to be able to train in the area. The terrain is made up of a number of sandy trails and plenty of steep ups and downs, so this Marathon is not a race to be setting PB's.

After meeting and having a quick chat with Tim, we all made our way along side the River Wey and along the Shalford Road before cutting into more Rural scenery and taking the Pilgrims Way. From here on, underfoot went from tarmac to winding, steadily climbing trails.

By now the route was fast becoming steeper and it wasn't long before we came to the ultimate of hills. The hill leading to St Martha's Church is steep! Now I know I'm a newbie to Hill Training (or a St Martha's Virgin as Tim would call me!) but I can assure you, and any locals reading this can confirm, St Martha's hill is pretty Hardcore!

St Martha's Church

It seemed Brian and Tim with little effort made the climb, but for me, it was the first time I have ever walked while on a run. The Lactic Acid flushed through my legs like a Tsunami! and I was reduced to walk the last third of the hill.

Views from Top of St Martha's

After a short photo stop at the top of the hill we made our way down and then progressively back up the hill from the other side. This time the climb was more stretched out and my legs had become a little more used to the new terrain they were experiencing today. Actually from then on and for the rest of the run our collective pace picked up as we head back into Guildford Town Centre finishing at a decent pace.

Me,Tim and Brian at St Martha's

Sadly we were too early for a deserved pint in the nearby Pub, one we'll save for next time.

Over the run we had climbed somewhere in the region of 280 metres, so I think this counts as proper hill training and put into perspective for me just what hill training really is. I really enjoyed this type of training, I've got so used to running along a flat canal towpath that this was just what I needed to give my training schedule a shake up. This run with the guys will definitely become a regular event, as well as putting in weekly hill runs in between on trails near to home.

Google Map and Elevation (Click image to enlarge)

Hopefully come September and the Farnham Pilgrims Marathon, I will be able to handle these hills with ease. :)

The Route (Click image to enlarge)

It's a Miracle!!!

2011-02-23T19:55:00.002Z

....And God said "Let there be light, and there was light". And then God said "Let there be support for over pronating feet, and there was.....The Scholl Orthaheel Sports Insoles!!!"

Well it's been a miracle for me! I've upped the mileage over the last couple of weeks and as always with increasing mileage comes the risk of injury. This is exactly what happened! I'd been feeling a niggle on the inside of my right knee for a little while now, but after adding two twelve mile runs into the weekly schedule the pain became worse and I had to consider taking time out. This was the last thing I needed with a Half Marathon less than a month away.

I have used Heel supports recently for my Achilles, and knew of Orthotics that can be designed especially for your feet (but not your bank account).

So there were two options I considered - New Trainers or Off the shelf Orthotic Insoles.

I went for the latter. The Scholl Orthaheel Sports Insole £25.

They offer a 30 day money back guarantee, so what did I have to lose.

I've lost nothing and gained a Miracle! Tentatively I embarked on a 4 mile run, with hills to give a good test.

While on the run, no pain. After the run, no pain. Days rest, then real test, 12 miles...No Pain!!!

The Insole reduces the amount of pronation and helps eliminate: Pain under the heel, Pain at the back of the heel, Knee pain, Metatarsal pain and for some, lower back pain.

This wasn't my planned post, on this my Blogs 1st Birthday, but it's been a revelation and I had to share this as this could be a big and cost effective way of getting through those niggles and the injuries as Runners we all get.

Master Yoga!

2011-02-13T23:10:00.001Z

When I was younger, I used to think I was invincible. I used to play football (soccer) without warming up. No stretching just straight in, run around for 90 minutes, no warm down, and not an ache or injury in the body afterwards. However as I approach my 40th year my invincibility appears to have left me and much of last year was spent sidelined with an Achilles injury.

I used to think Yoga was either for Hippies or the pop star Sting, they were the only people who took this activity up. But Yoga is now ever popular and fast becoming an integral part in pro longing careers in sport.

Ryan Giggs the famous Manchester United Star (I think everyone, apart from readers in the US will know who this is!) has used Yoga to pro long his football (....Soccer) career. At 37 years old he is still very much at the top of his game and still competes at the highest level for one of the best teams in the World.

Giggs has even brought out his own DVD called 'Giggs Fitness'. The great thing about this DVD is that it concentrates on Strength and Conditioning specifically related to Football and RUNNING!

The Exercises are based on Yoga and are designed to concentrate on building your core abs and glutes, become more flexible, build stamina and reduce injuries and muscle tightness. The DVD is divided into 3 parts:

Strength and Conditioning
Core
Flexibility

Although inspired by Yoga the program has been developed and adapted for Football and Running in mind. So it may not be quite as relaxing as you may think.

The format will suit everyone who is keen to become stronger and works well for both Male and Female. As well as Ryan Giggs performing the exercises, they are also performed and taught by Sarah Ramsden who developed the programme and has worked with many leading athletes.

I attach a clip from the DVD below:

Running For My Life

2011-01-27T22:19:00.001Z

Running For My Life
Ray Zahab
ISBN 978-1-897178-44-7
Ultra Running
RRP - Canada $21.95/UK £9.95/USA $15.95

"I smoked that last cigarette down to the nub....four...three...two....I threw my smoke down on the floor and butt it out with my foot. I told myself to remember that image-that symbolism-because I knew it was going to be a long hard process. But I also knew that as long as I kept with it I would be happier and stronger for it....one! The crowd went crazy. It wasn't just any new year; it was a new Millennium! Everything was fresh and new. I felt good. I was ready to change."

This was no half hearted New Years Resolution, like the one you make, where you say I won't eat Chocolate again, and by the Second of January you are sitting on your sofa with your hand in a bag of Peanut M & M's! No this was the moment when Ray Zahab left behind a life of Beer and Cigarettes for a new life of Self discipline, dedication and a voyage into the world of super fitness and Ultra Running.

It's not that Ray was a 'bum' before his change of direction in life, far from it, he was a successful equestrian rider but you get the impression had little Self esteem, would always beat himself up over things and like a lot of people fell back on drinking and Cigarettes to help him along the way.

The first five chapters give you a background through Ray's life from the 70's through to the 90's. As with all the Chapters of the book they are short which is good because, yes you want to get some background of the character' but essentially you want to read more about what you probably brought the book for, in this case, Ultra Running.

It is clear the admiration Ray has for his younger brother John, who he enjoys the pursuits of Rock Climbing and Bike riding with. With his new found love of fitness it is these pursuits that lead Ray even further away from his previous partying lifestyle. And it was cycling that filled up Ray's life for the first year competing in races, until by chance while sitting in a Doctors waiting room, Ray read about the Yukon Artic Ultra event in a magazine article.

Although he had previously trekked for 50K, The Yukon was an astonishing 160K consistent running race. This was Ray's first serious Ultra race, not any old race but an Artic race in freezing conditions, and 160K. So a first time runner, where would you expect them to finish? In the bottom third of the field? Nah! You go and win it. That's what Ray did.

Obviously this is a man who was born to run, he maybe didn't realise this in his earlier years, but winning your first Ultra Race you enter clearly justifies this.

One race that fascinates me is the Marathon des Sables. A famous race that takes place across the Sahara Desert. 246K over six days in the searing heat of the dessert and it's dunes. Ray finished the race in 2004 placed in the 40's but was the first of the North American runners. This was a real contrast to Yukon event and is fascinating to read Ray's account and what he learnt from this experience.

From the Artic to the Dessert to the Amazon Jungle and the Jungle Marathon. An eighth place finish and on returning home a Parasitic infection.

The remaining chapters chart Rays progress at the Trans 333 ultra race and probably the Worlds Toughest road race 'Badwater'.

Chapter 18 ' The Race of Failure' follows Ray's attempts to complete this famous Ultramarathon, but I won't spoil the book and say no more about this fascinating Chapter.

Also running through the course of the book is the relationship with his wife Kathy, how they met and how the support of his wife helps Ray achieve his dreams.

The book is a truly Inspirational read, and Ray gives a very modest account of his achievements in his new found love and life of running. This is what I really love about the book, Ray is so modest and that comes across' so you are not reading an account of someone saying "Look what I've done and how well I've done it".

The only criticism of the book I have is that it is too short.

Maybe some of the chapters about the events could have expanded on, because they are so fascinating.

As I have said this is an Inspirational read and when I'm moaning of the pain I think I'm feeling on my 4 mile run along a flat path, I think of Ray's adventures to give me a little more perspective.

9 out of 10. Inspirational, Fascinating and if a little longer would be close to a 10 out of 10.

The Grim

2011-01-16T22:05:00.000Z

Despite the Race number stating the event date in 2010, It actually took place today 16th January 2011. Due to the adverse weather conditions of last month the race was postponed and rescheduled. But with the recent down pours over the last few weeks, the course was very well prepared with a few surprises along the way!!!

The 8 mile course takes place on the Army Vehicle Training ground in Aldershot, Hampshire. Fortunately only a few short miles from where I live. With this being the case it meant a relaxed preparation and being able to get up and have breakfast at a sensible time.

I was running the race with my friend and work colleague Brian and boss Bert. Brian lives local too, so we arrived together. We were surprised by the amount of participants, and when we arrived most of the 2500 race field were here, this meant trying to find our boss was like finding a needle in a haystack.

We made our way to the start line for the 10.30am start. The main area and start was very well organised, plenty of portaloos,changing tents,food stalls and more importantly plenty of medics!!

The count down began and we were soon on our way. The start of the course was fairly narrow and trying to make any head way proved difficult. The early part of the course is best described as undulating, with the first signs of water appearing in the form of large puddles, about ankle high that gave you a nice cold wet reminder that this was not going to be your normal Sunday morning run.

Brian had done well to get ahead early on, so I was left to do battle with the course that lay ahead on my own.

It was difficult finding any sort of consistent pace in the race, the crowds early on caused problem, then there was a series of cattle grills across the route where you were forced to carefully walk or risk breaking your ankle between the grills. Then of course there is the water that slows you down.

By now the puddles were coming thick and fast, and deeper, getting nearer knee height. At this point you did have the option to pussy foot around the edge, but I like most got into the spirit and ploughed through.

Around mile 4 there was quite a steep hill although fairly short and also a rather pointless cargo net that you scramble under, before continuing.

Now the puddles were becoming deeper and soon was the Daddy of all puddles!!! From what I can remember, I think this was called 'The Crater' The course dipped down and another cargo net, this time forming a canopy to hang onto overhead, and the water? Oh this time it was above waist level! Bright Orange water from the clay ground underneath. This stretches for several metres and by now anyone who had avoided the water before was in for a cold muddy bath. With the ground uneven and slippery below many people (Brian included) went under! You could clearly see all who had been submerged later in the race, They were the ones with bright orange clay faces.

Eventually the ~~lakes~~ puddles became less and then the course for a couple of miles consisted of wide pleasant trail through the woods.

After that it was quite a hilly and undulating couple of miles across land at the back of Farnborough Airport.

The last mile seemed to go on for eternity and there were rumours at the end of the race that the course was nearer 9 miles according to distances on peoples GPS watches.

Of course before crossing the finish line there is one more stretch of water to plough through and then it's all over before collecting a very nice T shirt and decent Goodie Bag.

One last Water Stop before finishing!

Did I mention there was Water En route?

I didn't take my Garmin watch with me. The organisers warn you before hand that Ipods and watches will get wet, so I relied on the Chip Timing and finished with a time of 1:22:07.

Race HQ and Finsh

"Goodie Bag Anyone?"

To sum up the day, I was glad to experience the event, It is different, fun but it's not a run that you can set yourself a PB as it is impossible not to have to stop in places to wade through the many water spots.

I went into this treating it like a good training run, which it is both mentally and physically. Now I've done it and got the T-Shirt (literally!) I don't think I will be back again but that said I had a great morning doing something a bit different. The course is well marshaled, There is a Water stop half way and the overall set up and organisation was very good.

Brian and Me at the end (I'm the good looking little one on the left!)
The Water DID get as high as my number and as you can see DID reach Brian's head!!!

Knackered Faces!

Gladiators Ready!

Turn your Reflective Lights Down!

Grim and Bear It!

Keep on Running

2011-01-09T14:18:00.000Z

I didn't want to run today, I was still feeling good from my 12 miler on Friday. 12 miles is a good distance, OK it's not a Marathon, it's not even a half Marathon, but never a less it's a good distance for anybody to be able to run. It was also a tough run in the fact that I got up at 5am to run at 6am, and it was cold and dark and sleet was falling from the sky. I felt good and after months, my longest run complete following Achilles Injury. Believe it or not the injury is still there but with stretching and self massage I seem to be managing the injury.

It was the first time I had run with a head torch, I brought this the other day for £7. A bargain compared to the price of a lot of head torches. It was lightweight, bright and after a few minutes of getting used to, I didn't even realise it was on. It's a strange sensation running with the Torch in complete darkness. You are totally disorientated and it feels like your world only exists with the couple of metres that you can see ahead of you.

Anyway back to Today, I donned my recently purchased Winter running Kit and got myself out the door. At the end of the day you can't live off a good last run.

I feel like I'm putting on a Superhero's outfit when I put on the tight fitting kit, but after years of battling through Winter months in my Shorts it's been a God Send and I wouldn't swap it for the world despite feeling like Spiderman!!!

Spot the Difference!

So this Hero got out the door to keep the City safe from the Super Villains!!! My 14 year old son came with me on his Bike, the Sun was shining and I dug out a 53 minute 6 miler.I needed the run also because a week today I have my first race of the year the 8 mile Grim

I will post a race report on the blog. See you in Seven Days :)

Chitty Breaded Chicken Breast Burgers wrapped in Parma Ham and Peppered Potato Wedges

2011-01-03T15:54:00.001Z

This is my favourite recipe that I have come up with, and when you enjoy eating your own cooking, you know things are not so bad!

Despite this being 'Burger and Chips' This is quite a healthy version and not a deep fat fryer in sight!!!

Plenty of Protein and Carbs and tastes as good as KFC with half the fat!

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken Burgers

4 Chicken Breasts
4 Slices of Parma Ham
1 egg
200g of Natural Breadcrumbs
Dried Basil
Salt and Pepper
4 Wholemeal Rolls
Lettuce

For the Wedges

Potatoes cut into Wedges with skin left on (Amount to suit own requirements)
Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper

Method

For the Chicken Burgers

Lightly beat the egg into a bowl
Wrap a Chicken Breast with a slice of the Parma Ham and dip into the egg insuring the Breast is fully coated.
With your Breadcrumbs poured out onto a plate, Fully coat the Breast in the Breadcrumbs
Set to one side on to a baking tray and repeat the above for the remaining Breasts.
With all 4 Breasts lined up on the tray, sprinkle over the Basil.
Next sprinkle over the Salt and Pepper to taste.

For the Wedges

Par boil the Wedges in salted boiling Water for a few minutes
Remove and then pat dry the Wedges to remove the excess water

Next spread out the Wedges on a baking tray.
Drizzle over the Vegetable Oil
Grind over the Salt and plenty of Pepper
Give the tray a little shake to ensure the Wedges are fully coated.

Place the Chicken Breasts and Wedges into a preheated oven (220 degrees C)
Bake for approx 35 minutes, or until the Wedges are browned and the Chicken is cooked throughout.
Serve the Chicken Breast in a Wholemeal Bun with lettuce and any sauces of your choice. (A little Mayo and Ketchup is good)

Chitty Celery Soup

2011-01-02T19:31:00.002Z

This is the Best Soup in the World, Simple, Easy, Totally Nutritious...and Delicious! And all credit goes down to......My Mum x.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Bunch of Celery (About 14 sticks) chopped
1 Onion (Chopped)
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Potato (Cut into small Cubes)
600ml Chicken Stock (or Vegetable Stock)
Tsp of Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Heat the Oil in a large Saucepan
Add the Celery,Onion,Garlic and Potato and fry for 2-3 minutes
Add the Stock and bring to the boil
Add Salt and Pepper to taste (Quite a lot of Pepper tastes good!)
Let simmer for about 40 minutes.
Carefully pour the mixture into a blender or use a hand blender, and blend until smooth.
Serve and Enjoy!

Tupper#6

2010-12-29T10:03:00.000Z

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-18T15:47:00.000Z

The Boys, The Dog and Me Today

With one week to go till Christmas, more Snow has fallen on our Shores. 2010 has given us quite a downfall, we were hit early in the year and now with just a couple of weeks to go till the new year we've been hit again.

It's already taken in toll on my scheduled races with The Grim, only my second race of the year, postponed until mid January 2011.

This has probably been a blessing in disguise though. As you will know if you follow the blog, I have spent a good portion of the year sidelined with an Achillies Injury. So the extra weeks will give me more time to up the miles and be in better shape.

That said I've still managed to clock up 600 miles this year (or at least I should have come December 31st!). I had planned for 1000 but it was not to be.

So that's one of the goals for the New Year, another is the The Fleet Half Marathon. This is one of the oldest Half Marathon's in the Country and is used by many as part of their training for The London Marathon, taking place a month later. The Half takes place 7 days before my 40th Birthday, so this will be part of the Celebrations!!!

The Fleet Half Marathon

Goals for 2011:

1000 miles
Complete The Grim
Complete The Fleet Half Marathon (Under 2 hours)
Beat my PB in a 10K race (49:02)
Beat my 5K PB time (24:49)

Home Run

2010-12-09T23:08:00.001Z

This Post is all about my Staple Run, My familar old run that's like a favourite pair of worn out slippers. It's a run I do 3 times a week, and have done for about the last four years. Yikes! you must be thinking, the same run day in day out over that amount of time! Well yes it's pretty familiar, I could probably run it blindfolded and I know every old Silver Birch to every bend in the Path.....But it's home.

Canal Boats on the frozen Canal Waters

Well not quite home, but it's where I venture out at Lunchtime from Work. I think that's why it's not become a chore or bore to run. It breaks my day up and let's me refresh the Old Grey Matter for half an hour.

One of the many Locks along the Canal

I work in Woking, England at an Architectural Practice. I'm lucky that the office backs on to the Basingstoke Canal. It's peaceful and in places beautiful, and where I head usually with Friend and colleague Brian every other Lunchtime.

Woodham Lane Development along route. An Architectural project that I worked on

The run is just over 4 miles long (4.12) and from the Office heads West towards the Village of West Byfleet. The Canal itself runs from the Hampshire village of Greywell to the Surrey Village of Woodham. My home Village of Ash Vale is also on the Canal, 12 miles away from the Office. So as well as my regular run the canal also forms the route of my long run where I can run from Home to Work.

The Route

The Lock in the distance is the halfway turnaround. Not sure who that menacing Hoodie is approaching....Oh it's only friend Brian!

Back to Base and some Stretching to finish

What a difference 6 months make!

2010-12-02T21:12:00.000Z

Me Running Today.........

And the same Scene 6 months ago.......Roll on the Summer!!!

An Alternative approach

2010-12-01T22:23:00.000Z

OK, So I've had this Achillies injury hanging around for a while now, and it seems like I've been harping on about it forever. I've tried a lot of things from Stretching to Rolling to Icing to Ibuprofen. Now all these have definitely helped....but not cured.

My son had a problem with his knee from playing football, It had gone on for some time so we resorted to getting some Physio. By chance we seemed to have found a bit of a Miracle worker. It turned out that although the pain was in his knee, it all related to tightness in his back.

So impressed by the results I booked myself in for some treatment. My Physio (Jane Shatlock) uses two approaches to her work, Traditional massage and also the use of Chinese medicine and Acupuncture. I was intreagued, and before long was lying there with needles in my feet, calfs, upper legs, back and even my head!! Like my son the problem is not with my Achillies but within my Back. I also have blocked Gallbladder and Kidney Meridians!

For thousands of years the Chinese have believed that there are energy lines running throughout the body which your life source energy or Chi runs through. With the use of Accupuncture these energy lines or Meridians can be unblocked to allow the flow of chi to run smoothly through the body promoting a healthy balance to the body.

So I guess I've split the camp, There will be some of you saying "Bah Humbug" and the rest believing in this alternative approach.....and Me....Well I think I've been sold. Afterwards I felt incredibly relaxed, but I guess most people are after massage. The Achillies Injury, well it's getting there. I've been to two sessions, I would love to go to more but this kind of thing is not cheap, £45 for 45 minutes. But my back feels more free and with the combination of the massage and the continuation of stretching, the Achillies is feeling better.

The biggest thing though, is I seem to have been less tired over the last couple of weeks and had more energy which I put entirely down to the Accupuncture. I was also told that Yoga would help so I've dug out the never been used before Yoga video that gathers dust in the bookshelf and will give it ago.

If someone 20 years ago had walked into the Pub where I used to sit and Drink with my Mates, and told me that I would having Accupuncture and doing Yoga....Well........

Chitty Christmas Lasagne

2010-11-13T21:17:00.002Z

The Turkey gives this dish a Christmas feel! Packed with Protein and Carbs a great twist on the traditional Lasagne recipie, and Great for a Post Run Meal.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

500g Turkey Mince
100g Baby Spinach Leaves
800g of Chopped Tomatoes
1/2 Chopped Onion
2 Gloves Garlic
Mixed Herbs
Jar of White Lasagne Sauce
Pasta Sheets
Grated Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon of Cornflour
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Method

Heat the Oil in a large Saucepan and add the Onion, Cook on a high heat for about 1 minute

Add the Turkey mince and cornflour and brown the mince.

Add the Spinach until it has wilted (It will reduce in mass!)

Next add the Tomatoes and stir.

Add the Herbs
Season to Taste

Grab yourself a large sized retangular Lasagne Dish and pour half the contents into the dish
Layer the Lasagne Sheets and top with half the White Sauce

Repeat the layering process with the remaining ingredients
Finally top with the grated cheese and a sprinkling of Pepper
Put in a preheated oven (200 degrees C) for 40 mins or until nicely browned.
Serve with a nice Salad and Enjoy!!!

Tupper#5

2010-11-03T23:03:00.002Z

With or without Music? That is the Question

2010-10-23T18:14:00.003+01:00

OK we've all done it...There's no-one around...Earplugs in, Volume up, and you pound the streets to the Theme of Rocky or the Eye of the Tiger!!! Yes? No? Please don't say it's just me?

Whether it be Rocky or your own favourite tunes, there's no doubt about it (and scientific research backs it up) that running with Music can improve your performance and lift your mood. But are you blocking out listening to your body? Sports Psychologists call this 'dissociation' distracting yourself from what you are doing. Is that what we want when running, to distract ourselves?

What about the flip side. What about running listening to the birds singing, the wind rustling through the trees and listening to the tune of your body. A chance to think about things, to listen to the crowds encouragement at a race.

There are pro's and con's to both sides of the debate, Running can be a lonely sport and listening to Music or Podcast's can be a great comfort, but then again you can't hear traffic around you and could suffer an accident. So many positives and negatives to both options.

So I'm going to put it out to the great public vote. You are going out for a solo run. Do you put on the headphones or leave them at home?

Please vote below and feel welcome to leave a comment. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

Parkrun - Frimley

2010-10-03T09:51:00.000+01:00

Parkrun started in Bushy Park, London in 2004 with just 13 runners turning up. Now in 2010 it has grown nationwide even crossing the waters to Denmark!

What is Parkrun? Well basically you register online, download your own individual barcode, turn up at your local event and run 5K or 2.5K. It's open to anyone and everyone and is totally FREE!

My Local event is the Frimley Lodge Parkrun. I turned up on Saturday morning at 8.30am (All events start at 9am), I was myself expecting maybe a dozen bleary runners who had pulled themselves out of bed for a run at the weekend. The official turn out on the results page; 132!

Parkrun is run entirely by Volunteers, and I have to say the organisation here gets full marks. New runners are called over to have a brief on the course, and then the race director (with his bugle!!!) ran through some event news and weekly winners who recieve prices from one of the events sponsers, Sweatshop.

We then all headed to the start line and with a blast from the Bugle set off on our way.

The course firstly takes in the parks fields, moving on to the Basinstoke Canal Towpath, and finally on trails through the woods. A beautiful course, which you run 2 loops.

At the end of the race I filtered into the finish collected a token and headed over to the results table. Here you hand in your token, scan in your Barcode and Voila, all done, a bit of stretching and then head off home, although you can meet up for a coffee and cake at the nearby Canal centre after the event.

I was using this event as part of my comeback from injury, but will certainly now be turning up weekly to take part. I cannot rate this event highly enough. Great atmosphere and organisation, for a free event surpasses some of the events I've been to and paid a fortune. When you have run 50 runs you get a T-Shirt (10 runs for the Junior T-Shirt) and after 100, an exclusive Jacket.

The other brilliant thing is, you get home, log into the website and your results are there waiting to be viewed. 69th place out of 132 runners with a time of 25:26 for me.

Tupper#4

2010-09-26T11:18:00.004+01:00

TUPPER BY IAN CHITSON

click image to enlarge

Dailymile

2010-09-19T18:11:00.000+01:00

We runners are positive people, Ok so we moan a bit when we're injured, but generally we're pretty upbeat. To prove this head to dailymile. For those who are not aware of the site, dailymile is a social training log, make friends share your training and stay motivated. This is where I go to get a big dose of motivation and inspiration. Everyone is so positive with each other, there is no negativity, and a great place for athletes to learn from one another.

Your profile page gives you a breakdown of your weeks training and shows your latest posts and friendly comments.

As well as being a social network, you can also use dailymile as a detailed training log.

There's also great forum pages where you can discuss categories like Running, Triathlon,Cycling, along with a whole lot more with other athletes.

I have a question in the forum under 'General Running' Who would you run with?. I've asked other runners - If you could run a mile with anybody dead or alive, who would it be and what would your question be to them?

I've had some great and interesting answers, to date:

Doris Day, it would be the happiest, musical mile with her amazing upbeat personality. My question would be - is it really windy in the windy city? - Melissa W

Katarina Witt, my absolute figure skating idol who I wanted to be just like. I would ask - how do you make those triple salcows, toe loops and lutz'z look so easy when all I can manage is just a single??? - Rebecca G

Tough question. I have two answers: 1. Pele; 1282 goals scored in 1363 matches; how is that possible? 2. Lance Armstrong; what do you do when your mind is telling you to quit? - Jonathon L

Oooh,Prefontaine Would love to go for a run with Tyson Gay. Lopez Lomong,I'd probably be in too much awe to be asking questions, but if Lomong, I'd want to talk to him about Sudan.-Holly T

Sporting wise, it would be Sir Steve Redgrave, 5 Olympic Golds in 5 Olympic games, making him the greatest Olympian ever. My question would be, how did you keep yourself motivated, fresh and still feel the love for your sport over such a long period of time?- Melissa W

Mary Decker. She was one of my favs in high school when I picked up distance running - Jim H

Mostly people who aren't famous who I know through the internet and what to connect a real persona to their internet presence. Having grown up around many people of fame and many more of supposed fame... there isn't much about being famous that impresses me, so... its all just normal people too numerous to name. - Bo A

Don Kardong, because he is funny. I'd ask him about the 1976 Olympic marathon where he came in 4th. - Mark D

I would run a mile with my oldest Sister Tracy. She ran track back in the day doing the Mile and the last leg of the Mile Relay. Very fast on her feet. She walks a lot now, and if only we could run 1-mile together it would please this runners heart. Also Valedictorian in her class with grades that were better that a pot of gold. Truly a role model for everyone that knew her. Thanks Sis, for giving me the heart to run. I love it.I would ask her what if felt like going to the (State High School Track Meet), something her brother never accomplished in the 2-mile run.I guess I'm a simple guy, but that's my heart. I would even buy her a new pair of shoes if she wanted me to, hahaha. God Bless..+ Jimmy. ( = - Jimmy J

So head over to Dailymile, make friends join in the forums, and go and get yourself a great big helping of motivation. I would like to thank all my friends on the dailymile for all their support especially while I've been out injured.

Achillies Injury - Complete Recovery Guide

2010-09-13T22:53:00.000+01:00

Sport Injury Clinics are expensive places, I should know. So I thought why not share what I have learned through having my own injury. This may not be specific to everyone but I reckon this is a pretty good guide to anyone who has suffered or is suffering with an Achillies Injury. I have commented on the injury through older posts but I'd thought I would bring it all together in this Post.

OK lets rewind 9 weeks. This was the point to when I realised on a 12 mile run that I had to stop. The trouble with an Achillies injury is that although usually stiff first thing in the morning it warms up as you get up an about, so at the start of a run there is usually very little pain.

By the end of this specific run though I had pains shooting through my calf muscles that suggested enough was enough.

Although the Internet is a wonderful place to get advice, I decided I needed some proffesional advice personal to me.

The following is advice given to me for my specific injury. Please seek your own proffesional advice initially. But hopefully the advice below will be helpful to anyone who is suffering from a similar injury.

1. Using a foam roller

You can purchase a roller on the Internet or any good Sports Store. Firstly sit on the floor with your feet resting on the roller. Now lift yourself off the floor with your arms and hands at the side of you, put one leg on top of the other (as shown in the diagram) and roll yourself forward and back from the ankle to under the knee. As you roll back towards your heart push down more weight with your top leg to really get deep into the muscle. If you feel a particular spot, stop for a moment to give more time on that particular spot.

Make sure to work all around the muscles by turning your feet inwards and outwards to get to the side of the muscles. Spend about 3 minutes per leg.

To get a more intense workout on the muscles you can replace the roller for a tennis ball and really work on the problem areas.

For your information the two muscles that you are loosening here are the Gastrocnemius (the big bulky one) which attaches to the heel with the Achillies Tendon and the lower muscle the Soleus. In my case these muscles are so tight which is causing strain on the Achillies.

After completing the above for two weeks

2. Foot Exercises

The great thing about this exercise is that you can do this anywhere, any time. At your desk or on the bus! Probably not while you're driving though!

While sitting down extend your leg and gently pull your foot up towards you, twist to the left, point your toes down away from you and finally twist to the right. All the movement needs to be in the foot only from the ankle. This is a good exercise to get some strength back in the ankle area, aim to complete this for a few minutes each foot, 3 times a day.

3. One leg balance

Ok I'm guessing not many of us are expert tight rope walkers, so if you need something to grab onto near by you when you do this exercise I would recommend it!

This again gets strength back into the feet and through the core of the body. Raise one foot of the ground and what you're aiming for here is to keep balance for 2 minutes per leg. You will wobble around when first attempting this. Notice the small movements in the foot as you balance this is great in strengthing your feet and ankles.

4. Gastroc stretch

Remember this is the big bulky calf muscle. Stand in front of a wall in the stance as shown in the diagram. With feet flat you need to stretch out the back leg and lean forward slighty. The important thing here is to keep your back leg straight. Don't go to far into the stretch, you're looking for a 5 out of 10 feeling in the muscle. If it's hurting ease of a little and take in deep breaths while performing this exercise to get the oxygen to the muscle. Complete for a few minutes on each leg.

5. Soleus stretch

This is the lower of the calf muscles. You peform this exercise exactly as the previous but this time, keeping your back leg foot flat bend your knee. This time you will feel the pull lower down. Again deep breathing with a few minutes on each leg and ease of the bend if you feel too much pain.

6. The Recovery Run

This is where I'm at now. I've been performing the above for about 5 weeks now (I have not run for 9). So the next step is getting back to running. Obviously this needs to be performed slowly and i'm afraid if you've not run for this sort of time, you are back to square one!

Firstly complete the two above stretches, walk for five minutes, before again stretching. Now a 5 minute slow jog (Any pain, STOP!). Stretch again, finish with a five minute walk and...you guessed it STRETCH again. When you're back home sitting in front of your computer reading the 'Running OK in the UK blog!!! Ice the Achillies, 3 minutes on, 3 minutes off. Repeat 3 times.

You now need to rest for a couple of days before repeating the above running protocol (you can still do all the above exercises in between). If everything was Ok then add 5 minutes to each run when you go out.

I hope the above is helpful to someone. It's a pretty long boring post if you are not suffering with this type of injury, but it is a very common one so maybe useful in the future but I hope not.

I've put in a couple of video links from the sportsinjuryclinic website which show the types of massage which can acompany the above exercises.

Barefoot Running?

2010-08-19T22:15:00.002+01:00

Bit of a gap between post's. What with holiday season and my inability to run at the moment....Still injured.

Barefoot Running...It seems to be gaining a bit of momentum at the moment. It's starting to creep into mainstream running press. So in five years time will we all be coverted back to where we started?

Like many my first introduction to Barefoot running came when I read 'Born to Run' and my first reaction was no way, but since reading more about the subject...well I'm kinda sitting on the fence.

The reason we wear trainers is because basically our feet have got lazy over time. I for instance overpronate but if I was to gradually build up my barefoot running, the argument is my feet would actually correct themselves. Injuries would be a thing of the past?

Unlike 15000 BC there was not tarmac roads, broken glass and all manner of things that physically stop you from running barefoot. Even if you built yourself up with Barefoot training, and could run 50 miles, where could you run for that distance without incountering some sort of obstacle that otherwise would be easily overcome with trainers. I mean even the Tarahumara tribe wear a form of shoe albeit a basic one.

But we can now wear footwear such as the Vibram five finger footwear. Again proof that the argument for barefoot running is now mainstream, I mean we would not even have heard of such a product ten years ago.

I guess i'm still happy in my trainers especially on those cold wet days, but since I've been out injured for so long the thought has crossed my mind....Injury free? Barefoot running?

Like I said earlier the jury is out on this one. I'm not pro Barefoot running far from it, but I add this post to put the subject out there for argument.

Please let me know your thoughts on a growing subject.

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling!!!

2010-07-27T23:31:00.002+01:00

First, A massive Congratulations to Mo Farah and Chris Thompson on their fabulous achievements in Barcelona this evening. Mo won the Gold in the 10000m race with Chris taking an impressive Silver. This takes Team GB straight to the top of the medals table after the 1st days events in the European Championships.

From a personal point of view, I have made good progress in recovering from my Achillies injury. Not so much in the healing process but the learning process.

After a couple of months of easing back on the running, self medicating and reading just about everything on the Internet that there is about Achillies injuries, I came to the conclusion that.....None of this works! The bottom line is, get help. As great as the Internet is, there is so much contradictory information out there, you just don't know what is correct and none of it is specific to you.

So I went for proffesional help. I had heard from an Episode of Marathon Talk about a place down in Hove near Brighton called Stride UK. There is also a Sports Therapists Clinic that works along side them called Studio 57 . I was so impressed and glad I booked an appointment with them, what I got out of being there an hour and a half was much more than I got from trawling through the internet for a couple of months.

Lily looked after me, and after explaining my injury to her and my background in running it appeared obvious that I basically wasn't looking after myself properly, ie. Not stretching,Foam rolling etc.

Most my problems lie in the fact that my muscles especially my calf's are extremeley tense and tight which is not allowing the mechanism of my lower legs to work properly putting strain on the Achillies and thus causing injury.( I think that's basically it, although we went into alot more depth of the muscle make up etc. That of which i'll leave to the experts to explain).

After a deep massage of the calf muscle and ultra sound on the Achillies injury I was given a demonstration into Foam Rolling. I have a list of other techniques to use with the roller but the one I'm going to share here is specific for my injury.

Sitting on the floor with the lower legs on the roller near the ankle. You cross one leg over the other, lift yourself off the floor and gently roll the calf over the roller. To get to the whole muscle it is important to get to the outside and inside of the muscle also, which can be achieved by turning your feet outwards and in.

**Please note you should get proffesional advice
before performing these exercises, I'm no therapist and like I said the Internet's full of advice but not all specific to ourselves**

So it's two more weeks rest and foam rolling before introducing some stretching for the calfs and Achillies before getting back into some light training again.

I'm missing the running and at times you get so frustrated in being injured you start thinking what's the point. But I have proper guidance in getting better now, and also who can't be inspired by that great Team GB performance tonight in Barcelona.

Target...Windsor

2010-07-13T21:03:00.000+01:00

After a frustrating couple of months with my achillies injury, I now have a new focus and goal; The Windsor half Marathon http://www.runwindsor.com/

74 days and counting. The time period is no problem and I'm back up to running 10 miles (12 this coming Friday). It's just my nagging achillies that are my only worry at present. But I'm putting in plenty of rest days in between runs, Icing, Wearing heel supports in my trainers and my everyday shoes, and my new secret weapon......Glucosamine and Chondroitin!

Someone swore by it on the Internet, and I have to admit I've noticed a difference.

I've also been trying out some pace training that I learnt from Episode 25 of the Podcast Marathon Talk http://www.marathontalk.com/archive/2010/6/29/episode-25-liz-yelling.html You basically benchmark your fitness by running one mile easy, one mile steady and one mile hard. My results came out like this:

Mile 1 - 9:36

Mile 2 - 8:12
Mile 3 - 7:05

Great fun (Well maybe not the last mile!) and gives you some good feedback.

I don't if it's the summer months, barbecues and the World Cup, but my search for a six pack is becoming a bit desperate at the moment. I've had some fleeting visits with the Swimming Pool, The Wii Fit and the bike for some cross training but the battle with the wrong foods goes on (although I do eat a lot of good as well). But I'm determined to get back on top of this.....Just not sure when?

That's life in my running world at the moment. A big thanks to everyone who stops by and takes a look at my blog. I know some of you from the Daily Mile and to The followers over there on the right of the Blog. Thanks again. You can also find me most days on the brilliant dailymile http://www.dailymile.com/people/ean371#ref=tophd

Bye for Now...Ian.

Tupper#3

2010-06-29T23:17:00.001+01:00

Tupper#3 Click Image to Enlarge

Ouch!

2010-06-14T23:23:00.000+01:00

I finally can consider myself a runner….No I have not yet completed a Marathon or won a 10K or even run a 4 minute mile, but I do have……Achillies Tendonitis!!!

I’ve searched the internet and if it helps anyone, I have found out:

I have a running injury which apparently accounts for 11% of all running injuries.
The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the body and is located at the back of the ankle which attaches to the heel bone, and connects the leg muscles to the foot.
Achilles tendonitis can be either acute (occurring over a period of a few days) or chronic (occurring over a longer period).
It's the most frequently ruptured tendon in the body

Causes

Increase in activity (either distance,speed or hills). Running up hills - the achilles tendon has to stretch more than normal on every stride.
Change of footwear or training surface.
Weak or tight calf muscles.
Overpronation can place an increased strain on the Achilles tendon. As the foot rolls in (flattens) the lower leg also rotates inwards which places twisting stresses on the tendon.
Not that I do but, wearing high heels constantly shortens the tendon and calf muscles. When changing to exercise in running shoes, the tendon is stretched beyond its normal range which places a strain on the tendon.(One for the ladies!)

Symptoms

Localised pain along the tendon during or a few hours after running.
Tenderness of the tendon about 3-4cm above the point where it joins the heel bone, especially first thing in the morning
Swelling or thickening around the tendon

Treatment

Rest. Stop your regular sport which has aggravated the tendon. You can still cross train with swimming or cycling
Pain relief anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen
Temporary benefit from a little extra padding under the heel. The temporary heel padding reduces the length of Achilles tendon when stretching is made with each stride. (I’m going to put the old insoles from my previous trainers and put them on top of the insole in my new trainer).
Massage. I’ve been trying over the last few days the techniques in the video below which seems to be helping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yty47jNGJvQ&feature=related

And hey, It happens to the best of us!!!