Sunday 30 January (96 days to go)
Well, I believe it was Robbie Burns who said that the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry. Well I can relate to that this week. Again my training hasn't gone to plan at all! I had planned to;
a) Go football training on Tuesday.
What actually happened - nada, nothing, nicks. Why? No reasonable reason or excuse.
b) Run Wednesday
What actually happened - Spinning class, no run. Why? I gave blood after spinning and didn't think it would be a particularly good idea to run aswell a pint of blood light.
c) Run Thursday.
What actually happened - ran about 3.5 miles (more on this later) and went football training too.
d) Play footy Saturday
What actually happened - naff all. Game was frozen off and I didn't go for a run which I probably should have.
e) Run Sunday.
What actually happened - ran 6.5 miles (more on this later too)
So, although things haven't gone as well as expected, what have I found out? Well first and foremost - blisters are a bitch! The ones I got a couple of weeks ago have flared up again, if that's what blisters do? I thought they had dried out and it would be ok to run on them again. It was ok on Thursday (I had other problems which I'll go into in a moment) but today, my goodness, they stung somewhat! It is mainly the ball of my right foot. I don't know whether it is my trainers, my socks, my technique or what! Plasters, Vaseline, don't seem to have any effect. Anyway, I ran home from my mum's in Holbeck today, back through the Abbey after looping through Roose first. My body did conspire against me, I got to about Parkhouse Farm and started needing a poo! I thought about doing a Paula Ratcliffe but what would I have wiped ... you know what I mean!! Then the blister reared its ugly head. I was surprised that I managed 6 and a half miles, again I felt ok lung and leg wise, just the pain in the feet was the reason I didn't push on further. That and the impending poo.
The other problem this week occurred on my run on Thursday, originally intended to be about 5 miles-worth. This was coupled with taking Seth the bonkers Springer out for his morning constitutional. There lay the problem, running first thing! I picked the hound up at about 7.30 and set off. However, I was coughing and wheezing and my mouth went ridiculously dry barely a mile in. I tried to bully myself to go the full distance but my blamange like will power won in the end and I shortened it ending up doing about 3.5 miles. Disappointing, but I think it will just be a case of getting used to running at that time. I mean, it's a 6am race start for the K2B! "Race" ha! That's a laugh. More a war of attrition.
I am concerned about this blister problem. I know I'm going to have to let them heal properly but how far will it put my training back? I just hope the problem isn't my trainers. Hopefully all will be ok.
I'm tempted not to make any big predictions or claims about training this week. I can't see there being too much running - bad times. Well see anyway.
Any one with any good tips on blister care and prevention would be more than gratefully received.
Me
Sunday, 30 January 2011
Monday, 24 January 2011
Blisters and Broken Necks
Monday 24 January (102 days to go)
Well folks I am a little embarrassed to say that I haven't trained at all since the last time I posted, that's more or less a week! After my last run - all 8 miles of it - the blisters that ensued somewhat incapacitated me! Well they hurt so I thought it bestest not to go running on them. I did go to football training last Thursday for what it was worth but we didn't really do a lot of graft and the small sided game was a bit of a waste of time due to the pea soup like fog. Made it all a lottery. To top it all our game was called off on Saturday due to the frost. At this rate I think we'll be playing more or less every night come the summer! One game in eight weeks. Still it means that our unbeaten run stretches back to the start of October.
Anyway this isn't about the football. There's a sentence I never thought I'd say! It's about the running and the 40 mile hell I'm going to endure come May. I should get my sponsor form tomorrow (Tuesday) so I'll be round - I hate asking for sponsor money, it's nearly as bad as collecting it.
Right back to the training. Since there was no game on Saturday I planned to go for a 10 mile run on Sunday, where exactly I wasn't sure as I like the idea of a point to point run rather than a loop, psychologically it seemed easier when I did the 8 mile run. Anyway, sometime Saturday night/Sunday morning, when trying to change position in bed (not that kind of position, filth) whilst avoiding crushing my off colour little girl, Lily (18 months) who was making me and mum into a capital H (you work it out) something went crunch in my back rendering me unable to stand up straight. Nightmare! So, unsurprisingly, the run went out the window.
I did manage a spinning session this dinnertime, very sweaty. The plan for the rest of the week is;
Tuesday - footy training
Wednesday - Run (7-10 miles)
Thursday - Run (4-5miles)
Friday - Nuthin
Saturday - Game time (I hope)
Sunday - Run (10 miles)
So lets see how we get on with that. There may be another spinning session on Wednesday too. We'll see.
I'll report back on Sunday to see how I've gotten on.
Otts out.
Well folks I am a little embarrassed to say that I haven't trained at all since the last time I posted, that's more or less a week! After my last run - all 8 miles of it - the blisters that ensued somewhat incapacitated me! Well they hurt so I thought it bestest not to go running on them. I did go to football training last Thursday for what it was worth but we didn't really do a lot of graft and the small sided game was a bit of a waste of time due to the pea soup like fog. Made it all a lottery. To top it all our game was called off on Saturday due to the frost. At this rate I think we'll be playing more or less every night come the summer! One game in eight weeks. Still it means that our unbeaten run stretches back to the start of October.
Anyway this isn't about the football. There's a sentence I never thought I'd say! It's about the running and the 40 mile hell I'm going to endure come May. I should get my sponsor form tomorrow (Tuesday) so I'll be round - I hate asking for sponsor money, it's nearly as bad as collecting it.
Right back to the training. Since there was no game on Saturday I planned to go for a 10 mile run on Sunday, where exactly I wasn't sure as I like the idea of a point to point run rather than a loop, psychologically it seemed easier when I did the 8 mile run. Anyway, sometime Saturday night/Sunday morning, when trying to change position in bed (not that kind of position, filth) whilst avoiding crushing my off colour little girl, Lily (18 months) who was making me and mum into a capital H (you work it out) something went crunch in my back rendering me unable to stand up straight. Nightmare! So, unsurprisingly, the run went out the window.
I did manage a spinning session this dinnertime, very sweaty. The plan for the rest of the week is;
Tuesday - footy training
Wednesday - Run (7-10 miles)
Thursday - Run (4-5miles)
Friday - Nuthin
Saturday - Game time (I hope)
Sunday - Run (10 miles)
So lets see how we get on with that. There may be another spinning session on Wednesday too. We'll see.
I'll report back on Sunday to see how I've gotten on.
Otts out.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
From Plymouth to Harrogate
Tuesday 18 January (109 days to go)
Distance - 8 miles (yes 8, I know, I thought that too!)
Blisters - 3
Pain - plenty!
Well, I am quite proud of myself - kind of. It is the brother in law's birthday today so I gave footy training a miss tonight and we went over to theirs, Plymouth Street Walney, to pass on our salutations. I decided to run home from there, Harrogate Street (do you see what I did there? Clever eh? I added a bit of a loop to take the total distance up to a midges over 8 miles. I've never ran that far before and surprisingly my lungs and legs didn't feel too bad. I think my joints will beg to differ in the morning. Part of the way I had to run on the grass verge as there was no pavement and to say it was a tad uneven would be generous. It being very dark didn't help either. The big problem was and is the 2 large blister that steadily grew on the balls of both feet and the one on the tip of my little toe (explain that one!) I think they are going to necessitate a training break already but I'm struggling to walk. God knows what state they'll be in come May when I'm going 4 times as far! Hopefully they'll have toughened up a lot by then.
I also went spinning Monday lunchtime. Very sweaty but very enjoyable. Overall, I think I'm feeling the benefits of upping my activity levels. I think I am sleeping a bit better and in general I feel pretty good. The aches and pains, well they're to be expected. I am deffo going to have to look into getting some better socks, thicker anyway, and a lighter weight top to train in.
Plans for the rest of the week training-wise - naff all I think. Hopefully I'll be able to go footy training on Thursday and play on Saturday but beyond that I'll give pounding the pavements rest.
Anyone got any good blister/footcare tips?
Speak soon
Otts
Distance - 8 miles (yes 8, I know, I thought that too!)
Blisters - 3
Pain - plenty!
Well, I am quite proud of myself - kind of. It is the brother in law's birthday today so I gave footy training a miss tonight and we went over to theirs, Plymouth Street Walney, to pass on our salutations. I decided to run home from there, Harrogate Street (do you see what I did there? Clever eh? I added a bit of a loop to take the total distance up to a midges over 8 miles. I've never ran that far before and surprisingly my lungs and legs didn't feel too bad. I think my joints will beg to differ in the morning. Part of the way I had to run on the grass verge as there was no pavement and to say it was a tad uneven would be generous. It being very dark didn't help either. The big problem was and is the 2 large blister that steadily grew on the balls of both feet and the one on the tip of my little toe (explain that one!) I think they are going to necessitate a training break already but I'm struggling to walk. God knows what state they'll be in come May when I'm going 4 times as far! Hopefully they'll have toughened up a lot by then.
I also went spinning Monday lunchtime. Very sweaty but very enjoyable. Overall, I think I'm feeling the benefits of upping my activity levels. I think I am sleeping a bit better and in general I feel pretty good. The aches and pains, well they're to be expected. I am deffo going to have to look into getting some better socks, thicker anyway, and a lighter weight top to train in.
Plans for the rest of the week training-wise - naff all I think. Hopefully I'll be able to go footy training on Thursday and play on Saturday but beyond that I'll give pounding the pavements rest.
Anyone got any good blister/footcare tips?
Speak soon
Otts
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Bad Luck or Bad Judgement?
Sunday 16 January (111 days to go)
Well what can I say. Not even a week in and I've sacked off a run already! I feel a bit guilty really and I think that stating the reasons will sound like nothing more than shoddy excuses. I'm going to anyway.
The weather has been shocking this weekend and as a result my football match on Saturday was, unsurprisingly, called off. This being the case I thought I would go out and bang a few miles out. Well things didn't really go to plan. Firstly, the wind was really strong, running with it was fine, when I turned back into it was a different story! With it pouring down with a mixture of rain and a touch of hail, my rain top was acting like a sail holding me back and every step felt like a slap in the face. Bad times!
You may have read my last post where I said how good I felt during and after my first run. Well, I shouldn't have spoken so soon. As Friday progressed the stiffness in my legs increased. Double bad times. Anyway all these factors led to me curtailing my run on Saturday by about half a mile. I did manage to bully myself to keep plodding, and I mean plodding, on round about 4.5miles.
So, taking all this into account I decided to give it a miss today as the weather this morning looked very similar to yesterday. As it turned out it improved over the course of the day and I could have ran. Hence the feeling of slight guilt.
Anyway, lets draw a line under that, put it down to experience, tomorrow is a new day and whatever other cliche you want to insert. I think I have to temper my enthusiasm with an element of realism, I'm 33, carrying a bit of timber and running on the road is going to leave my limbs and joints aching and they need time to recover. So we'll get fired into my gusset torturing, thigh burning, sweat gushing spin class tomorrow and football training on Tuesday and run on the road next on Wednesday.
In the mean time I need to invest in some more comfortable undercrackers and some decent sports socks.
Thank you please.
Otts
Well what can I say. Not even a week in and I've sacked off a run already! I feel a bit guilty really and I think that stating the reasons will sound like nothing more than shoddy excuses. I'm going to anyway.
The weather has been shocking this weekend and as a result my football match on Saturday was, unsurprisingly, called off. This being the case I thought I would go out and bang a few miles out. Well things didn't really go to plan. Firstly, the wind was really strong, running with it was fine, when I turned back into it was a different story! With it pouring down with a mixture of rain and a touch of hail, my rain top was acting like a sail holding me back and every step felt like a slap in the face. Bad times!
You may have read my last post where I said how good I felt during and after my first run. Well, I shouldn't have spoken so soon. As Friday progressed the stiffness in my legs increased. Double bad times. Anyway all these factors led to me curtailing my run on Saturday by about half a mile. I did manage to bully myself to keep plodding, and I mean plodding, on round about 4.5miles.
So, taking all this into account I decided to give it a miss today as the weather this morning looked very similar to yesterday. As it turned out it improved over the course of the day and I could have ran. Hence the feeling of slight guilt.
Anyway, lets draw a line under that, put it down to experience, tomorrow is a new day and whatever other cliche you want to insert. I think I have to temper my enthusiasm with an element of realism, I'm 33, carrying a bit of timber and running on the road is going to leave my limbs and joints aching and they need time to recover. So we'll get fired into my gusset torturing, thigh burning, sweat gushing spin class tomorrow and football training on Tuesday and run on the road next on Wednesday.
In the mean time I need to invest in some more comfortable undercrackers and some decent sports socks.
Thank you please.
Otts
Thursday, 13 January 2011
And so it begins
Thurs 13 January (114 days to go)
Distance - 5 miles approx
Time - Not sure, 11 and a half songs on my ipod so about 45-50 mins
Well that's my first official training run done. I had company, the mother in law's springer spanial Seth, so his frequent sniff stops may have hampered my time. Saying that, at the moment I'm not that bothered about times, it is more about getting miles into my legs.
Anyway, the run today went surprisingly well, I felt pretty good throughout which means one of two things. Either I'm a bit fitter than I though or I wasn't pushing myself as hard as I should have. I'm hoping it's the first option but I fear it is more likely to be the latter. Either way I'm glad that I've got out there and it has given me the confidence to go a bit further next time out.
What I do think I'm going to have to do is look at the tunes on my ipod and getting stuff on there of a similar tempo but going from Let it Be to Song 2 can't be beneficial.
Anyway, I think that'll just about do it for today. No training tomorrow (Friday) as I've got football on Saturday. I fully intend running again on Sunday so I'll report back after that. In the mean time if anyone has any suggestions for routes to run or indeed good songs to run to I'd like to hear them.
Otts
Distance - 5 miles approx
Time - Not sure, 11 and a half songs on my ipod so about 45-50 mins
Well that's my first official training run done. I had company, the mother in law's springer spanial Seth, so his frequent sniff stops may have hampered my time. Saying that, at the moment I'm not that bothered about times, it is more about getting miles into my legs.
Anyway, the run today went surprisingly well, I felt pretty good throughout which means one of two things. Either I'm a bit fitter than I though or I wasn't pushing myself as hard as I should have. I'm hoping it's the first option but I fear it is more likely to be the latter. Either way I'm glad that I've got out there and it has given me the confidence to go a bit further next time out.
What I do think I'm going to have to do is look at the tunes on my ipod and getting stuff on there of a similar tempo but going from Let it Be to Song 2 can't be beneficial.
Anyway, I think that'll just about do it for today. No training tomorrow (Friday) as I've got football on Saturday. I fully intend running again on Sunday so I'll report back after that. In the mean time if anyone has any suggestions for routes to run or indeed good songs to run to I'd like to hear them.
Otts
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Realisation
Every year since I can remember I have given no more than 10 seconds thought about doing the Keswick to Barrow walk and after those 10 seconds have elapsed the usual response was an emphatic NO WAY PEDRO!! So why this year, yesterday in fact (Tuesday 11 January, let the day be chronicled for posterity) did I agree to do it? To be honest, I'm not so sure. Could it be that the K2B is something that every Barrovian should experience at least once? Not so much. Is it that I feel that I should do my bit for charity? Nah, not the main reason, just a pleasing by-product. No, the reason was, as corny as it sounds, I wanted a challenge, and I've wanted to get much fitter for years but without an external motivation I don't think I'd ever really do it.
So to keep me on track I've decided to blog a bit of a training diary. Hopefully, it will serve to show me some progression and motivate me to keep doing the hard miles. Also, it will stop me from chickening out which has been going through my mind pretty much from the moment the words "Go on then, I'll do it" passed my lips.
So I hope if anyone is bored enough to read it they enjoy it and if anyone has any tips or hints with regard to training or managing to do the K2B then please share them with me.
Otts
So to keep me on track I've decided to blog a bit of a training diary. Hopefully, it will serve to show me some progression and motivate me to keep doing the hard miles. Also, it will stop me from chickening out which has been going through my mind pretty much from the moment the words "Go on then, I'll do it" passed my lips.
So I hope if anyone is bored enough to read it they enjoy it and if anyone has any tips or hints with regard to training or managing to do the K2B then please share them with me.
Otts
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