Recovery and parkrun

Recovery and parkrun

It's been two weeks since the Thames Trot and I have done very little running and a lot of eating!  I am itching to be back training, especially as there are only 9 weeks to go until London!  

The only running I have done in the past two weeks has been parkrun.  Below are my write ups for Winchester and Hastings.  I have also included my write-up from Hanley parkrun which I ran the week before the Thames Trot.

30th Jan - Hanley parkrun, Stoke-On-Trent - parkrun 75 at venue 36

Once again Sarah and I were away visiting friends and so I took the opportunity to visit my 36^th different parkrun, this time in Hanley park, Stoke-on-Trent. Hanley park is situated to the north of the city in a slightly run-down area.  The park is a set of a hillside and therefore can be classed as fairly undulating!  It starts and finishes by the park’s bandstand which is on the middle level of the park. There is a first lap which consists of a short loop up to the top of the park and back down to the start, you then head back up the hill before running all the way to the very bottom of the park and around the lake.  From here you then start the long and winding uphill path right to the very top of the hill.  It is a really long, leg sapping climb which takes it out of your legs.  Once at the top you then run all the way back to the bottom again and once more round the lake.    Lastly you climb back up the hill to the bandstand in the middle to finish. 

The course was challenging but varied and fun.  It certainly isn’t quick, but would be an excellent training run any day of the week.  The running community in Stoke is strong and there was an excellent family feel to the run.  There is plenty of parking and it is easy to find.  I would love to visit again when I am slightly fitter to give myself a real workout.  I took the run fairly steadily and finished with 29:23.

13th Feb - Winchester parkrun - emergency course - parkrun 76

With the recent rain having saturated the grounds of River Park and various rugby tournaments and a couple of hundred parkrunners churning the ground up, the Winchester parkrun event team had decided to implement an emergency, all on tarmac, route.  Unfortunately, due to the size of the park, this meant a 6 and a half lap run.  

I was volunteering on set-up however due to the nature of the course there was only the finish funnel to do.  Once done I went and chatted to a few other runners before listening to the briefing and lining up at the start.  With each lap being around 800 meters it meant that there was lots of overtaking.  I took the first two laps very gingerly but when I realised that nothing was hurting I decided to try and pick up my pace.  I must admit it was a very satisfying feeling catching and passing so many people on my final 4 laps, and it felt great to be running injury free.  

I was rewarded with my fastest time since last November, running 25:28, however that is still over 4 minutes off of my PB.  

20th Feb - Hastings parkrun - parkrun 77 at venue 37

With less than 8 weeks to go until the baby arrives, Sarah and I decided to have one last weekend away before it arrives in April.  Wanting to visit an area of the country neither of us had we decided to drive across the South Downs to 1066 country and booked a nice cottage in Sedlescombe, just outside Hastings.   This gave me an excellent opportunity to visit Hastings parkrun.

Hastings reminded me very much of Weymouth; a seaside town stretched between two headlands along a beach.  The prom is lined with Victorian terraced housing and the normal array of fish and chips shops and arcades. 

Much like Southsea and Lee-on-the-Solent, Hastings parkrun is entirely along the prom.  It is a dead flat, 2 and a half km out and 2 and a half km back route along the front that is all on pavement.  And therefore potentially very very quick.  

On the day there was a strong Westerly breeze making the outwards stretch a nice easy jog with the wind at our backs.  As we turned we realised just how strong the wind had been and I felt myself lean into the wind and it suddenly became very hard work.  The last couple of kms was exhausting. 

The way back seemed to take a long time.  I was starting to tire and really had to dig deep, but then I saw the finish…I tried to lift my knees and pick up the pace, however as I got closer I realised it wasn’t the finish….it was the last of the marshals and I still had a couple of hundred yards left!!!!  Not wanting to lose places I pushed as hard as I could and crossed the line sounding like an asthmatic Darth Vader! 

I finished with a time of 24:43, which I was very pleased with.  

Next week

Next week will see me start running more regularly. I am aiming for 4 runs in the week, nice and steady, with the longest run being around 4-5 miles.  Following that I will try and start adding more distance in to one of my runs each week.  Aim is to get to at least a half marathon distance ahead of London.    

Thames Trot 50

Saturday 6^th February – Thames Trot 50

Preparation

My journey to yesterdays race began last summer when I signed up for the 9bar9x9 challenge (9 laps of a 9km course in the Surrey countryside).  I had wanted to push myself beyond my comfort zone and achieve something I never thought I would. 

I set up a training plan and it all began well, but in mid-August I picked up a calf injury that, despite my best attempts, I couldn’t shake. I therefore decided to drop down to the 27km race and use it as training.   Not wanting to let the people who had sponsored me down, and still wanting to attempt a 50 miler, I signed up for the Thames Trot 50.

I set-up another training plan which saw me building fitness throughout September, upping the frequency and distance during October and November and then focussing on long runs in December before tapering in January.

September, October and November went to plan and coming out of November I felt great and possibly the fittest I had ever been.  I had found that the more I ran the slower my pace became, but I was comfortable with this, knowing that my goal was the being able to cover the required distance rather than improving my speed! 

In early December I went out for a Tuesday night run with Aaron (half marathon in just under 2 hours) which went well but I got home and promptly slipped on the laminate flooring and twisted my knee.  It was here that things started unravelling.  The knee injury took a while to heal, but I had somehow (no idea how) developed a toe injury (which still remains).  The toe issue only became painful after 5 to 7 miles but was agonising and would stop me running.  I therefore took things very easy up until Christmas.   

I was surprised by my last race of the year, the Round the Lakes 10km, where I was less than a minute off of my all time PB despite hardly running for 3 weeks.  I was therefore looking forward to the Broadstone quarter but was laid low by a heavy cold.  After that had cleared up I got back running only for my left calf to go (again on a run with Aaron).  With the race only 4 weeks away I decided to focus on recovery.  Unfortunately the niggle would not go away and so I was limited to just 4 runs in those 4 weeks, and nothing further than 4 miles. 

Knowing that I had a good base fitness level and not wanting to pull out I went ahead with the race.

The final bit of prep was my kit.  This would be the first race I had done where I needed to carry a race bag.  With the weather looking awful I would have to carry a change of clothes, food, drink as well as the mandatory kit of map, compass, phone and head torch.  I also had to carry all my pills and potions to get me through the race.  I packed all this the night before and it just about fit in the bag but was fairly lightweight and a great fit.  I must thank Scott Harris for lending me the pack!   

Race Day

In the few days before the race started I was eagerly looking at the weather forecast.  Unfortunately as race day got closer and closer the weather forecast got worse and worse.  Gale force winds and driving rain were predicted and with the rain the previous week the course would be muddy and wet.  As the saying goes “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing” so on race day I was fully togged up with hat, buff, jacket, 2 t-shirts, compression shorts, tights, shorts, calf guards, socks and gloves.   My shoes of choice were my Salomon S-Lab Ultras which have tonnes of grip and are light as a feather. 

I travelled to the start by train from Winchester and the race organisers had kindly arranged a taxi for those of us arriving at the station.  From there we were driven to the start at the Hawkwell house hotel in Iffley.  At registration we were given our numbers and a nice race jacket (which I then had to squeeze in my backpack). We were also given our timing chips and shown how to scan then in at the checkpoints. After a quick trip to the loo we were asked to line up and following a countdown from 10 we were off!!

Any thoughts of starting too quickly were soon dispelled as within quarter of a mile we were queuing to go through a gate and across a bridge, before then having to queue again a few hundred yards down the towpath.  After this short delay we were off and running. 

The first section of towpath was damp but easily runnable, however before long the path gave way to a section of fields that were muddy and boggy in places and so before long my feet were soaked (within the first mile).  It was also on this more exposed section that we noticed just how strong the wind was; we had to lean into it to make progress and it was clear it was going to be a long day. 

It wasn’t long before we reached our first properly muddy section.  It was wet, sticky mud that made a squelch with every footfall and a suction noise when you tried to lift your foot again. I had decided in advance (after taking several people’s advice) that I would run for 9 minutes and walk for one.  This gave me an opportunity to take on water and food whilst also giving my muscles a little respite. Due to this and the conditions my pace was a comfortable 11 minutes per mile.

As we reached the Radley College Boathouse there were tens of rowing crews out on the river and a number of them were shouting out support, which was nice to hear.  With the wind being as strong as it was they were clearly having a hard time in the boats!

Just before we reached Abingdon we crossed the Thames (at Abingdon lock) and were rewarded by the first section of firm ground to run on for some time. It was on this firmer ground that I started to realise how much the mud and wind had already taken out of me and how far I still had to go!!

Abingdon is a pretty town to run through and yet again we were cheered on by a number of rowing crews and also a few runners who had just finished Abingdon parkrun.  It wasn’t long before the firmer paths reverted back to the boggy cloying mud, however this was short lived as we then turned into a village called Culham where the first checkpoint was.  By this stage I had managed to average around 11 minutes a mile for roughly 10 miles. 

At the checkpoint I refilled my water, grabbed a couple of gels and had a HUGE slab of cake.  I let the world (and Sarah) know that I was ok and headed out for the next section. 

The Thames path, whilst beautiful, does get a bit repetitive after a while, especially in those sections where there are no towns or features.  This was really the case for the next section.  There was not a lot to focus on.  It was a case of sticking to my plan, putting one foot in front of the other and moving onwards.  By this time my toe injury was causing me significant pain and both feet were developing healthy blisters on both big toes.  My run for 9 walk for 1 strategy became run for 8 walk for 2 then 7 and 3 and kept reducing until I was only running about half the time. 

Funnily enough I enjoyed it more when walking as I would meet up with other runners, have a good chat, find out a bit about them, see how they were getting on and then move on.  I ran with a chap called Rupert for a few miles.  We were both struggling and made a pact to stick together until the end and make sure we made the cutoff.  That only lasted a little while before we separated and did our own thing (neither of us finished)

I pressed on with my run-walk strategy but realised I was falling behind the required pace to make the cutoff.  I kept hoping I would get a second wind, but it never came. 

The next checkpoint was at a place called Benson.  I had decided to give myself a 5-minute break at this CP.  I wanted to take on fuel, change my socks and take some painkillers.  I had managed to get to the CP about 45 minutes ahead of the cutoff times but I knew in my heart that I probably wouldn’t get to the next checkpoint in time.  This hit me pretty hard and I had a good old sob.  It is funny though what a kind word and the smallest of things can do to lift your spirits.  The chap running the checkpoint came over to check on me and told me that I was doing fine and that my family would be proud of me.  This gave me a lift and then changing my socks made me feel much more comfortable so I cracked on.  By this time I have been going for over 4 hours and my pace was a touch over 12 minutes a mile. 

The next section was much the same as the previous two…short sections of runnable path followed by long stretches of mud.  The wind was still as strong as it had been at the start and was really getting me down.  It was making any kind of forward progress so difficult.  Whilst I was still trying to run I was mostly walking by now and the miles seem to go by so slowly.  I had a 5-mile section where I didn’t see another runner to talk to and so I decided to pop my earphones in to try and distract me from my aches and pains (and that bloody wind).  This did seem to have the desired effect and I picked my feet up and pressed on.  It was a bit soul destroying when I felt like I was going well to see that I was only doing 18 minutes a mile!!

I passed a boy’s prep school and the path skirted the rugby pitches.  As I was running along one of the physios from the rugby team jogged over to me to check if I was ok.  Apparently I appeared to be staggering somewhat.  She seemed happy that I wasn’t at deaths door and sent me on my way!  I had noticed that my hands had swollen alarmingly and I could no longer make a fist with either hand.  No idea what caused that but it didn’t stop me moving so I put it out of my mind. 

I knew it would be touch and go to make the next CP in time and it was at this point that I met up with paramedic Phil.  He had been pacing a friend who had decided to drop out and so had caught me up so he would have some company.  Phil was an experienced ultra runner and he told me about his travels and races.  He looked so comfortable despite the time pressure we were under.  He helped me pick my feet up (once again) and start running short sections at a time.  The wind had gotten stronger at this point and he told me that he run the Thames Trot on 5 previous occasions and that this was the worst he had seen it.  He had decided to drop out at CP3 as he could “easily run home” from there.  I asked him where home was “15 miles that way, over the ridge you can see”.  Madness!!

Despite Phil's help we reached the cut-off time about half a mile short of the checkpoint and sure enough when we got to CP 3 we were told our race was over.  I had missed the cut-off by 4 minutes. Cue more tears and bitter disappointment.   The race crew were great.  They got me something to eat and some drink.  Now that I had stopped running I started to shake uncontrollably so they put my in their van with the heaters on and got me warm.  I rang Sarah to collect me and whilst I waited I changed my clothes and ate.  The crew were fab, they made sure I was safe and well and that I had everything I needed.  They stayed with me until Sarah arrived and couldn’t have been nicer.  Considering they had been out there ALL DAY there were in surprisingly good spirits.

Sarah arrived and I cried again before she drove me home.  And that was that!!

I was obviously bitterly disappointed to have not finished.  I had worked hard to try and get myself in shape to be there.  I had planned it for months and had worked incredibly hard on the day but it had not been enough. I also felt like I had let the people down who had sponsored me and supported me in this process. 

However, on reflection I could not have done anything more.  The conditions, both the weather and underfoot, were some of the worst I have ever faced.   I worked my socks off to try and meet the cut-offs and just came up short.  I was on the course for 6 hours 34 minutes and covered nearly 30 miles.  I was soaked, my feet were in tatters, my calf was painful, my knees were swollen, my quads felt like they had been punched repeatedly and my hands were like a collection of fat sausages!!  Not continuing was probably for the best for my health and for my safety.    

I would like to take this chance to thank everyone who supported me put their faith in me.  I’m sorry I fell short.  I really do appreciate you all! Most importantly I would like to thank Sarah and Olivia for their unwavering support and love. 

On behalf of Mosaic I would like to thank everyone who sponsored me. With your help I raised a massive £912 and thanks to LV that will be charity matched up to £1412!  Mosaic do amazing work helping children when they lose loved ones.  With your help they will be able to continue their great work. THANK YOU!!

What next?

In the process of training for the 50 miler I have been repeatedly injured, I have invested a large amount of time and have made a number of sacrifices.  Whilst it has been a challenge (rightly so) it has not always been an enjoyable one.  I am not saying that I will never run an ultra again, but I will not be running another one for the foreseeable future.

My next focus will be getting fit again.  I obviously have some underlying issues that mean my calf’s need some love and attention.  I also need to fix my mystery toe issue.  I will therefore be taking a couple of weeks off and hopefully getting some professional advice.  I will continue to parkrun (or parkwalk if need be) but other than that I won’t be running.  I will probably spend some time in the gym on the exercise bike and cross trainer to keep in shape.

Once fixed I will be focussing on getting ready for the London Marathon.  My aim is to get fit enough to get round and enjoy the experience without any time pressures. 

After London I will be looking to concentrate on running no further than 10km for the rest of the year and hopefully building my speed up.  This will give me a chance to rebuild my base fitness and, with a new baby on the way, will mean that long runs are a thing of the past and family time will become the focus. 

I want to go back to really enjoying my running before I contemplate my next challenge.  

Thank you for reading!