After a nice easy week I was hoping for a weekend where I steadily covered 20 miles, admittedly split into a 6 and a 14.
Saturday I did the 6, averaging 8:20 min/miles and everything felt good.
Today headed off for the 14 miles. After only three or so miles the off swollen sensation in the back of my left knee was back. It has had a week off but now seems determined to rear it's head. As I tried to run through it the pain in the front of my knee started.
I tried to keep going but partly because I was running on my own and so there was less impoteous to keep going but mainly because the first three days of the week before Wokingham were spent trying not to bear weight unneccesarily and alos on ibuprofen I stopped at 5.5 miles.
Of course at this point I was in Shirehampton and so I disconsolately ran/walked back in the cold and rain, a rather sad and dejected figure.
Still I seem to be having one good week followed by one bad week. I havent yet determined how this will work out marathon wise, I hardly dare look!
I was hoping to have another easy week - something like a 5/6/slow6/rest/rest/rest/Bath Half - but event those shortish runs at the beginning of the week may be in doubt.
Who knows what is going to happen next on this rollercoaster ride?!
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Monday, 22 February 2010
Sub 100 mins...!
This weekend (21st Feb) was my first half marathon of the year - the Wokingham Half.
Despite having a worry about my knee (ended up not running Thursday through to Sunday) I decided to turn up and give it a try, my aim being to get a sub 1:45.
The organisation at the start was appalling, not helped by the heavy rain, but at the point when they began the countdown to the start there was still a 15-20 min baggage queue remaining. I ended up just dumping my bag in the massage tent, quick stop for the loo and then trying not to slide down the grass as I ran towards the start line.
Luckily the race was chipped but the chaotic start meant that starting positions were out of the window. Hence I was overtaking people until at least mile 10 and at that point I had quite a number of people overtake me - all of which is a little disconcerting at that point in the race.
All that said, my knee played ball. Only for the first half mile did it feel like something was trying to escape from inside my kneecap (although, bizarrely, not in a painful way!) Soon my crossness over the start was replaced by suprise as I felt strong and resonably quick.
My first few miles were faster than I anticipated and I decided to try and hang on. I felt comfortable and running within my self until around mile 10 when it became a little tougher probably from being overtaken by a big group of runners!
I crossed the line in 1:38:35!
Thus achieving my half marathon goal for the year of going sub 1:40 (and hence sub 100 mins) for a new PB in my first half of the year!
Despite having a worry about my knee (ended up not running Thursday through to Sunday) I decided to turn up and give it a try, my aim being to get a sub 1:45.
The organisation at the start was appalling, not helped by the heavy rain, but at the point when they began the countdown to the start there was still a 15-20 min baggage queue remaining. I ended up just dumping my bag in the massage tent, quick stop for the loo and then trying not to slide down the grass as I ran towards the start line.
Luckily the race was chipped but the chaotic start meant that starting positions were out of the window. Hence I was overtaking people until at least mile 10 and at that point I had quite a number of people overtake me - all of which is a little disconcerting at that point in the race.
All that said, my knee played ball. Only for the first half mile did it feel like something was trying to escape from inside my kneecap (although, bizarrely, not in a painful way!) Soon my crossness over the start was replaced by suprise as I felt strong and resonably quick.
My first few miles were faster than I anticipated and I decided to try and hang on. I felt comfortable and running within my self until around mile 10 when it became a little tougher probably from being overtaken by a big group of runners!
I crossed the line in 1:38:35!
Thus achieving my half marathon goal for the year of going sub 1:40 (and hence sub 100 mins) for a new PB in my first half of the year!
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
A Lesson in Communication...
Tonights run was a change from the normal schedule. Lucy is off to Madrid at the weekend (lucky thing!) and so was running long. I said I would join her for 8 of her 12 miles.
Now being somewhat faster than me Lucy often finds herself leading the way - with me clinging on behind. As she had already done some miles I thought I would return the favour, so as we hit the Portway I put my foot down a bit. Unfortunately, we probably should have either pre-agreed a speed or I should have said that I would take up the pace because before we knew it we were 7 minute miling and I was feeling somewhat sick!
Proving that competitive instinct thrives even during training neither of us wanted to say can we slow down? and so we pushed each other along, unable to speak through effort, and both, as it turns out feeling quite ill!
If ever there was a simple lesson in the need to communicate properly this was it!
Now being somewhat faster than me Lucy often finds herself leading the way - with me clinging on behind. As she had already done some miles I thought I would return the favour, so as we hit the Portway I put my foot down a bit. Unfortunately, we probably should have either pre-agreed a speed or I should have said that I would take up the pace because before we knew it we were 7 minute miling and I was feeling somewhat sick!
Proving that competitive instinct thrives even during training neither of us wanted to say can we slow down? and so we pushed each other along, unable to speak through effort, and both, as it turns out feeling quite ill!
If ever there was a simple lesson in the need to communicate properly this was it!
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Twenty Miles and Counting...
First 20 miler of the schedule and completed in 2hrs 54mins.
Must say very pleased with that. If I could maintain that pace over the last 6 miles then I would definitely be getting home within my target time of sub 4 hours.
So OK yes it hurt but it's always an achievement running that sort of distance.
Only downside is a sharp and very localised pain in my left knee. It seems to be a flare up of a problem I normally get in the summer. Hope it won't become too much of an issue.
Our 20 miles was finished off with a now customary cup of tea and a shared Millionaires Shortbread and piece of Tiffin. There's not many better ways to spend a Sunday afternoon!
Must say very pleased with that. If I could maintain that pace over the last 6 miles then I would definitely be getting home within my target time of sub 4 hours.
So OK yes it hurt but it's always an achievement running that sort of distance.
Only downside is a sharp and very localised pain in my left knee. It seems to be a flare up of a problem I normally get in the summer. Hope it won't become too much of an issue.
Our 20 miles was finished off with a now customary cup of tea and a shared Millionaires Shortbread and piece of Tiffin. There's not many better ways to spend a Sunday afternoon!
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Running for Asthma UK
I have decided to use my marathon place to raise some money for Asthma UK.
The link to my Just Giving page is http://www.justgiving.com/NicOughton2010
Please donate if you can.
As this is my own marathon place every penny raised goes directly to Asthma UK.
Thanks!
The link to my Just Giving page is http://www.justgiving.com/NicOughton2010
Please donate if you can.
As this is my own marathon place every penny raised goes directly to Asthma UK.
Thanks!
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Disaster to Sublime...
Wow, what a way to blow away the last week a 16 mile run with no real problems (pain managed via the power of Deep Heat)
13.1 miles was hit in 1:51 and that was without really caning it. No groin stiffness during or after the run and the odd sensations seem to have settled down (only 2 nausea points :) )
Overall the 16 mile mark was in around 2:16ish - much, much happier about everything.
Hopefully next week will be a full training week
13.1 miles was hit in 1:51 and that was without really caning it. No groin stiffness during or after the run and the odd sensations seem to have settled down (only 2 nausea points :) )
Overall the 16 mile mark was in around 2:16ish - much, much happier about everything.
Hopefully next week will be a full training week
Friday, 5 February 2010
Disaster Week...
Hopefully week five of the schedule will remain as the disaster week.
Saturdays run was an awful 15 - took some incredibly long time as I had to stop and stretch on several occasions - best forgotten I think!
As someone who doesn't often get colds (i.e. about once every two years) it was law of sod that the week started feeling a little under the weather and coldy
to the point where I got changed for Mondays 5 miles but having provided my usual Monday evening taxi service really couldn't face being outside in the cold so went home again.
Tuesday night training was kyboshed by waves of nausea and just feeling generally crap. The under the weather cold feeling was teamed with a growing worry about strange abdomen pains/sensations and an increasingly stiff right groin. Now of course I would never try and self diagnose via the internet - so by Wednesday I was getting really worried by the long list of things that could be wrong!
Did manage a 6 on Wendesday and it felt ok but worry about what was happening in my abdomen and groin area meant that I didn't manage to make up any distance on Thursday.
A trip to the doctors on Friday at least confirmed that it wasn't a hernia that was causing my discomfort. This seemed like the most likely explanation for the sensations I was having and would have meant a likely immediate end to marathon training for this year. Of course it didn't answer the question of what was the problem - but with the biggest fear out of the way my general demeanour toward training lightened and I can only hope that this is the one and only disaster week
Saturdays run was an awful 15 - took some incredibly long time as I had to stop and stretch on several occasions - best forgotten I think!
As someone who doesn't often get colds (i.e. about once every two years) it was law of sod that the week started feeling a little under the weather and coldy
to the point where I got changed for Mondays 5 miles but having provided my usual Monday evening taxi service really couldn't face being outside in the cold so went home again.
Tuesday night training was kyboshed by waves of nausea and just feeling generally crap. The under the weather cold feeling was teamed with a growing worry about strange abdomen pains/sensations and an increasingly stiff right groin. Now of course I would never try and self diagnose via the internet - so by Wednesday I was getting really worried by the long list of things that could be wrong!
Did manage a 6 on Wendesday and it felt ok but worry about what was happening in my abdomen and groin area meant that I didn't manage to make up any distance on Thursday.
A trip to the doctors on Friday at least confirmed that it wasn't a hernia that was causing my discomfort. This seemed like the most likely explanation for the sensations I was having and would have meant a likely immediate end to marathon training for this year. Of course it didn't answer the question of what was the problem - but with the biggest fear out of the way my general demeanour toward training lightened and I can only hope that this is the one and only disaster week
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