Race to fitness

After my virus last month I jumped straight back into 116 miles in 7 days. My legs of course complained and I struggled on some of my easy recovery runs. I know this is normal when I am overloading my body in this way. I went straight off this high mileage into the Chichester 10k. I knew I had tired legs and on my warm up I did not feel too great! It was a very blustery day and my effort levels were through the roof, I ran hard all the way to finish in a disappointing time of 34.04. I knew this was not a reflection of my form, but rather how tired I was. A week later I had Wokingham half marathon, this was to be another training run, so I ran through this as well clocking 94miles for the week, but I felt so much better, I ran 73.39 in control and then continued to run doing 23 miles in total for the day. This picked up my confidence for the following weekend, when I toed the line at the English National cross-country in Alton towers. I was very excited about racing in the tough muddy conditions, but the last minute shortening of the course did not work in my favour, they cut the race by 2k and changed the course so we didn't go up the steep long hill (this was the bit I was excited about). Despite this I managed to hang on to the tails of Hatty Dean and Lou Damen, to secure 3^rd position. Now to build on my form and get a solid training stint in before I really test myself in the Reading half, my last race pre London Marathon.

Temporary Blip

It was going so well and I was finally starting to bang out some big sessions at a good pace. I was starting the marathon build up in a great place and really looking forward to getting my teeth into some good long runs. I usually have a rest pre-marathon build up, but for some reason I knew I would have to cash it in. I think I was being realistic with my daughter starting Nursery and all the colds and bugs that come with that. Just 3 days after Ruby started Nursery we both went down with a very bad sore throat and a nasty cough. I have been resting as I never like to train through sore throats, and after day 5 I am starting to feel like I could do an easy run tomorrow, hopefully I can wave this bug good bye and get my teeth into some good miles once more. If you are training for a marathon don't panic if you get ill, rest and make sure it has gone before you re-start your running again. 5-7 days of rest will not affect your overall fitness in the bigger picture!

I was really excited about jumping back into international competition again at the Great North Cross-country in Edinburgh. The week before was no taper week, with the Somerley 10k on the Monday and then a cracking session with the Bournemouth AC lads on the Tuesday night, we did 3 x 15mins with 3mins jog rec, and I felt my strength returning, but the next day my legs were trashed. I was tired for the following few days, so I took it easy and did less miles. A short flight up north, I found myself walking off the plane in Edinburgh into a blizzard. Four inches fell overnight, and made Arthur’s seat look like a winter wonderland. However, the race was no wonderland for me, ghee I forgot how fast and intense XC running is and with a sheer wall to climb up on each lap..(.oh maybe that was a hill) I soon had jelly legs and lactic up to my eyeballs. Despite the grit I had to endure I finished a solid 8^th and I enjoyed every moment of it. I am now excited about getting fitter and racing some more, and seeing myself get stronger and faster over the next 3 months.

The new year and ready to go!

Sorry for the lack of postings, but the new year brings more organisation and time to keep my blog updated.

Since I had an average run in Chicago, I have taken my time to build the miles and the fitness again. I have been running consistently and have decided to join up with Bournemouth AC on Tuesday evenings to help me push some pace boundaries and also to motivate me in some tough sessions. Having ran 85 miles over the last 3 weeks I feel like I am starting to turn a corner fitness wise- no where near my peak but working towards it. I am very excited about my race calender this year! It is true I need to run well again, and bag some fast times I can't blame 'just had a baby' any more as Ruby now approaches 19 months. I kicked off the year with a training run at the Somerley 10k, and felt like I had a strong run on the off road trails, finishing 2nd overall and 1st Lady. Now getting very excited about racing on an international level again this weekend at the Great North Cross Country in Edinburgh. It was 2 years since I last raced XC seriously and it was at this very place in the World Championships. Lets hope I can have a solid run and see where I am at.

Achey legs.

My Legs ache! They ache in a good way, a way that means I have been putting in some decent training again. It is a necessary evil, the overload phase of training. It always saps my legs of their bounce and I struggle with my pace, but I know once my body has adapted to the loads the pace will come back along with some more bounce. The true bounce never comes back until the taper time, and that for me is a couple of months away. Right now I am into a focused training month, and I just have to be patient for the fitness to come. I know I am not quite back to my old self in terms of fitness having competed in the Sunderland 10k Last month. For me it was more than seeing where I was in terms of fitness, it was about getting back out on the race scene, getting my racing head back and seeing if I was really ready for it all again. I loved being back in the race environment; it felt like putting on a comfortable old pair of slippers. I ran 34.28 – (and no I wasn’t wearing an old pair of slippers) a time that is a true reflection of where I am at right now, given I had just a month of training under my belt since my injury. So work to do, but I am moving in the right direction.

one race down

I have done it, I have got in my first race since my injury. I find getting back into racing is always a bit daunting as you never know how you are going to fare. I knew I was never going to set any records and my 34.28 for the 10k great Sunderland run was a true reflection of my form and really what I expected, despite this a little bit of me still wanted to run faster! I now know just how much work I need to do in the next 12 weeks in the lead into the Chicago marathon, and August is really going to be about some good solid miles, specifically for the marathon.

Racing and understanding your times is all about knowing what point you are in your training cycle. I am not upset about my time, it is just a reflection of my current form. I know in 10weeks time I will be ready to run fast!

Today I did a 10mile tempo run just under 6min miles and it nearly wiped me out. This is re-enforcing just how much work I need to do...bring on the training!

Getting in the miles

Finally I am cracking out some decent mileage between 80 and 90 miles per week and completing some good solid sessions. Over the last few weeks I have really noticed that my pace has started to come down and I am able to run faster for the same all out effort. I have noticed also that my recovery between my sessions has improved and this is a great sign that I am getting fitter. Don't get me wrong I am not fit, as I still have a long way to go until I would describe my self as fit....in relative terms my fit is to be able to run 5.20 miles for a half marathon and at the moment I can just about hold it for 6 minutes. So as you can see I have some work to do. Just how much work will be on show for all to see as I am racing the Sunderland 10k this weekend. I am excited about racing, but nervous at how much it might hurt!

A solid weel

I actually like that feeling when your legs ache and you feel like you have done something. being able to run without pain feels great and I am ready to really get into my running again. I have just built up the frequency of my running and I have actually had a go at some unstructured fartleks, and the leg seems to be holding up.

I am looking forward to racing the Sunderland 10k mid July, but I know I won't be as fit as I would like. It will be good to jump back on the horse and blow some cobwebs away!

This week I am aiming to run more miles and do some light sessions, although this weekend will be tricky for running as my Husband will be running 105 miles in 3 days along the south downs! Nutter. So this means I will have to sneak ruby off to her grandparents while I nip out for a run! Sometimes you just have to be flexible and I have a well planned rest day on Sunday!

Have a great week all.

Double daytastic

I finally feel like I am getting somewhere. That familiar ache in my legs again is proof to me that the miles have been creeping up. I even banked 49 miles last week and as the week progress I feel more and more confident that my injury is getting stronger. My enthusiasm for running is back and I can feel my mind focusing on my goals again. It feels good to be back in the saddle, and come July I am sure I will be back in full training again.

It takes many runners as much restrain to rest as it does to train. Rest is rest, and the body needs it when it is ill or injured and the committed runner is no less committed if they rest and allow their body to heal. Only the silly and obsessed run on ignoring the signals their body gives them.

Enjoy your running!

I'm getting there

Just in the last week I feel like I have turned a corner. I finally feel like I can trust my leg again and not feel like I will fall apart if I run too fast or too long. Today I clocked the grand total of 72 mins, and hope to run twice tomorrow. It has been some 12 weeks now since I did the injury and I am far from fit. I am really looking forward to banking some decent miles again having just clocked 35 miles in each of the last 2 weeks. I am keen to start double daying again and have some nice lung buster sessions to do.

If all goes to plan I am now focused on doing the Sunderland 10k, then the Great North, followed by the Chicago marathon. I will be far from fit in Sunderland, but it will be nice to have a blow out and find how much work I need to do.

If you are injured and feeling frustrated I have found it really does help to look at the bigger picture, and to take time to do things you don't usually get round to doing.

Any progress is good right?

I have the green light to run again! Yes, ok I am really pleased, BUT only every other day. It is progress after 3 weeks of total rest but I just so much want to be running and running fast. I want to feel the air burning my lungs again. However, I have to be patient and run easy just to ease myself back into it again. I feel unfit, like I have just rolled the dice and moved on to the largest snake on the snake and ladders board right back to square one!

Being injured is a pain, and for a runner it is dam right frustrating. I have had internal turmoil, wanting to run, but being sensible and doing the right thing so I can get back to it as soon as my body will heal. I pulled a boney attachment so it takes about 3 months to totally repair, so really I am up with just 2 months since I did it. (See trying to be positive!) Not running really makes me appreciate how much I love running, how much I need it to think straight, to sleep well and to be happy. I miss the endorphins. 'Well could you not cross train I hear you cry?' The truth is no, the area I have injured and the type of injury required total rest, minimal leg movement. I wanted too, and felt guilty for not trying to hold onto some fitness, but then I wanted what was best for the injury. See turmoil!

I am now hoping the worst is now behind me and maybe round the corner their is a nice ladder to help me on my way again...OK, I can dream, we all no there are no quick fixes for getting fit again! Roll on the hard work!

Tentative steps

That’s it! I did it. 2 weeks of complete rest!

I had to, with the stop start running and the injury hanging about I needed to just get rid of it and get out of the negative spiral I was in. The pressure of having the Edinburgh marathon looming meant I was trying desperately to hang onto my fitness; therefore I never really gave my body a chance to heal. Had I had 2 weeks off straight away...hmmm hindsight eh! So some 6 weeks since my niggle started I am finally running pain free all be it for 20mins at the moment. I have had to pull out of the Edinburgh marathon, which I am gutted about. I have been trying to keep my impatience and frustration in check and at times I have felt like I could just run at a sprint forever with all this energy boiling inside me. I have tried to focus and channel it into something else, but when I don’t run I can’t seem to think straight. I have to keep constantly reminding myself of the bigger picture, and now have my sights on getting fit for the Chicago marathon in October. Hopefully next time I write I will be running more, and injury woes will be way behind me!

Getting there!

I am now 4 weeks into a niggle and I have finally found the cause. A rotated pelvis. I felt instant relief since it has been back in line, and now I am just giving the torn hamstring (that I got when slipping in the Kitchen) time to heal. Having had 5 days of rest, I banked a 20 min pain free run today and feeling much more optimistic about getting back into full training by next week. Edinburgh is now 6 weeks away and I feel I will run it. I am not too worried about the time I clock it is more about getting one under the belt and using it as a spring board to the Autumn marathon.

Injury woes

I was going so well on the road back from having Ruby just 9 months ago. I was just getting back up to some decent milage and banking 80-100 miles a week.

The Sliverstone half marathon was a great race for me, I felt strong in the gusty winds and I could feel the old running self back again. Winning is always nice, and a good confidence boost. However, this was short lived as I got a little excited at being able to run faster than 75mins for the half marathon again and got pumped for the session on the Tuesday, I over did it and tweaked my hamstring. I am so annoyed with myself for not listening more carefully to my body. I am currently cross training in an attempt to hold onto some of the fitness and hope my body can heal its self so I can at least do a little trot this weekend.

First blog

Welcome to my blog!