Training - Day 109 - 10 Days to Go

I woke this morning hoping that there were no side-affects from yesterday and that's no too far off the mark. Sure there are niggles but I would expect no less. I put my knee support on my left and this long surgical stocking like thing on my right. Very, very uncomfortable. The tube thing was especially uncomfortable with no dignified way of adjusting it - so I spent most of the day in trap 4. Rest day today - another one of my famed read between the lines sessions because in the book it said a 30 minute jog - but I just don't want to push my luck too much.

Training - Day 108 - 11 Days to Go

Right - today's the day - a 5 mile run at marathon pace. This will decide whether this is the last run I have before the race of not. So, with 2 knee straps on the left, 1 knee strap and 1 thigh strap on the right I set off looking very much like an impoverished robocop - none of that would stop a pea-shooter let alone a sniper. Approximately 2 seconds into the run I realised the thigh strap makes no bl$$dy difference at all - still painful. But I carried on even though I felt like I was rtunning sideways, dragging my chocolate leg behind me. At 2.5 miles my left knee kicked off - but to my relief it didn't get as bad as Saturday. Part of that might be that I knew there wasn't long to go but I'd like to think maybe there was an improvement? What I do know now is that when you're carrying an injury, it's not just the pain - running is actually HARDER - ie more effort. 5 miles completed and I was cream crackered. The thought that on the day I'd still have 21 to go just doesn't bear thinking of....
Still - I'll be running this Saturday ;-)

Training - Day 107 - 12 Days to Go

You know what I love leaving work early. I'm seriously thinking that changimg my hours to come in and go early. Just how good to you feel when you've had lunch and there's not long left - priceless!! Annnnyway - it was a weights session today. Lots of upper body and leg exercises. On the one machine I didn't even have the strength to pull the lever to adjust the seat height so had to pretend that I didn't really want to move it. When I got home I made myself, from a rolled up yoga mat and a roll of gaffer tape a strong hard tube that you are meant to roll over to simulate deep tissue massage. Well, I didn't thin it would work but gave it a go and as I rolled my calfs over it the pain surged through me just like when I had the sports massage - so maybe there's somethin in it. I did the same for my thight muscles and it really hit the spot - which is just as well because the position you have to get into to have an effect is more than a little inappropriate - can't wait to do it again ;-)

Training - Day 106 - 13 Days to Go

Trying to be more positive today - but it's not easy. Tried wearing a knee support at work but you just can't wear them sat down, they all bunch up. Went and bought a matching knee support after work and wore both at the gym. You know sometimes you see people in the gym that you think ahhh bless - he obviously can't dress himself. Well, today that was me. More strapping than robocop, I caught a view of myself in a mirror and just winced - but it was too late by then. So, I cycled for 30 minutes and then jogged for 10 - it doesn't sound ling but I really believed that 1 minute joging was going to be too long so quite chuffed. Finished off with a monster stretch session and that's it for me - apart from the hot bath and then ise pack to the knee - I'm taking no chances now

Training - Day 105 - 14 Days to go

Feeling blooming rubbish. My legs hurt hurt hurt. What's the point in all this training if I feel worse now than I did 2 months ago ;-( Uh well, rest day today, and maybe some more wine...........

Training - Day 104 - 15 Days to Go

It's been 2 weeks since I last ran. I've cycled, swam, stretched and iced. I've even had a sport's massage - and the difference it's made - bu$$er all!!!
3 miles in my knee started to hurt just as it did before and it never went away. I ran the full 10 miles to see if the pain got worse, which it did a bit but more worryingly everything else started to also hurt by the end. I think that's it - the dream of 1 race and a sub 4 hour run is over. I've got to face the fact that I've no chance of starting the run injury free - so the goal has got to be survival. No matter how long it takes - I want to make it to the end and not have done any permanent damage. Easier said than done for me - but I've got to be realistic. On the plus side I ran with music on my ipod for the first time today and it did serve to take my mind off things a little. It's difficult to say just HOW much it helped as this was  much shorter run - so the "wall" wasn't looming. I'm off to boots tomorrow for a knee support and I'm going to wear that to try to speed up recovery. I'll try a jog with it on to see if it helps next week but if not today's my last run before the main event - it was all going so well 4 weeks ago....

Training - Day 103 - 16 Days to Go

Rest Day - I left work early and went to Bournemouth for a sport's massage. I really wasn't looking forward to it and it turned out that my fears were completely.....justified. I tried to steer her to concentrate on my legs as they were causing me the most concern but she insisted on also doing my back as a lot of leg pains stem from the back. I have heard stories that people can fall asleep through a massage - LIARS!! The back session was an excruciating 25 minutes or so, culminating in a pain so severe that it actually only stopped when she slipped on the floor as my tears started to flood the lino. "Can you feel that?" she asked quietly "It should start painfully but ease off as you breathe into it" At this point I'd almost bitten through my tongue so answering was limited to a pathetic wimper. When she started to inflict the same treatment on my legs I managed to comment that she must have fingers of steel. She replied "No, not really, it's all about using your bodyweight - although for your back I did have to use my elbow" Yes, I thought, it did feel rather like she'd picked the hardest, boniest part of her body to help me "relax". 35 minutes, a man sized box of tissues and 2 breakdowns later it was all over, leaving me to hobble back to the car, sit in the driver's seat and just rest my head on the steering wheel until, several minutes later, I began to feel my extremeties. This run had better be worth it!!!

Training - Day 102 - 17 Days to Go

Had some house moving decisions to make last night and you can only make life changing decisions with a belly-full of wine - so as a consequence, today has turned into a rest day. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions as to why, but it's not difficult...........

Training - Day 101 - 18 Days to Go

I did it - I fanally managed to get up early enough to go to the gym for a swim and weights session - what could go wrong? I'll tell you - the bl$£dy boiler at the gym has packed in again and there's no hot water. If I still swam and did weights, I'd be leaving the gym at the school ru time to go home for a shower - so i shelved the swim. Instead, I did a 30 minute cycle and afterwards I took the name and email address of the manager - it's happening just too many times!!! Feel like I'm not trying hard enough this week - but if it gets me through 10 miles on Saturday - it will all be worthwhile

Training - Day 100 - 19 Days to Go

100 Days - who'd have thought it!! At this point in my "journey" my guess is that you would have expected me to have come to some sort of deep and meaningful understanding of myself - an epiphany, if you will. Well, no. What I have learned is that running hurts, and running further hurts more. Other than that - that I'm an idiot for even trying ;-). Rest day today, and taking full advantage of it

Training - Day 99 - 20 Days to Go

Another morning that I couldn't get up early enough for the gym, so I went after work. I'm all for kids learning how to keep fit - but why do  they have to do it around me. There's something about kids mucking about around me that makes me come over all....violent. I did a 30 minute x-trainer today and although there were a few twinges I think it was pretty much pain free. I then went on to do some weights but found it very difficult to concentrate as a tatooed bloke with arms the size of my legs sat opposite me. How did he get like that?? It was a sight all the more incredible as he stood up - he was only about 4 foot nine. I spent the whole of my stretching session thinking, why would a small man need such big arms? - Maybe it's lifting himself up so that the barman can see him...or pushing people off him who think they're sitting on an empty seat - who knows?

Training - Day 98 - 21 Days to Go

I can't believe it - just 3 weeks to go and I'm not allowed to run!!! Starting to get really nervous now - I've almost forgotten HOW to run. Still I've got to stick to my enforced running exile if I've any chance of getting to the start line with a chance of finishing. Today is a Sunday rest and that is very much what I did!!!

Training - Day 97 - 22 Days to Go

As I wasn't running today I took advantage by having an enormous lie in, until 7:30. Usual breakfast and get up preparations done, we went to the gym for a 2 hour bike ride. Joss "needs" to be on the left of me and so I ended up on the far bike. As I settled in, sorting out seat height, location of drinks etc etc I realised that I must be on the popular bike. How else could you explain the 'tunes' sweet, jelly bean and 2 lots of chewing gum that were stuck in various places all over the handle bars. How do people live like that - don't they know how to behave in public??? Still, that took my mind off the pedalling for a while working out which bit was safe enough to touch. The first half hour was good until the pain started. Was it my dodgy right thigh - no. Was it my shin splints - no. Was it my hamstring - no - It was my backside. Whoever invented solid plastic saddles for bikes needs to have a large blunt object inserted into the point of pain mentioned while small animals are let loose on him to gather nuts for the winter. By the end of the first hour, (and 31km) it was pretty much all I could think about. But luckily Jos was on hand to completely take my mind off the pain with 4 simple words "I need the loo". Now prior to that, I'd not even considered going. But now it was mentioned, I realised that I had  drunk over 2 litres of water and maybe, just maybe, I could do with going too. Just a passing query at first, but that soon ballooned, as did my bladder, in the next 30 minutes. The last 30 (making 2 hours and 63km) were spent mostly in prayer - I had no idea what the effect of excessive water on the electric bike would be but I guessed it wouldn't be good. The 2 hour alarm finally came and I went to run to the loo, only to find my legs had been replaced by someone elses, and I veered off to the left, into a startled man working on his calfs. Still it's nice to make a new friend isn't it? The book advises a huge pasta meal after long training so I followed the advice to the letter and had a curry and wine - again, they call it 'reading between the lines' ;-)

Training - Day 96 - 23 Days to Go

I did it. I actually got up early and went to the gym. Actually, I went simming, THEN went to the gym - get me!!! In the pool there was only a 4 other swimmers. 2 that swam relentless front-crawl lengths (and both in budgie-smugglers - coincidence?) and 2 swimming breast stroke like meerkats - heads never dipping beneath the water. That's my staple stroke too - but I'm determined to get better so had my goggles with me. After a few of my normal lengths, I slipped the goggles on and swam a WHOLE length front crawl. How does the breathing go though? I've no idea. 1 length and I'm puffing like I've climbed 10 flights of stairs. It was because of this inability to control my breathing that I could only try every 10 lengths or so - I needed the other lengths to get my breath back. I did 5 full front crawl lengths and was very proud. 5 out of 50 - making a grand total of 1km!! At that point we were told that again there was no hot water in the showers. Great!!! Still, that didn't stop me - off to the gym and did a weights session. Even the drinking water packed in - so I made sure the bloke behind the desk knew that this was less than satisfactory - it's becoming a regular thing, me complaining to them. More ice and stretching tonight - planning a 2 hour bike ride tomorrow

Training - Day 95 - 24 Days to Go

It's a self-imposed rest day today. I'm still putting ice on my left leg and sitting against a wall with my legs in the air so a pretty normal Thursday really

Training - Day 94 - 25 Days to Go

Doc's yesterday - physio today. I told her it's my last one though as I've only got 4 more owed to me for the year and clumsy as I am I'm bound to do something to need more help so will keep them in hand. I've been given some more stretches and one of them I've got to lay on the floor with my bum as close to the wall as I can with my legs straight up the wall. I have to say that it felt weird, looked weird and you get a massive head rush when you get up - so all good as far as I'm concerned. Swam this evening - 700m . Now I know that the pool is for everyone, but if you're not actually swimming, surely common decency says that you move to the side doesn't it? Well, if you're in your sixties, male, with receding hair and a pony-tail - those rules just don't apply. I would have given anything to have had a pair of scissors and set his hair, and his dignity, free. And as for hit rotund, unswimming wife bobbing about wrapped in 4 woggles getting in everyone's bl$%dy way while calling "George..." at the top of her voice all the time - a harpooning would have been too kind

Training - Day 93 - 26 Days to Go

I meant to go to the gym early this morning but my alarm on my phone didn't go off. Apparently it was running out of juice so was sounding off all night and Joss found that "a tad annoying". I guess I'm lucky it's in one piece. Went to the doc's and saw someone new (again) but she had run several marathons herself so she must know what she's doing. After the briefest of examinations (I don't blame her) her advice was not to run for the next couple of weeks but if I had to - they had to be short runs. I'm ok to cycle / swim etc to keep up the aerobic fitness but nothing jarring on my legs. She also recommended a sports massage but warned that this itself was not a pain free solution - in fact, when I told Karrsey he said he had one and suggested he'd rather give birth than do that again so I'm really looking forward to it. Went to the gym this evening and cycled 31 km in an hour then did a load of stretching. It's the first time I can remember for ages feeling really good about a workout - yes it hurt, but this time in a good, I've been working hard, way. (not I think my legs are going to drop off way). Time to be more positive - of course I'm going to make it !!!!

Training - Day 92

Last night I packed my bag ready to go for a swim in the morning but after waking up at 3 in the morning I turned off the alarm in favour of more sleep. So I left work early (not a hardship) and met Joss for a 40 minute jog. At 5 minutes my leg just below my knee started to hurt again and by 20 I'd had enough. I left Joss to successfully complete the run as I sloped off to the bikes. I have got a doctor's appointment tomorrow and she had better have some quick solutions because at this rate I've got no chance of starting the race fit. I'm determined that I'm going to complete the run but it would be nice to make it home under my own steam and not from the back of an ambulance !!

Training - Day 91

It's the usual Sinday rest day and even though there's plenty to do - I'm just not doing it (no change there then, I hear from Joss). I'm shattered - and without a proper rest this weekend I can't see how I'm going to recover for the next bout of training. I have, however, slightly gone off the rails by eating the biggest roast dinner and pudding - so I have lots to carry around on me - back to bread and water tomorrow...

Training - Day 90

Today is a 14 miler and Joss isn't with me today so I've got to carry as much water as I can and adapt my route so I can pass the house and pick more up. I've even invested in some magic jelly beans that are meant to help running - feeling a little like Jack!! Started my run feeling tired but ok. At 3 miles however my left knee started to hurt. Tried to get into the music on my ipod to gorget about it and ran for another 5 before I really started to worry. The pain was no worse and I KNEW I could get to the end - but at what cost. I read an article recently where a runner was asked for his top tip for marathon running and he said "Always stand on the start line, injury free".
So, I'd reached Asda on Holes Bay and I stopped. I then thought - what a wimp - get running, and started again. 20 seconds later I thought - what am I doing, and stopped. This stop start continued all along Holes Bay - I must have looked a right idiot. Even now I can't work out why I kept starting - was it for me or was it that I didn't want to face people saying that I didn't make it. The irony was that this was the first time the wind was with me on that stretch!! I've got 4 weeks left - and I think it's time to listen to myself rather than rigidly staying to the schedule. Next week is meant to be the last of the long runs but I'm already thinking that might be too much - I want to be on that start line with the best chance of finishing - and if it's in a good time - well that would be a bonus

Training - Day 89

As we get nearer to Marathon Day, we get more rest days. Today was another - so that's what I did. In fact, the only exercise I did was 45 seconds on a treadmill when trying out new trainers. That would have gone smoothly had the assistant not wanted to film me running to make sure they did the job and made me roll up my trouser legs to knee level. Uh, and did I mention that the shop was packed and because I run so flat footed the noise of my steps brought the shop to a standstill and so they all turned to watch me in my office gear, trousers rolled up ridiculously. No you're right, not embarrassing, not at all

Training - Day 88

Sooooo tired. Again, no chance of getting to the gym early so (very happily) left work early to get some exercise. Decided against the X-trainer and went on the bike for 30 minutes. Set the resistance higher as I'm still gaining weight and managed to get through it all with just a little pain. This is no time for wimps, though, and so then did a weight's circuit. My favourite pastime when doing this is that some of the weights machines mean you sit at right angles to those on the treadmills and I like to stare straight ahead between sets. The aerobic people can sense that someone is looking at them but it takes a brave man to turn that far to see who it is while running. It's like a game of chicken that I can't lose, because if they DO manage to look - I then find my ipod really interesting and start playing with it and they just think that I was in my own world. After the session went and had a shower and as I got out to get changed, this freakishly tall instructor started putting his stuff in the locker next to me (don't get me started). A tad angry, and not a little intimidated I decided to front it out and get dressed as if he wasn't even there. An act I could have easily carried off had I not got my foot stuck in my underwear and the resulting heave upwards sending me crashing towards the locker opposite. Not cool, never have been, never will be.

Training - Day 87

Nope - couldn't do it. Try as I might there was no way on earth I was going to be able to haul my lazy ar$e out of bed to do an early morning swim. I had a contingency, though, in that Kieren  had a swimming lesson at 18:15 so I could go for a swim myself at the same time. However, it was a long day at work culminating in training the new guys in the afternoon and I had the dread fill me, getting worse and worse every minute at the prospect of the evening swim. I just wasn't in the mood. Then, a magical moment as I received a text just after 4 - The instructor had cancelled - hoorraay!! After all, if Kieren wasn't going there was no need for me to leave the house. Topped the day off with a nice chippie tea along with the thought that tomorrow will HAVE to be a gym day !!

Training - Day 86

As previously posted, today was meant to be a weight's day - but I was in a quandry. Although my legs hurt, should I avoid doing ANY leg exercises this week? I'd already decided not to run on Wednesday - am I going down the wrong path? So, I decided to do a 30 minute cycle. The compromise would be to set the resistance to really low and pedal slowly. Unluckily for me there were more people in there than I could ever remember for a morning, so they all witnessed my feebleness. At the end of the 30 minutes my face was flushed but from embarrassment rather than effort. Went to the channg room to get my water bottle and it was then that I saw the no hot water sign. AGAIN!! I know I'd not tried hard but not even I could go to work after gymming without washing so I had to go home first and did the full set of stretching there. I did try to put in a complaint over at reception but the poor chap looked so forlorn I felt sorry for him and didn't bother - I must have been in a funny mood - it wouldn't normally have stopped me

Training - Day 85

Woke up feeling a little better today and the day got better and better as I reread the schedule and today was ANOTHER rest day - yes 2 in a row. I couldn't stop smiling all day. Went to the physio this morning and was told that my back was almost back to normal but she could see why I was having problems with my legs. Unfortunately I was referred here for my back so she wasn't allowed to help me out - although unofficially she did "suggest" some extra stretches to do. I tried them tonight and they must be hitting the spot because they hurt like hell.
Weights tomorrow - bring them on !!!

Training - Day 84

Rest / Decorating day today. Legs are feeling very weak and having to constantly step up and down on a chair so I can reach the ceiling properly really isn't helping. Didn't even have time / energy / inclination to do the stretching exercises but did manage a decent lie in so hopefully I will feel a lot better tomorrow

Training - Day 83

A very nervous day today - failed at 7 miles on Wednesday, today was 10 miles. Went through the usual preparations: painkillers, porridge, banana, pre-match and then fully greased up before putting on the lycra. It was a colder morning (like Wednesday) but kept telling myself I've done this distance loads of times - I can do it. Deliberately went slower today and that seemed to pay dividends. Fine through Creekmoor, Upton, Hamworthy and just started to get the first aches of my knee running down the quay. Then through Poole and onto holes Bay and we discussed that one of these days, the wind was going to be with us - but not today. We decided that that one day will be the day after the Race !! With a mile to go - I speeded up and Joss noticed with a quarter of a mile to go at which point I said it was the first time I was confident that I was going to make it. It was at that point I almost got run down by a guy driving round the corner without indicating. I "calmly let the driver know my displeasure" and finished the run. I think it was this acceleration which made me descend the stairs at Dean Court this afternoon sideways as the pain in BOTH knees going down forwards made me cry like a baby. Live and learn.....or not

Training - Day 82

Another rest day, another day off another day of decorating. Feeling a bit achey from yesterday and my other leg is now playing up - I think it's jealous that it's not getting as much attention. Stopped decorating early today to relax a little for a change and have a big, energy giving pasta dinner mmmmmmmmm dinner

Training - Day 81

Today was a rest day AND I had the day off work. I would however, question the word rest when I was decorating like Mr Bean all day. That's probably doing a dis-service to him. In the first 2 minutes of decorating a bedroom, I'd smashed the light fitting, cut my finger open picking the glass up and dripped blood all over the carpet in the process. Brilliant!! I later managed to stab myself with a stanley knife and not notice the blood on the wallpaper until I was hanging it up. Long, hot bath at the end of the day followed by lots of stretching. My knee still feels a little dodgy and I am exhausted - Can't wait for Saturday's Run !!!

Training - Day 80

It's been 80 days but today is my first bitter taste of defeat. Today was meant to be a quicker 7 mile run and because of other commitments I had to do it at lunchtime. It was a cold sunny day but I still felt pretty confident as I waited for my GPS to get to the starting point. Confident that is, until I started running. I instantly had a pain in my right thigh and both legs just felt dead. Breathing was tricky too because of the cold. I mis-timed the run as Poole Bridge was still up so I ran through whitecliff and up to Evening Hill. At 3.5 miles I turned round to come back. At 4 miles I started to get a pain in my knee and for the next 3/4 of a mile I churned over in my mind whether I was doing more bad than good - I can't afford to get injured at this late stage. So I stopped and walked back to work. Feeling low, I bumped into a friend who remarked that I looked a c*ck in my lycra trousers (or word to that affect) and for some reason that picked me up a bit. I've 2 rest days now before a 10 mile run on Saturday - lots of stretching and I'll be back on form, I'm sure!!!

Training - Day 79

I've used this blog many times to complain about other gym-goers and see no reason why that should change but before that, here's the background story. I got to the gym this cold morning at 6:45. I had a jumper on but thought that the gym actually felt a bit warmer this morning so decided I didn't need it. I settled down to do some weights and apart from a fire drill (didn't have to leave or anything) it was all pretty non-eventful. There was just one other in the gym and she left just as I finished the last set. So, next was stretching. Unfortunately, these mats are quite close to a fire door which doesn't fit too well so it was a little cooler here. Right behind the mats are the rowing machines - well, behind and up, they are on a platform. So, to recap, door - mats - row of rowing machines - empty gym. Empty that is until some bloke came in and sat on a rowing machine. I was at one end of the mats so did he choose a rowing machine at the other end? No. He picked the one right above my head. So, not only was it inconvenient as he was exercising unnecessarily close to me, the spinning wheel was blowing cold air all over me. Mid stretch, I sat bolt upright and in my best Colin Firth acting style looked all the way down the line of mats. I then made a point of looking at the bloke and then down the whole line of running machines. Sadly, I then shook my head from side to side, got up and went to the mat at the far end. He only lasted a couple more minutes on the rower - I like to think that it was the shame that sent him off - good!!!