My recovery continues. The Physio was encouraging and I'm now walking better I.e. Without the aid of a Zimmer frame! I will be starting some short, light spinning to promote blood circulation and using a roller on my hamstring. Even if my hamstring injury hadn't happened today was the first green light on my heart rate variance monitor therefore I wouldn't have been training. The technology was telling me to rest.
But this weekend was a real treat. On Sunday I watched team ATHelite compete in the Bishopbriggs novice and sprint triathlon. I took my camera along and watched all my teammates give their all. Watching it through the lense of the camera I could see how hard they were working and whether a first timer or experienced triathlete they pushed the limits. Being "behind the ropes" e.g. Spectator was great fun. I felt like I swam every stroke, rode up the tough hill and took every tough step in the run. I was knackered by the end.
But the great results and PB's weren't achieved without a lot of hard work. And mine will be starting in another 3 weeks. In the meantime I will be taking easy steps to get me back on track without leaving a legacy of a bad injury. Too many athletes make that mistake. Patience is a virtue, so they say.
Monday, 5 May 2014
Friday, 2 May 2014
Scientific experiment
In the last 6 years, since I've started all this training malarkey, I feel as though I've been putting my body through a scientific experiment. The type of training I am doing will dictate my shape. Ironman gave me big lat muscles and pecks which gave me some shape up top. MdS build up my quads and calfs with all the running as did the Highland Fling, so your body shape changes.
Now I'm injured with a pulled hamstring and my next goal is a 10km swim in September, I'll be changing again to bigger lats and pecks.
But I am going to take this opportunity of strengthening my core and improving my flexibility especially in my legs. Being injured isn't fun and while the muscle must have been fatigued, more yoga would probably have prevented it.
What's interesting is that my Heart Rate Variance monitor has been giving me exceptionally low (poor) red scores so even if I wasn't injured I wouldn't be training as my body needs time to recover. The strange thing is that with the exception of my hamstring, my legs feels great. Monitoring your heart, recording your time, watching what you eat - it's all an experiment and generally speaking I like the results.
Tomorrow I am visiting the physio as this hamstring is very sore. Any sudden movement has me doubled over in pain. So it's going to take time but here's hoping I will be back training on Monday in the pool and soon Lock Lomond. Got to keep going as there are so many different races/challenges I want to complete. It's great to feel and be alive.
Now I'm injured with a pulled hamstring and my next goal is a 10km swim in September, I'll be changing again to bigger lats and pecks.
But I am going to take this opportunity of strengthening my core and improving my flexibility especially in my legs. Being injured isn't fun and while the muscle must have been fatigued, more yoga would probably have prevented it.
What's interesting is that my Heart Rate Variance monitor has been giving me exceptionally low (poor) red scores so even if I wasn't injured I wouldn't be training as my body needs time to recover. The strange thing is that with the exception of my hamstring, my legs feels great. Monitoring your heart, recording your time, watching what you eat - it's all an experiment and generally speaking I like the results.
Tomorrow I am visiting the physio as this hamstring is very sore. Any sudden movement has me doubled over in pain. So it's going to take time but here's hoping I will be back training on Monday in the pool and soon Lock Lomond. Got to keep going as there are so many different races/challenges I want to complete. It's great to feel and be alive.
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
The truth about running a 53 mile ultra
If you read my last blog you will have got a flavour of what went on but I think for those that are interested, you want the truth not the afterglow report. So here it is.
Let's start with my training. I ran all winter building up the mileage on trail runs as this was more like the conditions I would run in. To simulate the fatigue I would run back to back long runs during the weekends, say 20 miles on the Saturday and 20 on the Sunday. When your body and mind get used to longer distances, heading out for a 3.5 hour run is like going for a game of golf.
I spoke to many athletes who had completed the 'fling and picked their brains on hydration, nutrition and equipment. I ran 3/5ths of the course making sure I covered the most technical section so I knew what to expect on the day - that played a major part in my success.
The night before I had 3 of my MdS pals stay over and we ate pasta and shared our nervous thoughts about the day ahead which was new territory for us all.
The alarm went off at 3.15am and I got up to make their breakfast - porridge. I had a last minute search for calf guards but couldn't find them so had to use new compression socks that I'd never worn before - that breaks a golden rule, don't race with anything new. We got to Milngavie and I left my lubricant in the car and had to run back and apply it - I've seen too many nasty pictures of bad chaffing so wasn't going to be caught out there! Lucky I did.
I knew my friends would be faster so I found a running partner who is a similar speed to me and his target was the same as mine; 12hrs 30 mins - 13 hours. But within minutes of the race starting David was having breathing difficulties and told me to go on - we were only 5km into the race. Fortunately he recovered and completed the race. I remember thinking that I had to keep the chimp in my head quiet as he did whisper a few thoughts along the lines of, 53 miles - that's a double marathon or how are you going to keep going for more than 12 hours? I blocked that out and soaked up the atmosphere. At 8km I got a boost when a girl playing the fiddle stood by a gate and shared some Scottish music with us. I felt so proud to be Scottish at that moment and wondered what all the foreign runners were making of the occasion and the stunning scenery.
At 10km I won the lottery. I noticed a runner with an IM tattoo and we got talking. It turned out Will and his pal John had both completed 2 Ironmen competitions and a shorter ultra. But they didn't know this route so picked my brains. They seemed happy to "walk the hills" which is something you do on ultras and were aiming for a similar time so we decided to run together. We reached Drymen which was a water stop only in 2hrs 3minutes which was slightly ahead of target but I felt great. ATHelite president Mark Russell was shouting encouragement which was welcome. I knew the next section was going to be tough as it went up Conic Hill. We continued with our mantra of "walking the hills" and I made sure we all wore our waterproof jackets as it got cool as we climbed. There was low cloud at the top so we didn't get to see the wonderful view of Loch Lomond until we were heading down. The boys were stunned by the view and then I informed them we'd be running as far as they could see - a sobering thought. We took our time coming down the hill as your quads could be destroyed by the bottom. At Balmaha I collected my food bag, filled up my bottles with High 5 and walked on eating a banana, hula hoops and a fudge -fuel was going to be critical. I had also taken 2 gels for later. Balmaha to Rowardennan takes a long time. It just keeps going on and on but I knew to expect this so didn't let it get to me. My spirits were lifted by a fellow ATHelite member John Young passing me. He was running the relay and gave me some words of encouragement which were welcome.
As we approached the Rowardennan car park, 5 hrs 21 minutes there was a big crowd and the cheered us in. I actually felt like a super star at this point, it was such a lift. Lee McLean who is a friend and was marshalling handed me a cup of coffee which I grabbed and swallowed almost in one go - caffeine gives you a boost. More bananas, peanuts, filled bottles and off to face a couple of big climbs. I kept the boys back by explaining the terrain that was coming and Will mentioned we had just completed a marathon. I didn't want to hear this as I was treating this as a "long training day". I didn't want to think about hitting the wall.
Rowardennan to Inversnaid starts to get technical with tree routes and large stones becoming dangerous. Every step is a potential ankle break so much of this section is done with your head down. That's why I didn't see the big tree branch at head height which almost felled me - ouch! Stupid thing is someone had told me about it the night before but your concentration is on where your feet are landing. I was starting to hurt on this section. My right ankle protested every time it landed, I felt a hot spot on my left foot and my left calf muscle was warning me there could be trouble ahead. But pain is something you expect and "welcome" because it means you're getting through the miles.
Inversnaid was a welcome sight but there were only a couple of marshalls there due to it's location. I was looking forward to a bottle of flat coke that was in my bag because I knew I needed some "rocket flue" - all part of the planning. Johnny the race director helped me apply a compeed to my hot spot and kept our spirits up - by this stage I couldn't bend my legs! He warned us that the next 3 miles were the toughest in the race. I knew this but having it come from him just reaffirmed how careful we needed to be as our legs were tired. Narrow paths with rocks and tree routes made the pace drop below walking speed. At times it involved scrambling or lowering yourself down. This was a really tough total body workout and the stiffening leg muscles weren't happy. But this is where the long back to back runs came in handy. I was used to the fatigue.
I was now heading into unchartered territory and Bein Glass farm. I had been warned that this is where people lose it mentally but I didn't mention this to the boys. I just kept the chat going which was a great distraction from the pain and I didn't want to think of the mileage. One runner had been passing us and then we passed him. He said something which John didn't like, I think this was more about us all being tired, and he was determined to get past him for good. We dropped him before Bein Glass but he left before us as we faffed over our food - more flat coke for me but I really wasn't interested in food but packed some more gels and a sports bar. John wanted to chase him but I said we had lots of time to over take him - we were now 9hrs 17 minutes into the race and I knew, this is where it was going to push us to the limit.
We had a lot of climbing to get out of Bein Glass and the chat dropped off as we all went into our own heads. We dropped the target runner and he informed me he was "burst". It had cooled down so we had the waterproof jackets on again as there was a bit of a wind. Then we found "cow pat alley". Literally a shit hole that stretches out for hundreds of metres and we all picked our way through it without falling flat in our faces.
The final few hours were involved in tough climbs with even harder descents. On the way down our legs were shot to bits. Every step hurt and my ankle, hamstrings and quads were screaming at me to stop. My legs were out of control on the downhills and all I was trying to do was stay upright and not break my ankle on the loose rocks. Every so often I'd stumble or kick a rock which would be agony especially on my hamstrings. We'd walk the hills, stumble down the hills and shuffled on the flats.
I explained to the boys that they should have a picture of what the finish line will look like. I suggested we all cross the line together holding our hands above our heads. Having this picture gave us something to focus on.
We met one runner who was "out of fuel" and really struggling. I gave him my sports bar and he was so grateful - it probably gave him enough to get to the finish line. Food is fuel. A marshal informed us we had 4.75 miles to go so we knew we'd make it but wanted to push on and get under our target of 12hrs 30 mins.
There was a lot of shuffling in the final few miles. Our pace was down to just over a fast walk but our legs were shot to pieces. Mentally the chimp hadn't visited and I put this down to my preparation and having company to run with. With 500 metres to go I checked how far behind the next runner was as I didn't want our finishing picture ruined. So we quickened up. As we came into the finish area we could hear the bagpipes and I fought back the tears. After all the winter training here I was with 2 new mates about to complete one of the top 10 toughest unsupported runs in the world. We got into the final straight, we joined hands and raised them above our heads. we could see friends shouting encouragement as we approached the red carpet. The final 20 metres and BANG! My left hamstring goes. I felt as though someone had shot me and my leg collapsed from under me. But fortunately I was with 2 rugby players so they kept running while holding me up. Not exactly the picture I had in mind but it was in 12 hrs 16 minutes - result.
The marshal gave me a seat, a medal, someone took off my timer and then I was helped through to the medical tent. Ice was strapped onto my hamstring while the ATHelite president Mark Russell went and got my finishing bag, some soup and a beer. I was wrapped in a foil and an blanket and then my pals all started taking pictures of me - you didn't expect sympathy did you?
I hobbled 400 metres to my accommodation and curled up in a ball feeling like shit. My pals arrived with my clothes and I got cleaned up. I limped up the road to get some food, a beer then bed.
What an amazing adventure. The organisation was amazing. The people couldn't have been any more helpful. The crowds so supportive.
I've just had it confirmed that I am out of running or cycling for 4-6 weeks which means I have to pull out of 2 races which is disappointing. However this will allow me to focus on my swimming which is important as I have a 10km river race in September. Completing the Highland Fling is a major achievement for me. I pushed the barrier to a new level and realised I can go further. Preparation is everything be it physical or mental. Thanks for following me on the journey. It will continue with my hardest goal of this year - the river swim. there's more to come folks!
Let's start with my training. I ran all winter building up the mileage on trail runs as this was more like the conditions I would run in. To simulate the fatigue I would run back to back long runs during the weekends, say 20 miles on the Saturday and 20 on the Sunday. When your body and mind get used to longer distances, heading out for a 3.5 hour run is like going for a game of golf.
I spoke to many athletes who had completed the 'fling and picked their brains on hydration, nutrition and equipment. I ran 3/5ths of the course making sure I covered the most technical section so I knew what to expect on the day - that played a major part in my success.
The night before I had 3 of my MdS pals stay over and we ate pasta and shared our nervous thoughts about the day ahead which was new territory for us all.
The alarm went off at 3.15am and I got up to make their breakfast - porridge. I had a last minute search for calf guards but couldn't find them so had to use new compression socks that I'd never worn before - that breaks a golden rule, don't race with anything new. We got to Milngavie and I left my lubricant in the car and had to run back and apply it - I've seen too many nasty pictures of bad chaffing so wasn't going to be caught out there! Lucky I did.
I knew my friends would be faster so I found a running partner who is a similar speed to me and his target was the same as mine; 12hrs 30 mins - 13 hours. But within minutes of the race starting David was having breathing difficulties and told me to go on - we were only 5km into the race. Fortunately he recovered and completed the race. I remember thinking that I had to keep the chimp in my head quiet as he did whisper a few thoughts along the lines of, 53 miles - that's a double marathon or how are you going to keep going for more than 12 hours? I blocked that out and soaked up the atmosphere. At 8km I got a boost when a girl playing the fiddle stood by a gate and shared some Scottish music with us. I felt so proud to be Scottish at that moment and wondered what all the foreign runners were making of the occasion and the stunning scenery.
At 10km I won the lottery. I noticed a runner with an IM tattoo and we got talking. It turned out Will and his pal John had both completed 2 Ironmen competitions and a shorter ultra. But they didn't know this route so picked my brains. They seemed happy to "walk the hills" which is something you do on ultras and were aiming for a similar time so we decided to run together. We reached Drymen which was a water stop only in 2hrs 3minutes which was slightly ahead of target but I felt great. ATHelite president Mark Russell was shouting encouragement which was welcome. I knew the next section was going to be tough as it went up Conic Hill. We continued with our mantra of "walking the hills" and I made sure we all wore our waterproof jackets as it got cool as we climbed. There was low cloud at the top so we didn't get to see the wonderful view of Loch Lomond until we were heading down. The boys were stunned by the view and then I informed them we'd be running as far as they could see - a sobering thought. We took our time coming down the hill as your quads could be destroyed by the bottom. At Balmaha I collected my food bag, filled up my bottles with High 5 and walked on eating a banana, hula hoops and a fudge -fuel was going to be critical. I had also taken 2 gels for later. Balmaha to Rowardennan takes a long time. It just keeps going on and on but I knew to expect this so didn't let it get to me. My spirits were lifted by a fellow ATHelite member John Young passing me. He was running the relay and gave me some words of encouragement which were welcome.
As we approached the Rowardennan car park, 5 hrs 21 minutes there was a big crowd and the cheered us in. I actually felt like a super star at this point, it was such a lift. Lee McLean who is a friend and was marshalling handed me a cup of coffee which I grabbed and swallowed almost in one go - caffeine gives you a boost. More bananas, peanuts, filled bottles and off to face a couple of big climbs. I kept the boys back by explaining the terrain that was coming and Will mentioned we had just completed a marathon. I didn't want to hear this as I was treating this as a "long training day". I didn't want to think about hitting the wall.
Rowardennan to Inversnaid starts to get technical with tree routes and large stones becoming dangerous. Every step is a potential ankle break so much of this section is done with your head down. That's why I didn't see the big tree branch at head height which almost felled me - ouch! Stupid thing is someone had told me about it the night before but your concentration is on where your feet are landing. I was starting to hurt on this section. My right ankle protested every time it landed, I felt a hot spot on my left foot and my left calf muscle was warning me there could be trouble ahead. But pain is something you expect and "welcome" because it means you're getting through the miles.
Inversnaid was a welcome sight but there were only a couple of marshalls there due to it's location. I was looking forward to a bottle of flat coke that was in my bag because I knew I needed some "rocket flue" - all part of the planning. Johnny the race director helped me apply a compeed to my hot spot and kept our spirits up - by this stage I couldn't bend my legs! He warned us that the next 3 miles were the toughest in the race. I knew this but having it come from him just reaffirmed how careful we needed to be as our legs were tired. Narrow paths with rocks and tree routes made the pace drop below walking speed. At times it involved scrambling or lowering yourself down. This was a really tough total body workout and the stiffening leg muscles weren't happy. But this is where the long back to back runs came in handy. I was used to the fatigue.
I was now heading into unchartered territory and Bein Glass farm. I had been warned that this is where people lose it mentally but I didn't mention this to the boys. I just kept the chat going which was a great distraction from the pain and I didn't want to think of the mileage. One runner had been passing us and then we passed him. He said something which John didn't like, I think this was more about us all being tired, and he was determined to get past him for good. We dropped him before Bein Glass but he left before us as we faffed over our food - more flat coke for me but I really wasn't interested in food but packed some more gels and a sports bar. John wanted to chase him but I said we had lots of time to over take him - we were now 9hrs 17 minutes into the race and I knew, this is where it was going to push us to the limit.
We had a lot of climbing to get out of Bein Glass and the chat dropped off as we all went into our own heads. We dropped the target runner and he informed me he was "burst". It had cooled down so we had the waterproof jackets on again as there was a bit of a wind. Then we found "cow pat alley". Literally a shit hole that stretches out for hundreds of metres and we all picked our way through it without falling flat in our faces.
The final few hours were involved in tough climbs with even harder descents. On the way down our legs were shot to bits. Every step hurt and my ankle, hamstrings and quads were screaming at me to stop. My legs were out of control on the downhills and all I was trying to do was stay upright and not break my ankle on the loose rocks. Every so often I'd stumble or kick a rock which would be agony especially on my hamstrings. We'd walk the hills, stumble down the hills and shuffled on the flats.
I explained to the boys that they should have a picture of what the finish line will look like. I suggested we all cross the line together holding our hands above our heads. Having this picture gave us something to focus on.
We met one runner who was "out of fuel" and really struggling. I gave him my sports bar and he was so grateful - it probably gave him enough to get to the finish line. Food is fuel. A marshal informed us we had 4.75 miles to go so we knew we'd make it but wanted to push on and get under our target of 12hrs 30 mins.
There was a lot of shuffling in the final few miles. Our pace was down to just over a fast walk but our legs were shot to pieces. Mentally the chimp hadn't visited and I put this down to my preparation and having company to run with. With 500 metres to go I checked how far behind the next runner was as I didn't want our finishing picture ruined. So we quickened up. As we came into the finish area we could hear the bagpipes and I fought back the tears. After all the winter training here I was with 2 new mates about to complete one of the top 10 toughest unsupported runs in the world. We got into the final straight, we joined hands and raised them above our heads. we could see friends shouting encouragement as we approached the red carpet. The final 20 metres and BANG! My left hamstring goes. I felt as though someone had shot me and my leg collapsed from under me. But fortunately I was with 2 rugby players so they kept running while holding me up. Not exactly the picture I had in mind but it was in 12 hrs 16 minutes - result.
The marshal gave me a seat, a medal, someone took off my timer and then I was helped through to the medical tent. Ice was strapped onto my hamstring while the ATHelite president Mark Russell went and got my finishing bag, some soup and a beer. I was wrapped in a foil and an blanket and then my pals all started taking pictures of me - you didn't expect sympathy did you?
I hobbled 400 metres to my accommodation and curled up in a ball feeling like shit. My pals arrived with my clothes and I got cleaned up. I limped up the road to get some food, a beer then bed.
What an amazing adventure. The organisation was amazing. The people couldn't have been any more helpful. The crowds so supportive.
I've just had it confirmed that I am out of running or cycling for 4-6 weeks which means I have to pull out of 2 races which is disappointing. However this will allow me to focus on my swimming which is important as I have a 10km river race in September. Completing the Highland Fling is a major achievement for me. I pushed the barrier to a new level and realised I can go further. Preparation is everything be it physical or mental. Thanks for following me on the journey. It will continue with my hardest goal of this year - the river swim. there's more to come folks!
Sunday, 27 April 2014
Conquering The Highland Fling
The 'fling is finished. What an experience. Possibly the best organised race I have ever taken part in. A huge congratulations to the organisers, marshals and medical staff - more of that later.
Who considers running a 53 mile race? One that is in the top 10 hardest unsupported races in the world? Well that's what happens when you hang out with "bad company". Athletes that don't have limits. I had the pleasure of getting together with my pals from tent 127 in the 2013 Marathon des Sables. We hadn't seen each other in a year but it was like yesterday. We had a blast.
If you think about 53 miles, double marathon plus a wee bit, you wouldn't do it. Especially if you look at the profile of Milngavie to Tyndrum - some big climbs and as I found out, some harder decents!
Loads of nervous excitement at the start. I wasn't going to run with my MdS pals as they were too fast. But I bumped into a running partner and we were the same pace. So David ran with me for the first 5k but wasn't feeling well so sent me on my way. I thought he was finished. 2k on there was a girl playing a fiddle in the middle of nowhere and everyone seemed to pick up their pace. This was giving the overseas competitors a flavour of the fling - a great advert for Scotland. 3k later I meet a runner with an ironman tattoo and we got chatting. This was a lucky break. Will and his friend John were up from England and didn't know the course. I knew 3/5ths of it and had run ultra marathons before so we decided to run together. We kept each other going and I can honestly say that the "chimp" didn't make an appearance because we were supporting each other. I may have met other people on route but meeting Will and John was fantastic - thanks guys.
It sounds ridiculous but this race is all mental I.e. In between your ears. I had planned every step, every stage, every food stop and hoped it would go to plan. Therefore I knew the pace I needed to run to achieve my target of 12.30 - 13 hours. But in truth I had no idea if it was possible. So much could go wrong like the girl who "face planted" a rock and broke her jaw in 5 places. With help, she ran on to the next checkpoint along the most technically difficult part of the course - respect.
I had planned my food stops but as time went on it became difficult to eat. I started to dig deep into my reserves. My body began to ache but we kept pushing on. The encouragement from the Marshall's was incredible. The supporters cheered and at times it was quiet emotional. Getting close to the end was really tough but the steep downhills on shattered quads was excruciatingly painful. It was as though I had no control over my legs.
1 mile out I tripped, again, over a rock and my hamstring took the strain. I had told Will and John early on that they should picture the finish line picture in their heads. As we approached we agreed that we'd run across the line together holding our hands up in the air. As we ran down the red carpet we joined hands and raised them above our head. 20 metres to go and someone shot me in the hamstring with a rifle! Bang! I almost collapsed but my new best pals were strong buggers and kept my arms in the air as I struggled to get across the line - hamstring gone. Greeted by the medics, carried to the tent, leg iced, foil blanket on and hot soup followed by beer. The ATHlete president Mark Russell ran around like my personal butler making sure I was ok - thanks Mark. Later I limped to my accommodation and curled up in my foil blanket feeling like shit. Shivering like a slapped jelly. My MdS pals delivered my clothes, I had a shower, followed by food and beer. Even better David who looked like death warmed up at 5k made it in 30 minutes after me - respect. And my pal, type one diabetic Roddy Riddle had his insulin pump fail after 18 miles and survived on water only while beating me by 90 minutes - respect. There are so many amazing stories in this race I really haven't scratched the surface. But what I do know is that it's amazing what you can do if you dare to try. For me it's a major achievement. I very deliberately treated it as a long training day (thanks Gen & Colin for that advice years ago) with fabulous scenery. A fellow ATHelite And relay runner John Young passed me at 24 miles and said I looked fresh. Thanks for that but maybe if I'd known it was 24 miles I would have shown it. And to answer your question, my time was 12 hours 16 minutes. I'm suitable chuffed. But the highlight for me was the journey. Thanks for your support. Now pass me the fucking wine. 😃
Who considers running a 53 mile race? One that is in the top 10 hardest unsupported races in the world? Well that's what happens when you hang out with "bad company". Athletes that don't have limits. I had the pleasure of getting together with my pals from tent 127 in the 2013 Marathon des Sables. We hadn't seen each other in a year but it was like yesterday. We had a blast.
If you think about 53 miles, double marathon plus a wee bit, you wouldn't do it. Especially if you look at the profile of Milngavie to Tyndrum - some big climbs and as I found out, some harder decents!
Loads of nervous excitement at the start. I wasn't going to run with my MdS pals as they were too fast. But I bumped into a running partner and we were the same pace. So David ran with me for the first 5k but wasn't feeling well so sent me on my way. I thought he was finished. 2k on there was a girl playing a fiddle in the middle of nowhere and everyone seemed to pick up their pace. This was giving the overseas competitors a flavour of the fling - a great advert for Scotland. 3k later I meet a runner with an ironman tattoo and we got chatting. This was a lucky break. Will and his friend John were up from England and didn't know the course. I knew 3/5ths of it and had run ultra marathons before so we decided to run together. We kept each other going and I can honestly say that the "chimp" didn't make an appearance because we were supporting each other. I may have met other people on route but meeting Will and John was fantastic - thanks guys.
It sounds ridiculous but this race is all mental I.e. In between your ears. I had planned every step, every stage, every food stop and hoped it would go to plan. Therefore I knew the pace I needed to run to achieve my target of 12.30 - 13 hours. But in truth I had no idea if it was possible. So much could go wrong like the girl who "face planted" a rock and broke her jaw in 5 places. With help, she ran on to the next checkpoint along the most technically difficult part of the course - respect.
I had planned my food stops but as time went on it became difficult to eat. I started to dig deep into my reserves. My body began to ache but we kept pushing on. The encouragement from the Marshall's was incredible. The supporters cheered and at times it was quiet emotional. Getting close to the end was really tough but the steep downhills on shattered quads was excruciatingly painful. It was as though I had no control over my legs.
1 mile out I tripped, again, over a rock and my hamstring took the strain. I had told Will and John early on that they should picture the finish line picture in their heads. As we approached we agreed that we'd run across the line together holding our hands up in the air. As we ran down the red carpet we joined hands and raised them above our head. 20 metres to go and someone shot me in the hamstring with a rifle! Bang! I almost collapsed but my new best pals were strong buggers and kept my arms in the air as I struggled to get across the line - hamstring gone. Greeted by the medics, carried to the tent, leg iced, foil blanket on and hot soup followed by beer. The ATHlete president Mark Russell ran around like my personal butler making sure I was ok - thanks Mark. Later I limped to my accommodation and curled up in my foil blanket feeling like shit. Shivering like a slapped jelly. My MdS pals delivered my clothes, I had a shower, followed by food and beer. Even better David who looked like death warmed up at 5k made it in 30 minutes after me - respect. And my pal, type one diabetic Roddy Riddle had his insulin pump fail after 18 miles and survived on water only while beating me by 90 minutes - respect. There are so many amazing stories in this race I really haven't scratched the surface. But what I do know is that it's amazing what you can do if you dare to try. For me it's a major achievement. I very deliberately treated it as a long training day (thanks Gen & Colin for that advice years ago) with fabulous scenery. A fellow ATHelite And relay runner John Young passed me at 24 miles and said I looked fresh. Thanks for that but maybe if I'd known it was 24 miles I would have shown it. And to answer your question, my time was 12 hours 16 minutes. I'm suitable chuffed. But the highlight for me was the journey. Thanks for your support. Now pass me the fucking wine. 😃
Friday, 25 April 2014
Calm before the storm
When I was planning my 2014 season my "A race" was the 10km swim in September. A worthwhile challenge I thought. But as time went on I realised it was too far out with nothing in between. That's why I decided to run the 53 mile Ultra Marathon The Highland Fling which is now less than 24 hours away. I am so glad I did put this in the diary as it has meant a serious winter training schedule which I wouldn't have had otherwise. I'm in good shape and it will be the platform to build on for the other races I have entered which are all before my "A race".
But now is the calm before the storm. The trainings done, I've followed my nutrition plan, my Heart Rate Variance scores have been improving daily this week so all I need to do is pack my kit, carb load tonight and try to get some sleep before my 3.30am rise.
I have a race plan in my head but am experienced enough to know it can go "tits up" at any time and it's how you react at this point that will determine the outcome. The exciting part about going this distance is it takes you to a place you don't visit very often. The hurt locker will be visited, dark crevasses in my mind will be explored and my mental toughness will either make or break me. It's not every day you face those kind of challenges and I am looking forward to it because it's been a year since I have been there.
I'd just like to thank everyone that follows my blog or tweats. It means a lot to me that you take an interest and sometimes get inspired to push yourself to new limits. Thanks to my fellow training partners and ATHelite members who are a constant source of inspiration and support. And finally to my long suffering family for all the hours I spend training, talking about training, talking about races, talking about food and the endless soggy lycra that needs washed! Thanks for your patience and support. You know I'd be a complete pain in the ass if I didn't take part in these challenges and it has raised a lot of money for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres along the way. See you all when I get back from Tyndrum! :-)
But now is the calm before the storm. The trainings done, I've followed my nutrition plan, my Heart Rate Variance scores have been improving daily this week so all I need to do is pack my kit, carb load tonight and try to get some sleep before my 3.30am rise.
I have a race plan in my head but am experienced enough to know it can go "tits up" at any time and it's how you react at this point that will determine the outcome. The exciting part about going this distance is it takes you to a place you don't visit very often. The hurt locker will be visited, dark crevasses in my mind will be explored and my mental toughness will either make or break me. It's not every day you face those kind of challenges and I am looking forward to it because it's been a year since I have been there.
I'd just like to thank everyone that follows my blog or tweats. It means a lot to me that you take an interest and sometimes get inspired to push yourself to new limits. Thanks to my fellow training partners and ATHelite members who are a constant source of inspiration and support. And finally to my long suffering family for all the hours I spend training, talking about training, talking about races, talking about food and the endless soggy lycra that needs washed! Thanks for your patience and support. You know I'd be a complete pain in the ass if I didn't take part in these challenges and it has raised a lot of money for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres along the way. See you all when I get back from Tyndrum! :-)
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Mind working overtime
It's been a year since I took part in any event, never mind a major event. So I had forgotten the feeling in the build up. The FB section of the Highland Fling has become very busy with nervous and excited runners posting how they are feeling, their apprehension, injury niggle, asking for last minute advice or just looking forward to meeting up with 800 likeminded nutters!
I took my last run yesterday which was a short 8 km but felt good. This is just to remind my legs not to retire. But I read last night it's worthwhile going a short run (5k) the day before and on thinking about it I definitely will because it's a struggle resting!
What I had forgotten about was the mental games. My mind doesn't seem to want to stop thinking about race day. Last night I was looking up websites with details of the route and tried to estimate my time. There was one sight that gave estimated times for the various sections and at one stage the speed goes to slower than walking! That is up the side of Loch Lomond where I "hit the wall" weeks ago and it is very tricky - even trickier because I will have 30 miles in my legs at that stage.
As I tried to get to sleep my mind was working overtime telling me not to start too fast, walk up Conic Hill and take my time on the way down or I'll have no quad muscles left and will be crawling at the end of the race. Mentally I must get into the "it's a long day out in the most beautiful scenery in the world" zone and on one hand ignore the time, but at the same time not to let time fritter away at water/food stations. I find it funny that the organisers have arranged the prize giving for 5pm (it starts at 6am) and a large chunk of the runners will still be out on the course - me included!
I will work on light yoga in the mornings this week to keep my muscles in good shape and have a sport massage today to iron out any knots that need a bit of encouragement.
Tonight I have a business function to go to which involves whisky tasting. Much as I like a whisky I won't be letting any of it past my lips but will give it a good sniff. I've been on the wagon since Saturday to make sure I am in the best shape possible but will play catch up at the Ceilidh after the race finishes. That should loosen the muscles off a bit!
I took my last run yesterday which was a short 8 km but felt good. This is just to remind my legs not to retire. But I read last night it's worthwhile going a short run (5k) the day before and on thinking about it I definitely will because it's a struggle resting!
What I had forgotten about was the mental games. My mind doesn't seem to want to stop thinking about race day. Last night I was looking up websites with details of the route and tried to estimate my time. There was one sight that gave estimated times for the various sections and at one stage the speed goes to slower than walking! That is up the side of Loch Lomond where I "hit the wall" weeks ago and it is very tricky - even trickier because I will have 30 miles in my legs at that stage.
As I tried to get to sleep my mind was working overtime telling me not to start too fast, walk up Conic Hill and take my time on the way down or I'll have no quad muscles left and will be crawling at the end of the race. Mentally I must get into the "it's a long day out in the most beautiful scenery in the world" zone and on one hand ignore the time, but at the same time not to let time fritter away at water/food stations. I find it funny that the organisers have arranged the prize giving for 5pm (it starts at 6am) and a large chunk of the runners will still be out on the course - me included!
I will work on light yoga in the mornings this week to keep my muscles in good shape and have a sport massage today to iron out any knots that need a bit of encouragement.
Tonight I have a business function to go to which involves whisky tasting. Much as I like a whisky I won't be letting any of it past my lips but will give it a good sniff. I've been on the wagon since Saturday to make sure I am in the best shape possible but will play catch up at the Ceilidh after the race finishes. That should loosen the muscles off a bit!
Saturday, 19 April 2014
Light training
It's now 1 week before the onslaught of the Highland Fling. 53 miles from Milngavie to Tyndrum up (and I do mean up!) the West Highland Way. It's at this stage your training becomes light as you try and rest you body, let it recover from the hard training but don't let it think you've finished or it will shut down for a holiday along with your brain.
On Friday I headed off to do one lap of Chatelherault - hardly even a warm up so I ran it 4 minutes faster just to make it a bit of an effort but not too tiring. The sun was shining through the trees and I saw my first bluebells - beautiful. In the next few weeks I expect the place to be covered in them and I'll walk round as part of my recovery from the 'fling and get some pictures.
But the day was so nice I decided to venture out on my bike for the first time this year. I went out for just an hour but that was plenty for my first ride. I could feel the different muscles working but I didn't push it. Getting out on the bike on such a glorious day was amazing and I will have 7 weeks from the fling to get bike fit as I have a 70.3 Tri coming up. I deliberately planned my season to start with a run focus, shift to Tri and finish with swimming (10km swim in September). That should reduce the chances of picking up an injury from doing the same thing all the time.
Later on I headed out for 13 holes of golf with my son. A bit of a warm down however I was tired when I woke up this morning and I won't be doing any training today in order to recover despite it being another glorious day. I have booked my sports massage for Tuesday to allow me time to recover from that before the race. Isn't life good when the sun shines? People smile more and places can be transformed. Enjoy it while it's here. 😎
On Friday I headed off to do one lap of Chatelherault - hardly even a warm up so I ran it 4 minutes faster just to make it a bit of an effort but not too tiring. The sun was shining through the trees and I saw my first bluebells - beautiful. In the next few weeks I expect the place to be covered in them and I'll walk round as part of my recovery from the 'fling and get some pictures.
But the day was so nice I decided to venture out on my bike for the first time this year. I went out for just an hour but that was plenty for my first ride. I could feel the different muscles working but I didn't push it. Getting out on the bike on such a glorious day was amazing and I will have 7 weeks from the fling to get bike fit as I have a 70.3 Tri coming up. I deliberately planned my season to start with a run focus, shift to Tri and finish with swimming (10km swim in September). That should reduce the chances of picking up an injury from doing the same thing all the time.
Later on I headed out for 13 holes of golf with my son. A bit of a warm down however I was tired when I woke up this morning and I won't be doing any training today in order to recover despite it being another glorious day. I have booked my sports massage for Tuesday to allow me time to recover from that before the race. Isn't life good when the sun shines? People smile more and places can be transformed. Enjoy it while it's here. 😎
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