On top of the world

Pain and suffering before gain and achievement.  That's how I finished last weeks blog.  It's fair to say I had a lot of pain last week.  I couldn't walk properly till Thursday, I just wasn't in control of my legs due to the DOMS from Saturdays repeats of Tinto!  I had a hot Epsom salt bath every night for 4 nights and had to drop my gym sessions as I literally couldn't bend down.  It didn't stop me running 3 times during the week before my longer runs at the weekend.  In total this week I have run 56 km which includes 19km in the mountains.
All this was possible due to a massage on Wednesday.  Rhondda worked very hard just to access my quads which had a "field force" in place and needed a lot of encouragement to let her have access.  She said she'd never seen my legs so tight.  To say it was painful is putting it mildly. There was nothing pleasant about the massage and even the "cupping" that she did was uncomfortable.  When I woke up the next day I felt my legs were working normally and I had no pain.
But the highlight of the week was my run in the mountains with my pal Michael Martin.  Not only does he pick good routes, he makes sure we are safe and takes terrific photographs at the same time.  I have been missing the mountains so much.  It's my happy place.  Being out in the wilderness with a pal and in stunning scenery is a privilege and I don't take it for granted.  There was snow above 700m so we had to cross snow fields and be careful when near the ridges.  You could be running with your foot sinking 6 inches and then suddenly you were up to your thigh.  Due to the snow conditions we had to alter our route slightly which meant a monster climb straight up hill to the second summit.  My legs knew they were getting a good workout but this was the type of gradient that I will be experiencing in Romania, so good practice.
On the second summit it was like being on top of the world.  We could see all the major snow covered peaks in a 360 degree view and there was no noise other than our breathing.  That makes the climbing worthwhile.  Getting to the summit where there are only two of you and you take the time to enjoy the views and the peace and quiet is bliss.
The descent was technical and slippy so it wasn't quick.  It would have been easy to have fallen so the poles were working overtime.  Eventually we arrived at the forest track and I didn't bother asking Michael how far we had to go to get back to the car.  What's the point?  It is what it is so I was prepping my mind for race conditions and just thought about finishing strong so we started running as the track was ok under foot.  There was a nice little uphill slope right at the end and when I finished I knew my legs had worked hard, but were in good condition.
When you are on the mountains you need to be careful so I had all my gear in case of an emergency such as waterproofs and a survival bag.  I had food with me and water was in plentiful supply from the rivers where it was crystal clear and cold.  It's lovely to drink the fresh water and made me feel at one with nature.
I woke this morning and my legs were great.  Todays run was a 16km slow heart rate run with my target HR 126-132 which isn't easy to achieve.  It was a hilly route so I did go above the target but was very happy with the outcome.  To make the run easier I replayed some of my favourite runs in my head from the mountains in the past.  This has a double benefit.  It makes me want to get back to the mountains to experience the same feeling of freedom and at the same time, makes the run pass quicker.  I floated round my run today and loved every minute of it with no pain in my legs - it was over before I realised it.  So last weeks "kick start" at Tinto has worked.  
My coach wants me in the mountains for the next 4 weeks in preparation for the Inverness 125X Ultra so hopefully the weather will be kind to me.  We are so blessed living in Scotland and having this magnificent "play ground" in our back yard.  Get out there and get on the mountains, but be safe.

Welcome the pain

It's been an amazing week with a mix of different training.  I'm preparing for a 125 km ultra over 2 days in 56 days time and building the mileage in my training runs.  I've also included a couple of quicker sessions just to remind my legs about speed.  They have been fun and the target was to get my heart rate over 160 and as my fitness is better, this isn't easy in a short run.  Funny really as a couple of months ago I couldn't get my heart rate below 160!  I was away on business in Belfast and had a lovely run along the river Lagan where it was a steady start followed by an increase in pace to get over 160 bpm.  It was my fastest run so far this year averaging 4:51 min per km, but I never got my HR over 156.
Contrast that with Saturdays challenge which was a real "mind f@@k".  This was my first hill session but the weather isn't good enough to get into the mountains, so I went down to Tinto Hill which is 711m high.  It's a bit  of a wolf in sheep's clothing as there are a few steep sections but when your target is to summit it 4 times in a row, you can understand why it's a mind f@@k.  Add to that the appalling weather, I needed full waterproofs to protect against the rain, sleet, snow & high wind.  As I set off from the car park the rain then snow was smacking me in the face and I was talking myself down from 4 summits to 2.  But I convinced myself that these were the perfect conditions to retrain my mind to "suffering".  I could either be miserable and give up or I could remain in my "bubble" and welcome all the weather that was being thrown at me as I power walked my way up the hill and ran down in tricky conditions under foot.  When I passed people for the second or third time they shouted encouragement like; "your mental but good on ya mate!".  All comments helped keep my spirits up and I also imagined my friends were also running with me so I didn't feel so lonely. 
I was using my new poles but on the last ascent my triceps felt every pole plant - more pain.  4 hours 31 minutes later with over 2,000 m and 28km and I was done - really done.  The last summit was so tough and I had to be extra careful coming down as my quads we shot to bits and my legs a bit out of control.  It will take me a few mountains before this pain won't exist but  I've been here before.  Getting out the car when I got back home was hilarious as I staggered into the house and fell into a hot bath.
This morning I had a 15km heart rate recovery run and my pal Stu kept me company and helped with the pacing so I could meet my HR target - 126-132 bpm.  Every step hurt my quads.  To make it more bearable I imagined that the pain I felt with each step was like getting a sports massage and that it was benefitting my quads.  Again more "brain training" to get me through something that was  painful/boring/uncomfortable. It's a large part of the training as I'll be in a lot more pain in my first race.  My mindset is that I welcome the pain and when you do multi-staged days you know that when you start each day there will be pain.  I welcome the pain because it means I am closer to achieving my goal.  If I'm not in pain then it's obviously early in the race.  Multi-staged events don't happen without suffering so to prepare for them you have to put yourself through the pain as part of your normal training.  With the weather improving I'll find myself in the mountains with my friends who will motivate and inspire me to keep pushing the bar higher.  My training base has been excellent and now it's time to step it up and welcome the pain that will bring which means I'm nearer to my goal.  In the end, like all things that are tough to achieve, the only question that matters is "how bad do you want it"?
Pain and suffering come before gain and achievement.

Age - it's just a number

From the day we are born, we're one step closer to death.  It's what you do with your steps that matter and if your lucky you'll live to a "ripe old age" having enjoyed good health and happiness - not dribbling in a nursing home!  At this point you're probably wondering what "I'm smokin", but I'll explain.  Maybe it's because I turned a significant age in December that I seem to know more people that are dying.  The other day Shane Warne the cricketer died at age 52 of a heart attack.  I don't follow cricket but he was such a mega star that I remember him at the height of his career.  I can't comment on how healthy his lifestyle was but it just serves up as a reminder that we're only here for a short time so make the most of it.  I do firmly believe that being active gives you the best chance of a healthy life but that doesn't mean running the distances that I do.  Regular walking and some yoga will keep you ticking over nicely.  
Yesterday I was at a friend Colin's 50th.  Half a century!  He's as fit as a "butcher's dog" and still behaves like a teenager which I think is part of the secret of keeping young.  Todays 50 is yesterdays 30!  When I think of my parents and their friends, there was no way they were as fit as my 50 year old friends today, nor did they have the youthful outlook with stretching goals which takes a lot of commitment.
This youthful approach is helped if you surround yourself with people who set the "bar high".  Yesterday I brought a significantly younger pal Chris along for the run.  Introducing a youngster to the group had the predictable effect, we all pushed harder than normal.  I got dropped off the back and with my max heart rate  of 207 and average 187, I felt terrible.  I was blaming my age and the few extra glasses of wine I had the night before until I looked at my data once the run was over.  I was 24 seconds per KM over 15 km - no wonder my heart rate was so high!  I was pleased with those results.
This morning was a beautiful spring day.  Zero degrees, no wind and the sun was shinning.  My target was to do a pacey 12km so I headed out determined to hit the target set.  It was a brilliant run and when it got tough on the hills, I just imagined my friends were running slightly ahead of me so I'd work harder to catch up with them.  It worked as I did my quickest 10k and 12k of the year.  Not bad following Colin's 50th birthday party celebrations.
Age is just a number.  It's your mindset that matters. When I turned 60 I felt down about being "so old" however I've managed to reframe it and I'm grateful to have had 60 good years and hopefully many more to come as not everyone gets to that age.  Assuming I can stay relatively fit and healthy my goal is to run an Ultra Marathon at 80.  I'll be that "mad old guy" that the youngsters will point at as I toe the start line with them.  It will be the tortoise v the hare but it's not a race for me, it's a state of mind!  Spring is here, get out and enjoy the lighter days and the sunshine.  Your body and mind will thank you.

War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!

I very rarely allow politics or world events, over which I have no control, feature in my blog but I couldn't ignore Russia invading Ukraine.  Life is so precious and the people making the decisions that will kill hundreds if not thousands of people, will be safely tucked up in their bed at night while families are torn apart.  Why is it we do not learn from history?  It was the late  Edwin Star who sang War, what is it for?  Absolutely nothing.  He was spot on and I hope and pray from the citizens of Ukraine and Russia that a peaceful solution can be found.  
The song is also close to my heart as it was my "walk on" song when I started all this madness with a white-collar boxing event in 2008.  A sell out crowd in London, TV cameras and 3 x 1.5 min rounds and by the end I could hardly walk out the ring as I was exhausted.  Fortunately I lost which meant I have never entered a boxing ring again so I keep my straight nose!  It was brutal and I have nothing but respect for anyone who steps into the ring.  But I liked the fitness and 3 months later took part in my first triathlon and as they say, the rest is history.
This weeks challenges have been snow and alcohol.  During the week the weather was atrocious but I headed out onto the braes with a head torch on as the snow was falling and I was running through 4-6 inches of fresh snow.  The wind meant the snow was smacking me in the face and I regretted not having a buff with me which I usually do.  7 Ps springs to mind (piss poor preparation precipitates piss poor performance).  There's nothing worse than forgetting an item of clothing or equipment because it can be critical depending on the weather.  But despite being local, I still took the precaution of carrying a survival bag, a charged phone, waterproof trousers, jels and drinks.  It might sound like overkill but if I'm on the braes on my own and take a tumble it could be a while before anyone discovers me and I was literally the only person out that morning.  So think ahead and make sure you come fully prepared.
As for the alcohol challenge it's been a very busy weekend on the social front and I juggled my priorities.  A night out with "the boys" meant I had to "pace myself" so that my Saturday 8am 20km run would be ok.  I felt surprisingly good when my pal Stu turned up and with the last 4 km being uphill, I turned up the "burners" and finished strong.  An hour later I was heading to my next social function and paced myself again as today I had a 6.45am gym session followed by a 15 km where I had to run faster than normal.  Again I had a good run and my objective was achieved.  After the run I then went for a social walk with a friend for 6km.  I pigged out on food to replace the calories lost and now I'm resting, an important part of my training regime.  Once I finish my blog I'm going to close my eyes and have a cat nap.
How lucky are we that we live in a stable country and on a Sunday afternoon I can have a cat nap while my lamb is roasting in the oven.  Let's pray the invasion of Ukraine is resolved quickly  before too many lives are lost.  War is a stark reminder that life is precious and we should live in the present and squeeze everything out of life. This week appreciate everything, even if its snow smacking you in the face while running.   

My "bubble"

In August 2021 I didn't complete the Ultra Race Romania, a 6 staged 250 km self supporting race.  While there were many positives that came out of the experience, for which I am eternally grateful, the disappointment still lingers.  I have played it over and over in my head as to what caused my stomach to close down which meant no fuel could be taken onboard - end of race.  End of over a years preparation but one of the wins was I reached the start line fit and uninjured which is a result on it's own - you've got to enjoy that journey because you don't always get to cross the finish line. 
But this week I had a team of students, under the direction of their professor of exercise physiology, from the University of West of Scotland prodding me with needles & checking my core body temperature as I ran in their state of the art heat chamber.  The weather outside was pissing down with rain so I loved the heat chamber.
7 students were in the chamber with me as I walked and ran for an hour in 35 degrees heat and 40 degrees humidity.  I made sure I didn't over do it as this was my first session and the last thing I wanted was my HR to shoot through the roof.  That could have brought the testing to a halt.  So I set an easy pace and felt comfortable throughout - the students on the other hand were sweating and leaving the chamber to cool down - that amused me!  They were a great bunch of guys with a good pedigree in a variety of sports.  They were intrigued and asked loads of questions to try and understand what made this 60 year old relic keep taking on extreme challenges.  Everything went well and my HR behaved.  I haven't seen the data yet but I did hear them say I'd lost a kilo in sweat during the hour.  This is key to my hydration strategy in Romania in August.  But there are many more heat chamber sessions ahead and I am really looking forward to learning from them.
The KMs are building up as are the back to back runs.  Last week I ran five days in a row along with gym session and I could feel the fatigue building.  After the heat chamber I had a sport massage so the next day I felt knackered, but had gym work to do.  On Friday I had a complete day off and needed it.  I really shouldn't be surprised at the effect of the heat chamber but the more exposure I have to it, the better the preparation for Romania.  I am feeling the strongest I have ever been in my life which is down to the wonderful programme put together by my coach who knows just how far she can push me without me getting injured.
On Saturday I ran 18km at Chatelherault, my furthest distance this year.  It's a tough track especially when you have to wade knee deep through freezing water but 5 minutes later your feet are fine.  The key is the right socks that won't cause blisters and I've got that sorted.
Today the weather was once again rubbish.  So bad was the wind in rain that I was almost going to run on the treadmill in my gym.  What was I thinking?  I had a "talk to myself" and dressed properly and got into my "bubble".  My bubble is really important to me when I'm running in shit weather because when I'm in this mindset, I don't feel the rain and wind smashing against my face or the rivers running down the road going over my shoes and soaking me.  I'm oblivious to the conditions even when I'm almost at a standstill with the wind as I was today.  Only positive thoughts run through my head when I'm in my bubble like imagining you're having a conversation with a pal on a warm and sunny beach or the summit of a Scottish mountain.  It's a great technique when facing a hill, straight into wind with the water running down the hill and over your shoes.  Before you know it you are at the top of the hill.  Try it as it really works.
If you've ran a long distance, it's all relative so to some that could be a 10km, marathon or a multi-stage ultra, you need techniques to deal with the negatives thoughts than always come along - I've got my bubble.  It also works when you're in a group, or a meeting , where people  are being negative for no good reason and you don't want to be "drained" by it.  Just get into your bubble.  It's the best place to be.  Give it a try, there is no downside.  Have a wonderful week.

Build on a solid foundation

Having built a house recently, not personally of course, I know the importance of building on a solid foundation especially if you are doing a lot of the work in the winter when the elements are fighting against you.  There are no short cuts.  If the foundation is flawed then when put under pressure they will fail.  I was thinking about this as my coach has my training plan starting to gradually increase whether it be gym sessions, no. of repetitions, weights, distance of runs, back to back runs etc.  No sudden increases like doubling your run distance, but building on the foundations that were laid over the last 4 months 
If you ignore this proven method you will end up injured which sets you back and we're all trying to avoid that.  With my first race in 54 days time I can't afford time out for an injury.  The first priority is making it to the start line uninjured and if you have managed to peak your training at that point, that's a bonus.  But don't be injured.
The highlight of my week was a 5km run in London in a cold, blue sky winters day.  Again my coach adjusted my training to fit in with my work.  I couldn't run on Thursday, Friday was meant to be a no run day and I had a busy running schedule on Saturday and Sunday.  She restricted it to 5km just to keep me ticking over.  I planned an out and back route which took me across the Thames.  That's the wonderful thing about running that you can go "sight seeing" at the same time and as London isn't back to normal it's a nicer run.  I left my music off so I could enjoy the sounds of a city waking up.
It contrasted with two very wet runs this weekend.  I headed back to Chatelherault and ran a lap before my pals turned up for the second lap. It was nice to be back running in the forest but it was wet under foot.  Didn't help that I turned up in road shoes which shows how out of practice I am at preparing to run at Chatelherault.  Good to be back running with my mates.
Today was a tough gym session followed by an 11 km run and I was asked to up my pace for this session.  As I pulled into the carpark at Tollcross the rain was bouncing off the road but I had come suitably dressed.  Following a hard gym session, including a Stairmaster session, I headed out for a run. The Stairmaster is a bit mind numbing and tough but as my mountain running pal Michael said, Ben More doesn't have an off switch! I was delighted with my run despite the waterlogged route and the constant rain because my HR was bang on target.  I hope this continues.  It would have been easy to cancel this session but when you are being held accountable for every training session with people watching, you can't.  It was a question of getting my mindset right and go out and embrace the conditions.
I'm feeling stronger than I have ever been and also added a new race to my calendar, Salomon Ring of Steall in September as I enjoyed it so much last year.  It's only a month after Ultra Race Romania but I am aiming to be in good shape after a sensible season of training.  I'm confident in the next stage of "building" me for the goals I have set this year but always make sure you are building on a solid foundation.

Wild, wet and wonderful

January and February are my least favourite months of the year.  The lack of light, although it's getting better, and the miserable weather get me down.  This weekend is typical where I ran in 40 mph wind both days and on Saturday the pain of the rain in my face made me pull up my buff for protection.  Today it was snow that was battering my face as my feet waded through the slush on the pavements.  
It's a world apart from my adventures in the Sahara, the Grand Canyon, Tahoe and Romania.  All of which I was talking about to 4th year students at the West Of Scotland University this week.  Understanding what happens to an athlete when running in extreme conditions is part of their course and on 16th Feb I will be getting tested by them in their heat chamber!  I'm very excited and privileged to be getting this opportunity and it will help prepare me for my return to Romania in August.
But back to the wild, wet and wonderful weather in Scotland.  As this is the country I choose to live in, there is no point moaning about the weather.  I also believe that when you are sitting in your warm house or car, the thought of going out is worse than it actually is.  Once you're out you adapt to the conditions, assuming you are properly dressed - I ran with ski gloves on. My mindset is that I am running in a bubble which protects me from the elements.  I'm only out for an hour and even if it was 2 or 3, I set my mind and visualise what lies ahead of me.  I always carry a picture of my goal in my head, the finish line of URR, so when going through a horrible run in the wet, sleet, snow and wind, if I can picture the goal in the future then it make the discomfort more bearable.  We always forget when we were ill or injured and couldn't run what we would have given to be out of your sick bed, even if the weather was horrible.
But as I've said many times before being in your comfort zone doesn't allow you to develop and grow.  Putting yourself in stressful situations hardens you so that when it happens in a race, you can remember you did the "hard miles" training in miserable conditions.
Last week I talked about Nadal in the middle of his Australia Open final and he went on to win - just incredible. Yesterday, like a lot of Scots, I sat in amazement as Scotland struggled against England, then came back and hung on to win the Calcutta Cup for the 2nd year in a row and the last time this achieved was 40 years ago.  What both these incredible examples show is how the players had total belief in themselves and you can rest assured they'd have visualised their success in advance.  But they would have done the "hard miles" in the gym, on the pitch, on the running track to put them in a place physically and mentally where they could realise their dreams.  As long as you know what you want, can visualise it and are prepared to be patient, put in the hard miles you will realise your dream / goals. So get out in the wet and wind and have a wonderful time.  1 life, live it!