It's beginning to feel a lot like winter!

I'm "back on the horse".  A 53km week of running despite still nursing some niggles.  But it's great to be back running.  Words fail to describe the joy of running.  The temperature has plummeted making each footstep precarious!   Fortunately I got new shoes designed for running on ice and they have kept me upright, so far.
One day it was -4 and despite wearing gloves my hands were like blocks of ice.  When I got home I was too cold to go in the shower and had to jump back into bed fully clothed until I defrosted.  But it's a fantastic time to be out there in the cold, crisp weather and getting longer runs as my fitness starts to get better.
My hammies have been behaving but 3 days ago after the run I struggled to get up the stairs.  For some reason my left leg wouldn't support my weight as I tried to climb the stairs - but it doesn't hurt when I run - granted the terrain is flat.  Today I was at the amazing Pamela, sport therapist, who worked her magic on my leg - bloody painful.  I need a few more treatments and for some reason my left leg hammy and IT band are extremely tight.  But after the treatment I was able to climb the stairs with no problems.  Tomorrow is a well earned rest day.
My training has been helped by running with on a regular basis with Beth.  We both push each other so there is no slacking when we are out for a run.  Whatever the objectives of the run are, we make sure we achieve them.  There are always times when you can't be bothered but when you are training together that never happens.  And she makes sure I do my stretching, yoga and gym work!  We have a very exciting season lined up and the training plan is being designed.  It will be a change from previous years and I'll provide more details in the coming weeks. Take care out there in the wintery conditions but do get yourself out and enjoy some fresh air.

Finding my mojo

You may have noticed a lack of posts over the last 3-4 weeks.  My apologies but I wasn't in the mood or to put it another way, I'd lost my mojo.  It happens from time to time and for me it was due to a recurring injury which meant I couldn't run.  I've been working hard at my yoga to try and help with my dodgy hamstrings but to no avail.  Therefore my training was restricted to some light gym work, yoga and swimming.  But I was missing my running.
I was also busy at work and achieved a lifetime goal of selling my business to set myself up for retirement. I'll be working on for at least two years but the pressure of running the business has been lifted and I can concentrate on the best part of the job, looking after my clients.  I can also start planning for getting a campervan and heading into the mountains with Beth, our favourite place.
A bit of celebrating took place and I also turned 61 so training wasn't high on the agenda.  A good excuse to rest my hammy.
On Friday we headed off to Loch Lomond for a few nights away and took full advantage of the surroundings.  On Friday we headed up to Ben More - it's about as steep a climb as you can get, 1,076 metres of vertical "stair master".  We even went through snow before the top but it was a good test of my hammy and it passed.
On Saturday we walked up Conic Hill which is half the elevation with less gradient.  I had a good "talk to myself" as I was climbing the hill as I realised my "frame of mind" was poor.  I was telling myself I was unfit which then lowered my expectations as to what I could do.  I was just coming through some injuries and was on my road to recovery so decided to "get out my puddle" and get back on track for URR in August.  When we reached the summit we ran down the other side and along the West Highland Way taking the total distance to 14km.  Towards the end of the run I was "in the zone" and running freely which felt amazing.  My talking to was showing results already.
This morning we ran towards Rowardennan along the shore of Loch Lomond as the sun rose.  Stunning scenery and a good leg warm up with 8km covered.  We are so lucky in this part of the world to have amazing scenery and mountains close to where we live.
So I have found my mojo.  By lunchtime I'd signed up for the Glentress half marathon in February and the Full Tilt 58km Ultra in June.  I had already entered the  Manchester marathon in April and have the Ultra Race Romania in August.  The icing on the cake is that Beth will be joining me on these races which will make training much easier as we can motivate each other as if you don't have a training partner, there are a lot of lonely miles ahead.
You can't be on form 365 days a year and your motivation will fluctuate, especially if you are injured.  But we know that when we are feeling fit we feel unstoppable.  Do take some downtime over the festive period but not too long as it's harder to get back on it.  Build it back slowly and get some races in your calendar.  It creates the focus you need. 

Let's not forget

Apologies for the radio silence at my end.  It's been a busy few weeks and getting the work, life, training balance has been hard.
I'm glad to report that after another adjustment by my chiropractor my hammy was good and I was building up the running.  I'd started working on slow running to get into HR zone 2, which isn't easy, but progress has been made.  Even today when I did 10KM at Chatleherault my average HR was 146 which I'm happy with as it's a tough track with 210m of climbing.  That includes not only running the "big hill" (I have a different name for it but it's not printable) and then not stopping to get my breath back.  My heart rate was about 152 at the top of the hill which was unbelievable.  But there was a sting in the tail and in the last 300m my left hammy started to complain so back to the medical team to repair me.  Perhaps I should have walked the BIG hill!
This will mean restricted training but there is plenty to do, just not running.  Gym, stair master, swim, yoga and turbo should allow me to keep my fitness up.
On more important matters, sadly Beth lost a very dear friend to cancer which took her from us far too soon.  We'll say our goodbyes in 8 days time but have the wonderful memories to remember her by.
So when running today through the beautiful Chatelherault on this stunning autumn day I took time to "smell the roses" as they say and realise just how lucky we are.  I got back to my car for 11am and stayed silent for 2 minutes to pay my respects to those brave soldiers who gave their lives so we could enjoy the freedom we have today. Let's not forget.

1 step forward, 2 steps back!

I started writing this blog in 2009 when I decided to train for my very first Ironman competition (Copenhagen) which I didn't think was possible to complete.  The first thing I did was check the cut off time which was either 16-17 hours and I didn't think I could make it but my coach at the time said I'd get sub 13 hours and he was right, by 15 minutes.  I'm typing this blog from my home office and hanging proudly on the wall is a picture of a much younger me going across the line with my three kids.  I really couldn't believe what I'd achieved at the age of 48 nor the journey it would lead to.  It took me a week to process the feeling of achievement but that opened up my mind to what could I really do if I just believed anything was possible.  
If you look back in my blog to then, I posted a blog every day about my training.  I'm sure at one stage I must have used the same title, 1 step forward, 2 steps back but this will happen to everyone when training.
I've really been under the weather since my 50km ultra in the Peak District over a month ago.  I've had nothing more than a cold but it has knocked me for 6.  In the training runs I have done my heart rate has been high, I have felt the top of my chest to be restricted and just out of sorts.  I have tried to tick over with running but it caught up with me yesterday.
I ran on the 16th (1st run back) 8.35km, ran 5km on 18th, joined the club for interval training on the 19th with a total of 9.32km, ran 9.55km around Chatelherault on Saturday and on Sunday was taking it easy when at 6.7km my left hammy gave me a sharp pain.  I was running with Beth and we decided to walk the rest so I didn't do anymore damage.  That was followed by a massage gun on my hammy and a hot epsom salt bath.
So 1 step forward with a good week of running without pushing the pace, and 2 steps back as I need to rest the hammy.  Frustrating but if there is a time of year for it to happen it's now when I'm not racing.  But rather than sit around I will head back to the pool and swim with a pool bhoy to take my legs out of it.  I'll also get to the gym and leave the hammy out for a few days.  I rather suspect it was going back to the "bands" that may have caused the issue.  It's amazing the muscle deterioration in such a short space of time - the gym will sort that but I need to be patience.
The most important thing is to keep a positive mindset and work out what I can do to continue my return to fitness and doing it in a way so as not to injure myself.  Part of keeping positive is trying to decide what races to enter for next year to help prepare me for my "A race".  But as I woke up this morning I felt that "man flu" had really gotten hold of my throat so here's hoping it's short lived.
In the overall picture my man flu and lack of training really isn't important.  There are friends out there fighting bigger battles and every day I appreciate just how lucky I am with my lot in life. so instead of complaining about 1 step forward, 2 steps back I'm going to see it as an opportunity to work out differently. Take care and grab life with both hands while you can.

Count your blessings

It won't surprise you to know, I'm a bad patient.  The last week wasn't fun.  I had no energy and a tickly cough I couldn't get rid of but fortunately it wasn't Covid.  As a result my first and only training session was on Sunday.  Despite having a tight chest, I couldn't sit around any longer I went out for a slow run.  It was amazing.  The sun was shining and the autumn colours were out in full.  I could smell the fragrant flowers in the parks and realised how much I had taken for granted in my runs while I was well.  It was an 8km run which was probably longer than I should have run but it felt so good to be back out in the fresh air.  I was paced by Beth who didn't push the pace although when I looked back at my stats, 5:20 per km was a great start.  When I got back home the thought of a warm down yoga session was the last thing on my mind but with a bit of encouragement, I completed it and felt better but tired.
Coming back after almost two weeks off isn't easy.  I've lost a lot of muscle and need to start to build my fitness and strength back again.  But not too quickly.  I took today off to let my body recover but I will be back at it tomorrow.
Everyone gets a cold or a virus and when it strikes you need to take time out and rest.  There are no short cuts and I'll have to be patient.  We take being fit and healthy for granted and this little set back has made me count my blessings.  I have my goals for 2023 and Ultra Race Romania is still my "A race" in August and every training session between now and then will have that finish line photo firmly in my mind.  Enjoy your health and if you are ill, be patient and let your body heal before working your way back, slowly.

Enforced rest

Last week I was talking about a change in my training but didn't predict a virus leading to a week of nothing.  I should have seen it coming as my heart rate during the Great Scottish run was very high - zone 5 for 1hr 22 min of the 1hr 47 min total.  I didn't feel good during the race but hopefully the antibiotics will get rid of the problem.  And then I can start to build it back up.
In the meantime I've been looking at various races for 2023.  There's no shortage, it's just a question of putting the most suitable races together to build up the Ultra Race Romania in August.  
I'm only human and will have times where I am ill but fortunately that doesn't happen too often.  What is important is that I don't rush back and over do it or take too long to get back. My body and head certainly haven't been in a good place in the last week so here's hoping I will be reporting good news next week.

Short and hard

As the years have gone on I've enjoyed "going long".  First in triathlon going from my first sprint to Ironman distance in two years and then 3 years after that tackling the "toughest footrace on earth" - the Marathon des Sables.  Ultra running took over and there's nothing I love more than a day in the mountains with a mix of power walking up, running the summits and pelting down the hills where the terrain allows.  But in my training there is a variety of running from short slow heart rate runs, to tempo runs or fartlek or negative split runs.  I need to do some speed work so that I'm not constantly jogging along.
While recovering in Portugal after the Ultra X race in the Peak District, I ran four times in a week and each time I picked up the pace.  Nothing too exciting but you need to remember I was recovering and it was 24 degrees.
When I got home, Beth & I decided at the last minute to run the Great Scottish Half Marathon but it was in a weeks time.  So I ran three times with the last one a fast, for me, 8km at 5 min per KM pace.  On race day I knew I'd need to do that for 21 km so it was a stretching target.  The race has pacers and I stayed with the 1 hr 45 min pacer but he tore off from the start line which goes uphill.  By the top of the hill I knew how big a challenge this was going to be.  My last race has been over 7 hrs and 22 mins including 2,000 m of ascent, but this was a hard short (relatively) effort on tarmac and I had my work cut out.  Unfortunately a pee stop meant I lost the pacer by joined back in and tried to keep a decent pace.  Beth had started 7 minutes behind and I knew she wouldn't be far away despite her fatigue.
The Glasgow half takes in stunning parks and I tried to enjoy the beauty of it while my heart rate increased beyond what I'd call comfortable - or even sensible for that matter.
I can't remember the last road race I took part in but this whole madness started with the Great Scottish 10km race in 2008.  When I crossed the line back then I walked back to George Square where the half marathon runners were lining up and I thought "really, how can you run twice that distance".  Since then my longest one day race was 73 mile in the Great Glen in 14hrs 40 mins and my longest continual race was 205 miles around Lake Tahoe which was 85 hours including sleep.
I have gone long and enjoy it more but have to respect just how tough the shorter distances are when you are running way faster than normal.  I was glad to cross the line in 1 hr 47 mins (5:05 min per KM) so only 2 mins outside my target.  I was even more delighted when Beth came in a few minutes behind me and with the fatigue she had in her body, that was an amazing achievement.
Short and hard has my respect and will always play a part in my training.  But I think I'll stick with the long miles where you discover a whole different world and find yourself.  
We are definitely in autumn now and my attention will turn to the gym for strength work, yoga for strength and flexibility plus breathing and cross training to give the legs a bit of a break.  A change in training is always exciting especially when you know the results will show up when racing next year.