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Thanks Rf, I "went through the mill," during yesterdays physio session, which included acupuncture with needles from ankle to top of thigh. I'm not sure if it has done any good, as the leg is very achy this morning. I haven't made another appointment yet, but the physio said to phone in a week to see if I needed more treatment. I think he feels that he has done all he can, but I'm continuing with the exercises, to see how it goes.
Still suffering from the lurgy but at least managed a 30 minute run in rather nice conditions this morning.
JB/Rf, I remember Seb Coe was another advocate of weight lifting, even though he was as thin as a rake.
Hope your lurgy is on the mend now JB.
Alice ran in the Clarendon Way Marathon on Sunday, just a week after the Berlin. She took 4.28 and the elevation gain was 2,435 ft, so very tough course. We went for an evening meal yesterday in an Italian Restaurant, to celebrate.
My knee is feeling a bit easier this morning, so hopefully, the acupuncture may have done some good. Off to the library in a short while.
Aquarius - lovely post in which many things chimed with me especially the terrain issues, eyes-watering and photographer! Sorry you missed the marathon record; at least it was fun and noble trying.
The weather was lovely here yesterday (for a while anyway) and I took advantage with a 45 min hilly run.
A longish car journey for me today which I'll hate but will enforce a rest day.
I was in the cemetery this morning. No, I wasn't sussing out a suitable plot for my old bones but rather doing hill reps up the sloping paths between the graves. They're only about 90yds so I ran 10 pretty fast (for me) with jog recoveries, and back home inside ½ hour feeling rather smug. My neighbour was just setting off to start work. I'd finished mine!
Its come over very dark and looks like rain on the way.
Aquarius, I don't think that the session with acupuncture was any more beneficial than any other. The insertion of the needles didn't hurt, but the physio advised that I would feel a numbness. He left them in for about 5 minutes, although it seemed longer, until the leg was numb. After he had withdrawn them, he started the pushing, pulling stretching etc.
Glad you completed the x country successfully, without putting your foot into a rabbit hole, or tripping over a root.
Sorry that you didn't break the world marathon relay record, but at least you all enjoyed it and I'm sure you will attempt it again.
Hope your physio session goes well, and good luck with the x cross country on Sunday.
JB, Alice and I both had pizzas, but she was obviously hungrier than me, as she had burned off so many calories, so finished hers much quicker than me.
Sounds like you are now over your lurgy, and hope you enjoyed your hilly run.
Rf, I remember the good old days when race organisers posted proofs of their photos so that you cold buy the originals, if the proofs were good. I've purchased many over the years, which are good to look back on, and think what happened to that fit runner. Nowadays, where the proofs are all online, I very seldom buy any. For a start they are ridiculously over priced, and the quality doesn't appear to be very good. What it has led to for me, is that photos ordered on line, are emailed and I upload them onto my gallery. I much preferred when they were posted already developed, as I could keep them in albums, or folders. It is too expensive printing them off, or getting a photo shop to print them off for me.
Your hill reps session sounds impressive. These are my favourites, and my club usually has one every week. I'm afraid it will be a long while though,until I'm able to do them again.
I'm going to book another physio session, but I'm afraid the physio is running out of ideas. I think he will probably arrange a referral, so that a more detailed examination can be undertaken. Probably an MRI scan to start with.
And commiserations to HS on continuing knee problem.
Still waiting for a physio appointment. I would certainly have got one quicker by going privately; but since there's no pain any more, I'll put up with the wait. Still swimming, gardening, walking (fast - so as to raise the heart rate). Didn't go to this week's spin class as I had a cold, but it seems to be clearing up so will be back next week.
I did go and get a massage, from a masseuse who seems to know what she's talking about. She gave the ankle - indeed, the whole lower leg and foot - a good going-over and gave me some good advice.
Aquarius, I wear varifocals and they did take a bit of getting used to and are not perfect in certain situations. But I also have a pair of tinted glasses made to my distance vision prescription, which I wear for running on sunny days, and get on well with those. You might try something similar (not necessarily tinted)? My father couldn't get on with varifocals, and preferred to have two pairs of glasses and change them over as necessary. I too find my eyes and nose stream in weather which is cold, wet or windy, or any combination of those three.
As expected, my physio decided to refer me to my GP, and has written a letter for me to take to him. I have an appointment Tuesday morning, which is very good, as I only rang up this morning. If surgery is required, and treatment under the NHS is many weeks wait, I will opt to go private, as I just can't wait that long, as I would probably never get back into running again
RF - funnily enough we too have a cemetery just around the corner and it would be superb for the sort of training you mention. However, I've never actually done it as I just wonder how the sight would be received by someone visiting their nearest and dearest's plot. (My mum's headstone is there, and I don't think she'd mind!)
Columba - I'm a member of the varifocals club too and I was warned that they might take some getting used to but I took to them straight away. I've also, like you, got tinted prescription versions but I'm only wear then about twice a year. Idiot!
Today would have been a good day for sunglasses. Absolutely glorious along our prom. I decided to do a medium distance run and managed 9 miles in 78:10 - a bit faster than I originally intended. Unfortunately my Achilles played up a little and that's enough to put me off a planned very hilly HM on Sunday. But - with no parkrun tomorrow (working) - I'm hoping to get back out on the flat on Sunday for a 'proper' long run.
I hope you are all doing well i haven't read the last posts as i have missed so many, however i hope you are all injury free now and progress is being made as we slip into Autumn. I know someone was doing the GNR so i hope that went well.
The mornings are so dark now, had to purchase a light and a whistle (for emergencies) but at least i can see the pavement/road now, i am looking forward to the clocks going back so we can have a bit more light in the mornings.
I will attempt to post a nice sunrise whilst i was running on my hols, seems so long ago now, but hey ho i will forward to next years.
happy running everyone!
JB, I hope it doesn't lead to surgery, but if it does, and I can run again, it will be worth it.
Your 9 mile run was a bit on the quick side, with a possible half marathon looming up. Hope the Achilles "behaves" and if you do a long run on Sunday, please run it slowly.
glo2, welcome back. Glad to hear that you have been running regularly.
Thanks for the pic of the sunrise, very nice!
A nice bright, sunny morning and a lovely day for a run. Wish I could do one. My knee actually seems to be improving slightly, as I was able to walk to and from the supermarket without too much discomfort yesterday. I'm a bit apprehensive about my Dr. appointment on Tuesday, but if they can get to the roots of my problem, then it will be worth while. I imagine that the knee will have to be x ray'd, or MRI scanned to ascertain what is causing the problems.
I'm looking forward to sometime in the future, when I'm able to commence my race reports again, and not bore you all with my aches and pains.
Aquarius, yes, I was quite surprised how undulating the GNR course is. I did not really have any problems with walkers or groups of runners, managed to keep going all the time.
Mok, I have had dogs most of my life, had my first one, a Dalmation, at the age of 11. It is always desperately sad when they pass on but for me, it is offset by the immense pleasure, love, and happiness a dog provides. My Charlie is only 5 so hopefully has a long and happy life ahead of him. Nemo is 10 and a half but still very fit and active, loves swimming and can still jump the fence around the lake to get into the water.
No races on the horizon yet, but seriously considering doing the Thames Marathon 14km swim next year now that John has completed it successfully. I will be slower than his 4 hours 9 minutes but am sure I have the endurance to complete it. H wants to do it again!
Then wasted 90 minutes watching a further instalment of England's brand of football dross!
DBI - that sounds like a very shrews business.
Glo2 - nice photo; good to hear from you.
Rf - if I could run like Ed W I'd be up at the cemetery every day. I might well use it for 'sharpening' when I turn my focus back to 5K after I get this marathon out of the way.
HS - you are still a very good guy to have around and so generous with your comments, advice and encouragement! And a problem shared..................
Hillstrider , hope they sort out your issues, it will help clear your mind and you can then focus on running.
Runningfox ,Not sure I would like to run in a graveyard, if I keeled over they would not have far to drag me tho !
Jb , my 18miler yesterday was at 9.00 a mile and the route was flat ,for some strange reason I struggled the last 5 miles and did not feel well when I finished !! Will do one more 18 miles this Sunday see how it goes.
A slight improvement with the knee. It clicked yesterday, and isn't as tight now.
DBIW, thanks! I hope John's operation is successful, so that he is able to run again. Does he have any idea how long he will have to wait after the operation, before he can start?
I wish you luck with the 14k Thames Marathon swim. The furthest I have swum is 5k which I have done twice in the BT Challenge. This was in a 25 metre indoor pool, which was obviously much easier than swimming in a river.
JB, a very good pace 18 mile run, but don't forget that in the marathon, there are still another 8 miles to go. Not trying to put you off, but to advise not to run the first few miles too quickly. You don't want to hit the wall between 18 and 20 miles. A good sign that you didn't have any problems with the Achilles or knee. Have you entered the Hayling 10 miler again. If so, sorry I won't be there to join you on the final sprint.
I've given up watching England men's football. I find that the standard of women's football has improved enormously, and is entertaining to watch when it is televised.
Thanks for your support. I'm always happy to give advice and encouragement based on my own experiences, but I'm not a qualified coach, so don't take everything I say "as gospel!"
Well done with your 18 miler. I really like that distance, running in the forest. I try to do several in my marathon build ups, with the maximum distance being 21 miles. I don't think it is necessary to do a longer run, unless one is an elite, as time on the feet is more important.
Aquarius - that all sounds pretty idyllic. What do they say about sailing? Something like standing under a cold shower tearing up £10 notes? Where I lived in Wales was right by an estuary and had a sailing club. Tried it once but not for me. Fancy your parkrun varying in length week-by-week. I wonder why that is? (Tectonic plate movement springs to mind!) On the weather: fear not! I'm told it's warming up (down South anyway) for the rest of the week. Looking out of the window though I don't think anyone has told the weather itself.
HS - at what pace would you run that final 21 miler?
A good idea, treating the parkrun as a cross country race.
JB, I suggest that you don't run your 21 miler any quicker than 10 minute miling. You will find it really easy up to your usual 18 miles, but will probably find it gets harder from then on. Don't worry, that is to be expected, and if you need to walk occasionally, that's ok. As I've said previously, time on the feet is really important, as you will be on them during the marathon, much longer than during training.
I kept my appointment with the Dr. this morning, and as luck would have it, she is also a runner, and therefore, sympathetic. She was pleased with the letter that the physio had written, which saved a lot of explanations. She examined the knee, comparing it with the other, and said that I would need an x ray. I'm going for it tomorrow morning, in the local hospital, so that is progress. The Dr. did say though that there was a possibility of arthritis, which was common in most over seventies, even for non runners.
HS, you are lucky to have a doctor who is also a runner, they tend to be more sympathetic and keen to help. Hope your x-ray today gives you some good news.
We went over to the reservoir yesterday and decided to try to run the same course around the reservoir as we did on that disastrous trail race we did in May. We did manage the full distance (7 miles) but walked along the dam wall section as the wind was so strong. I was quite pleased with this on top of my hilly parkrun on Saturday and coastal run and walk on Sunday. I'm still having physiotherapy on my sore right knee (tight ITB) but noticed yesterday (and Sunday to an extent) that my left knee is also starting to get sore. I iced both when I got home, but they are still a little sore today so I'll need to keep an eye on them.
*Warning - if anyone on this thread is still "knee injury free" it might be a good idea to jump ship now before you get infected.
Aquarius - I ran for about 30+ years without even a hint of knee problems, but a bike accident has left me with a bit of a legacy and it does 'complain' these days. Thanks for the clarification on the Garmin. I know that sometimes parkrun courses will be varied according to conditions. One of my local ones once completely changed venue from a twisty, narrow slow, course to a lovely fast few laps around a park. Anyone who turned up probably did their PB that day and my time still sits rather nicely near the top of the age category record - nice if somewhat fraudulent!
HS - thanks for the advice. I'll try to run the 21 slowly but I might not get down to the 10mm pace.
2 rest days for me followed by a 4 mile yesterday. I'll now run for the next 4 days including a parkrun on Saturday and the 21 miles on Sunday. I'll only have one more Sunday after this for a long run and then I'll be tapering. I am eating rather a lot right now so I might enter the marathon in (in boxing terms) a different weight category!
Aquarius, it was very windy here in the New Forest yesterday too. Sorry that you are still having problems with your knees, but don't do what I did, and race with a niggly knee. I had never had any problems at all with my knees in 35 years of running, and I believe that if I hadn't raced, I wouldn't be in the situation that I am now.
I arrived bright and early yesterday at the local hospital for my x ray, and believe that I was the first patient seen. I was very impressed with all the latest equipment that they have. My knee was x rayed standing up and laying on my side. I was advised that the hospital doctors would examine them and pass on their findings to my GP. This would take about 2 weeks. I've now got to wait patiently for the results,and necessary treatment.
JB, keep a careful eye on your knee. I don't think increasing your mileage will cause any problems, but based on my own experience, it was speed work on the track, that "kicked off" the problem, followed up by a hard pace 10k race a few days later. In my younger days, I trained twice a week on the track, and never had any problems.
I'm looking forward to hearing how you got on with your 21 mile LSD run, and whether you were able to maintain the same pace throughout.
I had 'one of those runs' yesterday. I set out to run 6 miles home after a popping out with Mrs JB. The trouble was that the entire run was into a breeze and I set out at a slightly too a brisk pace. After 5.5 miles I just conked out; my legs felt like lead.
This was a bit demoralising but (taking the positives) it was a useful lesson - you have to respect the distance, whether it's 6, 21 or (gulp) 26 miles.
Your point about knees is well made. One of the issues is the self-made trap - you tell everyone that you are doing an event (typically a marathon) and then train with injuries and turn up to the start line crocked. Then, given the exceptionally high 'completion rate' of marathon starters you spend the next 4 hours making it a lot worse. Funnily enough, my training partner is desperate for me to call the whole thing off - he was never fully committed and his training has been episodic. So I'd make one person very happy if I did drop out....................