Cross Training

With good intentions I went on my much awaited family holiday to scorching Spain to enjoy a week of relaxation (interspersed with a bit of running) however I was not expecting the temperatures which sometimes hit 36 C.

That along with a nasty cut on the bottom of my foot made me review my training that week and it was decided that cross training was needed which comprised:

• Eating
• Drinking
• Swimming
• Sleeping

Suitably relaxed I think it is time for a few more training runs at some stage over the coming days

Kitted and packed up

As is the norm in the Smallwood household we are totally disorganised when it comes to holidays or outings this year being no different. Having only booked an annual holiday 10 days ago there was frantic action in the house as we dragged luggage from the attic, the washing machine and iron were on over drive.

The delightful Mrs S scowled as I ducked out for a last minute 11 mile run with Duncan returning muddy and wet after a brilliant run in which our feet made the decisions as to where to go which ended up never being more than 3 miles from our homes.

On my return I found that everyone had a pile of clothes ready for packing except me who seemed to have nothing but my running kit comprising:

• 2 x running tops
• 2 x shorts
• 1 x shoes
• 1 x Buff
• 1 x race vest
• 1 x Garmin 305 GPS

The exasperated Mrs S was not pleased so frantic activity resumed as I found clothes and shoes. 

Time to rest, eat and drink but also to get in some much needed runs along Spanish beaches and hills I can't wait.

Copy Cat

Even as a young school boy I was known for my running, in the last few years of school I was often seen running around the perimeter of the school fields. If anyone wanted to find me during a sports lesson all they had to do was look out across the football and hockey pitches to find me. The kids at school often ribbed me about my running style.

Now grown up I am aware that my short-stride gait is mentioned now and again, it has been called "Minimalist", "energy efficient" or just "plain strange". I remember a runner came up to me after a race and remarked that I seem to glide, small arm movements but then he realised I was running quite fast.

What ever this all means......it works for ME

In recent times I have made a point of running with newer groups of runners at the club and it was mentioned a number of times and I still find it funny that people do mention it.

Last nights run

After running to the club and helping Mike with chaperoning a new group of runners on their first road and trail run I joined a group who were to do about 7 miles at medium pace and by this time had 6 miles in my legs. Nice route but then I found myself going into the zone, my pace was up and I dug in leaving the group behind me in the last 1.5 miles. As I ran I was aware of someone behind me keeping to my pace, I wasn't racing, I was pacing just to have the opportunity to get some consistency in my stride. Soon I was by myself and finished happy shortly followed by my "stalker" and we chatted about the last mile or so and how her pace had improved, then she said it.....

"...I am amazed by the way you run, your short strides but you go so fast, I don't know how you do it so I tried to copy you..."

This was followed by me shouting "NNnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  way" but whilst flattered I was aghast that people would want to do this, this is the running style that suits me, you have your own :-)

Blood, Sweat But No Tears

A call on Facebook  for runners to join me early for a run on the North Downs bagged one, Michael, who was looking to do about 8 miles as he was recovering from illness I was happy with that as I looked to run additional miles afterwards.

Our biggest battle was the heat and we were promised 31 centigrade today so it was an early start of 6.30am which was a beautiful hour as the morning mist was still laying in the valleys and ditches. As per usual these days there was no route planned so we parked up in our separate cars in the centre of Halstead, Kent and just ran making the route up as we went. As we ran there would be a call like "Oooh I have meaning to run down this path" and we would.

I was wearing the Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab 5 Set which I had filled with 1.5 litres of water with Zero High 5 two products I am testing at the moment and was really glad I had for it was very humid today and we were soon dripping but it took me some getting used to using the tube as I am a bottle man normally. Conversation flowed for a fun filled 9 miles with Michael and on our return to the car cooled down and got into our cars, I had all the intention of going home but as I drove up the road I realised that if I was quick enough I could get to HEROS and get another run in

Next Run

As I whizzed up the road I approached the car park and I could see a group of runners chatting so I called out for them to wait and I jumped out, got my socks and shoes again and donned my race vest still doing it up as I caught up with them for another 8 miles of good natured bantered and jokes. However the heat was really up now into the mid-20's and I was now suffering  having been out in the sun for about 4 hours much to the amusement of some of the group who had been at the sharp end of my encouragement at the Mob match last week "What was that Jerry? It's a running race, not a walking race" I cared not a jot, I deserved the mickey taking :-)

Good 17 miles today, my legs and shoulders ripped to shreds by the bracken and nettles

Stort 30 entered

I have meaning to enter the Stort 30 for a little while now but have decided I need a shorter ultra to aim for as it allows a little bit of speed to be put in the mix. The Stort 30 is the 14 mile canalised section of the River Stort and it appears there is a short run to the navigation channel, we run the length of it, turn around and come back.

Nice concept to run a little known (for me anyway), historical part of England and be able to catch up with Lindley Chambers (I met and ran with him on the GUCR) and the organiser of the event, the infamous Naomi Newton-Fisher who has recently run her first few ultras and I look forward to the chance to run some of the route with her if possible, even Claire Shelley will be there at the checkpoints.

This promises to be a great event, flat, fast and hopefully near a pub for a catch up at the end :-)

Reprieve

The plan this weekend was to work....work all Friday evening and into the night, get up early Saturday and to work throughout the day with very little sleep, the culmination of 6 months work. I have reported tiredness and lack of training in recent weeks caused by this project deadline and Friday afternoon we were told that it was not going ahead...some stakeholder had a public tantrum and it was called off.

Every cloud has a silver lining for now I have a weekend free to shop for my vacation, get a much needed haircut, go out for a celebratory meal with my family (daughter got into university) and then something I have looking forward to....a long run.

I have said this before in blog posts prior to the running and then never got up to do it but this time I really fancy it just to get a stress break, test the new race vest and enjoy the North Downs

New Race Pack

Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab 5

In recent times when out on some trail runs I have felt the need not to run with my trusty Inov-8 12 litre backpack preferring a small bum bag or bottle belt. The problem is when I have a bum bag I have to carry a bottle and when I have a bottle belt I have no room for small personal kit. I have therefore been looking for a compromise and after recent reviews of some UltrAspire vests was in the market for something similar.

Yesterday I was approached by Ray from the running club and has asked me to try out and review a race vest and bladder combo the Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab 5 Set. I have picked the vest up and immediately in love with it. It has a 1.5 litre bladder (and additional side pockets for water bottles, loads of pockets, easily adjustable loops and when I hunted in the pockets found a spare removable pocket and a space blanket, even room for food and waterproof and a map.

This looks like an ideal option for long distance trail running and had I not been so exhausted this evening would have taken it for a run but will try it out at the weekend to allow me to put a review together.

Watch this space

The Mob is Back in Town

The plan today:

1. Get up at 5:45 am
2. Travel 100 miles by train from London to Southampton
3. Arrive at Southampton to fix stuff and assist with more stuff
4. Leave on train
5. Whilst on train have conference call
6. Get Home
7. Go to club and run a Mob Match

All went well until #5 when I discovered that I was now seated by a Hen Party and I had to abandon the call as they were too rowdy and had to get home to the idea of completing the call so that stuff could happen tomorrow. I looked at the clock and realised I had only 25 minutes before the race started so rushed to get my kit on and out of the door.

Boy was it humid!

What is a Mob Match?

This is when 2 or more groups of runners of opposing sides meet and run a set route competitively. First runner gets scored 1, second 2....fifteenth 15 etc. If Team A has 15 runners and Team B has 20, it is only the top 15 runners from each team that score. The lowest accumulative score is the winner, beer glasses are raised a small trophy exchanged and bragging rights remain for 1 year

The opponents were my club and my secondary affiliated club but rules stipulate that I have to run for my first affiliation.

The race to the start

Shoes on, back pack attached, club vest dusted off and Union Flag shorts flying high I scooted down the road, the stress and strain of the day flowing behind me trying hard to catch up but failing as I bounced and flounced through the woods to the start seeing marshalls already in situ calling for me to hurry up. As I stepped from the woods I saw a mass of yellow and black & white runners milling around and then a shout and the ran off, I was about 400 metres away and had missed the start. As I had not submitted my intention I chose to pull out as there is nothing worse than playing catch up. So I offered my services as a marshall and got sent to the "top of the hill" (Not really a hill but the highest point on the course) to cheer on the runners and point them in the right direction.

The race to the end

There go the show ponies, the wannabes and there go the improvers, then the starters every number counts all running with the same effort and resolve... the prize a cup of tea and a cake at the end, for the hard core a beer.

Last runner through I return to base and after a cuppa decide to miss the pub (in my rush couldn't find my wallet and couldn't stand my round) and go home, headtorch on and run the route by myself missing the return leg so to get home to enjoy the woods at dusk....I enjoyed that bit.

Number's Up

I still love it when a race or event number comes through the post or email to confirm that I have a place and today was no different.

Ducking into work, I had a 10 minute stand up meeting with my colleagues to decide a plan of action for the day and take responsibilty for various requirements and after quickly sneaked into my personl emails to see one stating:

Thank you for your entry.

 

Your Event No. is 97

 

"So what?" I hear you whisper under your breath Dear Reader  but today I was really chuffed and as my hands punched the air I had whispered "Yyeessss!" my colleagues gave me a strange look and carried on and I went about my work with a smile on my face.

I just love it when an event number is a Prime Number the White Cliffs 52 Mile Challenge has provided it

Electric Legs

Hot footing it to High Elms this morning with Duncan I was pleased to see that Peter was waiting however he was by himself so it looked as though it was going to be just us three. As is Peter's MO we started at 9.00am on the dot and he mentioned something along the lines of  "We'll start off flat and leave the hills to the middle" and saying this we then ascended a hill!

We were completely in the hands of Peter who mentioned 10-11 miles which we were both happy with but were probably not expecting the pace and I was soon heard panting and gasping in the early heat secretly wishing I had started at 7.00am. The recent rains and now the warm weather has caused the nettles and brambles to spring up and take over some of the lesser used paths and we were heard to whimper and squeal as our legs, arms and shoulders were being scratched and stung.

What is nice about the HEROS runs are the chance to learn some new paths and short cuts, I was really pleased also to learn of two new water taps that I have often run past and never knew they were there.

And so, after some very hot, sticky and hilly miles we returned to our cars pleased that we had been taken out of our comfort zones for a change.

When I got back in the car we mentioned the nettles and I mentioned that my legs were throbbing with so many stings and Duncan described it perfectly "It is like a mild electric shock running all over the legs"

What I was

As the Smallwood family prepares for their annual holiday to sunny climes beachware and kit have been pulled from cupboards and bottom draws to see if they are fit for purpose. I pulled out a particular favourite pair of Bermuda shorts I used to wear and thought I would try them on....I was shocked to find the result and how my body shape has changed after nearly 10,000 miles of running losing ~30Ibs (15kg)

Back to the Trail

Since my simple stumble jast Sunday that has caused some problems in my ankle I feel a little happier to run on it now but will make sure I am wearing my tried and tested trail shoes instead of product testing.

The injury was one of those strange ones where the pain could not be in a specific place and seemed to move to two or three places but there was a small amount of swelling in the front it was therefore necessary just to ice it and take NSAID to get the swelling down.

Texting Duncan we have decided that we will be running with the HEROS on Sunday for a nice gentle run starting at 9.00am...I am actually looking forward to it now after my drought in mileage.

Tiredness creeps in

On Wednesday I was working at the Olympics and my responsibilty had switched to Basketball, wow what a difference a day makes jumping from the hushed discipline of Artisitic Gymnastics to the raucous crowd and action of Basketball.

I was released from my duties at about 00:55 hrs, any chance of getting the last train gone so had to get to a night bus, something I last did about 25 years ago but was pleasantly surprised that there were no drunks on board! I got home at about 1:55 hrs but found that the days events left me wired and so finally jumped into bed at 03:00 hrs. I arose at 09:00 hrs to the sound of the cats having a fight and Mrs S telling them off.

The day was a drudge, going to the bank to pay for the holiday, got some shopping, ate some lunch on the sofa....................

.......and then I woke up, 3 hours had passed and I had fallen fast asleep! It appears that during that time our family cat had got stuck up a tree and my daughter had attempted to wake me, she had prodded me, shook me and clapped her hands, giving up to rescue the cat. She commented that I was almost comatosed but snoring like a trooper rolled up on the sofa. Having woken up I trudged around the house, listless and drained such that a training run was right out of the window.

It appears that working 18 days with only 2 days off, working last, doing two jobs has paid its toll on me...I am looking forward to my holiday.

Next Challenge

The next one is becoming real and I have just sent off the entry form, this one being the White Cliffs Challenge which is a 52 mile downland run. It starts in Deal, Kent and takes on a  looped route around the area.

This may be old news to some of my Dear Readers but I have not made a big show of this one as my Olympic's work has been my big focus in the past months although I have mentioned it on my Events Page. This is not going to be a flat out run as we would like to just get out there and enjoy a good solid LDWA event and get some tough mileage under our feet. As it primarily a walking event it has been opened up for runners so the cut off of 22 hours is not focussed on us but not made easy with about 4 hours of darkness at the end due to the vert late start of 12 noon!

Christmas has come early

I am in a state of shock, my mouth is agape and I am stunned in to silence... a rare moment says the Delicate Mrs S.

Why? How? I hear you shout Dear Readers. I was contacted via our running club web forum asking for volunteers test various running kit from sports gels, drinks, shoes, clothing, GPS watches and torches. I put my name forward to have a look at some shoes and maybe a head torch. It was on my return from Olympic duties that I saw an email from Ray begging for people who volunteered to please come and collect the kit as his mother couldn't move in her house there was so much of it.

I called up and on arriving my jaw dropped, it was like an Aladdin's Cave with boxes, bags, bottles and kit everywhere and already 10 people had arrived for kit and there was still more, I was taken to my own enormous pile of kit:

1. Inov-8 x233 shoes
2. New Balance 880v2 shoes
3. Adidas Response Cushion 21 shoes
4. Sport gloves
5. Polar RCX5 GPS watch
6. Silva Trail Runner headtorch
7. Adidas running tights
8. Piles of nutritional drinks and gels

Now I have the great joy of testing this stuff which is going to be great fun as I have a few good training runs both short and long to get to grips with it all and write the reports. What amazes me even more is only the GPS watch and torch have to go back!

Second star to the right, and straight on till morning

Up like the lark this morning I hauled my sorry arse about 2 miles to my meeting point with George and once there we made a general route in our head with the agreement I was back no later that 10.45am to get ready for my Olympic duties.

A tried and tested route to start with which was made difficult by new fencing and the recent rains causing undergrowth to have grown out of control causing scratches to my neck, arms and legs, topped by a few stinging nettles to add to the fun. George alive with tales of a new challenge for 2013 and his start of a campaign to get me to join him on some run with more than 100  miles on the clock...hmmm we'll see.

Not content with roads we went off on trail at a whim even taken untested paths and luckily finding ourselves on well trodden paths we had tried in the past when disaster struck as we tumbled through a field of rye, an innocuous twist of an ankle which began to niggle as we went into the last 5 miles.

Good 19 mile run today but as I had to get to London for my Olympic duties took painkillers for my ankle with a view of keeping busy and deal with any swelling when I got home this evening. 

Iced up and rested now it is not too serious but I will keep an eye on it for the time being as it is more a tendon issue that needs rest. 

Getting back out there

Today saw me have my first day off completely from either Work, Olympic work as a volunteer or both and I am absolutely pooped such that I feel really down that I have only run 30 miles in those 12 days.

I had a nice lie in this morning but was straight out dropping the family off to various places leaving me to do some heavy chores, go shopping with the Delightful Mrs S to then fall asleep on the sofa for 90 minutes this afternoon.

I have to just mow the lawn now and tomorrow will see me get up early to meet George at 6.45am for a 3-4 hour run somewhere locally but I have a feeling I am going to find it a little tough.

Short Term Focus

You may have read the Events tab above to note that I have put my name down for the White Cliffs 52 mile challenge...well I would have if the Delightful Mrs S hadn't hidden the application form somehow and in doing so stopping me send it off.

Having had a break from running from a week I had a nice 11 mile run with Bhundu and Rob on Tuesday evening enjoying the mud and trails of the local woods. Thursday proves as always to be be my difficult training run and having worked 10 solid days without a break it will be some mental toughness to get me out on Thursday evening...at present I have every intention.