Idiot ahead

I was out on my last long run before I go away and was in the last mile of a lonely 19 mile run approaching the local pub. Without warning, from behind a car a man in late twenties jumped up and did a loud roar, I leapt out of my skin but carried on thinking that was it but the [drunken] idiot carried on running after me still roaring, arms in the air.

I stopped, turned around to face him side on and told him "to go forth and multiply"...I still can't work out what was going on but he stopped as well and so I began to turn to run on when he started towards me. again Without thinking I stepped up to him grabbed his shirt front and raised my fist. This got his attention.... "OK OK mate I was joking" I reminded thim hat he was indeed not funny and I was not amused, let him go and ran off towards home, he did not follow and as I retreated I could hear his mates admonishing him in no uncertain terms.

I am still surprised by my reaction!

Tennis Ball

I have calculated that in the past 12 days I have foot travelled 106.6 miles (an average of ~9 miles a day) which is going some but I have been battling an injury/niggle to my left buttock muscle which has been very uncomfortable on trail hills and in doing so reduced my output. This all caused by my stumble at the 50 Mile Challenge.

I have tried to massage it, stretched it and had hot baths to try and relax it to no avail (No I can't afford a sport physio dear reader)

On my desk at work I have 3 tennis balls which I juggle with when faced with a coding conundrum ( Google "Juggle three of these and call me in the morning") but today I was having a bit of a problem with my back side and decided to sit.....yes sit on one of them, specifically putting it under my left cheek and move about over it. The pressure was intense but suddenly I found a particularly "lumpy" area and honed the ball in on that area... amazingly it smoothed out. Suddenly after a week of niggle in the butt I found it had loosened. All hail the tennis ball.

One for the trail

You have to sing this one with ALL the chord changes, it is up to you where!

Hung like a horse...

...fly

I was out on a run on Sunday when I had reason to run through some hip-high ferns and as I brushed past them I got a really sharp pain in my left thigh. It was more more than a normal nettle sting and stung like Hell, I pulled up and saw a small red hole in my leg that soon swelled up. I carried on but soon found that the swelling was now about 3-4 inches in diameter and made my thigh quite stiff.

At home I sprayed a load on anti-histamine on it and let the swelling go away. Same thing yesterday at the local park during speed training we had to run through tall grass and ferns to yet again get stung/bitten this time just above the knee, this time the swelling was horrible as it spread across my knee and quad.

Both the areas where the "attacks" took place near horse fields and bridal ways so it looks like this year is a year for horseflies and it looks like this runner has a reaction to them which has never come apparent in past years.

Surprise delivery

So the Ridgeway Map saga continues!

I rose from my bed about an hour earlier than usual today so that I could get to the Royal Mail Office before I left for work , the idea of getting that map in my sweaty hands was quite exciting.

Jumping into the car I parked up at the office gave my card in and the gentleman handed me a very thick A4 envelope, I paid my £1.15 excess charge and ran to the car to open the parcel....

I was beside myself, all that was in the envelope were four applications and race details of the Norfolk Ultra that I mentioned recently..if I do enter I am going to ask for my £1.15 back, bloody infuriating if you ask me.

I went to work miserable, all I wanted is my map. So what became of the pesky thing? As expected it arrived in a nice cardboard envelope that morning and after my run this evening I have had a lovely time reviewing the route.....it is going to be a toughy

It's a conspiracy

I am sure it is, for that I am sure Dear Reader. What is it now I hear you mumble under your breath?

On Friday evening I ran to my local camping shop and got there at 7.50 pm some 10 minutes before their supposed shutting time to get my Ridgeway map and was told that they had closed up the tills and would not serve me and was turned out of the door.

Whilst at the shops on Saturday I went to three map emporiums to be told they did not have it in stock...was I ever going to get this frigging map?

So I turned to the interweb and onto a well known site named (I assume) after a nation of women warriors from Scythia to see they had a load in stock to which I bought one. So I went to bed happy in the knowledge that my new Ridgeway map would be on my doorstep on Monday or Tuesday.

Alas no, I was awoken by the telephone on Sunday morning and on picking it up was met by recorded voice stating my name and that they were calling from Santander Fraud department. Continuing the one-sided conversation I pressed loads of buttons, listened to my previous 4 transactions (One being the map transaction) and confirmed all was OK.

NOW will I get my map? At least I hoped that was the case as the confirmation email was sent through.

All day today I was looking forward to the idea of getting home to find my map on the doorstep which would allow me the opportunity to start planning for real. I got home, rushed through t he door to find a letter from the Royal Mail

Unfortunately we can't deliver your item because there's a fee to pay

Grrrrr now I have to get up early tomorrow and collect the map from the post office and pay extra plus a "handling fee" of £1.15. Let's hope nothing else goes wrong tomorrow

Does it give you wings?

So I did the maths as I was wondering why I was feeling a little tired and to tell you the truth not really wanting to go for a run. It then dawned on me that , after my run today and in the last 8 days I had run 77.17 miles or just over 124 kilometres!

This is a ridiculous mileage and one I never thought I would be telling people about in such a matter of fact way. This was the reason I took a bottle of Red Bull Energy Shot with me today as an experiment to see if drinking a bottle would have any effect and was rather amazed, if not perturbed, by the result.

About 3 miles from home I felt a little drained and so took a glug of the Energy Shot and continued on, the caffeine soon hit my blood stream and it was obvious to me at that point it was disguising the perception of effort as I knew the trails very well here and I am normally huffing and puffing in certain sections and was now cruising up them...so pretty impressive my legs had new wings but....for only 2 miles when the effect wore off and I began to slow again.

So it sounds good, I can see why now you see competitors glugging cans of the stuff at races (is this legal cheating?) and then you read the label:

Recommended daily consumption 1 bottle. Do not exceed the daily recommended consumption

Playing with fire in my opinion

Six Inches

Today I celebrate the loss of 6 inches from my waist since I started running just over 3 years ago!

Just so you know

A lot of people are now asking "Where is the Ridgeway Jezza?" and so for those interested here is a basic map I found. It appears a lot of people do it from West to East but I will be running from Ivinghoe Beacon to Avebury.

Goring will be the half way point where there will be food available, let's hope it is hot.

It won't hurt you mate!

This is one of the sayings that really, really annoys me when uttered by a dog owner walking its charge in a country lane. These creatures are indeed hazards as they are unpredictable and intimidate.

Take this evening, I was running down a country footpath when I approached a small settlement of houses when I heard the tell tale "yap yap" of a terrier and the full on gruff bark of a Rotweiller, this mountain of mobile canine meat was fast approaching me as I ran past and it bounded down its garden path, the only thing between me and it was a 2 foot railing fence that it could have leapt with a single bound. Standing at the back door was (I assume) the idiotic owner laughing at my reaction, all I could think of was:

1. Where am I if it did attack me? (I didn't know)
   
2. Can I get my mobile phone? ( Possibly)
   
3. What if this mountain of meat actually jumped over the fence? (No chance)
   

What was really annoying was the fact that I was doing an out and back and I had to come by again and the only problem I had to deal with was THE OWNER.

Nerves step in

I am sitting here and have just been reminded that Ridgeway is only 5 weeks away!!! I am in a state of panic as it is really beginning to dawn on me that it is getting rather close, I have seen my weekly mileage slip due to illness, a short taper that ended in a failed 52.4 mile run and now work and domestic arrangements getting in the way this week.

I am planning to make this weekend a reasonably tough one with runs on Friday, Saturday and a long Sunday run which after my ultra last weekend could put the demon nerves aside.

This is further exacerbated with my trip to Canada at the end of next week when no Long run can be scheduled for Sunday as we fly out that day. I feel some long trail runs are in order when we arrive though.

Breaking news from Nike

“Our current approach of prescribing in-shoe pronation control systems on the basis of foot type is overly simplistic and potentially injurious.”

Quote attributed to chrismcdougall.com

The Victor

Poet: C.W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

...and here is the gradient

...to the run!!!

Where am I?

Awesome view dude

Race Report

...or when runners crash and burn! The day started at 3.30 am as I dragged myself from my bed to dress in comfortable clothes ready for the 90 minute drive to the Chislet, Kent, England. Packing my race box full of goodies, my picnic table and kit bag into the back of the car I drove off.

As I got onto the A2 road the sun was rising whose colours reminded me of a Monet painting, glorious pinks and creams which heralded a very hot, still day to come. The rest of the journey was uneventful apart from the SatNav telling me I had arrived at my destination, which comprised a massive 10 acre field of onions but then 100 yards further I was to see runners milling around and preparing for the challenges ahead. Parking up in the nearby field I carried my race box and kit to prime position (remind me to put it in the shade next time as hot Coca Cola is not nice!), checked in, got dressed and met up with old friends.

The organisation was faultless, almost military in its precision as we were briefed at the start and sent on our way at 6.00am.

The Course

The route is a 6.55 mile circuit made up of tarmac roads, cinder track, concrete path and rutted mud paths, challenging in the least. Being in the East part of Kent, there the land is flat but with shallow undulations that sap the energy from your legs and stress the ankles. At 6.00 am the temperature was 11 Centigrade but by 10.00 am it was 24 Centigrade, a ridiculous rise and so quickly as well.

The Race

I started off great, I felt strong, everything was moving nicely and the shadows were long and it was easy to find respite from the heat, from my earlier post you can see that I managed a 55 minute first post and so decided to rest up, take drink on board and walk for 5 minutes to get back on my plan.

I continued on again feeling good on the second lap and again the whole circuit was a little more controlled and I was able to complete it in 64 minutes but my restart was delayed by a desperate need to go to the toilet making my lap 1:15:00 split.

I had put together 300 calorie "Lap bags" a small resealable bag that had carb gels and raisins in them to ensure I ate correctly, this technique seemed to work well but my biggest problem was fluid intake, the heat was now really beginning to turn up and drink stations were 1.5 miles apart serving just water, I was carrying a 500 ml bottle of Nuun mix but even drinking I soon noticed that my urine was very dark (was this the outcome of my stomach upset?).

On my return to the start of lap 3, I took on more calories, drank a large amount of Nuun to replace the fluids and continued on, the heat just outside my comfort zone but I began to realise my thighs were beginning to ache so began to walk in sections which is my normal technique. Reaching 18 miles I stumbled on an outcrop of stones and this proved to be my race downfall as I felt a twinge in my left thigh and buttock but continued on.

I soldiered on, the heat rising, the miles adding up and was disappointed to see my speed dwindle to reach the halfway point at 4:26 hours and was ready to throw in the towel when I was met by Matt, a running club pal whose presence proved a positive influence on my attitude when we chatted and he "took the race out of my head" which gave enough to continue on but into this lap my left leg was really hurting and it was no longer enjoyable and then found I was hitting the second wall which I managed to fight out reaching 32.75 miles in 6:04 hours.

After a short break I started lap 6 but by the time I got 100 metres down the road I knew my race was over as the energy just seemed to been sapped from my legs and the heat was outside my comfort zone, so I turned back and put my number in happy with my distance and time.

Not the happiest race report but an ultradistance result nonetheless which I am happy with...just remind me not to run multi-lap races again, they are too easy to pull out of!!

Lap 5 6:04

Yep, Ipulled up with a problem with my leg and problems with the heat. Still, I did 32.75 miles in a reasonable time even the horrible conditions.

More later.

Lap 1 0.55
lap 2 1.58
lap 3 3.13
lap 4 4.26

--
Jerry Smallwood
My Blog: http://ultramagicforest.blogspot.com/

Mobile report

I will be sending updates of my progress at the 50 mile Challenge
tomorrow. This is a test.

--
Jerry Smallwood
My Blog: http://ultramagicforest.blogspot.com/
Visit me at: http://www.magicforest.co.uk/

Poo colour

Is it me or when you drink a lot of lucozade your poo just looks that little bit more orange?

Sorry to my dear readers of a sensitive persuasion but during my latest carb-loading period I have had a few bottles of the stuff and couldn't help but notice!!!

I think the word perturbing comes to mind

Possible new run

I got contacted via the UK Ultra Runners forum I created about 18 months ago to keep in contact with runners I had met by Ian Couch from Adventure Hub.

It appears Ian is a bit of an adventurer with Atlantic crossings and Polar adventures under his belt and has now started to organise a 60 mile challenge in Norfolk. This promises to be a nice flat run with a few different surfaces and I have expressed interest. I hope that the usual gang can come along too as this seems to a nice little number.

Let me get through my next couple of races and see how my training and body stands up to it.

Text Race Report

Keep an eye out on Sunday morning as I will be hopefully reporting my progress at the 50 mile Challenge directly to this Blog. If I can get the technology to work and my daughter will let me get my hands on her phone for the day I will be sending updates via email.

So let me get some practice in:

BM&Y M8 I hope 2 hv a GR8 race CUS :-)

Training Aide

I hate the carb-loading stage of training when I feel like an over stuffed cushion, lethargic and stiff. Thursday night is usually speed training night with members of the club and I had found out that one of the guys who runs the evening was stuck at work so I volunteered my services.

In fact, in the end I was the assistant but thoroughly enjoyed helping the guys through their exercises, counting the reps and organising the games.

Great fun, I felt it was just nice to put something back into the sport for the night for once.

Inspirational

I had no shoes and complained, until I met a (wo)man who had no feet.

Badwater covers 135 miles (217km) traversing over 3 mountain passes and is a non-stop race from Death Valley to Mount Whitney California. During the race temperatures can rise up to 130F (55c) and ground temperatures reaching close to 200 degrees, it is the most demanding and extreme running race offered anywhere on the planet.

Amy Palmero-Winters who unfortunately dropped out of this years Badwater when she had problems with her prosthetic limb a truelly amazing athlete.

Extreme Ways

Extreme ways are back again
Extreme places I didn't know
I broke everything new again
Everything that I'd owned
I threw it out the window; came along
Extreme ways I know will part the colors of my sea
perfect colored me

Extreme ways they help me
They help me out late at night
Extreme places I had gone
That never seen any light
Dirty basements, dirty noise
Dirty places coming through
Extreme worlds alone
Did you ever like it planned?

Nothing

Having gone for a run last night I was planning to go for a short run at the club tonight, nothing long but I discovered that Mrs S had taken the car for the evening and so the thought of doing 11 miles was just too much especially with my 50 mile Challenge at the end of the week.

So, like a good little ultrarunner I chose the easy option and have done nothing, ziltch, zero, nihil. Legs are a little achy and deep down I am glad I was strong enough to say no

Do I look younger?

Running on a regular basis can slow the effects of ageing, a study by US researchers shows.

Well, that is what I say to Mrs S ;-)

Urban Dictionary for Fart

Some of you may know that I have the nickname of Jezza, a long story why it is Jezza but never the less it has stuck. I have never knew if it had a meaning until I was sent this link today....oh dear, apparently one of its meanings is:

Jezza
A type of fart. Originated (as far as it is known) in Melbourne, Australia circa 1991.
A long fart, starting at an extremelely low pitch, then changing throughout to become a high treble shriek at its climactic end.

"Ohh I just popped an awesome Jezza - did ya hear it?"

So be warned, if this is true as some of my running fellows will vouch, I am just an old fart

Weather at the 50 mile Challenge

Oh please let this be true and the weather is going to be this way next Sunday for my double marathon

	From	Until	Temp	Feels			Cloud	Dir	Speed	Gust	Weather
	1:00	3:59	14 °c	13 °c			47 %		11 mph	13 mph
	4:00	6:59	14 °c	13 °c			54 %		11 mph	14 mph
	7:00	9:59	15 °c	14 °c			61 %		12 mph	15 mph
	10:00	12:59	15 °c	13 °c			75 %		14 mph	17 mph
	13:00	15:59	15 °c	12 °c			100 %		18 mph	22 mph
	16:00	18:59	15 °c	12 °c			100 %		19 mph	23 mph
	19:00	21:59	15 °c	13 °c			100 %		19 mph	23 mph

Thanks to Metcheck.com for the chart, although I am taking it with a pinch of salt for the moment...but I can only dream

Trail Word of the Day

Reveille

• (military) signal to wake up
• a signal to get up in the morning; in the military it is a bugle call at sunrise

It appears George's daughter is off on a Girl's Brigade camping trip and will be woken by reveille....poor girl, here is what she has to look forward to:

Too hot to handle

...and there I was, stepping out of the door, at 6.45 am with the direct intention of running 15 miles with George. We had made plans that we were to run along a route that was primarily shade due the promise of strong sunshine and high temperatures later.

I knew as soon as I started running that it was not going to be an easy one and soon imagined that I looked Arnold Ridley in Dad's Army as I tottered and stumbled up my first hill towards the meeting point.

It was almost bearable in the shade but quite horrible in the direct sunshine even at 8.00 am so today was a very easy run with no pressure with time as it would have been foolhardy to try anything fast.

Good to see George back on the trails after his 2 week forced break and to hear how pleased he was to be back running as a centurion.

New Glasses

Having left my sunglasses on the top of my car after a run a few weeks ago and then driving off I have had a hard time in the recent sun especially through the trees.

So tonight, whilst Mrs S and the girls were out, I sneaked off to a (not so local) running emporium and after some time managed to select a rather dashing pair of Sunwise glasses spending a little more than I wanted but I must say I do look rather cool in them. I can't wait to try them out on Saturday's run.

I cried tonight

I got home from work tonight to find my wife talking to a colleague from her work that had popped around for a cup of tea. It appears that this lady was a midwife (as was my wife) at the local hospital and had worked there for about 20 years.

The midwife (Irene) who assisted my Mother having me also worked there and came in to observe my wife have our first child. It was also nice to know that at my birth she met my Father's cousin and they later married.

Throughout my life Irene and I contacted each other sporadically and I had a great warmth for her as my childhood memories of her and her family were always one of laughter and fun. In recent years we had lost contact but was shocked to hear from my wife's colleague that Irene had passed away recently after she fell down some stairs.

On my run tonight I found myself crying, tears rolled silently down my face as I ran. Tears of sadness for a lovely lady whom I wish I had known just a little bit better.

Baggy Trousers!

So the miles are adding up and the unexpected side effects have only just come apparent...to me!

In the past couple of weeks people have approached me at work and in the high street and mentioned that I seem to have lost weight. As it has been a gradual thing I have not really noticed but one thing that has come apparent since I have come aware is that my favourite pair of jeans are becoming to hang off my hips and my shirt keeps coming untucked... a belt is a necessity now.

BTW I was trying to work out a blog pic for this and came up with two, one being a classic trail tune the other the classic Incredible Shrinking Man...enjoy

Rocking

I am feeling pretty pleased with myself at the moment especially after my run tonight.

My mileage for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday calculates to ~38 miles an average of about 13 miles a day. In previous months I would be resting today but there are big numbers to run in the next few weeks and I can't come off the burner quite yet. Tonight's planned run was supposed to be a steady 10km road run, no pressure and to be enjoyed. However I soon found myself kicking up a gear and attacking the hills in a progressive run...at one point I had to jump into a wooded area as I had a tummy gripe, did my business and continued. Even with this unscheduled stop I managed 47:20!

So the training is beginning to work, my "last 7 day" averaging is back on 60 miles and when I need to I can kick out a <7:40 min/mile consistently.

Halcyon days.

12 days to go!

I have just realised that I have only 12 days to go before the 50 Mile Challenge and no sign of a taper yet!

So far the plans for this week are:

• Mon - Rest
• Tue - 10 miles
  
• Wed - 6 miles
• Thu - 10 miles
• Fri - Rest
• Sat - 15 miles
• Sun - 25 miles

The week end always varies but after that I am going to rest up for the week and get some rest into my legs, I think I deserve it

Heard the one about a pig?

I have, I am that pig in a trough!!!

Today I have eaten absolutely LOADS, I was even seen to tuck into a bowl of cereal before I left for work and then a hot cross bun from the shop at the station and then two bananas at 11.00 am.

Good lunch with a fruit salad for afters and an enormous oven baked potato with tuna for tea.

Let's just not mention the snacks I had in between though ;-)

You make it what it is.

Go to your favourite viewpoint, and if you are that way inclined alone, and sing this great trail song. I LOVE IT!

Nailed it!

Today's run involved, 14 miles in the morning with a 12 mile run this evening. I was 7 miles into my evening run when I felt a stone in my shoe, I stopped pulled my shoe off and emptied it and ran on. About half a mile I felt a sharp pain in my foot again so pulled over and this time did a proper search for the stone but instead found that a nail had been driven through the base of my shoe and was digging into my heel!!!

I tried my best to dislodge it but with no tools I was stuck so decided to carry on putting my weight on the midsole of my foot that seemed to work.

A bit annoying as my pace at that point was pretty impressive for me but had to slow down as the still poked through once in a while.

I now have a blood blister on the base of my foot which I will have to keep an eye on.

Pie and a pint

Busy day on Saturday that meant the window of opportunity for a run was dramatically reduced. I was then informed that my presence was required at the local pub for a pie and a pint with friends, the run was soon forgotten.

So tonight it involved a couple of pints of cider, a pile of chips and a meat pie. Do you know what dear reader? I felt better for it and on my walk back with the family I felt my legs were strong and ready for some work on Sunday.

I must, I repeat MUST, learn to rest regularly there is something in this Pie and a Pint thing.

One for the Trail

With a Rebel Yell...play it loud

Twiglet Porn

I think I have found yet another Long Run/Distance Race food!

You've got it Twiglets "A whole lot of CRUNCH in a WHOLEGRAIN munch!" Who cares? A couple of bags of these beauties in my back pack with loads of savoury tastiness to cut through the sweet stuff known as carb gels and I have yet another treat, I think I have a winner here.

A little note to those who are unsure:

Twiglets are a bit like Marmite - you love them or hate them and there’s really not much in between. As it happens, the covering on these convincingly twig-like snacks is Marmite

Downward Trend?

When will it get any easier? I asked myself last week and have promised myself a sharp taper as I approach the 50 Mile Challenge this month.

I have noticed though that so far this week I have only run ~24 miles and have I hoped to run a further 45 miles this weekend which is a BIG call especially in this humidity.

Last night was a tough one mainly due to the humidity and a tummy upset towards the end. So let's keep it real, I am going to try my hardest but will be happy with breaking 65 miles if I can.

Running is Stupid

Go get it

Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision.

Muhammed Ali

Trail Poo

OK, OK not the best tea time subject and I promise you I will not go into details but this is about what Mrs S actually said to me when I told her!

I was out on my run tonight in a very popular dog walking area, an area where you are never quite sure who is around the next corner. I had chosen the wrong time to have a tummy cramp as most dog walkers are out and I was too far away from home to comfortably run without an "accident". So I planned to do "my business" halfway along a trail which is about 400 yards long and would give me enough warning either way...so I did my business and continued home.

I got home and told Mrs S that I had had a "tummy upset" along the way and quite innocently and sweetly she said "Ooohh Jerry where did you wash your hands?"

There are times that I realise there is no response to some questions :-)