When the Cat's Away - Marathon #1 of 3

Sunday's run....what can I say? Tough, hot and hilarious after all it is a hobby isn't it?

I joked in an earlier post that Gemma (that's her on the right) was trying to organise David I but finding it hard to do as we had so many external pressures to cover but eventually her ever present patience paid off when we were all on the North Downs Way at the same time be it 20 miles apart! Fear not, we are accomplished runners and so had a cunning plan.

1. David and Gemma start at Ranmore Common and run East from 7.45 am
2. I start at Titsey Place 20 miles to the East at 9.15 am and run West until I join them.
3. When I meet them run as a pack to Knockholt
4. I turn around leaving them there  and run back to my car

As usual there was high spirits and banter with the three of us chatting merrily about this and that, food, films and the amazing views we were getting  that day due to the beautiful sunny weather. I was secretly pleased that they had about 9 miles more in their legs as it leveled the playing field a little but amazingly for a change I was full of beans but was a bit naughty as my calorie intake was a little low for such an aggressive run which left me a little twitchy at about 18 miles so after taking on about 400 calories over a 30 minute period involving a flapjack and a carb gel I was soon back in flight mode having waved goodbye to the guys at Knockholt, lesson learned I carried on taking small snacks ever so often to keep the energy flowing

The last 2 miles were probably the toughest I had done in a little while as the ascent was a long, sharp one that drained the energy from every sinew, bikes whizzed downwards but I kept trudging up with a passion until I reached my car tipping the Garmin at 28.4 miles, tired but pleased I had made it on will power and determination

Marathon 1 of 3 complete

Cat Herding

..or how to:

1. Get three very single-minded ultradistance runners on a training run together
2. On a 30 mile run
3. On a stretch  national trail
4. Starting at different times
5. From different places

I have to hand it to Gemma she is a Master of this dark art simply taking no for an answer, it almost seemed to be a personal challenge of hers to get David and I organised and herded to our particular starting points but I think she has got it cracked, we will see tomorrow.

They (Gemma and David) apparently start at 7.30am 20 miles from my starting position but I start at 9.15am. I run towards them, meet them somewhere along the way, turn and run with them to a place 10 miles from my original position. They finish, I run back to my car. They run 30 miles, I run whatever the Garmin tells me.....confused? I am sure Gemma can explain!  

Me? I will just run and hope to keep up with them

Ground Rush

The horrible moment when your jaw drops to your chest when you realise you have the run of your life in just 4 weeks and for some reason it has escaped you. Just like Ground rush, the race always looks like it is ages away until suddenly it rushes up on you by surprise even though you have known it was there all that time.

The next few weeks

27-28^th April

This weekend I was planning to do a long run along the North Downs Way with Gemma and David but that looks as though it is out of the window as I have had to pull out as the car is needed so I will try and get in a 4-5 hour solo run instead.

4-5^th May

This weekend is already turning into epic organisation as I have the Hannover Marathon in Germany and am fighting issues with hotel bookings, flights and getting to the Expo on Saturday, more of this over the course of the week but I am very excited as I have a pasta party, a fantastic city marathon and then a personal invite to a special reception with the Lord Mayor of Hannover but then have a rush to get to my flight on time. The most important thing is I have decided to run the marathon in my Monkey Feet

11-12^th May

I plan, but have entered, the local marathon to run/walk/jog the course to loosen up

18-19^th May

Rest

25-26^th May

GUCR

Looks straight forward enough but there is over 250 miles to run in that time!

In company of stoics

A word that often comes to my mind when talking about long distance runners is stoical* , I laughed one day when I heard someone say after a race "That lot are from strong stock" as though the runners were some sort of horse bred for the job.

I received a message from my frighteningly good runner friend Gemma asking me if I wanted to run ~30 miles along the North Downs Way on Sunday, I obviously said yes, if only a little perturbed that a mustang such as her would want to run with a carthorse like me. I then hear that we are to be met by David, another frighteningly good runner or bloodstock.....and I was supposed to keep up with them, these guys are awesome and can run marathons 30-40 minutes faster than me!

Then I called to my books and the philosophy of the stoics looking to Epicteus

"The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best."

Yes, they are the thoroughbreds to this backyard donkey but, boy, are they great company, I just hope I can keep up with their skill so I better man up and become a little stoical.

*stoic 
Noun
A person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining.Adjective
Of or belonging to the Stoics or their school of philosophy.

Tomorrow is another day

Arriving home thoroughly fed up with my work life, nothing, absolutely nothing was going to stop me going for a run tonight.

The evening was warm so I decided I was going totally minimal with just shorts, shirts and of course, my trusty Monkey Feet who have gone unnoticed in recent days but what with my achy quads I found they were the best option and funnily enough, the most comfortable.

Tonight at the club members who had run the London  Marathon at the weekend had the night off to show their fantastic medal and t-shirt ensemble with the promise of meeting everyone in the local bar for a few drinks. I had already run through the woods and then joined in a group which whilst a little below my pace was perfect for a rehabilitating runner who just wanted the miles in to loosen a few muscles.

However, I was still in a prickly mood from early that day so with all intention of a jovial run, I soon retracted into a "Speak No, See No, Hear No" mode finding that the run was more important and then found myself powering up some hills leaving the pack behind.....and that is what I did, I left, head torch on and out back into my beloved woods to my house.

Tonight was for the run, not company but I am glad I had it when I did but I was just not ready to go to a bar and mix with people.

Give it the Monkey Finger

Uuurrgghh Self-Doubt, I am used to having self-doubt in my running training but never in the history of my recent athletic life have I had it so badly. As the calendar turns I see I have just 33 days to go before the Grand Union Canal Race and by now I would have normally thrown in many more 20-22 mile long runs and some 50-60 mile weeks. This year what with work pressure, a foot injury and extreme tiredness I often just can't face running.

Take this evening for example, I had noted a griping set of quads which feel tight went bending and what I ever I do to try and loosen them they stay the same...tight. I jump out of the door for an Easy/Recovery run hoping to do about 10 miles and get 200 yards, pull up and go home...body tells me that an injury is about to happen if I continue.

What to do about it?

Well there just needs to be some quality runs to get in to show I can do it, so here is  a plan

• Offer of ~30 mile run across the North Downs with my Gemma on Saturday (27/4/2013)
• Marathon in Hanover, Germany (5/5/2013)
• Local Marathon (11/5/2013)

Then rest to do just gentle running/recovery until the GUCR 

But oooooh God 3 marathons in 15 days, I have to be mad!

To Reminisce

There are times when you are in the midst of your training plan and you ask yourself the simple question "Why am I doing this?" or maybe in a semi-jocular fashion shout to your club mates "Running is stupid and bad for your knees!" whilst your inner self calls for you to hang up your shoes.

Then, in the quietness of your study one night, you find a picture taken two years ago of you running at 2.00am when you have just covered 30 miles of London streets with a goal of 52.4 miles and it tells you a story that in fact running is not always stupid and not necessarily bad for your knees.

In this picture I was supporting my awesome ultrarunning pal David Hegarty accomplish his dream of 4 London Marathons in 24 hours, I just had to get him through 2 of them during the night section... The eyes say it all, I am alive and loving it.

Great memories

Rabbits, Ghosts and Rockets

The onslaught continues, mileage is my goal but I was also armed with a little bit of information received from NASA that morning:

Time: Thu Apr 18 9:31 PM, Visible: 3 min, Max Height: 62 degrees, Appears: W, Disappears: SE

 

This was the location of the International Space Station and I had found a reason to run 10 miles (16km) so armed with my new Adidas Kanadia shoes I was seen disappearing into the local woods with my head torch safely tucked in my pocket. Freshly laid mud from the morning's torrential race made going tough as I skittered my way through made more difficult by the failing light.

The Rabbit

No one was around tonight and I had free reign of the paths and woodland going totally off trail but one thing that was really noticeable were the number of rabbits that were leaping to the safety of the trees as I approached but not the sound or sight of foxes. 

The Ghost

Lost in my own thoughts I approached an old derelict house on a nature reserve where there are stories of mysterious orbs, mystical smoke and stories of ancient fires. I was withing 100 metres of said haunted  house and through the peripheral glare of my head torch I saw two shiny patches flicking up and down....

EEEEEKKK

.....OMFG then some greyish white limbs skirting the patches, momentarily freaked I then saw a green shirt, arms and then shorts......another runner. "Evening mate, I can't see a fricking thing" and he was gone. I hate ghost stories :-)

The Rocket

...and then as promised by NASA at exactly 9.31pm, from the West, a bright light appeared in the sky and moved across the sky, the International Space Station. I stopped, ghosts and rabbits forgotten as I watched in awe as it passed by, the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon.

Tough run tonight, a total of 32 miles (50km) in the last 3 runs but within limits and pleased I did it.

c'est ne pas un singe

Things are looking a little better of late, hectic deadlines met after long hours, fighting off a downward spiral of inner depression triggered by stress which often means extreme tiredness leading to no training have left me drained. 

However, this week looks good so far, long hours have paid off, a deadline hit so hard and so tight I was left reeling, a purified example of Agile project work to see me still get in 22 miles of training and my inner promise to mix it up a bit tells me that Thursday Night is Monkey Feet Night and then more importantly I have to get out on Friday as the weekend has other things happening.

Friday night has all the hallmarks of bit of Free Running, no not parkour Dear Reader, but a night run and early rumours seem to point a local ultrarunner is going to join me for an impromptu run and it appears we have a few tales to tell each other so will have to get some miles in to fit the length of the stories.

Mindful of GUCR next month I am going to disobey the recent dictact and go trail shoes to get the feet ready but the promise of the use of a headtorch may get a few more runners...we can but hope.

Monkey Feet Alert

I was desperate to get out for a run today.....desperate especially after my lacklustre running record of late. As I have reported late last week I have been feeling a bit down and have been fighting the demons a little not made easier by the recent increased stress I have had at work.

I announced on Facebook at 6.54 pm "36 minutes and counting" then warned everyone "...Monkey Feet Alert..." almost as a warning that at last I was going for a run in my Vibrams. So with shorts, a short shirt and a headtorch wrapped around my hand I ran off in the general direction of the woods....tonight the woods would decide my route and so it did as I ducked, dived and ran through mud and puddles.

It was a lovely run and soon the sun went below the tree lines and the woods became dark enough for me to wear my torch, rabbits and foxes jumped or ran in my peripheral vision.

As I entered the last woodland I saw a fox run ahead of me turning ever so often to look at me with his lazer-like eyes......then

"OUCH!"

I stepped into a muddy puddle which disguised a large sharp rock that dug into my right foot arch, I yelped like a dog but sucked in the pain to get home as it felt as though the Vibram was spilt, I chose not to look.

I am pleased to note my Monkey Feet did their job and protected my foot but the base is swollen slightly....gggrrrrr

Wiped Out

My cat demonstrates how I feel

Some of my Dear Readers will note the lack of regular posts this week but I have been extremely busy at work and have had the pleasure of doing it from home without the commute. However I was asked to attend a series of meetings on Thursday and had to stay late. My longer runs in the mid-week and the long hours has left me very stressed and with it the double whammy of feeling very low such that I feel my depression rearing its ugly head...the Lion is at the Gate!

I have a terrible tiredness and lethargy seeing me fall asleep on the sofa at the drop of a hat even though I have slept well at night, small issues seem like enormous mountains to climb and with it I cannot be bothered to go out for a run.

Trying to conform to peer pressure I have broadcasted the need for company on a run this weekend but find no takers as they are either running a marathon or tapering for another one in a few weeks. I have plans to run out to watch and support club members at a race about 10 miles away on Sunday but it holds no excitement for me, just an excuse to get up and go...I hope I feel energised soon and I do get motivated tomorrow as I may as well pack in any events in the next few months.

Time to mix it up a bit

So the cunning plan seems to have worked for a change and I have been out for my morning 10km run at a very nice and easy pace around the local roads now to go out with the Running Club tonight but this time via the woods to test out my new Adidas Kanadia TR 4 trail shoes which you will note are rather ochreous in colour. 

 I have no intention of keeping them this colour for long so will be out to find a few puddles later, I think 12 miles will be a good inaugural distance for them.

A Cunning Plan

Private Baldrick: I have a plan, sir.
Captain Blackadder: Really, Baldrick? A cunning and subtle one?
Private Baldrick: Yes, sir.
Captain Blackadder: As cunning as a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?
Private Baldrick: Yes, sir.

Indeed I do have a cunning plan Dear Reader, my workload in my job has hit a very busy period and I am being pulled from pillar to post such that I have requested to work from home for two days this week to get some programming done which leaves me 2 extra hours in the day to fill......here is the cunning plan. 

1. Drop the Delightful Mrs S off to work early, come home,
2. Go for a one hour run.
3. Log on to work
4. Work
5. Cook the evening tea
6. Run at the club

I reckon I could get 18 miles in tomorrow, same again on Wednesday but to mix it up I can do a bit of trail running in my new trail shoes, a bit of Monkey Feet and some road, well that's the plan.

Waddle De Waddle

With no remorse about missing the Compton (apart from meeting the regulars) I spent a lovely day with the Delightful Mrs S instead and we did some much needed gardening together enjoying each others company and destroying one side of a yew hedge and then had a slap up meal with family friends with loads of wine and cider for afters.

Today however was more of the same having opted to not do an early run favouring the bed to catch up on some sleep, refreshed it was out in to the garden to pull up three trees, trim back a hedge and then dig over an old vegetable patch. The Delightful Mrs S was the first to flinch and so the tools and rubbish were cleared up and we went into the house to rest.....nope not me as I had plans of my own!

Sneaking into the downstairs toilet I put on some shorts, a long and short top and my trusty Monkey Feet calling to Mrs S that I would be about an hour..........let's just say, 2.5 hours including a pit stop at George's and 15 miles later I returned just about remembering the route I took but was obviously on autopilot.

One thing I have noticed was that because I have dropped the distances in the past week due to injury I have put a little bit of weight on such that at the beginning of the run I was waddling like a duck....I am sure I wasn't, it just felt like I was...weird.

Pleased my foot is OK, I got in a very easy 15 miles and very pleased the weather has warmed up at long last and I can get back to wearing just shorts and a top.

No Compton for me today

I returned to work this week off the back of 2 week break away and and a Bank Holiday weekend to find that I was to work four 12 hour days with additional work at home. My foot was still complaining but gently getting better but still grumbling.

Plans were afoot to run the Compton 40 mile Challenge today requiring me to get up at 5.30am this morning to drive for 2 hours. My alarm did its duty but I felt drained, my head would not rise from the bed and my head hurt...this did not bode well and so I just rolled over knowing that what ever I did I was going to have a very hard day and if I had gone I would have just tired myself out even further. I decided that today was a no go day and I could always go for a more sedate and local run tomorrow.

I slept a further 4 1/2 hours to rise feeling much better than I did and secretly feeling a little relieved that I wasn't running.

DON'T PANIC

PMG and my run

Aaaaaaahh, today has been horrible work-wise, up earlier than usual to check on an issue and even before my morning coffee I was elbow deep in computer code and rebooting servers. Once aware that colleagues were on site and I handed over the responsibility of problem solving to get the train. Once in work I was effectively locked in a  room with 3 other guys until we solved it, these are called Problem Management Groups (PMG) and are an intensive method to focus on an issue and solve it the quickest and most effective way. I left there mentally tired but desperate to get the wind in my hair and chose to go for a run.

Normally Thursday Night, is Monkey Feet Night but with my foot injury secretly getting better I wanted to get to the track but found the Delightful Mrs S had gone on an important errand and return at 7.55pm and the session started at 8.00pm, I cared not a jot as I turned up at the track and jumped straight on to potter around to do about 12 laps at a very slow and sedate pace enjoying the banter of the marathon trainees who are entering their taper so had slowed down in fear that they slip on the quickly forming ice on the track after the new drop of snow this afternoon.

Foot OK, feeling much happier I had my run... I have a feeling Compton 40 may be on this weekend.

Softly, Softly, Catchee Monkey

Getting a tad frustrated now with my foot but whilst I am happily walking 2-3 miles a day as part of my commute and run upstairs I am however still getting a little pain when I am in bare feet.The pain can now be isolated to the tendon of the middle toe so I am going to concentrate getting a stretch in on this toe and continue icing it

I am so aware that I have not run since Saturday and really wanted to get one in before the Compton 40 this weekend. I am now resigning myself to the fact that I am not going to get that run and may have to really take a long hard look at myself and my foot on Friday

I have accept that I have to be patient - Softly, Softly, Catchee Monkey as they say

Monkey Walk

The excesses of the Easter feasting and the addition and an over indulgence of chocolate saw the Delightful Mrs S and I wollowing on our sofa. My foot still feeling sore but less puffy such that I can see the individual tendons now with a small lump on one. I was getting more and more fidgety having been allowed to do some electrics in the form of removing a very old 1970's lamp from the ceiling to a more modern flex.

Right to action, I informed the Delightful Mrs S that we were going to the shops to get some wallpaper (30% off what we actually wanted) and then off for a walk.

So after a successful shop we zoomed off to the local woods for a 2 mile walk in view of getting the Delicate Mrs S to the Willett Memorial which informed us it will only tell the summer hours (horas non numero nisi stivas). Mrs S jumped from the car as I went to the back of the car to return wearing my Monkey Feet, she was aghast "What will people think with you in those stupid Monkey Feet?" I shrugged and mumbled that no one would see us.

The woods felt Spring-like for a change as we had a lovely stroll  through the now drying mud, I was full of beans and had to restrain my urge to have a little jog, Mrs S laughing nervously at passersby in case they saw my feet, which they didn't (as expected).

I am pleased to say that my foot did hold up to the short walk although Mrs S did say I had a slight limp as we got to the car but we will see how it goes tomorrow after my return to work