Friday 31 December 2010

New Years Eve

I have not made any attempts at running since Christmas Day, in an effort to clear up the nightmare that is my respiratory system. I can only take heart from the fact that 99% of the population seems to be suffering with similar stuff this Christmas. I am grateful that my normal good health is keeping me going, but it is getting me down.

Today I decided to go for a four mile round the block job, and resigned myself to - if I have to have a walk break I will - but it was worse than I thought. Much worse.

As soon as I got onto a slight incline and my legs wanted a little more oxygen, my lungs responded by seizing up and after a stop-start effort I eventually ended up sat by the roadside at good ol' Joe McBain Avenue wondering how I go about volunteering to be a helper at the Edinburgh Marathon.


I managed to get back home - it's downhill - but that was a wee while ago now and my breathing sounds absolutely dreadful. I dare not go near a vet - they will put me down, for sure.

In all seriousness, I am gutted. I have lost so much running in the last four or more weeks that I really don't think there is any way I can manage the marathon. I am too behind with my training now. I maybe will swap to the half marathon, but for now, I think I only managed a mile today before I pulled up.

Apart from the lung malfunction, everything is fine, legs etc all working well, so I will stick to a bit of indoor bike and maybe some circuits until I am better. (Although it is traditional to run on New Years Day, so look out for a miler!)

Trying to keep my spirits up and be thankful for the good stuff, and with that in mind, Saffers can have this run. I'll get one another time, when I am all better.

Saturday 25 December 2010

Christmas Day Run

This was always going to be a ten miler. Arranged a later start at work to allow for it and everything, but I had not counted on (a) the lingering snow and ice, and (b) bronchitis.

I have missed a lot of runs this month but I was determined that I would get in some sort of a run for Christmas Day - it's traditional, isn't it!


I'm pretty sure this was just under three miles really, but my phone kept going off and I stopped the Garmin once or twice and forgot to restart the little blighter. you can see where fairly easily!

Never mind, I got in my half hour run, despite the terrible pain in my chest and the coughing and wheezing! Thank goodness for my shoe chains!! Now I'm gonna have a nice big mug of Cappucino and a mince pie!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Wednesday 22 December 2010

Cycle Path with Jasper

Yes it really has been that long since my last run. The combination of snow, ice and a lingering chest infection have kept me pretty much couped up, but today I decided to don the shoe chains and take Jasper with me.

He has not been running with me for a while - it's not good for me as he wants to stop every few minutes for a pee, a poo or to lick some lady piss - but hey, he is a dog, you gotta forgive him!

Anyway he was pretty good and quickly remembered that the best plan is to try to keep pace with Mummy Sare rather than go bounding off while we are still attached to one another, so we did an easy four miles up the cycle path and back.

There is not so much snow there as at home, but I decided to try out running in shoe chains and I found that I got on fine with them. I used them with a semi-retired pair of trail shoes, as I did not want to damage my 'current' pair, but they were fine and I definitely benefited from the additional grip they offered - particularly when Jasper wanted to go a different direction to me!

From a training point of view, there is not really much benefit to be had from this stop-start sort of stuff, but it made me feel better and JB loved it too. Had a couple of coughing attacks along the way which was bloody painful but knickers to it, what do doctors know - we runners need to just get out there, don't we!

Here's the link...

Saturday 11 December 2010

Low Moresby Non Christmas Pudding Run :-(

Today was supposed to by the Christmas Pudding 10k in Great Langdale, but it was canceled two days ago due to the lingering snow and ice. Disappointing, but unavoidable.

So, yesterday I was over in the North East of the country (Middlesborough) and was gobsmacked at how much snow they still have, wowsie, and today I was pleased to have the chance to get a run in on some tarmac!! The only underfoot hazard was residual grit, which was particularly hairy on the downhill stretch of this route - if you look at the elevation graph, you will be left in no doubt which bit I mean!!



A new route for me, and I didn't really know how far it would be but guestimated about 6 - ooh I'm good! The last bit was the very worst, I live up a pretty steep hill and it is hard enough work walking up the darn thing, never mind running it, but it had to be done.

Past two weeks or so, the training plan has kind of gone out the window, with the weather conditions and this chest infection that I have, it has not been easy, and I'm coughing and spluttering while I am typing this, but I thoroughly enjoyed this run and wished I had been able to get out earlier so I could go further. (Darkness fell as I came up Parton Long Mile)

Christmas is nearly here and then sanity, hopefully, will return. Although I suspect more snow is on the cards yet, ah well, for today I am happy :-)

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Hensingham 'Easy' Loop

Last night I was pretty despondent knowing there was absolutely zero chance of getting a run either then or this morning. The ice was so widespread and thick that you could barely stand up in it. Even Jasper didn't want to 'walk' far in it, oh yes, it was THAT bad.

And then it snowed....

This morning we have about 6-8 inches of snow - which means I can run. Well, after a fashion anyway. Pulled on the NB's and off I went. It seemed wise to avoid running in the road, for one thing you can't tell where the road actually is, and for another, there was a serious risk of a car sliding into you, so I elected to nip round Hensingham and back along the loop road, as there is footpath all the way. All you have to do is figure out where it is!



It was a short distance overall, but hard going all the way. The snow did become less deep as I dropped down into Hensingham, but it was still challenging, and the Sellafield traffic stacking up on the Loop Road left me so full of fumes that I felt like I had smoked 20 fags halfway round! I do feel sorry for people who run in cities all the time - I'm very lucky to live where I do.

Anyway, all things considered I was really pleased to be able to get out - can't get the proper runs in, but in these conditions, anything is good. I am supposed to be doing a 10k on Saturday in Langdale, but at the mo they are considering cancelling. It will be a shame, but it's a tricky spot to get to in ice and snow. We shall see.

Now to defrost the toes...

Sunday 5 December 2010

Ice Age 4

It's not been a good week for running. Wow, what an understatement! We had snow already but more and more came over the course of the week and although it was possible to run in it (after a fashion) I found that the doubling of my travelling time to and from work left me exhausted and there was no way a run was gonna happen.

I am amazed at how crotchety I became as the week wore on, tiredness, cold and the need to stretch my legs have all made me totally unbearable to be around.

Yesterday, despite being determined to get in a run of ANY distance, it did not come to pass - we became totally iced in and it was absolutely treacherous outdoors. I took Jasper out and it was like the famous scene from Bambi where he is on the ice. We did not go far.

And so to today. My working week starts on a Sunday, but not this week. Apart from the fact that I was iced in (is there such a term), when I did feel brave and went out to the car, I found the battery had given it's last.

Thankfully, men are all born with the ability to bump start any vehicle, so I borrowed the neighbours fella for this task and then shelled out for the very nice guys at Kwik Fit to bung a new one in. Blast, more expense. Hey ho, gotta have it.

So, tonight I decided to go for it. And I am so pleased I made it round the block in one piece. Slipped once, tripped once on a frozen former snowball, and dived in the ditch to escape a BMW driver (Ahem, MUN) otherwise, everything was great. A very easy easy run, for obvious reasons but I feel so much better for it.

I am human again. :-)

A quick mention is appropriate for my footwear - I used my off roaders for this run, and I have always sworn by New Balance for this type of shoe. Currently using 874's and although I am still sulking that they did away with the rockstop feature on this model, they are a terrific pair of shoes, and come into their own on rubbish ground conditions such as today. (And they are the only running shoes made in the UK - in West Cumbria in fact, so there)

My Race Schedule

Distance Widget