May the 4th be with you

[Charliecat5]

The most anticipated date in this household (amongst the male of the species) is December 18th 2015, the day that Episode VII – The Force Awakens is released.  The excitement is building already and hardly a day goes by without watching the trailers. Having now justified the theme for May, we can get on with the running.

So May has started with a little light rain and the kiss of a summer breeze then.

This morning I woke to packs of cats and dogs drumming incessantly on the roof.  A brief look over the duvet told me it was 7am… a full 30 minutes before my alarm was due to get me up and running.  Sod that.  I moved as far as it took to switch the alarm off and snuggle back under the covers.

2 hours later I woke again… this time the rain had sorta stopped, or at least was finding it difficult to reach the ground due to the gale force winds.  I got up.  I had a bowl of porridge.  I had a coffee.  I got changed.  I looked out of the door.  I shut the door. With me on the inside.

I re-laced my running shoes – they have needed doing for a while and today just seemed the perfect day for them.

Out of excuses I was finally out of the door.  My long run obviously postponed for a shorter five miles up to the Kingston Ridge and back.   Both the weather and some rather excessive, ahem, carb loading last night somewhat took the spring out of my step.  With the sound of the kid’s laughter echoing in my ears – AND FOR THE RECORD, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH RUNNING IN MY ADVENTURERS HAT – I was off.

Oh the joys of a headwind… the hat didn’t stay on very long.  The first mile past as the first mile always does… with a lot of moaning from various parts of my body; the next half a mile takes you along the 'low part' of Kingston Ridge, past the beautiful houses.  All was well here, as although raining, it was relatively sheltered.  Then it was time to head to the top.  

Because I am no fool, I took the eastern path as I knew this would offer shelter from the wind until the crest of the hill, and sure enough, it was only the torrential rain I had to contend with.  The effect of the beer and curry meant a brief little pause on the way up (for a rest, not for a… you know) and before long I had cleared mile 2.

Half way up, the path, the world, and my feet disappeared from view, I was now running in thick, grey cloud.  It made me ponder Askwith and his fine piece of work: Feet in the Clouds… although I am not sure when he wrote this, that he envisaged a lardy, curry and beer riddled, sweaty middle aged man plodding up a hill on a Sunday morning doing a pretty passable impression of a slow moving heart attack.

Then I reached the top.  I knew it was the top for the narrow miss at head height of a great dollop of sheep pooh flung in my direction by the wind (see what you’ve done MLCMM).   In the summer it is flies that teach that age old lesson of breathing through your teeth.  On blustery May mornings… it’s about avoiding a troublesome episode with a flying sheep tod. 

I turned right (or at least I think I did) and started crawling along the top, straight into wind and rain.  There are parts of me that got wet this morning that probably haven’t been that wet since I was in my mother’s womb.  Then out of the mist appeared a gate that told me I needed to turn right again and head back down to safe lands.  A few yards later I was back out of the wind.  A few yards more and the world started to re-appear.  I quick stock-check and I was content that nothing was missing – shoes, hat (in hand, not on head), pants, coat and t-shirt, all still where they should be.

The rest of the trip home was pretty uneventful after that… other than the last mile when the rain stopped and the sun nodded to the fact it was likely to make an appearance in the near future.    

I am sure I could hear the gods of running laughing… perhaps it was just the wind... as the last of the curry made its presence known.

   

[marathondan]

A classic RC Sunday run there CC - particularly on top of the curry and beer!

Btw the VMLM 2016 ballot is open, closes on Friday. Just sayin'.

[Charliecat5]

Btw the VMLM 2016 ballot is open, closes on Friday. Just sayin'.

Open until Friday you say… I’ll give it 84 hours and then make a decision.

[Charliecat5]

Today I have driven to Gatwick, parked my car, hired another car and then journeyed to Kent before doing the whole thing in reverse.  Being a man of mystery… secret agent CC5, I need to keep my body honed and ready for action at a moment’s notice.

So, on my return from Darkest Kent this evening I pushed my limits on Sweder’s circuit.  3 miles in the bank, at a pace Bond would approve of.  Brooke bond that is. 

   

[Charliecat5]

For something as basic as running, I never cease to be amazed at how much there is to learn and how many different ways there are to cause new types of pain.

I am a flat foot runner… which I guess is slightly better than a heel planter, but I understand from reading about the Greats, that landing on the front of the foot makes for a better and more efficient running style.

One of my favourite books is ‘Born to Run’ by Chris McDougall, and I know that he was coached by a guy called Eric Orton, who also has a book, and a website, and things you can buy, and training courses you can join… sadly all in Jackson’s Hole, USA.

I downloaded his book last night and greedily read the first 5 chapters… and although I still have a long way to go, I like his style and what he has to say.  This led me to his YouTube vids first thing this morning, which led to a run this evening to try out his recommended techniques. 

Of course, me being me, I cannot do things by halves, so instead of heading down to the Priory Field for some easy flat laps, I set out for Blackcap. 

So what is my verdict?

• It is really hard to adjust your technique – you have to concentrate really hard.
  
• On the up-hills landing on the front of your foot is relatively easy, on the flats it is more challenging, but going downhill is damn near impossible.
  
• It makes your calf muscles really sting.
  
• I set out for a slow run… focused on technique, not speed.  But weirdly my pace was pretty good; not the best but not bad.
  
• At times I wasn’t sure whether I was doing it or not, but I now have blisters in places where I haven’t had blisters before, and calf muscles as taut as piano wires… so I must have been doing something different.
  
• Did it improve my running?  It is too early to tell, but I’m going to keep at it.
  
• Blackcap, as usual, was great this evening – 7 miles there and back.
  

I will keep you posted…
 
 

[marathondan]

Interesting stuff CC. In my experience, you can change your style, but it will take weeks or months. You also really need to listen to your body and change really gently. And even then, your body may refuse. I buggered my Achilles trying to do what you're doing, and was off running for almost a year. Flick through my diaries from Nov 2012 to Jan 2014 to see the descent from naive optimism to distressing injury (skip over the stuff about the triathlon). Good luck to you, but proceed with caution . And remember that your calves are connected to your Achilles.

I would guess that there's a correlation between body weight and ability to run on the mid or front foot. I'm 14.5+ stone, and I think that's too much for the body's shock absorbers to take.

[Charliecat5]

You also really need to listen to your body and change really gently. And even then, your body may refuse. 

Wise words my friend.  I read the next five chapters last night… the chapters where he describes the need for patience and suggests that you start the changes by running a series of slow 10 minute runs and build from there.  I also seem to remember that he mentioned at the very beginning of the book that the reader should read the whole thing before rushing out...

So, 7 miles in 1 hour perhaps wasn’t the most sensible move on my part.  Legs are a little achy this morning but nothing unusual in that… the blister on my left foot is pretty monumental though.

[marathondan]

Blisters are something that I've always been lucky to escape. Looks like I might have a post-marathon infected big toe though.

[glaconman]

There may be something in this for you CC.

Certainly track runners do alot of drills aimed at improving technique. But I do regard consciously changing your running style as abit of a red herring.

I think of style as a function of what type of running you're doing. 200 intervals on a track you'll be up on your toes with a pronounced arm swing. Running up a lakeland peak you will be on your toes putting alot of strain on calf and plantar etc. A long, slow run will see a more economical and flatter style.

You can be mindful of this, but you do this naturally if your running is more varied (in terms of distance, speed and terrain).

In short: Varied training + flexibility + core strength + drills = better running technique without intervention.

[Charliecat5]

That is really interesting Glaconman.  Sitting on the train this morning I have been reflecting on last nights shenanigans and how I approach this.   I am not minded to effectively start again with a new running style, so was pondering on how to bring this new technique into my 'usual' running.  

I have started to conclude that up-hills are a good opportunity to use the front of my foot - as I still tend to run upwards on flat feet, but on the flat on and on the down hills to focus on posture and getting the knees up higher rather than working hard to land on the front of my foot... which is probably what has mullered my calf muscles this morning. 

I also agree that varying my running is a good thing as well... as long as I don't have to run on tarmac.

Onwards and upwards...





 

[Charliecat5]

It’s been a good weekend, but a long weekend which much of it spent on the road driving to Derbyshire and back.  As a consequence there has been no opportunity for running - which is no bad thing as my lower calf muscles are still in pain after Thursday’s foolish shenanigans.  

However, on our return this afternoon Mrs CC5 announced that she was going for a run and asked if anyone would like to join us… the result - all four of us headed out for a run!

I suggested we did Sweder’s circuit as it is a nice 3 miles, throws in some hill work and delivers fantastic views for the effort involved.  So off we went.

It was wonderful; we ran at the pace of the slowest runner, my daughter (aka Small) and although we stopped for a few breathers we ran pretty consistently though-out.  As we reach the home stretch, Small launched into a sprint to beat me home.  I have no idea where she gets the competitive streak from… … …

As for me… it was good to run a slow one to give my calf muscles some exercise without pushing them too far.  The trouble is, now I’m at home they are giving me some real jip.  I have done some research on line, and I don’t think it is my Achilles that is hurting, as the pain sits right at the bottom of the calf muscles themselves. 

Work dictates a week of rest now…  that’s probably a good thing.

[Sweder]

... now I’m at home they are giving me some real jip.  I have done some research on line, and I don’t think it is my Achilles that is hurting, as the pain sits right at the bottom of the calf muscles themselves

I knew just the man for this, but incredibly sadly he passed away just yesterday.
I'll post more in a day or so; I'm feeling incredibly sad just now. 
For those who recall tales of Paris 2006, I speak of Kader, our Algerian guide, he of the brutal, flesh-rendering iron fingers. Pancreatic cancer ended his time with us. The Brighton running community is bereft.

[Charliecat5]

Running is postponed due to injury.  I aim to hit the hills again this weekend, if anyone fancies it?

   

[Charliecat5]

May is a month to chalk up to experience… 

Stupidity led to forced recuperation for a couple of weeks, and in that couple of weeks I have lost form.  Add to this mix a nasty bout of hay fever (although this morning it felt more than just hay fever) and what was meant to have been an enjoyable jaunt with Billy Goat Gruff this morning turned out being a full-on slog trying to keep up with the big man.

I knew as I laboured up Sweder’s hill to meet him at Jill’s pond that things were not going to plan.  Half way up my lungs were shredded… by the top, oxygen was simply not getting to the places it was meant to be.  We joked that we should take a quick selfie and head back home for a coffee… but neither of us being the sensible types, we pushed on.

I have lost count of the times I have run to Blackcap… but today’s 3.5 miles were the hardest I have ever done.  No springiness in the legs, breathing was difficult and for the first time in a long time I had to follow his arse to the top.

Still… we had a few miles of gentle downhill ahead of us, so having downed a gel and slurped some water, I managed to stand up again and we headed west to the South Downs Way.  Sadly I only managed half a mile before a bout of dizziness set in.  We walked a while and then decided to explore a new track, which hopefully would provide a shortened route home from the planned expedition.  

I like to think I know the Downs around Lewes pretty well, but this morning we discovered a fantastic new route though dappled woodland, flower strewn meadows and a hill so steep that our noses where only inches from the ground.  I will be back.

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful, we found the track home we were looking for and through a combination of slow running and walking we made it home.  8.5 miles and a juxtaposition of suffering and loveliness. 

It wasn’t happening this morning, but I enjoyed being out there; and without these kind of runs… we cannot enjoy the goods ones quite as much in all their glory.