Pulled up towards the end of yesterday's lunchtime fartlek with a back strain. It feels very similar to what I did to it last summer. So this week's tempo and long sessions are hereby cancelled; I'll have to see what kind of shape I'm in next week. Meanwhile it's painkillers, lumbar support, deep heat, walk breaks, working standing up, and no lifting children.
I just have to hope that it's a one-off, rather than a symptom of gait, shoes, overtraining (unlikely ) etc.
Another miracle back cure effected - a few days of strong painkillers and the right kind of rest (no lifting, but no sitting down either). Two runs missed but nothing to worry about. I banked 4.25 miles fartlek last night in cool, still conditions, feeling strong and refreshed.
As Tom Roper, also bouncing back from injury, puts it: "I think no period of marathon training passes without some injury... I am not too dismayed. I shall be back to normal next week."
Only 4 more ground-breaking long runs to go, starting with 15 miles this weekend. The Tesco delivery brought jelly babies this week.
Whoever said 'know thyself' (let's assume it was Socrates) could have been speaking about you Dan.
Running for me has been like playing Snakes & Ladders over the last couple of years. But for you it's simply a ladder. One rung at a time, occassionally pausing to watch a tile fly past. Always reaching the top.
(09-02-2011, 10:00 AM)glaconman Wrote: Whoever said 'know thyself' (let's assume it was Socrates) could have been speaking about you Dan.
Thanks GM, it's always nice to be mentioned in the same sentence as a top-class international sportsman.
Seriously, I guess a lot of runners do have a good amount of self-awareness, both of their physical and mental abilities.
For me, I've been careful not to set my goals too high - in fact since my first marathon, my times have been steadily trending upwards (with silly / hairy mitigating circumstances). Whereas you, I believe, have been on a more open-ended quest to push your physical limits to the er, limit.
Check back here in a couple of months, as I stagger across the finish line in 6 hours, face streaked with pink emulsion from the rain, over-ambitious costume snapped in half by the stiff sea breeze, having walked most of the course due to a vicious headwind.
Oh yeah - I always visualise the worst case scenario, so that hopefully I won't be disappointed.
(13-02-2011, 10:01 PM)Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote: Hope the injury has resolved itself by now Dan?
Yes, "back" to normal now thanks. It seems I've strained the same back muscle twice in about 9 months. Hoping it's not going to become a regular thing.
Friday morning saw a rare opportunity for a daylight long run, so I grabbed it while I could. Three laps of a farm track / suburbs circuit, plus a mile round the block to finish and make up the requisite 15 miles total.
It was hard going. I felt low on energy, and at the 10 mile pit stop I fell upon the jelly babies like a man possessed. I'm a firm believer in the in-race carb strategy, and I need to continue to think about it more. Next week I'll try flapjack squares.
At least this run removed any traces of complacency I might have had that successive marathons get any easier. After you've completed one and are basking in a month off from running, it's easy to make light of the training and the race-day effort, but just completing one in a respectable time remains a pretty stiff challenge, at least for the likes of me.
This run took me through the full mental cycle:
1. (Around 10 miles onwards) I really don't like this, why the hell am I doing this, I could just give up.
2. (Around 12 miles onwards) I've done this before, I can do this, just keep going.
3. (After I've finished) I did it, I faced the challenge head on and I worked through it.
There we have it: running = life.
Marathon pace was still the wrong side of 4 hours for my liking, but there's little I can do about that (apart from run faster, duh?). The priority now is to... um, well, I suppose it's just to finish the training plan to the best of my ability. That's what I've always done in the past. There doesn't seem much point trying to focus on this or that, just get out there and bank the miles.
See attached for my new personal motto.
Sunday night was 7.5 miles tempo, although my so-called tempo pace left much to be desired. In my defence the legs were a bit stiff from the 15 miler, but I can do better than this. After the initial drudge of getting out of the door, it was good to be out, in light rain. And I do prefer evening runs. On Friday I had to creak around the house for the rest of the day. Tonight I could just shower and collapse into bed.
Meanwhile, costume painting in my loft studio continues apace. Whenever I'm outside now I find myself acutely sensitive to the wind speed. I think possibly the only worse costume I could have chosen for a seafront marathon is a giant kite. Oh well.
Last night, for the second time this week, I dreamed I was walking around naked in public. Surely this doesn't indicate that I'm nervous about some upcoming event?
On a related note, my company magazine has requested a picture of me *in costume* for the charity section of the next edition. Silly photos online is one thing, hundreds of hard copies lying around the office for months, of me looking an utter fool, is another. Still, if it gets me some more sponsorship, I'd better bite the bullet.
Saturday 6.45 am - 8 and a bit miles tempo. After last week's slightly disappointing run I prepared a high tempo playlist to spur me on, inspired by Music List Creation Man. The effect was good: 1K extra completed in less than a minute longer than last week. Maybe early morning running is better for me than I realise. TdJ: Led Zep / Communication Breakdown (honourable mentions to Quo / Caroline and Metallica / Enter Sandman).
Tonight - 16.3 miles. Again after feeling rubbish during last week's effort, I changed things around on the audio, first trying the Marathon Talk podcast for the first time. I musy say it was pretty fine; there's a lot of chat around elite / high level running, but that only serves to inspire us mere mortals to higher things. Episode 58 has a long interview with Tim Hutchings, Brighton race director, and so that event gets some coverage. The podcast lasted about 8 or 9 miles; I'll be listening again. With about an hour to go I switched to a slightly lower tempo, but more feelgood playlist, which gave me a tremendous boost, and I really enjoyed the last few miles, coming in just a few seconds inside two and a half hours. TdJ: Cha Cha Slide / DJ Casper (posted below for your delectation, in case you're not familiar), honourable mention to Robert Parker / Barefootin'.
16.3 miles is damn fine going Dan. With a few weeks still to go you're looking in good form. Mind you, wearing that outfit you're going to need to be... I hope there's no wind on race day!
Congratulations on the costume by the way - it looks fabulous. But tell me, does the race coincide with National Phallic Symbol Week by any chance?
Dan -- long time no speak/reply. Very rude of me, and I thank you for persisting with the long runs and excellent posts while I did nowt but stare through the window with a large glass of Barolo in front of me, plus plate piled high with creamy Swiss farmhouse cheeses and nutty bread.
Sounds like you're doing really well, and on schedule.
Fab costume. I can't imagine what a pain that will be to run 26 miles in, though at least you'll get massive support all the way round. And there's no chance of you being missed by the family.
Keep us posted.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
(23-02-2011, 08:52 AM)Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote: I hope there's no wind on race day!
Yep, that's my main fear too!
(23-02-2011, 08:52 AM)Mid Life Crisis Man Wrote: Congratulations on the costume by the way - it looks fabulous. But tell me, does the race coincide with National Phallic Symbol Week by any chance?
I'm led to believe that every week is National Phallic Symbol Week in Brighton.
(25-02-2011, 06:52 AM)El Cuckoo Wrote: Dan -- long time no speak/reply.
Ah Swiss Andi, welcome back! Marvellous news posted elsewhere that you have successfully bagged some trail action, and now have 13.1 miles in your sights. I will look forward eagerly to your posts.
As regards my marathon, indeed I don't yet know what a pain it will be to run in that costume. I seem to have successfully recreated the "first marathon" / "I don't know if I can do this" fear factor, which for some perverse reason I seem to crave. Of course failure is relative; at worst I will be able to walk the course and stagger over the line, rain-streaked with pink emulsion and costume snapped in the wind, but to acquit myself as a proper runner is going to take a lot of effort.
I'm also just coming to terms with the fact that I'm really going to look like a prize tw@t, and if I'm serious about fundraising I really need to go the whole hog, get myself into the local press, etc. If marathons are about facing up to your fears and pushing through them, that's as much of a challenge for me as the run itself.
Another three runs despatched. Pace continues to be somewhat slower than I would hope for, but I guess I know in the back of my mind that I’m not training for speed.
Surprising TdJ from the tempo playlist: Mr Pitiful from the Commitments soundtrack, eclipsing the twin giants of Ace of Spaces and AC/DC’s Heatseeker.
The long run was a stepback of just over 12 miles; in my mind it would be easy so of course in practice it wasn’t. But when push came to shove I was able to kick for home in the last mile and a half, with plenty left in the tank, to the somewhat tragic TdJ of Cher’s I Found Someone.
Main audio on the long run was provided by another enjoyable Marathon Talk podcast. Lots of elite chat to keep us mortals inspired, and some interesting snippets:
- an interesting interview with British Olympic marathon prospect Lee Merrion.
- sports physio and 2:49 marathon runner Tom Williams admits that he "rarely stretches" – so I’m in good company.
- regular contributor Tony is choosing his fancy dress costume for this year’s VLM (can’t think why I was attracted to this item). Last year he broke (or set) the world record for a marathon dressed as a Smurf (around 3:30 I think – way out of my league). Interestingly, the world record for a marathon dressed as a fairy apparently stands at 4 hours, so I missed a trick in 2009, when the addition of a couple of wings could have seen me entering the Guinness book. Actually I did look into it last year, but I didn’t leave long enough for the application. And the same now applies this year.
Total miles for February: 85.4 (two missed runs due to back injury)
Planned miles for March: 122
(28-02-2011, 09:37 AM)marathondan Wrote: - sports physio and 2:49 marathon runner Tom Williams admits that he "rarely stretches" – so I’m in good company.
You and me both, brother Dan.
Good steady progress and a timely reminder to many of us that speed, whilst wholly desirable in a sexy sportscar or as a de rigueur drug du jour for rock n roll roadies, is not required on such long-distance journeys.
That said the Fairy record seems doable *dusts off old tutu*
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
(02-03-2011, 12:49 PM)Sweder Wrote: That said the Fairy record seems doable *dusts off old tutu*
Now just and stop and think about it a moment, you two. When all is said and done, will (at your funeral for instance) your children thank you for you being known as "the world record holder for fastest marathoning fairy"?
) etc.
- 8 and a bit miles tempo. After last week's slightly disappointing run I prepared a high tempo playlist to spur me on, inspired by 
