Week 8 update, half term but no half measures

The year is whizzing past, there often don't seem to be enough hours in the day, so half term is generally a good time to catch up on stuff that gets put off in the house. So this week I've been having a massive sort out and tidy in the house and garden as well as keeping the training going.

I also took my vest to Ripon Business Services to be printed up. I bought the vest in the sales before Christmas for £2, a right bargin. Looks good don't you think. Tracey always does a great job on printing my t shirts.

Training this week has been the usual routine, a daily run, 2 watt bike sessions, 2 swims and Ripon runners Tuesday and Thursday. 

The weekend is all about endurance. Saturday was a 2 hr 30 walk followed by a 3 hr 30 run. Unfortunately Billy is injured at the moment and we usually walk Jed for the walk section. This week Billy said that he would walk Jed, so I decided to do a long steady run, based around the Rowel walk. The Ripon Rowel was a spur, hence the spur (I think it looks like a sun) on the footpath signs.

As the sun was rising I set off along the River Ure and enjoyed the fact that it was a hard frost which made running easier because the mud was hard rather than slippery. My Heartrate monitor wax playing up trying to tell me my heart rate was in the 170's so Ignored it and just ran to feel.

Ripon Cathedral looked lovely in the early morning.

As I ran along the Ure I spotted a heron, who flew off when he spotted me.

The hard frost made running along the canal a real pleasure in the early morning light, it was so peaceful.

At this point my phone/camera started to play up so I turned it off to conserve the battery which it was saying was at 13% when it was at 100% when I had set off less than an hour previously. 

So no more pictures for the run.

I ran along the Ure then around the back of Bishop Monkton then into the village via Ings Lane, along to the caravan site and across the fields to Burton Leonard. As I always do when my training takes me through the village where I spent most of my childhood, I visited my dad's grave before carrying on, up Burton Hill and then down the Limeys. I crossed the beck where I spent many hours as a child fishing for sticklebacks and bullheads, before running up to the Roman Road (as we called it as kids) towards South Stainley. The sun wax well up now and so as I crossed the field to the A61 my trainers got wider and heavier with craggy mud. I crossed the road and ran along the lane to Markington. I saw a red kite soaring along side me as the rabbits played in the fields. I thought that was very daring of them. At Markington I ran around the sports fields and to a farm where I turned up a little pathway through Holly bushes. The first time I ever ran up this path It was on a Ripon Runner excursion where we got the 36 bus to South Stainley and ran back to Ripon. I remembered a conversation with Penny whist running up this path. She had just completed the Ripon Black Sheep Triathlon, I was thinking of doing it, she encouraged me. That was back in 2010 I've done it 4 times now. 

It's a couple of years since I've run this route, and I soon made a wrong turn, It wasn't long before I realised my mistake, instead of running back I turned my phone back on, found where I was on Google maps and worked a new route to Whitcliffe Lane. I was soon on Whitcliffe Lane and heading for Howe Hill. I ran down the hill and turned up to Sawley, this is quite a long climb and the road was really busy. Most drivers were considerate, I tried to get off the road where possible. But one driver did not move out at all, he drove so close and I couldn't get off the road. Shaken I carried on up to Sawley and enjoyed the run back down the lane towards Fountains Abbey West Gate. It was muddy in the woods, yuk.

I then ran up to a Studley church and down the drive, turned up Plumpton and headed back to Whitcliffe Lane via Mackershaw. I had now covered over 23 miles so I walked up Mackershaw, 2 ladies stopped me and asked if I was ok. I said I was but they asked if I was sure. I must have looked rough hobbling with my sciatica up the hill. I explained that I had been running miles and wax just too tired to run up the hill.

So I ran down the cow field and down Whitcliffe Lane and home at last. 26.35 miles in 5:55:05. Tired but happy. Another 2500 calories burned.

Nutrition was 2 x Soreen lunchbox loaves, 2 x high5 citrus gel and 3 Powerbar cola chews..

I saw this on Facebook and really liked it, it's similar to my tatto I suppose.

Today was supposed to be a 4 hr 45 min cycle. The weather forcast wasn't great and I was a little tired and achy from yesterday's run. I walked the dog to loosen off and got my kit ready. I'll be so glad when the weather improves and I don't have to wrap up like a MichelinMan to go out on the bike. As I was putting my Outlaw jacket on the zip misaligned and opened from the bottom. I took a while to put if right. I set off, and realised my brakes were sticking so came home to sort it. After a load of faffing, it was sorted and I set off again. I headed for Leyburn. It was cold and breezy but there were plenty people out and about, mainly in cars, I only saw a couple of cyclists travelling in the opposite direction to me. The hills were hard on tired legs and coming back from Leyburn the wind was a real hindrance, then there was a flurry of snow, definitely time to get to lower ground. I fought the wind and rain showers back to Ripon. I had done around 4 hours, I could gave gone home, I was cold wet and tired, but I decided to keep going, I headed into the wind towards Bishop Monkton, at least then I'd have the wind behind me on the way home. By now it was raining quite heavily and my hands were really cold. I wax glad to get back to the bypass and head home. 

I cleaned my bike off with numb hands, had a coffee then went out for my runstreak mile. It would have been so easy not to do it but I have run everyday for 52 days and was not letting bad weather stop me now, so I went out bringing my runstreak to 53.

Week 7 update, Carrying on regardless

Well what a week, Monday I did my runstreak mile before taking Jed for a Dogjog. I was really buoyed up by the quality of my run the day before at the Muddy Boots 10 km and stopped paying attention to what my sciatic half numb left foot was doing and so the dogjog was going well, until just before we reached home I misjudged a kerb with my dodgy left foot and went sprawling across the pavement, loosing my grip on the lead, fortunately Jed slowed and stopped. I got up quick grabbed the lead and glanced down at my sore knees

That'll be new tights needed then. The trip wax at a busy junction so I waited till I got home before investigating further

Oh great, a flap of skin removed and knees like a 10 year old. I cleaned it up and applied a massive plaster and hid it all with thick tights for work.

After work and a dog walk I changed the plaster for a waterproof one and headed to the pool. I managed 2650 yds in 57.44 minutes. I then went home, grabbed a couple of rice cakes then headed back out, this time to Ripon Cycle Studio for a watt bike session. The session was a warm up, then 4 minutes at 90 cadence then a minute 3-4 gears higher trying to maintain cadence and repeat 10 times. I really struggled with this session. But I tried really hard.

Tuesday means a lie in before walking the dog. I awoke with a dreadful pain in my shoulder which made breathing difficult. After work I jogged to the Rugby club to run with the junior runners. I was ok jogging, but I could not run, I couldn't breathe deep enough, the kids were having to wait for me. One of the youngsters was feeling unwell, I accompanied them back to club at a walk. 

I ran slowly at the back of the adult group, I was fine as long as I didn't try to run hard.

Wednesday, and it was back to an early start with a runstreak mile and a dogjog. I could breathe a bit better but my knee was still bleeding a bit. The runs were uneventful, phew. After work I walked the dog before my swim and watt bike sessions. Whilst on the walk, a dog went for Jed nightmare.

For my swim session I did 100yd sets, I managed 3 sets under 2 minutes, the rest were just over.

I only get a half hour swim session on a Wednesday and go straight to watt bikes. The watt bike session was a long warm up then a 3 minute test. I managed 253 watts, an improvement since last time, not bad on tired legs, I wanted to redo the test another day.

Thursday, almost a rest day a dog walk in the morning and running club training in the evening. The training was 2 x 4 min efforts, then a 400 m effort and then 2 more 4 min efforts and another 400 m effort. It was tough, but good to attempt to run faster than usual.

Friday was again an uneventful runstreak mile and dogjog before work. In the evening was strength and conditioning, in other words a rest day.

Saturday is endurance day. The plan called for a 2 hr 20 min walk at high heartrate followed by a 3 hr 20 min run with a low heartrate. 5 hr 40 min of steady exercise. The weather was nice so I went to Fountains Abbey, so here are the pics

This was a heron in the river on the walk section along the River Ure

I noticed how orange and black the Abbey looked as I did a freedom parkrun.

I love this view, you get it twice on the Fountains Abbey Parkrun

I liked the way the snowdrops and skeletal trees reflected in the River Skell.

There are signs saying no public access to this Fairey Glenn, shame.

I went up to the Banquetting House for the first time.

It was a lovely view from there.

Sunday was endurance ride day, I didn't sleep well with wierd queries going around my head about Equinox24 and how I'd rack my bike with it's Adamo snub nosed seat, and other random stuff. So I got up tired and my legs were tired from the running too. The plan asked for a 4 hr 30 min ride at heartrate 130-140. After walking the dog Billy and I set out seperately. We were both heading for Richmond but my pace would prevent him training effectively, he was going with similar paced friends.

I set off and soon was paced by them, I worked hard to keep them in sight. At Masham they had stopped. Jeff decided to ride with me as Billy and Martin's pace was to much for his training plan.

It was nice to ride with someone for a change, Jeff said he would probably head back at Leyburn. I had to work hard at times to catch up, at other times we rode together. At Leyburn Jeff decided to continue on with me. The route is undulating and hilly with no flats, by Brompton on Swale my tired legs were arguing, I slowed to get some nutrition in me and soon felt a bit better on the long slog up to Richmond. Then it was time to head home more downs now, some quite fast, but there were still a couple of tough hills. We stopped to offer assistance to a couple with a puncture on one of their mountain bikes, but didn't have appropriate equipment. It was now apparent that we had totally over run our planned time, but Jeff had completed his longest toughest ride. 5 hr 35 min was the time it took to complete 66 miles with 3,839 ft of ascent, Jeff did 70 miles because he had to get home.

It was nice to ride with somebody.

When I got home there was still the small matter of runstreak. I struggled around a mile, before cleaning up my mucky bike.

So that's how my week has been, a good training week with a couple of minor incidents.

Week 6 update,

Ok, so here we are, 6 Sundays 39 days into 2015 already and I have managed to run everyday, this is a new record for me, previously I have only managed 34 days in a row.

Monday was swim and bike day, I managed 120 lengths of the 25 yd pool in just over an hour and that was followed by a tough watt bike session.

Tuesday was running club, I ran down to club, ran with the juniors, ran with the adults and ran home.

I saw the physio on Wednesday morning about my sciatica, she thinks it's rooted in my L5/S1 joint at the base of my spine and given me some exercises to strengthen my back, bug I still need to stretch my Piriformis too. She also said to carry on doing what aim doing. I wanted to run the Muddy Boots 10km but wasn't sure until she said that. After work I did 58 lengths of the pool followed by 2 x 20 minute efforts on the watt bike.

Thursday was hill training, what a disaster, I was demoralised at first as my leg refused to co operate and the other runners left me standing, but I pulled myself together and completed the training to the best of my ability.

Friday was rest day, I ran my mile early in the day. In the evening I did half an hour of Pilates

Saturday was a lovely bright day so I got out on the bike for 3 hours, I managed a big hill without irritating my back further.

Saturday evening was the Tri club dinner, what a laugh, it was a brilliant night, eating, drinking and dancing. I had decided not to dance for fear of irritating my back, but I couldn't resist.

Sunday, race day. I was supposed to run for 3 hours and 10 minutes today, but I figured the race would take at least an hour, so I decided to do a 2 hour run afterwards.

Muddy Boots is the first local 10 k that I ever did, it's a great race, undulating multi terrain. This year they have got a new route taking out the bridge in the first half which caused a bottleneck. The new course was more off-road. I planned to just enjoy the run and to walk up the muddy hill. And to gave a gel half way to test it's impact on my stomach.

I set off near the back and ran reasonably comfortably moving though the runners, As I reached the hill, I set off slow running it and soon was passing people, buoyed up I ran it all and noticed some Ripon Runners ahead I started to chase. I had never planned to race it today but just enjoy it. I was racing it and really enjoying it. The course was muddy but not too bad, the sun was shining and it was not too cold. I ran hard and until the last mile, when my back started to niggle, the distance remained constant between me and the other 2 Ripon Runners, but they soon pulled away over that final stage. I had a great race, finishing in 1:01:18 and very happy and the gel had not disagreed with me.

I ate my banana and drank my water as I chatted with friends, then I headed home to drop off my jumper, medal and tea before setting off again.

So about 40 minutes after finishing the race I set out again, this time heading for Fountains Abbey.

It took ages to get going and I didn't feel great, I thought the banana and water would have been enough energy. I ate a dextrose and felt a bit better, but not much, so I had another and was feeling much better, so I had another for good measure and felt back to normal as I ran my regular route to Studley Church. I ran to the visited centre and refilled my bottle before going into the Abbey grounds. It's ages since I have seen so many people visiting, It was sunny and felt warm in the sunshine, it was lovely to see families picnicking and children running and climbing around the ruins. I decided to go up to Ann Bolyn's seat, wow that was a tough hill. It was much quieter so high up and the views between the trees were fabulous.

I ran along taking a few pics before descending through a tunnel back to the water gardens

I then left the Abbey grounds and headed back up to the church

Before running home. 9 miles in 2 hours, and that's today's runstreak well and truly completed.

After getting home I walked the dog to keep everything moving gently.

So there you are, this last week of training.

Getting to the bottom of my sciatica

Well what a busy day, I finally had my long awaited physio appointment, it was at 07:30, so in order to keep my runstreak going and get the dog out I got up at 05:00, after being awake since about 04:00. The downside of having an early night. I just did a very gentle run this morning on a slightly different route. It was very icy on the pavements. I then had breakfast and took Jed for a Dogjog, it felt like it was getting colder bbbrrr!

After feeding Jed and preparing my lunch I went to physio, I expected to be in and out in 10 minutes but it was  more like 40. The physio asked loads of questions and did quite a few checks and gave me some different exercises to do to strengthen the muscles around my spine. She said I could carry on doing what I normally do, (yes, I did tell her that I run, cycle, swim and walk about 20 hours a week.) so that pleased me loads, also she showed me on a skeleton the area of my spine that was most likely to be irritating/pinching my nerve according to my symptoms. All good, because now that I know where the root of the problem is, I can work specifically on getting back to full fitness.

And because I was told I can carry on doing my training, after work and walking Jed I swam 1450 yards before going to Ripon Cycle Studio to do 2 lots of 20 minutes at above 184 watts with a 5 min recovery. I succeeded and averaged 186.5. 

These watt bike sessions may be tough but they measure progression quickly, and Dewi has everyone on their own programme. I really enjoy the sessions.