2012 begins

It's always good to have a break from work, so I appreciated a couple of weeks off at the end of the year. I didn't appreciate my frequent inability to breathe properly, nor the plantar faciitis that makes my feet so unhappy. So, ongoing tests for the lungs (nothing has showed up in the results so far) and I've been doing everything anyone has suggested for my feet - including massage, tennis ball rolling and wearing a silly bootie at night to stretch it.

Having not run more than 4 miles since the beginning of November, I figured it would be foolish to go to the Enigma marathon on 3rd January. But Jim pointed out that it would be good for me to get out and see everyone (and besides, I am a fool...). So I did go and had a brilliant day out seeing lots of running mates and (mostly walking) completed the course of 7 1/2 laps around the lake in the park near Bletchley. Very slowly. I didn't feel great, but no worse than recently and it didn't seem to do any damage. Dave's events are always good, plus this time there was a mug as well as a medal!

So then I did the 100 Club AGM marathon on Sunday. It took me nearly 5 hours, but again, it just felt really great to be out running (and walking a lot too) with friends.

A pretty good start to the year then. Now if I can just get my health sorted out...

December

Hmm, an entire calendar month with no running. Well, no races or events anyway. I did stumble out for a few desultory short jogs, trying to ignore my variously screaming feet and lungs. I'm not sure if the orthotics are doing any good - my heels are still very sore. Apparently definitely not a chest infection though. Had a couple of tests at the hospital, so hoping the results of those might shed some light on the cause of my inability to breathe properly.

I wouldn't say I'm defined by running, but it's certainly an important part of me. I guess when it's taken away, it means I get more time to explore what else there is. While trying to fend off the inevitably encroaching stress and insanity. Also, I hadn't really thought about the fundraising thing, but recently was contacted by the charity I usually support - I won't be able to commit to helping them next year, as I have no idea if I'll be doing any ultra events, let alone the sort that are good for sponsoring. Seems a shame.

But I remain optimistic that it will all sort itself out soon and normal service will be resumed. I like winter and there are plenty of reasons to be happy.

November

Since running a couple of road marathons gave me very sore heels, I've hardly run at all. Morning runs at this time of year are on hard surfaces (no well-lit trails locally), so I've only intermittently done a few miles here and there. Plus I seem to have been knocked down by a lingering virus that's just annoying enough to make me feel rough, but simply won't go away.

I did try a couple of trail runs in early November - the 36 mile Marriotts Way ultra in Norwich was a lovely low-key event. I shouldn't have done it on my tender feet, but I knew from past experience it would be an easy out-and-back trot along an old disused rail line. And it was lovely.

Then there was the first day of the Druid ultra. This was just 29 miles along the Ridgeway. Seemed odd to be doing just part of this trail and in the autumn - it all looked different from when it is just the start of doing the full 85 in August. That was on a Friday, which was a rare day off from college (to make up for having done a Saturday Open Day the previous week). I enjoyed it, but was feeling really quite unwell. Nice to be out in the fresh air though.

The day after that was a 10K with 26 students. It was the Movember run in Greenwich Park so plenty of silliness ensued. I even managed to win the fancy dress prize! It was great to see the teenagers out doing it, plus they raised well over £1000 between them for various charities.But I haven't really run much since then. Saw a foot specialist though and am trying orthotics now. Early days but it might be working. I'm hoping to do the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon next weekend, but not too sure yet.

On the upside, while the lack of running is getting me down, I did have a fantastic birthday. Jim got me a brilliant selection of shiny presents, including a Kindle.

Having just read that, I realise I really need to cheer up! Off to Brighton tomorrow which might do the trick.

Venice, St Ives, Essex...

That felt like a really well deserved half term break. After a busy few weeks at college, it was great to get away and get refreshed.

I flew to Venice for the first weekend of the holiday. A very pretty city, with the sunshine reflecting off all the water, making for many glittering, squint-inducing scenes (should have taken sun glasses). The water boat service worked a lot like the tube, but with superior views. I stayed in nearby Mestre, but went over to Venice each day, including for the Marathon on Sunday (a point to point route into the city, including going over may board-walked bridges and a trot around the historic Piazza San Marco). Another sub 4 run, but the road surface has wrecked my feet - I had very sore heels afterwards and didn't run for the rest of the week.I got home on Monday afternoon, then took the luxury of a berth on the sleeper train down to the Cornish coast, arriving in St Ives on Tuesday morning, where Jim already had camp set up. I'd missed the deluge of rain and enjoyed some sunny days with fantastic views and fresh air. The colours in St Ives are always impressive. It's just sand and sea, but somehow better than it should be.And to round off the week, I did the Brentwood Marathon in Essex. My feet couldn't have taken a road course, but the dozen laps on a hilly grass and woodland trail through a country park were just about okay. And it was another top event with a superb atmosphere, put on by the fantastic folk at GoBeyond Ultra.

Quickest marathon this year...

Nothing to brag about at 3:58, but after all the illness and injury this year, it was a welcome return to the world of sub-4.

I hadn't entered many events after missing such a lot over the summer, but fortunately Simon Redfern offered me his unneeded place at the notoriously fast Abingdon. I popped up on the train last night and stayed about 3 miles from the start, which made for a beautiful warm-up walk along pretty and misty country lanes this morning.

There were loads of mates there, so great to catch up with people and it was perfect running weather (sunny & cool). It was Paul's 100th marathon - always good to have a new member in the club. He ran a PB today and was really chuffed.

I enjoyed the run and had a fantastic day out. Nice wicky T shirt and a chunky medal, as shown below with Tommy, who nearly thwarted my plan to run by involving me in a "nearly falling down the stairs tripping over black cat in the dark" incident. Fortunately he was fine and I just suffered a stubbed toe (which is now rather larger than it should be, and a bit purple).

UK Ultra Champs

This weekend I went to the last round of the ULTRArace UK Ultra Championships. It's a series of 9 races, of which the best 5 score. After a year with an unusual amount of illness and injury, I only just managed to do 5.

The first was the Northampton-Tring double in January, at 45 miles each day. I ran these with a chest infection, which didn't exactly help, but that was the first two races completed in reasonably decent times. Annoyingly I picked up anterior compartment syndrome on the second day (effectively a painful lump on my shin which made me limp badly and have to take a complete break from running for a couple of weeks).

I was just about back to running again when the next round came along with another canal double, this time at Grantham, 29 miles each day. I did a bit better there.

Then there was the summer with the groin strain: no running and missing out on lots of events. I finally got back some of my fitness over the last few weeks, enough to do the Nottingham 50K on Sunday. A beautiful route through lots of woods and fields, along the Robin Hood Trail, finishing at the Castle in the city. I was pleased with 5:13 - not particularly quick, but better than I'd expected after all the time off.

And those 5 were enough to put me in third place in the championships. I got a big box of energy bars, a huge glass trophy and a cheque for £50. Shiny!So, same again next year? A brilliant series organised by Rory and Jen at ULTRArace - those guys rock!

Back to school, back to running...

So the new term has seemed a bit manic at work. Not sure why it should seem busier than usual, but it does. Fortunately this has been pleasantly balanced with the ability to run again. I'm still at the slow end but my fitness is gradually returning. And I'm really appreciating every run. (Picture grinning like an idiot at 5am running around the Heath...)

The Green Chain Marathon was hot but very scenic, following the Green Chain path which links up lots of pretty sections of woods and a stretch along the Thames in South East London. Quite hilly in places, but a delightful day out with great company.

The New Forest Marathon is always held on the last weekend of the year that our favourite campsite is open. It would be churlish not to go. Another sunny weekend, with donkeys and blackberries being the best nature around. Always good to get out of the city for a couple of days. And they'd changed the marathon route a bit, running some of it in reverse (though not actually backwards - that would be more challenging) making it more interesting. And at 4:20 for me, it was a bit faster than of late.

The Flower of Suffolk on Sunday covered some beautiful (and flat) trails along the coast, in blazing hot sunshine. I stayed overnight before the event in Lowestoft. I'd taken some work with me and sat on the beach in the evening doing some Maths - most enjoyable! It was an LDWA thing, the first I'd done for ages. Oh, how I'd missed the stiles, kissing gates, boardwalks, footbridges, filed edges - even a tiny patch of mud. I set off early to avoid the worst of the heat with Gil, a 60 year old 100 club member, who's done well over 400 marathons and ultras. We chatted the whole way round and had a good laugh.

The "enrichment" sessions at college have started up again too, so I've been running in the local park with a bunch of teenagers each week, training them up for a 10K (Greenwich in November). We have a really enthusiastic group, with nearly 40 of them this term!

Apart from the whole being-ridiculously-busy thing, I'm finally feeling back to normal. Nice.