Author: admin

Apologies for my lack of blogging. It feels like it has been months since I last blogged, probably because it has been but so much has happened that to try to catch up with blogs would be a tough one. So I have decided to do a quick catch up post and then restart my blogging this week.

It was 4 weeks prior to what should have been the big day of the Manchester Marathon when I had my first Physio session and was diagnosed officially with ITT Band issues. The world was just starting to enter the first stages of the Corona Virus and the thought that the big day would be cancelled was still just a small thought at this point.

I went with a heavy heart expecting to be told there would be no way I’d make the start line, instead I was given ultrasound and deep tissue massage and told if I followed advice I could still be within a chance.

So that week I followed a strict routine of no running, who would have thought that not running for just 1 week would have driven me so crazy! But I kept my promise knowing that it would get me to that start line, I followed a daily set of strengthening exercises. My word I am not a fan of side planks and walking planks killed my stomach muscles for the first few days but I stuck with it alongside the routine 3 times a day icing of the knee area.

During this week I did a lot of research and reading up on the Jeffing method. I realised to get me to the finish I may have to change my approach. The more I read up on this idea the more I wanted to give it ago.

For anyone unfamiliar with the term Jeffing it’s a very effective method designed by an american gent Jeff Galloway where you mix intervals of running and walking from the very start. This allows better recovery of the muscles, runners to go further with less risk of injuries and more enjoyment.

If you ever get a chance to read his Jeffing a marathon book I really would recommend it, for me it was a real eye opener.

I re-visited the Physio the  week after and received another ultrasound and deep tissue massage. I was then told I was able to re-start the introduction of running but light runs 15 minutes first then increasing this by another 15 minutes and including a walk break every 5 minutes.

After having considered the Jeffing system I had already decided I was going to give it a go and set out doing a 60:30 ratio, so 60 seconds running to 30 seconds walk. The first run took me longer to get dressed for than I actually ran but I had promised not to over do it and risk flaring up my knee. It was strange running then walking and I had to really commit to not just running the 15 minutes but by the end I found I was quiet enjoying it. I knew my ratio’s would take some getting used to and need playing around with but I was quite excited to be taking on a new challenge and the thought that this really may be the way to cross that finish line for me.  

I made my third visit to the Physio the week after, this is were things were starting to get a little more scarier in the world and the thought that the organisers may have to make the decision to cancel the event was starting to feel more real. Happy with my progress we decided my appointment could move to fortnightly and I could continue to increase my mileage and running time gradually.

Little did I know that life would change from the next day.

Tuesday is really when things took a turn in my life, I had to close the doors that day to my Slimming World groups, never knowing if or when they would re open.It turns out three weeks later I made the decision to step down from role as a consultant making a decision I knew would change my life. I’d had five amazing years at building up my groups, being part of members’ amazing journeys, but up until trying to make this work from home I had never really worked out the hours I was putting in. Lets just say it was a lot and I decided I wanted to be able to switch off from my work in an evening and give my family the time they deserved from me.

 I started on an emotional roller coaster ride, one I am still on and believe I will be on for a while as will most people. I never realised how much running would play a part in keeping me sane during this time.

That weekend the announcement came in everything I had been looking forward to planning and training for, was taken away. The marathon had been cancelled, Although I agreed with the reasons,I went through a series of feelings. First it was disappointment and upset. I had spent a year building up to this date, early mornings, running in all weathers. Then it turned into determination. Just because I was not crossing that line on April 5th 2020 didn’t mean I was never going to cross it. This extra time meant I could strengthen the training I had already put in crossing that line stronger!

By that weekend the Corona Virus had really started to up its pace in the world, taking thousands of life’s and it was decided as a country we would go into isolation with strict measures in place only being allowed out of our houses for exercise and essentials such as shopping whilst maintaining a social distancing at all times. Some countries at this point had banned things such as exercise at this point so just to be able to get out once a day was a blessing to me. The world was turning into an erie place full of uncertainty. So much had changed over the last couple of weeks things felt so unreal.

I’d already eyed up the garden and realised it would be too much of a krypton factor for me to run in. Dodging the slide, swing, dog child etc spelled disaster. So being able to have access to the trail and Rothervalley really was my saviour.

Jeffing gave me a new challenge to focus on, a new plan. When the new date 11th October 2020 was released for the Manchester Marathon I decided to re start my training with a brand new plan.

By this time I had spent a few weeks building back up to around the 5 mile mark by using a Jeffing ratio of 30:30 which I found to be quite comfortable, with no knee pain so decided to plan a whole new training plan based on Jeff Galloways marathon training plan.

Which leads me up to where I am today, My first week of my new marathon training plan!

I have decided to start a whole new blog category to follow for my new plan. I promise to blog every week as opposed to every run unless there’s anything extra exciting to share with you, all the way to that finish line in October.

After our first Junior park run I Stu dropped me off at the entrance on the train towards Poolsbrook country park and off I went with 18 miles planned. I had planned to do round Poolsbrook then back along the trail to Rothervalley including a few loops to make up the mileage needed for today’s training run.

As I set off I just didn’t feel right and as Stu pulled away in the car I felt almost a panic, not sure why but determined I needed to get these runs in with the weeks quickly passing and the starting date getting nearer I pushed on down the track finding my pace.

As I hit Pools brook I decided to do two laps round as knew i’d need to make up for the lack of millage down the track having started in Stavely, then headed back along the track towards Rothervalley about 4.5 miles in I could feel my knee starting to hurt something which was greatly worrying me know so I made the decision when I got to the turn off on the track for home I would reluctantly make my way back and have to admit defeat at just 8.5 miles 🙁

I felt like my legs had the strength to go on for many more miles but that niggling in my right knee I knew would be extremely painful if I pushed through and carried on.

So I returned home where I iced the knee area before pending the day feeling sorry for myself, could this be the turning point in my training, Had I not done enough strength training, was Manchester even going to happen.

I decided after lots of forum advice to seek a physio out first thing in the morning after all I was no professional and could be making a mountain out of a mole hill. Ill keep you posted on the out come!

Proud mummy day today, although every day is proud mummy day for me today was even more so.

We attended our first Junior park run together.

Although Suzie cant register as an official runner so no time or bar code scanned we were told we could go along and run as much or little as we liked.

Watching her get so excited about running with mummy and wearing her cookie monsters really put a smile on my face.

We arrived at the Stavely Junior park run and was instantly made to feel welcome. I had already volunteered Stu to help out as a Marshall as they were short of helpers and he was only going to be standing around any way so might as well be of use.

He was handed a bright bib, whistle and neck chain with official Marshall on it before beginning given his position at the far end of the field across the sludge to his delight.

We gathered for a small warm up pre run before heading to the start line for the count down and we were off. The full route was 4 laps around the field. I could feel Suzie getting excited as we set off and had warn her to go slow we had a long way to go. We ran around and it wasn’t long before we were passing stu for the first time. Shortly after their was a particular boggy area we plotted our way round for least slippage before continuing past the finish tunnel onto our second lap.

Suzie high fived her daddy as we passed him for the second time and crossed the lap marker for the second time as we started to just get past Stu again for the third time Suzie told me she was very tired bless her and at this point I realised 3 laps would be our goal this week so as we came to the lap marker again she ran through the tunnel to the finish!

So proud of her for completing 3 fab laps of her first Junior park run and secretly I think Stu enjoyed helping out and wearing his gear.

Tonight I attended my first Sports massage. Although this isn’t a training run I thought it worth blogging for those of you who may be interested but never took up the courage to book one. Its also part and parcel of my training.

I’ve been saying for awhile I needed to book and look into sports massage but it’s been one of those to do things that I’ve never got the courage to go ahead and book.

So when Sharon tagged me in  Keep Active Muscle Therapy’s Facebook post offering a free sports massage I thought what have I got to lose.

I really was not sure what to expect to be honest. Having heard horror stories about sports massage and how painful it was I was a little nervous.

From the minute I stepped in the door I was made to feel welcome by Sian and Simon.

After going through some routine health questions and asking if I had any particular areas of concern etc, Sian took me into a conservatory area and explained the process.

As she went through the sports massage she explained what she was working on and the reasons. I’d love to be able to tell you all those big long words and body parts she was mentioning but the minute she’d said them I forgot lol. I was forewarned it wasn’t like a spa type massage and was meant to work the muscles to rid of any tightness and knots but was also told it was as brutal as i’d probably heard.

When we had finished I was given some advice on using sports balls along my legs after runs to prevent tightness (something I had been looking at prior to the massage so ordered as soon as I returned home) and I booked back in for another one on the 11th. I was advised if running tomorrow to only do a light low millage run even if I felt OK which was perfect as running with the Handsworth RoadHog ladies would enable me to do this.

I left feeling ok not hurting in any way. It was only about an hour and half later that it really hit me. My legs felt they had been running for miles and miles but without actually doing it and I felt exhausted and dehydrated in a wired way.

Definitely early night tonight.

17 Miles today and have to be honest legs feeling tight in the back of the calves and heavy really isn’t filling me with positivity for the mileage ahead. My legs haven’t felt like this for a couple of weeks and no idea why they’ve started again, just hoping like in the past once I get going they will keep carrying me.

I woke this morning to discover no bananas left in the fruit bowl! That’s just porridge this morning then! As you can imagine not a happy bunny I like my pre run banana, but with no shops opening till 11am hoping it dose not have too much of an effect on my run today fuel wise.

I was hoping for a dry day today, no such look! As I gazed out the patio windows whilst eating my porridge it was absolutely throwing it down, on the plus side the wind didn’t look too bad. I suppose you cant have everything and the weather could be anything in April.

After breakfast on went the gear and I set my rucksack up whilst waiting for the porridge to settle.

I’d planned in to try using some gels further into the run today alongside Tailwind to see if this would sort the hunger issues I’d had in past two long runs.

After some pre run stretching I set off down the trail towards the canal, my aim at least 16 miles today but really wanted to see 17.

The rain had stopped and in fairness after about 3 miles in I needed to remove my gloves due to things warming up. I fell into my comfortable marathon pace more or less straight away knowing I had many miles to cover I didn’t want to go to quick.

I seemed to reach Renishaw and then the turning for towards the canal so quick today that I had to double check my watch in case I was going quicker than I thought. It turns out I wasn’t.

Running along side the canal made me realise how much rain we had had the past few days and the effects the canal was almost touching the pathway in some places and about 4.5 miles into my run I was faced with raging waters coming from the field into the canal straight across my pathway, no exaggeration this was a welly job to cross. I held onto the fence as the current of the flowing water was quiet strong. The last thing I needed was a damage foot or ankle. After a couple of seconds analysing the situation I realised their was no choice but to go through it and grin and bear the wet feet for the remainder of the run. I was going to take a picture of the water gushing from the field into the canal but by the time I got back to that part it had gone and there wasn’t even really a puddle!

After that I decided with feet sodden no need to hop my around the bigger puddles and just ran through them. It was nice to run along the canal for a change of scenery past Hollingwood hub and onto tapton lock.

It was about mile 9 ish after having turned around at Tapton lock to run the route back home, I started to feel the twinge in my knee, the one that had been popping up in on some of my longer runs recently on the outside of my knee. I knew the mileage I was doing was getting longer, so never expected to not feel any aches or pains throughout training but this just didn’t feel right.

For the first few miles it was there but didn’t really have an effect on my running then it started getting sorer and by mile 15 every time my foot hit the floor I could feel it. At times I felt like like my heel on my right foot was pushing out but my knee was pushing inwards almost like they were fighting against each other.

Although my legs and lungs in them self felt strong and able to carry me so much further, the last mile up home really did take its toll on my knee and I was pleased when I walked into the back garden.

I cooled down and stretched before going into the house and that’s when the soreness really hit me. Simple things climbing up and down stairs was really sore. Something told me this wasn’t just fatigued legs from the mileage ran this was something more troublesome and I should listen to my body. Ice, rest and maybe some googling needed although deep in my thoughts I think I always knew it was ITT band related but with 6 weeks to go so didn’t want to hear everyone’s or no running for several weeks even months to heal it I didn’t have that time.

Thanks to storm Ciara my long outdoor run has gone out the window this morning.
Determined to cover at least 14 miles this week as next week I’ll need to drop down for my half marathon at Blackpool out came the gym card, I pad loaded up with episodes of the stranger, tailwind prepared and off went at just gone 8am after my breakfast of porridge to get me going.

Since selling my treadmil which was bought for these times after not getting on with it and it collecting dust I’d not ran on a treadmil. I recall the last time I got on mine I struggled to cover 3k so was not looking forward to today’s milage.

I set up my treadmill upon arrival Ipad in place, 2 water bottles filled with tailwind and my towel.

I’d recently bought tailwind after all the reviews I’d read having only used it on shorter runs till today I was interested to see how it would fuel me.
I’d already decided it wasn’t about time today it was about getting the millage in so I set off with an incline of 1 and up to 6.5 speed which felt comfortable and away I went watching my netfliks.
I was surprised how I soon got into a comfortable pace and how watching the series helped to take my eyes away from clock watching and before I knew it I was starting on my second episode feeling very comfortable.
As I hit around the 1 hour mark the treadmill started to shut down on me, little did I know apparently they have a cut off time for using on manual. After pressing some buttons and not getting no where I moved onto the next treadmil at the side of me and began again using same pace and incline.
After 2 hours in the treadmil began shutting down on me again. I looked around but all the treadmills had filled up, in fact the gym had filled up around me without evening realising it I’d been that engrossed watching The Stranger.
It was at this point I realised if you step off onto the sides you can re set it to restart so no tread mil hopping required 🤣🤣.
Still feeling strong I continued along the way and was surprised to see over 13 miles gone when I glanced at my watch. My downloads finished at 14 and half miles determined I still felt like I had more to give I carried on till 15 miles, although I could have continued I’m also not daft and 15 miles was the longest I’d ran and a mile longer than what was on my plan I was well happy.
Tailwind had also done its job of keeping me hydrated and fueled for those 15 miles. So definetly going to be using moving forward.
My plan for the day was complete time for lunch of pasta and chicken followed by a bath woth epsom salts.

Today’s run was just wrong from the start, I don’t know why everything just felt wrong from the way my rucksack and clothing felt to my joints feeling achy and just not right. Not achy from training. Not sure if I was starting to come down with something or if it really was just one of those runs.
But I was determined any miles were better than no miles. No idea why I took the rucksack as there was no way this was going to be a long one but on it went and out the door I went down the trail.  Maybe I thought once I got out I would feel better and go further.

I decided to try going towards PoolsBrook not sure why something just tol me Rothervalley wasn’t going to happen today. Maybe I thought if I plodded down the trail which was empty I would keep poldding.

I got to the 2.5k markish and knew my body just wasn’t playing today so decided to return home covering just over 5k feeling like i’d already ran a Marathon.  Disappointed with lack of mileage but think I just need to accept today is just one of those runs and not get too hung up on it.

At least some mileage is better that no millage.