18 weeks and counting

Hi, the clock is ticking and the Injury seems to be getting much better.
The old pair of trainers (Wave Creation 9's, Mizuno's) are not too bad, didn't see the Physio as she had to postpone due to an emergancy, but I'll be there on Weds to see what she says. Almost certain it's down to either the trainers or my running style... Something is out of sync.

I've still tried to keep busy, and did a lot of walking over the weekend, Though I needed to start doing some long walks as running the entire MdS is unlikely. I'll need to walk at some point, even in my 20/5 plan (Run 20 mins, walk 5... or something that feels Good)

Mon     -  Circuit training, had to leave early + bike to work
Tues     -  bike to work
Weds   -  4 miles + circuits + bike to work
Thurs   -   Bike to work
Fri       -   10 mile run work with pack (3kg)
Sat      -    15 mile walk with pack (4kg ish)
Sun     -    12 mile walk with pack (6kg ish)

Run for week = 14 miles
Bike for week = 40 miles

All in pretty pleased. don't want to push the mileage, but equally I can't just 1 or 2 mile run... So I'll will try run a couple of times this week, and see how I feel for the weekend. Hopfully have some Spiffing new shiny trainers will make all the difference!! I expect next week to be reporting some good things. Albeit I'll try not to go silly and stick to small increments.
Plus if the snow comes (Please, I hope it does soon!) I'll probably run to work then as it's less impact. I'm no way taking the bike out in freezing temperatures with those tyres! I'll be on the deck soon as leave the flat!

I'll keep it short as I've hardly done bugger all... save my typing fingers for when I really start! lol

walking!?

had a nice 10 mile run yesterday, going to work was great, coming home wasn't so good.

thought I'd have a long walk today, so walked to MCR for the day, did about 14 miles all in. felt it too! I cannot be so niave to think i'll not be walking some in MdS, so I think a few more long walks are deffo on the cards.... with some hills next time, bridgewater canal is a little flat...

road to recovery?

thought I'd try an old but sturdy pair of running shoes last night for circuit training, and did a 1.5 mile run before, and a 2.5mile run after.
as the circuit session went on i could feel my lower legs 'loosening up' and after a fairly good run in, I had a brilliant, pain free run after going home! (i actually live about 1/4 mile away from the leisure centre, but take the 'long' way in and home)
had another sport massage tnt and further confirmed my legs are shot, need a few hour long sessions to clear the tension

all in, I'm feeling very positive!

19 weeks to go!!

Mileage for the week..... Rubbish!!

No point in listing it, i've done about 8 miles, and all 8 was cripplingly painful!!
The Chiropractor said I had a leg length imbalance, had some work on it, and I think that was a symptom of something else now. My Pelvis was slightly rotated..

Tonight I went to see a Sports Injury Specialist (Anatomy in Chorlton, Manchester) with the booking for an Orthotic's fitting, however i'm not sure that's the be all and end all of it.. I cycled there (really Bloody fast!) I left my running shoes at home (Doh!) so she couldn't see me running to have a look at what was going on. after a few questions and my pathetic attempt at trying to explain the problem she did a 10 min battering of my Right IT band after we found this to be in a particulary tight state after our talk, I now fear it could be as simple as my running shoes are knackered... (they are) and the high mileage has resulted in my knee and IT working extra hard to the point of overuse.

Anyway, Going again tomorrow and will see what she thinks to my running and what's going on with my Knees/Ankles... I really think (hope) i'll get a slapped wrist and told to buy some new decent trainers! which I know I need to anyway.. I will post a report of what we find out tomorrow!

So training....

Mon            4 miles run 10 miles bike. Circuit training (with no running)
Tuesday       4 miles run, 10 miles bike. Had to detour home as was in so much pain.
Weds           0 miles run, 10 miles bike, Circuit training with 2000mts on the Rowing machine beforehand.
Thurs            0 miles, 10 miles Hard bike.
Fri                Nothing
Sat               7 miles WALK, and 10km rowing
Sun              Nothing.

I don't get pain when Cycling, or Rowing, so I have been pushing it on the bike this week, as well as the Strength stuff in Circuits.
I am getting quite worried as 19 weeks seems such a short amount of time to get fit enough to do this challenge justice, I guess i'll have to work doubly hard as soon as I get over this.. (still while building the miles up slowly this time! lol) I can tell the cross training is helping, I'm keeping my fitness so that's no so bad. Resting heart rate on a morning is ~43bpm, so a good sign..
Suffering from runners blues a bit too.... been down all weekend really just want to get out and run... Think i'll plan a long bike ride on Sunday, if it's not freezing or snowing.

Keep you posted with any developments! (promise i'll try remember this time..)

rowing is the new running!

took a nice walk to Altrincham today, down the canal.
the rowing club were pit too.. thought to myself I fancy a bot of that. So went to the gym this afternoon again, and banged out 10,000 metres in 45mins...

not Olympic fast I know, but really get yr heart rate up

Hate being injured!!

20 weeks to go...

Under 5 months now... Getting scary how fast it's approaching!
Physio went well Thursday.. Managed a good 8 mile Reccie of Leg 3 of the Calderdale Relay race on Saturday (the reccie, Race is 12th Dec!) New Talon X212 were Brilliant in what was reallt wet and boggy ground.
Going to see a Chiropractor on Thursday, as the problem seems to have settled on my right knee now.. Seems to be a misalignment or something... My Trainer suggested getting a few more pairs of running shoes and rotating them, which i thought a good idea.
Sunday was a FABULOUS Fell run round the moors in Tintwistle, really tough 500+ ft climb early on, then rough worn paths which were pretty technical in places.. I thought i was fairly good over rough terrian and downhill running, but everybody else in the A group was off in the distance, and waiting for me every stop.. I took no gels with me, and little water, so was on the verge of bonking when Mike offered me a gel! Bingo..

Ok, this week has been way down on normal..

Mon    4 miles  Ran before Curcuit. (suffered during!)
Tues    4 miles  Sale Harriers run, but had to turn back part way.. Too much pain.
Weds   0 Rested But cycled very easy to work
Thurs    0  "         Got the bus to work, completely rested!
Fri        0  "                  ditto
Sat       8 miles       Hilly Fell/Trial run
Sun      12 miles     Hilly Fel/Trial run

Total for the week   -    28 run       30 cycle       1 hr of curcuits

Cross training consisted of 2 session of curcuits (although the running bits this week I tried to replace with weights/strength work) and 30 miles on the bike...
My bike work has been pityfull latey, and am wondering if i should replace some run miles with bike ones.... Although the weather is poor for cycling (i need to go bloody quick to get my body heat up) i have been hitting upto 180+ miles a week over the summer..

Taking those 2/3 days off has helped a lot. I know the importance of rest now (I did before, but I can't help thinking on a rest day Hmmm, i'll feel like a run, I'll just have a quick 5 - 7 miles....) and overtraining at this early stage...
In light of that, this weeks mileage will NOT (?) exceed 35 miles. I know it's 20% more than 28 miles but I feel it's a resonable place to start..
Started working with my Trainer Gregg now, and really looking forward to getting my VO2 Max and Lactic Threshold tests done... Run till you collapse! sounds like fun :) and should start to put a proper training plan together, which is something I severly lack.. Structure!

OK, I'll post how the Chiropractor session went, and get myself to Sweatshop on Saturday for some new running shoes. Yeay!
Also getting a Petzl, Myo XP headtorch, so I can start running at night, offroad round the waterparks (Sale and Chorlton) and taking the canal path to work as the dys are so short now.. Double Yeay!!

Carl.

P.S website is now launched. http://www.carlcleghorn.com/ .nothing fancy, but will start to take shape over time.

injury woah's

overdone it again!

too much mileage too quick. same problem with pains in calves and IT. had good deep tissue massage yesterday, hurt like hell, but confirmed the knotted state they were in.
will be starting to go every 2 weeks I think...
feels bit better today, but i've not run in 2 days..! will have a short 5 miles tomorrow and see how it goes. rest is key now!

always happens this.. anything over 40 miles a week... but a 40 mile race, no problem...

:-)

21 Weeks togo, training summary

Hmm, I thought it was all going too well!
Starting suffering Cramp like pains in my legs on Tuesday when running home.. I put it down to the Freezing weather, and rain and the fact that I only had shorts on... It dissapeared in the evening, but came back Thursday on the way home from work..
Since then it's been of and on... getting dull pain in my right knee also.. Ibuprofen is helping, and i have started taken Glucosamine Sulphate, and will start soon taking extra Vitamin 'D'. both good for bones at joints. I eat a lot of fish and Omega 3 rich foods also..

Speaking to the Personnel Trainer who takes the Circuit training sessions I goto, he suggested the overtraining, and looking back, I think hes right.... to many miles, too quickly.... before starting this training blog I was only averaging 20 - 30 miles a week, so hitting nearly 70 only 2 weeks later! lol. Any sugguestions or thoughts on this would be welcome..?? I know I should stick to the 10% rule... but it's so hard. I'd have little trouble doing 100+ miles a week if i knew I could get away with it!

So, last week looked like this

Mon    -  10 miles to work and back
Tues    -  18 miles to work and back, and 4 x 1km efforts down fairy lane with SHM in the evening
Weds   -  0 mile running,
Thurs   -  10 miles work.
Fri       -  0 miles
Sat      -  5 miles along the canal, checking some Fell shoes i bought that day! INV8 Talon 212, Brilliant!!
Sun     -  16 miles hilly back over at my folks, round Brighouse, Liversedge, Heckmondwike.. road.

Total for the week  - 59

Cross training was again Circuits on Monday, and cycling to work when I didn't run. all mileage was on roads (bar Sat) so the next thing i need is new running shoes..

I was planning to Reccie a Fell run on Sunday, Tanky's Trog from Marsden to Edale. but looking at the 'route' i thought it not wise to do on my own. 22 miles over Bleaklow and Kinder Scout is not taken lightly!

Will definately take a more relaxing week this week, and see how things go.. Should still hit 50 miles, but i'll plan a few full days with no training at all, although having no car, means cycling still takes place of running, and when i get on a bike, there is only 1 mode.... fast and HARD. Perhaps the bus...

Have a meeting with a lady who teaches Yoga Sport Science on Tuesday, she wants to use me as a case study (see previous post) so that sounds very promising, and seeing a potential personnal training Weds. I need somebody to bounce ideas from, and help me sort a proper training schedule out..

Anyway, enough for now.

Carl.

P.S Website should start to take shape soon, watch this space! :-)

yoga sport science

some good has come from the newspaper ad! got contacted by a sports student asking to use me as a case study for further training..
apparently it's very respected in elite sportsman ad an aid to physical performance..
www.yogasportscience.com

slightly famous..

For anyone who's very local, the press release of my challenge made by the Rotary Club of Sale got published in the Sale and Altrincham messinger this week!
it actually made it twice, printed in the sports section too.

I also had a photographer round the other day, but forgot which paper he was from... they called me too! Doh..
C.