Leg woes

The leg isn't happy. One session at the physio on Wednesday. Eased it a lot and I happily pottered round the shops in Ambleside for some retail therapy. Yesterday and today have just seen it getting steadily worse though. Just walking the dogs is a slow and sore process, running most definitely not happening. I'm in a grump about it. Some more physio tomorrow, so fingers crossed.

When good legs go bad

My left leg always used to be my good leg, it was never old lefties fault we were at physio. Never the left side that let us down in race, never faltering, just keeping on running.

Until this year. First it was the knee and now it's the hip.

Yesterdays 20 planned miles ended in a hobble after 15.5. My leg felt a bit tight as I left the house, but nothing I didn't think I could just run off once I got warmed up. 5 miles in and I took a walking break trying to adjust my stride a bit and get everything stretched out. 10 miles in and I got out my phone ready to ring for the broom wagon. I convinced myself I was just being a bit wimpy and put the phone away again. 13 miles in and I was properly hurting. A further mile to get a phone signal and a further 2 to a road where I could be rescued.

The marathon is 3 weeks away. I'm hoping some physio magic can be worked this week. Within myself I don't feel like I'm properly injured, just seized, does that make sense? I've been having a sports massage every month to try and stay flexible. I just feel though as if my hip joint right round to my groin has simply tightened to a point where the leg can't move freely.

Anyway, my right leg is my new favourite leg. And riding bikes is seeming ever more tempting again than this running lark!

Wobble

The 30 days of biking has had a bit of a wobble. I've missed more days than I've ridden. Will try and put in a solid performance for the remaining two weeks.

My running is going uncharacteristically well though. Churned out 17.5 miles on Sunday. Felt a bit ouchy on Monday but certainly not broken. 20 planned for next weekend then take it a bit easier for two weeks until race day. Ultras are starting to catch my eye again........

Towpath fixie ride

Towpath fixie ride to and from physio. Too blustery for a danger panda pic. Day 6. #30daysofbiking
Originally uploaded by jumbly

To the physio for a leg crunching session. A quick nip along the road and then back via the towpath. Was hoping to danger panda it on the way back, but super blustery conditions moving in the me to the water direction meant I bottled it.

The new bike, is proving though, to be the best bike in the world.

Day 6 of 30 days of biking and all is well with the world.

Panda-parmesan-pedal

Panda
Originally uploaded by jumbly

Day 5 of 30 days of biking. Pasta planned for dinner. Middle class crisis - totally out of parmigiano. Quick pedal to the shops. Some danger panda hijinks on the way back.

Not all went as planned.

Some of the day went exactly to plan. Up early and out. 15 miles run by a tad past 10 o'clock this morning.



Dolly the visiting spaniel was collected by her human. Swiss chocolate and beer were gratefully received by us.

A big dinner and a few beers at The Three Fishes. Delicious.

Ride 4 of 30 days of biking. Hmmmmm. A quick nip out on the fixie? Perfect. I got to the end of our street to find a hobo dog dodging cars on the A6. I tried to round the pooch up as did another passer by, but hobo hound had other ideas and set off up the A6. Sometimes on the pavement, sometimes amongst the traffic. A few miles of pedalling behind it, several failed attempts to grab it, much arm waving at car drivers to avoid squishing. Hobo hound finally got herded into a local farmyard. I last saw the stable girl attempting to attach a lead. Not quite the ride I'd planned, but a bit of variety.

Another almost danger panda.

Another almost danger panda. Day 3 of 30 days of biking.
Originally uploaded by jumbly

I'm not sure that riding up and down the road between rain showers practising danger pandas is what most people did today. But, I was outside, and on a bike. So that's counting as my Day 3 of 30 days of biking.

Tomorrow may prove tricky as I have an 18 mile marathon training run on the agenda. That and any pedalling? My legs will hate me.

No danger, just a cauli.

Day 2 of 30 Days of Biking. No attempted danger panda. I was too weighed down by cauliflower.

Commute on the new bike despite it being the least appropriate! A closed road on the ride home lead to a farm shop discovery. I popped in for a look and came away with a cauliflower that was in reality too big for my bag. It made the remaining 6 mile pedal home a bit unusual. But the sun was shining. I took a shortcut across some bridleway.



The new bike is an absolute joy to ride. All is well in the world.

Almost a danger panda

Almost a danger panda
Originally uploaded by jumbly
Today is the first day of round 4 of 30 days of biking. I'll be giving it a go.

To celebrate I'm riding my one day old "mid life crisis" bike and attempting my first danger panda.

I'll either have this all perfected by day 30, or I'll be all busted up.

Still here

We had a few days away at the Edinburgh festival last week. It was great. I totally fell in love with the city too, it's added to the list of places I might like to live. The food and drink we consumed was amazing, in terms of quality and quantity. All of which meant no running for the week. I had a long run planned for the weekend. But, my legs felt sore and I felt tired and just not that up for it. So I rode the bike instead.

I ran today. Just the 3 miles on my training plan. Legs felt the best they have for ages. Sometimes a week off is just what the legs want. Feeling fine about the fact Kielder marathon is now only 6 weeks away. Don't want to jinx myself but making it to the starting line is looking likely! Just the small matter of the 26.2 miles that come after the start.

Wensleydale Tri

It's taken me a week to get round to blogging this. But, last weekend, as a last minute substitute I joined a team and did the run leg of The Wensleydale Tri.

A lack of sleep, an unnecessarily early start, inclement weather, a queasy round the edges not eaten enough feeling. All had me waiting in T2 for my cyclist to arrive feeling like the last thing I wanted to do was run. But, Ali pulled in on her bike, out of breath and super keen for me to get going, a bit of adrenaline did the trick, I grabbed the timing chip and off I went. The run is essentially up hill for 6 miles, turn round and back down. I set off trying to keep it nice and nice steady, keep breathing, keep moving the legs, ever upward. I actually found myself quite enjoying the run. About a mile from the top, I felt a bit like I was running out of steam so scoffed an energy bar down.

Round the monument on the top of Great Shunner Fell. Just 6 miles downhill to do. About a mile from the top, the energy bar seemed a really bad idea as my stomach started complain. I had no choice though but to keep running. The last mile, all on tarmac was quite draggy, but eventually the finish was in sight and I was done.

I was knackered. Don't ask me how triathletes do it. No way could I have done that run after a swim and a bike ride! Nice bit of cheese as the reward for the effort though.

Midweek madness

I did the Pilgrims Cross fell race last night. Midweek madness. 6 miles. Incredibly wet. The best fun possible for £3.

At the top.

At the top.
Originally uploaded by jumbly

Took some effort to resist the lure of the duvet, but, a steady 10 miler this morning. To the Pike and back. All good.

Racing

I took the legs racing on Tuesday night. The Crow Hills Reverse fell race in Mytholmroyd. The legs did not thank me for the experience. There are normal hills and then Calderdale hills. Straight up a wall of almost death. And straight back down. 54 minutes 16 seconds. 64/71. Quite possibly the hardest, short race I've ever done. Fun though!

Photo credit: Richard Butterwick

Schmarathon reunion

First run with team marathon schmarathon since the HPM. First run in The Peaks since HPM. First run over 10 miles in a long while. The knee was all good, struggled a bit on the last mile due to the heat, I must remember to take more water out with me when it's super sunny. The can of coke after the run was definitely earned. A brilliant day out.

PS Forgot my camera so will have to wait for kate to come back into the world of the internet before can share any photos.

Renewed interest

I'm hoping my renewed interest in my running will also cause a renewed interest in my blogging. Sorry for general lack of posts lately.

Marathon training officially started again this week. 3 miles last night. So that's 14 weeks to turn 3 miles into 26.2. Assuming the injury pixie stays away I think that's doable. I'm using an online Asics training plan, they've worked for me in the past. 3 runs a week, mixed in with some biking and yoga. Enough running to get the miles in, not so much to break myself, that's the plan anyway. This will be the third marathon I've trained for, let's hope I actually make it to the start line this time. Always thinking that next stage ahead. This series has caught my eye after being mentioned by @rubenlightfoot on twitter. Reckon I fancy a few coastal runs. In Winter. Love it!

June

June was mostly about being away or being ill or injured.

There was a splendid jolly to Worcestershire and on to Bristol for Bespoked - The Handmade Bike show.

Then there was over two weeks of hideous cold and cough.

Then a mighty fine trip to Belgium. Beer, waffles, moules and frites.

All of the above combined has meant little in the way of exercise. I seem to have gained a tad over 2kg in the month.

July has to be healthier!

Update on stuff

Trip to Sweden went well. I was worried it would be all hospital bedsides and anxiety. But it was actually like having a little, very lovely holiday. My Dad got out of hospital the evening before we flew so was at home, which was nicer for him. He was and still is doing really well, even rode his bike a bit this week, just 3 weeks after the op. Chapeau Papa!

Five days of "holiday" somehow resulted in me gaining a kilo. Not good. I've managed a couple of runs since I got back and a half day yoga workshop, not been on the bike though as it's been pissing down and I've gone a bit fair weather only. Must sort myself out. Saunders MM is looming on the horizon, and this makes me think my team mate has gone all grrrr and super fit!

This and that

There's not been a lot of running, knee still a bit shit, despite a few more visits to the physio. This meant that I withdrew from the Highland Fling. I suspect I could have got the knee all taped up, swallowed a load of ibuprofen and made it to the end, but then been out of action for months, so prudence prevailed. I reckon I can currently do 4 miles pain free, so as crap as that is, it's an improvement.

Fortunately, riding the bike still doesn't seem to be aggravating the problem, been getting some tarmac miles in. Nothing too crazy, some local loops and a couple of hilly 30 milers is as strenuous as it's been. Building some bike fitness back up slowly to avoid setting off some other random injury. Really enjoying some road riding though, slight drawback is I now have a hankering for a proper shiny carbon roadbike. I mentioned it to Glyn, he made a sort of hmmmmmmmm noise.

Continuing good news. Newton the dog celebrated his one year anniversary of living with us, he went for his annual check up, 16kg lighter than when he moved in. The vet was very pleased. He's still ridiculously naughty, I think he's as trained as he's going to get.

And on the not good news front. My Dad has been quite poorly. Off over to Sweden to visit him later this week.

That's all for now, I will make more effort to get back on top of regular blogging.

Tantastic

I ran four miles on Friday. I don't think I could have done any more. Pedalled a bit on Saturday and a bit today. At least if I can ride the bike I shouldn't lose too much fitness while I wait for the knee to play nicely at running. I've got also got the start of a nice t-shirt tan. Feels like summer already.