11 years into the 21st century

At last I've taken the plunge and started using some of the available technology to have my posts appear on facebook.  I know it's taken a while but it was suggested Carl Walsh (whose company - The Divan Centre was my first sponsor).

It's taken a day or two to sort out but I've also added something on the right which allows followers (or others) to receive an email notification every time I post something.  Perhaps it my be of use to you.

And there's also a light-hearted poll on the right.  I'd better say a couple of things about that ... my training has gone very well and I'm fit and confident.  I haven't trained specifically for this race though so, in effect, this has come at the very end of a long period of base training.  My training is all geared up to running well in Llandudno in September.

Back to the usual stuff.  Yesterday Keir went to a scout camp near Bingley.  I went with him on the train and ran home.  It was a wonderful evening and a good run over the moors - just over 9 miles in total.  Came across Dick Hudson but decided not to stop a while ...

I know a lot of runners find tapering quite difficult but for me it's an opportunity to catch up with a few things I've had to put off because of a lack of time due to all the training I've been doing.  It's also a good time to relax and reflect on the race to come ... less than two weeks now.

Fay is also organising a camp for the very young members of the scouting organisation - called Beavers at that age.  She began hers at 7.00pm yesterday and they all had an adventure filled night sleeping in the scout hut (it really is an adventure for 6 - 7 year olds).  Today they will be going to Ilkley where there are lots of activities planned for this afternoon ... I hope the dry weather continues for them.

Keir is due home at about 5.00pm and Fay at about 7.30pm.  Until then I've got the house to myself.

Peace at last !!!

London sorted

Booked hotel in London and return travel taking advantage of the recently released cheap fares.

Thanks to Carl at The Divan Centre for that.

Today's run was another 20 miler accelerating all the while. Although it was windy I made all my targets and ran the last mile in 7:14 - uphill. Well pleased with this.

At the moment I'm going through next year's European Ultra Race calendar hoping to pick out a suitable race next spring, preferably in a school holiday.

Oh yes ... one more thing ... I agree entirely with Simon Anderson's recent post (24 Aug 2008) on his blog about the amount of litter in our countryside.

Thanks, Phil for the encouraging comments.

A long(ish) run today of about 12 or 13 miles. Still icing the old achilles before and after the long runs. Went very well and tomorrow I'll do the same distance but at least a minute a mile quicker.

Today I'm only doing the eccentric achilles stretches once - the first step on the long path from 14 times a week to once every three days.

I've also just entered the Self Transcendence 24 hr race in London in October. This is a condition of The Divan Centre sponsoring me. I don't mind as this is a very well organised race and I enjoy the conditions at Tooting Bec and get on well with the lap counters, etc.

As part of my next 'easy week' (28 Apr - 4 May) I've organised a walking break for me and Fay in the Yorkshire Dales as part of our wedding anniversary celebrations. So, the plan for that week is: Mon - 25 miles, Tue - 3 miles fartlek, Thu - 7 miles tempo, Fri to Sun - lots of walking. I'll also try to fit in the other stuff too ... cycling, strength training, etc.

T minus one and counting

Tomorrow I begin stage two of my rehabilitation. This involves alternating 5 minutes running with 5 minutes walking for a total of 40 minutes. This will increase to a total of 70 minutes on 28 February (all being well). Feel good but still nervous.

On Friday I attended the Otley AC Annual Presentation Evening at Korks in Otley. It was a very enjoyable evening and I was extremely surprised to walk away with the prestigious President's Trophy ... not least because his business is sponsoring me (http://www.thedivancentre.co.uk/) and I can't run in the first race of our informal agreement.

Been thinking about sponsorship a bit over the past couple of days. Is now a good time to try and attract another or would it be better to wait a few weeks until I'm fitter ?

Lots happening but no running yet

OK, here we go, quite a lot of things to talk about today.

Bought myself some bathroom scales yesterday. Will use to weigh myself before and after each run and this will help determine my fluid requirements when running at various speeds when taking into account different air temperatures and humidity. It sounds complicated but I'm sure it won't be and I'll get used to it after a few weeks. Obviously not using the scales yet but I will be by March.

Will have to buy some Sorbothane heel pads too for when I start running again - but how many miles before I need some new ones?

I'll have to email Pam Storey later today to let her know that I'll definitely not be able to take part in the 12hr race she organises at Crawley - sorry Pam.

Looked at Les Croupiers website yesterday to see who's taking part in their annual Barry 40 mile track race. Found that John Pares hasn't entered yet (2006 winner, 2007 runner up) but Paul Tranter has. Paul lives in Otley like me and has run in Barry twice before - the last time was in 2006 when the weather was probably the worst in the long history of the race. That was my first ultra and the doctor pulled me out at about 31 miles with a badly blistered right foot (I still have the scar!!!). Good luck Paul - I guess you'll be aiming for 5 hours.

My daily schedule has now settled down to:

• morning: 3 sets of 25 achilles stretches with a weighted back pack
• two hours after breakfast: 300ml colostrum drink
• mid morning: five or six minutes massaging right achilles with Deep Heat
• lunchtime: 20 minutes of strength and conditioning exercises every other day
• lunchtime: 45 minutes on exercise bike two days out of three (followed by icing my achilles for 30 minutes)
• early evening: five or six minutes massaging right achilles with Deep Heat
• about 8.00pm: 300ml colostrum drink followed by 3 sets of 25 achilles stretches with a weighted back pack followed by 20 minutes of stretching exercises

I've also started looking at compression tights which I believe will help recovery during and after ultra races - a good idea but at £50 a pair ...

Over on the left you'll see that I've started a list of web links. The first two are my club and my sponsor (The Divan Centre - the owner [Carl Walsh] is President of Otley AC). I feel really bad though because no sooner do I get myself a sponsor than I develop a pretty bad injury. I only hope I can justify his faith in me later in the year.

New stuff and apologies

What a way to start the New Year ... new blog, new training regime and new injury which requires a new stationary bicycle, new supplements and new strength exercises.

The injury is achilles tendinosis and I've not run now for a couple of weeks but the pain is getting better and the achilles strengthening exercises seem to be working slowly. On the advice of Sharon Gayter's website I've also purchased a product from Neovite to aid recovery.

I've also had to cancel my plans to take part in the Crawley 12 hr race at the end of March. I hope Pam isn't too angry after I had promised to enter before the new year.

Must also say thanks to Carl Walsh and The Divan Centre for his kind sponsorship ... and apologies too for having to miss the first race.