Are dogs psychic?

On Sunday I went out, taking the car, for a couple of hours. Both times when I came home Frankie, our year old Fox Terrier/Mini-schnauzer cross, jumped up to the window in my front room getting agitated less than a minute before I pulled on to the drive. You could say this is coincidence except that the front room is not a room we use much during the day and also Frankie ran from the back of the house to get to the window, so much do that Sue thought there was something wrong with her.

So are dogs psychic or was that just two coincidences?

Rate your Run, Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus

I actually wrote this blog back in August when i got back from holiday in Cyprus. I didn't publish it as it has taken me this long to get the photo's off the camera that i used!

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I recently went on holiday to Karsiyacka in, Turkish, Northern Cyprus. Like most runners I know I pretty much always take my running shoes and kit on holiday with me. Read any running magazine and the letters page will contain a submission from someone running on holiday that discovered something stunning that they would have ordinarily missed. this is very true, on foot you will see things that you would otherwise miss. Roads that may lead nowhere may lead somewhere interesting or even exceptional, when you are alone on foot you can make this exploration.

 

My runs in Cyprus were, in one word, hot! The temperatures through the day were high 30's and in the second week topped out around 42C. Personally I love this, the heat doesn't really bother me. Sure I sweat but in terms of feeling uncomfortable or struggling to function it doesn't bother me. Running in this heat takes some acclimatisation and I would generally run later in the afternoon when temperatures had dropped to 32-34C.

 

My first couple of runs weren't great. As we were pretty rural I did out and back routes as wasn't sure of my bearings. I started by running up the hill to the local mosque that was visible from our villa (and that we could hear the call to prayer from) and then back. Then I did a run along the main road and back. Mileage sure but pretty unsatisfactory from an enjoyment perspective. That then started me thinking about the rate your run stuff on MarathonTalk. I had downloaded a number of their podcasts for entertainment whilst away, one of their items is to rate your run. Basically give a score for your run. At this point I was barely at a 7. Whilst I was enjoying the running and the weather there was something missing.

 

It was then that I changed direction and instead of running up the hill I ran towards the coast. What a difference.

From a 7/10 to suddenly 10/10! Within half a mile of the villa was the coast and a coastal path. There was a mix of trail and road, roads with housing, farms and a military base. Once I had done this run once that was it I ran it for the remainder of the holiday. There was actually enough trail that one day I ran it in my vibram FiveFingers. Then towards the end of my holiday I took a camera, my daughters little Samsung, to capture the route so that I could blog about it and keep it.

24hr day dream...

In my quest to recover from my latest injury set-back i have joined the work gym. I've never been a gym sort before preferring to be outdoors either on foot or bike. Treadmills and stationary bikes are not for me and i've never really done weight training. However with the recommendation from the physio to strengthen my legs i thought i'd try. This week i've been a couple of time and done lots of squats, quad raises and calf curls. Lots! I have also been using the elliptical trainer this seemingly being the closest thing i will get to running anytime soon. The physio did suggest using a treadmill as you can keep your pace under control and also limit the time easily. I did it today, i'd done some rowing, elliptical and then did 2x5 mins on the treadmill at 8km per hr.

It was while doing this and not feeling any pain or discomfort in my knee that i started day dreaming. Calculating how far i'd travel at that speed in 24hrs. Turns out that would be 192km, which is just short of 120 miles. i know you'd need breaks etc but my day dream then extended to how easy that pace felt and how low my heart rate was (102bpm). Suddenly something ridiculously hard didn't appear too hard.

Then after 5 mins i got off the treadmill.

23hrs 55mins to go. One day?

Injury

I have had a couple of conversations recently with people of a similar age where the underlying theme has been the body isn't what it used to be, the well worn cliche of, "...the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak..." having been trotted out a couple of times. This has made me think about the demands that we place on our bodies in the name of recreation. My twitter timeline is full of people that have jobs, families and yet continue to batter themselves on bike, foot or in the pool on a regular basis. Early starts for swimming before work, jogs with strollers and/or dogs (the art of multi-tasking is prevalent in the wannabe athlete's armoury). Weekends are for long runs/rides or as the weather improves, both. My timeline is also full of the same people complaining about injuries and niggles. Rotator cuff, Achilles tenderness, plantar fasciitis, hamstring pulls, calf strains all make regular appearances. Heck someone (@revershed) even smashed his face up running into a street sign at 10 mph. Then there's knees. This is where I come in. More than 12 months ago I had my left ACL reconstructed, rehab went great. As 2011 progressed I was increasing my mileage and feeling good. The recovering knee not giving me any problems. I then started a job in November 2011 where I could travel to work under my own steam. Perfect, the winter cycling and running gear was evaluated and in some cases updated. Then I started. I started by running to work as with a couple of races In the calendar for January 2012 this was a perfect way to get my miles in. The shortest route to work is 2.5 miles but there are infinite ways to increase this. A couple of weeks in and, post recovery, I completed my highest run mileage week topping out at 45miles. Things definitely on the up. Then the most inconsequential of actions brought another injury. Arriving at work I was at my locker which is at floor level. Squatting down to put my kit away something happened to my right knee. Nothing major, there were no cracks, collapses or instance of pain. Just something. Brushing it off as just one of those things I continued to my desk and sat down. When I went to get up after an hour or so I couldn't move. It was like I has just been given the knee of a man double my age. It was stiff, inflexible and really painful. I limped a few steps and then it freed up and I was ok. The pattern was repeated every time I got up from a seated position. As runners one thing we are rubbish at is acknowledging injuries. I always think that "...I'll just run this off..." or, "...give it a couple of days and it'll be fine...". It's like we don't want to accept the reality because what it means is too hard to comprehend. I am miserable when I cannot run at a weekend. I know that. Even at my age it brings out the child in me. Travel to work was now by bike, and actually since this (beginning of November) has entirely been by bike. The knee eased a bit but I cannot put any impact through it. A trip to the GP saw referred to the physio department at the hospital. An examination there confirmed the worse - cartilage damage. The good news is that it is not likely to require surgery as the damage doesn't appear to be a tear. This is as there's no clicking, locking or instability issues. Whilst I am pleased about this - the thought of more surgery is too much - in some ways it's the worse news for a runner. What it means is patience. It also means rehab exercise and stretching. What runners do that!? We all know we should but we don't. Foam roller every so often maybe, and stretching when there's pain. This in itself is an odd situation because I (and a lot of runners I know) have a ton of gear, all the latest equipment and clothing. Support tights, calf guards, orthotics, vibrams, socks with individual toes, cortisone injections, the latest running shoes, trail shoes, hydration packs/belts. The list goes on. All purchased, at great expense ko some cases, to give an advantage and make running better or easier. Yet the thing most likely to make running better or easier is free and is simply stretching and core stability. Who does that? Try this - ask a runner how much study stretch. I bet the answer will be something like, "...not as much as I should...". So where does this leave me? My ultramarathon ambitions for this year are now cancelled. I didn't participate in the Gloucester 50k that was this past Sunday, and I won't be doing the 'Born to run' 37 mile ultra in Llanelli in March. I have lost too much running and don't know when I will be back. My physio has suggested I try running in a couple of weeks time in the week beginning 30-Jan. I then have a review with her on 6th February. That will be baby steps I am sure and I will need to go back to low-low mileage and build very slowly. Between now and then I need to do my core exercises and stretches. This is something that I absolutely have to do otherwise I fear that, at the age of 41, I won't be able to achieve what I want as my body will never be up to it. The engine will be good but the chassis rusty and clapped out. So for 2012 it is now about getting shot of this latest injury and then getting fit properly, engine and chassis. I am resigned that I will be the chap who cycles to work and runs 5 miles or so a couple of times a week. That is the first objective. Beyond that I don't know. I am not entering any races or events for the year (Cheltenham triathlon at the lido excepted) - I don't want the pressure. I want to be able to enjoy my running for what it is and at the moment that's not possible as I am putting pressure on myself to be ready for something. If I remove that recovery should be easier and who knows, I may be a bit more mature at weekends.

are you kidding me?

Give me a break - 24th November i ran to work, as i squatted to get my gear from locker something in my knee changed. A period of pain and swelling followed, turns out i have probably compressed my cartlidge. This means i cannot run and means that my ambition of doing the Gloucester 50km is over, for this year at least. 

It's a bit like one step forward and three steps back. In the week before i did my highest mileage week of the year and then getting a towel from a locker and bam.

Give me a break! (please)