A Celebration of Runners

Saving blog time so a link to my blip on todays race - http://www.blipfoto.com/drmackem-2011-11-6

Get off the road

Well the quiet week has so far been a 10x1min hill rep session and a slow one around the addingham loop with Linda and today I thought I'd get off the road.

So parked up at Storiths got changed by the road side- which proved a little too disturbing to the young mums who passed, slowed down and then sped away.

I set off intended to go up to Simon's seat, which isn't too difficult but managed to take two wrong turns and went up another hill with nice views of Simon's seat. So quiet up there today, helped by the fact that the men with guns had been up the day before to shoot the grouse, so they we also lying low.

The run was more like a fartlek session with mud, nice to give my grippy shoes a run out - might need them on Sunday as we're in the environs of Dovedale, so might just give the Dovedale Dash a whirl with brother in law - the pictures from last year look like it's proper muddy - and involved fording a river (i expect tea and cake afterwards).

Walkies tomorrow with Linda so I'll give the running a day off.

Fewston First Light

I got up intending to head to Bradford to parkrun, but the sun was emerging enticingly so having got myself all ready, the car went to Fewston and I ran the Fewston/Swinsty reservoir circular.

Handy these phone camera's

One of the things I love about autumn is the light at the beginning and end of the daytime. As the dark months encroach, that dawning and ebbing of the light seems full both of gift and loss, and being awake (rather than in the bright summer long days) for the changing light, what better way to enjoy than to hit a trail on a Saturday morning.

Running wise I felt tired in the legs - looking at my runninglog returning home, I've just done 2 weeks of 30miles  plus (only done that much one week previously in the last year), so my incremental approach (they say 5-10% increase per week is the way to do it) has been a bit of a step up. Although I've a week of work at home coming up, I think I'll back off a little in either intensity or distance or both, and have a few afternoon naps.(That's the plan anyway).

Saw a few runners, one or 2 dogs taking their owners for a walk, and a few walkers without dogs or running shoes and one walker running in walking boots, but mostly quiet apart from the odd honking from the waterfowl.
The first 20mins with that first light was beautiful, but less so the cloud encroached and the light flattened. Weekend early morning runs are the best!

Round and round

Hey up googleblog have changed their interface - I don't remember them asking.
Track night and despite the dark, dampness of the evening had fun with the core session of 5x800m off 2min recoveries.
Kept them pretty even, and sl quicker for the last one, what was slightly frightening was looking at my times from 4 years ago - 25sec quicker for each 800m. Decided not to be depressed about that, but found a nice little goal over the winter.
I think I'll convert this particular session gradually to Yasso 800m's over the next couple of months.
Probably won't make the next week as not at work and track is on the way home from work, we'll see.
I fancy doing some pyramid type version of pain next time.

A little tempo time

Dark(ie not light) and a bit mindless but felt like a good hour in total invested in running. Enjoyed the solo head space too.

But a nice 4.5mile tempo run, half a mile further, 10 sec a mile quicker and 7 beats per minute slower than 2 weeks ago, so though not swift (7:48 pace), slowly moving forwards.

Hopefully if i remember tomorrow I'll enter the Brass Monkey to give a nice proximal goal to see me through the next 3months and edge that half mara time towards next years goal of sub 1:40 (there I've gone and said it!)

Rest day tomorrow aka work til you drop. plan is to make it to the track on Thursday for some 800's and then 10 days off work.

Long run with Ian

My bro in law Ian and family were staying this weekend, always a welcome prospect as we all feel so comfortable in each others company.
During the last 18months though things have acquired an additional attraction as Ian has taken up running and so not only can we share each others company on a run, but we can discuss in a way that is presumably rather tedious to our beloveds left at home the Lore of Running - I for one can talk about running far more capably than I can run!.
Anyway, what with my work, and a sequence of large meals to fit in, our running window meant deferring the All Blacks success to much later (thanks sky+) and we went out early this am.
A quick coffee and toast and then 7:45 set off from the old bridge, we ran a bit futher than planned, as Ian had an attack of the "gingerbreads" so we need to find some woods. We tracked beyond Bolton Abbey, up to Storiths, then back across the fields to the Beamsley Road and back home.
A tidy 12miles at a sensible long run pace.
We enjoyed the stunning early morning autumn scenery, and there was a quality of conversation (about much more than running thank goodness) that made the running bit almost go unnoticed.
I like my long runs much better with company.
Ian is coming back after abscence with foot problems and I'm moving slowly through the gears again, so for both of us there was satisfaction with the running distance too.
Back in time for breakfast, churchness and one of my Linda's splendid Sunday dinners before catching up on the RWC, loved the drama - and with the Mackem's winning and Man Utd being humbled, nice weekend!

Track time

Things ticking over nicely, enjoying training sessions 2 to 3 per week, and slowly moving forward and injury free.
Tonight decided to go down to the track at greenhead all new amd lovely since it was rebuilt. Did 10x400 with the usual warm up and ministry of silly walk strides, bounds, and bottom slapping. Track busy but well behaved. Did efforts in just sub 1. 30, still a little off the pace, but incremental Andrew, incremental..
Felt chipper afterward. So entered myself into Coniston 14 for March, now its 14 miles again.

GNR Just For The Joy Of It

Ill prepared and physically and emotionally weary, and I hadn't even started. I nearly didn't bother but so pleased I did. This week I read a blog of Ryan Hall a sub 2:05 marathoner(that 's super speedy) , it was titled the greatest runner and Ryan took the approach "what would Jesus say", which whilst not every one would agree with this rationale, I suspect few at today's GNR would disagree with his judgement. Ryan suggested the greatest runners would be those with the greatest heart and joy in their running. The race was started by FlyMo and Emma Egging whose husband Red arrow Jon died recently, having set us on her way she ran the race. Seeing the red arrows on their race flypast with no 4 position vacant was more spine tingling than usual. So many stories and emotions make this a race like no other. I passed a bloke running carrying a fridge on his back raising money for the homeless (and presumably fridge less) , one young lady had written on her back the fact that in May 2010 she had a liver transplant ,-"respect" , I could go on. Any way I decided inspired by Ryan not to be a running grump to run for the joy of being able to run(and the somehow poetic appropriateness of running away from Newcastle to Mackem territory) and enjoyed every minute (well most of them) on my way to South Shields, with the usual assorted motley crew that make up the field. As ever the Geordies out did themselves encouraging the runners with more than a little mirth and maddness. My 1:53 was slower than my slow run last year, but loved the run too much to care. Had a good relax with the dodgers,swapping stories celebrating the wonderfulness of it all and sharing the runners high at the Sue Ryder hospitality at the end, I even got myself a bit of physio, (some lovely lady who introduced me to new extremes of pain, I'll never be impolite about dentists again). Mrs Mackem managed to nurse her painful heel around and did so quicker than previously and did so running naked(without a watch).
Back next year - You Bet!

Steady away

After a burst of running activity last weekend, it was eyeballs out Monday to Thursday at work and home, so no time to run.
So Friday I took to the road with Mrs Mackem to test her painful foot and to catch up. So a slow 9km from old bridge to old bridge via Addingham - the scenic route. Her foot survived and I enjoyed the slow run and talking with my wife.
Today I needed both to run, but to get an idea of a realistic pace for the GNR for which I'm ill prepared next weekend.
So the plan was a steady warm up, then 4miles at about 8:20 to get an idea whether that was too fast, or too slow, or as Goldilocks was looking for "just right".
Not unusually I got my watch screens all mixed up so did my miles in 8:10, 7:50, 8:15 and 8:25 - also it was very warm, so I'm not too sure I'm any wiser!

So currently my plan will be 8:25 for the first 8miles then pick it up a little. However I will try another 4miles on Tuesday at planned half marathon pace, with my hrm on and I'll chase the little man on my watch.

Tomorrow I'll be out with my friends from Airedale Hospital running from Ilkley, nice and slowly just to catch up and keep the legs ticking over before the GNR.

Running man

Time to blog again. after an unseemly pause from blogging not unconnected to not a great deal of running and a great deal of weight gain. I have accepted that I set unreasonable short term goals, then am so wown out that I don't run for a week then try and catch up and get so worn out ......
So new start
Enjoy it
Still goal orientated but incremental.
No marathons next year
Lose some weight
Recognize that my job is knackering and do harder sessions when my brain and body are fresher.
Short runs are allowed and not a matter of shame.
The internal dialogue was deeper than that but I'll spare the blog the more gruesome details.

So this morning as still in Durham after the wash out that was the cricket I got up early and took the cycle path route over the reclaimEd slag heaps then down to the river and boat house on up to cathedral square and back with 4 good hill efforts on the way back. Lovely morning to run this route and felt with the hill efforts I had done a good session.
So only10 km but enough, then back home my wife tempted me out again early evening for a slow10 km. Twice in one day, not sure which of those resolutions I was thinking about there.

Might be ok

Well a month on from the last blog...
The low leg pain and swelling just got too much, so after a natter with my sports medic friend Mark I didn't run for 3 weeks. The general drift was probably lateral compartment syndrome (MRI, fancy test running with a cannula stuck in my leg, then left to the mercy of an orthop with a knife) or periosteitis. So leaving the running alone for a wee while before I subjected myself to this conveyor belt, I thought I ought to make my leg hurt and be swollen for mark to have something work with this week. So a nice easy run last thursday-no pain, a run with bro in law on sunday for 75mins no pain, a tempo run tues - no pain (postponed my appt feeling a bit of a fraud) then today 12miler slow first 6 then 15min quicker 2nd 6 and still no pain. So maybe I am cured(supporting diag of periosteitis.
Let's see - but so good to be back on the road.
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Efforts

Feeling ache free I dropped ben off in Ilkley then set off for 6.5miles with 5X 4min with 2min jog recovery. Almost exactly the same times as 2 weeks ago which I will take given the outbreak of old age and hobbling that is afflicting me.
Pain in the leg score 3/10 at the end and painfree forst 2miles.

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shi splints

Well after last weekends exertions my right leg got bigger and more painful - so I decided to lay off in the belief that if it was shin splints it would get better and if I was developing a sarcoma and needed my leg amputating it wouldn't (sorry being a doctor doesn't stop you worrying about your health, it just means you have a bigger menu of illnesses to pick from) . Thankfully by Friday i felt better with only minimal swelling at the end of the day and no pain.
So out for a run this am up on the moor, nice run, but hurting again - pain 4/10 with 10/10 being how it felt last sunday night.
I think I'll go and fix my bike up for a cycle tomorrow and tuesday pm
Nice run though

Dodgey legged run with dodgers

Shin splints are causing a lot of pain at the moment, so backed off a bit with a slow 10k with MrsMackem on friday, and the same run just as slow with a few dodgers(I added a few miles by doing a warm up).
So easy miles and not much quality and a painful (though not as bad as midweek) pretibial pain. My plan is to just keep running but not up the miles again next week. One sl worrying development is that my pretib area is quiet swollen this pm, so if no improvement by friday, no more self diag and off to the drs.
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A bit more effort

Same as last week, too late to get out with Harriers so off on my tod to Burley. Time to reintroduce a bit of effort. So between 15min plus wam up and cool down 5x4min with 2min jog recovery. I took it conservatively at more or less tempo(4:20 per kn).
Hamstring no problems but shin splints - an acceptable swap.
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Week done

So a week when I did what I planned to do running wise.
Including a longer slow run, should be up to 2hr run in a couple of weeks. Yesterday was wet and windy but a still enjoyable stretch to Bolton Abbey and back. I was happy that I felt as good at the end as I did at the start, though a bit sore shin wise today. So progress but I am so slow.

Tomorrow is the start of a new week
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The Dark Night

Plan A was to get to Harriers for a change, but domestic arrangments left me arriving 40mins later in town dropping off Junior for his group. I took to the road alone in full black stealth gear, with a little yellow reflective stuff as protection from the angry side of local life(not sure it makes a difference, they just buzz you anyway for making them feel guilty). Did the run to Burley and back, 7.1miles, at 75%, just over 8:30. Crossed the harriers group doing the Burley Lollipop, would have been nice to have some company, though my own company was tolerable tonight and I sorted a few things out as I ran without distraction.
So to bed fat boy.
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A little longer

So starts the return of the long slow run. Arthur Lydiard has much to answer for.
So reckoning on keeping my heart rate at the upper end of zone 2 and ignoring my pace, and being incremental in biulding up the miles, I trundled 10miles at just over 8:30 pace. Still nursing that hamstring a bit, but pleasnt to be out in the chilly sun lit Wharfe Valley.
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Chased by the snow

Managed a sort of run, walk thing on Monday up Pen Y gent with fam, as usual trying to please everyone. A pretty full on few days back at work. So..
A welcome quiet day at home, but my leisurely start(post ashes stay up- we absolutely anialated them) changed gear as the snow started. I reckoned the sooner I got out the better (borne out by me now being stranded up the hill at home and Lindylou being stranded down the hill).
Anyway I am now chuffed to have slipped(no pun intended) a nice 6.5miles run on the lightly snow covered back road from Ilk to Beamsley. Just getting back to it, I have lost sense of pace and effort. So 8:20 pace out and 8:05 pace back which felt comfy thoughout in cold and not ideal conditions. Nice to run that route without the silent bikes who put the willies up me usually.
Away in London for the day tomorrow, early start, late finish, so one long run 2 hourish on Sunday is the plan.
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Ticking over

Bro in L Ian and fam staying over, so Lin and Ian and I went for a run to Addingham and back. Ian and I did some regrouping and 4 good hill efforts and on 600m flat effort.
So just short of 10km.
I could do with a harder session soon to get my head in gear. Feeling a bit stronger, and maybe the slower miles at the moment is good for me. A real pleasure to run with ian who has discovered running and racing and running clubs this last year, we look forward to our runs out together when we meet up.
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A New and New resolution

Well it was manflu cos I can now run again, I've seen some poor souls this week with proper flu, and they won't be running for weeks, nasty bug!
After the exertions of last nights festivities (go on I'll have another one), L and I took some shifting to join the airedale dodgers for New Year starter (12months since the innaugral run we repeated the innaugral run course from the White lion in Kildwick)
Gary and I skipped off at a nice pace and threw in a few regroups to keep the 20 plus runners as a group. Good to catch up with folks and begin to plan a few races.
A tidy 5 miles, some of it more laboured than it should have been, but it cleared the head.
Will get the race diary out in the next week or 2
Hoping for a better running year, best wishes to you too readers.
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