Yes, I've taken leave of my senses with not being able to run!
I decided to enter the Dee Mile (a 1 mile swim in the River Dee which can be done wearing a wetsuit or not). Now, I don't normally swim in the river even when triathlon training as its not very clean and I've had a few sickness bugs in the past from swimming in there. So entering in itself was something but my thinking was that if I was to get ill from it it wouldn't be that big a deal at the moment as I'm obviously not racing at the moment.
We had a spell of really good weather and as it got nearer I decided to do it non wetsuit. For those who know me you, you'll know that I get very cold very easily and would be wondering why! It seemed like a good idea at the time and I think I would have been ok if the race had started on time instead of about half an hour late (its held in the evening and when the sun went down the air temperature got colder very quickly. Not blaming the organiser as I know he was let down by several things).
I got in easily enough and felt that it wasn't as cold as I expected. Got swimming and feeling ok. Got to about half way and started to feel cold. I was swimming close to the bank on the left (after Dan's expert advice). Then out of what seemed like nowhere another swimming (in a wetsuit) completely swam in front of me knocking into me then stopped. This forced me to have to stop. I then felt really disorientated due to being so cold. I tried to get swimming again about 3 times but was just shivering too much. I had to get out and some very nice people came to my rescue and got me in a car to warm me up! I was gutted but feel glad to have given it a go. I must be mad and I won't be attempting that again!
Friday, 28 June 2013
Friday, 7 June 2013
Its been 7 weeks now of not being able to run and I'm really getting narky! Poor Dan having to put up with my bad moods. I'm fed up with going to the pool to do aqua running sessions and I'm bored of turbo sessions on the bike too. I just hope the positive of this is that I really appreciate it when can start running again.
One good thing is that at least the weather has been fairly good so I've really enjoyed going open water swimming at Manley. I'm probably a better open water swimmer now than I was when I was a triathlete! I've been swimming 3 steady laps then by the time I get to my 4th lap Dan has caught me up and I do a fast lap hanging on to his toes and really practicing drafting and siting which I was useless at before. I might even enter the Dee Mile at this rate!
One good thing is that at least the weather has been fairly good so I've really enjoyed going open water swimming at Manley. I'm probably a better open water swimmer now than I was when I was a triathlete! I've been swimming 3 steady laps then by the time I get to my 4th lap Dan has caught me up and I do a fast lap hanging on to his toes and really practicing drafting and siting which I was useless at before. I might even enter the Dee Mile at this rate!
Monday, 20 May 2013
Firstly, a diagnosis of plantar fascitis but after several weeks and a bit of internet reading I wasn't convinced this was actually what it was. Also, my physio had sent me to see a podiatrist who told me I needed orthotics. I wasn't totally convinced by this and at this point decided it was time to get a second opinion.
I went to see Gary at Pro Physio in Chester and he said firstly we need to try and eliminate a few things, so the first test was to eliminate it being a stress fracture. He put the ultrasound over the heel area of my foot and gradually cranked it up. It its a stress fracture as the ultra sound frequency goes up I would likely feel a referred pain as it vibrates through the crack in the bone. Lo and behold this is exactly what happened. So its 99% likely I have a stress fracture. Although not great news it could be worse and at least here I know its 6-8 weeks of no running and hopefully not much more.
I went to see Gary at Pro Physio in Chester and he said firstly we need to try and eliminate a few things, so the first test was to eliminate it being a stress fracture. He put the ultrasound over the heel area of my foot and gradually cranked it up. It its a stress fracture as the ultra sound frequency goes up I would likely feel a referred pain as it vibrates through the crack in the bone. Lo and behold this is exactly what happened. So its 99% likely I have a stress fracture. Although not great news it could be worse and at least here I know its 6-8 weeks of no running and hopefully not much more.
Friday, 26 April 2013
Disappointment Again
I can't actually believe what happened to my race at London Marathon on Sunday.
Over the last year or so I've really got over my excessive pre race nerves and lack of confidence and belief in myself. I feel I've learned from previous mistakes of starting off to fast and thought this time its really going to come together for me.
I started off at a very comfortable pace and checked my garmin every 1km to ensure I didn't go too fast in the early stages. 5k was slightly quicker than I'd have liked but it is downhill for the first 5-10k in London. I got to 10k feeling great and at a good pace, holding back!
Then I remember passing the 11 mile marker and I had a stabbing pain going through my right arch and heel. I couldn't believe it, I've not had anything like this in training at all. I carried on and tried to run through the pain. It did ease up a bit and had it stayed that way I could have handled it. I got to half way and apart from feeling some pain in my heel and arch I was running great and felt amazing. I got to 25k still feeling like I was holding back and thinking that when I get to 30k I will start to pick the pace up a bit. Then not long after (and I'm told it was just before 17 miles) the stabbing pain came back 10 times worse than before. I couldn't bear my foot hitting the ground and I was running with a limp. There was no way I could run through this and had to pull out.
I was absolutely devastated. I really was first and foremost aiming to break 2.45 but if running well (and I was running better than expected) then 2.42 should have been on the cards. From this I would have mostly probably got an England representation out of it for a race in September or October - so this is why I'm so upset. Even now almost a week later I'm not over it.
Now having physio and no running. Its plantar fasciitis. I'm hoping I can get over this quite quickly. I will be back racing and more determined than ever!
Over the last year or so I've really got over my excessive pre race nerves and lack of confidence and belief in myself. I feel I've learned from previous mistakes of starting off to fast and thought this time its really going to come together for me.
I started off at a very comfortable pace and checked my garmin every 1km to ensure I didn't go too fast in the early stages. 5k was slightly quicker than I'd have liked but it is downhill for the first 5-10k in London. I got to 10k feeling great and at a good pace, holding back!
Then I remember passing the 11 mile marker and I had a stabbing pain going through my right arch and heel. I couldn't believe it, I've not had anything like this in training at all. I carried on and tried to run through the pain. It did ease up a bit and had it stayed that way I could have handled it. I got to half way and apart from feeling some pain in my heel and arch I was running great and felt amazing. I got to 25k still feeling like I was holding back and thinking that when I get to 30k I will start to pick the pace up a bit. Then not long after (and I'm told it was just before 17 miles) the stabbing pain came back 10 times worse than before. I couldn't bear my foot hitting the ground and I was running with a limp. There was no way I could run through this and had to pull out.
I was absolutely devastated. I really was first and foremost aiming to break 2.45 but if running well (and I was running better than expected) then 2.42 should have been on the cards. From this I would have mostly probably got an England representation out of it for a race in September or October - so this is why I'm so upset. Even now almost a week later I'm not over it.
Now having physio and no running. Its plantar fasciitis. I'm hoping I can get over this quite quickly. I will be back racing and more determined than ever!
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
1 week to go!
Less than 1 week to go until London Marathon! I'm starting to look forward to it now. Did my run including marathon pace yesterday and felt great.
I also got good news at the weekend - I've passed my level 3 triathlon coaching course and now just await my certificate! Good news for athletes I coach and anyone looking for a triathlon coach!!
I also got good news at the weekend - I've passed my level 3 triathlon coaching course and now just await my certificate! Good news for athletes I coach and anyone looking for a triathlon coach!!
Friday, 29 March 2013
New Year - Start Blogging Again!
OK - not been here for a while!
Got married last October then raced the Valencia Marathon 3 weeks later! Marathon went ok and pb'd with 2hr 49 but didn't feel that great. With the wedding and everything I peaked my training too early then was a bit stale by the time I raced. Glad to do it though.
I've also spent the last year doing my level 3 triathlon coaching course. It came to an end in November when I handed my course work in so now I just wait for the outcome!
Races so far this year have been Dewsbury 10k where I finished 4th in 36.06. About where I expected to be. Felt good and could probably keep that pace going for 10 miles but had no change of pace! Before this race I was due to run the Helsby Half but it got cancelled due to snow. Gutted but also slightly relieved as I didn't feel I was fully fit.
Wrexham Half Marathon was next in February and that went really well. I won it and equaled my pb in 78.32 and set a course record! I feel I could have gone faster too!
A month later and it was the Wilmslow Half Marathon. What different weather compared to last year! Last year was boiling hot and this year it was freezing cold and we were lucky it didn't get cancelled. There was snow all over the north west except for in Wilmslow! I had a great race - for once I didn't start off too fast and held back. I was in 4th place until the last 3 miles when I caught up to 2 other girls. I ran in a group with them which also included 3 men then I picked it up in the final 200m to come in in 2nd place and a new pb of 77.03! I was so pleased! I hadn't eased back for this race and feel there is a lot more to come at this distance!!
London Marathon next in 4 weeks time - all looking good so far!
Got married last October then raced the Valencia Marathon 3 weeks later! Marathon went ok and pb'd with 2hr 49 but didn't feel that great. With the wedding and everything I peaked my training too early then was a bit stale by the time I raced. Glad to do it though.
I've also spent the last year doing my level 3 triathlon coaching course. It came to an end in November when I handed my course work in so now I just wait for the outcome!
Races so far this year have been Dewsbury 10k where I finished 4th in 36.06. About where I expected to be. Felt good and could probably keep that pace going for 10 miles but had no change of pace! Before this race I was due to run the Helsby Half but it got cancelled due to snow. Gutted but also slightly relieved as I didn't feel I was fully fit.
Wrexham Half Marathon was next in February and that went really well. I won it and equaled my pb in 78.32 and set a course record! I feel I could have gone faster too!
A month later and it was the Wilmslow Half Marathon. What different weather compared to last year! Last year was boiling hot and this year it was freezing cold and we were lucky it didn't get cancelled. There was snow all over the north west except for in Wilmslow! I had a great race - for once I didn't start off too fast and held back. I was in 4th place until the last 3 miles when I caught up to 2 other girls. I ran in a group with them which also included 3 men then I picked it up in the final 200m to come in in 2nd place and a new pb of 77.03! I was so pleased! I hadn't eased back for this race and feel there is a lot more to come at this distance!!
London Marathon next in 4 weeks time - all looking good so far!
Friday, 4 May 2012
London Marathon
2 weeks after London and starting to feel a bit better after a lot of kicking myself for messing up a such a good chance of a good marathon.
I had an almost perfect build up to the London Marathon with no injuries and only one illness set back in the early stages of marathon preparation (January). Deciding to stick to just running so bike work was the occasional 45 min spin on the turbo as a recovery session and ticking over with my swimming. Mileage progressed up nicely with my weekly long easy run becoming 8-10s per km quicker than my previous marathon build at the same effort. 10k paced sessions quicker and marathon paced sessions indicating a 2.40-2.42 marathon was on the cards.
So how did I end up running a very disappointing 2.50?
One very simple reason - I started off way too fast. After much lecturing by my coach (Dave) and also from Dan about not starting off fast as I had done in the Wilmslow Half Marathon I ran 18 mins dead for the first 5k. This was about 1 min 30 quicker than I wanted to start off and its amazing how just a little too fast here and it affects you tenfold in the last 4-5 miles.
I tried to slow down a bit and got to 10k in just under 37 mins - still too fast though. Half way was good - 1 hour 21. At 20 miles I was on for 2 hours 43 so although I was hoping for 2 hours 42 I was quite pleased. Just a mile later and it was a very different story. I was slowing down drastically and could do nothing about it. I lost 7 mins in the final 5 miles - gutted.
I finished feeling so disappointed in myself as I know I'm better than that and it was my own stupid fault. Over four months of very focussed training and for that. I can't even think about another marathon now. My focus now for the spring/summer will be to get my 10k time down and really practice racing with negative splits. All my races, no matter what distance, I seem to start off too fast so I think I need to learn to start slower and hopefully when I decide to do another marathon (probably next spring) I will put this into practice!
I had an almost perfect build up to the London Marathon with no injuries and only one illness set back in the early stages of marathon preparation (January). Deciding to stick to just running so bike work was the occasional 45 min spin on the turbo as a recovery session and ticking over with my swimming. Mileage progressed up nicely with my weekly long easy run becoming 8-10s per km quicker than my previous marathon build at the same effort. 10k paced sessions quicker and marathon paced sessions indicating a 2.40-2.42 marathon was on the cards.
So how did I end up running a very disappointing 2.50?
One very simple reason - I started off way too fast. After much lecturing by my coach (Dave) and also from Dan about not starting off fast as I had done in the Wilmslow Half Marathon I ran 18 mins dead for the first 5k. This was about 1 min 30 quicker than I wanted to start off and its amazing how just a little too fast here and it affects you tenfold in the last 4-5 miles.
I tried to slow down a bit and got to 10k in just under 37 mins - still too fast though. Half way was good - 1 hour 21. At 20 miles I was on for 2 hours 43 so although I was hoping for 2 hours 42 I was quite pleased. Just a mile later and it was a very different story. I was slowing down drastically and could do nothing about it. I lost 7 mins in the final 5 miles - gutted.
I finished feeling so disappointed in myself as I know I'm better than that and it was my own stupid fault. Over four months of very focussed training and for that. I can't even think about another marathon now. My focus now for the spring/summer will be to get my 10k time down and really practice racing with negative splits. All my races, no matter what distance, I seem to start off too fast so I think I need to learn to start slower and hopefully when I decide to do another marathon (probably next spring) I will put this into practice!
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