Paris Marathon 2010

Morning all!!

Scan done.  All a bit space age - v.modern equipment no need for dyes to be injected or any of that malarky.  A radiographer friend of a friend had said that I should ask to go in feet first and so thats what I did so my head was just about poking out of the machine.  Took forever but Lighthouse Family CD got me through it although being strapped down when my hip was jippy anyway wasnt v.comfortable and I did have to jiggle about a bit inbetween scans.  Have discovered a little bit of cause and effect with the hip namely that if any weight is put on it it flares up so on recommendation of old physio made sure it was humming this morning as apparently that ensures the inflamation shows up well on the scan.  Fair humming now ouch. 

Thanks TD - read your post late last night and I did stay as still as I possibly could.  I do tend to joke with the drs/radiographers anyway I bet their job can be pretty depressing sometimes.  This time me and the radiographer had a long discussion about the change of music now that you can download everything.. he was doing the DJ bit whilst playing my CD.  I had brought 3 CDs with me having not played a CD for years it was a bit like going down memory lane!

Katb - must have got those calming thoughts.. as I was fine   Next step is consultants analysis of my scan next Wednesday onwards and upwards  Well done on your PB - 13 mins off your previous PB is brilliant stuff

Morning everyone

 Another hot day in sunny London !!!

'Afternoon, all...from sunny Arran.

* scrolling back and reading..* OO..You old smoothie, you. Those years in Paris were not wasted..

NGUG, that's a blow...about Amsterdam...but it's good that you're getting to the bottom of it. 

Well done, Kat! We want to know what was in that drink... Huge PB margin.You must be delighted. * I'm covered in enough Skin So Soft to grease the QE2 down the slipway..Let's seewhat happens about 6...when the midgies come out. So far, so good. I'm doing the Ultra-mini version of DV's Arranman but confess to a 20 minute break half way through the 18k run and am currently having a 3 hour break before the swim...which might be about 400metres...*

 I think I could get used to this weather...

NGUG - Glad its gone well.  You're definitely on the road to recovery really - finding the problem is a big step!

 ATM - 18k run AND a swim?  I managed a short 4.5  mile jog with the eldest daughter, then cycled to the gym (all of 4 minutes each way) before doing some weights.  Thats a sort of triathlon isn't it?  Oh.

Mind you...I think we did run past Alistair Brownlee the triathlon world champion this morning...or if we didn't it was either one of his brothers or a very athletic doppleganger.

Of course it is, Leeds Rob. Get on that podium!

Thanks for the congrats.  I was really pleased with it especially as it's a very steep hilly route.  Of course it wasn't as good a time as I got with Gold Pig dragging me round in Manchester but that course was fairly flat but definitely a PB for the Badger 10k and it was under my own steam and with a little help from Gatorade. I'm a bit disappointed that I can't do the last one in the series as I would like to have tried to do even better. They really get you going, these series runs don't they?

Got back from the D of E weekend in one piece and although we tried really hard to lose some of the kids, they all managed to find their way back safely. I'm pretty sure they all enjoyed the weekend although there were some tired looking bodies as they got off the coach. As mum would say "they'll sleep tonight". Job done!

NGUG glad the telepathy worked and that the scan went well for you. Is it a forntnight, did you say, that you get your results? At last you'll be able to (as ATM succinctly puts it) get to the bottom of it.

ATM are you a bit of a pirate then?

I guess OO has his family back now.  I hope the move went to plan.  Busy times.

Leeds Rob - in some ways can't wait to see whats on the MRI CD  I have been given.. i.e what the problem is.  Mr NGUG offering to come with me next week I suspect in case it was something r.bad - dont believe it is myself - its not going away so it might need treatment but can't believe its going to be really drastic (eternal optimist). As you say finding the problem is the real issue..

ATM - cant really say definitely no to Amsterdam Master NGUG still keen to run there if he can as am I - will rely on the consultant next Wednesday to see what state I am in..

Thanks Katb - a bit more hummmmm telepathy might work for next Wednesday too when I get the results  MRI scans a bit variable I think from what I can gather so hopefully whats going on will show up.

That's the spirit, NGUG.

Today's the pay-back for all the sun we've had recently.It could not rain harder...* No Pirate, Kat.Not even at the Jim-the-Cabin-lad level but my break did revive my interest in tackling the crawl...again.You got a bike, Leeds Rob? Can you swim?*

Anyone racing, today?

I got a bike late autumn ATM but have only just really started riding it, and thats after at least 15 years since I last rode so not overly confident yet.

 Swimming, yes, I can swim and happy to swim in open water, trouble is I'm limited to breastroke, doggie paddle and skulling on my back - I can only keep the crawl up for about a length of the pool as I've never been taught it and struggle with the timing/rythmn for breathing.  One day I'll have some lessons to learn it properly.

Hello fit people. Polished off a hot 24K today to make a grand total of 93K - perhaps one of my biggest ever weeks. Lots more to come though. 100K on the slate for next. Enjoy the weather.

Hope the move is going OK OO.

Evening all..    busy weekend here...  I didn't get to do the long bike ride yesterday as I had to work..  but I did go swimming today at Dover and I managed 1hr 5 mins..  so.. getting better..   the cold water acclimitisation is definitely getting easier..    however, I did have a problem today.  I had a massive cramp attack in my right leg.  The entire leg went into spasm and it was really painful.  I couldn't bend either my knee or my ankle and for a minute I thought 'oh shit..  I'm in trouble now...'.  I was about 50m off the beach and managed to do a kind of breaststroke to safety.  I then had to crawl up the pebbley beach (very painful for soft feet!) and dripping wet in just my trunks I had to walk barefoot about 300 metres back to where everyone was.  I was shivering and cold.  Nevermind..    I warmed up and went back in for another 20 mins.   I am still finding breathing really hard.  Each time I lift my head out of the water I seem to get a face or mouth full of disgusting salty water.   I need to work on that part of the technique.  It is totally different to swimming in a pool.  I was told later that what i should have done is to simply roll over onto my back and just float until the pain wore off, or do some simple backstroke to help relax..   will try to remember that next time.

hey ho..  getting better, albeit slowly...  my leg still hurts now, but I'm sure my physio will sort it out tomorrow...

TD..   well done on getting back into the groove... 

OO..  hope nothing gets broken, but having your family with you will be more important anyway...

ATM..  more details please....  tell us how it was...

NGUG..   keep us posted..  in the meantime, a tub of ice-cream is worth consuming just for the excuse of it..

Katb..  well done..  keep at it..

PF..   More pics please of the beautiful place that you live in.. 

Leeds Rob..  nice to see you back... 

Cripes, y'all are posting too fast for me. That or I've been away from the site for a few days.

 Been crazy busy with house moving and important work deadlines, so my running has suffered a little. Not too much though, thanks to some late night runs! This week I'm pulling back some of the mileage, starting with the already-completed run to work this morning - it's only about 4M, but it commits me to another 4M later!

 TD - I wasn't aware that was the case until I got an email asking to moderate your comment. Obviously, I didn't even need to read it before clicking OK. I trust you implicitly.

 Right... spose I should be doing some work... keep at it all...

DV - that cold water swimming just sounds awful. I know if I ever fell in the North Sea I'd be dead in minutes, despite being a reasonable swimmer. Tooo skinny.

Completed 93K last week, finishing off with a hot and sweaty 24k on Sunday. Lovely rest day for me today. I'm now 3 weeks in to my 6 times a week running prgramme and nothing seems to have broken down or fallen off yet. Got a bit of an ache in my butt (does that sound rude?!) so hope that doesn't get worse. Lovely rest day today.

But today's highlight was - going to see the Tour de France passing through my hometown this lunchtime. Fabulous atmosphere. I'll post a video clip later on when I get back home.

DV - I just dont know how you do it - couldn't bear swimming in the cold sea.. will bear in mind your icecream recommendation..

Helterskelter - are you with a physio or someone who can help you with your shin splints?  Dont know enough about them as to what to do with them.  Sounds a real pain.  Know what you mean re getting you down like with my hip it just gets tiresome.. Summer btw is here with us down South still steamy hot today..

TD - look forward to seeing that clip.

Fi - driving instructor is unfortunately outside our area seems really lovely though gave me some really sensible advice re finding a good one near to us.  Thanks for that

Decided to be sensible and do 10km instead of my usual 20km LSR as I had missed out on a week's LSR felt absolutely fine.

ATM - sounds like you are contemplating a tri??

HS - it could be that the very fact of not running, might be making your shin splints worse.  Shin splints occur when the lower leg muscles are unable to cope with the workload/ impact of training.  If you just rest, the inflammation goes, but the muscles atrophy (waste).

Do you have any exercises to strengthen the lower leg (dorsaflexor) muscles before you go running again? I think that this is just as important as reducing inflammation for long term prevention.

If you don't, you can find loads of stuff on the Interweb. But walking around the house barefoot helps, balancing on one foot (maybe when you clean your teeth!) and wobbling around, picking up marbles in your toes whilst watching tv, using elastic bands to provide resistance for foot exercises, walking on your heels with your toes pointed upwards.  These will all help ward off shin splints.

Good luck!

Lovely people..    I need to ask for assistance.....

I'm doing a Double Iron Man tri on the weekend of 7th and 8th August.   I start at 11am on Saturday 7th and should be finished by the evening on Sunday 8th.   I need some people to assist me with crewing and ideally I need about 4 people (or more) so that the task can shared.   Its not hard, but can be tiring as it means staying awake through the night.   Mind you, not as tiring as what I will experience.

In case you don't know, a Double Iron Man is a double length Iron Man triathlon - 4.8 miles swim, 224 miles bike and 52 miles run.   It will be in Lichfield, just off the M6 toll road to the north of Birmingham.

The crew will need to keep me fed and hydrated. I will provide everything.  Someone just needs to put it in my hand at the appropriate time.

In return for your time and generosity I promise not to complain too much and will supply ample cash for you to buy whatever food and drink you need yourself...    I did it last year and it was actually good fun.

I know its a big one...  but I am hoping that some of you might be willing to give up your weekend and help me do this.  I did have a crew lined up, but one by one they have pulled out so now I am in need of having to ask like this...

Fingers crossed..............!