Ranscombe Challenge (potential first Ultra Marathon)

Today, I've signed up for the Ranscombe Challenge.  A trail run of a 3.8m lap, with an 8hr time timit, so you can basically run as far as you want.

Those running 7 laps classisfy as a Marathon, those running 8 get classed as an Ultra.

The thought of running 26.2 miles at the moment terrifies me as I've not yet passed that distance but the Ultra was the target for 2015.  I've just brought it forward by about a year.  Nothing like a challenge.

More information here.

Monday Training (7 mile trail run at Oxleas Woods)

Sadly, by the time I woke up Sunday morning, I was suffering from a cold so I decided to give the KFL Cross Country race at Avery Hill Park a miss as I didnt want to stress my body too much and risk losing training time during the up coming week.

Instead I had a day of rest and spent most of the afternoon mainly watching football and dozing on the sofa.

I didnt sleep that well on Saturday or Sunday evening so by the time I woke up Monday morning I was feeling very tired indeed.  I had to pop in to see my parents in the morning but was back home by 3pm.

I felt better so I made the decision to do a gentle trail run over Oxleas Woods.  The weather had certainly brightened up after this morning's downpours...

Although the skies had brightened up, the ground was totally waterlogged and was the muddiest I've ever known the woods.  Here's the garmin dump...

Slow pace, low HR. Just about spot on for a leisurely run (well, more like jog/walk as you couldnt run in places...and you almost had no choice but to walk in other places).  Despite the slow pace, it was one of the more enjoyable runs I've had.  I cant begin to tell you how wet and muddy my feet were...

Wedensday Training (Plumstead Runners session)

Another decent run with the Plums. I'm trying to stay near the front of the group so I run at a reasonable pace, otherwise sticking near the back of the group it is so easy just to slack off a bit. With running there and back, I racked up just short of 10 miles for the evening. Not at all bad for a Wednesday evening.

Wednesday Training (Plumstead Runners session)

Less than 48 hours after the HM distance run, I was back out with the Plums tonight...

By far the quickest Plums run in a while. Maybe because I seem to have got my mojo back after the knee niggle, maybe because it was less off-road than normal (NB - any run with the Plums that goes off-road I class as trail running on Garmin Connect!). A bit cold and damp tonight, nothing like how it has been recently so was out in full length tights, gilet and cap tonight but a cracking run nonetheless.

Wednesday Training (Plumstead Runners session)

I'm really pleased that, at last, it appears the knee problem I've been suffering with has finally been banished. The Gym work on my quads has really paid off and after almost nearly 3 months, I'm clear of the niggle. I've now gone a week without feeling any niggle and I've had no reaction afterwards, so I'm delighted.

So as a result, I've begun to increase my training load again...

Sunday - Gym

Monday - 10k run

Tuesday - Gym with 5k run home

Wednesday - 5.5 mile trail run with the Plums.

As you can see, the Wednesday night run with the Plums was a real toughie with most of it off road over Lesness Abbey and Bostall Heath.  Having trained for four consecutive days for the first time in months, I was pretty flat energy-wise before I'd started, so I found this run very hard.  I resorted to walking up a couple of the steep hills over Lesness Abbey, so my pace should have been much quicker but generally, the average pace for the run was consistent what most of the trail runs with the Plums have been, so no complaints.

Thursday is definitely a rest day.  I feel totally exhausted now.

Hot and Sweaty Plums

24 hours after seeing the physio, I was back out on the road with the Plumstead Runners.  A gentle run down to the club then a slow 10k and a bit out to Oxleas Woods and back.  It was seriously warm last night and was a real test.

After only 2 miles of the 8, my legs felt totally drained...

 

Only 8 reasonably slow miles but blimey, it felt much much longer than 8 miles. It was a huge struggle for me and I havent felt as destroyed as I did last night after a run for quite some time.
Not sure whether I'm coming down with something or whether it was just the heat and I only ran with water rather than an energy drink. The good news is that the knee held up reasonably well. It was a little sore on the inclines but that was to be expected with the quads loaded with pressure. This morning, the knee still feels reasonably good.

Foam roller revelation

As you'll know from my posts over the last week, my knee injury has been concerning me.  I've identified the cause (the misalligned cleats on my cycling shoes) and the diagnosis was "runners knee", tendonitis of the patella tendon in the knee, the central anterior tendon/ligament.

Having done some research during my lunch hour today, it appears the main treatment for this is strength work and massage for the quadricep.  So, I had the brain wave of using my foam roller on my quad to see if it would help. Having googled specifically for foam roller exercises for inner thighs (I'm trying to target the tear drop part of my quad, nearest the knee), I found a great little article on mens health for foam roller exercises, which I've linked on the other fitness links to the right (over here >>>>>)

A quick ten minute session on the thighs before and after tonight's run seem to have done the knee the absolute world of good.  Dont get me wrong, it hasnt cured the problem completely, there still is a little discomfort in the knee but it is nowhere near as bad as it was previously.

Anywhere, here's tonights run, a short 1 lap loop of the Plumstead Runners Cross Country course...

I have to admit the knee felt really uncomfortable through the first mile but after that it settled down.

Came back home after the 5 miles and done an equivelent Gym weights and Swiss Ball routine before stretching out on the foam roller.

An hour later, absolutely minimum discomfort in the knee. Here's hoping the rolling of the quad is the cure.