Still Struggling

Unfortunately, I now havent run for 11 days.  I'm still struggling.

Having spent the GDP of a third-world country on Asthma medication, along with Cold & Flu remedies and a tube of Deep Freeze (I'll come on to that in a mo!), I'm still wheezing.

How much Asthma medication can one man take?

Let me take you back a week.  First GP appointment.  Dr Adams checked my chest with the stethoscope and he said it was reasonably clear although a little crackling suggested a the beginnings of a chest infection.

He prescribed a 7 day course of Antibiotics and recommended I start taking my Becotide inhaler, 4 squirts twice a day.  Ok.  Up until yesterday morning, I was getting a little better.  The cold symptoms seem to have cleared up but I was still waking up in the middle of the night having coughing fits and again first thing in the morning.

Yesterday, even numerous squirts of Ventolin couldnt control the coughing kit.

So, much to my disappointment, I found myself agreeing with Alison that I really should go back and see my GP.

On the drive to Canary Wharf, I managed to get an appointment for 5:45pm.  I was to see Dr Stoate (former Labour MP for Dartford for the record and an eight-time marathon runner so I heard last night - he couldnt believe I had ran 4 in one year!)

Anyhow, went to see Dr Stoate and he recommended a 7 day course of steroids which should calm the wheezing in my chest.  Fingers crossed it does the trick.

Despite not being able to run, at least I'm back at work now and burning some calories with the usual amount of walking I do every day.

Steps as per my iPhone 5s - calibrated to my Garmin Forerunner 620

Sadly, however, my lack of running and current state of health means I'm missing the annual Plumstead Runners Santa Run tonight.  I'm absolutely gutted but there's always next year.

The M Word

I said dont mention the 'M' word.  Too late.

I've been off work sick for the last four days and I dont seems to be getting any better.

I seemed to be on top of the sniffly nose last week by popping the Lemsip max tablets and I ran Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

For the record, Saturday I ran the quickest 10k in well over 6 months...

I was well chuffed with that. I was pushing a little but not too much and I was plugging away at the 3:2 breathing rhythmn and it all started to come together nicely. However, it was cold that night. Really cold. The pavements were beginning to frost up and so were my lungs.

After a shower and some pizza and sitting on the sofa for an hour, I was still wheezing like hell, so I went to find my Ventolin pump.  A quick press on the top of it and nothing came out.  Panic.  A quick phone call to my bruv to confirm he had a spare and I was off down the road like a shot (in the car!) to go pick it up.  Within 15 mins of getting some Ventolin into my lungs, I was feeling much better.

Sunday was ok.  Monday I felt naff.  The cough was coming on and I was wheezing again.  The Ventolin wasnt touching the sides so I called in sick and visited the GP.  Diagnosed as a Chest Infection.  Antibiotics was the result.

Its now Friday.  I havent run in 6 days.  I'm still coughing and wheezing and my cat allergy seems to have kicked into overdrive.  I cant stay in Alison's house without wheezing, the only relief I seem to get is when I'm not there, sadly.

I've also developed a really badly swollen bottom lip.  So swollen it looks like I've been in a fight...

Swollen bottom lip...and I'm not even turning it outwards!!!

I feel like sh*t quite frankly.  I cant breathe and I'm feeling beyond knackered through lack of sleep.  My legs ache now more than they do at the end of a marathon.  I'm now 4 days into the course of Antibiotics so I would have thought I would have started to improve a little by now but it doesnt look like its the case.

Fingers crossed this lurgy clears up soon.

An eventful week for my daughter Izzy

I've blogged many times in the past about my daughter Izzy and how proud of her I am.  However, this week in particular, she's exceeded anything I ever managed to do as such a tender age.

First up, on Sunday, was the British Gymnastics, SE Regional Floor and Vault Finals at the Guildford Spectrum in Surrey.  Thankfully not as early a start as last year so managed to get there for a nice and respectable 10am.  Found myself in the arena and spotted my ex-wife Clare and her Mum Anne waving at me from up in the stand, so went to sit up with them.

On admission, you get a competition sheet which tells you who is in each group.  Izzy was starting on the Yellow vault.  To put this competition in perspective, there were four separate vaults and four floor areas, just to the judges could see as many Gymnasts as possible.

Izzy started on the Yellow Vault

It wasnt long before all the Gymnasts came out to music and then went through a group warm up before getting 10 minutes individual warm up on their respective apparatus.

It appeared that Izzy's warm up vaults were ok and was landing really well but unfortunately, her 2 judged vaults were a little off, with the smallest of skips on landing but because of that she was marked down to 6.400 and 6.400.

After patiently awaiting the rotation, Izzy hit the floor.

Izzy scored 7.450, the highest score of any Gymnast in her group by some margin.  However, given the result of the vault, we estimated that she was in about 5th or 6th place overall but we got the pleasant shock of her name being announced in 3rd place at the presentation, so she got the bronze medal.

Izzy on the podium in 3rd place

Blimey, a right little star on our hands.

As you can see, she was rather pleased with her bronze medal.
Two days later, Izzy was doing the other thing she loves.  Singing.  This time in her choir, the Semiquavers.  She sang solo on 'The Angel Gabiel'...



Just wow.  I know all parents get super gushy when they speak about their offspring so bare with me but Izzy is pushing her boundaries so much more than I did at that age.  I found it difficult to say "Yes Miss" for the morning register at school let alone getting up in front of a packed church singing solo like that.
Anyway, as you can tell by the applause at the end, it went down a treat.  So not only do we have a little Gymnast on our hands, we've also got a potential X Factor winner to contend with too lol.
At the end of the Christmas concert, the choir masters awarded Izzy the 'Ron Baker Trophy', in recognition of her hard work, her attitude and her willingness to help others.  So nice to see her not taking after her Dad lol.

Izzy with the 'Ron Baker Trophy'

So Izzy has had one hell of a week this week.  You couldnt wipe that smile off her face if you tried.  One thing is for sure though.  At this rate, she'll need a bigger medal hanging rack than her Dad's.

Dont mention the "M" word...

Yes, FFS dont mention the "M" word but I've just walked back from the Chemist and I'm knackered...

Other cold and flu treatments are available from all good Chemists (and not so good ones too)...

I had some pretty bad sniffles when I got back from my run last night.  I put it down to my cat allergy.  Only I could date a woman with two cats when I'm allergic to the fluffy cherubs (one of which, Gangsta - yes, thats its real name, ask Alison if you dont believe me scratched me to near death last night after I thought I'd pick it up and give it some loves, as you do!)

Anyhow, I'd put it down to that.  However, I woke up at 4am sneezing my head off and was totally blocked up.  When I woke I felt better but still felt sneezy on the way in and havent improved.  I didnt think much more of it until I went to get up from my desk at lunchtime and then realised my legs were really sore and I feel like a big pile of poop.

So before the "M" word takes over my body, I'm fighting back.  Popped into the Chemist and bought a packet of these Ninja warriors.

It would be a real kick in the you know whats should I be struck down by the dreaded "M" right now.

On the search for more positives

Its hard enough to run around Welling & Bexleyheath, an area I've known for the best part of 36 of my 38 years but tonight it was time to be brave and head out on a slightly longer loop around Petts Wood, rather than just a couple of local roads and the straight out and back route to Chislehurst that I've been doing recently.

I went out with Petts Wood Runners a few weeks back and they'd taken me out to Locksbottom and Bickley, so I thought that would be a good starting point, especially as I'd have a comparable metric to see how I was fairing, fitness-wise.

Its a fairly basic route as you can see.

Segment courtesy of Strava

I ran a warm up of Grosvenor Road, Perry Hall Road and Petts Wood Road to get to the route, picking it up at Tudor Way, following Crofton Lane then Crofton Road up to Chapter One at Locksbottom/Farnborough Common, then Croydon Road, before turning right into Oakley Road (couldnt not remember that name!) and then back to Southborough Lane and Petts Wood via Magpie Hall Lane.

No particularly steeps hills, although a couple of drags involved, mainly coming up to Chapter One and at the end of Southborough Lane.

Elevation data courtesy of Strava

Halfway down the first road, Tudor Way, my Garmin bleeped the first mile split of 9:17 with an average HR of 142.  Conservative to say the least.  

It was at that point, I decided to give the 3:2 breathing technique another try.  I'd read about it a few days before and had run with it on my previous training run.  The theory is that you inhale for 3 steps and then exhale for 2 steps.  The idea is that you inhale and exhale on alternating feet, so you dont always strike and breathe, what I've always tended to do.  It takes some getting used to.  I struggled on my first attempt but I seemed to grasp it this time around.  However, as soon as my thoughts wandered, I felt as though breathing wandered too.  I go to run to destress and think about things, then throwing this into the mix makes it even more complex.  However, more practiced required for sure but first impressions, it seems to work.

Anyhow, the run was good.  I knew that the first part of the run up to Locksbottom was generally a tedious drag so it made sense to work in the first half and then take the foot off the gas in the second recovery part before hitting the last climb.  Well it didnt go to plan.  I stayed steady in the first part and felt good up to Chapter One, although both Achilles are still nagging me on every run at the moment and then just kept going.  Why take your foot off the gas when you're feeling good, eh?  Even up through the Magpie Hall Lane drag and onto Southborough Lane, I was still feeling good, banging out a good rhythm and focusing on the 3:2 technique.

So in terms of times, it looked like this...

Segment times courtesy of Strava via Garmin Connect

Two things we have to take into account for the run on Oct 28 is that (i) it was a group run at a measured pace of between 9:15-9:20ish min/mile pace so it was never going to be quicker than that; and (ii) it was 8 days after the Amsterdam Marathon, so my average HR was always going to be higher than it should be for a run of that distance (based on previous experience!)

So as you can see, last night's run was 2:50 quicker and with a significantly lower average HR, which is to be expected for that pace/distance combination with (i) the beginnings of a small cold and (ii) with the little extra timber I'm carrying at the moment.

Very pleasing indeed.  It was also helpful that I remembered to have my 4pm pre-run porridge as I'm finding it awfully difficult these days to put off the hunger pangs of a late 8:30-9:00pm dinner now.

The full garmin data which takes into account the full run can be found below...

Where the hell is the nearest toilet? I need one and I need it now!

Yes.  It happened again.

The horror that faces every runner at one stage or another in there running career happened to me last night.  It wasnt the first time nor will it be the last.

Wednesday night, Plumstead Runners night.  It was a large turn out last night.  Possibly the best turn out of bodies we've had out in a while.  With no Graham available, we had only two runs going out.  We would all stick together through to Bexley Village and back and then the runs would split, the 5-6 mile group heading back and the longer group headng out towards Sidcup for just over 8 miles.

As per usual, I was all keyed up for the longer run.  I was running well.  Really well.  I'll come back to the major positive in a minute. Up to 4 miles, I was fine.  The group split and we headed off towards Sidcup.  Then that damn god awful thing happens.  Its so horrible that you just cant really even begin to describe it.

You're happily running along and all of a sudden there's a huge gurgle coming from your stomach.  At the end of that gurgle, it feels as though your stomach has dropped and the entire contents of your stomach has dropped to about 1cm from your 'chocolate starfish'.

Immediately, the fear strikes you like being slapped by a wet kipper.

Oh...

My...

God...

The instant reaction is to stop running.  The running motion on the body really doesnt help matters.  Then the brain kicks in... "where is the nearest toilet?"...

The brain goes into computation mode...

"Is there a pub nearby?"..."McDonalds?"..."anything else?"...

No was the answer.  Where we was at that particular point in time was equidistant from any possibility of popping in to use their facilities.  The nearest option was to get back to the club (a mere 1.36 miles away according to my Garmin on checking later!)

I quickly explained to the backmarker, Peter, that I was turning back.  He looked a little shocked when I explained I had stomach cramps and I had to get back quickly...

Then it was all about survival.

I had to get back quick...but not run too much as I was just going to aggravate the situation...

Jog...get a serious twinge...stop immediately...walk very slowly...feel safer...jog...get a serious twinge...and so on.  Thoughts were turning to "would I do a Paula Radcliffe?  how the hell will I walk through the bar to the changing rooms if I let go?"...

I made it back to the club just in time.  I literally ran down the driveway of the club, straight through the doors into the bar, straight into the toilet with the door slamming behind me.

I emerged 10 mins later when a biohazard team entered the building to close the 'gents' from further use...

How the hell I got back without a serious incident I will never know.

The whole episode reminded me of this scene from Dumb and Dumber...

Anyhow, with the crap out of the way (pardon the bad pun), I can concentrate on the major positive to take out of the 4 good miles I did run.
I said I was feeling good.  There's a nice hill that we regularly climb when out with the Plums.  We dont run up it very often as we normally come the other way as its part of our 10k course.
As I was running up it, I was thinking to myself I was feeling really good and really strong.  I wasnt too far off the front and I thought I really must go home and check out the stats for the segment.
Here it is...

Its not a massive lump by any means but its definitely a tester.  Now look at the times I've recorded for the segment...

A new PB for the segment by 11 seconds with an almost identical average HR measurement.  I'll take that gladly given I'm currently weighing a little bit more than this time last year.
More significantly, its my fastest time this year by some considerable margin, some 27 seconds.  Bearing in mind I was suffering from the Paris overtraining hangover at that point will have something to do with it (check out that increased average HR again!) so am definitely moving in the right direction.

Back on the wagon...

Following Amsterdam, I was determined not to make the same mistakes as I had done after Paris.  I was going to properly rest for 2 weeks before running again.

However, it didnt quite turn out like that.

I didnt run for 8 days but I was itching to get out again by then so I thought I'd go out for a gentle plod.  As it so happened, it was a Tuesday night and I was staying with Alison in Petts Wood so I thought why not go for a run with the local club, Petts Wood Runners.

In comparison to the Plums, PWR is a much bigger club with much larger number of runners and it was quite strange turning up for a club run with about 70-80 people, where as 20 would be a great turn out for the Plums.

The advantage PWR have is that they can put on a selection of runs, covering various different paces.  7 groups, all bases covered.  Everything from the slows peeps through to the fast guys and girls.

Because I was recovering from Amsterdam, I chose group 5, which stated from the outset that the average pace for the run of just over 10k would be 9:15 min/mile pace, something I can usually do with my eyes shut and without not too much effort.

If I'm honest, I felt pretty good throughout the run and didnt feel as though I was busting a gut but one alarm bell was beginning to ring. Well, lets say bleep. My average HR was 168bpm. Now thats my race pace average HR. Uh-oh. From previous experiences, seeing a highly elevated average HR for a run of not taxing effort is a sure sign of tiredness and overtraining. Thus I decided to have another 6 days off before attempting to run again.

Now, PWR.  The run was good, it was a decent route but it was so different from a run with the Plums.  With the Plums, its a really happy camp.  Everyone is pleased to see the other members and you hit it off instantly.  A 8-9 mile run is usually peppered with conversation from the usual suspects and we discuss everything and anything from the football, women...you name it, its constant chat all the way round, no matter how hard the run is.  Its that kind of bonding, down to earth and very personal.  PWR didnt strike me like that.  I introduced myself to the group leader at the start of the run and that was pretty much it for the conversation until the last half a mile or so.  Very strange.  I hope if I run with them in the future it will be a bit different to that.

During that extended 6 day rest period, I spoke to Alison about how I tend to take longer than most to recover from a marathon and I really needed to get back on the wagon as I knew I'd put on some weight but I needed to lose it.  Alison was keen to join me on the regime and we decided to get some new scales.  Not just any scales though.  Luckily for me, Alison is a keen gadget lover too and we opted for some wi-fi linked scales, the Withings WS-50.

They're expensive but they're definitely worth it.  You get on the scales first thing in the morning, your weight is then transmitted by wi-fi to the Withings app on your iPhone (also compatible with Android smartphones) then you can tie your Withings account to your My Fitness Pal account and you have the complete weight loss tool at your disposal, as long as you're committed to counting the calories.

(Talking Alison being a gadget lover, we've bought her a Garmin Vivosmart.  Its a fitness activity tracker which plugs into the Garmin Connect system that I've been using for years, which can sync with My Fitness Pal.  She's been experiencing a few teething problems but once we've sorted them, I'll attempt to write up a brief review!)

Anyhow, 17 days in...

...one 'bad' day which took me 200 calories over but I'm running a calorie deficit for the 17 days and I've lost almost half a stone and my body fat percentage is between 14-15% which I'll take gladly. Now thats progress.  I could do with losing 4-5lb more then I'll be happy.  It'll take a couple of weeks but I'm moving in the right direction.

I can already feel the difference in my running in that short space of time.

Since running in Petts Wood on a regular basis, I've made a short 2.8 mile out and back loop from Alison's road which is nicely undulating and creates a sort-of fartlek if you like, as the pace can change throughout due to the gradient.

The loop is here...

Now the four times I have run the loop since the start of the weight-loss kickstarter, you can see my times have improved and my HR is steadily dropping...

Data captured from Strava...via Garmin Connect

Last week's Wednesday night Plums run was brutal and was quite possibly the hardest run we've done on a Wednesday night in a long time.

Three big climbs in Shooters Hill, Eglinton Hill and Bostall Hill with a nice little flattish bit in the last mile and a half to open the legs up and kick for home. My HR was reasonably stable and increased where I would expect it to be, so more evidence that I'm getting over Amsterdam and I'm getting back to where I should be.

I think we can safely say I'm back on the wagon of consistency and discipline. Damn it, did that bacon roll just pass my lips?