The heat is on

Scorchio!
What can I say. Hats off to all those who completed the Edinburgh marathon in the relentless heat. Ok by Saharan desert standards it was tame, but think about where the majority of runners were coming from. Most would reside in the north half of the UK and will have done most of their training and long runs in rain, slush or snow (or all three in one run). To then suddenly be faced with 20C + must have been hard psychologically, especially for the first timers. Just contending with the distance, pacing and fueling strategies is hard enough without also having to completely re-think it all due to the heat! It is important to remember in these situations to avoid guzzling gallons of water and still obey your thirst.
As I was nearby visiting my parents I decided to pop along and watch the runners at Port Seton as you could see them go out at 13 miles and come back at 22 miles. I was most impressed how good most looked at 22 miles. Many had obviously been sensible and adjusted their strategy accordingly. Well done again.

Listen to the (IT) Band

So my knee held up during the Leeds half, but within minutes of finishing it became extremely sore and stiff. The pain was on the outside of my left knee, running from about halfway down the knee cap to just underneath. After a bit of "googling" that evening, I discovered it was illiotibial band syndrome (ITBS). Ok, so now I know what's causing the pain how do I get rid of it and how quickly? One of the main causes of ITBS is running on banked pavements or roads, especially if you run regularly in the same direction. This seemed the most likely cause as I was guilty of doing my circular long runs in the same direction, so the left leg was constantly on the slope of the pavement. The next question was how to treat it and get back out on the road? As I've put myself through a lot of miles since January and my next big target is the Chester marathon in Oct, for once I could afford myself the luxury of taking a couple of weeks out. That was the rest part covered but what about exercises or stretches to speed up the recovery. Looking on the net and through some of the running books I've acquired over the years (The Runner's Body by Tucker, Dugas and Fitzgerald is one of my favourites and can be picked up fairly cheaply - on amazon and the like), there are plenty of stretching exercises to help loosen the IT band so that it stops rubbing on the outside of the knee. Some of the advice also suggests regularly placing ice packs on the swollen area. However, what should you do if there is no swelling? My theory on swelling (and it is supported by others) is that it is not always a bad thing and if managed properly it can do some good. Essentially swelling is the bodies way of allowing more blood cells, and nutrients to gain access to an area where damaged cells need to be removed or repaired. If swelling is allowed to persist too long (say overnight) then the presence of all those primed overactive blood cells in your joints can start to cause damage and this is where ice (and some ibuprofen) would be required. If like myself, there is no evidence of swelling, then each evening I have been rubbing deep heat into the afflicted area to encourage those blood cells to increase their flow around the IT band and do some of their good work for an hour or two. So far it seems to be working. Connective tissue doesn't have a particularly great blood supply and this is why tendons and ligaments can take a while to heal, so every now and then the blood flow needs a little encouragement. One of the main side effects of resting up on the back of marathon training is that my appetite has not reduced with the mileage, so the quicker the recovery the better, before I need to consider buying wider shorts for the Summer months!!

Spring Challenge Complete

Despite the left knee threatening to end my Spring fundraising challenge, I'm happy to report that the Leeds half marathon was negotiated succesfully. Three halfs plus the VLM in three months. Not bad for someone, up until this year, who did no more than one half per year and struggled each time to break 2 hrs. All three 1/2's this year have been completed in under 1h 40m. Even at 40+ I think we all have it in us to kick it up a notch. One of the most satisfying parts of today were that many of my colleagues and friends also beat personal records on a hilly and windy course. Well done to all who completed Leeds today.

Next stop Leeds

The last 3 weeks have flown by. When I initially signed up for Leeds half marathon I figured there would be sufficient resting time between VLM and my next race. How wrong was I? The last couple of weeks have consisted of a couple short plods around the park and putting ice on the various niggles. Under normal circumstances I would be tempted to take a rest and leave Leeds until next year but like many "sane " soles who put themselves through the joys of distance running I am also raising money for a good cause. If you have time please check out the following link www.justgiving.com/Annie-Schofield. If there was ever motivation required to get out and run, regardless of the weather, is the realisation of how lucky we are to be fit and healthy and that there are many worse of than ourselves.

Running apparel.

With the weather turning to Spring (apparently) I decided it was time to invest in a new running jacket. After numerous soakings whilst running in my cheap jacket that leaked at the slightest hint of moisture in the air (Last time I buy a so called waterproof jacket from a N.E. based sports retailer!)I decided it was time to treat myself to something a bit more substantial. When I think back over the last few months of running in the British winter, the one thing that has really tested my mental strength more than anything else is being cold and wet! When I stepped up the mileage I thought the sore legs, feet, toes etc or the mental challenge of running for 2 - 3 hours at any one time would provide the biggest hurdles. Alternatively my on-going battle with taking gels and water whilst running may be a limiting factor. But no! It was the lack of a decent jacket that proved the biggest pain (literally when it came to chaffed nipples!!). Once that sleet, rain or snow (or all 3 on most runs in North Yorkshire!) wove it's way into my jackets inner fibres, it wasn't long before the technical top tripled in weight. From then on, every gust of wind felt like someone was blasting me with an icy cold shower and slowly but surely the running top would take on new physical properties akin to sandpaper and proceed to take the top layer of my raspberry ripples!
After looking around numerous sports shops (and on-line) and looking in awe at the £100+ gore tex apparel I decided to go for a smart looking number from Sub-4 at under £50. Showerproof, windproof, nice fit and very reflective without looking like a fluorescent lemon. As my wife pointed out, I can buy the £100+ jackets once I start making money from this running lark! Maybe I should look into a money spinning side-line. Any demand for a slightly mature, slightly worn looking runner / stripogram?