Belated Happy New Year!

Looking forward to an injury free year and the running's been good so far, although the few added pounds of Christmas food is taking some shifting!

The end of 2012 didn't turn out quite as planned. I had organised for me and a couple of friends to take on the Three Peaks Challenge back on the 26th October. For those unfamiliar with the challenge it involves conquering the the three highest mountains in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon) including the travel betyween, within 24 hours. Unfortunately, on the week leading up to the challenge the weather took it's toll and -18C (i.e. -0.5F) blizzard conditions were forecast for Ben Nevis. The concensus was to postpone until Easter 2013; so another date in the diary to look forward to!

A major target for me for 2013 is to get back to training for a road marathon. Away from the trails I know, but something I just need to get done. My last road marathon was way back in 2010 when my wife, Ellen, and I went for a long weekend in Paris. In short, a fantastic weekend, great course and weather but severly hampered by gastric flu, so I ended up walking the majority in a daze. I've vowed to return ever since!. This may be the year we go back, however, £ is in short supply and Paris is therefore dependent upon the sale of our house. I may end up going more locally and saving Paris for another year.

2013 is choc full of great races, with friends (and fellow bloggers) lucky enough to get into some top events. Top of the crop has to be Ultra Disco Stu who has a big summer of the Lakeland 100, UTMB and unbelievably Western States to sink his pumps into!!

My major goal this year is a charity event that has been developing away in the depths of my mind. In it's planning infancy at the moment, but the idea is to run 13 half marathons in 13 consecutive days. More details to follow over the coming months.

Finally, 2013 is already turning out to be a special year; my wife has once more bid adieu to her toes and will see them again in mid-July, meanwhile baking away with our FOURTH baby!!

Remember, Running=the real sport. The others just play with their balls.

Gaz

Long time coming back....

Long time coming....

Well, folks it's been a very long time out but things are finally looking up. As a brief re-cap, I went out on a usual Sunday morning run back November 2010, waiting most of the morning for the sun to melt the early morning ice. Unfortunately, over I went on a patch of black ice and hyper-extended my right knee. After being given the run-around by numerous physio's and doctors, I eventually got referred to a knee specialist/consultant and finally went under the knife in November 2011, a full year out of the trainers with a still to be diagnosed problem.

Torn cartilage and plica syndrome (see previous post) was the damage. 10 weeks of physio followed but I eventually got very disheartened by the apparent lack of enthusiasm given, so finished it and resolved Googling recovery programs of people who had been through similar situations.

Now, September 2012, I am pleased to announce that I am back; having only two days ago completed my first race since injury - the inaugural Malmesbury Half Marathon. It provided a great opportunity as a come-back race to run in my town. Lots of people that I know within the town, plus one or two that I had met further afield (including at the Atlantic Coast Challenge) made for a great, if very, very wet, event.

The main aim of the run was to check the strength of my knee over the distance. I had only run one 10 miler and one 13 miler in the lead-up to the race, so running fitness was a complete unknown. I had been a bit of a slave to the gym in the time spent away from running, both in terms of strength and cardio work, so I was hoping that this would at least see me through the first 10 miles. I had planned to average out 8:30 minute miles just to see how things went, however when we started off I just felt great and decided to go with it, hovering around the 8 minute mile mark. As it panned out, I finished in 01:46:41 averaging out 8:09 per mile – only around 5 minutes off my PB of 2 years ago in Chippenham!

So, it looks on the face of it like all the gym work paid off, and kept my base fitness ticking over until my return. I’ve also been very good/careful with my diet too and I am around 1 stone lighter than when I got injured (usually works the other way around!!)

Anyway, I’ve been really enjoying reading all the blogs and the adventures that people have been getting up to so it’s about time I started enjoying myself once more. First up, on the weekend of 26^th October is the Three Peaks Challenge – 24hrs to include Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

Watch this space!

A missed year

Roll on 2012, the quicker I can escape the disapointment of 2011 the better.

I'm now 2.5 weeks post knee op which by all accounts was successful. The arthroscopy revealed torn cartilage and 'Plica Syndrome' which after a little Googling, makes complete sense when thinking about it! I won't go into detail so here's a little light reading: -

http://www.orthogate.org/patient-education/knee/plica-syndrome.html

The Consultant has suggested a 90% success rate with this type of injury, and so far far all is feeling pretty good. I've a 6 to 8 week recovery period with lots of fizzy sessions to enjoy. Hazarding a guess, I'm hoping to back in the pumps around February time (subject to the green light from the Consultant!)

Happy Crimbo and see you on the trails in 2012!!

Oooerrr...!

Arthroscopy booked for the 30th November, let's hope they find something!

GODAMMIT!!

Physio failure and referred back to the consultant....'nuff said!!

The Latest

Slow and steady is the name of the game for the time being.

Been away to the Dordogne for 2 weeks and only manged one 5 miler. Usually I hit the trails over there for the majority of any spare time that I may get but 'fortunately' for me we were located away from these and the fairly busy roads were the only option. 5 miles is the furthest I've managed since last November and although slow, I had no pain during, immediately after or 24-hours later which is brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the plan. From the week of the 22nd August I'm going to start with early morning 5k's to start each day before work so that I can get into the gym during lunchtime to work on strength and cross training. It's important to take each day individually as I don't want any flare up of the tendonitis.

Lots of races/events happening at the moment that I'm desperate to get involved in namely, Chippenham Half, Malmesbury Tri and some biggies like the NDW Marathon/50/100 and the obvious one the ACC 2011. There's always next year when I'll be stronger and fitter than before!

The Turnaround

Things are starting to look a bit more positive.

No running since November but last night I got the green light from the physio to try it out. Only half a mile for the first week but it's a start. I get to move up to 1 mile in 2 weeks time!! It's funny, I was so excited to run this morning I was up and out the door by 06:30; thing is, I was back 4 minutes later. Oh well, it's a start and must take things gradually so not to stir up the tendonitis.

I must admit to it being very difficult watching and reading about everyone I know running and racing, particularly being the build up to the ACC in September/October (which I'm obviously going to miss) but If I do things properly, I'm aiming to come back fitter and faster for 2012.

Watch this space!