Life is like a box of chocolates...

Yesterday was positive, today not so great, an excuse for a bit of Bowie though, the next day... Had a bit of a reaction in the leg this morning, first time since started running again, clearly down to yesterdays intervals. Is nothing serious but a little ache that hasn't been there for many weeks, around 6 I would hazard a guess at. Who knows if this may become problematic? Not me but for now I predict short term yes long term no. Ok I wont be running today and will have to scratch flat out speed work for at least another 4 weeks but I actually think the reaction is just because the leg is not used to the full range of motion and pounding thast intervals bring, the doctor said it could be a stiff for a while and it has been when fully extended. So no speed work for 4 weeks and then introduce it a lot more slowly and build up to eyeball popping intervals, easy (I hope) Plan for today now includes a couple of hours on Veera and an afternoon and evening on the sauce with friends from work and outgoing students. Previous experience suggests this will be good fun, we will stay with the students until they start to become silly and then go our separate ways and be even sillier :-) Will hopefully get some gentle hangover busting miles in tomorrow, maybe running but if not will have to be on Veera again. Have a meeting with the powers that be at Bobby Moore Fund on Friday as they want to discuss a few ideas I have, is very exciting I must say. Don't worry though it doesn't involve me doing anything crazy, promise....

I could have had a baby!

I took another step on the road to recovery this morning but before I tell you about that let me just fill you in on how the running has been going since we last met. Have been slowly upping the mileage and did 6.7 miles with the Sospans on a beautiful sunny morning on Sunday. Have been trying to keep below 70% WHR which has been going ok, averaging about 9.30mm pace. The good thing about going with club though is that I slowly start off and then attach myself to the front runners so the last two Sundays have been progressive runs starting off at around 10.00mm pace but slowly building up so I have been finishing averaging 9mm pace. Has given me a bit of confidence back :-) Anyway back to this morning, well I decided a few days ago that I would do an interval session of 4 x 400m today before giving parkrun a good bash on Saturday to see where I am and what I can aim for in John Hartson 10k in 4 weeks time. A spanner in the works immediately though when I got to the school at the bottom of the hill to find it locked so I couldn't use the track. I know it is half term but is usually open by that time, ho hum. Decided then to go to a long(ish) straight and very quiet road I know about a mile further on. Turns out the road was 241 metres long but I still only did 4 intervals. The first one was at 4.59mm pace, didn't even know I could run that fast, nearly killed me, the final 3 all at 5.40mm pace. I was shagged right out. Now I knew that I had not done much like this for a while as I did lots of long slow miles in build up to the challenge but just been back through the training log and turns out the start of August was my last 'speed' session. Over 9 months ago, like I said I could have had a baby in that time. At least I have a good base. So not overly excited or disappointed, glad to have done it and llike I said will see where Saturday takes me, got half a plan in mind but am not sharing it yet. And to think I was blaming the pregnant look on too many pies.....

2nd Gear

Have to say it has been a good week in Chez Rogerson, I haven't won the lottery or anything like that but I am a week into my comeback and am generally happy with my progress. Did a whole mile on Wednesday and upped that to 1.1 miles on Friday, both with no ill affects apart from a little stiffness in an old hip flexor war wound. Discussed the situation with Laura after Fridays' run and with her acquiescence decided I would ramp the mileage up a little quicker than I first planned. My thiinking is that if there is no reaction why shouldn't I go further, is my base fitness I need to work on again. Headed out this morning after 12.5 on Veera with a route in mind that would probably cover about 3-4 miles without ever being more than half a mile from home in case anything did flare up. 3.5 miles later and everything was fine :-) Kept it slow at below 70%WHR and felt extremely comfortable, coming in at 9.38mm pace, so next target is to join up with the running club next Sunday morning and do 5 or 6 miles with them. Am going to do Llyn Llech Owain parkrun slowly on Saturday too, hopefully as sweeper so I don't get too excited and overcook it. Have carried on with the strength work too and that has been harder, as I think I mentioned previously has been 3 years or so since I stopped doing it regularly, although I have had some sporadic core sessions. Am quite unimpressed by my weakness and how much I am aching from gentle squats etc but is a work in progress and will all come together and be worth it further on down the line. Am debating whether to join in with a kettlebell class on Tuesday night but am not entirely sure I am ready for it yet. Thoughts? Another improved week on the dietary front too, only one bad day and no alcohol, so tomorrows weigh in shouldn't be too bad. Keeping on with the easy sub 70%WHR running until the end of May then, all being well, am going to introduce some intervals and tempo runs to get a bit of pace in the legs ready for Llanelli 10k on June 30th which I will run to HR. *Wanders off to revise his plan....*

34 days later...

34 days since the wheels came spectacularly crashing off the challenge and today was a huge step forward. I am back in the hospital tomorrow morning and although I have felt capable of running for the last week or so I have been good and held myself back. I have however been cycling a few miles, up to 15 on the longest day, and also joined the local gym to motivate me to get back to my strength training. Is a beautiful day today in Llanelli and I already knew that I was going out on Veera to meet up with the running clucb who were going for their traditional bank holiday breakfast run which ends up in Wetherspoons. I also decided pretty much as soon as I woke up that I was going to try a little run post cycle, half a mile at most?, to test the injury. My thinking being that if it played up I could stop immediately and be able to tell the hospital that there was still a problem and if it didn't I would be able to report that. Well after covering about 10 miles, very slowly, on Veera, with scrambled egg on toast and a mug of green tea in the middle, I got home and immediately donned my new running shoes. The next step was a walk down to the field so I wouldn't be tackling any inclines or declines. Before I knew it, with my heart rate rising rapidly (I have never been so bloody nervous about a run) I was tentatively under way, it felt very strange almost like I had never run before. However I ran to the end of the field and back to the bridge and didn't feel the injury once so as long as nothing flares up in the next 24 hours I would hope I am back on the road. even managed to do 9.30mm pace when I looked, I thought I had gone a lot slower. So is baby steps from here, have been very sensible for the last 34 days, I must continue to be so. My only target at the moment is to hopefully be ready to run my local 10k by the end of June, not for a time, just run it, I will just listen to my body. Now I know there are going to be lots of excited blogs later about marathons and other races, pb's etc but I will be very surprised if anyone is as happy as I am right now I am going to celebrate today with a day off the healthy eating plan but tomorrow the hard work (happily) starts VLM 2014 is the big focus now.... Don't call it a comeback, I am back...

An undulating day!

A day of real ups and downs, this may go on a while, sorry, stop reading now if you like, I would :-) Was back to work today with the protective boot and had the sense of dread I am sure you have all experienced. Basically as the challenge had covered the Easter holidays I had only missed 9 days of teaching but I knew the vocational students wouldn't have done any of the coursework I had spoonfed them before my departure and as well as that I just wasn't looking forward to facing everyone and having to talk about what had happened over and over. Was talking to Mrs T about it last night and she said how concerned she had been about my mental state over the last few weeks, I thought I had been quite philosphical about the whole thing, I am usually the type not to get to excited about the good stuff or down about the bad stuff, but apparently I have been very down :-( Anyway, as is also usually the case, it wasn't so bad once I was in work. The students were all exceptionally lovely and genuinely sad for me as were my colleagues, many of whom I have very rarely spoken to if at all. We have our own little staffroom right near the back entrance/exit and don't really have much interaction with the other lecturers. I knew it was a relatively short day with my last lesson finishing at 1430 so arranged to meet up with my bestest work buddy and show her my photos of the challenge. Yes she is a woman, Laura calls her my work wife, she is very good at looking after me and reminding me of things such as birthdays and anniversarys etc. Is this odd? Anyway this was basically the first time I had been through all the photos from start to finish and definitely the first time I had really reflected on everything I had done over the 6 and a bit days I was running and realised just what a fantastic experience it was. So many really good memories of places I visited and, more importantly, the people I met. Great stuff. Then I got home and logged onto fetch everyone (Check it out really), the running website and forum I use, and had a message which told me I was member of the month for March. What can I say except WOW :-0 The fact that people took the time to vote for me made me realise yet again just how much my trek captured the imagination and once again I thank you all. I will never forget the support, kind words of encouragement and understanding offered to me in the last 6 weeks and more. I hope I can repay you all in kind one day, for certain if any of you are ever in Llanelli or surrounding area please let me know and I will show you some Welsh hospitality. I asked many knowledgable people on Fetch last night if Chester in October (for a sub 3.15 attempt) was a viable target considering where I am with injury right now. To sum up I think the general consensus ranged from no to probably not to why don't you just train and see how it goes (a politer way of saying no ;-) ) I am happy to take this advice on board and having not yet entered am going to make a decision in the next two weeks whether to enter Chester regardless or make a low 1.30s attempt at Cardiff Half my target race for the Autumn, allowing myself a better recovery period and slower return, and then go for the sub 3.15 in London next year. Long term thinking but possibly wiser. I know right at this moment, and more on why in a second, I am probably going to go for the Cardiff option. After the success of last nights cycle I went out again after tea tonight, in freezing fog, planning on going about a mile further but turned for home after just over half a mile as the injury started to hurt a little more than it has. This is not, I think, a case of me trying to do to much, the doctor clearly said yesterday that I can do cycling, swimming, gym work as the pain dictates. It does however put things back into a little clearer context, is only three weeks since I stopped the run and I clearly have a way to go. Hence why Cardiff is probably the best option, who knows maybe that will end up being too soon as well, we shall see. Nothing now until Saturday when I will try to cycle the 1.5 miles to the pool and gym. At the least I can do some upper body work. So a day of good bits, hard bits and take stock bits. All I do know for sure is I am shattered.

Periosteum

Think that is the word the doctor used in the hospital now. Just been back to the review clinic where the continued swelling although improved, has been three weeks now since intial problem, and ongoing pain, especially in certain situations or positions led to another xray. Although it showed no fracture or anything apparently it did show that the lining of the bone was inflamed and/or has dis-attached itself from the bone which also explains the infection too. I think he said this lining was called the periosteum? Anyway I now have a protective boot to wear if I am to be on my feet for a length of time or as pain dictates. I am to return to the review clinic in two weeks where a decision will be made on an MRI but I am hoping the improvement continues and that will be the end of it. The doctor was very good and thorough in his explanations and although he made it quite clear that I shouldn't start running in these two weeks other exercise such as swimming, cycling and weights will be fine, again as pain dictates. When I do start running, 2 weeks fingers crossed please everyone, I am to start from scratch apparently, thing is I can't remember what scratch is ;-) I guess 1 mile to start with then if that is ok build up from there.... Today I am mostly being positive. I WILL be at Chester marathon chasing that Boston GFA time for 2015........

I am Premier League - A Final Word

May I begin by thanking you all from the bottom of my heart for your support in the last few months or for looking after me on route if you were one of the lucky(?) ones who put me up, fed me and/or run, drove or cycled with me whilst I was grinding out the miles. Your support really was truly amazing and now the dust is beginning to settle makes me feel honoured to know you all, it is one of if not the most rewarding part of my journey and has fully restored my faith in human nature. That I had not met many of you before, and some I still haven't unfortunately, just goes to further emphasise just how incredible the support has been. I owe lots of you a drink or two and am adamant that I will make this happen at some point in the future. Just to clear up the situation regards my halted progress for those of you who maybe aren't aware I ended up in Blackburn A + E (a nissan hut with zero heating) last Wednesday with a red and painful lower right shin and foot. As it happens this pain had begun a week ago today after meeting Andy as I passed by Wakefield. The last 10 miles of 30 to Hillsborough that day were pretty sore but I was willing to take a chance that it was another niggle that would fade away although deep down I had a bad feeling. However I still managed to negotiate 32 memorable, if bloody painful, miles across the Pennines on the Tuesday before hobbling from Etihad to Old Trafford on the Wednesday. The injury was diagnosed as a stress reaction in the hospital and it was made quite clear to me that I would not be able to continue, and this was obviously correct as I have barely been able to walk since. Have just returned from the doctors this morning as I was hoping to book an ultrasound as recommended but I have been told it is not necessary at this point. Turns out the leg is badly infected so I have got some super strong antibiotics and some anti-inflammtories and been told to rest completely for a few days (just bought The Hobbit so that is this afternoon sorted at least) and am to return to the doctor next Monday to see how things are progressing. Maybe, just maybe, I wont be out for as long as I first thought, fingers crossed please everyone. Thanks again. I love you all. I still managed to cover more than a marathon on average every day for the 7 days I was out there, even with the paltry 5 and a half hobbled miles on the last day included and without each and everyone of you this wouldn't have been possible. Until next time... Matt x