Too Hot To Handle.

After completing a second three mile run last week I was keen to build on that momentum. This morning it was hot and forecast to get even hotter so it was best to get it done. We ran on the side of the road that was in the shade of some large trees. This ploy worked well for a mile when we changed course running along a lane before entering a field. The ground underfoot was rock hard and unforgiving. The sun was beating down and I was beginning to sweat freely. I took a bottle of water but this had little effect. I got progressively slower as we went along, partly due to the heat and in part due to the fact that I had missed so much training. It was good to be running again and I have no after effects on my Achilles. The weather forecast for the next week is more sunny hot weather but I will try and get out there.

One step at a time.

Yesterday I took a step in the right direction. A three mile run without any adverse reaction from my Achilles tendon. It had been two weeks since my last attempt and eight weeks since the injury occurred. Even the cycling, which had been reduced during Wimbledon tennis fortnight, has done little to retain much fitness. It will be a long slow road to reach the level of fitness I had achieved before the injury happened. I do not enjoy running in hot weather so a little rain would be very welcome.

I have been out with my camera a few times and have posted some of my pictures.

Poppies in oilseed rape fields.

Poppies in perfusion.

A scene from one of our regular runs.

Tranquility.

Canal in town center.

Sign depicting what was sold at the town market.

The life cycle continues.

Two weeks have gone by and I am still unable to run due to my injured Achilles. I have caught up with all my gardening duties and done a certain amount of cycling. Not that cycling is keeping me fit, more of token effort to get out inthe fresh air.

Had a very pleasant day on Friday, we went to Wimbledon to watch the tennis. Having tickets for center court we were able to watch the matches of Laura Robson, Janowicz and Murray. Although it only lasted three sets the Janowicz match was the most entertaining. Robson was not at her best and it was all too easy for Murray.

It is good to see the Tour de France has started. Today it is Corsica which looks like an ideal holiday destination. Maybe one day when I win the lottery.

Easing down it's Friday

The forecast was right, showers heavy at times. After one had just passed over we ventured out. We took a circular route which kept us mainly in the town and on the road. We only needed four and a half miles so that is what we got. Just a couple of small hills to stretch the lungs and the rest was reasonably flat. Another day in the garden yesterday digging had left me a little stiff so it was fine. I uploaded the run onto the Garmin site and also wrote it up in my diary as usual. I totalled up the miles that we have run this year; it is two hundred and eighty five or the equivalent of ten marathons. When we take into account the weather we have endured in the last few weeks it is not too bad. Factor in that a high percentage of the runs are off road it is acceptable. Anyway tomorrow is bacon sandwich for breakfast day and no running. The weather forecast for Sunday is not very good, more heavy showers but I expect we will run whatever.

Run for fun, dig for glory.

Rush hour traffic on the road outside was relatively quiet. If the rain was falling as was the forecast splashing would have been heard. Drawing the curtains and looking out confirmed it was still dry. A good opportunity I thought to increase our running total for the week without getting wet. The skies were grey but not heavy with rain, if anything it looked a little cold. Once on the move any thoughts of it being cold were soon dismissed. The ground has dried up with the exception of one or two low lying fields so this broadens our choice of route. The farmers have ploughed and planted most of the fields that they need to. This makes the footpaths across those fields very soft and takes more effort to get through them. When the weather warms up there will be a greater number of walkers and the paths will soon become compacted. We covered five and a half miles this morning, one and a half on the road and the rest across fields. This only leaves four and a half for tomorrow or Friday which will be very comfortable. After running it was time for another spell in the garden. I am turning a part of the lawn into a vegetable plot. I have uncovered enough Cotswold stone a build a dry stone wall along a part of the bottom boundary. I need to get on with the digging as I have bought some seed potatoes and they need to be planted. Digging and running doesn’t mix that well, I use all the muscles on my right side to dig and when I start running it takes a while to get rid of the stiffness.

Wind abated so no excuses.

Bitter cold winds yesterday persuaded us not to run. I spent half of the day writing a chapter for my book but it was hard work. Today the wind had abated so no excuses just get out there and do it. We did not fancy anything too difficult just a pleasant run to clock up the last of the miles to reach target. We added a slight variation to our route just to freshen things up a bit. It can be boring running the same route all the time. You begin to race around it just to see how fast you can complete it which can take some of the enjoyment away. The fields that we ran in today were firm under foot which made it a whole lot easier. No significant hills so it was at a respectable pace without killing ourselves. We have completed twenty five and a half miles for the week and all parts are still in working order. If things stays like this we could have a good run on Sunday.

Successful end to the week.

No long run on Sunday means that we had already revised our target down to twenty miles for the week. If we don’t do the longer run on a Sunday it is very hard to get motivated to do it during the week. Thursday I wanted to complete five and a half to leave just four and a half for Friday. We set off on a pre-planned route which would be a mixture of both on and off-road. We went along the main road before the first off-road down a track for one mile. A bit soggy in places but slightly down hill it was OK. Back onto the road for the next mile then into a field. We ran on through a small copse and into one of my favourite fields. We usually run down one side of it and then run diagonally across the middle rising about a hundred feet to the far corner. It is a good stamina building piece of work. Unfortunately since our last visit the farmer has ploughed it up, this made even running around the perimeter difficult. A little bit leg weary we ran the rest of the way on the road. Still we achieved the five and a half miles.

Today I thought four and a half miles around the houses would be fine. I got a bit bored after three miles and veered off down the side of a field. It looked alright so I thought why not? About a third of a mile long it was stickier than it looked. I could feel great lumps of mud being thrown up off my trainers and hitting the backs of my legs. I was quite pleased to get back onto the road and head for home.

I will be watching the weather forecast with interest and hoping normal service will be resumed on Sunday.

Poetry in motion.

I just knew it would happen. Miss the Sunday run and the whole weeks schedule goes out the window. It appeared straight forward enough; four runs of six and a half miles would more than cover the twenty five mile target. Not running on Monday was a mistake; this left us to completing the miles in four consecutive days. Tuesdays five mile run added to the pressure which was compounded when we did the same on Wednesday. Fifteen miles in the remaining two days is just too many (we don’t run Saturdays). Revise the target down to twenty and we have something that is achievable. We set out today feeling more optimistic and enthusiastic. The first mile was a bit slow but there was a hill in it so that was acceptable. After half a mile of downhill we turned left up a track that goes on for a mile. We put our backs into it and climbed at a steady even pace. Most of the excess water had drained away from the track and the wind had dried the mud so it didn’t stick to our shoes quite so much. At the top we crossed over a main road and ran down the track on the other side of it for a mile. This was easier going as the surface is not so broken up. At the far end of the lane we turned left and ran alongside a main road home. This was a run of just over five miles which means another five tomorrow will reach the revised target. Revising a target to something that is more achievable makes better sense than struggling to hit one which is just beyond my capabilities.

This is a poem from the book I wrote. If you have competed in races you will understand the feeling. Please leave a comment and let me know.

The Race Runner

Raindrops fall on a balding pate,

Merged with sweat flow at a rate,

Across his brow and down his vest,

He runs and runs no pause for rest.

Fire in his lungs cannot be quenched,

As from his chest they’re almost wrenched,

In out in out they heave and sigh,

Praying the finishing line is nigh.

Thighs scream out enough enough,

His calves rebel, the going’s tough,

Blisters form on cramped up toes,

The pain it comes but rarely goes.

Over the line he’s tired and weak,

His head is pounding he cannot speak,

A week’s recovery is all he needs,

Then off again at breakneck speed.

For better or for worse we're going!

We ran five miles yesterday. This only leaves just over four on Friday to achieve twenty five for the week. We set off on the road through a housing estate. Buildings give some protection from the wind and the smooth surface of the road helps to loosen stiff joints and muscles. A mile and a half into the run we turned left down the aptly named Canal Lane. From the lane we could see the M40 motorway in the distance. Cars and lorries en route from London to Birmingham and vice versa. At the bottom of a steep field we joined the tow path beside the Oxford Canal. A flat but slightly muddy one mile later we were in town. A steep hill reduced me to walking before the top but a fairly brisk run home from there made up for it. A white overnight frost and bright sunshine this morning means we are going to run today as the weather forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain. I just hope the joints will stand it.
Went out yesterday and bought a new lawn mower, the old one which had given good service died. The grass is growing, a sure sign that spring is on the way.
When we get back from our run I will sit and write more of my book. I have gathered my thoughts and can see where the next part of the story is going. At the moment I am reading "The secret life of Bletchley Park", it is a bit hard going but very informative and I will see it through. Has anyone else read it? If so I would be pleased if you would let me know what you thought of it.

Winter is not over yet.

Too cold and windy to run Monday, spent the day writing my book. Making progress but it will be a long and winding road. Weather still cold today with fine snow in the air but we just had to wrap up warm and get on with it. Once on the move it was OK, we did a mixed course with some off road. Fields that are flooded had ice on them so were passable without getting our feet wet. Nearly six miles at a fairly brisk pace has set us up for an easy run in to the end of the week. Probably run five tomorrow and leave a short four miler for Friday.

Hit the right note, on target again.

Wednesdays band practice was the first we have attended for a month. Luckily there was enough plays who knew the music to carry me through. We have about forty members of all ages and all abilities. We play a variety of styles from classical to Rock around the Clock. I play the clarinet and my wife the alto sax.
Yesterday it was too wet to venture into the garden so I wrote another chapter of my book. It was tough going and involved quite a lot of research on the Internet.
Back to running this morning, only needed just over four to hit the weekly target. I find it is harder to motivate myself to go out for four miles than five or six but we did it. A circular route mostly on the road it was quite quick. I did consider doing a speed session instead but did not think my knees would be up to it. I still think we should be running ten miles on Sundays and will be looking for that distance this week. The weather forecast is snow at the weekend so we will have to see what conditions are like.

Off the road Yippee!

I think every man and his dog must have been out running today. All shapes and sizes, speeds both fast and slow. The temperature was just above freezing but it was dry. A mile down hill followed by a mile up hill soon got the circulation going. After another mile on a side road we went off road. It was still slippy, and in low lying places the mud made running difficult but enjoyable. The last two miles were on the road and uphill which meant the scheduled seven miles was cut to six and a half. Target again this week will be twenty plus miles. Garmin said I used nearly seven hundred calories today so that at least is good news.

Porridged Again

Ran five and a half miles this morning which achieved the target of twenty miles for the week (Saturday is always a rest day ready for a longer run on Sunday). It was my wife's turn to get breakfast today and she is a porridge person. I am toast and marmalade which indicates my culinary skills. My breathing was ragged and I threw in a couple of hills which accounts for the slower than usual speed. Heart rate was a little high but not too bad. I always run with a Garmin so that I can monitor heart rate, speed and distance etc. I think we should award Scotland Independence on condition that imports of Scots porridge oats are banned.

Still haven't got around to a proper profile yet. I am still experimenting with the layout. I thought it would be a good idea to add AdSense to the blog site but it's causing so much trouble to set up I wonder if it is really worth. If you are having a problem the help menu seems to send you around in circles.