Another joy

After some more treadmill running, I ventured out for another 'outdoor' run this evening. No frills, 2 mile plod around the streets near home, however this run did have a special element to it... When I was running well and long distances regularly, my daughters always used to nag me to take them with me. Being so uptight about training etc, I always used to say "when you're older, you can come..." and then that chance looked as if it had gone forever when I was forced to stop running. Tonight, I took my eldest daughter Beth with me and we both loved it. Feel very lucky I may have a second chance at this element of my running. Anyway, another 2 miles in the bank!

Wow...3.5 years later!

It's over three years since I have run. I tried a few times to run over that time, but all attempts resulted in limping home after 2 or 300m with knee pain. Happily since then I have fallen in love with cycling. This has both kept me fit and allowed me to get out into the hills for some freedom. But I have missed running. Recently at the gym, I have tried a few treadmill runs (something I hate) just 'to see' and it has felt OK. So today I bit the bullet and ran about two miles on road again just 'to see'! Felt great. No knee pain at all. Ridiculously out of condition as cycling uses different muscles, but it felt good! It was hard not to run at my old pace (which for the moment is entirely unsustainable!) but once I settled down and accepted it would have to be a jog (!) then all went OK. I think I will reinstate this blog. Not in the hope of returning to ultra-marathon running - that boat has left the harbour - but just in the hope of one day being able to pop out into the hills and run 5-10 miles without worrying about knees. That would do me nicely! Right - think I'll go for a cycle now! Who'd have thought this would one day be a little victory?! :)

All over....for the moment

Now awaiting a bone scan, but the horrible fact of the matter is that UTMB is off for me. I still can't run a mile without swelling and pain in my left knee.

It goes without saying that I am completely gutted by the way this year has turned out, but I am trying to be philosphical. My life is blessed in so many ways. Although running is a big part of it, it is not all of it. And I will run again! Just got to have some serious time out while we get to the bottom of what could be wrong with the knee.

So this blog will continue to be very quiet for a while.

Thanks for stopping by and GOOD LUCK with your running.

Phil

Still Waiting

Still waiting on the results of an initial x-ray, which I should get on Friday. Frustrating times, but I am keeping as positive as possible. Doing lots of cycling.

In the meantime, maybe you could vote for my primary school's blog in an online competition?! Vote Otley All Saints. Thanks!

Lying low

I wanted to say a big thank you to those of you who have been in touch to ask me where I've been over the last few weeks. It's really nice to know people notice when you go AWOL!

It started when at the beginning of the Easter holidays when I put a new kitchen in my house. This was hard work (see the photos!) and took a couple of weeks all in. During this time I could only snatch the odd run here and the odd hike there.

When the jobs were done, I was despereate to get out and went out for two quick hill runs in succession. Now I'm paying for it big-time. My left knee has flared up and I'm not quite sure what's the matter with it. It isn't sore exactly, but it swells up when I try to run on it further than 4 miles or so.

I'm going to the doctor on Wednesday (that's how bad it is!)

So wish me luck. I can feel myself getting heavier and grumpier by the minute. August isn't that far away :(

Here's my kitchen anyway!

Nice 7m trail

Lovely 7m trail run which provided a very welcom distraction from DIY, work and poorly children :)

Club Run

Perhaps the last headtorch club session for a while (at least at the start of a run)as the clocks go forward next wseekend. Ran with Chris and Andrew a hilly trail route up the Chevin of about 6m. Felt good tonight.

7m

Only managed one run last week as I was away with work for 3 days. Ran an urban 7miles in Nottingham. It was the first day of Spring and felt like it too. Warm sunny and very pleasant!

That's in stark contrast to tonight - ran a 7m trail run with the club. It felt really cold again, very windy and pretty wet and miserable. OK run though, and not too much knee pain thank goodness.

3 peaks

Travelled over to Horton today to the Yorkshire 3 peaks with Nick and his friend Tim. Tim is a fairly prolific walker, but not a runner. His previous best time for the 3 peaks route was 7hrs 36mins. He was intent on beating that record today and Nick was trying to help him do it. I said I'd go along to help, but also to get a recce of the 3 peaks route in and just to get 7hrs or so time on my feet going up steep hills.

It was a cracking day from start to finish. Quite warm in the valleys and cool on the tops, no rain and only a light breeze.

Tim got barked at by Nick and I all the way round (sorry Tim!) but he did manage to smash his previous record and finished in 6hrs 53 minutes. A big improvement - well done!

I was impressed with Tim's determination to get round and for a non-runner, I thought he did a great job.

For me, this was quite a slow trot round, but very valuable nonetheless. 23 miles of hills, bogs and fell can't do anybody any harm. Add to that great scenery, crackng weather and good company and you've got a great day out. Cheers Nick and Tim!

Me waiting for the others at the top of Whernside

Nick and Tim descending Whernside

At the bottom of Whernside

Nick at the top of Ingleborough

Tim at the top of Ingleborough

Final Sprint!

Victorious!

Late run

Parents evening tonight, so a late run up in the Chevin. A really good one too! Ran a 7mish loop listening to ridiculous electronic music.

The annoying news is (as predicted) my old headtorch turned up tonight. £60 down the drain :(

Club Run

Nice 7m North of the river run with the club. Had to give up on finding my old head torch (how do you lose a headtorch?!) and buy a new one. Gutted. Nice to have light while running night-trails though - it isn't always a full moon!

8m

Took a bit of a weekend off this weekend after tweaking my knee on Friday. I was only putting the bins out (isn't it always something like that?!) and had a bit of ligament pain in the left knee, so (rather sensibly I think you'll agree!) took the weekend off running.

Back into it tonight though with a good pacey 8m road run.

Club run

Nice 7m trail run North of the river. Cold again.

Short hill session

Ran a short but steep hill session. Couldn't find my pesky headtorch, but luckily the moon was shining. Chilly night.

Triangle!

Ran a 6m road session with the club tonight on a pretty miserable evening. Cold, wet and windy conditions kept most runners indoors tonight, but a few prized themselves out the front door for a trot.

I ran an old club favourite tonight. The Triangle - a 6m road route which before a few of us started running with headtorches was the staple Winter run.

Nice to run a route and notice how much I've improved as a runner since I used to struggle round this course a few years ago.

Kit test/long run

Loaded up my backpack today with the kit I'll be using to recce the TMB in July. I have thought really hard about weight and how I can keep it to an absolute minimum. My fully loaded pack was 3.8kg today. Think I may have another 4-500g on top of that.

I thought it would feel heavy and uncomfortable, but although definitely not ideal, I managed a good long hilly trail run of 20m without any problems. Used my trail poles on the uphills and on the technical downhills today too and I have to say that I love them. They make such a difference (despite the odd looks!)

Mr pack race weight for August will hopefully be much nearer the minimum allowable pack weight of 2kg, but I'm going to train with the heavier bag for my long runs.

Nice run tonight

Ran a nice 7m trail tonight and felt fit and strong.

One of those runs...

After a really busy day today, I didn't much feel like going out running at 10:30. I did go however for a trail run up on the hill. Felt awful throughout (just no energy) but pushed on and completed 5m. Doesn't sound much, but had to really push to get that far.

7m

Nice 7m off-road run with the headtorch. It has been really mild the last week or so and the ice and snow have long since departed. Felt cooler again tonight though - could there be one final sting in the tail to the Winter of 08-09?!

Hope so!

17m

Ran 17 miles on-road tonight as I just wanted to switch off and follow my feet without thinking about rocks, branches, puddles etc!

Forgot how tiring road-running is! Had planned to run 23m, but stupidly forgot vaseline on the thighs... ouch! 17m was more than enough!

Ok loop from Otley to Guisely, Rawdon, Horsforth, West Park, Adel, Bramhope and Otley.