Good news, I seem to have twisted a ligament at the side of the knee which is tightening and causing the knee cap to go off centre and that's why it hurts. Its good news because it should settle down fairly soon with ice, stretches and the possibility of a little rest but he did say I could run if I felt like it, no damage is being done. However, I will rest it for a couple of days as I have the bike to x train on and I could always go for a swim, haven't done that for a while.
Hence, I have decided there will be no club running for me this week as they were going to do a hilly 8 miles.Hopefully I will be ok for a longish run at the weekend instead.

My quads are sore from the downhills on Sunday but apart from that feel fine now. I am going to have a massage tonight and that will make them feel much better.
I do have a weeny little problem though. I went for a run this morning and only managed half a mile before the dodgy knee (which had been almost ok on Sunday whilst running) started to hurt so I turned around and went back home. More sensiblility!!
I have made an appointment to see the fizz in the morning, I thought it best not to leave it too long.
Its a strange sort of feeling, under the kneecap, around the bottom of the knee and occasionally at the outside in the hollow bit. It feels like a pressure inside as if something is being pressed or pinched and it can settle completely then come back suddenly with a pop feeling inside if I lean on that knee or twist it. I am sure that moving the lawnmower around has done this and is not a running injury but as it is now affecting my running it will have to be sorted out. I can't have that!

1 mile
slowly
painfully
sob

Sunday 24th September.


WINDSOR HALF

What a great day!

After suffering with a dodgy right knee most of the week since grappling with the lawnmower on Monday I decided to go for it and run as it hadn't got any worse. I am so glad I did.

The day started with porridge and honey and I left home at 8.30am for a leisurely drive to Yummy's house, quick pick up there and onwards towards the M25. I am notoriously bad with directions and get lost everywhere so was very pleased when Yummy(who didn't think she would be able to come along) decided that she would be able to make it after all. It was so nice to have company on the journey and her map reading skills were very much apreciated.
We arrived at Windsor Great Park at around 11.30am and made our way straight to the Forum marquee where we met up with other Waisters, Plodders and forumites. After 10 minutes spent queueing for the loos we made our way to the start, just in time to see Mick and Phill and another wheelchair athelte setting off on their start. Then it was our turn.
The gun went off and we shuffled along for a few minutes, then up the first of many large hills that we would encounter during the next 2 and a half hours.
The weather forcast had been for cloud and light rain but in fact it was warm and sunny, not so good for running 13 miles. As the hills came, so did the heat which I found the hardest thing about the race. I passed 3 people along the way who had collapsed and were receiving St. John's treatment. I hope they were all ok.
Its a lovely venue for a run and the trees and rolling hills are picturesque. I was able to enjoy the scenery at times, other times I was grimacing and head down as I plodded along trying to imagine I was at the finish. I had a tough time from mile four to mile 8, when I had to walk up a couple of hills,
I missed mile markers for miles 7 and 10 and so it was a nice surprise when I realised I had run further than I thought and by mile 9 things started to look up again for a while. I felt so good when mile 12 marker arrived and I could tell myelf than anyone can run just one mile but boy! was that mile hard work. In the last quarter of a mile I knew I was getting slower and I so much wanted to walk but no one else was walking and I was damned well not going to be the only one, so I plodded on. That last mile seems to take so long as you can see the finish all the time but it doesn't seem to get closer until the very end. And there I was. The end. Thank Dawg!! A medal, goodie bags and much needed water and a huge sense of achievement at my 2.26 PB (by 3 minutes on last year). Hot, bloody hard work, but worth every minute of it.
Then back to the marquee to see who else had finished and get some of the lovely food that had been prepared. Like last year, the spread was fab and its so good to have somewhere to be able to meet, leave kit and relax after. I had a leg massage too, which I am sure helped stop stiffness on the journey home. After a good chat with everyone and a re-fuelling, we left at around 5.45pm, making our way firstly in one direction and soon after, in the correct one. A short stop at the motorway services for more food and the flask of tea my Hubby had packed for us in the morning and then it was time to drop Yummy back home and I arrived home soon after at around 9.30pm.
I would like to thank everyone that made the day go without a hitch and made it so enjoyable and am already looking forward to next year.

Sunday 17 September.

A short run just to make up the miles really. It turned out to be a lot slower than I thought it was due to the fact the my breathing was all over the place, making me have to wak quite a bit, maybe they are spraying the fields or something. I went to the seafront but it wasn't feeling much better there and I laboured through the run, glad when it was over.
Well, that's 26 miles this week and I am pleased to have got back to a reasonable amount quite quickly.
The toe/foot is protesting a little but not too badly. It will be a lighter mileage week next week because of the race Sunday so the foot will get a rest before that.
See?? Being sensible!!

5 miles
1 hour 3 minutes
Average pace 12.6
Average HR 142




Tuesday 19th September.

What a difference. Last night's run was quicker, easier and much more enjoyable than Sunday's and no trouble with the breathing at all.
I went to the club as I won't be going on Thursday, too close to Windsor on Sunday for a hard session. We had a good run around Benfleet, as usual I didn't have a clue where I was and the time flew by. Quite a hilly run again, on the roads now as its too dark for x country.

6.5 miles approx
1 hour 8.45
Average pace approx 10.5
Average HR 154
Peak HR 173

Thursday 14th September.

Another club run. This time Yum Yum came along and I think she really enjoyed the running and hopefully will join the club too.
We ran up a very big hill and down another one with some undulating bits in between. The pace was brisk and the evening weather was ideal for running. I got chatting to a man who does ultras and I ended up running with him for a little while which made a change.
A very enjoyable run again and tonight I became a paid my subs so I am now a proper member.

6.5 miles
approx 10 m/m pace
Average HR 161
Peak HR 182

I slept badly last night which I usually do after I've had a long run with a lot of effort. I was so hot and fidgety and my legs were twitching, so feeling tired this morning I decided to cycle instead of having a recovery run. I was glad I did and had a nice hour in the sunshine spinning the legs round and felt much better at the end.

1 hour 2 mins
14.5 miles cycled


Monday 11th September.

A long run today and I was wibbling at the thought of doing it, as I usually do for the long ones - don't know why but I always get nervous.
I decided to some off-roading to make a change. I decided to do 1 mile run/1 minute walk and I did about 6 miles road and 6 miles x country over quite rough ground at times. I felt done in my about 10 miles but I made myself go on though the walking breaks got a bit more frequent and 2 minutes long but I made it back home still running.
It was a hot day and I got through 2 and a half bottles of drink during the run, which I think is about right for the time and didn't get a headache this time, which I have been suffering from when I've done a long run in the heat lately.
So a very good run. I am very pleased I've done the distance and no more long runs until Windsor Half, just a shame I won't get many more in before Beachy Head.

12 miles roughly
2 hours 26 minutes.32
Average pace 12.19 approx
Average HR 145
Peak HR 166



Sunday 10th September.

No time for running this morning as I had work at 12 noon but I did get out for a ride for 50 minutes and anyway I thought it would be better to keep my legs fresh for the long run tomorrow. However, this didn't really work out as I had a very busy afternoon at work where I must have walked miles then got home to walk the dogs for an hour, cook roast dinner, clear up etc and do other housey things and by the time I got to put my feet up in the evening they were throbbing!!

Cycling 50 minutes

Friday 8th September

A recovery run/walk today. My legs were not very lively this morning but I woke full of enthusiasm, feeling good after last nights session. It was a lovely sunny if blustery morning and a nice temperature for a run.

3.75 miles
45.04 minutes
12.00 pace
Average HR 141
Peak HR 165




7th September

Another Thursday club run. This time it was an "effort" session. 4 x 2 minutes at 80% effort with walk recoveries then 6 x 1 minute sprints, walk recoveries, jog warm up and warm down. Most of this was done at Canvey sea wall which is x country although mainly flat. It was a good session and I finished all the intervals ok so I was pleased at the end of the session. I certainly pushed myself harder than I would have done if I had been on my own.

6 miles approx
no stats as I forgot to set my watch

Tuesday 5th September.

How the months are flying by. I can't believe its September already, it seems no time since we were looking forward to the begining of the summer and the warmer weather. But after the very hot stuff we got, it is nice to be able to run again in a temperature that is more comfortable. I think I am going to enjoy the autumn.
I ran today what started off easily and keeping the heart rate low but ended up more tempo and HR monitoring disregarded. A nice run, still warm at 26 degrees but no sun and a gentle breeze. Left calf a bit sore from the cramp I got in the night after the last club run but I have a massage tonight which will sort that out.

5 miles
56.04 minutes
Average pace 11.20
Average HR 148
Peak HR 173



Sunday 3rd September.

An easy run turned out to be a battle against the wind. Even so, I kept my HR low - so much easier to do in this cooler weather - but ended giving up at 4 miles as it was such hard work and my legs still felt very tired from Thursday's run.
I hope I soon start getting used to these effort sessions in the week otherwise I will have to change the day of my long run to Monday or Tuesday to give my legs more time to recover.

4 miles
48.55 minutes
Average pace 12.13
Average HR 138
Peak HR 167

Thursday 31 August


I had my second club run and it was great fun. We did road, trail, woods, big hills and even bigger hills. My legs were dead by the end of it but I felt great to have done something that I wouldn't have pushed myself to do if I had been on my own. The run was hard from the start as its up-hill as soon as you leave the clubhouse, something I am just not used to being in one of the very flat parts of the country. Then we went through some woods and trails, still very hilly then some roads and relief! downhills. It is certainly a very good workout and the coach told me that I should knock 3 or 4 minutes off by 10k pb for the Southend 10k in October if I train this way until then.
Next week is a 6 mile farlek session along Canvey seawall. Gulp!

I also seem to have aquired a Tr! coach. A very nice man at the club is going to organise some swims and cycle rides for members who want to do Tr!s next year and I appear to have agreed to do the London Tr!. Ooops!!

1 hour 10 minutes
6.5 miles
Average HR 166
Peak HR 184
Average pace 10.72