Ok – so this is not text book preparation for a really long jog. The jog in question is a really meandering route from Liverpool to Leeds, which heads up north first….. I think something to do with what all those old folk used to do in the Victorian times (take black stuff out the ground, and do something with sheeps clothing).
Anyway, I’ve been pretty well injured for the last 6 weeks. When I should be doing some “untraining” to prepare for this run. I’ve had hamstring issues, groin strain caused by piriformis muscle mucking around with my sciatic nerve. Quite literally a pain in the arse.
Because I am stupid, I ran through the pain, and I also did a 45 mile jog in the Shropshire Hills in mid July – 12 labours of Hercules. Just to remind myself how to jog and walk during a race.
Eventually, as a last resort, and finding that the pain – while no worse – was no better, I went to a sports massage chap who sorted it all out. This just left my knee issue. More resting and a little running (with the local club, and parkrun, and round the block) and that wasn’t improving either…. but not getting worse.
Also went out for a little run around the block with my wife Susie – and the pain was a good 6-7 out of 10 when I started but it dropped down to around 3 out of 10 in the last mile (which was 7:40 something a mile for the last 0.9).
So went back to the physio guy. Played around with it some more and I’m now at 85-90% on my knee. It’s alright. And fingers crossed it will improve even more before the race at the end of the month.
The upside of having plenty of time on my hands is that I can spend even more of it faffing around and working out my silly plan for this Liverpool to Leeds run. Something a little beyond start, stop every so often, eat food, drink and carry on and moan like hell. Hopefully throughout that I will remember to be 100% lovely to everyone I meet, and talk to… never guaranteed when I’m in some inner turmoil during a long one…..
Am sure you’ll agree – not quite the best preparation for a 130 mile race, but guess what….? My legs feel fresh!
The Untraining Ultrarunner 