Finally getting out for a proper long run

On Sunday despite my niggling big toe injury I headed out for a long run and managed to complete 29.3Km!

I was so relieved to be able to get a good distanced long run in before my fast approaching marathon in two weeks on 3rd August. I was also thankful my toe allowed me to complete the distance and has showed no signs of worsening since the run.

My aim was to try and cover 20K and then if my toe held up to try and push into the higher 20s towards 30.

My long distance stamina isn’t where it should be as it has been two weeks since I complete 20K and three plus weeks since I completed anything longer.

I did find it a struggle and my legs started to wain a little around the 14K mark but I dug in and completed a distance I was really pleased with.

I was also able to successful practice my race preparation and race strategy. My pre-race schedule looked something like this on Sunday morning:

My carb loading strategy worked well and I felt well fuelled throughout the run, I was also able to get some much needed experience of using my new hydration pack on a long run.

I also took along a fee energy gels and took four during my run which helped maintain my energy levels. I was happy with how they helped my performance and was satisfied I was able to digest them with no stomach issues.

The run has to go down as one of the most enjoyable runs I can remember. Firstly the relief at being able to run after injury, secondly with not being sure how far I would be able to run being able to run such a good distance felt great!

It was also such a great summer’s morning, warm and bright even though the sun hadn’t quite pierced through the clouds fully at 8.30am when I started out.

It was the kind of day where summer felt in full peak after a few days of really hot and humid weather, the grass was all sunburnt and straw like and the ground mostly dry and crisp despite some heavy downpours a few days previously.

Running through fields in the country park I was often running through a vibrant cacophony provided by what seemed like a million grasshoppers/cricket providing at times an ear piercing backing track to a lovely summer morning. At times it was a relief to leave a fielded area to get reacclimatised with the silence and you then realise how loud the cricket orchestra had been.

Post run I feel great although I have painful blister on my right heel and sore, damaged nipples which will take a few days to heal over. The run has reconnected me with why I love to run, the feeling of pushing yourself towards your limit and the physical and mental excellence you are rewarded with as a result.

I can’t wait to get out and run the marathon on 3rd of August and am looking forward to many more long runs as I train towards the following two marathons after that.

Thanks for reading, I hope you are enjoying your running and your training is progressing well.

Big toe injury update

A nightmare I am sure most of you have experienced at some point, an injury in a build up to a big event. It’s a pretty dismal time especially when there is uncertainty of the severity of the injury and what affect it us going to have on your running from one day to the next.

On Sunday I was due to run around 30K as one of the three big long runs I had scheduled into my training plan. I was really geared up for it and eager to see how I coped with the increased distance as my previous long runs have been between 22-25K. The run was also pretty imperative as I had missed my previously scheduled longer run due to illness. I was also planning to practice my race strategy, my pre-race preparation as well as trying out my new hydration pack for the first time.

Disappointingly I only managed 3.5K (run report here) as pain struck in my big right toe.

I instead took my bike out for a spin and covered a similar 30K distance on my wheels instead. 

Sunday was spent trying to RICE as much as possible and I am hopeful this will have a positive affect.

Monday and Tuesday I then decided would have to be non-running days, two days is usually long enough to assess your injury and rest a minor ailment and I could then figure out how the injury would affect my training plan so I could adapt accordingly. 

So Monday and Tuesday I hit the gym for cardio and circuits in the mornings as well as going out on my bike again in the evening. 

I also continued to ice my foot and created myself a little ice bath.

I tried researching my injury and came up with the liklihoods of it being sesanoiditis or possibly a small fracture to a metatarsal or even a tendon strain. (If anyone has experienced any of these injuries or has any advice on my injury I would be grateful to hear your experiences.)

Wednesday it felt somewhat better and I also decided to take some ibuprofen to help with the pain and hopefully help heal the injury. I was reluctant to take any painkiller as I hadn't taken any for a running related ailment in a long time following a realisation I had become a little bit too dependent on painkillers (you can read the article here). 

Anyway Wednesday I felt alot better and managed to complete a breezy 10K in 50 minutes with no pain. 

Thursday though the pain returned and my strategy now turned to resting the injury as much as possible in the hope of still being able to make a long run on Sunday. 

Not running in Thursday evening proved benefical as I was able to do some much needed maintenance on my bike and was able to successfully adjust my rear derailleur to give me a full range of gears again, I was pretty pleased with myself on this achievement! 

Not running on Thursday, Friday or Saturday is not going to limit my marathon run too much but missing my third scheduled long definitely will.

So fingers crossed I can complete a good long run on Sunday and coupled with some gym and circuit work on Friday and Saturday I will still have kept in good shape.