Shin Splint Hell, Bleeding Nipples, Vaseline, Training, Playlists, Charity Totals, TV, Tracking Me

It’s been a while

Finally! Another blog. It’s been 5 weeks and 1 day since the last one and that was just after the London Landmarks half. It’s been a bit manic here in the last month.

Toby got amazing A Level Results and is now living the high life in Nottingham and all ready to start his degree at the University of Nottingham. Shaun got an awesome Degree result and got his place doing a PGCE (Teacher Training) at Lincoln, which he is now 3 days into. Our Niece / Goddaughter (Abby) finally got married at the third attempt (due to COVID!) to Chris and we had an amazing long weekend with them. Our Nephew / Godson (Matthew) and Amelia had a gorgeous Baby Girl called Isla, who we have been lucky enough to have cuddles with (with more planned in!). We have also had Toby’s girlfriend, Izzy, from Liverpool living with us for a week before they vanished up to Nottingham (a lovely girl (daughter in law 😉) but don’t tell her I told you that!!). It’s all been fantastic. Celebrations galore and I have enjoyed every minute! However, it has meant that I have eaten out / had take aways for an awful lot of the last month. Again, I love nothing more, however, it doesn’t help with the fitness. Especially when a few naughty little pints of celebration creep in too! Not many but I planned for it to be “nil”.

Shin Splint Hell

That isn’t why the wheels have come off for me though. You may remember that I decided to wear my “ON Running” Running shoes for the London Half. They did me proud on the day. However, they are not my normal Asics Kayano’s that are very supportive and help my over-pronation. As a result, a few days later I started to feel a little tweak right down the inside of the bone in my right shin (again).

Obviously, I wanted to keep the fitness up so I kept running. It was painful when I got up in the morning. It was painful when I walked on it. However, if I stretched before I ran, the pain seemed to disappear after about 100 metres of running. So I just kept running.

However, after a relatively long run last Friday where the pain didn’t decrease as much and then a lot of walking round Nottingham Saturday and Sunday, well, my shin splits have finally said “no, no more”. They are incredibly painful now. So, this last week is a non-run week and pretty much a non-walk week. I have had a couple of bike rides instead, however, I am just resting my leg as much as I can now. This, on top of the recent food issue is absolutely not what I needed. However, it is what it is.

I am hopeful that I will turn up in Newcastle and start running and the pain will subside again. I am not confident but I am hopeful. Whatever happens, I am having a decent rest after Newcastle though. I had booked in for the Cambridge Half Marathon in mid October. However, I accidentally then booked tickets for the NFL in London with Shaun and Toby on the same day and the NFL has won. I now think that is a blessing in disguise! I need to rest my legs for a bit!

Whilst I do feel that it has all gone pear shaped, I am trying to remember that I still ran 143km in August and that it will only be 9 days between my last training run and the Great North Run. 9 days though feels huge. I haven’t gone 9 days without running since I started running over 2.5 years ago.

All this leaves me in a strange situation. I tend to lose my fitness quite quickly, so we will have to see what happens. Everybody keeps telling me it is a really hilly course too. Ultimately, I have accepted that going for a PB now is a no-no. The aim will be to run it all but I will have to accept the outcome if the leg or fitness doesn’t want that to happen. I am gutted but I need to do my best to get to the start line right now (I.E. Rest). Only when I am standing there can I begin to worry about the finish line.

Bleeding Nipples & Vaseline

Well, the Shin Splints isn’t the only problem that I have been having this month. You may have noticed a short hot spell during Aug. Well, I have discovered that sweating in new running vests leads to bleeding nipples. I have also discovered that bleeding nipples is very painful. Since this started I have been covering myself (as it chaffed under my arm too) in Vaseline, which is something I never thought I would say!

Training since the last Blog

Just to prove that I am still trying:

August 4th – 3 days after running 21km in London, I managed a whole 3.57km. I simply hadn’t recovered from London – mentally or physically.

August 7th – my first Park Run for 17 months. 29 mins 20 secs and happy enough to go under the 30 mins. I then ran home the long way and took it to a total of 11.53km for the day.

August 11th – 16.08km (10 miles). Happy with that. Looking good for GNR at this point but little did I know!

August 14th – Park Run again and quicker – 28.54. My PB is only 26.59 and I am concentrating on long, slow runs at the moment so I was well happy with that!

August 15th – Struggled running 2 days on the trot and in the heat too (this was bleeding nipples territory!). 8.56km and then a 1.92km top up after a bit of a breather. It just wasn’t happening again today. I may have said before that I don’t like running in heat!

August 18th – Another 16.11km / 10 mile run – 1hour 48 mins. An altogether better run.

August 20th – I started to get clever here. Fartleks and Cliffs – 9.26km. Went well.

August 23rd – Fartleks and Cliffs again – 10.66km. Still progressing OK….wait for it!

August 26th – A quicker 10k – 1 hour 1 min 40 secs. Happy with that.

August 28th – My last long run – 18km. Feeling good and declared myself GNR Ready ☹.

August 31st – 11.43km. Decent Run.

Sept 3rd – The struggle starts here. The pain doesn’t subside so easily today. Managed 15km though – but very slow.

Sept 6th – Can’t trust the shins now, they are too painful. They need rest. A 16km bike ride.

Sept 7th – A repeat of the 16km bike ride.

If only I could wind the clock back a week ☹. Like I say, I’ve given it a shot. Let’s see what happens Sunday. Your guess is as good as mine!

Charity Playlist

It now appears that I have used this playlist for the last time. As you know, there are some horrific songs on it. However, there are some good ones too and I have really enjoyed listening to it – all of it. It has given me some giggles whilst I pound the streets. It’s ended with 136 songs on it. That is £272 raised, just from this playlist, for the Marfan Trust. I am so, so grateful to all of you for giving me a memorable playlist and helping me to raise that sort of money and awareness. Don’t worry though, I won’t be deleting the playlist. It has become part of me over the last few months. I might re-order it a little so that I can use it for training in the future and enjoy it! However, I won’t be deleting any songs at all, honest! I plan to keep it forever just for the memories.

Money raised for Marfan Syndrome

Just from these 2 runs alone, we have raised £2,386.58. I am so massively grateful to every single one of you for that insane level of support. I will be closing this Just Giving account next week and this amount takes the 4/5 year total raised to £8,427.72. Again, that is just mental. Thanks to everyone of you that sponsored me (and then sponsored me again and then again……). I really cannot thank you enough. THANK YOU!

If somehow, you have missed my sponsorship link though, here it is, your last chance - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/marfellous2017

TV and Tracking me around the course

As you can see from the photo, I am packed and ready (hopefully the vest still fits). The race is on BBC2 and BBC1 on Sunday morning and there are highlights in the evening. For those that want to follow me round (assuming I make it!) then you can download the “Great Run” app and I am number 37661. Please shout encouragement at your TV and Phones….I think I am going to need it this time!

What running shoes this time?

Kayano’s. Obviously. Full on over pronation support this time. The ON’s are not going anywhere near Newcastle!!!! I love them but I need support when I run, that lesson has been well and truly learnt!

It’s weird though. There is a bit of me that is looking forward to it. However, I am nowhere near the shape I was in for London and I am worried about the leg. Let’s just hope I run it off, if not it is going to be a long 13 miles! Take care all and see you on the other side!!!