Mad Sunday Run

Apologies for not posting sooner but with injury leading to short runs, a busy work schedule and a quick trip to the Isle of Man to watch the TT, I've either not had much to say or not had the time to write it. So I've tried to compensate by writing a decent post for you below:

I was away watching the TT for 5 days last week. It was my first time to the Isle of Man and it was a great experience, I would definitely recommend it for anyone who has the slightest interest in bikes. I've watched World Superbikes/Moto GP/British Superbikes etc but they really are nothing compared to the TT. If you were aloud to get any closer to the action, you'd be sat on the bikes with the riders! Although the course (public roads) is closed, you can get right up to the action on the roadside. There is, of course, an element of risk in sitting on the side of the road as bikes come whizzing past at speeds in the region of 170 mph but viewing spots are relatively well thought out to limit the danger.

I've uploaded a couple of short (30 seconds ish) video's which I took, to You Tube if you're interested in getting a feel for it. It looks as though the clips have been speeded up (even to me) but if you look at the people on the side of the road, you can tell they haven't been. There's also a couple of pictures to show just how close you can get:

Bray Hill: 160 mph speeds through a 30mph speed limit,

traffic light junction on a bend. Only the brave!

A straight section on the run into Ballacraine

Rider Gary Johnson on the straight after Bray hill (I've got my arm stuck out

over the wall, just in case you think I'm stupid enough to stand on the pavement!)

The shutter speed on my phone's camera isn't quick enough (surprisingly)

and as such I've some weird distorted images of bikes 

So while I was out in the Isle of Man we spent Saturday afternoon with some friends in a place on the south of the Island called Port Erin. A lovely little village/town, very scenic, great beach, even better pub! As we'd gone there in the car and the beer was too good to stop drinking, we decided to leave the car and collect it the next day. We hadn't decided how exactly we were going to get it but I'd taken my trainers and figured I could always run down from our hotel in Douglas so long as I wasn't too dehydrated. As it happens I was fine in the morning after calling it a night at a reasonable time and because it was throwing it down there wasn't much else to do. So I donned trainers and waterproof jacket, grabbed a bottle of lucazade and set off.

It's the longest run I'd done in a while and I felt it. Not so much on the fitness but more on the legs. Most of the route was on tarmac and I was running in a pair of race trainers which provide less cushioning. I'd bought them for casual use rather than running, however when your running trainers are in the boot of the bloody car that you're on the way to collect (slight oversight), there isn't much choice!

It was a pleasant enough run and I always enjoy running in one direction, rather than doing a loop, for the constant scenery change. There was one section of road though, for about a mile, between Newtown and Ballasalla that had no pavement and there were a few moments when I feared for my life. A combination of overhanging tree's, blind bends and fast flowing traffic; mostly Vallentino Rossi style bikers, didn't make for a relaxing section. The Isle of Man is a fast, busy and dangerous enough place during the TT fortnight, without throwing into the mix a runner wearing a camouflaged outfit of black shorts and tarmac grey t-shirt!

Anyway I survived and although the run clocks up about 15.5 miles on google earth I probably did at least an extra mile thanks to the locals at Ballasalla who sent me off road down some track towards Castletown. They said it would keep me off the road and out of the traffic, what they didn't say is that the path splits several times and disappears completely in a couple of places - you can always trust the locals! I also took a wrong turn when I got to Castletown; funny how sometimes, for no reason at all, you are convinced that it's left not right. In this instance I knew I'd gone wrong when I got to the Sea!

I took my phone to use as a sat nav but only used it when lost because of the extortionate data charges. As such I've plotted the route from memory on google earth below:

http://goo.gl/maps/O2w9

The beautiful bay of Port Erin on the Isle of Man

Just in case you're wondering about the title of this post; Mad Sunday is so named because it's traditionally the day that the race course (37 miles in total) is open for the public to ride/drive around. Over the mountain section of the course (10 miles ish) it's one way with no speed limits - a free for all; as you can imagine, the day usually lives up to its name - MAD!

Me, Gaz and Frank are only six weeks away from the big day now. We've still got a lot of preparation and hard work to come and it's all for a good cause. So, if you like the post, and I can tug at your heart strings, please make a contribution to Dr. Kershaw's hospice by clicking on the Just Giving link above - thank you!

Cheers
Mick

Still running ...... just not very far!

Apologies for the lack of a post last week but things aren't really going to plan. I'm trying to keep positive and motivated but it's a bit tricky when injured and frustrated.

I've been out about 5 times in the last 2 weeks but only covered around 20-25 miles in total. I've compensated a little by use of a rowing machine in the gym but its not quite the same thing.

I'm spending a lot of time on core stability exercises and stretching in the hope that miraculously I'll go for a run any day now and find that I'm as good as new (as well as 10 years younger and a stone lighter!).

I'll keep plodding on and will report back on my progress. Apologies once again for the lack of anything interesting: the training hasn't really panned out as i hoped!

Well done to Kirsty and everyone else who completed the Manchester Great Run today
http://www.greatrun.org/events/event.aspx?id=4

Here's a couple of guys after my own heart:

Primary reason for running: Stress relief!

Poor core strength: May causes minor instability?

Cheers
Mick

First run after a 2 week rest 06/05/2012

So, I've had 2 weeks off resting my 'piriformis syndrome'. The first run back was on Saturday and before you read how it went i just need to explain that i think I've misunderstood something:

Carb Up - definition (source; wiktionary.org)
To consume a large amount of carbohydrates, ostensibly for energy; generally a practice of athletes, especially runners and swimmers.

Carb Up - definition (source; Mick)
To consume as much cake and biscuits as possible, whilst simultaneously doing zero exercise; generally the practice of an idiot who wants to feel like he's running with lead boots on!

Need i go into too much detail on how refreshing it was to get back out and about? It wasn't that bad but for 7.5 miles i did feel a bit 'heavy' shall we say. Details of the run a little lower down the page.

After visiting Dave the physio on Friday, prior to running we'd come up with plan B; do some core stability & strength exercises and hope it goes away! Dave had been thinking about my recurring injury issue's while i was resting and decided that he wanted to assess my core stability. He had me jumping around and balancing (or trying to) on a giant beach ball and quickly came to the conclusion that i have quite (very) poor core strength combined with the previously diagnosed stiff lower back, tight hamstrings and week gluteal (bum) muscle's. He suggested that a bunch of exercises will address the route cause of the problem and then Bob'll be your mothers brother!

I started the exercises yesterday and I'm aching like mad today, mainly thighs and mid section (that'll be the core i suppose). However my injured leg/bum doesn't feel any worse, it may even feel a little less stiff, so I'll continue and see what happens.

This weekend had been pencilled in for a decent length, group run but for one reason or another it didn't come off. I'm not sure if the others got out, as I've not caught up with them yet.

I went from Uppermill, up the bridle path and then road to the Diggle Hotel, up Boat Lane, across the A62 just before Standedge Cutting. I then followed the track, then road back to the A62, crossed it again to get onto Harrop Edge Lane, followed it down through Dobcross, back to Uppermill, up Ryfields Drive and back onto the bridal path. A nice run out, apart from the lung busting drag up Boat Lane, which gets longer every time you run it! It felt good to be back out and I'm going to gradually get the mileage back up again now. Screen shot and link to route below:

http://g.co/maps/wcgtn

View from the blue marker looking back towards Diggle/Uppermill

The other exercise the physio dropped into conversation as a 'this could help' was - running backwards uphill - hmm! Now you're going to look like a right d!*# wherever you do this but i figured less people will look and point if you do it in a less public place, while out and about. My quiet place happened to be Ryfields Drive; a nice steep, private, dead end road. It was, shall we say... novel but if it works then why not. I only passed one person (i don't mean overtook, he was going the other way) and i was determined not to say anything and then right at the last moment i blurted out that "it was ok and that i wasn't mad, i actually knew i was running backwards and the physio told me to do it, it's because I've got an injury" etc. He just nodded and smiled, as you would!

Cheers for now
Mick

Manchester Marathon 29/04/2012

What an absolutely shocker of a day for running, never mind a marathon! With torrential rain, high winds and freezing temperatures it was only the brave who ventured out. While most people enjoyed a leisurely breakfast while reading the paper and thought about switching on the second bar of the electric fire (if only the electric wasn't so bloody expensive), the hardest of northern folk were out seizing the day.

All i can say is its a good job it was Frank who signed up for the Manchester Marathon and not me. I got soaked walking to the cafe in Uppermill for a full breakfast with the kids. What a crap day for 26.2 miles. Well done Frank and everyone else who ran it, hats off to you!

Here's a couple of pictures and a link for a full summary of the day, courtesy of the MEN website:

Show off!

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1492405_replay-runners-battle-wind-and-rain-in-manchester-marathon---video-and-pictures

And here's our Frank at the finish. Job done in 3hrs 46 mins - first ever marathon - well done mate

A big shout out also to Adam Longley (Sharon's son from our Home Instead office in Uppermill) and his girlfriend Christina. Adam completed it today in 3hrs 38 mins (great time!) with Christina coming in at 4hrs 20 mins after being knocked over and injured 'not finishing was never an option though' - well done!



Anyway enough about everyone else, the more observant readers will have noticed a distinct lack of a post from last week. I did get out but it was a pitiful 8 miles and i struggled again with my hip/hamstring (official diagnosis of piriformis syndrome - Google it). So I've taken a week or so off and it would appear (although i hadn't signed up to the marathon anyway) that from a weather point of view it was a good week to miss.

I'm hoping to get out again this weekend and will update.

Cheers
Mick

Run on the beach!

We had a bit of a family get away last weekend, up in Skipsea (North Yorkshire) at the Far Grange caravan site. It's a lovely site with plenty to do and it was good to spend some time with the better half and the kids.

I only managed to get out for one decent length run and figured it would be a crying shame not to take advantage of running down the beach. So i set of from the site and ran south from Far Grange to Hornsea. With beaches being as they are; long, straight and full of sand (and rocks), there's nothing much to report, oh apart from the fact that i completely misjudged a rock sticking out of the sand, tripped over it and went down like a sack of spuds! It's ok though, because nobody saw me (apart from maybe the couple you can see in the photo, who were at least a half a mile behind me at the time).

As we all know 'who saw me make an arse of myself' is far more important than any potential life threatening injuries! I wouldn't mind but it was one of those trips that you think you can salvage by running a little quicker. Inevitably, after a short battle, gravity championed and i went down with new, increased speed amongst a gaggle of flailing limbs... it wasn't pretty. Thankfully the only thing damaged was my pride.

'Tumbledown' Beach

On leaving the beach at Hornsea i ran back along the main coastal road through Atwick and back to the caravan site.

Around 8.6 miles in 1 hour 15ish and it was quite novel running on the flat for a change. Screen shot of the route and a link to the run below:

http://g.co/maps/g3zhd

Cheers
Mick

The Cotton Famine Trail 08/04/2012

After my visit to Dave the physio on Thursday, and what appears to be quite a successful acupuncture treatment, I arranged a run out on Easter Sunday with Frank, Tom and Pat (Tom's mate). We started in Uppermill and headed straight up past the Cross Keys pub and onto the tops via Running Hill Gate. Pat has quite extensive local off road knowledge of Saddleworth and the surrounding area, so he led the way.

Once off the road you don't really have much choice but to hang a right heading off in an easterly direction because of the big ravine in front of you that is home to Diggle rifle range. It isn't long before you pick up the old Cotton Famine Trail. If you look at the image below (the distinct lack of rain and low cloud makes this a rare image!) you can clearly see the tracks that were dug approximately 150 years ago. It was Pat who told me the basic history about the trail but i read up on it further and have put a link below for anyone who's interested. In a nutshell; the American civil war restricted raw cotton imports and as a result work in the local cotton mills was heavily reduced causing mass unemployment and poverty in the area. Some mill owners had their employee's carrying out alternative work in order to keep them on the payroll and this road, also known as 'the road to nowhere', was started but never finished.

The Cotton Famine Trail aka The Road to Nowhere

This image is taken from the following site:

http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/File:The%20Cotton%20Famine%20Road%20-%20geograph.org.uk%20-%20831589.jpg/-/en

  and would have been taken from approximately point number 1 (in yellow) on the route map below.

More reading about the Cotton Famine, the resulting riots in Stalybridge & Ashton etc can be done here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancashire_Cotton_Famine It's amazing (and shameful) that i know so little about the local geography and history. I 'must try harder' - hmm sure I've read that somewhere before :o)

When you reach point number 2 on the map (photo below) you meet the Pennine Way which, if you turn left, takes you back in a north easterly direction and around the other side of the ravine that houses the rifle range. There's been quite a lot of work done on the Pennine Way by way of laying much needed stone flags. The area is very boggy and the flags (where laid) stop you needing a pair of wellies. Frank and myself have invested in Sealskin (waterproof) socks and they work a treat so long as you don't step in anything too deep; if water comes over the top of the socks it can't get out! Just a word of warning about the flags, they can be a bit slippy so take care if you're running.

Left to right; Frank, Pat and Tom. Refuelling on the tasty energy gels which help with the bog hopping and snow wading

About half way between number 2 and 3 the flags become a bit scarce and you will end up 'bog hopping' but the view (if you're lucky enough to get a bit of cloud lift) is well worth the wet feet.

The two photo's below were taken at point number 3. Me with Black Moss reservoir in the background and a shot in the opposite direction with Manchester in the background.

Not sure why I felt the need to strike a 'hang onto the fence' pose.

Possibly because of Tom's 'back a bit further' directions

Manchester, with what we think is the Hilton on the skyline

From the Black Moss res you climb up and over the hill then drop down towards the Great Western pub on the A62. To extend the run a little we then crossed over the road and followed the track (if you turn right you can continue on the Pennine Way - see a previous route) and then followed Harrop Edge Lane onto Lark Hill and down into Dobcross. The route then took us across the Woolpack football pitch, through the garden centre and onto the canal. Tom and Pat peeled of home across the river (stepping stones) in Uppermill. I extended the run a little by continuing on the canal to Greenfield where Frank went off home and i came back along the bridal path.

The full distance was about 13.5 miles in a time of about 2 hours 50 mins (about 2 hrs 30 moving time). The leg seemed to hold up very well considering all the bog hopping and this was definitely one of the most enjoyable runs that I've done for a while; great company, scenery, weather etc. The plan is to team up with Pat and Tom on a regular basis, to up the mileage and explore the local area in more detail (and get some extra history lessons from Pat!).

Here's a screen shot and link to the full route:

http://g.co/maps/5r2p9

Cheers

Mick

Ice bath's are good for you - hmm!

So I went back to see Dave the Physio and the good news is that I have no tear in my hamstring. However the bad news is that I'm getting old (thanks Dave) and I have some wear and tear and a potential overuse injury. The discomfort/tension I can feel in my hamstring is referred from a problem at the top of my calf and in my hip joint; he explained it all but i couldn't pass on the technical terms if I tried, so I'll not bother. All I know is that he had a good prod about and at some point when he found the problem area in my hip I nearly shot off the bed!

So I'm going back to see him on Thursday but he's suggested that i keep on running but do some extra stretches. I've been out twice since (6 miles and 4 miles) and there's not much change but maybe it's something I need to learn to live with in the short term.

What he did suggest "if you can hack it" was taking a nice soak in an ice bath after running! Now I know the basic theory behind the old ice bath's; shrinking of the blood vessels to force out all the old blood and toxins and then (when you warm up again) the fresh blood brings back nutrients and oxygen to aid the healing process. However I've never tried it. I've used ice packs on trouble area's but this seems a tad more extreme. Thankfully, I haven't got any ice and we've got quite a small freezer at home. "That's ok, you'll get a similar effect with just a bath full of cold water" - great.

I've given it a go - twice, so it can't be that bad. I assume that the addition of some ice (in the ice bath) would make things a bit more unbearable but I've skipped that stage for now. You'll not be surprised to hear that it initially takes your breath away but it's quite painful on the bony areas, especially around the ankles. It does appear to work though. After the six mile run the hamstring was noticeably tight and then after 10 minutes of hyperventilating in the cold tub it didn't seem so bad - funny how things shift your focus. With reference to the shrinking effect mentioned above, it's definately more noticeable in certain area's!

Here's a clip of Eddie Izzard's ice bath experience during his multi marathon campaign. I thought twice about posting this clip as it makes my 50 miles seem like a quick stroll out but Eddie produced such a valiant performance I figure it's worth me giving him a further plug for his efforts, it's worth 2 minutes of your time if you never caught the programme. Click the image to go to the You Tube link

Cheers
Mick