New York Marathon

Just thought i'd update my blog, as i promised Kay at Lucozade that i would and i keep forgetting. Sorry Kay.
After the great north run, i struggled for a week or two to stick to my training schedule, but i managed to get a couple of 16 milers in before i flew to New York, to do the Marathon.
A couple of days before i left, i ran a 9 miler and felt great. I went into the house and told my wife that i felt fitter than i had at years. I went upstairs and had a bath, pleased with my fitness levels. While lying in the bath, i started stretching my calves, and then suddenly, i felt a twang in my left shin and i thought....oh oh (or words to that effect). Over then next couple of days i was in a lot of pain, and i wasnt sure if i would be able to make it. I was high on painkillers, ibuprofen tablets and gel, with my shin strapped up when i got onto the plane at heathrow, and i really thought i wouldnt be able to start. Over the next couple of days i just kept on treating the injury with ice, painkillers and ibuprofen. By Sunday morning it had eased off a bit but was still sore. I decided that I'd come this far so i had to give it a go, and if i had to hobble round then i would. A lot of people had sponsored me for Get Kids Going, so i had to at least try.
It was an early start, and a bit of hanging around prior to the start on Statten Island. I loaded myself up with painkillers and got going.
Surprisingly it wasnt really my shin that was the problem as i ran round. I started off quite well and it the half way mark in about 2 hrs. Well on track for my 4hrs 30min target. I plodded along quite nicely and managed to block out the pain in my shin and my usual pains in my knees. At about 16miles things started getting worse, but it was my knees that went really bad. I started suffering a lot, and ended up walking and running. The support from the crowds was great and people at the sides kept shouting words of encouragement to all of the runners as we passed by. Once i realised that i wouldnt hit my target, it was just a case of finishing. I kept on walking and running for little bits at a time, and eventually managed to finish in 4hrs and 54 mins.
The feeling of achievement was fantastic, and i was so relieved to have made it round. It felt like another marathon though just trying to get to the baggage trucks to get my bag. There were people being given 1st aid by the sides of the road after collapsing in the huge queue for the bags. I eventually got my bag and managed to hobble back to my hotel, via McDonalds...the best big mac i have ever tasted. A couple of buds later on put the colour back in my cheeks, and it all seemed like a distant memory.
Unfortunately since the Marathon i havent been able to do much running, as my knees keep screeming at me to stop. I decided to give them a rest, so i havent run for over a month. Its now after Christmas so i am starting to train again this week. Hopefully the rest will allow me to start training again for a couple of events later in the year.
Although it caused me lot of pain and i havent been able to do much lately, i am really pleased i managed to finish the Marathon....although i dont think i'll be doing another one. Its quite long :-) and it hurts...lol. I think i enjoyed the half marathon a bit more, so i'll do a few more of those.
Not too soon though :-)

The last post

Its over and i am now back at work wondering what all the fuss was about :-)

I drove up on the Saturday, which took about 4.5 hrs, and stayed over night at a hotel in Darlington. As we were meeting others there, there wasnt much scope to travel in to Gateshead to get involved with the activities going on, and try to meet people. A bowl of pasta and a early night was all i managed after watching my wife sink a couple of pints.
Up nice and early and a train ride into Newcastle Central, were the Metro made the London underground rushhour look deserted. After not being able to get on a tube, we decided to walk instead. As we were there nice and early we had a casual stroll through the toon and stopped off at a coffee house for some extra carbs and a cup of coffee, before making our way to the start.
I was in the White zone (E), and after queuing to get in for a good 30-40 mins and just reaching the front, the guy on the gate shut it at 10.30 and told us we would have to move down to the next colour zone. There were easily 100 people still standing there queuing to get in and this caused uproar. And also a H&S hazard. The guy on the gate would not listen to reason and flatly refused to let us in, so people were jumping over the fence, lifting the fence to get under it, and some just barged there way through the gate.
This is definitley something the organisers need to rethink, as someone could have been injured here.
Anyway, after cutting my hands to ribbons, and ripping my t-shirt while climbing over the fence ;-) the race got under way and we crossed the start line.
My worries about my achilles, knees, back etc etc seemed to fade away, and i settled down to the only pace that i could get into surrounded by thousands of people.
Everything went really well, and to be honest, i was coasting along. I felt great, and hit 6miles in about 51 minutes. Well on target for sub 2 hours. I was feeling really good, and full of life so i decided to try to work my way through the crowd abit. Its really frustrating when you cant really get into a rhythm and there is so much dodging and weaving to get past people. Anyway, at 8 miles disaster struck. I felt something go twang just below my right calf and i was hobbling around in a lot of pain. I tried to stretch it off a bit, and just tried to keep on moving. I kept going, but for the next 5 miles it was more of a hobble than a run.
It eased off a little towards the last mile so i tried to make a last gasp effort to make a good finish. Again, its difficult to get past people on the last stretch, but i managed to cross the line in 2hrs and 29secs. All things considered, i am quite happy with that....could have been a lot worse :-) I am quite confident i could have shaved a few minutes off that, so would have come in under my target of 2 hrs. Actually the race wasnt that bad.....it was the 6 hour drive to get home that was the killer. I would have loved to have come for a few drinks afterwards but unfortunately i had to get back to work for the Monday. Maybe next year :-)
So, right calf receiving some treatment, and hopefully it will be OK for the New York marathon in November.
Anyone who would like to sponsor me for that, can do at
http://www.justgiving.com/DaveHartNYC

well done to everyone who completed the GNR, and i look forward to reading all of the bloggs.

Dave

Final Week

Well, its just about upon us and its the moment of truth. Things havent gone as well as i'd expected in the final run up. An old achilles problem is back to plague me, which is quite worrying due to the tight training schedule i need to get in before the New York Marathon in November. I have also started to suffer from shin splints, which is something i havent had for years........i think i'm falling apart.
I got some good training in last week, with a good hill session at the GSK House running club, a very good speed session and a 9 miler which went OK. Its a good job really as i then blew it all at a very unfortunatley timed Army re-union weekend in Arnhem, Holland. As a result, I may have 'over tapered' this week :-). Anyway, by thursday this week i could just about focus again so had a cross trainer/bike session in the gym, and a 3.5 mile jog on Friday night. Its now Saturday morning, and i am all packed and ready for the drive from London to the toon.
As long as my body hangs together i should be Ok for a little jog through the North East countryside on Sunday morning.
Good luck to everyone and see you at the finish line :-)

Training update

Spent some time on the Cross trainer and the bike in the gym on Thursday 13th. Did a 5 miler on Friday. Felt a bit slow and clumpy in the middle but picked it up at the end for a good finish. Had a few beers and a pizza on Friday night.....while i watched England lose to South Africa. Luckily the little bit of self discipline i have left stopped me from drowning my sorrows...it could have got very messy.
Rest day Saturday and then a Ten Miler on the Sunday. Used it to try out the Lucozade Carbo gels at 30 minute intervals. Seem to work quite well, and after puffing and panting a bit mid run, i felt great from about 7 - 10 miles. Knees are aching a bit though, so i've been popping the pain killers.
Bit of a gym session on Monday, and then its GSK running club today....I wonder what gut busting delights await us.
All in all, things are looking a bit better than they were 2 weeks ago.

Return of the MOJO

Things are starting to look up again. I had a few days rest after my last running club session. Well, when i say rest i mean a couple of nights on the beer, due to an Elton John concert and my leaving do from my old department at work. At the weekend i did a 4 miler, and a fast 3 miler where i felt really good. Monday, i had to run after work, which is not something i enjoy, but i ran an 8 miler, and kept a really good pace all the way round. I felt pretty good for the whole run. Maybe i should run after work more often. Prior to the run, I had made sure that i had taken in plenty of carbs in the afternoon, with some of the lucozade products i had been given, and it certainly made the difference. I rested the next day, and then last night (Wed 12th) i did a 5k fast run. Felt pretty good.
Feels like i'm getting my MOJO back!!!!! Might do some cross training today, and hopefully get a decent bit of mileage in over the weekend.

Lost my MOJO

I've been in training for a little while now. I was quite heavy at Xmas 06, just over 17st, so my intial training concentrated on some weight loss, and to try to bring my general fitness levels up to a reasonable baseline to start some dedicated distance training. I lost 2 stone and was quite happy with the way i was progressing. With the NY marathon as my ultimate goal in November, i had a decent amount of time to train for it.
About 3 weeks ago, i came back from 2 weeks holiday in Egypt. Prior to the holiday, i was quite happy with my training and had managed to get in a 13 miler, which wasn't very pretty, but at least i got round. I did some light training on the treadmill whilst on holiday, which i thought would keep me ticking over, but since i came back, i seem to have completely 'lost my mojo'. Its been quite painful really, and i dont seem to be able to run like i did before i went away. I'm sure it will get better, but with 3 weeks to go, it is a little bit worrying. I am tending to get tired very quickly and my stamina seems to have reduced. I ran round Richmond park last Sunday, and whereas before i would have got round the 7 miles without too much pain, i was suffering towards the end and had to take a couple of rest breaks to walk and get myself together.
I had a half decent session during the week with the GSK running club, which has picked me up a bit so i'll see how i go this weekend.

Great North Run

I used to be a soldier so was always fit, until I developed Osteoarthritis in both knees and suffered a back injury while parachuting. When i left the Army, i tried to keep a reasonable level of fitness but did more gym work with weights and general fitness. I didnt really do much running. A friend asked me to do the New York Marathon in November, so i took on the challenge before i am 40, and I want to do the GNR as a mini challenge before that. I'm not too bothered about a time, I just want to finish without falling apart.