Drastically improved eyesight

If you're a regular here you might have clocked I have an eyesight problem - central serous retinopathy.  The fantastic and remarkable thing is, it has now drastically improved.

You see, the problem is mostly in my left eye, where a tiny leak occurred and the back of my eye, causing the retina to budge forward and this in turn causes distorted vision near the middle of my retina.   You can see in the above photo there is a darkish area in the middle and a few white-ish spots.  As if this was't bad enough, because the retina has been starved of nutrients (explained my Doctor, a dullness had set in for a few years.  This was like viewing the world through the lens of a grey pair of sunglasses.

The Doctor said this was not reversible and yet I now think there is little colour vision difference between the two eyes!  I think this is remarkable, having put up with everything looking greyish and with muted colours for several years, everything now seems so much brighter and more colourful.

I noticed this yesterday when I was driving back across the Cotswold Hills on a bright sunny day.  I found myself enjoying the lovely colours and September sun across the stunning landscape.  I also remember thinking "these colours will look pretty dull through my left eye".  So my astonishment was an almost complete colour restoration.  That you God.

The details I see, however, is still well short of my "good eye".  The distortion comes and goes but it is always noticeable.  An example of this is when I look at the toolbar of my computer screen, it is wavy and certainly not straight.

This is all very wonderful and I'm not quite sure why this has happened.  Most likely it is my excellent diet and through being a regular runner!

Related:
Posts about eyesight

MK Marathon countdown

This time tomorrow I will be nervously having my breakfast before setting off to Milton Keynes for the marathon.  This is the third time I will have completed this race and, as I have such good memories, I am really looking forward to it.

In getting the negatives out of the way, I am still being dogged by an annoying injury which probably ranks amongst the most avoidable injuries a runner could get.  I have a dose of shin-splints.  This is tenderness and some pain on the front of my shin bone (where various tendons join the bone).  I put this down to over-use.  The second injury (same leg) is one of the calf muscles is sore and has been for a few weeks.  Lately I have been having some short runs of only a few miles in order to remain supple but not to aggravate anything.

The solution to all of this is taking some Ibuprofen on the day and continued gently stretching, which does seem to be helping.  Having said that, I am prepared to pull out on the day if it's too painful and right now I'm thinking this could be a possibility, although this is something I have never done before.  Even if the race goes well, I dare say I will hobble around afterwards and it does seem to be affecting my hip after a run.  All this is another reminder of how fantastic our bodies are in terms of the complex design and how everything works together but we aren't made to carry on forever.

My checklist:

• Race number
• Safety pins x4
• Shorts (I have treated myself to some new Ron Hill shorts!)
• Shirt (haven't decided which to wear, depends on the weather forecast!)
• Socks (again I have treated myself to some new ones: X-Socks)
• iPhone, charged up
• Small ruck sack, with bag tag
• Running shoes
• Timing chip
• Sort out where to park
• Plasters on the ball of each foot (a blister spot after 20 miles)
• Trim toe nails
• Hydration starts today
• Don't eat too much this evening
• Something to wear before / after
• Some cash
• Read through the race guide

Remind myself

Yep I need to remind myself why I do this.  This is a bit of "self talk" now and something I encourage other people to do themselves.  

Running is a fantastic sport and something I can do alright.  I will never be a medal winner but my performance isn't too bad.

It helps me stay in good shape physically and keeps my weight nicely under control.  I weigh the same as I did two years ago, albeit a tad higher than I have been in recent years.  My BMI is 22.  I have also had the results back from some blood tests; I like to have a check-up once a year to cover the usual things such as cholesterol, glucose, liver and kidney function, PSA and so on.  Besides I am apparently of an age where this is more cost effective for the NHS to make sure I am in good shape as it's a prime time for diabetes, strokes and other heart issues to emerge as problems which could be dealt with.  Nine tests altogether.  Happily these are said to be "absolutely normal, the Doctor doesn't need to see you about anything".

I need to prove to myself I can still do this.  If it wasn't for being injured, I think I could match my previous time of a whisker under 4 hours as otherwise I feel pretty fit.

Also I need to do this for the satisfaction of doing it.  There are many challenges along the way in terms of training and the actual day itself.  I need to prove to myself I can do it, not to give up and make a good time if at all possible.

Can't wait.

And I'm meant to be tapering....

With the MK Marathon looming on 4th May, I should be well into an injury-free period of tapering.  Things are not going to plan and this is unusual for me as normally I like to do these things "by the book".

My training had fallen behind through the pressures of work etc.  Such that my long 20 mile easy run in early April didn't go as well as it should (de-hydration, running on empty) and I have an injury.  Actually two, I think.

First injury goes back a while and a troublesome muscle in my left calf area.  Second injury is the classic over-use shin splints, again in my left leg.

Now I am trying to achieve that tricky balance of resting and yet doing a few miles to stay used to running.  I can tell you, I feel torn between wanting to get out there and run every day (I find myself yearning for a threshold run) and yet I know it would be disasterous if I went running everyday.

So today is Saturday and I went for a hilly 7.5 mile run, previous run was Wednesday where I did 4.5 miles on a flat path.  Which do you think was harder?  Yep the shorter run on wednesday.  Why?  Read on....

Having rested on Thursday and Friday, this made a real difference.  Having said that I did start the run by hobbling a bit, almost to the point of wondering if I'd make it.  Thankfully it eased and I was able to run well.  Every now and again I would find myself landing on the ball of my feet (which seems a more instinctive running form now) and this would be painful in my leg.  Running by landing on my heel didn't help and so a rather mid-foot landing eased the pain but I kept forgetting to do this!  I might experiment with a little DIY padding, although I know this will be frowned upon by some purists!  Needs must.

I have chatted this through with some friends who are fellow runners.  All sympathetic and some commented that I "had it coming" through possible over-use and secondly, because I have been relatively free of any problems like this in all the years I have been running and injuries have finally caught up with me.  A kind of justice perhaps?  Thanks guys!

I suspect I will have an uncomfortable time over the next week or so, trying to be patient and perhaps a short jog or two.  I do have some free gym passes so I think some cross training is in order, perhaps a swim as well.  On the big day I am hoping to get around alright, probably helped by a dose of Ibuprofen (dose that count as doping!?!?) and then gallons of Cherry Active to help ease my muscles.

Man this is frustrating!

Running with a cold / flu / feeling ill?

Withdrawal symptoms

I haven't run for eight days - EIGHT DAYS - can you believe that?  Since becoming a runner, this must be the longest time I have gone without running and I'm really missing it.  You see, I had a real hum-dinger of a cold that progressed onto flu.  I'm not talking "man flu" either, this is flu, man.  Everyone else in the family has had it and now it's been my turn.  

I can't tell you how much I miss running and what's more, I am starting to feel the forthcoming marathon slip through my fingers.  Having said that, I'm not beaten just yet as there is time to redeem myself if I'm lucky.

Running with a cold, or flu or feeling ill?

There is a rule of thumb which says you can run if you're feeling okay from the neck down.  So, if you have a cold, runny nose, headache, then you're okay.

If you're suffering from below the neck - shivers, aches, feeling sick, coughing or respiratory problems, then you'd better rest and get better to avoid making anything any worse.

I hate being ill, I hate taking time off work as I always feel guilty.  I've really hated it this time because I have been too wacked to even do anything apart from flop around feeling uuuuugh.  

Does running lower immunity?

No, not really.  I believe that running helps me stay healthy - I run well, eat well, sleep well and stay in good shape.  However, there does seem to be a point when you go a little too far and then start to compromise the natural immunity and resistance that's there.

It is very hard to say where the tipping point is.  For instance if you run 25 miles a week you'll be okay but running 30 miles is pushing yourself too hard.  Depends on so many different variables: age, base fitness, climate, lifestyle and so on.  

I think our natural outlook on life makes a difference but I can't prove it at all.  You know, I have a positive view of things and this includes my health - I think this helps me stay healthy.  I have known other people who almost seem to "think" themselves into being ill.  They are ill because they want to be ill?  Maybe.

Anyway, here's a link from Runner's World that gives a little more information - click here

New runner asks "why does getting fit take so long?"

A really interesting question is about why it takes such a long time to get fit.  On hearing this question, it got me thinking.  It all follows - and you may have noticed this as well - with the Olympic Games taking place rightnow and hot on the heels of the Tour de France - there are many more people out running and cycling nowadays.  That cheers and encourages me.

And so to the question in hand.  Why does it take such a long time?  For the answer, in lay terms, it must be considered how a start from zero will see a number of changes taking place.  It is important to think of the body as dealing with these situations and it simply takes time and in any event, it is age related to a point.  I'm answering the question from the perspective of being a cyclist and a runner.

So.  So what are the changes taking place?  This is what I noticed in myself:

Muscles

When we exercise we put our muscles under a bit of pressure and the degree of pressure depends directly on the level of existing fitness and the demands placed on them.  Go too far and your muscles will ache, possibly for a few days and will probably have some microscopic tears.  It does take time to build strength and resilience; this applies to body building mass and strength along with muscles which move quickly and for long periods of time.  The trick with muscles, also helpfully applying to tendons and ligaments, is to take time and listen to your body for signs of injury..

Tendons and ligaments

The connecting pieces from a muscle to a bone.  Going too far or having minor mishaps can cause an injury which is painful and can last a long time.  Stretching helps but only if done the right way and in my book this applies to a muslce which is warm and "limbered" up.  Doing short, severe stretches with cold muscles is asking for trouble.

I think running over rough ground is brilliant for strengthening those tendons and ligaments around your feet and ankles.  This has a benefit of building strength in a way that will make you less susceptible to getting a sprained ankle.  My advice is to take care, avoid injuring yourself by trying to avoid future injuries. 

Bones

Running in particular puts a strain on our bones - from our lower spine downwards. Pounding on hard surfaces is placing the bones under some pressure may cause microscopic fractures which are only temporary.  Each time we rest and recover afterwards or even perhaps sleeping well, our body's are busy repairing themselves and rebuilding the bones so they are a little stronger.

Building up strength and bone density will pay real iin later life in avoiding osteoporois, especially useful for women to know.

As for how long, that's harder.  How long is a piece of string? Perhaps allow two or three months.

Aerobic capacity

Your aerobic capacity is about your ability to breath, get oxygen into your blood and get it pumped around your body to make your muscles work.  When you're working hard and getting out of breath, that in principle is a good thing to do for most people.  Indeed the Government want us all to do this a few times each week.  It is also a time when calories and fat get burnt up, although it is said you don't start burning significant amounts of fat until you've been exercising for about an hour.

Cycling and running are brilliant ways of getting a dose of aerobic exercise.

Other changes

Amongst the many other things going on, some of these might become apparent:

• You might look different: slimmer and "brighter".  Your friends or family might say you appear younger and more dynamic.  Having said that, I don't recall anyone ever referring to me as being dynamic...
• You might get addicted to your new sport: you might find yourself thinking about it much of the time (where, when to go for your next run or cycle, what to buy next, what event to enter, what blog to read or perhaps write, and so on).  You might experience the Runner's High
• Your whole life style might change. You might find yourself socialising differently or with different people as you use your spare time differently.
• Your outlook on life may change and you won't want to go back to how you were

Just a few more running mistakes

Here's a few more mistakes I have made in my running career to date.  There are others but I'm not ready to admit to those, even if you promise not to tell anyone.

Running on hard surfaces

By this I mean avoiding running on concrete or tarmac all the time.  Why?  Simple.  It can cause injuries with your knees and ankles and is caused by the unrelenting shock being transmitted through those joints.  It is always better to map out runs that include some softer surfaces.  I like woodland trails best of all.

Forgetting how well we are made

When you look at an x-ray of a leg or foot or perhaps a diagram of bones, muscles and tendons it is incredibly wonderful.  The way we were created, such a marvellous design.  All too easy to take this for granted and for me that's a big mistake.

Family life

I often get this wrong, I think.  It's tricky picking a time when it's better to go for a run or not, as the case may be.  

Not resting enough

Resting in between runs is really important.  A rest can range from not running at all, through to running no more than four times in a week.  I know I have pushed my luck here and the worst was running for an hour each day for a week.  For me that's too much and over the last Christmas period I ran each day for over two weeks but I made sure the "rest runs" were little more than a gentle jog for 15 minutes.

There is no loss of pride through taking a rest.  Our bodies need time to regenerate, to heal.  Failing to do this properly will cause more short and long term injuries or problems.

Running too fast

When I started running, I think I ran too fast and suspect I am not alone in this.  For a new runner, you should run at a place where you could still have a fairly coherent conversation.  Much better to build up the distances before building up the speed.

You might like to read some early mistakes from a previous post.

My running mistakes (but only some of them)

A fairly gentle lunge, not going too far

Every runner makes mistakes and I've had my fair share.   None of these are reasons on their own should put anyone off running but knowing I have some readers from the excellent C25K forum lurking, I thought I might share a few tips:

Don't stretch too far

I believe there's an art to stretching - i.e. a right and a wrong way.  I have discovered this the hard way.  In my view stretching should take place only when muscles are warm after having been used a bit.  The reason for this is that cold muscles aren't very flexible; they're taught and could be easily torn if stretched too far.

When you stretch, do it gradually and feel the point when it starts to hurt a little.  As soon as you get to that point, relax and just come back a little.  There's no point in stretching to improve flexabilty and create muscles with lots of tiny tears.  If you're doing some lunges, the above picture is probably okay for many people - enough to stretch but not too far.

I sometimes smile to myself when I see newbies in the gym.  In they come, stride up to the treadmill, a quick swig of water, one stretch lasting no more than 2 seconds and then blast off at maximum speed.  A few minutes later, all red faced and panting, they go off and find something else to do.  I want to stop and ask them if they know how many muscles there are in each leg and why you only stretch one of them, cold as well?   I can say all this because I've been there myself and another way in which I've learnt the hard way.  It does make me smile though, I can see myself there from a few years back!

Avoid increasing your mileage too quickly

There is a rule of thumb which suggests runner's should not increase their weekly mileage by more than 10%.  I think that's sensible advice but I know it is so hard, sometimes, to balance that enthusiasm and drive against the need to take it easy.  I have injured myself as a penalty here.

Falling or tripping over

I have had two significant falls in my running experience, each through tripping up over uneven ground.  It's more easily done by some people it seems (and I'm one of them!).  Remember modern running shoes have thick soles which we're not used to in everyday life, so avoid this as a reason to trip and fall.

I have also fallen over through being cold and not reacting quickly enough, running in poor light and through running over snow with ice underneath.  It's possible you can fall or trip for no obvious reason, i.e. just a background risk.

Getting lost

The great thing about running is being able to explore new areas - the urban and rural environment can be an exciting place to explore.... "where does this trail go?  What's it like on the other side of that hill, hedge etc".  It's easy to allow the miles to blur into each other, running on a kind of auto-pilot has really confused me before now.  Carry a map, recognise landmarks, look for clues, retrace steps are possible solutions if there's nobody to ask or no signposts to spot..

Running after a meal

This is probably my most common and regular mistake.  I know I run best first thing in the morning and before breakfast, with nothing inside me (apart from a cup of tea!).  Ideally I think food needs to be well digested, perhaps for two hours, before any serious running takes place.

The consequences to regret are: indigestion, feeling bloated, nauseous or sick.

That'll do for now....

....but I'll blog again as I have made plenty of other mistakes (balancing family life, wrong race strategy, not cooling down, wearing the wrong clothes and so on).

Does that help?  Any of these familiar?  Please let me know by leaving a comment below.

click here for more mistakes.

Recovering after a marathon

Remember to cool down after the finish line dash!

Following my marathon on Sunday, I have learnt about a few things I wish I had known before.  Now I'm thinking that the training schedules that are around for long distance races should not stop at the race day but include a few tips about what to expect after you've ran your marathon (or half marathon, or ultra marathon).

The day after the race, I did my blog post in the morning (feeling a bit stiff) and then started to feel really low.  That had me reading up on a few things which I have summarised here.  I hope it might be of use, including those fellow runners in the MK Marathon:

Cool down

Once crossing the finish line, the most natural thing to do is stop running and go "flop".  Anyone crossing the line at 26.2 miles is probably exhausted and pushed near to the limit and the temptation is to savour the moment and maybe watch a few other runners come in and add to their congratulations.  Instead it is best to continue slowly running, or jogging and then walking.  This gives the body an opportunity to move some of that lactic acid away from the muscles to lower the feelings of soreness afterwards.  That clever Race Director had arranged the finish area in the MK Dons stadium in a way that the runners had to continue around two thirds of the pitch to collect our goodie bags and exit to the meeting area.  In my ignorance, I walked along with the other runners but that was certainly better than doing nothing.

Having a massage is a good thing to do and these were on offer but I declined (£5 for 10 minutes!).

Start re hydrating but don't over do it.  Water is okay.  Even better is a drink to replace those electrolytes - choices include fruit juices or sports drinks (such as Zero High 5 in dis-solvable tablet form).

The next few days

Accept that you have pushed yourself and you might be feeling sore.  Resist the temptation to do anything if it hurts.  When you do start to run again, start with a gentle run or a jog.  Make an extra effort to eat good wholesome food; I think fruit and muesli is wonderful - plenty of antioxidants and carbohydrates.  If you're really sore, consider a physiotherapist for sports related massage.  As I am not very experienced in running these long distances, I gather the best thing is to build up again to that distance but obviously it will take less time compared to the original training.

Sleep well

Allow time for extra sleep in the days following your race - perhaps you'll need extra sleep for a week afterwards.  Don't skimp on this - allow your body and mind to repair and rejuvenate itself.

Mental health - be mindful

This really took me by surprise.  Naturally I enjoyed the Runner's High from completing the marathon and that's a perfectly natural.  For me it lasted into the next day but then I felt as if I had really bounced over into the other side - a murky feeling of being depressed and mentally weary.   That was quite a shock for me and having surfed the internet, this appears to be a common thing.  The nearest I have felt to this is after an all night bike ride which I have simply explained away as being tired and a bit grumpy (me, grumpy, really? Gosh.).

It depends on your own circumstances but for myself, I know now I need to alert my family and those around me in advance next time.  Happily that feeling of being so low lasted about 24 hours and now I am back to normal.   

I just needed a good run

My MK marathon race pack arrived this week.

Yes, I needed a good run early this morning for a few reasons and that's exactly what I got.  Here goes:

Reason 1

The MK Marathon is looming very close and I'm far from my best.  It is on Sunday 29th April i.e.just 15 days to go.  The race pack arrived this week.  I've got a nice number.  So far everything about the MK marathon points towards a well organised race - I wish I was!

Reason 2

Regular readers will know I injured myself three weeks ago and since then I've eased back on running almost completely in order to allow some healing to take place.  I have done a couple of 10k runs and a couple of shorter runs or jogs to prevent myself from seizing up.  Plus I've had the odd bike ride and cross training session at the gym which I'm sure has been helpful.  So this was the main reason: doing my favourite 7.5 mile hilly run... how would that be?  Could I do that as easily as before?  Could that 7.5 mile run become 26.2 miles in two weeks?

Reason 3

I need to lose 4lbs in weight to feel "right" but I'm still in the middle of my ideal weight range with a BMI of 22.1.  I can feel it as I run, just a little tummy fat accumulating and that 4lbs makes all the difference.

Reason 4

I'm returning to work after the Easter holiday and starting to think about work.  Already I can feel the stress level starting to rise which is not a good sign.   I always used to worry what my offenders would get up to while I was away on leave.  Everyone's nightmare is a Serious Further Offence when there's an arrest for murder, rape or a handful of other serious matters and you're not there to defend yourself or explain why the file isn't completely up to date.  Everyone dreads that message awaiting for your return ("..... needs to see you about X urgently").  Even though I've climbed the ladder a bit, I still dread turning on my computer to see my emails and I have a potentially tricky meeting on Monday afternoon.

Reason 5

This reason is simple for me but maybe not so easy to identify with unless you're already a runner.  It's about the sheer joy of running.  Being free, just doing it and being alone with my thoughts.  Taking yourself to that different plain, thinking things through in a different way and rising above all of those niggles in life.  Feeling my body working and being more in-tune with it; listening to my breathing and my foot steps and rejoicing in the crispness of the early morning.  Sorry, I could wax lyrical about that for ages....

The result?

Not too bad.  I could feel my "shin splint" injury lurking there now and again but not too bad.  I'd say it is 90% healed and at this stage before the race, I'm going to risk going for it.  

I was watching my shadow at one point as this is a good way of checking my running form - again not too bad but not perfect.  My new Saucony's are brilliant, pleased I got them.

Just a quiet and soft dose of the Runner's High, in proportion to the run itself.  Nevertheless, satisfying and rewarding.

Although this was a "see how I do" run, my time wasn't bad and from a cardio point of view I've retained my capacity.  Mentally, a very nice lift too!

Shin splints?

I'm struggling a bit with running and I know many of my blog readers will have some empathy here.

After my recent long 20 mile run I've found my left leg to be quite painful when running.  It's between my left knee and ankle.  Not had this before so hard to know how long it will take to heal.  Quite a tricky balance between reducing running to allow healing to take place and not running at all.  I can't afford to grind to a halt just 3 weeks before the MK Marathon but I do need to heal this injury.  My solution is new running shoes (that helps), reducing my running to 10-12 miles a week, using across trainer at the gym and doing a few more stretches.

This evening I went out for a 3 mile run, taking about 25 minutes and using my new shoes. A fairly undulating run , mostly off road.  There was some pain and my left foot is landing different these days - I'm still landing on my heel (outer edge) and then rolling forward on that outer edge more than I used to; it's a bit awkward.  When I did a 10k run earlier in the week I had the same pain but "ran through it" fairly well.  I'm hoping I can do something like this in the marathon.

Watch this space, as they say....

Stop press!

NHS Direct - shin splints

Having slept on the matter of my injured leg, how it feels combined with reading up on it a little further, I've decided to ease off running for two weeks and enjoy cycling instead.  Hopefully this will allow me to stay in good shape and yet allow some healing to take place.  That way I hope to at least be able to jog around the MK Marathon on the 29th April.

So, here goes.  Right now it is 6.00am Saturday morning and I'm up blogging.  Gonna finish the ironing (!) have a coffee and go for an hour's bike ride.  

New Sauconys!

My new Saucony's

My Coach, Mrs Ramblings ordered a new pair of my favourite running shoes and they arrived by post today - here they are - my new Saucony ProGrid Omni 10.  Coach pointed out it was just bonkers to be running in the wrong shoes or the right shoes that were worn out, if you get the drift.

My Brooks Vapor 9's are charged with contributing to my current dose of shin splints, aggravated by a good helping of pushing myself too far.  My otherwise brilliant previous Saucony ProGrid Omni 10s had got past the worn out stage and begun falling apart and had been duly thrown away, so for the last week I had been hobbling around in a really old pair of Sauconys.

Is there any wonder why running still hurts?

What is troubling me is that the MK Marathon is a little over 3 weeks away and I should be tapering my training now, not still trying to build up.

The strategy now is to stay in reasonably good shape, perhaps some shortish runs, cross trainer and cycling in order to avoid becoming stiff and/or flabby!  I'm eating loads and if I'm not active enough, I know I'll gain weight which I can't afford to do at this stage.

You will already know I like these shoes as they suit me well.  Another reason is they are probably the best of the mainstream bunch as far as ethical trading is concerned and that should be an important factor to all runners.  I wanted to refresh myself and was interested to see their latest position - click here - for a link through to Saucony's UK site.

Injured :o(

Following last Saturday's 20 mile run, I know I over did it.  I went too far.  Too far even though it seemed great at the time and now I am paying the price for it.  Mrs Ramblings is okay and not giving me a hard time about slacking off etc.

I have hurt a little part of my left leg, just below the knee.

A few days rest and yesterday I had a sedate 2 mile run, not too bad but still tender.  Today I also ran the same distance and managed a bit better but now my leg is hurting - so entirely self inflicted.

I don't mind taking a rest but I'm worried all that my fitness will evaporate. Head and heart stuff.

My head tells me to rest, even though the race it is four weeks away.  My heart tells me to run no matter what.  I am just going to rest and trust.

The consequence of a long run

Misty mornings can be so beautiful

Last week I Rambled about the joy of the long run and now this is about the consequences of running too far.  Now that sounds a bit negative, let me give you some of the highlights and other snippets.

If you're a regular reader you'll know I am a little behind with my MK marathon training - just the business of life being the reason.  I realised I needed to be back on track, so too did Mrs Rambling who, as my coach, made sure I was out running as per schedule.  That included yesterday morning which was perfect weather that could not be better.  It was an incredible run; running beyond my normal "turning back" and continuing along lanes that I only knew from cycling or driving.  There were shafts of sunlight through some wooded areas and cool damp air in some little dips where the road dropped down into a hollow for a few hundred yards.  Surprisingly there were lots of cyclists out that early - nearly all said "hi" in a cheery way and all were riding newish decent bikes.  A bunch of 10-15 men whooshed past at a fast speed such that I could feel the rush of air as they did so.  I knew I was pushing myself and I was revelling in it so much having been looking forward to it.  Here's a few "milestones"

I ran for 3 hours 10 minutes - about 20 miles.  I felt the usual sensations:

• The first mile was the hardest (mentally and physically)
• The last mile was almost as hard
• 25 - 30 minute mark normally tough (a mini "wall" and I never know why)
• 45 minutes onwards f- eeling loosened up and running well.
• 90 minutes - stop for an energy gel and turnaround
• 120 minutes - painful left shin for a minute or so, happened a few times afterwards
• 130 minutes - realised I was going to reach home too soon and so I took a longer route home - an excuse to run up to my favourite hill and run the edge of an escarpment for a truly uplifting view
• 180 minutes - feeling pleased I was nearly home, left leg (below my knee), ankles and feet starting to ache and feeling thirsty
• 190 minute - back home after about 20 miles.  Drank a glass of water and a smoothie while I made a mug of tea and had a red hot shower.

Thoughts now, 36 hours on:

• Pleased I did the run, renewed my confidence for the marathon
• Flippin' heck - does this mean I'm actually injured (painful trying to play football with B&H this afternoon)?  Shin splints is the most likely.
• Maybe a gentle jog tomorrow for a couple of minutes to see how it feels? 
• Perhaps a bike ride instead?
• But - I have to work late tomorrows evening so that limits me - probably not a bad thing
• Reflecting on the indescribable beauty of the early morning mist melting into soft sunshine

I have been very fortunate in these last few years of running - while I haven't exactly broken any records, it has been injury-free.  I am hoping this will only be a minor injury.  My fear is that I lose fitness quicker than I do in reality, so having a few days off won't affect my fitness but it will save me from risking running again too soon.