Why regular eye exams are important

Here's a plug for making sure you go to the opticians on a regular basis.  Also that's a picture of the back of my eye from a recent examination (they kindly saved it onto a memory stick for me).  This brings me around to remind myself why it's important to get an eyesight examination.  Why?  I'll tell you....

Do you need glasses?
As much as I might be in denial about middle aged physical decline, I have made a concession with eyesight and begrudgingly wear glasses for reading, sitting in front of my computer etc.  We all know this and gradually have to accept our eyesight does change as we get older.  For most people in their 40s, eyesight becomes gradually more longer-sighted.  Hyperopia is the medical term and it goes along with having problems with reading and other close-up work.  An optician can diagnose this, various eye diseases and other vision related difficulties quite easily.

Other health issues?
An eye exam is like a Doctor taking a look inside your body where quite a long list of things can be diagnosed, or at least to spot some tell-tale symptoms suggesting other tests or investigations are worthwhile.  These can include the early signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and so on.  "Don't wait until your toes fall off" before you get treated for diabetes is the kind of message some people need to hear!

And me?
Yes that's a photograph of the back of one of my eyes, taken about a month ago at a new opticians.  They said "ah Doug, it looks like you suffer from.....".  They were quite correct.

Anyone care to take a guess what they spotted?

Problem solving steps: running

If you are a regular reader you will already know that I am a real advocate of running in terms of the physical and mental health benefits.  It is very understandable for other magazine writers and bloggers to talk about the physical side of running - the weight loss, increased stamina, toned muscles and so on.  Yes, these are all very true and such writers are correct in promoting these benefits.  But you don't see so much about the mental health benefits and how we can end up thinking differently, simply by going for a run.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
I look back on my career which has included taking practitioner training in cognitive behavioural therapy training, CBT for short.  This is helpful in coaching people to work through problems in ways where they are more likely to come up with a good solution.  Briefly, CBT often involves reflecting and defining what the actual problem is, what the options are and the consequences of following those different routes.  A kind of "stepping back" to think things through, rather than knee-jerk reactions which often fail; thoughts, emotions and our reactions.  That's CBT in a very crude nutshell.

Funnily enough I often find myself following many of these steps myself many years later (practicing what I preach, so to speak) but running takes it to another level altogether.  It's amazing!

Running through problems
Often when I go for a run, it will be for a specific reason, apart from needing to stay in good shape and not grind to a halt completely.  I set off with the definite intention of solving a problem during the run.  If my run is for an hour, I always seem to spend the first 20 minutes warming up and reminding myself the run will get easier - and it does.  Those first 20 minutes / 2+ miles is always the hardest - legs alternating between being stiff and then like jelly.  But once I've got into a good rhythm and my muscles are warm, that's when the problem solving starts, plus I'm really enjoying the run.

I tend to go through a few minutes thinking "how is this making me feel" and then I recognise the anxiety it has caused me.  Then comes the resolve to get it sorted, with the determination it's not going to get the better of me and reminding myself I've had these issues many times before.  I often mull over the different ways I could approach it, or more likely to think of the routes which haven't worked so far.

Solutions
Then BINGO! I hit upon an idea!  This is the beauty of running - it brings out the creative side of my thinking, I often get really good ideas that I know I wouldn't otherwise have.  I can testify many of these more inspired ideas really have worked, almost to the point of surprising myself.

One problem I do find, however, might seem a bit strange.  By the time I get back home, kick my running shoes off and head for the shower, I often have problems remembering exactly what the solution was!  This is very frustrating at times!  However, this more often gets solved by "talking to myself" about the solution while I'm still running, almost like becoming a human Dictaphone.  That often works.

The kind of solutions.....
These can vary enormously.  Sometimes a practical solution but more often it's about how I am going to deal with a work related issue.  How am I going to steer a conversation I need to have with a colleague?  How am I going to convince someone they need to change their mind about something?  Am I over reacting to something?  You get the drift.

Apart from knowing what to do, running also helps me stand back from these problems, a way of keeping these things in perspective so they don't become all-consuming.  A kind of "rising above" things which I find so helpful.

Different types of exercise?
As you know, I cycle as well as run.  For some reason I don't get the same effect from cycling but that doesn't stop me enjoying that but for slightly different reasons.  Cycling leads to other kinds of thinking: reflecting, enjoying the surroundings, "flip this hill is getting steeper" and planning things for the future.

Perhaps with running, it's the sheer simplicity that makes it work so well?  Alternatively perhaps it's the more noticeable rush of endorphins?  Well, whatever it is, it seems to work for me and that's why I'm so keen to spread the word about running being such a great thing to do.  It's not just about losing weight etc. It's about taking steps to maintain good mental health and avoid going into downward spirals which can lead to anxiety, depression etc.  Becoming a runner is one of the best things I've ever done!

Can fitness help with cancer treatment?

Recently I came across an interesting article that caught my eye.  Through a pilot study at Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool, it was found that through helping patients improve their physical fitness, they could manage treatments and recovery much better.

One elderly patient with a serious form of cancer has been inspired by his Doctors to get himself into better shape and he admits he's fitter than every before.  He uses an exercise bike on which you can really work up a good sweat (you see, they do have their uses!).

The patients in this trial are being treated for "stage 3 rectal cancer" which is a severe form of bowel cancer.  The treatment involves chemo and radio therapy before surgery.  Of course this takes quite a toll on physical strength and well being.  The treatment has a real effect on muscles which are inevitably weakened during this time and the exercise seems to be of real benefit.  It's also helpful as there is a gap of several weeks between the chemo and radio therapy which is inevitably a time of anxiety for patients.  Maintaining a good fitness regime will provide some focus during this time and build up a certain amount of resilience for the on-going treatment.

Naturally having a good base level of fitness will be helpful to anyone in this position because you're not starting from stretch and there is an argument to suggest exercise that keeps the body moving may prevent certain cancers in the first place.

This isn't new!

As I read the article I couldn't help but remember a guest blog post click here by David Haas in north America in which he also argues the case for maintaining fitness through treatment periods.

It's important to remember that aside from the physical benefits, there will be mental health benefits as well.  Naturally a period of treatment for cancer is a difficult time for anyone and it is understandable when patients start to suffer from cancer and other serious illnesses.  The natural reaction might be to with draw and be inactive.  After all, people will be very understanding in these circumstances.  Physical exercise, if it can be done, is likely to lift a patients mood.

But talk to your Doctor first

Now then let's get something straight here.  I'm not suggesting anyone is reckless and goes from zero to 'whatever' and it would be better to talk to your Doctor before embarking on any change in lifestyle, even if it's a positive change.  I'm not a Doctor or have any kind of medical expertise here.  So please don't try and sue me for leading you astray!

"How often should I run?", asks a new runner

In my office there are about 50 people based there and we come in all shapes and sizes.  Some run and make a big deal of it, some are more discreet and some are curiously interested; most are some distance from being runners.  Then there are some who routinely take the lift rather than walking up one or two floors.

So, there I was yesterday discussing a practice issue with a colleague and the conversation got 'round to running.  We were chatting about the number of times we run each week and whether there is an optimum number of running days.

Here's what we decided between us.

1 run per week is better than nothing and okay for simply ticking over.  Don't be too ambitious with speed or distances.

You won't be feeling the immense benefits of being a runner although any running is better than no running.  "Period" as they say Stateside.  However, there are times when this is appropriate; perhaps after an intense season of running, easing back to a single weekly run can be appropriate in allowing a restful healing period - so if that's the case, please don't be too hard on yourself.

2 runs per week mean you could have a longish run over the weekend and a slightly brisk shorter run mid week.  This is the minimum for us!

Even within our busy schedules there are still 168 hours in a week - do we make best use of those hours?  Surely we can accommodate 2 or 3 hours for some exercise?  Even the Namby Pamby NHS guidelines are recommending we spend at least this amount of time raising our heart beat with some form of regular exercise.

3 runs per week is probably ideal.  As the optimum number for us  it means an opportunity for more serious training i.e long run slow on a Saturday morning (at least 8 miles), a 30-40 minute run with intervals on Tuesday evening followed by an hours' run on Thursday evening at a 8 minute/mile pace.

With this pattern of running established, you're going to be gaining so many benefits of running and getting into a really great habit.  Nobody will ever doubt that you are a real runner!

4 or 5 runs per week are okay for many people, especially if you have the time in your work / home routine.  Be careful not to incur any injuries by maintaing sufficient rest and sleep.

I think age is a possible limiting factor in terms of what can be done and what can be recovered from.  Having said that there are numerous runners still running well into their 60s at this kind of level but one has to be sensible, listen to your body and know any warning signals.  For runners fortunate enough to be younger, in their 20s and 30s, it will generally be easier to maintain running most days of the week.

6 or 7 runs per week are okay for short periods, although if you're young and in really good shape you may handle this well but it all depends on what running we're talking about.  Over the Christmas holiday period I ran everyday for about two weeks.  Sometimes it was little more than a 5 minute jog around the local streets.  Other times I ran for up to 90 minutes over the hills.  That was absolutely fine for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it, plus it's a good way of burning off those additional calories which will inevitably be consumed.

Wrapping up here it is worth bearing in mind what you could do as a new runner.  I suggest for many who are new, going for 4 or 5 runs each week is a good start - providing they are very short runs and which are slow, or combine walking.  This is where establishing a habit is important and gradually building up speed and distances.  So even a 20 minute walk / jog really does count and could be done several times each week.

Frequent running increases the risk of injury but it does depend on numerous variables.  Running too little can also cause injury as you're not prepared in handling a more demanding run.  These are all generalisations but I reckon for many people 3 or 4 runs a week are okay providing you don't push yourself too hard.  Apart from muscle, tendon or ligament damage, running too much can lower immunity to infections such as colds or flu.

So, do you have any thoughts on this?  If you run, how many times each week?  How do you find it?  What's it like?  what can you handle?

Running in Penestin, France

We've just been on our family hols to France!  A very pleasant break over half term in a new place for us.  Turned out to be wonderful for some easy runs through being nice and flat (but I did miss running up some hills).  This break has benefitted each one of us in terms of refreshment, the need for a slower pace and more time with each other.

Penestin is a small coastal community on a peninsular in southern Brittany and faces the Atlantic.  We got there by taking the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo and this is helpful in getting a decent night's sleep before a three hour drive the following day. Coming back, we took a day time crossing on a day with lovely weather so all-in-all it was a pleasurable journey.  It is not a place for challenging runs or bike rides at all.  Instead this is about some recovery, restful and recreational runs.

As usual, I enjoy running early in the mornings, before breakfast and this was no different.  We were staying right in the middle of the peninsular, about a mile or so inland and I never actually had a run along the beach after all (must go back another time for this!).  Instead I found lots of woodland tracks, doubling up as cycle tracks with the occasional horse rider too - these are superb for running and this is why....

• A nice surface for running on; mostly grit or fine gravel
• Very scenic.  Found myself passing through lots of woodland areas with beautiful meadows and fields on either side.  Plenty of wildlife and a natural eco-system doing well - it did not appear too over-farmed
• Although sometimes it is necessary to run on a road to get to the start of a track, the roads were wonderfully quiet, what with France being so thinly populated compared to England
• Lots to explore.... "where does this go?" but you are unlikely to get totally lost!
• Wide enough for cyclists, horse riders and runners to pass each other
• They appear to be very well maintained and there are discreet posts to prevent cars

Although I have eased back on running over the last month, having three or four runs in a week is a positive thing to do while on holiday.  These were easy runs lasting no more than an hour.  It is nice to just go for an easy, gentle run for the sheer enjoyment of it and not as part of a training schedule.  The time for that has gone (for now) and it's nice to run for the sheer joy of it in new surroundings.

Having said that, it is unwise to pretend you're not using your body in a way which puts a little strain on it.  I found I had a tight muscle in my groin which was starting to complain so I stopped and had a stretch with a few lunges.  While some people do their stretching before they run, I have always been wary of this and prefer to stretch once my muscles are warmer and more pliable.  I had no worries about being self conscious in doing this - the whole area was totally deserted so early in the morning!

Here's a few other photos from the early morning runs in Penestin:

Catching up with Spring

I love this time of year; May is my favourite month of the year.  Everything is new and looking bright for the summer months ahead.  Our daylight is getting longer, temperatures are getting warmer and the garden is springing into life.

With these wonderful things there are all kinds of distractions from blogging but I just wanted to reassure you that I'm not going cold on you!

Here's a little round-up of what's going on:

Running
I have taken things a little easy since the MK Marathon on 6th May.  I have enjoyed a few short runs of 2 or 3 miles to give my 51 year old legs a chance to recuperate a little although it has to be said, my recovery has been better than expected.

Apart from just a little stiffness in the 24 hours after the race, I have been absolutely fine apart from my sleeping pattern went up the creak for 4 or 5 nights afterwards.  I mentioned that to a running acquaintance who said that is fairly common.  As for myself, while this might be true, I have no idea why.

While there is nothing particularly remarkable about running a marathon in just under 4 hours, I'm still enjoying the memory of the event.   It's one of those things I won't need to have regrets about when I'm in my 90s - I'm sure there will be plenty of other things I'll be wishing I'd done while I had the chance.  I'm still pretty chuffed at myself.

Perhaps running a marathon is the hopeful goal of many recreational runners?  There are so many around these days and I think it's great.  Some far more capable than me, others wobbling their way along as they shed some surplus weight - I see myself in them from a few years back.  There is every reason for us all to be encouraged as there is so much to gain.  If in doubt check out my reasons to run.

We spotted an opportunity recently which was about being trained to become a running coach / leader through England Athletics.  Just so happens we are away when the next free training course will be (but live in hope of another later on).  The idea is that the Local Authority pays for ordinary people who have a passion for running, just like me, to be trained in leading a group of novice runners.  I think there's an expectation you generate a certain number of runners yourself but the powers-that-be could also put people in touch with you.  That strikes me as being a brilliant move - working strategically to get people into running shoes and out there pounding the streets and trails.  Click here for further details.

Stress
Very unscientific I know but I can feel my stress levels rising at work.  Is this because of cutting my running miles back and I'm not handling the stress, or, is there more pressure around anyway?  Could be.....

Twitter!
At work I have been given a corporate Twitter account and just starting to figure out how to use it.  So with this in mind, why should I have my own?  No problem apart from (at the time of writing) only having 3 followers.  So please feel welcome to follow me on https://twitter.com/TheCycleHub_net. I promise you'll get other things, apart from "ramblings".

Cycling
With all this running going on, not to mention the dreadful weather we had earlier this year, my bike has been collecting a little dust.  In fact I have barely done 100 miles all year.  That's now changing as my running will be "ticking over" for the summer as I clock up plenty of more miles on two wheels.

Jeremy holding himself back

Even yesterday I went for a 7.00am blast with my friend Jeremy.  It was just for an hour and we clocked up 16 miles including a deliberately steep hill.  He tells me that it's a Category 4 hill in the world of hill climbs.  As we were out early on a Sunday morning the roads were so quiet - blissfully quiet.  It meant we could ride alongside each other and talk easily.

While it felt good being on the bike again, it has to be said my cycling muscles need some development!  Jeremy, on the other hand, has been clocking up lots of miles on his new super-dooper Trek road bike and is way ahead of me.

We were thinking about doing a C2C ride again this year.  Both of my daughters are keen to do this, although they do have different approaches to cycling and this makes it difficult for me to "herd" them along and staying together.  As much as I'd love to do this, it may have to be planned for next year as I have already taken quite a bit of annual leave from work.

Holiday - yay!
Next week we're going to France for a little holiday.  We're looking forward to it and all the holidays we've had over the years have been great when we have gone in the May half term.

We are taking an overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo and naturally we're taking the bikes as we head into Brittany.  Hoping for a slightly slower pace of life, some great opportunities for some runs and and bike rides in what will be an all-too-brief break in the business of a hectic life.  I have a dream that Rachel and I can find some quiet moments to put our feet up and have some more dreamy conversations.

Smoking or abortion: which is most harmful?

You might be thinking there's nothing worse than an ex-smoker going on about the horrors of smoking. Yes maybe that's true but I must tell you how almost ran my car off the road the other day while I was listening to the radio.

There was someone from NICE talking (that's the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence) on the radio as I drove into work a few days ago.   It was all about the difficulties in caring for pregnant women who smoke and how they disapprove of this.   The idea is that Mums-to-be will be given a carbon monoxide test as part of their early check ups, in order to identify the smokers.  Now of course, this is all geared towards good care for the mother and baby.

This strikes me as being okay but only to a point, it would depend very much on the interaction between the midwife and the patient in how it was dealt with.  Any hint of the Nanny State sends me into a spin, as you know already.   Now I am sure that all midwives will have excellent interpersonal skills and will be able to do this well and provide considerable support in helping the woman quit smoking, or at the very least, cut down.  Surely everyone knows smoking is bad for health generally and definitely not the best start in life for a new born baby?  Everyone knows that plus it must be acknowledged giving up is not easy, after all nicotine is a powerfully addictive drug.

What really got my goat and almost sent me off the road was the NICE representative saying "the well being of the baby is the absolute priority" and on this level it makes perfect sense.

This is now coming to my point about this limp NICE comment.  If then, the baby's well being is so important, why do we have almost 200,000 abortions in the UK each year?  How many of those babies are "done away with" because of not being planned, or arriving at the wrong time in terms of careers or other features in a woman's life?

Surely as each of those babies should be developing without the presence of nicotine and other nasty chemicals, they should then have the right to life in the first place?   I know this is a sensitive area and perhaps I'll be seen as an insensitive man wading into a tricky subject but it's something many people do feel strongly about with many different points of view.

Recovering after a marathon - thoughts

There is no doubt a marathon is a hell of an endurance run, for almost every runner.  Those 26.2 miles equals 42,000 metres, 3000 - 4000 calories and perhaps 50,000 steps in just a few hours.  For ordinary runners like me, this puts an immense strain on feet, legs, joints and so on.  Our skin can rub and get blistered; it can also get sunburnt.  Our knee and ankle joints take a real pounding for the duration.

Last years' marathon I was stiff and achy for a few days.  Plus psychologically I felt very low during the day after.  I suffered a bit.

This year was different.  I was 13 minutes faster; even though I felt less well prepared.  Last year is was cold, windy and wet.  This year it was warm and sunny.

He's a few further thoughts:

Resting

Yes, obvious you might think but I have not found this to be straight forward.  In the first 3 or 4 days after the marathon I found it hard to sleep properly.  You'd think I or any other 51 year old would be shattered after a marathon and be sleeping like a lamb for ages.  

Although I was undeniably tired in the physical sense, I was restless for a few nights afterwards.  I mentioned this to Pete, a neighbour who also runs.  He seemed to recognise this and suggested it could be connected with all those hormones and endorphins still buzzing around; that sounds very plausible.

Recovery

While elite runners may think little of running a marathon well under 3 hours each weekend and have a few daily runs of 10 - 20 miles in between, us ordinary runners may need some recovery time.  This is where I think it's important to get the balance right between remaining active but allowing any stiff muscles  or pounded joints to recover for a bit.  Even without running for 2 or 3 weeks is not the end of the world at all - could be a healthy thing to do, depending on where you're at.  There are numerous joints, muscles, tendons, bits of skin etc that can all be suffering a little too much 'wear and tear' - these might need some special care.

Myself I felt only slightly stiff the next day and I was following the following day.  Three days later I had a one mile slow run and then yesterday I ran a little faster for 30 minutes just to see how I felt.   All was fine and there's no reason why I can't resume normal running now.

Rejuvenating - food!

Just as getting a well balanced diet is important in the training, so too is giving some thought to what you'll eat and drink in the minutes, hours and days after a race.  

Through any race the chances are any of us will be a bit dehydrated.  From my observations at the MK marathon this may have applied to a number who were, sadly, close to collapse at the end, or near to it. Has to be said they were being well looked after by the race marshals and the St John's Ambulance personnel.  That could be a combination of being simply exhausted but it could also be dehydration brought about by the unusually warm weather that day.  So yes, rehydrating yourself is something to do but don't go over the top - it can be dangerous to drink too much too soon.  Gradual cooling down and rehydration is the key.

I had a banana and I had prepared a bottle of Cherry Active juice (click here for my previous review) which I believe helped my early recovery.  I made sure I had a glass of this two or three times a day for the first few days afterwards.

As usual I eat lots of fruit, making sure there was a good variety, including whole fruits and smoothies.  This supports the body deal with free radicals and the immediate damage that might be caused at cellular level.

Otherwise I ate freely and enjoyed it!  I probably consumed far more than normal but this is okay in getting the necessary proteins and carbohydrates needed to rebuild.  Even now a week later, while I know I can carry on running fine, my body is repairing itself still and perhaps deserves a little "slack" to allow that to happen.  As much as I might outwardly deny that being 51 years old is anywhere near being "middle age", the reality is things do take a little longer to heal than they did 10 years ago.

Mental health

Take a moment to check you're okay after a long endurance race; perhaps ask yourself each day and check it out with someone else too.  Easy to enjoy the natural Runner's High but not everyone will get this and it might be inter-mingled with disappointment or regret.  

In running where we push ourselves physically, in doing so we are also throwing in all kinds of endorphins and hormones and highs and lows into the mix.  There is no set reaction.  Look out for each other in the days afterwards.  Unexpectedly I felt really low in last year's marathon and this year was completely different.

In any race there are often runner's wearing tee-shirts with messages like "this is for you, Mum" or for some charity.  I remember seeing someone running in memory of their young baby.  Each person will have their own story and again it cannot be underestimated how intense those feelings can be for some. Again the support of others can be valuable, making all the difference.

A week later

I am still re-living the marathon in my mind; still enjoying it.  Yes it was tough going during the last hour but I loved it!  

I'm planning to ease off running for the summer, sort of "ticking over"  This will involve doing my favourite 7.5 hilly run each week together with an easy after-work run with one or two colleagues.  I am wanting to start clocking up some more miles on the bike (having yet to reach 100 miles for the year so far!).

Hope that helps....

.....that's my little round-up of recovering from a marathon.  Can potentially be a mixed picture for some, others may breeze through.  Take time to recover well, you deserve it.

Race report - MK marathon, 6th May 2013

If you've been following my blog lately, you'll already know that because of my disjointed training my strategy was to "get around somehow", rather than be too ambitious.  In the end I was pleased and surprised with the outcome.  Here's the story....

This is the second year I have entered the Milton Keynes (MK) Marathon as it's not too far from our home.  It is also a flat course, very well organised and quite scenic.  I know that "scenic" and Milton Keynes do not always naturally go together but it goes to show what can be achieved through good planning and negotiation with the Local Authorities.

My goal, my ambition

My time last year was 4:12 and I was hoping to get somewhere near that, although it has to be said, I was not feeling too confident.  My training hadn't gone to plan with fewer-than-ideal long runs and I'd a dose of flu that knocked me out for a couple of weeks at an important time.  So I was pleased when I got my result of 3:58:45 - not only beating last year's time but coming in just under the magic 4 hours. Apologies for being a bit self indulgent here!

Warm weather

We couldn't believe how fantastic the weather was looking.  A month ago we still had some snow lying around and it was bitterly cold.  Now we were enjoying some beautiful spring sunshine at my favourite time of year - what could be better?  It was fairly cool first thing and as lovely as it was, I planned for some high temperatures.  Sunblock, my lightest running top and well hydrated from the previous day.  When I started running a few years ago, I never seemed to know quite what to wear: partly wanting to blend in and appear a "proper runner".  Nowadays I couldn't care less - I wear what I think is right for me.  That paid off.  I think many other runners were overdressed and it became apparent later on (see below).

The pattern for starting was the normal approach - fast runners at the front, us slow coaches towards the back.  It is always a nice opportunity to chat to other runners and I found myself listening to a man (can't quite remember his name) who was 59 and had run 70 marathons.  Now that's something to take note of!  

We're off!

By courtesy of the Mayor of Milton Keynes, the starting horn blew and we just stood there and only inched forward after a few minutes - this is perfectly normal and with individual chip timing, it's perfectly okay and you're not disadvantaged.  Many runners were pressing buttons and fiddling with smart phones and Garmins.  Me, well I just had my £20 Timex analog watch.  What took my by surprise, in the first few yards, I suddenly had two little girls running alongside.  "Daddy, Daddy, good luck Daddy!" it was Becky and Hannah, my daughters.  This made me smile as I pressed on.  

After a mile or so the pack was still fairly tight and I was aware I was running amongst lots of "heavy breathers" who were either going to be slow plodders or were saving themselves for the second half.  I picked up the pace a little and moved through them, still feeling okay.  I knew that my weak spot was my knee and ankle joints and it seemed I would take the same number of steps no matter how fast or slow I went, so I pressed on.  Needless to say when I got to the 25 minute mark, my own personal "wall" appeared and then melted away after 4 or 5 minutes.  I'm not phased by this anymore; it happens.

The early stages of the course took the runners through the commercial office area, weaving in and out of the shadows cast by the taller buildings.  Lots of dual carriage ways with so many supporters at the junctions added to the atmosphere with little kids waving their Dads (and some Mums) on their way.  There were quite a lot of keen-looking cyclists who, after a while, I started to recognise them as they cropped up again and again!  The course also double backed on itself so you could see slower runners on the other side of the road and I spotted the pack I had been in and knew I'd done the right thing to leave them behind.  I later realised this was the position of the official 4:30 pace setter.

Half way, half marathon done

Getting to the half way stage was nice, although I was starting to feel a little fatigued but nothing out of the ordinary.   I was also taking every opportunity to grab some water or Gatorade at each of the drink stations and I am sure this helped keep me fairly cool through the race.  During the second half I was definitely amongst my peers in terms of our running ability.  We would take it in turns to over take each other several times and yet we were all keeping a steady pace going.

The course itself was showing its variety which I really liked.  The earlier commercial urban areas were nicely contrasting with the semi rural villages and the tow path of the Grand Union Canal for a bit; that was nice and running through the dabbled shadows from the lovely trees was nice.  The path took us over some short but steep bridges criss-crossing across the canal.  It was here that some runners were starting to flag a bit by walking over them.  

Running through a residential area there was a man outside his house spraying his hosepipe over the runners - quite welcome and I heard a fellow runner say "thanks mate that's nice" followed by "if that buggers up my iPhone, I'm coming 'round to see you".  Talking of hosepipes and cooling water, I was delighted when I saw my family at about mile 17!  I didn't expect that at all.  Becky and Hannah were cheering me on, complete with a poster that said 'Go Daddy Go' and then they were squirting me with water.  That was nice and after I'd passed they carried on squirting other runners; apparently that went down well!  Talking of kids, those little children who dutifully hold out boxes of jelly babies are fantastic!

The home straight (nearly)

I saw the 20 mile sign go past and it gave me a mental boost - just 6.2 miles to go and somehow telling myself it was just 10k seemed to make it shorter in my mind.  I was starting to hurt at this point and I remembered my longest "long" run beforehand was just 15 miles.  For a minute a knee would hurt, then an ankle, then a minute later a part of my foot - each pain taking over from the previous one.  Then I got a stitch - I couldn't believe it!  I have only ever had a slight stitch when setting out, not 20 miles into a race.  Happily it went almost as quickly as it came.  I smiled to myself as each bit of my legs started to complain in turn and because each protest was short lived I reckoned there was nothing too serious going on.

The slopes seemed to get a bit harder for everyone.  None of them are too steep or long but they did seem a struggle with many runners walking them.  As with last year I refused to walk - it did come down to a jog once or twice but I refused to walk no matter how much it hurt.

I remembered last year catching a glimpse of the MK stadium about half a mile or so before the finish and that gave me a wonderful boost.  The gradient was very slightly down hill and I enjoyed coasting in.  Going down the slope into the stadium building was painful on the soles of my feet - all my weight landing with extra force with each step.  Coming into the stadium was so uplifting and spotting my family in the crowd was fantastic - thanks Rachel, Becky and Hannah - you're wonderful!

Finish!

And so I crossed the finish line, all a bit of a blur and I walked passed the 'results table' where you could pick up your exact time without having to wait any longer.  Last year my ambition was to come in under 4 hours.  My training this year was aimed at (sort of) matching last year's.  More recently my aim was to survive regardless of the time.  And so the chip time result is 3:58:45.

Delighted!  Even my colleagues gave me a little round of applause when I went into work yesterday (before they suggested it must be my turn to buy them all cakes).  Thanks guys.

I enjoyed it so much, even now a couple of days later I'm still on a high and recovering a lot better than I did last year (other blog post to follow).

I'm just so thankful, so blessed, more than I could imagine.  Thank you.

St John's Ambulance crew getting ready

Easing sore muscles for some runners

Longed for finish line

Not selling much junk food today

After my race, being reflective