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Gladstone

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I have somehow really hurt my right foot from running...

 

 

The closest symptoms to what I have seems to be a stress fracture, which is a fucking shitter if it is.

 

 

Going to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully get something done about it.

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I have somehow really hurt my right foot from running...

 

 

The closest symptoms to what I have seems to be a stress fracture, which is a fucking shitter if it is.

 

 

Going to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully get something done about it.

 

If it is a stress fracture be prepared for them to do very little. I had a stress fracture on a metatarsal a few years ago and it was shitting agony. I couldn't flex my foot or put full weight on it withought a blinding pain shooting through it. I went to the docs and they said that they couldn;t put a cast on it or immobilise it as it wouldn't heal properly and that the best course of action was as much rest as possible for it, a heap of painkillers and massaging the offending area in a bowl of hot water regularly to encourage it to heal. It easily took 6 weeks or so for it to calm down.

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Hey Philkaline - what was the cause of your stress fracture if you don't mind me asking?  Was that a running (/overtraining) thing or something else all together?  Sounds horrendous anyway.

 

How's the foot E.C.?  Hopefully not as bad as feared.

 

How's it going for everyone else?  Any more parkrun times to post?

 

Some beasting training for me since my last post.

 

First ever track session on Friday which was cool.  2 sets of 5x400m all at just about or under 1:30 per rep.

 

Some easy running inbetween.  February total of 142.68 miles.  Over 50 miles more than I've ever done in a month before!

 

Was hoping to get back to the track this week, but it just wasn't happening so did the intervals session on Tuesday on the cycle path.  6 minutes @ threshold pace (came in a bit quick at 6:44 per mile) followed by 3 sets of 4x400m all at or just under 1:27-1:28 per rep.

 

60 minutes easy run yesterday and then a big session this morning of 3 x 20 minutes @ threshold pace (6:58 per mile pace for the first 2 and then 7:02 per mile pace for the third).

 

Everything is on track at the moment for sub 40 at Garioch 10k - couple of big sessions left.  8 x 1km followed by 5 x 200m next Tuesday and then straight up 45 minutes @ threshold pace next Thursday.  After that I'll be winding down slightly over the next 7-10 days until the race.

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Did my longest training run since my injury in September 2012 at the weekend (when I was happily doing hilly 12 and 14 mile runs at weekends). Was aiming for 10 miles but the GPS had it as 9.15, so second half of the loop must have been shorter than I thought it was going to be.  Still had enough in the legs for a week hillwalk out at Braemar in the afternoon though I was fucking knackered by the time I got home.

 

Followed that with a good 5 mile loop round Banchory last night.  All in all feeling very good and looking forward to light nights and better weather to start upping my mileage properly again.  Getting close to the start of the race season so also need to properly look at what I'm doing and when.

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Did my longest training run since my injury in September 2012 at the weekend (when I was happily doing hilly 12 and 14 mile runs at weekends). Was aiming for 10 miles but the GPS had it as 9.15, so second half of the loop must have been shorter than I thought it was going to be.  Still had enough in the legs for a week hillwalk out at Braemar in the afternoon though I was fucking knackered by the time I got home.

 

Followed that with a good 5 mile loop round Banchory last night.  All in all feeling very good and looking forward to light nights and better weather to start upping my mileage properly again.  Getting close to the start of the race season so also need to properly look at what I'm doing and when.

Is Baker Hughes going to be your first race or do you plan doing others between now and then?  Couple of parkruns maybe?

 

Sounds good though - it's great when you get back into your stride and churning out the miles.  The first week or two after a bit of a lull in training are always a bit daunting I find, but in no time at all, it feels like you never stopped and the momentum gathers.

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Is Baker Hughes going to be your first race or do you plan doing others between now and then?  Couple of parkruns maybe?

 

Sounds good though - it's great when you get back into your stride and churning out the miles.  The first week or two after a bit of a lull in training are always a bit daunting I find, but in no time at all, it feels like you never stopped and the momentum gathers.

 

I keep meaning to do the parkruns. Would be good to get my 5k time down a bit (last parkrun I did it was 23:49). But generally I've been doing long runs on Saturdays and then something else on Sundays.  

 

There's a few races in April that are tempting. The Angus half and a Stroke charity 10k at the beach. Also Clachnaben but dunno if I want to go through that again yet.

 

Probably would have done the Garioch 10k if I'd got my act together in time.

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I've got my eye on doing this at some point.  Maybe this year, though the logistics of arranging it around my current on call rota make that unlikely:

 

http://www.skyehalfmarathon.org.uk/heb3.shtml

 

5 half marathons in the western isles. You have to do 3 of the 5 to take part in the challenge.  Looks great.  Realistically I think I'd try to do one or maybe two of them this year then plan for all 5 next year.

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That sounds pretty cool Chris.  Something to think about for the future for me.  Logistically, not the easiest to organise as you say.  I'm all about the 10k at the moment (although I probably will run a couple of HMs this year) - going to try to get the time right down.

 

A guy from Fraserburgh who I sort of know (acquaintance of an acquaintance kind of guy) was running 42:01 for the 10k in 2011.  He just recorded a 35:47.  Bonkers.  My PB last year was 42:01, so I'm going to take that to absolutely definitely mean I will run a 35:47 in 2016...

 

He also recorded a 77 for the HM on I think only his second attempt at the distance!

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2 miles back in last night and injured already. Shite.

 

I've got my eye on doing this at some point.  Maybe this year, though the logistics of arranging it around my current on call rota make that unlikely:

 

http://www.skyehalfmarathon.org.uk/heb3.shtml

 

5 half marathons in the western isles. You have to do 3 of the 5 to take part in the challenge.  Looks great.  Realistically I think I'd try to do one or maybe two of them this year then plan for all 5 next year.

 

Fancied a go at this as a dry-run for Stonehaven, however I'm on a sticky wicket moneywise just now so might have to wait. Reliably informed it's a beaut of a course, and you get Talisker in the goody bag at the end....

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  • 2 weeks later...

How's the training going everyone?  Not good on the injury front Scorge - just minor I hope?

 

I had a bit of a calf strain last week after hitting a bit session of 8x1km, followed up by 5x 200m.  Very stiff left calf for most of the week but woke up this morning and it's finally loosened off thankfully.

 

Easy week this week in the lead up to Garioch 10k.  Fingers crossed that I'm on for sub 40...

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Hey Chris - question for you re: the Clachnaben Hill Race.  Will normal running shoes suffice for the course?  I don't own a pair of trail or fell shoes.  I get on pretty well with my NBs which have fairly chunky soles and decent grip when running in mud etc.  They'll be okay, right?

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Hey Chris - question for you re: the Clachnaben Hill Race.  Will normal running shoes suffice for the course?  I don't own a pair of trail or fell shoes.  I get on pretty well with my NBs which have fairly chunky soles and decent grip when running in mud etc.  They'll be okay, right?

 

Um... You might be OK but it will be heavily dependent on the weather.  I wouldn't recommend it.  Bits of the course are very rough and you're pretty much just running over heather.  I'd recommend you wear running tights if you have them or you could end up with lots of wee cuts and scrapes on your shins.

 

You also MUST have a hat, gloves and full body cover (waterproof jacket and bottoms) with you during the race.  When you turn up you may be asked to show them this when you register.  

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Cheers for that Chris. Is it all 'fell' / 'trail' then so I could invest in a pair of trail shoes and no danger of them being unsuitable for any parts of the race?

Cheers for the additional info too - so, do you need to carry that stuff with you if you're not wearing it? If it's a fine day for example are you expected to carry a jacket round with you? Otherwise it seems a bit daft to make you have one with you just to leave it at the start.

This is starting to sound a good bit rougher than I had imagined...!

Edited by Gladstone
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Cheers for that Chris. Is it all 'fell' / 'trail' then so I could invest in a pair of trail shoes and no danger of them being unsuitable for any parts of the race?

Cheers for the additional info too - so, do you need to carry that stuff with you if you're not wearing it? If it's a fine day for example are you expected to carry a jacket round with you? Otherwise it seems a bit daft to make you have one with you just to leave it at the start.

This is starting to sound a good bit rougher than I had imagined...!

 

It's a category AM race so it's mandatory kit regardless of weather. Short races and less severe races have some leeway to relax the kit requirements in good weather but for long and medium cat A races it's fixed.  You'll probably be expected to have a whistle as well.  Most people will have light waterproof gear that rolls up small into a running backpack or waist pouch.

 

Even if it's a fine day it'll probably be cold and windy at the highest points of the route. Not a problem while you're running but if you get hurt and have to walk off you'll be glad of an extra layer to put on over your shorts and t-shirt.

 

The race is all off road on wood trails, firebreaks, open moorland and hill path.  So there's no road but even if there was you'd manage a short bit of road running on most trail shoes unless you bought some extreme fell ones which are more like molded footie boots.

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Nice one - cheers. I'll check out the rules and what I need to bring with me. I don't have a whistle - well I do actually from my football coach days. Not sure where that is. Presumably any whistle that makes a noise is fine and it doesn't have to be a specific type of whistle...

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Hey Chris - back on the Clachnaben questions.  I can't find anything regarding required kit either on the Cosmics website or the Scottish Hill Racing website.  Where can I find such information??

 

The picture on the front of the Clachnaben page (on Cosmics website) shows a female runner in vest and skimpy running shorts and clearly not carrying anything else (on a very fine looking day) - quite misleading if they then expect runners to turn up on the morning with all the extra kit you mention.  There don't seem to be any "rules" anywhere other than "turn up on the morning and register".  You know, if you look at the pages of some of the ultras there's a set of things you need to have, people to have with you, etc. etc.  This one just says it's a tough hill race.

 

Just wondering if there's a "code" or something that hill runners just know about somewhere??  The closest I've came to a fell race is the Balmoral 15 mile challenge a couple of years ago and it's almost exclusively run on a path, so this is all new to me!

 

Cheers

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The girl in the picture is wearing a waist bag, she'll have waterproofs in that (ones designed for running roll up really small).

 

The national associations set the guidelines that the races have to follow.  Scottish Hill Runners guide from last year state that

 

 

The English FRA guidelines that you can find here (http://fellrunner.org.uk/pdf/committee/14_Competitors_Safety_Rules_and_Equipment.pdf) say much the same.

 

Most hill races are organised by volunteers from the local clubs so unfortunately it means there's often little information until you turn up. They just assume that those wanting to run will know what to bring (most will be club runners or have run events before).  But on the plus side it keeps costs down so a race like Clachnaben you can just turn up, pay your fiver and run.

Ah - so she is.  I have a camelbak that I can take the water thing out of, it's pretty compact, so could put in my waterproof and running tights.  I don't own a map or compass though - will that be necessary?  It says the route is well marked, and I'm assuming I won't be too far from other runners (in front and behind).

 

Am I going into this completely naive!!??

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Ah - so she is.  I have a camelbak that I can take the water thing out of, it's pretty compact, so could put in my waterproof and running tights.  I don't own a map or compass though - will that be necessary?  It says the route is well marked, and I'm assuming I won't be too far from other runners (in front and behind).

 

Am I going into this completely naive!!??

 

Maybe a wee bit, but consider it a learning experience.  I was the same when I ran it two years ago (thought my runs up Scolty were good enough practice, they weren't).

 

The route is marked and there's marshalls at regular intervals plus sweepers following behind the last runner.  You should be fine without a map and compass but it all depends on the weather conditions really.  You don't take that stuff for good weather, you take it in case the cloud cover suddenly lowers and you can't see which direction to come off the hill.  I don't think I took one when I did the race, though I often have one in my rucksack so might have done.

 

There's no water stations on the course. So you might want to reconsider taking the bladder out of your camelbak if you expect to need water.  But there will be beer and cakes at the end.

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Hmm - all good info, cheers Chris.

 

I really won't be getting in much hill training to be honest because the main focus is the 10k at the moment.  This will be seen as a really tough workout as part of the training to be honest.  And it looks like "fun"...

 

I've been doing a lot of training this year, 40ish miles per week for a good 4-5 weeks until last week and everywhere I run is "hilly" to be honest - it's a challenge to find somewhere flat to do timed intervals.  I know that hilly will be nothing compared to the Clachnaben but that's part of the fun.  I've always been reasonably good at running up hills or climbing a mountain whenever I do it, without doing it that often so I'm not massively concerned about that.  I may keep the water in the camelback but only fill it half full so there's room for the waterproof and running tights.  When I did the stupid 100 mile challenge a couple of years ago, out of the races I did, the only one I actually enjoyed during it was the 15 mile Balmoral one, which is about 12 miles of a climb (not always gradual), couple of downhill miles, then a beast of a muddy hill at about 14 miles, then downhill to the finish.  That was reasonably good fun despite my training being absolutely abysmal so I'd like to think I can take this one on and enjoy it and do okay.  We'll see - I may get badly found out... ;)

 

It's the sort of thing I fancy doing a bit more of now and again though - no real aim in terms of time, just something that's a bit different from racing the clock on a road 10k.

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Hmm - all good info, cheers Chris.

 

I really won't be getting in much hill training to be honest because the main focus is the 10k at the moment.  This will be seen as a really tough workout as part of the training to be honest.  And it looks like "fun"...

 

I've been doing a lot of training this year, 40ish miles per week for a good 4-5 weeks until last week and everywhere I run is "hilly" to be honest - it's a challenge to find somewhere flat to do timed intervals.  I know that hilly will be nothing compared to the Clachnaben but that's part of the fun.  I've always been reasonably good at running up hills or climbing a mountain whenever I do it, without doing it that often so I'm not massively concerned about that.  I may keep the water in the camelback but only fill it half full so there's room for the waterproof and running tights.  When I did the stupid 100 mile challenge a couple of years ago, out of the races I did, the only one I actually enjoyed during it was the 15 mile Balmoral one, which is about 12 miles of a climb (not always gradual), couple of downhill miles, then a beast of a muddy hill at about 14 miles, then downhill to the finish.  That was reasonably good fun despite my training being absolutely abysmal so I'd like to think I can take this one on and enjoy it and do okay.  We'll see - I may get badly found out... ;)

 

It's the sort of thing I fancy doing a bit more of now and again though - no real aim in terms of time, just something that's a bit different from racing the clock on a road 10k.

 

I think you'll be fine.  Your mileage is good so the distance is OK for you the main thing is going to be the climb. It's pretty relentless once you turn up that first fire break.  Just keep moving forward, walk up the worst bits and run when you can. Remember that once you get round the summit on Clachnaben it's all downhill to the finish (well... aside from a bastard tiny little climb right at the end).

 

It is a very tough race but it feels great when you finish. I'm looking forward to hearing how you get on ;)

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