Stepping Up the Miles

Having not managed a long run in April (due to a variety of reasons) I desperately needed to get out for a few hours before the upcoming Old County Tops (37 miles and 10,000 feet over Helvellyn, Scafell and Coniston Old Man) race on 19th May.  So I planned a big loop from our house expecting it to be somewhere in the low 20s only to find out when I got home it was over 29 miles according to Run Keeper.

I can't get the map to embed so click here to see> last Sunday's run.

It was cool and wet (and slippy underfoot, especially in the latter half) so I didn't need too much in the way of fluids (I drank a litre overall) but I felt very hungry for some reason (probably due to me cutting down on the carbs recently).  Fortunately I'd taken a couple of bananas and bars but was still feeling empty over the last ten miles.  I was ready for a cup of tea and a nice hot bath by the time I got home but overall fairly pleased as I found the first 20 miles nice and comfortable (and I got to see some Shetland pony foals which were extremely cute and not much bigger than our dog.)

Niggles and Wiggles

Just had another lazy week. The achilles niggle and associated knee pain thankfully disappeared by Tuesday. On Tuesday evening I'd planned to go out on the bike but didn't make it thanks to the washing machine breaking down and me stripping it down to find that it wasn't repairable (spares not available on the internet) so I did some exercises indoors instead. These seemed to have reached the parts running can't reach as the very tops of my calves were aching on Wednesday. Nevertheless I went out on the bike in the evening and had a cracking ride. Another gorgeous summer evening through and round Ashridge forest. Saw a fox and another herd of roe deer. I felt great and was pushing hard for most of the hour and three quarters I was out. However, on Thursday the top of my left calf was extremely sore. I couldn't tell if it was strained or just good old fashioned sore from the exercise. I was worried as the last calf strain cost me six weeks off running. Fortunately it seems to have been the latter as it has just about gone now so I'll be out again tomorrow if not this afternoon. I'm having to tread a thin line with this training, getting in enough without causing some problem that stops me.


While out buying a new washing machine I also picked up a new set of scales that also tell you your % body fat and water content. It says my % body fat is 15.5 which is at the bottom end of the normal range for blokes of my age. It also gave me a water content reading of 56% which is above normal and a surprise to my normally dehydrated self. The instructions said that the algorithm it uses to make these calculations don't work on athletes but I don't think I have to worry about that just yet.


The downside is that the new scales reckon I'm 12st 5lb whereas I'm hovering around 12st on our old scales. Either way I've certainly changed shape over the last couple of months. When I last put my cycling bib shorts on there were bumps and bulges all over the place. I'm looking a lot more streamlined now. Those love handles have bitten the dust.


Just got to avoid these bloody niggles.

Big Softie

I really am too soft. I'd planned my long road run on Sunday but couldn't resist taking Phoebe dog out on an off-roader. She loves running and goes mad when I put my shorts on (believe me it's not the sight of my legs). Those pleading eyes are just too much for a big softie like me to resist. So a quick replanning later and off we go down the Ridgeway path, over Ivinghoe Beacon then round back through Ashridge forest. A mere eight miles but a lovely run on a gorgeous spring morning.

Interestingly, I found it difficult to get the heart rate over 120. Not sure what's going on there. Maybe something to do with the curry the night before.

Woof woof!

Trivial Pursuits

Another few miles in yesterday. Me and the dog through Ashridge forest. Past Cold Harbour, into the Golden Valley and back up past the magnificent management college aka Ashridge House (part stately home, part church, part castle). A bit achey after Sunday's road run; didn't get the heart rate over 140.

Trivia about Ashridge House: apparently the Bucks-Herts border used to run down the middle of the dining room!

Note for filmlovers. I was running through the Golden Valley last year to find they'd built a drystone wall along the bottom of it. Turns out it was plastic and was part of the set for film called Stardust starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert deNiro, Claire Danes, Peter O'Toole and Ricky Gervais. It's out in August.

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