2.5 mile run woohoo

I upped my run mileage to 2.6 miles (shhh don't tell my physio, he only Ok'd 1 mile) last night. I ran a reasonably brisk 7:40 pace for the distance and although I was aware of my right ankle there was no pain so the recovery looks good. I'll do some cross-training on rowing machine and bike today before seeing my physio for more thumb in the torn tendon spot torture tomorrow to get rid of the few remains of swelling fluid build-up.

The Marlborough Downs may yet be on!

Recovery progress and Fling thoughts

Yes, more self-indulgent injury tedium but it is about all I have running wise to say. Anyway, I did a gym strength training session on Friday and then a 1.5 mile (woo) run on Sunday morning. My ankle seems fine with it although there is still a little fluid build up around the front outside of the joint. My sports therapist will kindly thumb that away on Thursday when I see him, whilst a bite down on a bit of leather and swear a lot.

I'll up the mileage to 2.5 tonight then lay off for 1 night before trying a 5 miler at a very easy pace on Wednesday. Still hopeful for the Marlborough Downs on 16th May but it's not 100% yet.

It's been great reading the various blog reports about the events at the weekend's Highland Fling. Sounds like Dave the subversive pirate was excetionally grumpy, probably due to not getting to wear tracksters for half the day. Sounds like Ian and John K had tough races - might be age gentlemen? ;-) The others have still to report but it looks like Marco, Ritchie, Neal, Tom, George R and Davie Hall had great races, and of course, Jez beat the course record again. :-)

Well done to Drew Sheffield, who I will be sharing an apartment with at the UTMB along with George Reid. He completed the Fling in 10:55 then ot on a bus and completed a marathon the next day somewhere in the Midlands after almost no sleep. Crazy fella!

Hopefully I am injury free next year to join in all the fun.

The diagnosis and prognosis

Yes, I'm still sitting here self-absorbed in injury and recovery, but the weather is very nice and I am feeling quite chipper all in all. Off business class to Abu Dhabi in a few weeks to deliver some teaching to the Abu Dhabi water and power company - reclining bed seats and all. Woooo. The teaching day finishes at 2pm strangely enough so I'll have quite a few hours to either UTMB power hike train on a severe incline running machine ala Mister Mason's recommendations, or to find a large skyscraper to run up and down the stairwell of. Maybe the beach for some heat training. Who knows?



Anyway, my physio diagnosed my ankle injury today. Likely that I have given myself a minor tibialis tendon tear (grade 1) and a bit of anterior talofbular ligament damage too. Got good strength and no pain when under load so should recover quite quickly. He didn't want to say much about me doing the 33 Marlborough Downs ultra on 16th May but gave me the OK to run a few miles at the weekend as a tester, then build up sensibly. I'll see what the weekend brings ... :-)

Good luck to all the WHWR Family in, or supporting the Montane Highland Fling this weekend. It should be hoot, and a great race with a few folk trying for PBs (Tom, John K, Neal and I suspect also Marco). All the best all!

Highland Fling - the decision

I'm going to bail out of the Highland Fling for sure this year. Here's my reasoning ...

According to the anonymous poster who I've enjoyed a bit of exchange with, and who ran the Exe to Axe (what's your name fella?) there are 3 grades of ankle sprain, of increasing severity:

Grade I

• Mild sprain, mild pain, little swelling, and joint stiffness may be apparent
• Stretch and/or minor tear of the ligament without laxity (loosening)
• Usually affects the anterior talofibular ligament
• Minimum or no loss of function
• Can return to activity within a few days of the injury (with a brace or taping)

Grade II

• Moderate to severe pain, swelling, and joint stiffness are present
• Partial tear of the lateral ligament(s)
• Moderate loss of function with difficulty on toe raises and walking
• Takes up to 2-3 months before regaining close to full strength and stability in the joint

Grade III

• Severe pain may be present initially, followed by little or no pain due to total disruption of the nerve fibers
• Swelling may be profuse and joint becomes stiff some hours after the injury
• Complete rupture of the ligaments of the lateral complex (severe laxity)
• Usually requires some form of immobilization lasting several weeks
• Complete loss of function (functional disability) and necessity for crutches
• Usually managed conservatively with rehabilitation exercises, but a small percentage may require surgery
• Recovery can be as long as 4 months

I don't seem to have any loss of function and have almost no pain in my left ankle sprain now except at the very extreme end of a few very particular movements of my foot, and when I poke at the bruised bits (very tempting). I do have some stiffness, but not too bad. That coupled with the fact I can do toe raises and run 20' without any problem or pain at all makes me think I have either a severe grade I or a mild grade II sprain injury.

I'll see my physio on Wednesday for a proper diagnosis but the swelling, although still clearly present, has been decreasing every day. And, the bruising appears to have reached a maximum with some serious black bruising on the outside edge of my foot, just above the sole and the area around my ankle a sort of greenish bruising colour (mmm nice). Thanks b*****y I don't have a grade III or what I had on my right ankle just before Christmas, a proper grade II.

If I continue healing at this rate I reckon (hope) I should be in a position to do a 6 mile run by the weekend. However I don't have confidence that I haven't weakened some tendons so do not want to risk a further, more serious sprain in the middle of the Fling race, or to test my ankle by subjecting it to 53 miles of pummelling (yet).

Not a comfortable decision to make but I'd far rather be risk averse and back to full training by the weekend after the Fling so I can focus on training for the UTMB. If I complete the Marlborough Downs 33 miler on 16th May, then run the 53 mile Fling route on the weekend of 13th June, then do a 2 day Bobby Gee round on 25th/26th July with Jon Steele and Davie then finish off with the new 31 mile 6800' ascent Dark an White Peak ultra on 8th August before tapering I should be in good shape for the UTMB.

It'll mean I won't be able to complete enough races to qualify for a ranking in the Vasque champs this year but I'm not bothered about that. If can complete the UTMB as my only achievement this year I'll be a very happy man indeed. :-)

Disaster strikes in Aspley Heath

This week I have felt great - fast and strong with good form. The past month of proper training has paid dividends and my fitness has jumped up, back towards where it should be after a few months of poor training.

So, out I was with a mate doing a final hardish trail run in the rain around Aspley Heath Woods and running well, particularly up hill. We headed at speed down the last downhill, a section with clay mud and tree roots that I have run a million times before in all conditions and I lost my footing and went over on my left ankle. There was a loud pop/crack noise that could have been my ankle or a twig, I don't know. I stopped in sudden agony which then rapidly disappeared. Looking down I could see the swelling was instant and looked a bit like a tendon had snapped and muscle had bundled up on the front, slight outside of my shin, just above the ankle.

I could walk unaided back to the car and use the clutch OK which gave me some hope. I then applied ice when I got home and went to bed early to elevate and rest the injury. This morning the swelling has gone down hugely and I have a compression bandage on. I don't think I've snapped anything but have probably torn some minor muscle above the ankle, I've called my physio nd will get a proper diagnosis asap.

So, disaster for the Fling. It is almost certainly off the cards now. The question is can I recover for the Marlborough Downs Challenge on 16th May? If I have to take 8 weeks off running the UTMB is at risk but if I can get back on my feet in a week or two the UTMB is still on. Ideally what I'll do is run the Marlborough (maybe not that fast) then do the Fling route in June to make up the miles (anyone not doing the WHWR fancy joining me for this, leave a comment).

Fingers crossed and touch wood. What a year I am having so far. No luck at all. Boo hoo.

Final plans for the Fling

It's been a while since I blogged about anything running related, but that's not to say I haven't been doing anything running related. Quite the opposite in fact. :-)

Training wise I finished my last long run before the Fling on Saturday just past (a 19 mile loop out and back from my house taking in canal, forest trail and the streets of Milton Keynes); I have done another few simulate-the-alps-in-rural-Buckinghamshire sessions (now up to 19 continous reps of a 110' ascent off road hill); done quite a few more 6 mile tempo runs with 1 mile warm-up and cool-downs (and am getting quicker - now at 6:40 pace avg); some gym strength training sessions and a 28.6 mile trail run with +/-2400' ascent/descent along the Ridgeway as a sort of Wuthering Hike replacement (I did it in 4:41 with an avg. pace of 9:56, not counting a 10 minute admire the view and eat stop).

I have also competed in the 2009 Exe to Axe 'fell' race from Exmouth to Seaton (21.5 miles, 4100' ascent) along the south coast. I came in 43rd out of 134 with a time of 3:35:01, which is about 13 minutes slower than last year, but boy was it hot and boy did I completely underestimate my water requirements. Race report coming over next few days with some photos hopfeully.

My final bits of training and tapering for the Fling will involve:

• Monday - speed interval session
• Tuesday - 10 mile trail run with +/- 1000'
• Wednesday - 10 mile trail run with +/- 1000'
• Thursday - 6 mile tempo run with extra 1 mile warm-up and cool-down
• Friday - rest
• Saturday - simulate-the-alps-in-rural-Buckinghamshire session (try for 25 up and down reps of 110' ascent off road hill)
• Sunday - rest
• Monday - gym strength training
• Tuesday - 9 mile easy run
• Wednesday - 6 mile easy trail run with +/- 500'

Not sure I am as fit, fast or strong as last year due to various baby related training difficulties over the past three months (which have been tough I have to say). Am hoping to beat my 2008 Fling time (09:56) but won't be too disappointed if I am outside it. The main (sole?) objective for this year is to complete the UTMB and this a good few months off yet.

It will be good to say hello to the various familiar faces again at the Fling nd do some ultra racing!