Another couple of weeks have passed and my heel is still niggling me but its much better, manageable I would say.  This being, stretching whenever possible and keeping it regular, foam rolling calves, mobilisation stretches for the ankle as its seems to be affecting it now make it feel a bit tight.  I have also been having regular massages which definitely help as always feels great after them.

Last week I managed to start getting a little consistency in my runs, almost getting out every other day with some gym work in between which helps.  I have started doing some ankle strengthening work, heel raisers, single leg squats and balance board work which all definitely make a difference.  I will be attending my Body Balance class today also as been having some soreness in my hips and IT band area which is making my back twitch a bit so Body Balance helps with that as always feel the benefit after although utterly useless at the time ha ha!

I was meant to be out on Sunday running the 'Maravan' in Cleethorpes which is a marathon running round a caravan park which I thought would be fun, in a weird way!  My body was aching all over and I really didn't feel up to it so I made the decision that by running I would be only making problems worse.  I would rather wait till the 'Frostbite 30' in December then Roseberry Topping again.  This are my end of year goals, so would have been silly to jeopardise them.  Really happy now I am able to get out running and do some training, I felt the difference with losing a bit of weight, it makes you feel better instantly and gives you that boost you need sometimes.  The form is filled in and is being posted today for the HM110 which is scary, I have resisted posting it off up till now as wanted to be sure I am going to be ok to train for it and ultimately complete it.

I hope once I have done it, assuming I do, that I don't lose that desire to want to do more.  I think the real challenge is in keeping motivated therefore challenging yourself further again.  Which is lucky as I have found some great runs and adventures to keep me busy for about the next 20 years ha  ha!

What do you do to keep your motivation?

It's been a while I here you saying!  Yes yes I know but I don't want to seem like I go on and on about the same stuff all the time.  Fresh, exciting, fun, interesting and just a little crazy at times, no that's just me ha ha!  Ok back to it, what have been up to.  Well after my long break in the summer due to injury which to be honest is much better but still slightly there, I have begun  the slow process of starting the training again.  I have eased my way back in to re-introduce my body to my demanding schedule which isn't just the running and gym work its my job of coaching tennis too.

I began a few weeks ago with a few light runs to test the heel and practise running in my new beasts 'The Hoka' trainers.  Now I say practise which means get used to, and I will explain why!  I think in an earlier post I explained about the difference in the shoe and why I was giving them a go, the raised heel, the extra cushioning and support etc etc.  Well that's all well and good but these bad boys are big they make me that much taller, which is ace I love it, but the problem is when I am running.  I set off ok bouncing down the street and suddenly after a short while I scuff my feet repeatedly for some unknown reason and then almost barring a uniquely styled out save, I trip over my own feet!!! Then I remember I'm wearing short ski boots lol!  So then I spend the rest of my run over-lifting my feet as if running on malton lava!   Any way moving along from my daft running technique,  a few runs in and yes I had a marathon to prepare for.  So I had literally given myself two weeks of prep for York Marathon, crazy!  It was  great I didn't set any speed records fast or slow ones but I had a great time and achieved my goal......to be no more injured than when I started.  Mission accomplished and the heel survived.  This was brilliant, I now new I could slowly get back to it and start booking in some more adventures and prepare myself for the Hardmoors 110 next April, oh yes the challenge is back on!!!!!

100 miles and beyond!
What are you going to do today to push your limits!

Its been a good week regarding the previous injury.  This means it feel like it is almost fully recovered although it does just let me know every now and again that its there.  So its important even now that I keep up my routines for stretching and supporting it as much as I can.  Love the feeling of planning the new challenges and what training I will need to do, motivation brings it all together perfectly!

Today brought back another element of my training that I dropped off while the heel was bad due it making it hurt, this is the one and only 'Body Balance' great title, so inappropriate for me lol!  So back to the old habits I met with John who also hasn't been going very much and we had our pre-class routine of stretching, chatting and laughing at how rubbish we were at the class.  I moved in to the studio in like a stealth move so as to reclaim our spots at the back of the class.  It was a new routine but I was equally as bad it as before but feel the benefits, its great for an hours stretching and brilliant for all my faults. It looked like we were trying to stand up whilst someone was rolling millions of marbles underneath us we were that bad! Balancing is one thing but having to then stretch out and bend my arm in a certain direction whilst looking up to the ceiling was not easy at all.  My lack of flexibility restrains me a little some what in the session but hopefully over time that will improve by doing it.  I came out of it and had to rush on to the tennis court as I had a lesson immediately after, but instantly I could feel it in my quads, hips and back so I new it was doing me good.  I hope....

Gentle run tomorrow as still haven't got rid of this cold as have a sore throat now eek! Then hopefully a bit longer on Wednesday, and then a few days rest before marathon day.  I'm going to be a mess, hobbling like Quasimodo dragging my left foot, slumped over as my back will probably be bad and looking like a Zombie no doubt.  Quite excited actually!

So with only 2 weeks to go till the York Marathon I decided I'd better increase the mileage and see how my recovering heel coped.  I packed up the rucksack with plenty of fluid as it was a beautiful sunny day and I was heading out in the peak of it.  Preparation routine now, warming up and some dynamic stretches obviously protecting my heel whilst exposing it to the rigours of running.  I began with a walk, mainly to wait for satellite connection for my watch which always seems to take an age and at the same time more prep for the heel.  Off I went with the sole purpose of just getting some time on my feet with the knowledge I can be out for a good couple of hours I had to make use of it.  I decided that I was doing the 15 mile route and that I was going to stop a couple of times just to get a drink and have a mid run stretch.  This I think is important, no point killing myself just to do the miles without looking after myself, so hydration and stretching was key.  Great run in the sunshine, sweating buckets but all good as finally felt like I was back to doing the stuff I enjoy and it felt great to just be heading off for a few hours with no cares.

I got back nearly 2 and half hours later, fairly knackered but legs felt strong and my heel was only slightly sore but ok.  More stretching once I got in and I used the power plates which again I'm not sure of the benefits but I think they help and that's enough as this is a psychological battle now. I stiffened up a bit afterwards but not to the point that I was panicking that I wasn't fit enough or could handle a further run which is the plan on Wednesday.  I hobbled off home but again it eased as I moved again, with the full intention of icing once I got home.  Great sleep which I have missed and not much discomfort in the morning, a few tight areas but ok after a bit of stretching and care.  Bring on Wednesdays adventure!

So after going against my instincts of keep resting 'its still sore', I convinced myself to do a bit more, a bit more than 2 miles wouldn't be hard but its enough at the moment to determine if running was still a problem.  I managed 4.5 miles and it felt great, especially now I had my new Hoka's which are like running on sponges with the feeling I used to get as a kid with Roller boots on, like I was much taller.  Finally 6ft 2, love it!!  Honestly though they made a massive difference, with them, the compression sock and massaging the foot we were on to a winner.  As great as it was to be out running again it was hard, I was over heating and sweating rediculous amounts like Niagra Falls and panting breathlessly like I'd just run up Everest! My feet felt heavy like I was running in treacle, my feet got heavier and heavier.  Trying out some new kit, as starting to prepare for the Marathon de Sables, long way off in theory 2017 but when I look at what I have planned for next year and think about how bloody fast this has flown by I need to start preparing.  As this is it, the original end goal, the Sahara!

BOOOOOOM! I'm off, yippee at last. Well I decided that it was time to start doing a bit of training as the heel now was only causing slight discomfort and soreness on long working days, as I'm a tennis coach that can make it a very tough day.  So after plenty of warming up and stretches it felt great to get the running kit back on and more importantly I got to use my new toy the Garmin Fenix 2 watch ha ha! This watch has been selected due to its extraordinarily long battery life which is what I now wanted.  So thanks to the world of ebay I succeeded in winning one, and then had to pay for it oouuch!  Off I went once I'd finally got the dam watch working and heart rate monitor on and gps working, a slight jog down the road not wanting to go crazy on my first run back.  My heel was still letting me know it still wasn't quite right but it warmed up as I went. Struggling round the massive 2.16 mile loop, yes don't forget the .16 its very important to me lol. I felt awful, my legs felt sapped, out of breath and panting, and a general feeling of being over weight.....yes more than normal before anyone else chips in ha ha!  This feeling though was overridden with the absolute joy of being back out there, remembering why I like running, it was great.  Unfortunately it was just a bit rubbish fitness wise, which will get better I know once in training mode.

The next day...... I was expecting to be, not in agony, but slightly sore again and unable to put my heel down with any confidence that its not going to hurt.  I was amazed, what a great day this was going to be, no pain, no soreness and the ability to walk normally with no discomfort.  I couldn't believe it since I'd been for my first run in months.  That was it plans were a foot, excuse the pun, this was me back up and running again.  The game is on!

No I haven't fallen off the end of the World!  Just had nothing to report or talk about due to this injury in my heel.  I have abstained from any running to really try and give it some proper rest, but due to my line of work it is a long slow process.  So having subscribed myself to compression sock during the day, rolling a massage ball across my foot in the morning and using a stretching dome and then a ridiculous boot for during the night which maintains the stretch.  I am now off work and really able to rest it probably if that is possible.  I had intended running the York marathon in October and still hoping to drag myself round this if possible and back to the good stuff, Hardmoors, Roseberry Topping booked in for December in preparation for the New Years Day 30 which I really want to do, then the 55 in March leading up to the big challenge of the Hardmoors 110 in May.  Can't wait, the more I don't run the more I want to and get excited about the prospect of future runs and challenges!

As a bit of good training whilst not running I signed myself up for the York100 Sportive bike ride.  I ventured out with Dave 'The Ginger Ninja' Goulstone thinking we could have a good tootle round trying to keep a good pace up.  We had previously been out a few times, not nearly enough in retrospect, thinking we'd be fine ha ha! Oh no that was our first mistake!!!  So we met up on the morning of the ride after my level of preparation was minimal, after writing a short list to go to the bike shop and buy some essential kit like a spare inner tube, gloves, drink bottle holder etc etc er I didn't manage to go in the end....mistake number two!  I met up with Dave who was already claiming he had done an extra two miles just getting to me snore snore snore!  We cycled round to the registration point signed a few disclaimers grabbed my chip and number and off we set to the start line wahoooo!

So off we went with the elite ha ha just so we had the most time possible to finish!  Then spent the next few hours being constantly over taking by the masses and feeling distinctly under trained.  By this point we were approaching the first of the tough hills and the panic started settling in, up we went and wow did we know about it.  After pushing myself to just past half way my legs were building up rapidly with lactic acid and my chest was pounding to the point where I thought it was going to explode.  Dave had already pulled over and gasping for air and contemplating getting back on, I then too had too pull over to the verge before I had a coronary!  This was generally the theme through out the rest of our journey, slogging it out on the uphills and then pushing ourselves on the flats which after a while felt just as hard.  We made to the check points and made full use of them as was either gasping for a drink or starving, nothing new there I here you say! So we battled on thinking we were doing ok yet felt we were constantly being over taking until we got to certain point when I said to Dave ' thats it there can't be any one left to over take us'  ha ha which looking back I don't think there was since we manage to come in exactly last at 9 hours 13 mins.  We were just pleased to actually get round it and finish, It was a great day and served its purpose to me which was to maintain some training.

So now its a waiting game, I have a few things lined up i.e. foot specialists and Sports Massage Therapy but time is the game!

Its now all about preparation for the 110 and start the process for Marathon de Sables 2017.  I haven't let it slip but very difficult mentally when your not able to even train doing at what you need to be doing.  Keeping the vision and dream and remembering what the goal was and still is!