Never say never.

Janathon is proving to be a much greater challenge than I at first anticipated. The main reason being the inability to go running at the moment and blogging about practically zero activity and therefore wondering whether I should just gracefully bow out now or stick with it against the odds until I am fit enough to continue. 


I took the dog out into the fields this morning in the sun and frost to test the knee. The ground was hard and white with the frost making the blades of grass resemble candied angelica, everything glittering in the sunshine. 


The dog has been looking as restless as I feel and following my every move for the last few days to see whether we are going for a run. I think we both hate this lack of movement.

It went quite well and it was great to be out in the fresh air but I was very conscious that the knee wasn't up to anything too vigorous.  I'm hoping it will be strong enough to do some kung fu on Monday.


One mile walked but at this stage it's more about not giving up rather than trying to do lots of mileage.

Cold January

As I type, I'm feeling pretty gloomy. It's been soooo cold I find it difficult to think of doing anything much at all. It feels as though I am just hanging on waiting for some warmth to heat my bones so I can get on and do something and I can't even think of going for a run to energise myself.


My knee is still too fragile to risk further injury  and create long term damage. I'm not sure what I've done but I know it isn't up to me performing kicks and jolting runs. I've now missed two kung fu sessions, (which is probably why I feel so frustrated) and 3 days of running.


I walked round town today to run some errands and nearly forgot about my knee until I tried to walk fast - at which point I was reminded. I was also going to wash the floors on my knees when it was suggested that kneeling might not be such a good idea. Groan, groan.


Can't I do ANYthing?!


Yes. More press-ups and sit-ups. 


Here goes then .......            50 sit-ups,
                                  20 press-ups,
                                  30 sit-ups,
                                  15 press-ups,
                                  20 sit-ups,
                                  10 press-ups
                                  20 sit-ups
                                   20 press-ups


total: 120 sit -ups
          65 press-ups


Qi Qong 15 minutes

Knee recovery time

The knee is still in need of recovery before I do anything too vigorous so it was another day for core exercises. I'm not sure if any of this counts towards Janathon but I don't just want to give up on myself.


Spent 10 minutes doing alternate sets of sit-ups and press-ups totalling 140 sit-ups and 80 press-ups. Got the heart rate going quite nicely and just exceeded yesterdays count although didn't push myself to the limit.


Finished with 10 minutes of Qi Qong.


The running gear is all washed and ready while the GPS and shuffle are sitting waiting for me on the table, all charged and ready to go.

The dreaded thing has happened!

                 
               (Where I would have been today.....)


On trying to think of a blog title, I toyed with the idea of calling it "My Sore Right Knee" in acknowledgement of fellow Janathoner, "My Sore Left knee" but decided to settle for the one I've got.


It seems a lot of low Kung Fu stance work followed by yesterday's steep hill run has been a bit punishing for my knee which prior to yesterday has never shown any signs of trouble. However, after a warm bath I noticed my right knee looking decidedly larger than my left knee and at that point realised it was actually very sore and hot. Immediately got out the ice cloth from the freezer and decided to put the R.I.C.E. plan into action. 


This morning it wasn't any better and proved quite uncomfortable so I've been spending the day shuffling about and trying not to move too much which I find very difficult. I think I only used the stairs about 10 to 15 times but it took me twice as long to get up and down as I did it in half steps while trying not to bend my knee. 


Realistically, running was off for me today and in the early afternoon decided that Kung Fu would be folly, which is very frustrating as Wednesdays are the highlight of my week.  Once or twice I voiced the idea of going for a gentle walk in the field with the dog but was quickly reminded how long I could put myself out of action if I wasn't sensible enough to rest it. It was a beautiful sunny day as well, simply beckoning me to go out there.


Instead, I got out the sewing machine to finish all sorts of jobs I've been putting off which felt quite productive but nowhere near as enjoyable as going outside.


At logging and blogging time I felt very annoyed not to be able to enter anything so opted for a few press-ups and sit-ups, 60 and 120 respectively. A very modest attempt in view of what I would have been doing. We shall have to see. 

A Yin day

Had a very balancing morning teaching Tai Chi class for an hour before going over to my friends for a foot massage. Feeling very sleepy but just got home as the sun was going down and went for a short, sharp hill run over the coast path and met the moon peering over the hill as I approached the summit.

The rest of the evening is going to be spent just chilling. Bliss.

Cutting it fine again

Half way through and I'm just getting on with doing what I said I am going to do.  

Took a muddy and wet coast path run up and down hills to a nearby beach 1.46 miles distant and did a sprint of 180 bpm, maybe 185 bpm for a few minutes before pausing to go through a Lau Gar set and a Tai Chi form. Walked up the hill to pay a 10 minute visit before returning along the coast path home and finishing with another short sprint on the beach at the other end. Got in to the rhythm and cruised up the gradients feeling quite strong in the legs.

Just had time for a bite to eat and sit down before going to a 2 hour kung fu session with fitness and sparring.  Arms now covered in bruises. 

Another great day of exercise which I'm starting to quite enjoy.

Day 16 and I did it!

Apparently, the forecast was for more rain later on today and it was heavy rain all night so off I went before more rains came. Of course, now it's sunny but .... it got me out before I could procrastinate any more.


The conversation in my head this morning went something like this: "Maybe I shouldn't run today because I had such a full on training day yesterday; my toe is still very swollen and painful and it may get worse if I go for a long run; if I overtrain and have an injury it may prevent me from doing Kung Fu properly; if I go for a long run it will eat into the day; not many people are looking at my blogs so it doesn't really matter and anyway I'm doing it for me, not for them...."


Fortunately, I've learnt over many years that this sort of conversation turns up from time to time pre-activity but I'm going to do it anyway because that was the agreement. So I didn't listen to them  as I know the benefits and feel good factor far outway any initial reticence.


I went for the muddy fields as it was going to be pretty wet and muddy wherever I went and chose to do some interval training. Interestingly, it didn't feel like a workout for the first two intervals but when it got to 180 bpm it was noticeably more effort trying to negotiate a bit of wind factor together with the gradients and soft, muddy ground pitted with holes and ridges. I managed to keep the pace going but wasn't covering a lot of ground and felt pleased to complete the 43 minute workout.


So 'Yah Boo Sucks' to you for trying to stop me going - you didn't succeed.

A Hard working day

Went for a quick interval run in the fields this morning with the dog.  We only did half of the 43 minutes programme which took us through 155 bpm up to 180 bpm - a good warm up for the 3 hours of black sash training I had to get back for. It was a good decision to go beforehand as I knew I wouldn't be up for a run afterwards.


As ever, I love the Kung Fu training and these 3 hour classes are full on, sweaty, pushing our limits sessions. We did lots of everything including a set we've learnt with the shaolin steel rings which is great conditioning for the arms and I have the red marks to prove it! 


An excellent, tiring, challenging and invigorating day.

Time for a new post.


Well, the news is that my computer is no longer operable for blogging or anything involving the internet as the connection is broken so it means having to pinch the other half's work computer which is rather limiting and means my time is restricted for looking at other bloggers and posting encouraging sounds and motivational comments to other Janathoners. 


So just for the record, I haven't lost interest in what you are all doing and am still doing a quick scan on the Running Free Online site and far as I can tell, you all look set to complete the month with tons of mileage. 


Last night was a disturbed one owing to my aching legs and I didn't fit a run in before Lau Gar training tonight but was determined that I wanted to try a run every day even though I am still getting some good exercise in. I'd taken some running kit with me with the vague thought that I could register at the adjacent gym in the leisure centre where we train and fit in a run on the treadmill. 


However, one of the young girls who comes training mentioned that she had run round the astro turf on the football pitch 8 times before training because her mum had to drop her off early and she had some time to kill. Yes! You can guess the rest. 

So, I quickly changed and headed off to the football pitch in the dark and ran under the stars and the moon with the street lights and the lights from the houses in the near distance casting a cosy glow. I couldn't BELIEVE how bouncy and comfortable it felt to run on the turf, on the flat! with no hill! and no gradient! So I steamed round 8 times and guessed it was a mile because I had no monitoring equipment but next week I shall take the GPS and test it again. I might even invite Martin Yelling to come with me and check my pace!

Running when I don't feel like it.

Beautiful misty, wet day. Went for a road run and found it quite an effort. My energies seem to be low and I had to mentally push myself to keep going. The actual running wasn't as enjoyable as usual and my legs started to feel as though they belonged to  someone else but it was nice to be out in the quiet and the mist. 


Made it back eventually to find the run was a mile less than it said on map maker last time I went but 5.4 miles still felt quite good. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't such a struggle.


Now I need a nice long, hot soak to ease my aching muscles.

Didn't want to be bothered with blogging again today.

The GPS wasn't working because the battery had died, so I logged the time and thought I could estimate the distance as I've done it a few times before. Two miles I would say.

A grey, very misty, very wet, soft, muffled sort of a day - it didn't feel like a music day so I ran without.

This is how my thoughts ran:

from not wanting to blog, to my dislike for form filling in and ticking boxes; to the education system, to world history ..... still with me? and so I let it run on while my body ran.

It occurred to me that my brain is an "information gatherer and sorter" and my mind is an "explorer" so I let them have their space while I went running. And a jolly good time we all had.

Later this evening spent two hours of serious leg strengthening work and stamina building, movement memory, and much more in Kung Fu followed by some energy building Qi Qong stance work. 

A perfect finish to the day.

Late in the day

Another late one. Still having problems with the internet and wondering what to say that isn't just a lot of running facts and figures.... and it's only day 11. 


I expect I'll have to hit a few blanks or it isn't much of a challenge. 


I did a short hill run just as the sun was going down and kept to my times during the day to make sure I still had some daylight left. I've felt fitter running this stretch in the past but maybe it was a warm sunny day and I hadn't been running for 11 consecutive days.


The rest of the family have been down with flu for a couple of days and for the second time round. I'm just hoping it doesn't come my way.

running with the elements

         
                       (on a stormy day)


Sitting at home by the warmth of the Rayburn doing jobs that involved being inside, I didn't feel raring to go out running today in the wet and grey. Thought I'd plan for a long beach run to avoid the mud but the tide wasn't out far enough by the time I was ready to go.


I opted for a coast path run in the opposite direction, heading for another nearby cove which I envisaged running along with the dog. The path was all mud and puddles and streams. There was no path to be seen. Picking my way tentatively at barely a jog with my feet straddling the mud and wet, I decided to just get muddy and stop being ridiculous. So I just ran, water, mud, rain - slopping my way through all the puddles at a fairly steady pace so as not to slip and put myself out of action. It was very liberating and enjoyable.

                   
                    (On a wet, grey, calm day)


Went down the steep steps to the beach and ran through the stream and the sand and water like the dogs and horses do. Returned the same way, sprinted along the tide line at home and waded ankle deep through the stream to wash off the mud.

                   (Steps on a sunny, dry day)


Rub down for the dog, clothes in the wash, trail shoes washed for tomorrow, hot shower and homemade chicken soup and finally ......


THE BLOG!!!!


Just time for a few more jobs and then ready for kung fu in a couple of hours.

Pressing on.

Decided to add a quick image of the dog blackberrying in the fields last September

Feeling impatient to get my run done and blogged so I can get on with something else. I'm enjoying the exercise but feeling as though it's taking over from other things - could be because I'm such a klutz on the technology side of things and struggle with the maps, GPS and websites etc. and what with getting started so late in the day, by the time I've plunged the dog in the stream, dried her off and then had a shower the daylight is fast disappearing.


I went in the fields again so the dog could have a good run around and think I was running at 160 - 165 bpm which seems to be my usual on changing gradients and off road.


So today is a quick one without any images although it's a gorgeous sunny day.


I hope all my fellow bloggers are sticking with it and enjoying some sunshine as well.

Refreshing

Last night the rain was thrashing down and it sounded a little like sleeping in a tent on a wet night but this morning everything was quite dry and sunny. I didn't run until later in the day though because it was very cold and windy - not my favourite conditions.

Mid-afternoon I opted for a short burst of intense activity along the coast path with the dog. An extremely steep climb which I never manage to run but do a sort of jog/walk so that I don't collapse of a heart attack when I get to the top. There are three steep climbs along this route and I noticed the elevation goes up from 30' to 300' above sea level over a short distance. I decided to shimmy down the cliff and run along the beach as there was an inviting expanse of beach below me and then come back along the road making for a varied route.

The smell of the fresh air on my face and the sun lighting up the sea and the beach felt so refreshing.

When I got back to my destination the GPS said I had run 3.8 miles and so I ran to the end of the road and back to the beach to wash the dog in the stream to make it up to 4 miles which sounds better. Going that extra mile so to speak.

Got back not long before dark and had lunch at "tea time" and postponed washing the car .... AGAIN!

The short days and Janathon are changing the nature of my days and how much I can fit but I'm finding it very rewarding doing all this exercise and have a feeling of achievement afterwards. 

GOOD THOUGHTS

Raven brought beaded serpent

And the Alaskan thunder

Realities yet to come

Good thought are good way life

Wrapped in the universe

the unborn sleep in dreamtime

Day in the sun is on its way

Think good thoughts

Thoughts of lightened mind

Dream dreams dreaming brings

Sense rush of new found find

View where harmonies sing

Follow the sky

Into the blue

You are part sky

Sky is part you

There are stars that bring the night

There are thoughts to bring clear sight

Thinking good makes for strong heart

Nourishment for spirit and soul

A good path a good way to give

Belief creates what we believe

Good words

Good thoughts

Good actions

A way human beings live

Raven brought beaded serpent

And the Alaskan thunder

Follow the sky into the blue

You are part sky sky is part you

"Lines from a Mined Mind"

The words of John Trudell

Kung Fu and Running

I'll get a quick blog in before tea (very much needed).


Now Kung Fu classes have started up again I feel more energised and have just completed the Friday one hour session (with 45 mins travel each way), arriving back pretty hungry as I haven't had a proper meal today. It's soon to turn into a 2 hour session which a few of us have been plugging for, so that's good news.
My 5 hour weekly classes will become 6 hours (plus the 3 hour black sash lesson once a month). All good.


I'm sure all this running is making me sharper.


This morning was a quick jog round the fields twice at mid-day. The GPS wasn't recording the distance properly again so I had to work it out on mapmaker and the runs I've done previously. I tried to push myself a bit more this time as it was a short run and did most at 165 then 175 bpm.


I seem to be flagging more on the blogging side than the activity side but at least I've got one in.

Blaaah to technology!

Set off for morning run after completing a few chores and tried a new route, estimating it to be 4 miles or so. Decided to use my own music - which kept faltering and I guessed my pace to be 165 bpm for most of the run. When I recognised a more familiar road and knew the remaining route was downhill, I  decided to check my distance, guessing it to be further than my long run of the weekend as I was just starting to flag a bit and the left foot was starting its floppy thing again ..... I was shocked to see it said 1.1 mile!! No way, I thought, and sort of lost incentive. Coupled with the fact that I was suddenly desperate for a loo trip I slowed to a walk and didn't trust a quick jump into a field imagining that, with my luck, the local farmer would turn up to feed the horses or something. It was at this point that my music also ran out of battery. So the remaining 2 plus miles (as I later discovered on "Running Free's maps" after FOUR attempts) was done in a restrained jog/ walk until I burst into my friends house to use her bathroom and then invited her back for a cup of tea and a chat.


My conclusion is that my body knows what it is doing. I knew the distance internally and I reckon my pacing would also have been pretty accurate. The time - I'm not so sure - as the run got broken up.

The important thing is that I did a run.


No piccies today, although I would have liked to take one of the farm with a notice saying, "FREE RANGE CHILDREN AND CATS".

Lights, camera, ACTION!

I had a few interesting thoughts on my run today triggered by various things. Mainly dwelling on the saying,

"You can change your thoughts by changing your posture and you can change your posture by changing your thoughts."


This saying progressed from a seemingly unrelated train of thoughts into this:


I like to consider myself as lots of little workers beavering away internally to get the "show" on the road. Afterall, our minds and bodies work FOR us because they want us to survive and this thought alone puts an interesting tack on things.


So when we tell ourselves we are going to do something our "workers" start getting everything ready to put it into action.


For example, if I say to myself, "I'm going for a run today", the brain sends out the signal and all the various internal workings start preparing so that I can fulfill the action. So if I don't fulfill what I said I am going to do the workers stand around not being able to complete what they set out to do.


My dog knows this, because I just have to THINK I am going for a walk and she gets up ready, even BEFORE I've started putting on my running kit. So she KNOWS my brain is preparing my body to go running. Amazing!

And this is what I was visualising as I got into the fields and started running and my brain, the director said, "Lights camera, ACTION!"

PUFF, PANT

A quick run of 25 mins. and a maximum, massive climb from sea level to an elevation of 207 ft. An anaerobic workout methinks. Naturally, the route is up AND down so I have a climb more than once, which I think is good for the legs and strengthens them for Lau Gar kung fu. 


Normally, I cut the run in half as it drops down to the level and practice a few Kung Fu forms but today there is a time schedule so it's just the run.


Although it's only a two miler it has me sweating loads which makes me feel quite good and rosy cheeked. A great kick start which flushes out any inner battles going on. I think my cold is being burned out as well with all this running which is brilliant news.


I'll finish this later and post a few pics.

.
... quite a bit later. Well, this photograph is taken from one of my favourite runs early last September. It will be at its best this Spring and I thought I'd post it to perk everybody up who is running in the grey and drizzle (most of us).

Feeling amazing!

Today is a wonderful day. Spring is in the air, the earth smells fresh, the sun is breaking through and I feel fit.

For people reading this who think I sound sickeningly positive, my life is as full of struggles as any mans but I try not to focus too much on the negative aspects as they are always there if we look and tomorrow may be different but today ..... life is good.


One of the buttons on the GPS ceased to work this morning which meant I couldn't recalculate todays trip from zero and therefore had to do some maths (aagh) to work out today's distance. I hope it's functioning tomorrow as it will get more complicated as January moves on.


The palm of the hand is a bit raw from yesterday's tumble but at least the flapping skin has come away, although it did make for a slightly disturbed sleep every time I caught it. Hey ho it's all part of the course. I'm used to a few (a lot) knocks and bruises as a martial artist .... which reminds me, classes start up again on Wednesday. Yayyyyy.


Now to wash the car, then the floor and give my friend (who's hit hard times) some boosting.

Hope you're all having as much fun as me at the moment and if you're not, remember the laws of thesis and antithesis. (Just hope you can give me a boost when I hit a bad patch).

10 k and thoughts turn to rubbish

Decided to try another 10k as only done it once before. 


Took to the coast path and Martin Yelling's interval training at 175 bpm. It took me one and a half sessions at 43 minutes to complete (about an hour and a half).


Boring statistics over with - it was a pleasant, still January day and the coast path was very quiet (i.e. no one) but when I got to the big beach everyone was walking their dogs. I'd left mine at home today, much to her disgust, as it isn't much fun  running on the road with her on the lead.


Joining the main road to head back I couldn't help noticing a cigarette packet here, a squashed can of red bull there, a brown Macdonalds bag here, a strip off a minstrels packet there, a plastic bottle, the inside of a toilet roll .... the list went on. The burnt perimeter of yellowing grass from the traffic was a stark contrast to the lush (as much as it can be in January) and gentle hills I had just left. 




This is a beautiful place and people travel far and wide to enjoy it .... so why can't they make the connection between the beauty and the lack of human detritus and think that their rubbish has no impact? I wish humans would take responsibility for the small things in their lives and realise how it affects the bigger picture.


I'm as grateful as the next man for main roads when I want to get somewhere quickly but  I don't sever myself from the environment to the extent that I chuck my rubbish out of the car window believing that it makes no difference.


On the return I passed a man who said, "Didn't I just see you on the beach?" and acknowledged, "Yes! you did," with a sunny smile, feeling quite pleased. "Good one!" he called with a thumbs up and restored my feelings in human kind.


Finishing the last 175 bpm interval coming up a gradient I was aware that my left foot was dragging slightly and tried to make an effort to pick it up but without much success, so when the cool down began I slowed but immediately stumbled violently, grazing the skin off the heel of my hands and crashing onto my knees. It was like being a kid again when this was a regular occurrence. Fortunately, I hadn't made a hole in my running leggings.


I reckon I'd  pushed myself more than I realised. (Must keep tabs on this so I don't do anything silly before the remaining 29 days are up).

one of 31

I woke up at 4.00 am and started to compose my blog for the day before I had even done anything! I hope this is not going to be a trend for the month. Needless to say, I had a good lie in with no commitments ahead of me save for THE run.


It occurred to me that if everyone in "Janathon" were to join me in the field it would have been very crowded and much as I would like everyone to succeed, I enjoy my privacy when training. I'm not really a group sports person and don't relish the idea of running en masse a la London Marathon.(Getting very Frenchified here!)


Chose a mellow Audiofuel 40 minute workout to see how I would get on with a head full of cold. I had only done 2 miles in about 35 minutes and decided to go round the fields a fourth time adding on 5 minutes at 170 bpm bringing it up to 3.6 miles which seemed more acceptable. Stretched out and finished with 5 minutes Qi Qong.


Quite surprising that three and a half to four times round the fields is equivalent to the road run at 3.6 miles. The road seems much heavier on the feet and I prefer the terrain of the fields. 


Met another jogger on the road as I returned home and nearly stopped him to ask if he was doing a "Janathon" but just smiled instead!


It was interesting comparing this against the Interval training, which I have grown to like because it feels as though I have achieved something afterwards. 


Perhaps I'll get round to trying all the different routes near the house by the end of January.