More Ramblings on the build up to VLM & TR24 (The Grindleford Gallop)

A few weeks back I set out to "learn to run again". If you have not read my previous post I was basically putting my legs through too much shock & awe to even try running a Half Marathon never mind 100 miles on them, soooo I had to change my style. Yes changing from running off of my heal to running more mid foot / toes felt strange at first but strangely I got faster, (yawn, yawn, bare with my it gets a bit more interesting honest, just think about the prospects of the finger jamming) I started to up the miles & although I started to ache in places I would not normally ache the transition went quite smoothly. Well when I say smoothly... Erm it did until last Friday! The aches were coming from my shins, they then turned into throbbing in my whole lower leg, BOTH legs. Saturday morning was an uncomfortable walk down stairs but I maned up as it was the 1st Scunthorpe Parkrun & my youngest daughters 1st ever Parkrun / 5K. I suppose it was less "manning up" & more putting my proud Dad face on over the fact that my 8 year old daughter had asked me if she could run. So as a family I, The Wife & Daughter#4 headed to Scunny. The Wife & D#4 planned to run together & I planned to run by myself to test the legs, once finished I would run back to run the final stages with them. I headed out with stiff legs but it became apparent that faster I ran the better they felt, so after running cautiously for few mins I widened my stride & opened the valves. A very pleasing, un painful sub 20 gave me plenty of time to run back & run the last mile with D#4 who said her mum was slowing her down (that's my girl). I cant express how proud I was proud to see The Wife running again & to see Daughter#4 run her 1st ever Parkrun in 37:36 with a sprint finish. *Puts on proud dad face*

I finished the day with a steady 12 miles run over the moors then was up early on Sunday for climb up Mam Tor & a steady but hilly 9 miles along the snow capped ridge with @Rustyw5. A very steep 500ft climb followed by stunning views, tired legs, great company & no throbbing, Happy days. This is what running is all about.

Yeah that little dot is me struggling to make the climb

Russ running along the top

What goes up must come down! LOTS OF FUN!

All went well until Wednesday when the throbbing came back on a steady 10 mile canal run, on the return leg I had a light bulb moment & picked up the pace. Magic! The faster I went the pain dispersed. I nailed the final 4.5miles in 5k pace then BOOM!!! I cramped up in my right calf, dam it was the size of a cuffin golf ball, a golf ball that took 3 days of foam rollering & a shed load of Tiger Balm to get rid of it. Oh & apparently the smell of Tiger Balm is not an aphrodisiac & compression socks do not "bring sexy back". So not only did I repulse my wife, I was in pain with my calf & my shins again. It hurt when I walked never mind ran so the following Saturday was spent cheering on The Wife & Daughter#4 from the sidelines at Parkrun. Another Proud Dad moment put my pain to the back of my mind as she set her 1st 5K PB with a 35:14 even after falling over. As promised we called into the old fashioned sweet shop for PB sweets (50p worth for every run & £1 worth for a PB).

As I'm writing this post I am still to attempt to run again due to the pain, I've not been my usual cheery self & have been worried sick that I had officially picked up my 1st running injury. This would put a stop to not only Saturdays Grindleford Gallop but to the London Marathon & even Project100in24, The Thunder Run 24. I needed a confirmation on this either way so booked an appointment with my chiropractor Jwalla. I lay on the torture bed & she reset my ankles, hips, pelvis & back, then went to work on my shins. I say shins but as it turns out my fears were not correct, the pain was from my lower leg deep muscle fibers & tendons, I say pain but after you've had "the stick" (a posh rolling pin) rolled up & down already painful shins & a finger jammed that deep into your lower leg it touches your soul & gives that a deep tissue massage, you can't call throbbing legs that hurt when you walk painful.

Oh so you think you can handle childbirth now do you? Said The Wife after I told her my ordeal.
I'll tell you what I told her... Sod Off! You experienced child birth then went back & had a total of 4 children, I don't want to go through THAT again any time soon! ;o)

So after a mad 30mins on the torture bed I felt like a new man, I was not injured, I may still be feeling the niggles but my pain had gone, my mood had lifted & had been given the go ahead to race the Grindleford Gallop on Saturday. The GG is a 21 mile race with a 2500ft (ish) worth of hills, although this is a small distance for an ultra it's got all the characteristics of one. It has Cake stops & you are advised (now mandatory) to bring a compass, water proofs, a change of cloths, a whistle & a pack up!

I'm also going out on a whim to say that I will do more than the 21miles due to getting lost!
I also seriously don't think I have knocked out enough training hours in to comfortably run a flat 21ish miles never mind a very hilly one,
I should have ran 50 miles last week but only managed 10.

With all this in mind & the sudden change in weather causing race weather warnings to be sent out by the race officials (welcome back winter) for this weekend... Also bare in mind that the hills are going to be nuts, the weather may cause zero viability & I've not trained enough, it's safe to say that this should be "fun".

Seriously will this be fun? Hell YES it will, I'd be lying if I said I was not nervous but I am looking forward to this, I've lost count at the amount of Twitter friends that are running or coming to support this race. Twitter is currently alive with chatter of race gear, cake & where the nearest post race pub is. This is what running is all about to me, meeting inspirational people, making new friends, visiting stunning places & pushing my body to do things that are just out of my comfort zone. BRING IT ONNNNNN!

Please don't forget to sponsor me if you can, its for a great cause, but if you cant sponsor me please be kind & tell all your friends about this slightly crazy Yorkshireman & his challenges to raise money for the kids at Rainbow Trust.

Thank guys, you lot continue to to amaze me with your support. Keep up the great work.

MARTIN

Ice, Ice, baby...