Lakeland = 0 points towards UTMB!

Intended to post this last week but must have been distracted! 

Recently I saw some chat on the Lakeland 100 Fartbook group about whether or not it is a UTMB qualifier. When I registered it was, the LL100 webpage had the UTMB logos, the UTMB had it on the big list. 

I emailed the LL100 people to see what the exact deal was. Ends up LL100 no longer is worth any points towards UTMB! Looks as if the UTMB people are charging £100 to be a qualifying race and the guys at LL100 aren't into that. Understandably so I guess but kind of lame this happened now rather than four months ago when I was rushing to find a UTMB qualifier to register for!  

So now I need to scramble to find a race or races adding up to 3 points if I want a try at UTMB! I've got 4 from Superior and need 7. Nothing wrong with doing another race I guess but kind of fouls any plan I had for training and hopefully it works out with my family! 

This is added a few hours later-------

Just looked at the UTMB site. Looks like now you need 8 points, not 7 as well! So scramble for 4 points and be sure that the race is a qualifier. This seems to be in limbo still too. Many of the races that were qualifiers have a note next to them "to be checked". This should be "pending checks cashed". 

I guess UTMB may not happen. But who knows, maybe I can gobble together something.

Break on through

Despite being sick and having some odd toe injury, my fuck it and move on/push through mentality is sticking. The past two weeks have been my best two of running all year. They are right where I should be mileage-wise. 

Yes, I'm tired, but isn't that the name of the game? Dealing with being exhausted and trying to stay positive I feel is a huge part of the training. Obviously there is a fine line you ride tempting injury to come knocking, however, dealing with being uncomfortable is what it's about. 

Yesterday I felt like crap. The little one was up at night for an hour or so, I didn't get to sleep until 930pm, and the alarm went off at 4am. I initially changed my route reducing my mileage however I was up early and had the time to kill so I just kept going, exploring, got lost, worked on my "stinging nettle sensitivity", did a couple unintentional out and backs, and ended up at home with 16.5 miles considering killing another fifteen minutes just to sneak in a couple more. Oh, all well before the little one woke at 715am!

I felt like crap but moved on from that and got done what I needed to get done because I had the opportunity. Time is precious, I need to make the most of it. 

I had wanted to run the Worcester Marathon which is in a week. I wanted to race it and do well. I don't think I'm up for racing it. Running it yes. So, if it all works out with the family I'll most likely do it for the miles. Of course you never lose that race mentality so how I feel will be the judge of pace. I hate to do anything less than 3 hours but do I go for that goal, crash, burn, and get some experience in the pain cave? Or do I take it easy and enjoy it? I don't know. I don't even know if I can get in still! 

Positivity and confidence have been renewed.

One thing it's another!

I just can't seem to win this spring! After seemingly getting back in the groove I catch a cold! The wife is sick, the little one is sick, and of course I'm sick! Ran ten yesterday morning and felt ok but today opted to stay in with hopes of expediting the get better process. I think I should've ran. Oh well. I'll try tomorrow morning I guess. I seem to be feeling better today.

Saturday run

Managed nearly 17 miles this morning despite the little one waking at 3am for about a half hour. As much as the 4 am alarm clocks can be lame, once you're up and going it's awesome! I didn't hear one car for the initial few miles through town, just birds. Love it! Cold though, my phone said 34 F but along the River Severn and the low lying areas I run through I think it was below freezing.

setting moon along the River Severn near Arley

I was definitely sore as expected. My toe hurt too but didn't fluctuate much which was good I guess. Hips were sore again. I think the hip pain is from the recent addition of some gymnastics exercises, sure is annoying. Pretty mellow pace averaging around 7:50 minute miles, just need the miles so no worries about speed. 

Tomorrow shooting for 14 miles but we'll see. Could be a struggle but running when you feel like shit is ideal training as long as I'm not promoting injury. 

And one more photo of sunrise. I've got a few of these at different exposures, none of then turned out great but a little tweaking on my computer and they could be alright. Just need to find the time! 

sunrise over the Rifle Range/ Devil's Spittleful

   

Here we go again

So here we are. It's now or never to train.

After quite some time of poor quality training, injury, lack of motivation, and whatever other excuses I've got we are running again. Last week I took five solid days off and this week I decided to just push on through. And, it seems to be working.

moon setting over canal

The last three days I've knocked out 30 miles with hopes of another 30 over the weekend. The toe hurts but doesn't get worse. My hip is kind of sore on the iliac crest. Overall I am tired but motivated. 

So a little more of a focus on stretching and mobility hopefully will get me loosened up and another week of consistent running and then hopefully my only complaint will be tiredness. I like the sound of that.

It's amazing how the people's attitudes in your immediate life reflect on you. Positivity, motivation, and general well being seem to be directly influenced by those around you. Don't they say it's best to surround yourself with positive people? 

bridge along the Severn Way

I guess it's too soon to judge how I will feel in July for Lakeland after this nearly 2 month hiccup so I am going to mainly focus on getting in the miles to finish the race. The ultimate goal, outside of being safe and finishing, is hanging on to enough qualifying points for Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2015. With Superior 100 and Lakeland 100 this gets me there. Then I can have a second try at the lottery with a little help from not getting in for 2014. 

Depending on how I feel during Lakeland quitting is not an option however how much effort I put in to finishing in the front will be decided during the race. 

The light in the mornings is growing which has been great, time to carry the camera as the phone camera isn't sufficient as you can tell in the above photos! 

2nd Metatarsal Pain

And spring time just won't let up on me! I've kicked this sickness, was starting to feel better, and injury strikes. Out of no where my left 2nd toe is in pain and is swollen. Right at the main knuckle. I can run on it but am I making it worse? Horrible Dr. Google comes up with the worst, stress fracture, to the best, your shoes were too narrow. 

So here I am, ready to go and held back again. Ibuprofen, ice, massage, stretching, sanded any calluses on the balls of my feet. It is possible that the new PureCadence 3 I've got we're just a tad narrow, as are the PureConnect. So I'm back in my PureGrit. I may have mentioned all this before when I had inklings of this injury. Sure would be nice if it was that simple. 

I try so hard to find the time to run, I've found it, the routine is good, and I can't. Ugh.