I’m making great progress with the plantar fasciitis. Went to JKD and Muay Thai last night as a test and I’m doing alright. I’m planning a run tomorrow to see how it responds. I’m excited. Hard work pays off for once.

I entered an unplanned lottery the other day. In 2014 I ran the Lakeland 100, one of the UK’s premier ultras. I had a miserable race despite finishing. I’d like to return and redeem myself but I figured why not see if I can get in the 50? I tried. I got in! So I have until tomorrow night to commit to it. It lines up well with any racing in late August or September and has a boat load of vert, nearly 10,000 feet over 50 miles, just what I’m looking for! 

Anyway, hopefully back to training tomorrow!

Buckle display

Something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. Build a display for my 100 miler buckles. There are some really cool ideas out there but I’ve got limited time. I took a board from a baby crib I was throwing out and sunk some nails in it and we’re done. It works for now I guess. Don’t really trust the cats or the kids though, they still could knock them all off! 

I’d rather have a nice rustic piece of brown wood or maybe a steam punk-industrial look. A door could be cool too but this is a start! Better than the drawer!

The laundry room contains this, my JKD black belt certificate, and my Shepard’s crook from winning the Snowdonia 50. Would like to get my actual black belt up too. It’s not really a belt to wear, definitely a display belt. I like to think I’m a modest person but I am pretty proud of these accomplishments. I guess on display in the laundry room is a modest place to be proud!? 

More messing with this new app, above should be a short video of my buckle display.  Crazy background noise courtesy of cats playing LEGO! 

New (ish) Shoes

A quick post to test out this new blogger app discussing briefly my newish shoes I mentioned in my previous post. 

First my beloved Altra Torin 4. High level of cushioning but not so high that you lose sensitivity with the ground or reduce the flexibility of the shoe. For me it’s the perfect amount. I like tons of softness underfoot but want a lot of flexibility and feel too. They changed the cushioning material and I say it’s a bit more responsive (“bouncy” in technical terms!) versus the really “smooshy” (another technical description!) of the previous version. 

The toe box is a little bit lower volume making the shoes look a bit less crazy with the foot shaped toe box. At work the look of these puts many people off. Of course they still have the zero drop (no big chunky heel) as with all of Altra’s shoes. Pretty much the closest think you can get to super soft cushioning in a natural motion, barefoot feel. 

Then there’s my “commuter shoe,” the Brooks Transcend 6. Very different from the Torin. Tons of soft cushioning, quite a bit more support, and a more traditional shoe fit and feel. I bought these because they were comfortable and I needed a shoe for standing around in at work but I could also run in. I am able to sneak in a couple easy runs from where I park my car to work. It’s normally a 1.5 mile walk but with a bit of time management I can get in a 3-6 mile run to and from work. 

I normally would not buy a support shoe. They’re too stiff and rigid which I feel is bad for most people. However Brooks has removed the traditional medial post in their support shoes and replaced it with a new concept called the guide rail. See the black “stripy material” on the inside and outside of the Transcend below? That’s the guide rail. Altra has it on their “support” shoes as well. Think of your feet as bowling balls rolling down the lane but the gutters have bumpers in them. If the foot rolls in or out the guide rails nudge it back to center. The whole concept is focusing on keeping the knee centered, not the ankle. The bonus? The shoe is much more flexible letting your foot work like it’s suppose to and not fight the stiff shoe. 

I really liked the feel of the upper material and shape, and of course the super soft DNA Loft cushioning. I figured the higher 10mm heel to toe drop, versus my zero drop Torin, would be a good thing reducing the pull on my calves and a little bit of support from the guide rail would be welcome after a long day on my feet. 

Overall it was just comfortable, the number one factor in shoe selection, and of course I was curious how the guide rails felt. I do sell this shoe at work and being something I normally wouldn’t use I felt it a fun option to test out just to improve my knowledge as well. 

Summer's coming to a close

Well summer is nearly over, it's dark in the early hours of the morning and the kids go back to school within two weeks. Running has been going well. I've been consistent with the early mornings and keeping the tiredness at bay so far.

For the past 8 or so weeks I've been just trying to keep consistent building a super solid base. So super easy running. It's been enjoyable and I've been looking at new road routes to mix it up and prepare for winter. I prefer to train on the roads versus trails because I don't return home covered in mud. Showering is usually optional for me as I sometimes run three times a day!

Speaking of running three times a day, on Saturday I woke and did my usual early run, 8-10 miles. Then I managed to leave for work about 20 minutes early so extended my run commute to 5 miles. After work on Saturdays I usually just head to the car in order to get home to the family but I ended up getting out a bit early. Right near where I park there are some football fields with really nice looking grass. I have always wanted to run a few laps, this ended up being that day! So with time to spare and being within a 1/4 mile of the car I sat down pulled my shoes off, and ran a bunch of barefoot laps! It was a hot sunny day and it just had to be done. I ended up running another 4 miles barefoot. My feet got a nice stretch and felt really good. I knew however I'd might pay for it later as I've been managing plantar fasciitis (PF) in both feet for a few months now.

barefoot running

haven't done this since high school cross country

Unsure about the PF. I believe it came on from my weight routine which incorporated a lot of jumping. Running makes it better it seems and I'd hate to take time off. It seems that it was caused by tight calves, something I know I'm prone to. I've been aggressively stretching, strengthening, and massaging focusing on the root cause (calves) in the hopes of it going away but it's holding firm. I'm excited to run more and feeling good but I really need this to go away so when it's time to REALLY train I'm healthy. In my research it's an elusive injury with no clear cut resolution. I guess for now persist but I'm tempted to take a couple weeks off from running, tempted. Running makes me really happy and I hate removing that.

Annabelle insisted on joining me for a run!

Looking ahead to the future and training I've purchased a rad book, Training for the Uphill Athlete. It focuses on mountain races and can be applied to people who live in flat lands as well, like me. A big portion of the training focuses on meeting vertical foot goals, versus miles, building muscular endurance for big mountain races. I've been trying to figure out if and how I'd be able to make these plans work. I think I've got it figured out. I now have access to a NordicTrack Incline Trainer at the martial arts academy. These treadmills go up to 30 to 40% incline! I googled an incline calculator and spending a hour or more on this thing once a week will help me get the vertical I need to accomplish the recommended training for some of the monster races I aspire to do! I've also found the time to do it too, I may have to sacrifice a Muay Thai class once a week but the time is there. I'm really psyched for racing next summer and of course the process to get there.

River Severn

      
The new version of  my preferred current shoe of choice, the Altra Torin, was released and I jumped on a new pair right away. The 4th edition is fantastic. Not that the 3.5 was bad but after 800 miles it was time (most shoes last about 5-600 miles)! I fortunately scored a second pair on eBay for 50 pounds, 25 pounds cheaper than I normally can get them through work. So, 2 pairs of Torin 4's and I'm set for winter as far as training shoes go. I've been commuting in a pair of current Brooks Transcend, I think Transcend 6. I never wear support shoes as they are far too stiff and rigid which I feel is bad for most people however I was intrigued by the new guide rail system Brooks has put in the Transcend and Adrenaline. It provides support focusing on keeping the knee inline, not the ankle. Pronation is a natural motion and causes few problems, marketing to solve it was an idea not backed by science. Despite providing support to keep the knee inline it doesn't make the shoe overly rigid. I've been pretty happy with them but I just prefer the Altra fit and feel. I got to see the upcoming version of the Altra Provision, a supportive shoe with guide rails, it has had major changes and is significantly better. I'm excited to hopefully try a pair of when they arrive this winter.

That's about it for now, besides the kids keep bothering me so time to get going! 

4am Stourport high street

  
I’m hoping to blog more because I just found a Blogger app that’s compatible with IOS! This was the main reason I cut back, it was a pain in the ass to add photos from my phone and the original Blogger app for IOS went away and wasn’t being updated! We’ll see how it works! 

Base miles and Muay Thai

Extended runcommute along the Severn Way, Worcester

Today is the first day of summer break for the kids. I cut back on work for 6 weeks (only working Saturdays) until they start up again, I normally work Monday - Friday 10-2 while the kids are in school. Finding time to run will become more difficult as my run commutes to and from work are obviously put on hold. My commutes have become an easy and tremendously helpful addition to my weekly mileage. There's really rarely a reason not to run a few miles to and from my car. I'm doing a little more research looking at maps to make this time even more productive and efficient time-wise. I like it as it has no compromise on sleep unlike the cumulative early mornings.  

Leapgate rail line

I've bailed on the half marathon this fall, just not feeling it and am excited to just put in a lot of really easy running and build a huge base. So no races in site, just anticipating race lotteries that start in December. Western States 100, Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, and Tor des Geants. I've got the usual aches and pains but am running alright. Just enjoying being outside. I've even stopped with podcasts, books, and music some days while I run. The early mornings and silence are very welcoming. I'm still up at 4am to get out before the wife goes to the gym. I'm glad she is enjoying exercise so am happy to accommodate her. She's definitely made it a solid habit which isn't easy but to do.

Muay Thai grading

I'd been joining in with the Muay Thai boxing classes for a couple weeks and was coerced into doing the grading. We do a fair amount of Thai boxing in Jeet Kune Do so I knew the basics anyway. The classes are very intense which I enjoy. The main focus is technique for now but there is a possibility of fighting in the ring in the future! Not sure if I'm up for that as Thai boxing is really violent but you never know! Being a sport fighting style it's a bit different as we use the gloves for blocking but it's a lot of fun with a great group of people. The academy really has become a fantastic home away from home. They all love to jokingly making fun of my accent and nationality which is always a laugh. I'm there Monday through Friday between my classes and my daughter's tae kwon do, just wish my son would take more interest. I've had a couple weeks I was there 7 days! 

The Thai classes are immediately after JKD so since I have the time available I may as well join in. You m usually really tired but always worth it. The few photos are from the grading.

Muay Thai grading, clinch sparring

The clinch sparring was super intense. Essentially you're fighting for control of the upper body while trying to knee the other person. After the grading our head instructor told me he noticed I had put the time in to prepare. With such a short time between the grading and the few classes I had I definitely did going over the handful of drills we needed to do. I knew the strikes but needed to hone my footwork, positioning, and range. 

getting my yellow arm band  

So that's about it for now. Nothing really exciting, I did get a couple new pairs of shoes! Brooks Transcend 6 for run commuting and the new Altra Torin 4, my every day road shoe, the previous version I had 800 miles on! Also had my buddy from Minnesota bring over some new running shorts to try out. The company Rabbit isn't available in the UK so I had them shipped to his house before he flew over here for a work trip. So far the Rabbit FKT 5" short is good, but still need some more miles in them. I previously had the Patagonia Strider Pro 5" which were greet but the new version they changed the liner and they're just a bit too tight for me. Both models aren't cheap but I feel they're worth every penny.

100 mile out, 1/2 Marathon in

Right up until the morning I needed to leave I was on the fence about South Wales 100. I decided not to do it. There was no connection to the race. It was just there to do. There was no real motivation. The thing that pushed me over was the amount of "emergency" gear we had to carry. It was just too much crap. I'm not here to backpack, this was a running race.  I understand the Welsh weather can be extremely erratic but isn't that part of the allure of these races? Ironically the weather was perfect, waking to blue skies this morning I kind of wished I was out there! Anyway.... I'm done with ultras for now. 

Instead I've pretty much committed to the Worcester City Half Marathon in September. My job is a sponsor, free entry, and it's a fast course. I haven't ran fast in a long time so that seems to be a fun motivator. As of this morning it's worked. I'm excited. I'm ready to train. It will be fun to run on the road and get a solid PR for the half marathon, something I've always raced on the trails which is an inconsistent medium. 

Thursday night we had a fantastic session at Jeet Kune Do. The head instructor took the class. He's extremely experienced and has a very commanding but fun presence over class. It was a very active class finishing with Thai boxing drills which always spike out everyone's heart rate. People know it was a tough class when I leave and my shirt is soaked in sweat! It was also very motivating. We are doing more higher level stuff within the back belt grades which has been fun. We've got this tool box to choose from now and we're working on flowing it all together. Using Bruce Lee's philosophy of throwing away what is useless and choosing the specific strikes, defenses, takedowns, etc. we personally prefer. It's really rad when things start to flow naturally, it's a fascinating sensation to perform without thinking. I'm so glad I joined these classes and stuck to it. The academy is my social life now. It's a super positive environment. Today is the party to celebrate and open a third studio which will have a full size MMA ring, gym equipment, new classes, and other surprises. Unfortunately I can't be there but I'm excited to take advantage of anything I can fit into my schedule. As my daughter changes classes it opens up more time for me to train either another art, take advantage of open mat time, or just use the gym while she's in class. I'm really psyched! 

Trying to juggle running, JKD, and my strength routine something always slips to the back burner, lately that's been JKD. I need a solid schedule to follow. It's amazing how little time it takes to improve or even start a habit. Beginning something for just 5 minutes 2-3 days a week usually builds in time because you're having fun. Start small and it magically lengthens. 

Today we are off to Cardiff in Wales to see the wife's sister and nieces. A fun afternoon at a place called the Imaginarium, I'd assume like the Science Museum, is planned. I'll maybe get out for a run tonight, then we'll dig around the beach tomorrow. Looking forward to hopefully a fun couple days away. 

Scotland, early mornings, rain, future races

I'm back I guess, or at least chipped out some time to blog. Life's busy as usual. I'm good at finding time for the things I want to do but it's tough. Anyway, since my race report I've fully recovered and am kind of running again. Have had trouble getting into the routine for whatever reason. It's odd how I can motivate when the mornings are dark and cold but now when the sunrise is beautiful and the weather is better (well for the most part!) I step back. I've always got this plan in my head organizing running, Jeet Kune Do, and my strength routine but it never seems to fully come to fruition. I'll keep trying. Maybe it's because Thames Path is over, I need a new goal.

Eas Mor Waterfall Trail - Arran

A few weeks ago we were on the Isle of Arran visiting my mother in law. It's a deceivingly busy trip but fun nonetheless. Where we stay there aren't many running options but it's fun to see new things. The weather was miserable but that doesn't really ever ruin the trip. I always have huge ambitions of running a ton of vert and getting in a big week of training but that has never happened. I said "deceivingly busy" because that's exactly what this trip is. There's a lot of social time, more drinking than I normally do, entertaining kids, later nights than usual, a lot of small things that really add up. My wife thinks it's a relaxing trip and says the "sea air" tires us out. Bullshit. It's busy! 

going to Loch Garbad - Arran

I did manage one day in the mountains. It wasn't the one sunny day we had but I was determined to at least try. The forecast was for heavy rain, squalls, and limited visibility. I took the bus as I normally do which is fine other than I don't get the super early start I prefer. I planned on 20 miles running ridge lines as you do in the UK. At lower elevations the weather was decent, cloudy, but no rain yet and probably low 50's. Everything up high was covered in clouds, fog, mist. 

I headed out Glen Rosa after running from the ferry terminal through Brodick. Glen Rosa is a nice run with normally awesome views of the mountains as you look up the Glen. All I saw this time was a few low hills and clouds. After running a while I headed up the start of the Glen Rosa Horseshoe, a fell running race that makes just what it says, a horseshoe around Glen Rosa running the ridges. I'd ran a fair amount of this before so knew where I was headed. 

Glen Rosa - mountains shrouded in fog, clouds, rain

Soon visibility was waning and it was a bit drizzly out. Still fairy warm though, I was in a t-shirt and shorts. The further into the clouds I went the lower the vis got as expected. I followed the faint social trail, checked my map, and watch to make sure I was on track. Slowly the weather began to degrade, the rain jacket came out, and I was up high on the ridge. It's hard to get lost on a ridge, or so I thought. I kept moving along as I slowly got soaked by the persistent rain and wet. The wind wasn't too bad. I followed the ridge peering down the steep drop offs, rocky cliffs, and couloirs that fell into nothing as they were filled with mist. 

on the ridge

Going and going the features I expected to see never arrived. I was confused but thought I knew where I was because I was on the ridge. I kept going, the weather got worse, and I decided it best to cut it short. It just wasn't safe, especially with the weather supposedly getting worse. I anticipated a couple couloirs that cut down to Glen Rosa and back to town but they never arrived.

Soon I was on a long descent I was sure was the down to the saddle where I cut down to Glen Rosa. But shortly I came to some boggy crossings and a deer fence/gate that wasn't on the route I had taken. I knew I had gone wrong somewhere. I figured I'm not going back and it's a small island so if I head down I'll hit the road and catch the bus, hopefully waiting in a pub by a fire! Not so bad! 

I soon realized where I was when I came to a deep cut creek with vertical cliffs lining it. I had gone south instead of north of the ridgeline! I had absolutely no idea! I'd been here before and knew where I was at least and I was doing the horseshoe in the opposite direction, a good thing now! 

I looked for the steep crossing in and out of the chasm but didn't see it, I must have just missed it but continued down stream, the water way too fast and high to cross. I soon came to the end of the deer fence and it crossed the rushing water. I contemplated climbing across it ninja warrior style, then looked around for another way over. No option but to traverse the fence! I climbed it sideways and was soon across! Ended up being a great option, I just wish someone got a photo of me on it!

fence traverse! 

 Four miles later I was back in town. I still wanted more miles so I zig-zagged, back and forth, in and out, all around Brodick as the weather was warm and I was soaked so who cares! Back at the ferry terminal the wife got in touch and said they were on their way into town for something to do. I met with them and changed clothes in a manky bathroom. I wanted more that day but the weather just wasn't cooperating, I still got out to play which was a good thing. These things are fun but would be more fun with someone. 

Back home in Stourport my morning running has been inconsistent, life's been tiring, and I've struggled to get back to the routine. Most recently the weather has been low 50's and rain which sucks! That could be part of the problem! In a week and half I've got the South Wales 100, a doozy of a race with lots of climbing. I was hoping with that looming it would kickstart my mojo but it hasn't.  

early mornings have their benefits

I looked at why I was entered into the SW100 and it was mainly to get enough points to qualify for Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, a race up there in profile with Western States. I thought about it and it's highly unlikely I'll get in. A second look at the qualifying, which they are changing, and I've actually already qualified! The changes worked in my favor! So unless I want to run SW100 I've already qualified for the UTMB lottery! Pretty sweet! 

I already qualify for the UTMB lotto!

So I'm unsure of SW100 right now. I won't get any money back so I may as well do it. There are a couple factors in not doing it though. That same weekend the martial arts academy I go to is having an open day celebrating their expansion by adding another studio with a full MMA cage, fitness equipment, and new/more classes. There are free taster classes, bbq, games, contests..... all sorts of fun things going on. That place being my social life I'd really like to go, BUT, that same weekend my wife is planning to visit her sister in Cardiff near where I'm racing. So if I don't race it's likely I'll be in Cardiff, not really a bad thing as it's always fun but I'd rather attend the open day at the academy. I'd hope my wife would try some of the free classes as well.

It's been raining like crazy here which sucks. The run commute in to work has been wet too. Yesterday was particularly wet. I figure get wet running or get wet walking so may as well run!   

  

been rainy on the run commute in - free shower?