Tom Roper's Running Training

Last run of 2016

That was the last run of 2016, a short jog on the foggy seafront. I ran 690 miles in the year. That’s further than I’ve run in any year since 2012, when I ran 691 miles. In the intervening years the figures are 582 in 2015, 395 in 2014, 406 in 2013  I probably ran in too many races, to wit:

• half-marathons: 1
• ten miles: 2
• five miles: 1
• 10ks: 8
• 5ks: 1
• cross-country races (varying lengths, usually around 5 miles): 7
• parkruns (not races, I know): 20 at Bevendean Down, 1 at Wimpole Estate and 1 at Preston Park 
• Twitten runs: 16

I have already resolved to run fewer races in 2017; the Brighton half-marathon in the first quarter, and something equally challenging in each of the remaining three quarters.

If you’d like to sponsor me for the Brighton Half, I’d be very grateful. I’m running for the Stroke Association.

Week seven of training

I have completed seven weeks out of sixteen of half-marathon training, and festivities meant that this week’s mileage was low, and consisted of only two runs, a Striders run on Wednesday, refreshed by satsumas served by the club captain on the way round, and ruled wine at the finish, and a return to Bevendean Down #parkrun in the company of Sweder. My companion had looked long upon the grape the night before, in the company of Seafront Plodder and other Seaford rakes. Yet, after a relaxed pace at first, at the top of the hill he opened the throttle and completed the course nearly four minutes ahead of me. I did win my age group though; truth to tell, I was the only VM60-64. I couldn’t take part in the Christmas morning Twitten run, but it went well, if Twitter is to be believed. 

My knee is still painful, but I think I have overcome my fear of damaging it through running when it hurts. And in the week ahead of me I have only three days at work, so more running become possible.

Total mileage this week: 7.66 miles

63 days till the Brighton Half.

I’m running the Brighton Half for the Stroke Association. Find out more and sponsor me.

Week six of training

This week has been better. My knee still hurts, but is stronger. I ran three times:

• on Wednesday, with the Striders, though I ran on my own for a short 3 miler
• on Friday evening, again a short outing in the evening, when I encountered Santa’s sleigh as it visits the streets of Seaford. 
• today, the December event in the East Sussex Cross Country League at Newplace Farm. To know more about this, read on.

Newplace Farm is a huge house and estate near Framfield. In mist and dankness, this race is cross-country as it should be, nearly five miles around the perimeters of muddy fields. It’s cross-country as it was in school, when the masters sent us out over frozen fields around Cambridge, while they sat in their cars, smoking, passing a hip-flask around, and speculating lubriciously about the trebles in the school choir.  It’s challenging terrain, muddy, tussocky, but with no big hills. But the mud was nowhere near as bad as last year, and I was three whole minutes faster by my watch, though I await the official times.

 

I am encouraged. 

 

 

 

 

Total mileage this week: 11.91 miles

70 days till the Brighton Half.

I’m running the Brighton Half for the Stroke Association. Find out more and sponsor me.

Week five of training

This week I went back to running on Wednesday, having had ten days off running. I took it easy, with a mile and a half on Wednesday morning, two miles on Friday morning, and a bit over four miles today. My knee is painful, but I can run. 

What’s the point of keeping records if you don’t use them? I’ve been looking back at the past five years of running, to try to understand the history of my knee problems. What did I find?

• There are some impressive periods, when I was piling on the miles, chiefly when training for the 2011 and 2012 Brighton Marathons
• I fell and hurt my left knee in July 2012, while running along the banks of the Clyde in Glasgow; the wound became infected. I didn’t run for a month afterwards 
• There was another gap in June and July 2013, causing six weeks off running, after an attempt to do Juneathon, and very low mileage for most of the rest of the year
• I was off running in February 2014 to end of March 2014, then very short distances, until June when I began training for the Firle half marathon and started to increase 
• I missed all of October 2014 after the Lewes Downland Ten but this was due to a scalded wrist, nothing to do with the legs
• I missed some time February 2015 in middle of training for the Hastings Half: a swollen ankle

Total mileage this week: 7.71 miles
77 days till the Brighton Half.

I’m running the Brighton Half for the Stroke Association. Find out more and sponsor me.

 

 

 

Week four of training

Week four of training has been quiet, too damned quiet, Carruthers, becaase my knee osteoarthritis has flared up. I think this is a consequence of overdoing it at Crowborough. The next day it was swollen and painful, with lots of lovely crepitus. I swam on Tuesday, reasoning that this could do no harm, though kicking off on the turns hurt. But I have not run all week, and the pain comes and goes. I may try something on Wednesday morning, by which time it will be ten days since Crowborough.

I'm not too discouraged, though the pain is a bore. In a sixteen week training programme, it's possible to lose a week or two to injury or illness. The important think is to take it slowly.

In other news, I was able to help with the Seaford Striders Mince Pie Ten Mile, by doing the results. From the race start, about ten minutes into the race, I looked out to the rear of the leisure centre towards the Peacehaven Centenary Park; in crips sunshine I saw a long line of brightly-clothed runners, a beautiful sight.

 

Total mileage this week: 0 miles
84 days till the Brighton Half.

I’m running the Brighton Half for the Stroke Association. Find out more and sponsor me.