Crunch weekend approaches

Running three times through the day plus a stroll, walking 25k over London to end it. Work in between. Trying, as I can.

Decision time looms

The park. Sunny Hill, round a couple of times. Fast and strong, compared to three months back. Work pays off, even if varied levels, the last six weeks. But the ankle pain kicks in after 5k. Such a tough call, to risk longer term problems, or to push this thing through all the hoops.

The back roads through Harlesden to Sheen, back via Putney Bridge sunset and Willesden Junction .. nice Sunday outing, while fighting my own ankle, and a rough viral affliction. Not at all straightforward, what is happening the next fortnight, must say.

This is one of my old running tracks up north. It's called The Monks' Trod (that's the North Sea in the background), part of a network that leads to Whitby Abbey. Solid sandstone slabs zap across the Yorkshire moors for miles. Been there for ever. Uneven? Errr .. yes. But I've run it in snow/ice many times, with no danger. The monks knew what they were doing.  I don't think they were joggers, tho. The trod can take you to pretty, warm villages, or to 20 miles and more on the high plateau with no people at all. I've spent whole days running up there.  In London, like everyone, I'm stuck for equivalents.

So I go to Richmond Park, which has bronze age burial mounds, fresh air and great views, just like the Yorkshire moors but warmer. Used to live near the Park and ran it daily back then. Now it's the opposite corner of town. This helps me combine two pleasures: walking long distances in the city, and running the park-that's-like-the-countryside.  As a student in Norwich, before I ever went to London, I read about Ezra Pound and Ralph Vaughan Williams, both (not together) covering huge distances on foot, in and around the city. RVW would sometimes walk home to Dorking from the Royal Albert Hall. Pound pounded the pavements for hours. He ended up on the far right, went crazy and was imprisoned. Ralph voted Labour, became an aged institution and had more sex than we ever thought likely.

So whenever I'm in London, I walk as much as poss. Today did about 20-odd-k quick walk through town, then about the same distance running the park. The Monks' Trod can feature adders, for the unwary jogger. But Richmond Park is unthreatening, beyond the occasional kamikaze cyclist. It's a kingdom of trees, patrolled by deer, and it's not quite tamed. Today I ran right through a small group of antlerheads in long grass, both of us too surprised to react. That was great. The left leg was not at all great, but again it feels better, now, and I could have run further, in theory. So I'll see if the leg needs an emotional rescue, tomorrow.

Running tip #umpteen: don't get obsessive about it, or anything else. Up there is my troublesome tendon today. Hurts more now when running, but less when not.  Might keep working, might not.  Only running will tell, the physio goes on. But fortunately I'm not an addictive chap, and amid the poignancy, perspective wins. Picked up on Teenage Riot by Sonic Youth again Sat. morning, the slow beginning that feels like life just began. It makes most things seem possible (however unlikely). Also tried Nothing's Impossible by Depeche Mode, an old favourite. But my goodness it's one hell of a miserable-sounding ode to potential.

Yesterday the left Achilles got a big workout around London. But the meaningful aspect was seeing Regent's Park, on a grey rainy aft. The wild and deserted sections to the west. The Canada geese who stare you down when you run at them and don't move. The million low white flowers near the lake. All the Muslim ladies exercising quietly in black, near the big mosque.

As a runner now, since last living in this city in '05/6, there's even more dodging of phone-people-in-a-trance, than there is avoiding confident geese and random concrete bollards. After a time away from London, this feels a large change on the street. It sounds old-fogeyish to say so, but it's not. I was a really early adopter of smartphones, they are great, totally unmissable for communications. The addiction feels no better than any other tho, do you think?  It feels .. a little bit phone-y. And the battery life still sucks :-)

Details .. from Hendon to Golders Green yesterday, narrowly escaping a random rage attack (seriously, folks) from an unaccountably shouting loony near the North Circular.  Up to the Hampstead Heath extension, the ponds and the main Heath, fast progress on soft ground. Belsize, Primrose Hill, Regent's Park for circuits, back more-or-less the same way. Forced the pace v. hard up Primrose. Basic fitness, left leg, CV,  asking huge, new questions all the time. I don't know if I can answer them all by July 13th, after such a layoff. But answer them I will, and the walk/run combo feels good again. Come on, Richmond Park.

Yesterday's rain and thoughts drove me to Greenwich on a Sat., reminders of last year with the tall ships and cable cars. Walking from the peninsula, the river looked massively wide and majestic. Ran Greenwich Park a few times, first jog there in eight years. Twenty years since  I last did four circuits. Low sun, shafting light onto millions of wet oak leaves, and onto the headily-scented flower-laden shrubs. Nature was overwhelming.

My left leg/heel hurt sharply, all through the slow jog, sometimes as though the injury was new. But this morning, it felt stronger for the experience. So for now, pressing on.

Eventually, I was staring up at the cliffs, thinking it was maybe impossible. Last night was the first time I've pushed running in a fortnight. Today's the last chance for the left leg, before I look hard and honest at the real prospects for the July run. An odd sentence for me to read, after the year so far. It's been an odd time, hit very hard by the tendonitis, walking every day with the odd jog. While also caught up in the adventure (and dramatic end) of the ocean rowing endeavours of two friends, and engaging with their team across England and Wales. This led to some helpful, unanticipated exercise up-and-down the said cliffs, and a bit of film and photography. But (briefly) it's been life-as-extreme-challenge-soap-opera: injury, frustration, inspiration, confusion, potential heartbreak and curtailment.

Which is where determination and realism kick in. Should I run this race, and risk permanent injury? Or enrol for the next one? What the hell does 'permanent' mean anyway, when I'm this far into life's journey etc? Who do you let down, or not, beyond yourself?

Last night was actually quite a swift run. It hurt a good deal, oh yes, but hurts less this morning. Contrast that with two weeks back, when two surgical appliances were needed, to maintain the illusion of normality. Walking for the first hour of the day was not really on. The layoff has been high-risk on a tight schedule, backed up with simple physio. I've not been to the gym. Despite all my prior analysis on this blog, there seems no doubt now that I induced the tendonitis myself by running fast uphill on the treadmill, for long periods. So, however much I love it,  I must abandon the machine training now, and just get back to my old regimes. Which are pretty simple: run on mixed, irregular ground, when you can. Knees/hips are fine, so no need to retire just yet. Injury stuff, worn-out body parts are so boring, but it becomes the story.

It's a breezy, bright, showery Saturday, ideal for the park test. If I get around twice, you'll be the first to know, and game-on for the torn and frayed tendon.

Week or so in surgical foot appliances has now given way to just running socks and physio. The eccentric heel drops do seem a good alternative to just waiting to get well. Thinking of the excrutiating stuff last week, the pain now is ... more localised and even friendly, by comparison. The running goes on regardless, so I'd be a fool to cry.

Left foot secured by Ultimate Performance achilles support with heel cup, right foot in a Cheetah ankle gripper. It's a nice Sunday afternoon, so the extended run beckons once more. The downside is the back end of a cold I picked up last week. Feeling more beast of burden than sprightly gazelle, must say.  North London parks and Hampstead Heath should be entertaining if crowded, I'll feed back. Could do with a run in open country by the sea, for the sense of freedom. Early June perhaps.

Talking of entertaining, today I'll re-try the podcast approach to passing the running time. See if Melvyn Bragg and Jazz Library do it for me again. Lately it's been more ye olde concert broadcasts of Classical, Stokowski and the gang ... and ... Satisfy Me by Ian van Dahl. Shameless.

Eccentric heel drops and appliances on the feet - a three month go at zapping the tendonitis, which hurts. Yet running feels fine. Unlike the weather - winter gives it one more shot in London.

Oh no, not you again? Tendonitis, the Achilles heel of the middle-aged jogger. Running training tip #5 - deal with injury by resting but it's not the end of the world. Hit me hard last week, after it had seemed the legs were back to normal, and by Wednesday I was thinking maybe the race was over for this year. Yet the running itself was going very well, better in fact, once past the first mile. Sadly I could not walk in the mornings. I have a high pain threshold, so was concerned that by running through it, I might be doing permanent damage. But you're never alone, and there is a billion dollar industry out there (well maybe) aimed at fixing the tendons of unwise joggers. See above, now in place along with the matching heel cup for my 'healthy' side, and more gadgets to come for hardcore use. It feels good for walking, and this aft I'll see if it's possible to run on it. Mucho stretching and bending, but I do that anyway.

Analysing it, this condition stems from normal daily life in London, not running as such. My ankles are thin, and I give them hell, plus I am just a tad too heavy for the serious distances re. knee and ankle - so I need light day-shoes that work for me, or I'm in trouble. Since my 30s, I've experienced pain from any shoe with too much weight or height, from DMs to ski boots. My regular boring comfortable Clarks lace-ups for the working day have been slightly too heavy, my blue suede boots slightly too flat and high on the ankle. I threw them all away yesterday in favour of a slightly dodgy pair of featherlight Clarks black slipons (can't be a style icon forever), and the relief was immediate, honestly. Thinking back again, my thousands of unruly coast clambering miles were done in wholly insubstantial Teva open sandals, and not a single day lost to injury.

Do runners always wind up talking about gear, pain and getting older? I'll try to talk about running later. Mostly I've been in Sunny Hill Park since we last spoke. It's a great place for lots of circuits - smallish with two or three hills for reps if needed, plus a toilet option, and a Kosher/Middle-Eastern restaurant if it comes to that. The park nestles snugly, deep in the potentially toxic armpit of the M1, A41 and A1 but the high ground lets you breathe deep and  see beyond London to the illusion of open country. It also gives you sunsets over Wembley Stadium. So when the urge is to paint it black, take your pain to Sunny Hill, and watch if fade.

Training running tip #4 (controversial). Drop the caffeine. Two weeks in, it's you doing the run, not the gallon of coffee you slurped this morning. Yes you'll befuddle in the mornings, but your heart will likely thank you. Starbucks with brown sugar is tempting, but it's also nice not to be giving them three quid to feel edgy.

Bank Holiday cheers after a long river walk with the next generation (mine's a water with lemon). Legs holding out.

A couple of film crews were out. Reminding us that this and one blue light used to be enough ID for a police car.

Musical accompaniment came from this lady at Southwark, playing the saw in beguiling fashion. Then, you get towards Deptford and there are no people, the billion tourists disappear and so do the signs for the notional Thames path. It's just you and the big council housing blocks.  

Yest. was multiple circuits running Richmond Park - sun and evening air, hundreds of deer. So happy not to be cold any more. Next two weeks weight management. 

Last week was odd. The running injuries are fading again, which is good.  Then I saw Uncle Joe marching London's streets, and wondered why people still have sympathy for the devil. 

But it was sunny, even in Sloane Square tube, and for sport and art, it was good to attend the launch of the 2012 Legacy Trust with Jonathan Edwards et. al., down at the RSA. Money for youth projects, with the emphasis on participation not spectating. Though this comes out of the world's biggest spectator event, the Olympics. So we'll see.  

Later to Cardiff Bay, for a reception at the excellent World of Boats with a lot of lovely people. This was a well-wishing event for Charlene Ayres and Sally Kettle, who are rowing around GB starting June 1st. Makes my leg challenge seem very modest indeed, but it's been easy to get caught up in the inspiration of The Coastgirls. The true spirit of 2012. 

Last night a late 15, this morning a 20, tomorrow a 40. Bank holiday weekend was made for running.

Looks as though I'll be racing away from The Stones on 13th July, as they are playing Hyde Park that day.

Running training tip #3. Sometimes it's just shoes. I've been putting leg and esp. achilles pain down to too much treadmill. But it turns out my not-so-old Air Pegasus (left) had lost their spring, notably left shoe. The replacement Pegasus pair (right) are already fixing the issues. Yesterday was another running Sunday, 30k steadily in the evening after 10k on the Heath in the morning. No after effects during this morning's jog, but a long way to go (to say the least) on underlying fitness. Now we're through the winter, should be ok. So, on with the show. For what it's worth, I've tried many cheaper and more expensive running shoes, but for 20 years these have worked. In 2013 they are way more comfortable but apparently don't last as long.

Yesterday another 12k and gym; this was a day off proper running (20k and 40k coming up in next three days). So running training tip #2: walk a lot. It works.

Working day, eating all the time,  meetings around the Adelphi. Met Jody Williams, nobel prizewinner and activist. The land-mines lady. She was very funny about reality tv. Inspiring woman, I thought.  Now she wants to ban killer robots. Stephen Sackur chaired a discussion with her, and they both used the f word (she called it the f bomb) on camera at the RSA. Which was refreshing, amid the doom and gloom. Sat in Trafalgar Square afterwards, thought of my old running routes, across the square to the royal parks, long ago when I lived around the corner. I'll re-run that, one eve next week.

Managed to fit in a 10k on the deserted (nearly) Heath on Monday afternoon - an odd mix of open country springy turf feeling, and crawling parks police vehicles.  Making sure we joggers and trees don't get unruly I guess. From there through Highgate, past Graham Chapman's old local,  The Angel. The plaque says the ex-Python "drank here often and copiously." On to the gym for a few more k at intervals, and stretching the dodgy left hamstring. It all took my mind off caffeine withdrawal. Have you had one of those headaches? Goodness. Next day weather warmed, took a short turn around the park in shorts to celebrate. Wrestled with iPods phones and all that, settling on the runner's real friend, the original shuffle with lanyard, recommended for comfort and great sound.

Was asked about training again - which is currently just getting out for longer runs, esp. at the weekend, and doing progressive work on the treadmill a few time a week, a bit harder each time. Caffeine and alcohol were given up this weekend, for the rest of the training period, but that's a fairly normal state for me down the years. Yesterday was typical Sunday active, starting at the local park ...

... where the Japanese Maple is budding again ... 

... running through the Jewish area, bustling street cafés in the sun .. 

 ... to Hampstead Heath Extension, which gives a good impression of the countryside ... 

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... past Dick Turpin's tollgate near the Spaniards Inn ...

... resisting the chance to jump on one of these, which stop near the gym ... 

 ... into Kenwood Park with its closed-for-refurb house ...

 ... and its views of the Shard ...

 ... to the Highgate side of the Heath ...

... through another park ...

 ... to the gym for a fast 5k then off to the tube station .. 

... crossing packed London diagonally south west ... 

... getting out at Mortlake, heading south on foot to the Sheen Gate ... 

 ... of Richmond Park, where I did most of my running, then headed back north after dark. 

Cold wind later did not help, but a relaxed weekend day out. Covered a lot of ground, as much as poss. off-road. Times and distances? Next time. Phone, cables etc. were a pain but legs weren't, thankfully - which is some kind of satisfaction.

Try to carry as little as possible when running - still have RSI in right shoulder from doing otherwise on the coast through '07. This weekend unlike last, jogging with a phone, tho that still feels a bit much. Crossing Hampstead Heath, admiring trees in the sun (at last), one was modified, sympathetically.

Pain in right leg taking my mind off discomfort down the whole right side. Old injuries bite back,  but it's really not as bad as it sounds. Looking for the point in this rather irregular schedule, moment when there's enough spring back in the body to do some gentle jogging in the hills in a couple of weeks. Not  there yet, but not yet out of time.

First proof of spring, long shadows in Finsbury Park after the gym last night. Just stretching my legs on a Saturday (as you can see) before doing more miles today. Across town, thousands of amazing folk doing the marathon in the sun. It's just great that running, getting out and doing it, is such a focus for all of London, on this day each year. I don't watch the TV coverage of the astounding serious race, mainly because ... PI training secret no 1 ....

.. I don't watch telly.

Always a tough choice for me, passing this sign while walking or jogging to the gym. We'll come back to that. But a stranger on the way today asked me how I stay fit. Which I'm not, huge work needed re. basic fitness, for this run. I just run for the freedom of it, anyway. In the north, I run all over the moors and coast, the crazy stuff on springy stuff. In London I run through Highgate to a treadmill at the excellent Factory in Finsbury Park, gym chosen 10k from home.

Tomorrow, marathon day.

Who bombs a marathon? Poor people, my goodness.

Left my glasses in the dark on the big steps at the north of Chelsea Square. Damn. All John Adams' fault, rambling on a podcast about the Hendrix and the Rolling Stones at Harvard in the early '70s. Then Suzanne Vega was eulogising the Fab Four. It would distract a sniper, let alone a jogger. Got to Albert Bridge before I remembered the spex, went back, there they still were, regrouped. I was doing a 'private marathon' on a Sunday night, kind of thing runners get up to in London, and I'd stopped for a banana and a drink from Tesco's South Ken. Went out today with no phone, just the iPod nano. It's better with no phone, sad that it feels almost rebellious. Chelsea's a fantasy world at night, genuinely beautiful, but Albert Bridge is more than that - as magical in its way as Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria, floating in the mist, impossible not to smile. It's easy (and boring for others) to play "I used to go there, and there, and there" in London, as though the place were a big board game, that you play through your life. But I did used to live the other side of that bridge, and must run back next Sunday and take a look. It was a very happy time. This Sunday run started in NW4 after 5pm, with 5k walking to see if the crippling left ankle pain would fade, steadily running on it from Edgware road, east to Hampstead Heath for a full circuit on softer ground. Back west to Rosslyn Hill (listening to Janet Baker talk about Yorkshire grit), across and over Primrose Hill, packed. Through Regents Park, and across Marylebone to Edgware Road again, before heading into Hyde Park, and Ken Gardens. After the Chelsea débacle, the back streets took me to Belgravia, and to Buck House. Years since I ran the Mall, but my brief foray into the ICA only terrified the staff, and I ran on and over Hungerford, to the Royal Festival Hall. Last night, we were honoured guests at a National Youth Orchestra reception and concert there. Heard an interview today with Simone Young, the excellent conductor. Tonight, I was using RFH simply as a public loo. In said loo, a sound installation features a chap whistling all of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. Blasted home with jazz, Mingus and Miles. Pain all over (including ribs, annoyingly), but also feeling much stronger the last few k, which was a surprise. All good, don't want to make this too easy - as the old North Korean proverb says, Race to the Stones, but run from the Beatles. Home, stretching, the news tells me Colin Davis has just died, and my whole life runs past me, very quickly. Thoughts for another day of reading his manuscript letters in the BL Tippett archives, and bumping into him just the once, in Highbury. Failed to interview him. Another reason to keep running this year.

I was at School for Communication Arts for a half day, and they said "What kind of training do you do for a 100k run?" Most of the students were writing briefs for Brothers Cider or else helping rebrand soft cheese and squirty cream. All in a church in Brixton:

The imagination and workrate at SCA blow me away every time. The idea that they'd be impressed by anything I do was humbling.  Running's just something I've done to stay sane, down the years, and the only answer to their question about training is "I'll try to get as strong as possible by the end of June without breaking anything. And I'll keep telling people I'm doing 100k, so the chance of backing out diminishes and becomes unacceptable."  Inspired. Next time I better run to SCA. Three months today, till the race.