Bazooka those verrucas?

If you have had a verruca you will be aware that these little fellas can be a real pest for runners.
Here's a weird little treatment you might want to try. It comes courtesy of Ray Collins who sends me a weekly email on health and related matters. If you'd like to subscribe to Ray's slightly wacky emails then go to http://www.goodlifeletter.co.uk

Here's what he wrote:

Thought you may like to know about a cure for verrucas that I have tried and it does work - DUCT TAPE. I read an article in Sainsbury's magazine which said to cover verruca with duct tape and rub away dried skin with an emery board once a week for a few weeks (can't remember how many).
I found that for verrucas on the toes (and my son had 2) it worked a treat - they were gone after 6 weeks. It didn't work so well on the sole of the foot - probably because I couldn't get the tape to stick long enough!
Anyway - given the cost of verruca treatments I thought you might like this one as it was amazingly cheap and no slower than conventional treatments. Great stuff.

For fact fans, verrucas are actually warts on the foot, caused by an infection with a strain of the human papilloma virus. Conventional treatments involve freezing them with liquid nitrogen, but why go through all that if there are natural remedies to try first? Tea tree oil is well known for treating verrucas and warts on other parts the body. Or try and rub the inside of a banana skin onto the verruca for a few minutes, two or three times a day.

Last long run before marathon

Today's schedule called for a one and a half hour run at a fast pace. I managed to cover just short of 11 miles in the time which for me is pretty good. Perhaps the most encouraging aspect was that I left off my hamstring strap for the first time in half a dozen runs and I felt no reaction at all. My brain now believes that my hamstring is officially 100% again. What a relief. I felt strong the whole way and could have gone just a little faster if my life depended on it. If I could maintain something like that speed for the whole marathon I'd come in somewhere around 3 hr 45min. Now, that's a tall order but possible I believe. I've still got a couple of weeks to fine tune my body and my brain before the big day and I believe I can go slightly faster on the actual marathon race than I did today, provided the volume of runners doesn't get in the way of running freely.

I had 18 holes of golf yesterday at Moor Park Golf Club in Middlesex. It is one of the nicest club houses in the country (used to belong to Lord Unilever (of soap fame) and features ceilings in the mode of the Cistene Chapel. Quite delightful. I haven't swung a club since last October (too busy training) but still I managed to shoot a credible 83 and scored 36 stableford points. I also missed 4 putts of under three feet so a really good score was within my grasp. I had a fantastic day and want to thank Mr Philip Lovegrove who so generously sponsors the event every year. The man is a legend, and a generous legend at that!

Its my wife's 49th birthday today so we will be going out for a meal later and a glass of red wine - my last drink of alcohol before the actual marathon. Soon be time to start loading the carbs.

2 good runs and no problems

On Tuesday and tonight I did an 8 k run. I went with a guy who is a bit slower than me so I just had to run steady to keep him company. On Tuesday I didn't mind as it was a lovely night and we ran at a decent pace and eventually finished the 8k in 45 minutes. Steady pace and easily maintainable.

However, tonight I decided just to go for it. Forget the muscle concerns... just go for it. I ran the 8k in 24 degrees heat in 38 mins 20 secs and this includes the long and steep Bullbeggars Hill. This is a good time and gives me a lot of confidence for the marathon. I'm beginning to feel that I'm almost back to full strength and I'm sure with a bit of rest and a few more fast runs I'm going to arrive at the start line in Stockholm in good shape.

I'm reading a good book just now called 'The Lore of Running' by a South African runner/doctor called Tim Noakes. If you only buy one running book then this should be it. Its very, very thorough (and very thick) but it covers everything. I received it as a present so I've no idea what the price is but I expect it won't be cheap.

Feeling good - whip it on!

Trouble in the bath

It was quite hot this afternoon when I went for my two hour marathon training run. Its nice to be on the taper and know that, apart from the marathon itself, the really long runs are over. However, tonight I chose to run the route for the Berkhamsted Half-Marathon which is, as I've said before, a killer of a route, especially in the heat. There are at least 5 very big hills on the route and it takes it out you. I eventually clocked my slowest half for a long time - 2 hours. When I got home the good news was that my muscles were all fine - no hamstring issues and no new tweaks. Good. I think that the hamstring is finally better because if it can survive the hills I went up and down tonight then it can survive anything. I still strapped it up though.

Anyway, I drank a fair bit of water and went for a bath where I fell asleep, feeling exhausted. When I woke up I felt really lousy and immediately began vomiting into the bath!! Sorry, I know that this is gross but... After I had emptied my guts I just lay in the empty bath shivering and after a quick shower I crawled out into bed and fell asleep again for a couple of hours. I've just wakened up and feel a lot better but can't eat anything so I'm going off to bed again.

What a night!

Garmin Forerunner 201

I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I'd bought the Garmin Forerunner 201 to help me in my marathon training. I have to say that, apart from finding a real life running partner, that this little piece of technology has been the biggest boost to my training this year. I love the split lap timer and counter and it really helps you spot when you begin to tire and prepare for it next time.

It has numerous functions and capabilities but I tend to just leave the display on three permanent settings. They are:- 1. time elapsed; 2. distance covered in miles; 3. current speed in m.p.h.

I have come to especially value the speed setting because I nkow that as long as I can maintain, say, 7.5 mph for as long as possible that a 4 hour marathon is well within my grasp. Its great not to have to guess how fast you're running.

When I get home at the end of a run I can upload all the history onto my computer and analyse and juggle it to my hearts content. Being a bit of a stats freak I love this component of the watch.

Some folk think that the 201 is a bit chunky but I have to say that I never notice it when I'm running. The velcro strap makes sure that I can tighten the strap as much as I need and it doesn't move around.

If you are looking for an electronic running companion then I can recommend the Garmin. I believe the 301 and above is even better and much more compact. Take a look at the Google ads on the sidebar to see the latest models and prices and see what they could do for your running times. The newer models even have heart monitors - can you believe it? Check it out.

Marathon Long Run Successfully Completed!

Sunday was an awful day for anyone except gardens and fishermen. It rained heavily from morning until late afternoon. My wife and her running partner, who are also running in Stockholm, both went for their long run in the morning and arrived back like bedraggled kittens about half past two in the afternoon, tired, wet ...but happy. It was over for them.

Andrew and I were planning to go at four in the afternoon with another friend who was running in Stockholm as well. The three of us met at the usual bridge and lo and behold the rain stopped. We ran 10 miles out, not along the canal tow path because it was flooded, but along the main road to the M25 and then turned and repeated our steps.

Out was easy and my dodgy hamstring held up well. We probably averaged 7.5mph on the way out and I felt I was running well within myself. The way back, as you would expect, was a bit tougher and our average speed dropped to around 5.5mph by the closing stages. Over all we completed the 20 miles in 2 hr 57 min which would bring us in at under a 4 hour marathon.

I felt certain that I could have gone faster but did not want to risk tweaking my hamstring again at this crucial stage in my training so I did not push it at all really. Two days later and I am pain free, blister free and joint pain free. All in all a good run.

I'll try to get a shortish run in today but my wife and I are going to see Il Divo tonight at Wembley which will make any run this evening an impossibility.

Looking good!!

Two encouraging runs

Since Monday I've gone for a steady 5k and a reasonably fast 10k. Both times I've worn my new groin strap and it seems to have made a difference. I finished both runs with no pain but still with the suspicion that if I really pushed it I might do damage. I'm going to persevere with the slowish runs for a few days before I attempt my long run for the marathon.

The good news is that I feel full of energy. Maybe this Q-Link pendant is actually working. I'll tell you what, I'm not stopping wearing it that's for sure.

Stockholm Marathon - official website

If you'd like to take a look at what is on offer at the Stockholm Marathon go to this url and enjoy a browse around. Check out the food and drink that is supplied around the course including pickled gherkins!

http://www.stockholmmarathon.se/start/content.cfm?Sec_ID=131&Rac_ID=92&Lan_I

Hopeful signs for the marathon

I went for three slow runs last week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with Friday being a run of 10k. I finished all three runs with no problems at all muscle wise. Times were all slow but that was not the main objective. On Saturday I decided to go for a faster run with my usual partner Andrew but about 2k into it (probably doing about 8mph) my hamstring tweaked again. I immediately slowed down and jogged home feeling the dull pain the whole way. I felt sick but once I got home I iced it and rested it.

I was conducting a wedding that night in the centre of London and so we went and had a lovely time. It really took my mind off my injury.

I rested on Sunday (from running I mean) and then on Monday I decided to go for a long run with my wife. She is very slow but very steady. For the first 8 miles we ran at about 5.5 hour marathon pace and then for the next 8 miles about 6 hour marathon pace. I had strapped my hamstring up and it felt quite secure. About 1k into the run I felt it tweak again and I just thought, "Stuff it - I'm going to keep going!" So I did. In the end the pain went away (or I got used to it, I don't know) and I ran for 3.5 hours. I finished knowing I could have ran on at that slow pace for as long as I wanted really. This morning I have no pain at all except for the lovely tiredness in my quads which marathon training always brings.

I've ordered a groin strap which I hope will allow me to increase my pace without damaging the muscle. I've lost some really good training time but I'm a bit more hopeful that I can at least complete the Stockholm Marathon which is on June 9th. All in all, a positive run.

Back training again...yessss!!

I give you permission to crack open a bottle of champagne on my behalf tonight. As promised I did no running at all Sunday - Tuesday but I felt so good tonight that I went for a slow 5 km jog, ready to stop at the slightest tweak. Guess what - not a single tweak and here I am back home rejoicing. Hopefully, I can now get some uninterrupted training in for the actual marathon on the 9th of June. I've lost a week and one long run but I hope I'm going to be able to recover it over the next 5 weeks.

Incidentally, on a different note, I was really annoyed at one of the responders to a question I asked on the Google ukrecrunning board about caring for damaged hamstrings. All of the answers were very helpful except for one by a moron who calls himself peter_potato. He just laughed at my misfortune and asked how could this possibly happen to someone who uses Juice Plus+. What a total loser and uninformed idiot! I just overdid the sprinting and paid the price but it is the first time its happened in 18 months of fairly serious running and at 50 years of age I'd say that that is a pretty resounding endorsement of Juice Plus+. For someone to laugh at a fellow runner to score a small minded point is beyond me.