Bit of a setback with marathon training

I went out on Saturday morning with Andrew to run 18 miles. I felt good and was looking forward to it and felt we could do a good time. But as I ran down the hill to meet Andrew at the bridge I just felt my hamstring tighten. I thought I could maybe stretch it off before we started but after a couple of good stretches it became clear that it was a bit more serious than I'd first thought. I tried a slow jog but whenever I increased my stride my hamstring complained and so reluctantly I had to stop and let Andrew continue on his own. It was such a beautiful morning that I jogged slowly up the road, got out my bike and decided to try some cycling instead. I caught up with Andrew and cycled back and forward, trying to encourage him (probably annoying him no end!) and cycled 22 miles all in all. The big encouragement for me was that it was dead easy. I averaged about 19 m.p.h. and hardly broke sweat. Maybe I'm getting fitter than I thought?

I rested Sunday and have been on two gentle jogs on Monday and Tuesday, just slow and steady, with no adverse effects at all. In fact tonight I ran for 35 minutes without a single twinge. Maybe I'm healed. I'll do a few more easy but longer runs this week but this weekend is our Church Weekend Away so I won't get a run in until Monday. Here's hoping that that's my tweaky muscle over for the next few months.

I still haven't entered the Luton Marathon yet as I need to arrange some cover for me for that Sunday before I can enter. I must get on with it.

By the way, I've been letting my nutrition slip a bit recently. Too many sausage rolls at lunch time and too many chocolate bars in between. I have decided to make lunchtime a fruit only time and also to cut out all chocolate until Christmas (when I shall gorge myself good and proper!) I'm also upping my water intake to avoid dehydration.

I'm 50 years old next week (11th November) and so I'll get to run in the veterans section of the next marathon - whoopee!

Don't let flu spoil your marathon training

Fruit and seeds oil – natural flu defence
***********************************
Flu season is just around the corner, so it will pay to start boosting your immune system now.
That’s why this little shortcut is so timely...

University of Minnesota Researchers have found natural support for the immune system in the form of cold-pressed fruit and herb seed oils. The oils are packed with natural antioxidants and essential fatty acids that help jump start the immune system.

So before you find yourself reaching for the Lemsip, get yourself down to the health food shop and use these natural supplements to give yourself a head start:

* Snack on nuts, pulses and seeds

* Try supplementing your diet with walnut, hazelnut, sesame, sunflower, raspberry seed and cumin oils or blended oil high in omega 3, antioxidants and vitamin E

* Only buy cold pressed oils – they are gently squeezed so they retain all their essential nutrients

If you can't be bothered with all that fuss then try Juice Plus - 17 fruit and vegetables in two capsules. Go to www.juiceplus.co.uk/+mm026962 for more details of this amazing supplement for athletes. I haven't even had a cold since I started taking them, never mind the flu. Godd marathon nutrition starts with Juice Plus.

Post Turkey Training

Since getting back from Turkey its felt very cold indeed. However, I've managed to get a few good runs in including a nice half marathon on Saturday morning. The weather in Berkhamsted is glorious right now and so my normal canal route, with Andrew, was just lovely. He had had a hectic week, India and back in 48 hours, and was feeling a bit jaded, so I ran the socks off him! Its not often I leave him trailing so I enjoy it when I do. We are both getting ready to run the Luton Marathon in December. Its not a big field (800) but its local and saves a lot of hassle with travelling and accommodation. And it won't be hot (you might recall that my last marathon in Sweden was run in 31 degrees C.)!

Another great Turkish holiday (see pictures)

My wife and I have just come back from another lovely warm and relaxing holiday in Ovacik, Near Fethye in Turkey. The weather was superb and we enjoyed some great runs together, including a couple down to the stunning resort of Olu Deniz and its world famous beach. Its a tough run down because its so steep that your thighs are screaming to stop you have to continually break but the two mile run back up, for me, is just impossible. I did eventually get two thirds of the way back up the hill... but that was that. I'm training for the Luton Marathon in December so the hill training was great.

On Sunday night about 5pm I decided to go for a nice long run on my own down to Olu Deniz and try to get back before the sun began to set. I ran down no problem but when I got there it was so stunning I just began to run right around the Blue Lagoon and eventually ended up at a big posh hotel that was hosting a wedding between a British lady and a Turkish guy. I couldn't run any further (road ran out) so I cheekily walked into the reception, blagged a cool drink, went to the loo and ran home again. All in all the route ended up being about 10 miles which was just ideal as part of my training schedule

However, on the way back I encountered the most beautiful sight I've seen for ages. The sun was just beginning to set over the bay, a couple of boats were lazily heading for harbour and the sky was full of paragliders (I counted 27) enjoying the phenomenal views from 2000 feet up. See my picture below to get a little idea of the beauty of the moment. I just had to stop and drink it in and I'll carry it with me all through my winter marathon training.

I then made my way back up the two mile hill (well almost!) and back home feeling privileged to witness what I had just witnessed. When I got back to our apartment I had a quick dip in the refreshing pool and then a nice meal with my wife. Days don't get much better than this.

If you fancy a holiday in this idylic part of the world then go to www.relaxinturkey.net and have a look at what's on offer. If you mention that you saw the site on my blog my wife will give you a discount.