01/03/10
February has been a much better month, with 70 miles run including long runs of 13,14 and 15 miles - this is despite losing one week when I twisted my right knee at work!  The knee is still a problem, but I am now seeing a physiotherapist - she is also a runner, and she is comfortable with me continuing marathon preparation whilst she works on the knee.  Hopefully the weather will imrpove in March as my mileage needs to increase up to 20 miles by the end of the month.  It is hard work, and painful, but I will keep going....  Only one race scheduled for this coming month - the Silverstone Half Marathon.

02/02/10
As I finish my worst January mileage in 5 years I (a measely 38 miles) and looking back over the past few months, I am more and more convinced that once London Marathon is out of the way in April I need to take a couple of months off from running to let my body settle down again.  The problems with the knee continued at the beginning of the month although I was starting to up the mileage and had managed steady but slow 10 mile and 11 mile runs when I was struck down with flu (possible swine flu).  As a result I ended up not running for the last 2 weeks of the month - this may have been a blessing in disguise as my right knee does feel a lot better, although still not 100%.  I will be having my first Club run for a few weeks tonight, so if this goes OK, I can hopefully get back to regular running.  I accept though that my knee is going to remain sore until after April.

05/01/10
Well, 2009 finished on a wimper!  I did not achieve 600 miles, and I have problems with my right knee - medial ligament strain.  My marathon prepartion has been severly hampered due to the knee and also the heavy snow and ice we have suffered the last few weeks (it is snowing as we speak!).  I am setting no mileage targets for 2010, and will not enter any more races until i have managed (hopefully) the London Marathon and can assess what state I am in.  Hopefully I can get the knee sorted out soon....

03/12/09
November has not been a good month.  Thankfully the blood pressure problem seems to have been resolved so have started back running.  However, my right knee is still painful.  I have had one sports massage and have others lined up, and have also bought an ultrasound therapy massager, so hopefully this will help.  Good news is that I finally got a club place in next year's Virgin London Marathon - oh eck!  My 20-week training programme starts this weekend!

03/11/09
One step forward, 2 steps back!  After an eventful GER, a doctor's appointment (non-running related) found my blood pressure through the roof - totally unexpected and quite worrying!  I stopped running for a couple of weeks to try and help lower BP whilst the doctor did her bit.  Still no clear indication why it has suddenly shot up, but currently awaiting results of a blood test.  The medication for the non-running issue can lower BP as a side-effect, so we are giving this a go.  My first run after the lay-ff was a disaster, and I had to pull up after a couple of miles (heart rate was racing).  I therefore bought a Garmin 305 Forerunner with HR monitor and my next run (just over 5 miles) was much better - aveHR 138, maxHR 147.  I have pulled out of all races until Ely New Year's eve and will take training runs easy.

06/10/09
Right knee still feels very tight, and was uncomfortable in last Sunday's Frostbite.  Not so much pain today so will not be running with the Club this week to give it a chance to settle.  At least Sunday's Great Eastern Run is a flat course!

22/09/09
Struggling a bit at the moment with a gammy knee.  Ran Derwentwater Trail 14k at beginning of September with no problems.  Two days later I had a 7 mile club run and awoke the next day with a very sore right knee.  Could not run for the two weeks prior to Great North Run, and even then, the knee was not right.  I have a session with Sue B. this Friday, so hopefully that should help.  No more running antil sure it is OK. (Great Eastern Run is just under 3 weeks away!)

31/07/09
The last 2 months have been the busiest yet for races and I appear to have got through them relatively unscathed (other than the fall in the RAF Marham 10).  August sees just a couple of 5-milers, but I hope to be helping out on the Great Eastern Run training evenings, so this should keep mileage up.  Only 7 weeks to Great North Run, and a month to Derwentwater Trail.  I have modified the website so that "completed races" are now split between years - makes it a bit tidier - and I have also added a "stats" page.

01/06/09
May was another mixed-bag of running.  I started off pretty well with 2 10k races which, although not PBs, were faster than when I ran the same races last year.  A change of socks and a long run resulted in a (rare) blister on my left foot which took some time to heal.  And then I finished off with a disastrous half marathon.  Interestingly, the sports massage from Sue at the end of the month found really nasty knots in both lower calves!  June sees the start of the Summer 5k sprint series, so let's see what happens there!

03/04/09
After a good start to the month, falling out of a tree and injuring my ribs somewhat curtailed my plans!  However, after a few days I was able to get back running, albeit rather slowly, and finished the month off with a decent run in the Thorney 10k - again, I am sure the pre-race massage from Sue B @ The Active Edge really helped.  Despite the injury, I managed to cover 56 miles during the month, bringing the total for the year to 158, so still on target for 600 miles in the year.  April is a quiet month for me racing-wise, so hopefully I can get some decent training runs in - with the clocks going forward, the evening runs are so much nicer and we can get out over Ferry Meadows and the surrounding countryside.

02/03/09
Note to self:  must remember to keep this up to date!  I have been very slack the last few months!
The last 2 months have, I hope, taught me a lesson.  I tripled my monthly mileage in January and yes, it affected my left knee!  Fortunately, heavy snow and icy conditions stopped me running for the first 2 weeks of Fenruary, so this allowed the knee and IT Band to calm down.  My monthly visit to Sue B @ The Active Edge for a sports massage also helped.  The month finished off with the BRJ Frostbite and I felt really good - managed a course PB and second fastest Frostbite time ever.

23/06/08
Part way through a busy month of racing and the legs/knees seem to be holding up well.  Managed a PB @ 10k, and was only a few seconds off a new 5k PB.  In addition, met up with a crowd of Fetchies in Bury St Edmunds for a track afternoon which was brilliant - really relaxed, a great bunch of people, and some friendly rivaly.

04/03/08
February has flown by, and mileage has been quite low - just under 40 miles - but another Frostbite race under my belt.  Speed is starting to pick up, although still slower than this time last year.  Continuing to take it steady, as well as continuing with the sports massage.  The knee feels pretty good at the moment - still a slight ache, but nowhere near as bad as it has been - and recovery is much quicker. 

01/02/08
Well, that's January done and dusted!  Managed to run 48 miles this month as well as cycle 167 miles.  One race in the month - Ramsey Frostbite - pretty poor time but glad to finish with no injury.  Knee still sore, but recovery is getting much better, so hopefully the IT Band that has been causing the pain is loosening off.  Have returned to playing badminton once a week with the intention of strengthening all-round knee and leg condition.  Just the one race planned for February - Bourne Woods Frostbite, and am continuing with the sports massage.

31/12/07
Managed a race at last - Ely New Year's Eve 10k.  Time not good, but at least I got around with no real problem with the knee.  I am hoping I have turned the corner, and can now start to get back to full running fitness.  Nice to end the year running, not injured!

13/12/07
After 4 physio sessions, the pain in my left knee has reduced considerably - still some discomfort, but more of a dull ache than real pain.  I have been getting quite edgy about starting to run again, fearing the worst, so today I decided to try the lunchtime mile and a half loop.  I started off really steady, aiming to run at about 10 minute/mile pace. The knee felt sore, but not too bad, so I continued.  Having completed the first mile and a half lap I felt quite good so I continued for a second lap, and completed the 3 mile run in 00:28:26 (09:29min/mile pace).  Plenty of stretching afterwards and during the afternoon - let's see how the knee reacts over the next few days.

14/11/07
Well, 2 physio sessions under my belt and the knee is still sore.  It looks like all the muscles in my left leg (outer) above and below the knee are stressed and knotted, causing the tendons around the knee to tighten, hence the pain.  In the massage sessions she certainly found a few knots......!  Looks like it will be a long job, and I reckon I will be out of running until at least January, maybe longer.  Whilst marshalling the Bushfield Frostbite on 11/11/07, I tried to slow-jog 400 yards to my post and the knee hurt like hell!