In It For The Long Haul

Days to go: 104
Miles this week: 0

Miles total: 30

Other exercise:

Money raised this week: £00.00

Running Total: £357.00

Still to go: £1,143.00

 

Well, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa came to visit! He brought me some new running bits (tops and socks) – I think perhaps he read my past blogs as he seemed to have bought the correct stuff.

 

My Christmas break started with a half day in the office on Christmas Eve, and now I get to enjoy 12 whole days off work. The only downside (as if there could be one) is the amount of emails I will return to when I go back!

 

No new sponsorship money came in this past week, though if I’m honest I didn’t expect to receive any more over the festive period. This means the target of £500 by the end of the year has not yet been met… So with only two more days left, I’m pretty confident that my acting debut at the Sense family Christmas day is safe and never to be seen.

 

Sadly I didn’t find the time this week to fit in any swimming or any other fitness activity, so surely a full week of rest must have been good for my ankle?

Please be better already will you!!

If you missed last week’s blog then shame on you, but, just so you’re up to speed, I have fractured a bone in my foot/ankle.

 

Not much to talk about this week, other than that I have started the first chapter of ‘The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer’, written by David A. Whitsett, Forrest A. Dolgener and Tanjala Mabon Kote. For anyone new to this blog, this book is what will be helping through my first ever marathon training. It’s based on other peoples training experiences whilst working to complete their first marathon, and comprises a 16 week training programme. There are also helpful hints and tips to help you as the weeks go on. In this book a chapter is equivalent to 1 week of training, so I may chop and change between saying chapter X or week X, but it means the same thing.

 

The book begins by telling you that you need to be positive and convince yourself that you can do it. It says that ‘if your head is full of images of yourself running easily and effortlessly on your long training run of the week and you are telling yourself that you feel strong and powerful and can run forever, you will have a more enjoyable run than if your head is full of images of yourself suffering and straining and if you are saying to yourself “I am exhausted, I am dying, I can’t keep this up”’. So I guess I will need to master the ‘mind over body’ thing in order to tackle London and Edinburgh head on. I think this is easier said than done, but I will try to remember it.

 

So starting the book means only one thing, the 16 week training program has started. But I find myself still side-lined (by injury) and it’s now starting to get me down (maybe some sponsorship money would help along my ankle healing). The training programme comprises four runs each week; this week has a total mile count of 15, which, broken down, looks like this: day 1 = 3 miles, day 2 = 4 miles, day 3 = 3 miles, day 4 = 5 miles. Obviously it’s crucial that I incorporate rest days into my schedule, but the book leaves it to me to decide when and where I should take them.

 

The four-day-per-week training program is broken down into two ‘short’ days, one ‘medium’ day and one ‘long’ day each week. With each new week I will see more miles added until I reach the peak weeks of training around week12/13, which will see my long runs hit 18 miles. It is said that if you can do 18 miles then you can go the whole 26.2 miles on marathon day.

 

As I progress into the deepest depths of training I will find rest days more welcoming. I know it is essential that I use them wisely, in terms of knowing when it’s best to rest and when my body can handle another run. I’ve been thinking about what my running week should look like and I have come up with a rough plan. It is not set in stone though - I should be flexible to change it if necessary.

 

Monday = Rest day (but I’ll go swimming to help the muscles after the long run)

Tuesday = Short run

Wednesday = Medium day

Thursday = Rest day

Friday = Short run

Saturday = Rest day

Sunday = Long run

 

So the objective of the first few weeks of training is to just get some mileage in. I’m excited about this after six weeks (and counting) off due to injury, as well as too much over indulging over the Christmas period! I read in this month's Runner's world magazine that the average consumption on Christmas day is 6,000Kcal that means you would on average need to run 46 miles to burn it off.  

 

The first chapter of this book doesn’t feel like it is aimed at me, as there are sections on running, types of running shoes, what type of foot you have, running clothes, best brands and when to replace your shoes. I found all this out this year when I was in training mode for the half marathons.

 

Hang on, this sounds like my past few blogs, wish I’d read this chapter sooner!!

 

The book then has a section with people talking about their experiences when starting their training programmes. I read a couple, but felt they were of no use to me at the moment, though I’m sure these will be vital when I start to pile on the miles.

 

Reading this book, the only goal it sets you is to finish your first marathon, giving the impression that you shouldn’t set yourself a time goal. It’s more about setting ground work, rather than getting you ready to run a marathon in the best time you could possibly run it.

 

So, last blog of the year and I have to say 2013 has been an amazing year for me. I have tried new things that I never would have done before, such as archery, half-marathons, volunteering for Sense and even starting this blog. I also got out and about to a few music concerts and comedy gigs. All I can say is bring on 2014! I’ve got at least two marathons to look forward to, maybe three if I’m super lucky, and hopefully some more new things. I’d like to try the Richmond Park Duathlon, but more on that in the New Year… Watch this space!

 

So now it only leaves me to wish you a very Happy New Year! I hope 2014 is a good year for you all, but why not start the year off by doing a good deed and sponsoring me:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeighFleming 

 

Happy New Year!

Leigh

 

News, News and more News!!

Days to go: 111
Miles this week: 0

Miles total: 30

Other exercise: Swimming, Core/Abs workout

Money raised this week: £00.00

Running Total:£357.00

Still to go: £1,143.00

So this week I have a few ‘breaking news’ stories! I thought I'd share them with you guys first; before I splash the news on my social networking sites (you guys get all the gossip first). I had intended this blog to be called ‘Breaking News’ but, in light of the first news I'll be sharing, I thought it too ironic...

 

So without further delay, the first bit of news concerns my somewhat prolonged ankle injury. After speaking to a friend of mine (who is a nurse), she seemed concerned with the quantity of tablets my Doctor had prescribed me for my foot. Consequently, just to be safe, I took myself off to the minors unit on Wednesday afternoon, where I had an unpleasant 3 hour wait to see a nurse. After her assessment she thought I just needed some physio on it, but I still had to wait for an x-ray because apparently physiotherapists don’t like patients turning up without one.

 

So after the x-ray I had to take another seat to find out what the verdict was. She showed me the x-ray and said I had some kind of build-up on the ankle, known to nurses as ‘footballer’s ankle’. That necessitated making ANOTHER appointment to see a fracture consultant.

 

I had to wait until Friday 3pm to see the consultant, though actually I was sat in the waiting room until gone 4pm before my name was called out. Like me, you must be thinking that an hour and ten minutes delay wasn't too bad, but my name was called to wait in another waiting room. I didn’t get seen until quarter to five... And I was out by ten to five. Typical! So I had to wait all that time for a five minute consultation.  So two trips to the hospital and almost five hours of my time wasted, not to mention the £3 I had to fork out for parking (should have been more) to receive the diagnosis:

 

A fractured bone in my foot and prescribed rest for two more weeks!! 

 

So there you have it, two more weeks and I will hopefully be back into running mode. Only light running mode, mind you! I'm excited though, as it’s pretty frustrating sitting round the house wishing and waiting to be back out. I want to be working up the miles!! I am still concerned that I didn’t get any kind of support for my foot and keep wondering how the bone will heal if I keep moving it? If any of you know, please feel free to let me know. 

So this week I have added a shed load of chicken (for the protein) and pints of milk (for the calcium) to my diet, in an effort to help repair the bone. Crazy I know, but my thinking was 'if I can do anything to aid this recovery, I will'.

 

I WILL heal quicker!!

Moving on to better news, I have entered the Edinburgh marathon and was lucky enough to be accepted to run. This will take place on Sunday 25^th May, which is a mere six weeks after I have tackled my first ever marathon in London.

 

The course is a road race and is described as flat and fast – it was voted the fastest marathon in the UK by Runners World in 2008 – which is great if it's your first marathon, or you are looking for a PB, or maybe even if you're still recovering from London!! I'll provide you guys with more information as and when I receive it myself.

Following on from this, my third and final ‘breaking news’ story is that I have also applied to take part in the New York marathon. I won't find out until the end of March if I'm lucky enough to have been accepted, but I'll keep you posted. This marathon takes place in the first weekend of November. With anticipated 50,000-plus runners, it is potentially the biggest marathon in the world.

The New York marathon sees you cross five districts, starting off on Staten Island. You then pass through Brooklyn, followed by Queens and Manhattan, with a brief visit to the Bronx before returning to Manhattan for a Central Park finish.

So let’s all keep our fingers and toes crossed that I get in!!

No new sponsorship money has come in this week so I’m guessing you guys don’t want to view this play I mentioned last week! If you're new to my blog check out the last blog titled ‘Sense Christmas Family Day’. A little bit of me is happy that I can lock the video away forever and no one will ever see it, but still sad that you guys are failing in the challenge I set you (to help my target reach £500 before the end of the week). So come on, only nine more days to go!!

To end this blog on a funny story, I have to remind you of my very first blog where I said that, at some point, my cat would feature in a blog. The time has now come!

Last Sunday I bought a toy mouse (with catnip) for our rescue cat, Pickle, to give her as a Christmas present. She goes crazy for this toy, so we end up buying her about four a year as she destroys the things. Sara had already bought her a new mat for her bowls to sit on, as well as a few bags of treats.

It's important to say at this point that we store family Christmas presents, and the cat's presents, in a cupboard in our bedroom until we've wrapped and are ready to distribute them. So now I've set the scene I'll tell you what she did... Somehow she managed to get into this cupboard (I'm guessing it must have been the scent of the catnip that led her there, as I had only put the toy away that very morning).
 

I went upstairs later in the day to see the door open and her mouse on the floor, along with the treats! One of the three bags of treats had been opened and she had helped herself to quite a few of them. Unfortunately for her, the other bag must have put up too much of a fight as it only had a couple of hole marks, and the third bag was fine still inside the carrier bag. 

This explains why she had been so quiet all day

With only 3 more sleeps to go, I want to wish all of you a very merry Christmas, and hope you enjoy your time off over the festive period with families and loved ones. And if you have any spare change left over from Christmas shopping then why not make this wannabe writer happy by visiting my sponsorship page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeighFleming 

Merry Christmas!
Leigh

Sense Christmas Family Day

Days to go: 118
Miles this week: 0

Miles total: 30

Other exercise: Swimming, Core/Abs workout

Money raised this week: £36.00

Running Total:£357.00

Still to go: £1,143.00

I thought it’s time that I reminded you guys why I am running the Virgin London marathon for Sense this coming April… And what better way to do this than by telling you about the Sense family Christmas day I had the pleasure of volunteering at last Saturday.

 

When I was first accepted by Sense to run for them, I asked whether there would be any opportunities where I could see the work they do first-hand by volunteering for them at some point before April. To my surprise, I was asked whether I would like to volunteer at their Christmas family day.

 

I jumped at the chance for two reasons… Predominantly it was to see the work they do, but secondly because it’s Christmas! And who doesn’t love Christmas?!!

 

To be able to volunteer (this goes for anyone who wants to volunteer) I had to provide a lot of information about myself, but it was worth it. First, I had to fill out an online application form to say I was interested in becoming a volunteer. Once this was completed, Sense contacted me to ask for a full 10 year history, which I could do in a couple of ways. I did this by providing them a copy of my CV, but the other option was to fill out another form…….. Once this was done and Sense were happy, I was sent an Enhanced Disclosure form, which, once completed, they sent off to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) on my behalf.

 

You may think this is a lot of hassle just to do some volunteering. But I can tell you guys now, the time you give up is not just volunteering, it could be a much needed break for the parents! It’s also a time for siblings of the affected children to let off steam, as being disabled doesn’t just affect the one person. And anyway, in terms of the paperwork, I’m sure you’d agree that nothing is more important than the safety of everyone involved.

 

So what is Sense’s Christmas family day, I hear you ask. Well, it’s a fun-filled day for everyone involved, where volunteers are on hand to help visiting families enjoy the activities on offer, and to enable them to make the most of some much needed down time.

 

On the day there were four different rooms, which consisted of the following:

 

Activities in Room One, located on the ground floor, were where all the arts and crafts took place. In the morning we had snowman making, face painting, and there were Christmas tree shapes for painting and decorating with glitter and stars. In the afternoon the activities changed to play dough sculpturing, though because face painting was so popular in the morning session, we decided to continue it into the afternoon. Below is some of the master pieces we created, check out my teeny-weeny penguin in front of the Christmas tree!!

 

 

Room Two, which was situated upstairs, was simply a room full of festive fun! There were Christmas songs playing all day, and was also the stage for our little production number… But more on that later!

 

The third room was accessed through the back of the second room, and the aim of this area was to stimulate the kid’s senses. It was, I have to say, very peaceful! The room had projections of shapes and colours on the walls, which would encourage children to try to follow the changing lights and shapes in order to stimulate them. In addition, there were toys that lit up and toys that worked to stimulate a child’s touch. Also found in this room were two large bubble tubes, which are amazing!!! They’re basically massive tubes with bubbles flowing upwards that changed colour (similar to a lava lamp, but not). These tubes are incredibly beneficial to children with sensory impairments, especially those affected on a multi-sensory level, as it’s definitely a multi-sensory piece of equipment. As this was a peaceful room, it also hosted the massage story. I’m gutted I missed this experience, but I believe it involved a story being read out while volunteers/parents drew shapes on the child’s back. For example, the first sentence had the volunteers/parents draw an outline of a Christmas tree.

 

Finally the last room, that was available all day, was the hydro pool. A hydro pool is a pool of water which varies in degrees, and is normally used for hydrotherapy. The pools are different from ordinary pools, mainly because the temperature, pressure and movement of water are controlled and changed, according to who's using the pool, and why.

 

There was also a table football, which I played Sonny at, but I think he liked putting the ball into the table more than playing it! Have you ever tried to play table football with two balls on the pitch?? That was tough!!

 

You can’t have a Christmas day without a visit from the main man himself, can you?! Santa was able to take time out from his hectic work schedule to come and visit all the children, even managing to sneak a sack full of toys past his hard working elves.

 

On Saturday 7^th December I had a much earlier than usual start to my day, as I needed to be in Luton for 9:30am, ready for the volunteer briefing (provided by Hannah, our team leader for the day). This outlined the day and what to expect, as well as being a chance to get to know all of the volunteers. I think they all deserve a name check for their hard work and dedication on Saturday so in alphabetical order we have Alicia, Beckie, Bex, Daniel, Eva, Janice, Khalil, Leila, Marie, Natasha, Sabrina, Siobhan, and Stevie.

The fun got underway with the volunteers painting each other’s faces. I think a special mention has to go to Beckie for her wonderful work creating the reindeer faces.

 

 

I held off from having my face painted until some of the families turned up, just in case the children needed encouragement to have their faces painted… But mainly because I didn’t have a clue what to have done!

 

And by the way, kids do not need encouragement to have their face painted.

 

I eventually decided on a reindeer, but as we already had a Rudolph (aka Sabrina), I asked for my nose to be black. A couple of the children named me Dancer to start with, and then it became Prancer. But then they realised they wanted to be called those name themselves, which then made me Vixen, but that’s mainly because we couldn’t think of the rest of Santa’s reindeer.

 

 

I’m just glad I drove to the venue and didn’t take the train as I initially planned. Having said that, I did keep my face paint on well into the evening… I think it was on for something like 12 hours - that’s got to be some kind of record.

 

Here’s a test for you: Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Hint: there are 9 of them!

 

Not many families turned up at 10:30. I was expecting a rush of people, but then on reflection I remembered it was a day for the families and there was no ruling saying they had to be here for 10:30! Besides, it was in a new location.

 

There was a lovely cold buffet laid on for lunch, not to mention quite a few mince pies.

 

So, in the afternoon, five of the volunteers (including me) put on a show in front of the remaining parents and the volunteers. Now, I’m not one for this acting malarkey, but you can’t really say no when requested by two little children, can you?! The show was called “The Christmas Thief” and was so good that we even had a narrator! The whole thing was thought up by two of the girls visiting with their families.

 

The show was recorded and, if I can get a copy, I will post it up here for you all to see. BUT ONLY IF YOU GUYS GET MY SPONSORSHIP TOTAL PAST THE £500 MARK BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR! Now if you didn’t already have enough reason to sponsor me, that’s got to be an incentive, right?!!!

 

Time’s ticking, tick tock… I have even helped you out this week by adding another £36 from ebay sales. So the ball’s in your court!!!

 

Oh and if any of you still struggling with naming the nine reindeer, I’ve listed them here for you (seeing as it’s Christmas).

 

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder (Donner), Blitzen, and, of course, Rudolph. Well done if you got all 9, I could only think of 5!

 

At the end of the day all the volunteers were given a little chocolate gift to say thank you. I had such a good day being a volunteer, I really didn’t need anything to say thank you, but it was a nice touch.

 

 

Hannah asked me if I would ever do volunteering again, and I can say, without doubt, that I would. I was honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to take part in Sense’s magical Christmas day, where I got to meet and work with fantastic people, from volunteers and parents, to the inspiring children. This is what will be helping me get round the streets of London come April time.

 

I have seen the amazing work Sense do and I can honestly say any amount of money you can spare is vital and is put to good use, so please sponsor me even if you can only manage £1. After all, it’s Christmas!

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeighFleming 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Leigh

Looking Back

Days to go: 125

Miles this week: 0

Miles total: 30

Other exercise: Swimming, Core/Abs workout

Money raised this week: £00.00

Running Total:£321.00

Still to go: £1,179.00

As the end of the year is fast approaching, I thought I would look back at what I have achieved this year.

 

It all started back in February, on a very wet and cold Sunday (the 10^th, to be precise). I lined up at the one hour forty-five mark, not because I thought this would be my time, but rather because the ground was far too muddy back at the two hour mark (which is the time I hoped for). It was my first ever half marathon and it’s probably fair to say that I didn’t have a clue what to expect or what I was doing!

 

My longest run up until then had been ten miles, yet here I stood in icy rain, in a zone I had no right to be in, waiting to attempt 13.1 miles! I was in a day dream, trying to get into the zone by listening to my music… but I couldn’t help but think to myself ‘what am I doing?!?!!!’ Then the sound of the gun woke me for my daze and I was off!

 

I won’t give you a mile by mile account, but, to sum it up, I was wet, cold and had earned myself a blister for my troubles. I could hardly walk back to the car afterwards. However it was all worth it, having gained a finishing time of one hour and forty-nine minutes, giving me an overall position of 1103 out of 2186.

 

My next half marathon came on a very, very wet Sunday, 17^th March, in Reading. I hadn’t trained as much for this one as I would have liked to… I guess laziness got the better of me after Wokingham!

 

I’m not a very superstitious person but I had started to think that someone was trying to tell me something, what with the second half marathon having MORE torrential rain!

 

But, despite this, I was waiting for the start of the race, trying not to think about the rain, getting into the zone by listening to my music… and then, all of a sudden, it stopped (my music, I mean). I managed to switch my phone off and on again, just as we started to slowly move towards the start line. Crisis averted, or so I thought! I got no more than 100 yards past the start line and it broke again - this time it wouldn’t come back on; it turned out my phone didn’t like the rain.

 

Overall I wasn’t keen on the Reading half marathon, so fairly confident I won’t be running it again any time soon.  I think it was mainly because it felt very gimmicky, though I did like the last stretch of the race because you enter the Madejski stadium to cross the finish line! I started this race near the back, due to the colour number I had been given when entering, which showed as I was constantly weaving my way through the pack. Having said that, I managed a time of one hour and fifty-three minutes, with an overall position of 5,214 (I started the race at 7,138 out of 12,863).

 

As the year passed into June, I thought I would try something a little different. I decided to tackle an army assault course, otherwise known as Tough Mudder. The course for this changes depending where you do it - my location was in South London, which entailed an eleven mile run, broken up with twenty-one obstacles.

 

It was a very hot day and no sign of shade anywhere, but the worst thing was that we had been given the 1pm slot. This didn’t put us off our stride however, as we managed to finish in a good time of around two hours and fifty-five minutes. We had been told that the average time for the course was over three hours.

 

Some of the obstacles we had to go through included electric shocks, ice water, fire, small/tight spaces and, of course, mud!

 

As bad as Tough Mudder sounds/was, I really enjoyed it. Would I do it again? Yes, but not in 2014.

 

The final half marathon (Windsor) came on the last Sunday of September. After my last ones I was half expecting rain, but, to my surprise, it was sunny!!

 

Most people I spoke to before the race said this course was horrible, tough and very hilly. I can tell you they were not joking about the hills. When you get around to the eight mile mark you are greeted by an Everest of a hill!! By the time I had powered my way to the top my legs had turned to jelly.

 

I had used the experience of the Reading half marathon to decide I would try and start higher up the pecking order, in a time I could roughly achieve. I’m glad I did, as the start of the race saw everyone stuck in a bottle neck for about a mile.

 

I crossed the finish line achieving a time of one hour fifty-one minutes, with a position of 1,012 out of 3,743.
 



So, looking back, I am pleased that I managed to complete the personal goals I had set myself. However I know next year will be an even tougher year, what with the London Marathon and, if I’m extra lucky, the New York marathon (which I applied for on Tuesday morning). Alongside training for these I will obviously be trying to raise as much sponsorship money and awareness as possible for my chosen charity, Sense.

 

Another week has gone by with me being side-lined from football with the ankle injury. It’s annoying because some days it feels fine, but on others it feels like I’m back to square one.

 

As with last week I have managed to go swimming (with little to no pain) and maintain my home workout routine.

 

Eagle-eyed followers will notice a slight change in the design/style of the blog, I thought I would use the colours associated with Sense. Well done if you spotted it!!

 

In a bid to raise some much needed sponsorship funds, I have been looking around the house this week, ear-marking what I can sell at a car boot in the New Year. I have put a few bits on eBay now, as well as selling a couple of old mobile phones via the mazuma website.

 

I know that with it being only 17 sleeps till Christmas most of you will have been spending your hard-earned money on loved ones… But if you can spare any change please visit my sponsorship page.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeighFleming

 

Merry Christmas!

Leigh

 

Maps, Routes and Circuits

Days to go: 132
Miles this week: 0

Miles total: 30

Other exercise: Swimming, Core/Abs workout

Money raised this week: £00.00

Running Total:£321.00

Still to go: £1,179.00

Most runners simply step outside their front door and run, however safety should always come first when planning any running route.  The only way to truly determine whether a route is safe is to scout it out by walking it (or taking your car for a spin, depending on how far you hope to run!) It’s important to check out the potential route at around the same time you plan on running it, as Sunday morning traffic will be completely different to that on a mid-week evening. Most beginners to running will start off by running around the block, or down roads by their home.

 

However before you hit the ground running, I would ask yourself a few questions first:

 

What type of runner am I going to be?

By this I mean are you going to run on soft ground, so more trails and parks, or do you intend to stick to pavement/road running? Even consider whether there’s the possibility of running on a local track (this option may be at some expense to you).

 

What do I want to achieve from running?

People start running for all different types of reasons, including: weight loss, new hobby, healthier life style, or to complete a race such as a 5k, 10k, half marathon etc.

 

Shall I join a club?

A running club is the perfect way to commit to running regularly. Most clubs have running groups to cater for different abilities, including beginners. They’re also a great way to find running partners to run with outside of club sessions. I have been asked to join a running club, but as of yet haven’t done so… My reason being that, at the moment, I can still easily motivate myself to go out on solo runs, though maybe I eventually will sign up to one!

 

When you have an answer to these questions you will pretty much be set to tackle those miles.

 

 

I have been running on and off for around a year, so I do have quite a few pre planned routes that I use, depending on distance, weather conditions and, more importantly, how I feel. Now and then I do like to try a new route though, to keep my mind and body from getting bored.

 

It doesn’t matter what route I take though, as I always end up running up hill!! Well, I say hills, but really I think they’re secret mountains!

 

As I previously mentioned, I have a few pre planned routes that I like to run. However, these are not set in stone and I do change them up, but I don’t head out of the door knowing I will change them. When I get to a section of my run where I can take two different routes I just do a quick ‘eeny meeny miney mo’... Yep, very grown up of me I hear you say. All I can say is it works for me!

 

I find having pre planned routes helps with my timing per mile, as I’m not concentrating on where to go next. I have started a different approach, where I run half my distance and then turn around to come back. I feel a little bit stupid doing this, as if people or cars are around at the halfway point they must look at me and think I have forgotten something! Maybe they even think that I left the iron on and therefore dashing back because of that! However, I do find this strategy a great motivational tactic when I am out on either a long distance run or a very hilly route.

 

I purposely make sure all my routes are on pavements and that there are plenty of street lights around, which does result in me weaving past the occasional person here and there! The bonus of sticking to these is that I know the paths will be well maintained. Despite this, on my short easy run, I do have a little gripe with the local council - they always neglect to sweep away the leaves and chestnuts on one particular pavement, which just so happens to be on a pretty steep hill!!! Now, I could understand if this path was out of the way or not near anything, but it’s right outside a skateboard park/field, so people use it regularly to enter the park.

 

Maybe it’s just me, but have you noticed when out running everyone seems a lot friendlier! By this I mean they either smile or say hello. I suspect it’s because of the expression of pain plastered across my face, so people feel sorry for me and smile or say hello… Maybe I should ask them for sponsorship money to tend the aching limbs! But yer, I reckon if it was the same sort of time but I was walking, they’d probably cross the road to keep a safe distance.

 

Harking back to last week’s news, it’s time for an ‘injury update’: To be honest, it’s not great, folks - my ankle is still very painful to walk on, though I have managed to get rid of the limp now, which is a plus in my eyes. Regardless, I managed to brave the pain and get back in the pool this week for a spot of swimming – the thought of sponsorship money makes it all worthwhile! I also did some light home workouts (mainly core and abs), but to be on the safe side I decided that running and football was still a no no. I did, however, turn up to support my team both at training and for the match on Sunday - sadly we lost one-nil and have fallen to eighth in the table now.

 

I did pop to the doctor’s mid-week to be informed ‘there is a lot of fluid around my ankle and it is swollen’ (not that I can see the swelling) he did go on to say that there was no point going for a scan as if there was a crack it wouldn’t show up. So I am now on a course of anti-inflammatory (naproxen) or an-flams as the cool kids call them. So I’m hoping these bad boys will work their magic ASAP so I can at least get back to running next week.

 

If you like what you read, or even if you don’t, please visit my fundraising page to sponsor me

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeighFleming

Leigh

Running Clothes

Days to go: 139

Miles this week: 0

Miles total: 30

Other exercise: Football match

Money raised this week: £00.00

Running Total:£321.00

Still to go: £1,179.00

 

The inevitable has happened I got an injury during Sunday’s Football match! It’s nothing major, I went in for a 50 50 ball and ended up twisting my ankle (though on the plus side I did win the tackle). Since then I’ve been limping around for most of the week, so I ended up missing out all of my pre-planned training. In the light of this, it has brought the question that has been rattling around at the back of my mind to the forefront: ‘how much longer can I play football for this season while still undertaking marathon training?’ I had thought I’d make it to the New Year and then take it a game at a time, but now I think I will have to see how my body is feeling by the Christmas break.

 

Hmmmmm… decisions, decisions???!

 

Well with nothing else to add to my week’s exercise routine, I’ll begin with this week’s main talking point ‘Running Clothes’. Last week I spoke to you guys about my essential Gadgets and Gizmos for running, so this week I thought I would extend this to let you lot in on the types of running clothing I wear.

 

The one thing that I love about running, over most other sports, is that you don't need a lot of specialist gear – no expensive running clothes! All you really need to get started is a good pair of running shoes (as I covered in my last blog). When you first start out don't rush to buy any fancy running outfits, just wear comfortable clothes that you would workout in… Well, that’s what I did! If, like me, you start getting more serious about running, you may eventually want to invest in some technical running clothes. Unlike cotton clothing, synthetic fabrics, such as Dri-Fit, whisk moisture away from your skin. Well, that’s what I read! Although the technical fabric running clothes may cost a little more, you’ll appreciate the comfort, especially during long runs.

 

After you have sorted out a good comfy pair of trainers, you’ll need quality socks - there’s no point spending all that money on trainers for your feet to be let down by your choice of socks! Of course you can run in any pair, but socks designed specifically for running are available, and you can shop around a bit to find something that suits you. The right socks can keep your feet warm, dry, supported, cushioned and blister free, depending on the socks you pick. You can also get compressions socks, which are like football socks but much tighter. You can run in them, but I like to wear them after a long run as they help the flow of oxygen and aid a quicker recovery.

 

 

Any shorts will do, but it is said that choosing shaped running shorts made from fabric such as nylon or polyester will help reduce rubbing, therefore resulting in a more comfortable run! I do opt for running shorts, however I draw the line at wearing the little mini running shorts. I can’t see why a guy would want to wear them, let alone leave the house and run – they’re hot pants for guys!!!

 

There’s also the second option - running tights. Hmm yer, tights, that’s my thought! I don’t use them, but have read up on them. Basically there are two types: fleece and compression. I think that’s pretty self-explanatory, but just in case, fleece keep you warm and compression helps to aid recovery, in simple terms. But I just think that at the end of day, they show every contour of your body. Nice. Not!

 

I’m not one hundred percent sure my girlfriend would let me go out rocking a budgie smuggling outfit.

 

Like shorts, you can get T-shirt and vest made from wicking fabrics rather than cotton, which can quickly become wet and heavy. The shape and fit of the top is really down to your own personal preference and the weather conditions. Tops designed specifically for running often have seams positioned where they are less likely to cause chaffing. I have two of these running tops (one short and the other long sleeved). If I’m only doing an easy/short run then I tend to opt for a cotton t-shirt to save on expense.

 

I do most of my running in the evenings after work, where, generally, it’s bitterly cold and gloomy this time of year (again, all your sponsorship makes it worthwhile!) So, to keep warm, I have a rain/wind proof jacket, gloves and a skull cap that I run in, but only if the weather is bad.

 

Ladies, you have the added option of a Sports bra! Now I know nothing about these (strangely enough) but google tells me ‘a woman should wear a well-fitting sports bra designed for high-impact activities’, so I guess that’s a must then.

 

The main point is really to make sure that you, as a runner, are comfortable in the clothes you run in. In order to facilitate enjoyable running there are many different factors to consider when buying clothes, such as how fast you’re running, how long your run is and what the weather conditions are like. However, just remember that my perfect winter/summer outfit is likely to differ from yours – we’re all different!

 

If you are still unsure about what types of clothing would be best for you to run in, then I have found an easy to follow guide on the Runners World website. All you have to do is select from a few options and it provides you with what type of gear you need. You can find it here - http://www.runnersworld.com/what-to-wear 

 

 

If you like what you read, or even if you don’t, please visit my fundraising page to sponsor me

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeighFleming 

 

 

Leigh