101 miles in a week

After 7 days of running back to back, I’ve finally found 10 minutes to update the blog on what has been my biggest week of training thus far – 101 miles.  I put in 12 miles a day Monday to Friday, either to or from work, followed by two 20 milers at the weekend, one walking (with a couple of miles of running at the end) and one trying to run as much as possible.  Hence Saturday’s 20 miles took me 5hours 17, whilst Sunday’s 21 miles was completed in the rain, then sleet, then snow in 3hours 52; both with about a 10kg pack.

Also, apart from being well pleased with actually covering 100+ miles in a week, I’m even more pleased that I can run a bit now too.  It’s not without discomfort, but I think that’s more due to me not actually running at all since New Year and my muscles being a bit shocked.  So far however, there have been no terrible repercussions for my back.

Possibly linked to this progress has been the trip to the Pilates expert, Lee at Breathe Pilates in Sheffield.  90 minutes of dynamic stretches and a host of other exercises on a range of equipment, followed by homework aimed at developing core stability and mobility appears to have done some good.  My back feels a lot better and Lee seems confident that I have time to remedy the worst of my sciatic issues before the race.  That’s the kind of news I like.

This week’s less than positive news came from Sheffield Hallam Uni however, where it seems the students aren’t as interested in probing and analysing two slightly fat middle-aged men as they prepare for a silly race in the desert as we all assumed they would be.  It doesn’t look as though we’re going to get a chance to get fully acclimatised in the build up of the final few weeks, although we have been offered a few sessions to help us test kit and the like, and as the saying goes....”every little helps”.

I’ve also got a bit of a sore ankle too as a result of the increased mileage, but some judicious icing and compression should resolve that before long.

So, a day off running today, then back into it tomorrow as I start my second (and final!) 100+ mile week, culminating hopefully in a weekend camping in the Peak District trying to replicate race conditions as best I can (rations and sleeping in the cold, as opposed to sand and heat) covering some 70miles from Friday morning to Sunday lunchtime.