Since my last post I have now had a course of three ESWT treatments at the R D & E hospital in Exeter. ESWT stands for Extra-corporeal Shock Wave Therapy and it is a non-invasive procedure that bombards the tendon with high pressure blasts of air, creating shock waves throughout the effected area, that work to break down scar tissue and boost blood flow and thus rejuvenate the damaged parts of the tendon. I was dubious that this treatment was to be the ultimate panacea of a cure that the doctor made it out to be but I can definitely notice marked improvements since the last dose, which I received 2 weeks ago. There has been no swelling in the tendon since then and very limited stiffness on waking in the morning. I have also managed a few races, including a 10k on tarmac, which was a real test, with no ill after-effects. It's hard to know whether or not this is because the injury was already healing anyway or whether the treatment has boosted and accelerated the healing process. Either way, it's feeling much better, and long may it continue!
I have had some pleasing results in the few races I have entered recently, managing to come in as first lady in each of the last 5 races I have done. After tempo-running, rather than racing, the Harrogate 10k in Yorkshire, I have had wins at the Holyhead Breakwater 5 mile race on Angelsey, North Wales; at the Totnes 10k multi-terrain race in South Devon; at the Roseland August Trail (RAT) 11 mile race in Cornwall; at the Torbay Regatta 10k road race in Torquay and, last weekend, at the Powderham Castle 10k multi-terrain race, just across the Exe estuary. The biggest surprise was that in the Totnes, RAT and Powderham races, I managed to beat my times from the same events on the same courses from last year. This was a real positive boost as it shows me that despite all of my injury problems and my lack of training miles this year, I am actually fitter than I was last year and my basic leg-turnover speed is faster. Being diligent with the cross-training whilst I've been unable to run has definitely helped to keep my fitness levels up and the break from running and pounding out the miles has clearly breathed life into my legs. The RAT was the biggest shock as, at 11 miles, it was the longest run that I had tackled since my injury in February. I was nervous as to whether I would even be able to get around without aggravating my achillies and so I have no idea how I not only managed to beat my time from last year, but beat it by 10 whole minutes! From somewhere, I found an extra minute of speed per mile, and it all felt very comfortable on the day. To be fair though, I didn't feel brilliant during the race last year and I ended up keeling over in an embarrassing heap at the end of it, which is the only time I have ever done this after a race, so that won't have helped my cause last year!
Holyhead breakwater 5 mile race: approaching the 2.5 mile turnaround point
At the finish of the Totnes 10k (actually 6.5 miles). Pleased to improve my position from 2nd last year to 1st this, and my time by 2 minutes.
Running though Portmellon on the 11 mile RAT race
Receiving my unique and RAT themed trophy from Mimi Anderson - running guru extraordinaire and former aneroxia sufferer turned runner: what an inspiration!
A place I thought I'd never stand: on top of the podium at the Torbay Regatta 10k road race
Heading out on the Powderham Castle 10k race, where I finished 4th overall and 1st female in 39:15.
The Torbay Regatta race was not a scintillating performance, by any stretch of the imagination. It incorporates the Devon county championship race and has historically attracted a very high quality field. I have run it once before, in 2011, and, despite running under 40 minutes, my time was only good enough for 8th female on that occasion. This year, however, a glance around me on the start line did not reveal any major challengers or threats. Sometimes you get a visiting runner from outside the county that turns up unexpectedly and surprises you, but mostly now I know the other local ladies so well that you can usually have a good idea of your finish position before you even start running! I almost wished that I had no chance of placing as, with it being my first proper race on tarmac since the ill-fated Poole 10k, I was worried that my achillies would protest and so I would have liked an excuse to coast around and take it easy. No such luck! I found myself in the lead from the outset and from then on I felt under a certain obligation to hold onto it and not get overhauled. I did not enjoy this race in 2011. The course isn't the most inspiring and, as the other side of the road is still open to traffic and it's August bank holiday weekend, you end up running alongside coaches and touring buses the whole way and breathing in endless lungfuls of fumes. There's a large hill on it, that you tackle twice, and at the far end of the course, in Paignton, you have to run 2 laps of the Green before heading back. This year I was ticking along quite nicely on the stretch out to Paignton. I ran the first 3 miles in just over 38 minute pace and it didn't feel too uncomfortable... and then we hit the turn around point and it all went downhill. BANG! We turned into the most horrendous headwind. Why is it that when you have a tail wind, you never feel it, and yet the minute it's in your face it's like battling into a wind tunnel?! The turn point also coincided with the 5k marker and I think my body has gotten a little to used to running 5ks of late as it was clearly hankering after stopping then and there! A glance behind me revealed that I had a fairly decent gap on the next female, but I had now become isolated and was exposed into the wind. She was in a group of runners and so if she tucked it, it's feasible that she could claw her way back up to me. Despite feeling rubbish, I had to press on harder. Turning around to tackle the 2nd loop of Paignton Green was a real low point. I felt as though I had nothing left to give and should be on the last mile rather than only just after halfway, as my lungs were bursting. I did not enjoy any more of the race and it was just a case of trying to hang the hell on and get to the finish. A brief boost occurred at the end of the 2nd loop when I saw that I had extended my lead on the second lap, but my speed was dropping. In the end I crossed the line in 40:12. I came in as first lady but a glance back through the history of the race reveals that this is the slowest ever winning female time: not my proudest statistic! So although I won, I think it was a case of 'in it to win it': the faster ladies just weren't there on the day and so I struck lucky. When I placed 8th at this race 2 years ago, winning it, with it being the county championship race, would have been something beyond my wildest dreams, and so as I stood on top of the podium receiving my trophy, flowers and £60 of Argos vouchers (fab prize!), I savoured a moment that might not happen again... mainly because I bloody hate this race and don't think I can face doing it again!
Start of the Torbay Regatta 10k, in Torquay: not in my top ten favourite races!
In addition to these races, I have been enjoying putting in a weekly appearance at various parkruns. In addition to our local parkrun at Killerton, my boyfriend Matt and I have tried out a couple of others in the area. On our way to Cornwall for a holiday 2 weeks ago, we sampled the Plym Valley parkrun on route. This was a nice course which incorporates grassy meadows, canal tow paths, stoney tracks and a small section of tarmac lane. It's not the easiest of courses - I would say harder than Killerton - and so I was pleased to get under 20 minutes with 19:36. The week after, Matt, myself and Carly and Adam - our regular parkrunning buddies - trekked up to Montacute House in Yeovil for the inaugural parkrun there. This is a good old fashioned cross country style course, run entirely on grass around the pastureland of the house. It's not an easy course as the grass is long in places and the surface underneath is rutted, and so again I had to work hard to break 20 minutes but managed it with 19:37. As it was the first parkrun and I came in as first female, I have also bagged myself my first ever parkrun female course record! How long I can hold onto it for remains to be seen, but I've set a decent enough bench mark for others to now come and have a pot at!
4th overall, 1st lady and new course record at the inaugural Montacute parkrun.
Photo (c) Adrian Midgley.
Montacute parkrun: 19:37. Photo (c) Adrian Midgley.
And so, my plans for the autumn? Well, my main plan is to be sensible and try and stay injury free. With so many lovely races on at this time of the year, it would be easy to get carried away. I could easily race every weekend in the local area if I wanted but I am limiting myself to one race every fortnight and trying to stick to mainly off-road, trail races, which are the ones I really enjoy at this time of year. I would really love to do an autumn half marathon and there are so many coming up to choose from, but I think that is still a bit of an unrealistic target at the moment and one that could easily lead to re-injuring my achillies. My main aim for this season is to have a real go at the Westward League Cross-country. This requires committment as most of the races are quite far away - Redruth, Newquay and, my particular favourite, Westward Ho! - and it also requires me to be fit and sound: spikes aren't the most forgiving footwear for people with achillies and calf issues! The Westward League is very competitive and you really need to be in the peak of fitness to have any chance of doing well at it, so I will make a decision nearer the time on how my fitness and injuries are.
For the moment though, the biggest thing I am enjoying is being able to head out of the door on a decent length off-road run and not worry that I may end up having to walk back or phone to get picked up as my injuries are playing up. I have a slight niggle in my left foot at the moment that I tweeked 2 weeks ago on my first intervals session since May, on the Exmouth track, so I need to keep an eye on that and make sure it's not hanging around for too long, but other than that, I am able to run at a descent pace again, on any surface, which is something I will try not to take for granted again!!
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