Shin Splints and Shoe Laces

I was out for a run this morning. Carrying a backpack. (Because, why not?) As I ran I was feeling what I think of as, "shin splints".

Real shin splints? Not sure. Just sore muscles at the front of my shins. The soreness was annoying and getting worse.

Why?

Well, I had a theory: My feet were loose in my shoes. This -- indirectly -- caused the muscles along the front of my shins to ache. Why?! I'll explain later...

I had no clear proof of cause and effect. So I tried a practical experiment. I tightened my shoelaces.

Not immediately... When I wear the backpack, reaching my shoe laces is likely to make me fall over :-) So I ran on -- shins hurting more and more -- to a seat. I put my feet up and tightened the laces.

Not all of the laces...

I use two sets of laces on each shoe. There's a lace near the toes, to hold my foot firmly in the shoe. Tight near the toes, so the foot is held firmly against the back of the shoe. There's a separate lace near the ankle, to stop the shoe flopping up and down. I tightened the front laces, to hold my feet more firmly in my shoes.

And it worked.

As I continued my run, the "shin splints" faded. By the end, there was no pain at all.

Why is it so?! Here's my reasoning:

I started the run with my shoes very slightly loose. Not enough for me to consciously notice. Just enough for me to unconsciously react -- my feet tensed, to stop the shoes from slipping.

As my feet tensed, my running style changed. Tensing my feet caused tension in the ankles -- and further up my legs.

To stop the slipping of my shoes -- which was so slight that I could not guarantee that it was happening -- my ankles were tensing, trying to not move. Holding my ankles at a constant angle was holding my shoes at a fixed fit on my feet. Holding my ankles fixed was also upsetting my stride... and causing my legs to tense, in unnatural positions.

I did know that my shoes were just a little bit looser than usual. Consciously, I did not notice that my feet and ankles were reacting to the slight slippage that this caused. The unconscious reaction was causing unnatural tension in muscles and joints, all the way up my legs. The effect was felt -- immediately -- in my shin muscles.

There are two morals to this story:

1. Tighten my shoelaces enough to prevent slippage of my feet in my shoes.

2. Be aware of any aches and pains -- so that the cause can be identified and removed.

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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Agamedes Consulting
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"You can learn something new every day, if you're not careful." -- per Ginger Meggs
   

The Last Big Run before The Big One!

My current training plan included one more run than my wife's plan. I ran the Perth Trail Series night run at Yanchep.

It's a flat, 12km circuit, around the lake. Ghost themed, since the trail is known as the Ghost Trail. Limestone and sand, mostly. Well organised, plenty of fun.

On the drive to Yanchep, there were drops of rain. A flash of lightning, to the north... close to Yanchep. One very heavy -- but short -- shower of rain. The weather was fine, warm and humid at the start. Pleasant for standing around. Perfect for running.

As usual, I started my run near the back of the pack. I knew there were runners behind me. I knew there were many more runners ahead of me. We all -- that is, the people I could still see -- settled into our night running pace.

After three or four kilometres I was running with a group of three women. Two of the women were clearly faster, they would sometimes slow down or stop, to wait for the third. The third runner was slower but kept going.

Their pace was "slow" -- but faster than mine!

The three women ran faster than I wanted to run... but I wanted to keep up! So I pushed, just a little bit. And kept up. Sometimes close, sometimes back a bit, always behind.

At one point I was close enough to apologise for tailgating. That's okay, said the "slow" woman, I (she) was prepared to apologise for not letting me past.

At some points -- I could have passed. The women slowed, noticeably, when the path was rocky and treacherous. They slowed, just a little, on uphills. I slowed on the uphills but not as much. The rocks barely slowed me at all. (I should mention: my pace is always slow, I was not sprinting over dangerous ground!)

On some of the rough sections, I could have passed my three pace-setters -- but I did not! Why not? More of that later.

Compulsory gear for this run was water, a head torch and spare torch or batteries. I used a hand torch and carried a head torch as my spare.

I find that the hand torch is much better than a head torch, for walking (or running) through the bush. The head torch shines where my head is pointed. I find that I do a lot of looking with eye movements, it is not natural to always turn my head. It is much easier to flick my hand from side to side as I flick my eyes.

I run -- or walk -- on rough surfaces with a constant scan of the ground ahead of me. I focus a few metres ahead. By the time my feet reach my point of focus -- I know where they will be placed. Occasionally, though, I will glance down -- with more movement of my eyes than of my head. Again, it is easier to flick a hand torch towards my feet, rather than my entire head.

The "slow" woman of my group had a further problem with her head torch. She said (with apologies to her for my eavesdropping), that the band of her head torch was annoying. It hurt her head. (I think that at least one of the faster runners supported this.) So the "slow" runner wore her head torch around her neck... which would be the worst possible place for using the torch to see where she was running!

The torch around her neck bounced. The beam bounced from side to side. There was no consistent relation between where the torch was shining and where the runner wanted to look. This would have made running in the dark -- amongst rocks -- a very unsettling experience.

Nevertheless, these three women set a challenging pace for me to follow!

Until, right at the end...

For the last kilometre we could hear another group of runners coming up from behind. Finally, with just a couple of hundred metres to go, they caught up. And began to run past!

We can't let them do that! I cried... and ran ahead! We were nearly at the end, I was not going to let these people come from behind. I ran... I finished... ahead of both "my" group of three and the group from behind.

I had intended to stay behind "my" group across the line. But I was not ready to let more people have an easy time of overtaking. And I still had energy for a run...

What?! End of the run and I still had energy to spare?! Why?!!

If I had energy to spare at the end -- why did I not run faster?!

It's my mind, again.

On the clear track, my three pace-setters were running fast enough to keep me challenged. Or so it seemed: perhaps that, also, was my mind wanting me to go slower.

On the rough track -- I could have run past. I didn't. Because I was worried that I would not be able to keep ahead. Yet I ended with enough energy for a last-minute effort... I did have energy to spare, I could have passed and stayed ahead.

Bad mind!

I'll remember that.

Next time :-)

And yet: It was my best run of the trail series. I finished ahead of about twenty people! Thanks largely to the luck of following a group who ran at a "fast" pace that I could maintain, with just a bit of effort. To that group of three women: Thank you!

Next time, though...

I will watch my energy. Watch my speed relative to other runners. I have less trouble with rough track in the dark, less trouble than some others. I can take advantage of that!

If I can pass -- I will. If I am then passed -- too bad, I tried.

I will do better.

Next time :-)

====

And then -- more Ghost Trail special effects: It was a 40 minute drive home. With rain, mostly very light. And -- all the way -- lightning. Flashing in the sky, all the way home. With one flash and boom -- together -- to welcome me home!

A very enjoyable night run.

Half Training for Stratford

I am currently (April 2016) "in training" for the Shakespeare Marathon in Stratford-upon-Avon. April 24th, I will be in the marathon. My training... is for the first half.

I will be in the marathon. My wife will be in the half marathon. My wife follows a training plan. I follow my wife's training plan. So I am following a training plan to run a half marathon.

Oh dear.

Still... There is a cut-off for the marathon. I must finish a loop -- the half marathon loop -- within two and a half hours, or be sent off. That is, if I am too slow, I will be sent to the half marathon finish rather than on to a second loop.

On the bright side: I am training for that first half of the marathon! If I can do the half within the allowed time, then I will be allowed to complete the full marathon. There's a cut-off for the complete marathon, of six hours. My slowest ever marathon was just under six hours. I should be okay.

So I'm only half trained. Why?! And, what do I do towards a full marathon training plan??

I do try to do more than my wife. I run faster and harder, on most training runs. About 10% faster and harder. I look for hills, where my wife avoids them. It's not much.

Marathon training should involve twice as much training as half marathon training! Perhaps not that much more. A lot more, at least. I should be running -- a few weeks before the event -- thirty or more kilometres on my long runs. I run less than twenty.

Here's the problem: I do not go training.

Rather, I do not have the drive, the self-motivation, to go training by myself. My wife goes for a run, I go for a run, with my wife. My wife goes for a two hour run. I go out with her, for a two hour run. On the days when my wife does not go for a run... I do not go for a run.

I tried! For a couple of weeks I went out by myself, running fifteen kilometres each time. Before I could build up the distance -- I stopped.

When we go for a fun run, I do enter the longer courses. The last few months, we have entered the Perth Trail Series runs. Five runs, I entered all five, in the long course. My wife does the short course -- or just the regular runs of her training plan. I get the extra distance. With the extra hills.

Those hills are essential to my excuse for a marathon training plan. Hills add stress to legs, this equates to extra exercise for the same horizontal distance. Extra effort, almost as good as extra distance. So I claim :-)

I also -- for a few weeks -- ran the "half" training runs with a backpack. I carried a 12kg backpack as I ran, running for the same time as my wife. Same logic as for hills training: extra weight, extra effort, builds extra running strength in my legs.

The Trail Series runs are also part of my marathon training. As I see it.

This is the third year that we have entered Perth Trail Series events. The first two years, each event was treated as a targeted fun run, with extra training, peaking, tapering, then the run. This year, each run is just a part of my programme. Just a regular Sunday run. A bit longer than usual, a bit tougher than usual... It's almost the equivalent of the longer runs that I should be doing for the marathon!

Okay, the Trail Series runs are no longer than my runs on the half marathon training plan. They are a lot harder: hill climbs and gravel tracks. And I run harder than on a normal training run. (Though all the people who beat me may find that hard to believe.)

On the trail runs, I try to keep myself going. To do more than just jog along. I try to keep up a faster jog. To not slow down when I feel tired... because I know that I can keep going.

The trail runs are tougher. More exercise for the legs and heart and lungs. They are also exercise for the mind. I'm not a fast runner. Even at my slow pace -- my mind wants to go slower.

On April 24th I will be in the Shakespeare Marathon. I am following a training plan for a half marathon -- with some, minor, extras. Physically, I believe that I can finish.

I'm training for a half marathon. Running further and faster than my wife (usually). Where possible, I add a few hills. Gentle hills, where I live. I have also added a few trail runs, with more and steeper hills. Is this enough for the full marathon?

I have also added some mental effort. An attempt to shift my attitude, from "taking it easy" to "this is easy, I can keep going". Will it work?

I have several targets for this marathon. They are, in order of importance: To finish; To finish within the six hour limit; To get a PB (several minutes under five hours). And -- my long term target -- to run a marathon in four hours 30 or less... All without any injury.

I'm confident that I will finish. I believe that I will be "well within" the six hours. I will be surprised if I beat five hours. I think that four hours 30 is still beyond me.

I will see how I go. See how I run a marathon after a half marathon training plan. And -- perhaps! -- adjust future training plans accordingly :-)

Chafing ... and Sphincters

Chafing occurs near the anal sphincter. In the crease of your bum. It can happen to anyone. It happens to me.

I also get chafing round the testicles. Where the testicles rub against my legs. Not everyone gets chafing there. Women may get chafing in odd areas. Certainly not around testicles.

Okay, that's the worst over with. Now we all understand what I'm writing about. I can now use euphemisms...

My chafing shows up as dark red skin. Sometimes it itches. Not always. Chafing round the back is the worst for itching. As far as redness goes I'm not sure... I don't often (or can't) stare round the back.

Chafing round the back is caused -- as far as I can tell -- by skin rubbing. By the two sides of the back... side... rubbing against each other as I run. That rubbing can't be helped. It's just the way the body moves.

So I apply Vaseline. The all-purpose, all-powerful preventer of all chafing. And it works. Up to a point.

The longer the run, the more Vaseline at the start. The longer the run -- the hotter the day -- the more chance there is that the Vaseline will wear away and chafing will happen.

And then there is -- the toilet...

Go to the toilet, use toilet paper, the Vaseline is wiped away. So carry spare Vaseline? Well, that's a good idea before the run. Not so convenient during a run. (Unless it's one of those very long runs, where you carry a backpack full of useful items.)

So, do I avoid going to the toilet during a run?

No!

First, it's uncomfortable. A distraction from my easy running style.

Second... it encourages chafing.

If I need to go to the toilet -- but don't -- the natural action is, to clench the appropriate sphincter. To tighten muscles in order to hold in the number ones or the number twos.

Whichever sphincter I need to clench -- the other one will also clench. Actually, I can somewhat separate the actions of the two. But without some effort -- again, distracting from my running -- I clench one sphincter, the other will also clench.

So I want to pee but hold it in. By tightening a sphincter at the front. The sphincter at the back will also tighten And this is where the trouble really starts!

Tighten the rear sphincter. I can feel my bottom -- all of it -- tightening. The sphincter muscles tighten, the (I think it's) gluteas maximus muscles also tighten. My bum begins to look so tight and terrific!

And the two cheeks are tensed. They start to rub harder. And I get chafing...

If I hold in number ones or twos, the whole area gets tense. This causes firmer rubbing between the two halves. This, in turn, causes more chafing.

Okay, near the end of a run I'm happy to hold it all in. (If that's not possible -- I'm in a whole different lot of trouble!)

With a lot of running still to go, I prefer to let it all out. So I can relax into a comfortable running style. So I can relax the areas that would otherwise chafe. So I can worry about the run, rather than worrying about the time to the toilets past the finish line.

Does this mean that I lose races by the time I spend in toilets? Not really... I lose by far more than that. It does mean that people can overtake me while I am standing -- or sitting -- still.

So what?!

I'm not there to win. (No hope of that!) I'm there to enjoy myself... Mostly, I enjoy the feeling of success once I've finished.

But if I go to the toilet during a fun run -- when I need to -- then I also enjoy the actual run... a bit more than I would otherwise.

And I enjoy the post-race exhaustion -- without excessive post-race chafing.

My Aim -- is to Survive

The aim of my Chi Square Running is... that I survive -- to run again tomorrow.

Run faster? Yes. Run better? Yes. Beat one or two people in a fun run? Would be nice. Injure myself so that I have to stop running? Never!

I run for fun and health and the occasional pleasure of finishing a fun run ahead of maybe one or two other people. And I like the bragging rights of becoming a marathon "runner" after I turned sixty. I enjoy that my wife and I share training sessions. (Though our approach to these shared training sessions is probably worth a later post.)

If I can't run -- I lose all of that.

The aim of my Chi Square Running is that I survive -- to continue running.

Do I also want to win an event? Do I want to improve my running times? Yes/no and maybe...

Yes, I would enjoy winning an event. Wait ! I did win! I was first in the "senior men" at the 2015 Busselton Marathon! And my wife won the "senior women" category in the Half! I was the only "senior man" in the race... I did enjoy that event. So did my wife. Both winners, both able to brag, no need to remind the other that "just finishing" was a good result for that other person :-)

But I certainly don't -- realistically -- expect to win. Not with a marathon PB at just under five hours. I am so far from winning a marathon that it's not even a consideration. So yes, I want to win an event but no, it's not a serious consideration.

And maybe, I would like to improve my running times. My first marathon, in 2012, took me five hours 18. In 2013 I gained a four hour 57 PB in the same event. (The same event but the next year...) Since then I've run a couple of minutes faster -- then slowed down. A lot.

To get started in marathons I ran the distance. Loooong training runs. Up to not quite 42km, a few weeks before the race. It takes a lot of time! In the last couple of years I have not run a training run of more than 20km. My training has slowed down. My results have slowed down.

I am still happy to run. I still enter marathons. I am still at the level of fitness where each marathon is a question of, can I finish, rather than, how fast will I finish.

I am still running. And that still gives me enjoyment.

Okay, I would like to run faster. To get another marathon PB... to beat 4:54. (My long term target is 4:30!) I enjoy the occasional fun run where I do finish ahead of some people. Mostly -- I am glad that I am still able to run. That I am surviving. That all of those other running based pleasures -- are still possible.

When will I be so old that I have to stop running? Never. When will age and infirmity and too little exercise stop me running? Sooner or later. When will I injure myself running, so that I can't run any more? Never!

At least, that's my aim.

My aim -- the aim of what I call Chi Square Running -- is to survive. To survive, with no injury.

Worst case scenario: I'm fit, I'm healthy, I want to run, a damaged muscle prevents me from running.

While I'm fit (fit enough), while I'm healthy, while I want to run -- I run so as not to get hurt. To stay fit. To -- possibly -- run faster and further. To -- maybe -- beat someone (anyone) in a fun run. To be able to run today -- and to still run tomorrow.

That is the overall aim of Chi Square Running: To run today... and to survive so that I can run again, tomorrow.

No More Chafing !

A year ago I visited my doctor. I had circular red patches on my chest. Just where the chest dips in at the centre... Circular... red... but not itchy. Ringworm, I wondered ?

My doctor examined the circles. Gave a few technical explanations. Settled on, "chafing".

Chafing ?!

In the middle of my chest ?! Where the chest dips in... How could chafing happen there ?!

No worries, I accepted the diagnosis. The doc prescribed anti-irritation cream. Stuff that works its chemical magic, to remove the visible signs of chafing.

I used the cream. For two weeks. No change at all... Are these circles really irritation caused by chafing ? (I rejected the alternative option of miniature crop circles.)

Then I thought, I get chafing in less obvious spots... Spots which are more obviously subject to chafing. Chafing in areas where all runners get chafing. (And more about that in a later post.)

So, over the next few runs, I considered the area of the red circles on my chest. And found that there is, indeed, friction. Friction which could cause chafing.

I felt nothing as my shirt rubbed against my skin. Nothing that would explain chafing, that is. Doesn't take much, it seems ! As I sweat the shirt gets wet, sticks to the skin -- and rubs.

Perhaps there's movement of the shirt against the skin ? The dip in the chest is between the pectoral muscles (is that the correct name?). The muscles move as I run, as I move my arms and shoulders while running. That must be enough to drag the shirt across the skin... causing chafing.

Why the regular, circular shapes ? It may be that the material of the shirt pulls evenly round the area where it rubs. Poke your finger into a stretched piece of material and it stretches -- in a roughly circular pattern. The stickiness of the sweat pulls a point of the material against the skin -- and the material stretches in a roughly circular pattern ? That's my guess.

Now I know the cause of the red circles: chafing during running. Why didn't the doctor's magic cream remove the visible signs of chafing ? Because I keep on running.

So what do I do ?!

That's easy: use the standard measure for prevention of chafing... Vaseline.

Before each run, I rub Vaseline on the red circles. As well as on the various other areas which are subject to chafing. There may be many miracle creams for prevention of chafing. Simple Vaseline works for me.

Sure enough, within two weeks, the red circles are gone. Never to reappear.

I don't always apply Vaseline to my chest. On long runs on a hot day, yes. When I expect several hours of running in a sweat-wet shirt, yes. On other days, when I can be bothered, yes. But not for every run. The chafing chest is special, not endemic :-)

Running causes friction -- in various areas. Some obvious, some less so. Friction causes chafing -- or worse. Vaseline -- like any grease -- reduces friction.

Like a good mechanic, I grease my body to prevent friction. Before I run.

No more visible signs of chafing ! Well, some areas still get red... Even Vaseline wears off. But the chafing is reduced from bright red and occasional itching -- to nothing much at all.

No more chafing ! Almost :-)

It works for me.

Why Chi Square ?!

I'm the type of person who watches what's happening and tries to understand it. I wonder why something happens as it does. Then I wonder if it can be done any better.

I do that while I'm running. My feet hurt... why ? That lap was faster... why ? I seem to be extra tired today... why ? That run seemed to be easy... why ?

If I can answer the questions -- then I can improve my running. If I can't answer the questions then I think about it... try different options... try to understand.

I'm not a person to blindly follow advice. First, I need to understand the advice. I need to gain at least an intuitive understanding of why that particular advice could help.

After all, not all advice is good... And even "good" advice may not suit my specific circumstances.

Remember the movie, The King's Speech ? The king was advised to take up smoking in order to cure his stuttering. Expert advice at the time... though it would have lost favour in later years.

So. I analyse and try to understand what I'm doing. Then I try to improve it. I analyse and try to understand advice that I hear and read. Then accept it or reject it or modify it.

btw: If any of what I'm writing strikes you as being "advice" -- please think before acting on the "advice" ! Listen, analyse, understand why it may work... Then understand how it could work for you... Then adapt what you do -- or not.

I write about what works for me. You may gain some useful ideas or insights. Whether or not you take action -- is your decision. It's more than just, See your doctor first. Ultimately, what you do or don't do, is your own responsibility.

So I'm a logical, analytical sort of person. And I read Danny Dreyer's book on Chi Running. Interesting ! A lot of his ideas match my own ideas ! I avoid heel strike running, so does Dreyer. I find that short steps are better, Dreyer recommends it. The general agreement means that a lot of what Dreyer recommends must be right :-)

Only trouble is, Dreyer describes chi running in rather mystic terms. As I'm reading I'm thinking, Should I be saying Om right now ?? Too much focus of the chi, too little rational explanation. Well, that's my impression, anyway.

The way I run has some similarities to Dreyer's chi running. There are differences, too. I do what I have found will suit me. Chi running is good (in my opinion). My own style of running is better -- for me. I do it my way. Starting with that word, "chi".

For Chi Running, "chi" is a Chinese word, pronounced "chee". Used a lot in eastern style fighting and exercise. (And by Modesty Blaise, so that's good.) When I see "chi" I think of the mathematical term, pronounced "kai" to rhyme with sigh. It's a Greek letter. Often seen in the statistical expression, "chi square".

Mathematics is logical and analytical. No, I'm not a mathematician. And I've never mastered statistics. But my approach is more "chi square" logical. Rather than "focus your chi" oriental mastery and mystery.

So my running -- and this blog -- are Chi Square. Logical, analytical, explaining in terms that I, at least, understand and accept. Analysed as it works for me. And there may be something useful for you, too. If you analyse it and understand it and apply it to your own specific situation...

You have a choice: Follow my Chi Square Runner blog. I hope it will be entertaining. It may be useful. Or follow the well documented Chi Running advice. It's thorough, and has been around for a while. Or... find your own path...

Welcome to my blog ! I hope you return regularly :-) And all the time, follow your own path.

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btw: I was worried that "Chi Square Runner" is too close to "Chi Running". They are not related ! I tried to find a unique name for this blog. The only one that was acceptable was... ChiSquareRunner. So, with apologies for any confusion: Chi Square Runner it is.

Perth Trail Series: Wungong 2016

The alarm goes off at 4am. Out of bed, breakfast, prepare for running. Out of the house by just after 5am. It's the age old question:

Why do we do it ?!

Sunday 6th March. We're running the Perth Trail Series "Qi Gong" -- a trail run at Wungong National Park. In the hills just past Armadale. On the other side of the city. Less than an hour's drive -- with not much traffic to slow us down. We want to be there early so that we can park and prepare without panic.

For me, it's a 14km trail run -- gravel tracks and hill climbs. My wife is doing the 11km run: a bit shorter, missing an entire hill. We arrive with more than an hour to wait. My wife catches up on her rest. I want to loosen up...

My wife can just, start running. I find that I need to loosen up. Quite often I do that essential loosening up in the first part of the run... Which means that I am extra slow, right from the start.

Today, I have time to prepare. We are parked just 100m from the start. Late arrivers park a further 600m along the road, closer to the Wungong Dam. I decide that I will warm up by walking to that further carpark.

I'm glad that we arrived early ! The further carpark is... up a hill ! Okay, it's not a terribly steep hill. It's along a nice sealed road. Still... I would not want to arrive late and have to walk that 600m -- in a hurry -- to the start.

Worse yet: I would hate to walk that extra 600m -- up the hill -- after my 14km trail run !

So that's where I'm at: willing to run a 14km trail run. Glad not to walk an extra 600m at the end. Fit enough to run. Running hard for my level of fitness.

And here's my plan for the run: I actually know how long it took me to run this run, two years ago ! It took me two hours 11 minutes. My plan is to beat that time.

Nothing complicated: my plan is to run the 14km in less than 2 hours 11. I believe that it's possible: I feel that I'm fitter this year than last. But: for the last year I have been running slower than the year before !

I'm feeling fitter. Yet I'm running slower. What's happening ?!

Just three years ago I ran my first marathon. Just two years ago I ran a marathon PB, personal best. I was getting faster. Now I'm getting slower.

I seem to have lost the drive to run fast.

Worse yet, I've stopped doing the very long -- pre-marathon -- training runs. The long runs require that I go out by myself -- for several hours -- and run. Jog... Jog and walk and try to occasionally run :-) My training depends on going out with my wife. We run different directions -- but I go out because my wife goes out. Beyond that I lack motivation... But that's a separate problem !

I've replaced long runs with harder and steeper runs. (Not much harder and steeper. Just a little bit, to make sure that I try harder than my wife !) I do feel that this is working. Not necessarily for marathons -- but I should be faster at hilly trail runs ! So why not ?!

Today, I determine that I will beat my previous time on this course. How ? By running a little bit harder. And, hopefully, faster...

First, my pre-run warm-up. I walk to the far carpark. And back. It's not much but it does help... Sleep, eat, drive -- and a bit of a walk to get the body moving. It helps !

Seven o'clock and we assemble for the pre-race briefing. Cheerful, positive :-) This is a fun, fun run ! Ten past seven -- and we're off !

We start up a gentle slope... I'm slow but not too slow. Well... I'm at the back of the pack but I'm feeling okay. The last couple of runs, I've really been struggling at the start. The carpark walk helped, I'm starting slowly but it doesn't feel too bad.

Up the first hill !

I'm walking. I'm not the only person walking :-) Across the valley we can see the leaders -- running. On our -- back of the pack -- side, we walk at various speeds.

I manage to walk past a few people :-)

Up, up, up... then down. And I'm jogging.

And I even have time to think: This is a beautiful area. A very pleasant place to run, on a very pleasant day ! This is why I enjoy trail runs -- I am really enjoying this run :-)

There's a big hill, up and down. Then a second big hill, up and down. Walking up, jogging down. And that's better than some trail runs ! Sometimes I can only walk, even downhill.

The trail seems to be quite firm. It's gravel and rocky. Not as loose as I remember from last time. Rough but not dangerously slippery.

There seem to be half a dozen people still behind me !

Past the one aid station -- a pause for watermelon -- and there's just the 6km gradual climb back to the start. A couple jog past me. There are still people behind me.

I've been pushing myself just a little bit. Not to exhaustion. I try to... keep going. To not walk just because I'm tired. I know that I'm not that tired :-)

It's a long slog back to the start... to the finish. The couple who just passed me split up. The man disappears up ahead. I keep the woman in sight.

Finally, the last few hundred metres !

The woman just ahead of me has lost the trail... There's a side track with blue streamers, we're following the blue streamers. There's no-one else ahead to follow... We agree that these blue streamers are not our blue streamers. Back to the main track... I give the woman a few seconds head start.

A final, narrow track... 20m of flat... And I finish !

And it's a personal best for this course :-)

Sure, I'm tired for the rest of the day... for the next day... But not exhausted. I'm able to do regular interval training on Tuesday.

I convinced myself that I could run the entire course -- faster. I reminded myself that I could, indeed, keep going. I watched the time -- and kept up a reasonable pace.

I beat nine people ! Sure, it took me more than twice as long as the winner. That's not my target...

I ran a PB -- as planned. I was faster than a few people. I finished tired -- but not exhausted :-)

A very satisfactory result ! A very enjoyable run.

Start. Here. Now...

Today I woke up like a corpse in a horror movie. You know:

First I twitched a few fingers on the right hand. They moved. So far, so good. Then I stretched my right hand. Flexed all fingers. Twisted the wrist. Moved my arm -- all the way up to the elbow.

You know: like a corpse in a horror movie... a corpse that is about to rise up as a zombie.

And when I sat up -- I felt a bit like a zombie.

Had I been overdoing the exercises ??

I'm training to run marathons. Well, actually, I will be running a marathon in a few weeks and I'm following a *half* marathon training plan. Lots of running, perhaps not enough running. And this week I added a set of upper body exercises. Twice.

Tired ? Tell me about it !

So why am I posting this story to my blog ? Why do I want to tell the world about my being tired ?!

Because it's an inspiring story...

Okay, inspiring if you are in my condition -- and believe that there is no way you could run a marathon. No way... Not in my condition !

My condition:

In 2008 I ran my first fun run, the Perth City to Surf. I ran it in one hour 22 minutes. My wife beat me by a couple of minutes. We were both near the end of the pack... Our first fun run and we were struggling to finish at all.

I am not an athlete. I have never been an athlete. Healthy, yes, Fit, no. Just a few years earlier, I had been puffed after a rapid walk of less than a kilometre. A year of occasional -- a couple of times a week -- jogging training and I had managed to complete a 12km fun run.

I was inspired ! (For you, there is more inspiration still to come.)

In 2009, the same fun run -- in two hours 19. Just a few minutes faster. In May 2010, a 14km fun run... completed at a per kilometre rate just a bit slower than the 2009 fun run -- but better than in 2008.

On a roll ! Though 14km was right at the limit of my endurance. Yet I did beat my wife, by four minutes :-) On the other hand my son, with very little in the way of preparation, beat me by 14 minutes.

I was enjoying this running ! Still finishing at the end of the pack -- but finishing :-)

We decided to make a serious effort to improve. More regular training runs. Later in 2010 I ran the City to Surf -- running the half marathon...

Running ? More like staggering ! I started at a gentle jog. Ended up walking... from before half way. Pushed for a burst of speed -- no more than a gentle jog, even slower than at the start -- and crossed the line. In two and a half hours.

Success !

We paid for a training plan... A good one, with encouragement when needed. What we really needed was the assurance that we were not just going running -- but going for training runs towards a target. Towards my wife's target, that is. I followed the plan and added extra as I could be bothered.

A few more half marathons and -- to cut to the chase -- I decided to try to run a marathon... Never too late, I thought. Already, I was more fit than ever before in my life... Time to test to a new limit.

More fit than ever before in my life ? As I said earlier: I have never been an athlete. These few years had been my first ever consistent training. In fact, my only fitness training. I was improving every year :-)

So I trained consistently. Ran -- staggered -- on some very long runs around the suburbs. Felt that I was ready for my first marathon.

On the 17th of June 2012 I ran my first marathon ! This was just eight days after my 60th birthday.

Are you too old and unfit to do any exercise ? Ha !

I ran my first marathon just over a week after I turned 60. It took me five hours and 18 minutes. Twelve months later I ran the same marathon -- the WA Marathon Club Perth Marathon -- in just under five hours. Even the commentator was impressed: He called me over the line with the comment that a Personal Best after 60 was quite unusual :-)

I hope that you are inspired !

Because I want to write about my experiences, about coming from a couch potato to a marathon runner... Slow, yes, but I usually finish. I hope that I can inspire you -- no matter what your present level of fitness, no matter what your age -- I hope that I can inspire you to give it a go.

Of course, you must first check with your doctor !

I'm lucky, I'm healthy. I know, because my doctor said so. Okay, I have dodgy knees, weak muscles and a lack of dedication...

I plan to write about all of those. And to write about how I dealt with problems. (Or leant to accept them.)

I plan to write about what I have done and am doing. I will write about what works for me.

Some of my ideas may work for you. Especially if -- and I recommend this -- if you question everything. Read it, think about it, try it. Adapt it to what works for you.

But please, see your doctor first... And regularly !

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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Agamedes Consulting [ Problems ? Solved. ]
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"Saying a subject is too awful or too painful to joke about is like saying a disease is too awful to be treated." … Louis C.K.