Sports training camps: Why go to Mallorca when there's Manchester

Ready for my taster session at Manchester Velodrome

People tend to go on sports training camps in warm weather destinations abroad - Spain, South of France, Portugal, even Australasia. But I think that it's still possible to do and enjoy a training camp close to home, right in the UK. So I chose to go to the North-West of England. 

It's that time of year when elite athletes and amateur athletes, including some of my contemporaries head overseas to places where the sun shines a lot more than in the UK, there's less chance of rain, it's that bit warmer and folks don't have to hear stories about the latest political scandal in UK politics  [not that this sort of thing doesn't happen elsewhere, mind you!].

A large group of runners have just jetted off to Club La Santa, in Lanzarote. Some people in my cycling club went to Alicante in Spain's Costa Blanca, while a few others are preparing to go on a women's cycle training camp to Mallorca. 

I'm not averse to these sorts of trips - indeed I have done them in the past, and I've even enjoyed them. These days, I shy away from trips purely to go training because I like to get more out of my trip than each day just riding around somewhere, including a little cafe stop on a sun-kissed cafe terrace. You repeat the process every day, probably varying the café and eating a tostada instead of churros, and perhaps adding in some swimming and maybe running. 

Don't get me wrong - I love a sporty holiday. But I also like a cultural element too. When you go on these camps you are just beaming up your cycling club, or usual cycling buddy group from the UK to Spain. So you are effectively creating your own temporary British enclave in the Balearic Islands or somewhere on the coast of Spain. I must admit, that doesn't excite me. If I go to Spain, I want to be in Spain - mixing with Spanish people, soaking in Spanish culture, and vising the places that make Spain famous. 

Doing a SwimRun race while on a trip to South of France

Also, I like to give my training a bit more meaning, so with that in mind I like to take part in some sort of local sports event while there - maybe a mini cyclosportive, a running race, or as I did last Autumn in the South of France, a SwimRun race. 

Not only was there a specific focus to my trip, but I also got to mix with local-ish athletes and make new contacts.  I don't know if people would necessarily call that a training camp - I don't know what the term is. But those sorts of trips with different dimensions are what I enjoy doing when I travel abroad to do sport.

In terms of training camps in the pure sense, I am quite happy to do that nearer to home. So with that in mind, I travelled......to Manchester - well, 20 miles South, to the North-West's finest place, Macclesfield. 

It was just a case of throwing the bike and all my other sportswear in the car, heading up the M6 and less than four hours later I was at my apartment in the middle of Macc. There were no worries about dismantling the bike for the airline or paying extra to have it carried, no worries about what to take or not take through security, or keeping my luggage within the weight limit. It was all just straightforward and hassle free. I didn't even get caught up in any traffic jam on the motorway.

It was early evening on Saturday when I arrived in the East Cheshire market town at the end of a sunny day. However, sods law was that on my arrival the sky turned grey and as I set out to do a mini local spin. I felt a few drops of rain and the precipitation became heavier and heavier as I proceeded along the disused railway line, now known as the Middlewood Way. I hadn't planned on going far, and was only looking to stretch my legs after having spent a few hours in the car, so I was happy to cut short the ride.

Middlewood Way in Macclesfield

Sunday morning involved a four-mile early morning run in the sunshine along the Middlewood Way, and across to the Riverside Park through woodland between Macclesfield and its posh neighbour, Prestbury. I enjoy this area and have good memories of doing regular runs along here a decade ago when I lived in Macc. Even though its right in the town, there is a feeling of being out in the countryside, especially since livestock roam around the place in Springtime.

After breakfast I then took out my bicycle and did my training ride. This is a big area for cycling. The British Cycling talent team, based up in Manchester often come down to this area to do their training rides, and lots of local riders gather here. The equivalent of Box Hill, is a climb called the Brickworks. It's a 2.7km steady climb from the village of Pott Shrigley over moorland and past farms to near Kettleshulme, on the edge of the Goyt Valley. As I trundled along various riders past me, and said hello. I also saw a group of women on a ride. It looked like they were from the local Rapha Cycling Club. There's a cafe part way up the climb, though it would probably be better to go there on the way back down to Pott Shrigley. In fact I saw a lot of bike riders travelling down in the opposite direction, as I was winding my way up. Perhaps the cafe was their destination. I had no plans to stop there as I had a few places to visit from my itinerary and I was sure I would find an alternative place to stop if necessary.

Once over the Brickworks climb, I then climbed up the winding scenic road to be level with Blaze Hill, then took the fast descent through Rainow to return to Macclesfield and start the climb up the town's most iconic climb - the Cat and Fiddle. This is climb of  just over 10km (6.6 miles) takes you to the eponymous pub in the Peak District National Park, before dropping  6 km (4 miles) to reach Buxton. 

Despite the climbing practice I had had in South London, and earlier in February in Spain, I still felt unfit when tackling this climb. The road surface was quite rough, which didn't help. I figured that that would make me stronger. Once past the big turn in the road at Walker Barn I was officially in the Peak District, and with that the weather also became wilder, as the area seemed more desolate. There weren't that many vehicles, despite it being a main artery. There were very few cyclists too. Much fewer than I had seen on the other nearby roads.

Blaze Hill, outside Bollington, close to the Goyt Valley

Soon I reached a crossroads - a de facto decision point. I could continue to the summit, some 5km (3 miles) away, turn right towards Wildboarclough, turn back and enjoy a lovely descent into Macclesfield where the monthly Treacle Market was taking place, or turn left towards the Goyt Valley. Not wanting to disappear into some sort of Bermuda triangle along the A537 road, I decided not to continue towards Buxton, and I chose to do the latter option. This involved a very technical descent past Lamaload Reservoir. It honestly felt like riding down a wall while trying to avoid pot-holes and gravel. For the first time in decades I actually had to dismount and walk down the hill! On my way down, a few motocross bike riders came up in the opposite direction and waved at me, probably wondering what the hell a road cyclist was doing on this road! 

What goes down must come up, so I then crested a series of hills on the edge of the Goyt valley that took me back to Blaze Hill. By this time my legs were quite tired and looking at my Garmin watch I could see that progress through my itinerary had been very slow. You can't fake your fitness in the Peak District. It finds you out very quickly! And I found out that I still had some way to go to reach optimal fitness.

So with that, it was a very easy decision to return to Macclesfield via the gentler roads in the Cheshire Plain. After a long downhill along Blaze Hill, my ride then took me to Bollington, then through to, Tytherington, Adlington and onwards to Prestbury where life was very leisurely and folks were displaying their Sunday best al fresco at the local cafes. Getting out of Prestbury was more challenging than I had anticipated as there were a few hills to get over before reaching Macclesfield.

Finally, I reached my lodgings at Waters Green feeling satisfied that I had had a proper work-out. Indeed I had, as Garmin showed that I had done - more than 1,000m of climbing over 51 km. That was certainly the hilliest ride I had done all year.

With the limited amount of energy left, I then enjoyed a walk around Central Macclesfield to see the popular Treacle Market.

Monday was planned as a slightly less onerous day than on the Sunday. My bike ride consisted of a loop from Alderley Edge, a popular National Trust area of outstanding natural beauty, and heading through the nearby village of the same name, and home to many a footballer's wife (and in theory their husband) or Coronation Street actor. My loop also included Mottram St Andrew, once again Prestbury, before doing a loop up a local climb in that area, Artist's Lane. Nearby is a Flandrian type hill called Swiss Hill, but I decided to leave that one until another trip. 

Time was short, and I wanted to also do a little trail run through the woodland at Alderley Edge. One way I did this was by running along a Permanent Orienteering Course and identifying checkpoints. It's often a great way to make a run more interesting, and also to discover a new area. My run ended up being just a couple of miles as my orienteering skills were good enough to find the checkpoints quickly (That's what I like to think, anyway!) 

Straight afterwards it was a case of hotfooting it to the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, where I signed up to take part in a taster session at the Velodrome. It was billed as a taster session, but in fact I just took one of the reserved hire bikes and rode around for as long as I could in the time allowed - for me it was 40 minutes as I turned up a little late. I am not sure if I could have survived the full hour going up and down the steep bankings! 

Taster session at Manchester Velodrome

Had I been a complete novice at track cycling the coach would have spent time showing me what to do, but because I had been to the Velodrome in the past (though was not yet accredited), and had become a regular rider at my local velodrome in Herne Hill, I was allowed to get in an individual training ride, under the watchful eye of the coaches, in order to increase my fitness. 

There were a handful of other riders doing a paceline, but I wasn't strong enough to join the line, so I did my own thing. The coach said that I looked fine, but I would just need to do a couple more taster sessions so that I can then gain clearance to join the Regular Riders sessions which is the stepping stone along the way to gaining Accreditation.

By the end of the day, I was feeling a little pooped and was ready to check into my new lodgings, a private room in Central Manchester YHA. There, I had a well-earned meal and an early night to prepare for an early start at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

Early the following morning I put on my running gear, gathered my swimming kit, and did the two-mile run from Castlefields to the university district where I joined the other swimmers doing training laps in the 50m pool at the Aquatics Centre. This popular venue is a legacy facility from the Commonwealth Games, and still gets a lot of use. It was a clean modern pool, and quite swish following its refurbishment in 2021, compared with the spartan facilities at Crystal Palace. I felt quite motivated, so did one kilometre. That was as much as I could do in the time allowed, as I still had to have breakfast, check out and then make my way back down to London.

The end of my training camp in the North-West had come, and I feel that it had been fun-packed, productive, and I like to think I have increased my fitness. Who knows, I may even be feeling fitter than if I had just doing a few kilometres here and there with my cycling buddies and sitting in a sun-drenched cafe. 

It has to be said that some people do these so-called training camps just so that they can spend time away from the UK, and some coaches that advertise the trips talk more about the well-being benefits of enjoying a cafe stop on the coast while sipping some local patisserie and coffee that is better than back home. Indeed, I see more Instagram photos of what's on people's plates than where they actually rode their bikes! 

Potato Wharf, close to where I stayed in Manchester

Granted, there's no contest when it comes to comparing the weather in Manchester versus Mallorca. But then again, wind, rain and snow are not entirely alien to the Balearic Islands. I have certainly been caught out without a pack-a-mac while cycling up to Puig Major. Even this year there have been weather reports of strong winds on Spanish soil. So weather is not entirely guaranteed even in traditionally warmer, sunnier countries. 

At least in Manchester, it's a case of better the devil you know. In any case, UK weather is so changeable that it is still possible to find a reasonable window in which to get out and ride a bike. Then of course swimming and track cycling aren't even weather dependent. 

So overall, I am happy to ride my bike abroad as long as I get the full cultural and social experience of being in that particular location. However, if the aim is purely about getting in a training camp and keeping fit I would rather keep the logistics simple and stay closer to home. 

But no doubt, I will at some point in the year end up getting a fix of riding my bike along sunny roads in a French, Italian, or Spanish hotspot, and I certainly won't complain about it!

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One day one photo - 26: Deep sports massage at Revive Bodywork

   Feeling relaxed after a massage from Sam at Revive Bodywork 

Now that I am back home after my Paris-Versailles running challenge I can give my legs a bit of TLC. What better way than to get a deep massage. 

So I paid a visit to Sam, who runs Revive Bodywork not far from me, in Bromley. I've been getting treatment from her for a few years, so she knows my legs well. She can tell when they're on form and if, if they are recovering after an injury or a heavy bout of exercise. Today they weren't too bad, considering my weekend efforts.  

Getting  a massage was exactly what I needed to put my legs in a decent condition. My illiotibial band, calf muscles and Achilles tendons felt fine, but my quads were aching when I sat on the massage table. Thankfully Sam was able to sort it out, not without her having to dig her elbow into my glutes.

By the time I left her treatment room my legs felt so much looser. I hope to maintain this wellness with yoga, pilates and swimming. 

I am hoping to do a half-marathon before the end of the year, so Sam may have her work cut out for her!

One day one photo - 25: A massage ball does wonders for tight muscles

Massage ball - a key tool in injury prevention 

This is what has helped stop my legs from getting too shot after yesterday's Paris-Versailles running race. I actually bought it the day before the event from Decathlon at Place de la Madeleine, when I was making a few other last-minute purchases for the race.

I have a knobbly foam roller, but didn't bring it as I wanted to travel light. I had banked on getting in a few swimming sessions to loosen my legs, a post-race massage at the event, and maybe even a yoga class to do some deep stretching. I had managed to do all of those things apart from yoga, which was a bit tricky to fit in. 

When it comes to injury prevention I can never do too much. A significant chunk of the physical exercise I do involves keeping injuries at bay. I have had to deal with tendinitis between my legs and my ankles, over the years, including during the first part of this year when I was unable to do any sport because of a nagging problem. 

So I am very happy to have been able to run the 10 miles yesterday without any problems, and I am determined to do what I can to keep things that bay.

So when I saw this little ball, not only did I think it looked rather cute and a nice convenient size, I also saw how this could give me pleasure (well pain actually) when rubbing it up and down my illio-tibial band, my gluteus maximus, my soleus or even just under the ball of my foot.

The pleasure doesn't come from the act itself, but from the knowledge that this little ball is helping to keep me doing my favourite sporting activities like running, cycling, swimming, even the odd bit of rollerskating. 

Here's hoping I can carry on doing the sports I love.

One day one photo - 2: Park Run - Saturday morning motivation

Park Run in Crystal Palace Park, London

I have been into running ever since I can remember. As a child I took part in little running races at school and really looked forward to sports day. I regularly went to an athletics track in the local area, Dorothy Hyman's Track Club and my athletic prowess earned me a few medals and trophies. I was 13 then - very much a distant memory and practically another world. Over 40 years later, I am far from winning any medal now, but I am happy to say that I still run (when I am not dealing with one injury or other) and generally enjoy it. Hopefully, all being well, I will take part in the Paris - Versailles 10-mile running race later this month. 

Today I planned to run between seven and eight miles as part of my training. Sometimes I have to work to make my runs interesting and varied in order to stay motivated. On a Saturday morning it's the easiest thing in the world to do to roll over in bed and get an extra hour's lie-in. Very handily, as it's Saturday morning I could turn up at any one of the dozen or so Park Runs near my home and incorporate the 5km mass participation run into my longer outing. 

So that's what I did - a one-mile run to Crystal Palace Park, do the 3.1 miles of the Park Run, and then take a long route back home to make up the mileage. In the end I did 7.75 miles. I'll take that. It's a good job that I don't try to get a personal best when I do the Park Runs, as this run was well off my potential. I was quite happy to plod around at my long slow run pace, and not get involved in any sparring match with other runners. The beauty of the Park Run is that any level of runner/non-runner can take part. There are those who can rattle off the distance in a little over a quarter of an hour, while there are others who walk the entire course. Then some run with their children or their dogs. Mind you, don't underestimate their ability. Some of them are pretty swift. I crossed the finish line with a time just shy of 36 minutes, in 197th place out of 258. There was something quite liberating about running around slowly and seeing a newbie runner who is slightly overweight huffing and panting, straining every sinew to romp past you in the last 50 metres before the finish line and get a sense of satisfaction. I'm good with that. I hope they don't get too disappointed when they look at the results and see that my personal best on that course is more than 11 minutes quicker!

The Monkey Motorbike Diaries - Episode 2

On Farthing Downs

Having this new type of two-wheeler has been great for getting out and about around London. I feel good about going out to other places. It's true that I can cycle to places, and that's something that I still do. But it's good to have that extra option of being able to ride to somewhere relatively quickly. For example, I can go into central London in half an hour, totally bypassing traffic jams that hold me up when in the car. Also, there's no congestion charge to worry about, and parking is generally free (apart from Westminster where you pay £1 for the day).  

Another use I have found with the motorbike is to get me to other parts of London in order to go running. I have aimed to get to different places each week to do runs. As well as it involving the fun of riding my motorbike, it also gives variety to my runs and keeps them interesting. I have been to Brockwell Park, Tooting Bec Common, Docklands, Peckham Rye, and on this day Farthing Down in South Croydon. It was an early morning start to get over to Coulsdon, and then I did a long run through the woods and was home by 9am in time to start my working day.

I have also used the bike to go to different outdoor swimming venues - to Canary Wharf, Royal Victoria Docks, London Fields, and then to Divers Cove in Surrey as well. 

I really enjoy the combination of getting in the practice on my motorbike, riding on different types of roads, as well as keeping fit.

I am not sure if I am a proper biker type though because it seems that real motorbikers get on their bikes and ride out to a cafe - maybe have a fry-up and then ride on to somewhere else and do another cafe stop. It has to be said that there are quite a lot of riders who are of a larger size. I wonder if all these rides to cafes are a contributory factor. Whether or not that is the case for them, I know for sure that I would definitely be twice the size that I am now if I used my bike to ride out to cafes every weekend. With that in mind it makes me wonder if I should join a motorcycle club if I am reluctant to do these types of cafe ride. Surely a motorbike rideout can be mixed in with say swimming, running or hiking and then the sausages and bacon afterwards, right? I would gladly welcome any suggestions of clubs that focus a little on other outdoor activities aside from motorbike riding. Or maybe that's an unreasonable expectation to think that these sets of lifestyles are not mutually exclusive. I hope that's not the case.

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Photo of the day - 26: Final SwimRun of the year, at Bewl Water

 

Exiting the water after the first of six swims

The second part of my final weekend of multi-sport races for this year was the As Keen As Mustard SwimRun at Bewl Water, near Tunbridge Wells. There was a choice of three distances - a 5km, 10km, or 21km. I chose to do the middle option, which consists of a total of 1800m swim split over six swims and interspersed with seven runs which totalled 8.2km.

Nowadays I feel comfortable with the swim, especially after all the training I've done and having swum two miles in the Serpentine last week. The run was something to just get around, because I haven't done a lot of training due to me trying to learn to run in minimalist shoes. Because I haven't fully mastered that, I have to take it easy during the SwimRun races to avoid injury as I am running without my usual orthotics - something I wouldn't advise if you're jumping in and out of the water!

It was a very pleasant event, running around the woodland and country trails and then at intervals wading into the water to swim, getting out and running again. I ended up right at the back during the first run as I stopped to properly tie my shoe laces and adjust my pull buoy. But I managed to catch a few women, and we formed a little group at the back. I gnerally feel quite relaxed in these events because they usually start with a run, and by the time you reach the water you have warmed up a bit and so when you get in the water it's quite refreshing. There's no need to take time acclimatising or warming up; you just get on with it. When swimming you need to keep your eye on where you're meant to be going as there aren't any buoys in the water. There's just a flag and a marshal at the other end of the lake, so it's up to you to pick the shortest line. Be mindful that the swimmer in front of you may not be very good at sighting, so it's always good to check for yourself where you're going. I finished fifth from the back, but it was nice to see the women at the finish line, and we congratulated each other as well as talking about our exploits during the race.

I do like these events. There's no argy bargy in the water and people do them at various paces - some people are competitive, especially those intent on qualifying for the major events in Sweden. But then there are other folks who tootle round. I'd say SwimRun is in the same vein as orienteering, where some people are mighty fast and then others just trot round and enjoy the scenery. But whichever level you are everyone feels like they've had a workout and there's a friendly atmosphere. I look forward to doing more of these events next year.

Photo of the day - 22: Trying to master barefoot running so I can do SwimRun

 

I went out for a run today - just my standard 5km trot around my local parks in Crystal Palace. I enjoy running; it's something I've always done since as far back as I can remember. In fact, I consider myself to be more of a runner than a cyclist because it is the sport I did first, and it is the one sport I have done competitively since I was a child. 

I have done all sorts of running races in my time - from sprinting in my teens, through middle and long distance races including marathons, as an adult. It was a bumper 12 months in 2018-2019 when I did Beachy Head, Paris and New York marathons all within that time. 

I haven't done a marathon since, or even a half marathon this year. That is a turn-up for the books for me. The main reason has been because I took up a new kind of race called SwimRun, this year. Basically, it's like an aquathlon, but where an aquathlon is swim once change into running shoes and then run once, SwimRun is run swim, run swim, run swim, run swim and you keep repeating that however many times required depending on the race. It's about trying to get from one point to another across a body, or bodies of water. Apparently the sport began in Sweden when a group of guys, after a night out, had a bet to see who would be first to get across a group of islands surrounding Stockholm.

The novelty of SwimRun is that you keep the same gear on throughout the activity. So you run in your wetsuit, and you swim with your shoes on. Yes, you heard correctly. Regular competitors have a specific SwimRun wetsuit that gives the flexibility to run in it, and they wear lightweight trail shoes or minimalist running shoes that don't weigh your legs down when swimming, and drain the water off when running. 

I invested in a pair of Vivobarefoot ESC Tempest shoes, specially for SwimRun and they're great. However, my problem is that I normally wear orthotic soles in my shoes when running. I need them in order to have the correct gait, and avoid running injuries. The problem is that if I wore them in the water they would be ruined. I did check with podiatrists to see if there is such a thing as waterproof orthotics but apparently that doesn't exist. 

So the only thing for it is for me to learn to run again without orthotics. So I am trying to do barefoot running. I don't actually run in bare feet. but I wear the Vivobarefoot minimalist running shoes. To master this new way of running though, I need to keep my usual running to a minimum so that my muscles don't get confused about which way they should be used. 

At the moment I have got up to running 2km in this new way style. So I am very much a beginner. That means for now, I can't run very far - which is a bit of a pain. Well, actually it's not - but it would be if I did run far! 

A couple of times a week I do indulge though, and allow myself to put on my usual Mizuno Ghost running shoes with my orthotics and break out to do 5 or even 6km. Realistically, it could be another six months before I am able to run that distance with minimalist running shoes. So for now, I will have to make the most of my local jaunts around the park.

Photo of the day - 3: My own private cross country running league!

It's that time of year when up and down the country cross country leagues are beginning. With my first claim club, Serpentine Running Club, I do the Metropolitan League in North and West London. Nearer to home I take part in the Surrey League with my second claim club, South London Harriers. I have also run in the East Yorkshire League with East Hull Harriers too. In short, I do like cross country running! Unfortunately, Covid-19 restrictions have meant that racing was restricted, and although England Athletics have now given the go-ahead for socially distant events, the leagues don't find this workable so there aren't any cross country leagues taking place anywhere near me. But hey, no worries. I'll just do my own So today was my first round of the my own cross country league. And what better way to do it than on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Lloyd Park, Croydon! Actually, by the time I started it the rain had subsided and it was actually quite sunny. The mud didn't disappoint though. I will aim to do 10 cross country races around London, Surrey, and maybe further afield between now and mid-February. I am actually quite looking forward to it.

Daily photo - 23: Why I need a regular sports massage

A sports massage is an essential part of my exercise regime, particularly as I increase the running training.

My iliotibial band always gets tight and that leads to problems with my knees. Or my calf muscles get tight, then I end up with Achilles tendinitis.

But having someone dig their elbows into those knotted parts of my legs does the trick.

It's always painful at the time, and I almost want to curse - particularly when the therapist goes right into my IT band. I have been getting massages from Sam at Pureform. For a small slender lady her massages pack a punch!

Doing yoga regularly has given my legs a bit more flexibility and I have not needed to get massaged fortnightly, like before. So I left a month or so before getting massaged, and by then I was ready to be massaged especially after my 19-mile run the previous day. If only I hadn't left it so long to have a massage!

Sam found knots in all parts of my legs where I hadn't felt any problem. It seemed like she was deliberately hunting them down unnecessarily. If it aint broke why are you fixing it? I felt like saying as her hands dug into my leg so much that it caught my breath!

After 30 minutes of pain and discomfort, I was glad to get off the massage table. The next day my legs felt nicely loosened up, and I felt ready to get back and run again. So I'll be back in a couple of weeks again for more pain!


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Daily photo - 22: Thames path run

Docklands as seen from Greenwich Park

Today was the day I needed to do my long run. On the agenda was 18 miles to do. Marathon training can be quite dull, and sometimes you get days where you really don't feel like running so far. Don't get me wrong I enjoy running but occasionally I get days where I feel like doing something else - riding my bike, going for a swim, or just lounging around. Even if I do decide to run, it's only really a 5km spin that seems appealing.

On top of that, the weather was not looking great. The weather hadn't been looking too bad first thing in the morning, contrary to what the weather forecast said. After resolving to get ready to run the sky turned black and there was a heavy shower. Perhaps a good excuse to stay home?

I actually felt quite annoyed that the weather turned just as I was due to go out. At these moments I develop a defiant streak and I think, "I'm not going to let the weather stop me!" So I continued to prepare myself and gathered together lots of waterproofs and warm clothing.

As a way to motivate myself I decided that my run would be a trip into Central London. Yeah, yeah why don't I get the number 3 bus, or jump on a train at Norwood Junction? That's not so interesting. How about a trip that takes in various parts of London that I can see up close?

So my route was going to be to take the Waterlink Way, a waymarked route to Greenwich that follows the Ravensbourne River. From Greenwich I would then cross the River Thames via the foot tunnel and then run along the Thames Path all the way to Westminster. Hopefully I would arrive into Central London before the shops closed and I could go to Waterstones and reward myself with a book.

That was the plan - hopefully it would stay dry. As I stepped out of the house covered with waterproofs and with my hood up, also laden with extra clothes I felt very hesitant and wondered if I was doing a wise thing running into bad weather.

In fact, the rain became lighter and lighter. Furthermore, it was still quite warm and muggy and I ended up having to strip off. In fact, as well as running with a small backpack I was now running with a kit bag with my anorak, long-sleeved top, anorak, hat, food and phone.

I got various odd looks as I ran through Beckenham and Lewisham with all my kit. But I didn't care. I was glad to be out, and I was looking forward to going around London.

By the time I reached Greenwich the rain had stopped completely and at times the sun was even trying to come out. The view of Docklands from Greenwich Park was beautiful. Having the silver-coloured buildings juxtaposed against the different shades of green of the trees in the park.

The other side of the river was what I call "old London" - places like Shadwell and Wapping with cobbled streets and old houses of the former dock workers. Following the Thames Path also gives an appreciation of how twisty the River Thames is, and also how dominant the office complex of Canary Wharf is in that area.

Docklands as seen from Wapping

The path had been very quiet, practically devoid of people, but once I reached Tower Bridge the numbers swelled and at times it became difficult to run along the path as it was packed with tourists, particularly around the Globe Theatre, Tate Modern, and Royal Festival Hall.

Finally I arrived at Westminster Bridge where I climbed the stairs to reach street level and I made my way up through St James's Park to get to Waterstones.

Phew, I was there in the nick of time. It had been a fun run, though with more than 18 miles in my legs they were definitely feeling it. With just 10 minutes to spare I had to make a choice. Not being able to think completely straight I just picked up a book quickly - Acid House by Irvine Welsh. The running had put me on a high!

This was the route that I took, as recorded on Strava


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Daily photo - 18: Another day another run - at South Norwood Lake

South Norwood Lake in the early morning, with Crystal Palace transmitter watching over

It is roughly six weeks to go before the New York Marathon so I must make sure to not step off the gas in my training. I don't particularly want to go crazy in my training as I need to make sure the running is gradual and my legs don't get completely shot. 

So in between my long runs or my harder intervals I like to do short easy runs of around 5km where there is no pace to run to, and it's just about admiring the area around. 

One of my favourite areas is around the corner from where I live. South Norwood Lake is an area I have run around for over 20 years. It is within easy reach of where I live now, and where I used to live, so it has been a constant - along with Crystal Palace Park. 

As I was doing an early morning run I really wanted to capture the lake in it's glory in the autumn sunshine. I also took the time to notice the Crystal Palace transmitters and how they dominate the local skyline, and watch over the local area.

South Norwood Lakes is a pleasant area to take a walk. Folks also go fishing there. Apparently there are some quite large carp. Then there's a small sailing club, a cricket pitch, football/rugby pitches, a bowling club, and there's a mini wood too. For a small lake there's a lot going on.

I definitely recommend this route.

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Daily photo - 10: Marathon preparation running on Farthing Down

As the New York marathon, which takes place on November 3rd, draws ever closer I am getting increasingly focused on getting in enough running. So today I did some trail running in and around the south London beauty spot, Farthing Down.

Farthing Down, managed by the Corporation of London

I am really keen to get in enough training to get me round the five boroughs and the bridges of New York City without too much problem.

Marathon training is always tricky for me. On one hand it's about getting in the miles, speed, and strength in my legs so that I feel ready when I reach the start line. On the other hand I have to be mindful about not over training or injuring myself during training.

Things I do to avoid injury are:

• Getting in lots of stretching between runs
• Cross-training, i.e. regularly cycling and swimming
• Doing a couple of yoga sessions a week, more specifically hot yoga
• Deep massage every few weeks
• Alternating my long runs between road running and trail running

So today was an off-road run that started from Farthing Down car park and then went down to Happy Valley, up to Coulsdon Common, and then round some other trails past Surrey National Golf Course, Chaldon Church, Netherne-on-the-Hill, and back to Farthing Down.

It was a very scenic 12km (7.5-mile) run and once again a chance to discover new places. The village of Netherne-on-the-Hill is very quaint and orderly village. It was previously the site of a progressive psychiatric hospital, known for its use of art therapy for the patients. The hospital has since closed and is now a residential village, still exhibiting a distinct calmness about the place.

After leaving this village I was once again back on the rolling downs completely in the middle of nowhere. It felt completely remote and looked so scenic. Who would have known that this was around 15 miles of Central London.

In short, going off-road is good for the legs as well as for the soul. The good thing is that you don't have to travel so far from a city to find these calm, peaceful places.


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So how is my Paris Marathon training going?

Daily photo - 3: South London running route

View from my run: Docklands as seen from Lower Sydenham station

This time last year I was preparing to run the Beachy Head Marathon. Twelve months later I am once again preparing to run 26.2 miles at the New York Marathon. It is a greater undertaking than last year because of the distance I am travelling to the race. It is also hillier than other big city marathons.

So the maximum must be done so I am ready for the start line, and can also reach the finish line. These days I am doing training runs of over half-marathon distance (13.1 miles or 21.1km), so it's important to keep things interesting and vary the places I go to, in order to stay motivated.

Long runs are an opportunity to explore local parks and green spaces. Being in South London there are lots of local parks to discover, especially when following the Green Chain Walk. I have done a 14-mile (22.5km) run that took in Crystal Palace Park, Dulwich Park, Brockwell Park, and Dulwich Wood. Today, I did a 16-mile (26km) run that included Beckenham Place Park, Crystal Palace Park, and South Norwood Lakes.

It was interesting to see the different neighbourhoods and see new areas and views that I hadn't previously noticed. This is the view of Docklands from Lower Sydenham train station as I was running from Beckenham Place Park to Alexandra Recreation Ground. It was a slightly dull morning when I ran here, but I hope to return on a sunny day when you can really see Canary Wharf in it's grandeur.


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One day one photo - 29: Hornsea Beach Race with East Hull Harriers

I seem to collect sports club membership like people collect stamps! I am a member of more than one cycling club, and a member of a hockey club. As for running, I am first claim at Serpentine Running Club, second claim at South London Harriers, and I am now also a member of a running club in Yorkshire which I run with when I visit my family in East Yorkshire. East Hull Harriers are a very friendly club, and they have been very welcoming when I have been up and run with them. I have done their Saturday afternoon Pack Runs, group runs in the rural villages to the north and east of Hull, and I attended their 125th anniversary club dinner earlier this year.

At the back of the pack and enjoying it!

I was really pleased to get out and do the first race of the winter handicap league, the Hornsea Beach race. When doing running races we get to run on a variety of terrains, but I don't know a time when did a race on the beach. The sand was compacted so it wasn't too hard to run through, however the tide was coming in, so there were parts where we just had to run straight through the water.

I did try as much as possible to avoid getting my feet wet, and probably ended up running further than the advertised 6 miles! Also, another small detail was that I missed the start by a few minutes as I couldn't find the steps to get down from the road onto beach. So it was a heartsink moment to hear the whistle go, and see a sea of red running shirts sail off into the distance while I was still on the road! I also felt a bit silly, once I eventually got onto the beach, being a lone runner with a race number on, and no one else around me.

Funnily enough, despite my late start I managed to catch a few of the back markers so I wasn't in last place in the scratch rankings - though I probably am on handicap.

But hey, it was a pleasant afternoon, and as ever it was good to catch up with them for the first time since May.

One day one photo - 24: More running in the South Downs

I am just over a month out from a running challenge I have signed myself up for, the Beachy Head Marathon.

Earlier this year I as supposed to run the Paris Marathon. I did all the preparation, and then a couple of days before I as due to go things went wrong. My orthotics that I had sent in to be reposted arrived back to me late, and the podiatrist had messed up the settings so that they were unusable. So I as left without any orthotics and couldn't do the race.

It was very frustrating. I had toyed with doing New York, but bottled out of signing up for fear that because the money would be a lot to lose if something went wrong again. So I plumped for doing something in the UK. Initially I thought of doing a mountain marathon, but in the end I plumped for Beachy Head - which, being in Eastbourne is comparatively local for me.

It consists of running a marathon - 26 miles (or 42 km) but with loads of hills of the South Downs thrown in, meaning 1200m of climbing. That is not something I have done before, and would be a real challenge.



But thankfully, using the fitness from my Paris Marathon training I have been building on that, but just adding loads of hills. Near to me is of course Crystal Palace, but I have also been running around the North Downs. The real hills are done in the South Downs though.

So that's where I went today. Normally I cycle around these chalky hills, but running them really gives a different perspective, and also the time to notice things that you don't necessarily see when you are focused on bike handling and not falling down!

When running along the trails there's a monument near Ditchling Beacon. It's known as the Chattri Memorial, to commemorate Indians who died during the first World War. Many of them were treated in the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, which served as a hospital, and the site of the Chattri Memorial is where the dead soldiers were cremated. The memorial now has Grade II listed status. It looks great in the middle of Downs, though I have to say it does look a bit random.

Today's run went nearer to Trudleigh Hill and Edburton Hill and Devil's Dyke. That was a pretty long run, and by the time I got back to my car at Portslade and Southwick 15 miles later, my legs were like jelly! I like to think it's all miles in the bank, and hopefully it will make me stronger.


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One day one photo - 23: Southern Relay Championships

The start of the Southern Road Relay Championships at Crystal Palace. This is not actually from this year because the weather was not quite so sunny. In fact it was pretty wet. Apart from the atmospheric conditions everything else was the same - the same wide array of running clubs, the same size field, the same officials making sure everything ran smoothly. It all did, and it was fun.

I ran for my first-claim club, Serpentine. It was nice to catch up with some of them after quite a long time.
For all the running and improvements I have made, I always seem to be one of the slowest runners in the squad. I am quite happy to put down that this year I'm taking 22 minutes to run 5km, but the fact is that when there are folks doing the distance in under 19 minutes and the next slowest person from me is doing just over 20 minutes it still makes you feel like a slow coach! And bear in mind that those taking 20 minutes are vets - as in women into their 40s, even 50s!

But the great thing is that at Serpentine they don't seem to be judgmental at all about your ability. They are just happy that you are taking part and giving it a go. And if the team wins prizes their attitude is "fancy that - that's nice isn't it?" Their ethos hasn't changed since when I joined back in 2001. So for that reason I will continue to be a Serpie member, and hopefully I will get to a point where I can run 20 minutes for 5km.

One day one photo - 15: One day two running races

Saturday was a busy day for me. I left my house by bike and rode over to Wimbledon Park where I raced in the Surrey Road Relay Championships. Then I rode across London to Sparrows Den fields near West Wickham, and raced in the Will Bolton Cross Country Relays. Both races were roughly 4.5km and undulating, both were with my second-claim club, South London Harriers. One was on-road, one was off-road. Then I had a quick drink with my team-mates and rode home.

I slept well! As you can see from the photo, which is of our team at the Will Bolton Relays, I am not fully dressed to race. I had just arrived from Wimbledon at the time. There was only one other person as crazy as me to do the double - that was Ruth Hutton, pictured next to me. She had the good sense to drive across though, so was able to preserve her legs and do two very fast runs.

Why did I do two races in one day? I just saw it as a challenge. I have recently ramped up my run training, wanting to take it up a gear, so I thought that doing these two races would be a good challenge and also a way of making me stronger for future challenges, such as the Beachy Head marathon, which I am hoping to do next month.

The other thing is part of the mid-life crisis. I am conscious of the fact that in less than 6 months I will be 50 years old. I can hardly believe I have come this far! Things do get harder physically as you get older - you are more prone to lifestyle problems such as high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. You also need time to recover from physical efforts. About 10 or 15 years ago doing two races in a day would have been no big deal for me. But with age I had grown to feel this was possible any more. About a year ago, if I did a fast time at the 5km Park run on a Saturday I would need the whole day to recover! I was having to realise that I am no longer the athlete that I used to be. 

So with the sustained run training I have been doing this year I wanted to see if it really was still possible to do two fast 5km running races in a day with bike riding in between. And in fact, I seem to have passed the test. The time I did for the Wimbledon race was faster than what I did last year as well. So it is reassuring to think that maybe my fitness levels may not have declined as much as I thought. But I probably will sleep a lot longer, and I guess my legs will need a deeper and longer massage! 

One day one photo - 11: Sports Massage

I get amazed when I meet some of my fellow amateur athletes who say they have never had a sports massage before. They must be so lucky to be able to train and compete without needing a massage.  But no, wait - when I get into such conversations with these people it is exactly because they've got an injury that has stopped them from running or cycling, and they are looking for treatment.

But still, it does surprise me to know that here they are at the age of 35 or 40, and it is only now that they are leaving "the age of innocence" when they could just run and cycle as much as they liked without getting any overuse or wear and tear soft tissue injuries. My age of innocence finished when I was 26 and ended up with patella syndrome, which kept me out of any proper running for about a year.

It all happened when I was living in Paris and took part in the half-marathon there. I didn't know much about training programmes. I just ran it, based on the fact that I was fit and my weekly runs were 8km, so it wasn't as though I wasn't used to running. Sure, if it was bad for me my legs would hurt and I would stop and get the tube home quite easily. After all, I lived in the 12th arrondissement, and most of the route (at that time) went through the 13th arrondissement, so it would be easy enough to get home.

I managed to get through the 21.1km without any issues, apart from the fact that it was quite a wet day - as it usually is when the Paris Marathon takes place!

Feeling motivated, I then went to join a running club based at the Bois de Vincennes. Sadly I only lasted two or three sessions when I developed severe pains at the side of my knees and on my left patella, to the point that I was limping. One of the coaches there said that I had tendinitis, and I went to see a sports doctor who told me I would be fine within four weeks.

It was a very long four weeks....I spent six months visiting the sports injury department at La Pitie Salpetriere Hospital getting massaged, undergoing ultra-sound treatment and going weights all as part of my rehabilitation. Not being able to do much sport, go to the gym or run in the way I had been accustomed to all my life up to then was very frustrating, and it annoyed me not being able to take part in the various races and sports events around me.

It was only when I returned to the UK about eight months later that I contemplated any form of running, and had to start everything from scratch - running for just five minutes, then ten minutes and only steadily increasing the time on my feet, until six months later when I was in a position to run five kilometres without getting problems.

As a precautionary measure I started going to Crystal Palace Sports Injury Clinic, as it was known back then. They were very good, and have been ever since. I have been going there for over 20 years now, and I swear by them for getting the right treatment and monitoring for my legs and keeping injuries to a minimum. I regularly get massaged - particularly at moments like now when I am doing quite a lot of racing, and preparing for a marathon. Sports massages have definitely helped to keep injuries at bay.

I have not been completely injury free over the last 20 years, and have had Achilles problems along the way, and a recurrence of mild tendinitis, as well as golfer's elbow through mountain biking. But that loss of innocence in 1995 means that I am very conscious of not overdoing things, and  none of my injuries have been as debilitating as what happened after the Paris half-marathon. So as long as I keep on getting massaged I like to think I will generally be okay to carry on my competitive activity - touch wood.

One day one photo - 9: Bacchus half-marathon

One of this year's sporting goals was to run the Paris marathon, which took place in April. I did all the training and got into a good place with my running.

Then it all went pear-shaped literally the day before - a trio of events stacked against me and I ended up not doing it. Still wanting to salvage things in some way, I considered entering the New York marathon, which happens in November.

In the end I chose not to enter it because there was too much at stake if things went wrong again and I decided not to go. Also I wasn't sure if my wish to go was just a knee-jerk reaction, so preferred to wait a few months and reflect before forking out £2,000+ to go across the Atlantic.

In the meantime I began to toy with doing trail runs, and the idea of even a mountain marathon in a national park became appealing. I didn't sign up for a mountain marathon in the end, but what I have plumped for is the Beachy Head marathon. It's going to be 26.2 miles up and down through the South Downs - around 1500m of climbing.

I do like that area, having cycled there a number of times with my mountain bike or my cyclocross bike.

Mbaba Mwana Waresa running with some elves at Bacchus half marathon!

A run around there will definitely be a challenge. So with that in mind, I have been doing lots of trail runs. 

And the Bacchus half-marathon was one of the milestones in my preparation.

You will have guessed from the name that this event relates to wine. And yes, it certainly did! Held at the Denbies Vineyard in Dorking, this race also showcased the tipples from the Surrey wine producers.

Well who better to sample them than we runners! So at each of the six drink stations there was water, but on top of that every runner could have a small glass of one of their wines. We were treated to things like Juniper Hill (sweet white), Zig Zag (red), and White Downs (sparkling) - all named after places in the local area.

I was doing just the half-marathon, but there was also a full marathon option, which basically involved doing the loop twice, and therefore having at least 12 small glasses of wine! Now that's a challenge!

In addition, it was a fancy dress race. Being dressed up is strongly encouraged, as you do look a misfit turning up in your club running kit! It doesn't matter what fancy dress you wear - there's no theme. I ran past a few Wonder Women, fairies, tigers, elves, and many Batmen!

This race was our answer to the Marathon du Medoc, in France. In fact, that event took place on the very same weekend.

My costume was probably quite conservative as I went as the African female equivalent of Bacchus - Mbaba Mwana Waresa. This goddess wears a colourful long dress, headgear and a lot of jewellery. So for me I just dressed like I was going out for a dinner party in Surrey (dahling), but stopping for a little run with a wine and cheese aperitif along the way!

My run was a fun affair - probably the easiest 13.1 miles I will ever do in a race! It's not that the course was easy. With 400m of climbing along the North Downs Way and the Pilgrims Way it was no walk in the park - well actually it was a walk for many! On a number of sections most people were reduced to walking, particularly in the first half which gradually climbed up to Ranmore Common.

As most of my running recently has consisted of uphill running on trails I wasn't phased by the slopes. What made the race easy for me, was the fact that I could stop as much as I wanted - to savour the wine, chat to people at the drink stations, take photos and make adjustments to the odd wardrobe malfunction.

It was more like my usual Sunday morning training run, probably with the same amount of stoppages except that in the Bacchus half-marathon these were more fun than my usual loo breaks or consulting the Ordnance Survey map!

The time recorded on my Garmin was 2hrs 14, but my official time was 2hrs 45. I really had been savouring the atmosphere, and would definitely recommend it!

So how is my Paris Marathon training going?

Last autumn I signed up for a couple of challenges that I hope to take on this year. One of them was the Etape du Tour, and the other one was the Paris Marathon.

As the marathon is taking place in April I have been focusing mainly on running. And it has definitely been a focus!

Preparing for the Paris marathon has been a quite an undertaking, not least getting in the regular training and staying injury free.
It won't be my first attempt at running 26.2 miles (42.2km), but the previous times when I ran a marathon I was a sprightly young lady in her early to mid thirties as opposed to now, roughly fifteen years later, with joints that get that bit stiffer and creaky. Plus I need more time to recover after exercise, and am just an tad slower than I used to be.

Although I have done a lot of running in my time, in recent times my running training has just been limited to 3- or 4-mile outings, the odd Park run, and then once a year a longer event like a half-marathon or 10-mile race that I would plod round.

Running 26 miles just seems such a long way, and a long time to be on my feet. What am I going to do for four or even five hours while I pound the pavements? I might get bored! For the first time I may have to break a life-long habit of not wearing headphones just so I can get through the challenge. Yes, challenge is exactly what it will be! It's quite handy that the setting for the challenge is in a lovely place like Paris, which should make the task a less arduous ordeal!

I also rely on the fact that the two London marathons that I did were such a long time ago that if the running experience was not good that trauma has now been erased from my mind! I vaguely recall crying as the finish gantry on The Mall came into sight, but that might have just been relief that I had managed to get through it in one piece! I also recall the volunteer who gave me my medal avidly congratulating me as though I had won, when I had probably finished in around 13,000th place!

So here I am, just over one month away from the big day in Paris. Training has been going okay. I have not followed a set training plan from on-line or a magazine, preferring to start my training early - back in October - and running on feel. The aim was just to get up to running 13 miles by Christmas, and then to run 20 miles by early March at the latest.

I have achieved that, but it wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty - especially the 20 miles I ran along the River Thames a couple of days ago without properly carboloading! While doing my training I have been doing cross-country league races with my clubs in London - Serpentine RC and South London Harriers - so that has made it complicated to juggle.

A short fast run over mud, wearing spikes is just as taxing as a long slow run on smooth ground. So doing these back to back on the weekend just means my legs are shot during the week! As the long runs have gotten longer, the Saturday cross-country league races have had to be run slower just so that I could have a bit left in the tank for my Sunday run!

Since getting past the 12-mile mark things have become more sketchy for me in terms of risk of injury. Throughout my adult life I have suffered from either patella syndrome, ilio-tibial band syndrome, Achilles tendinitis or calf strains.

So as the training runs have lengthened, this has steadily become a greater and greater exercise in injury prevention and damage limitation! I am spending a lot of time (and money) at Crystal Palace Physio Group to get in regular massages and keep my muscles loose. The foam roller, a tennis ball and a golf ball have become my best friends. Yoga has also been the order of the day, though I have tended to do that at home because when attempting it in a class I felt so self-conscious at how rigid my body is compared with all those supple women of a certain age!

Then I have reintroduced the post-run sitting in freezing water routine to my regime. That moment when I hit the water is massively unpleasant, takes my breath away, makes me squeal, I worry I might get hyperthermic afterwards, but it is character building (apparently) and healing!

There have been good parts in this marathon preparation though. It has made me vary my runs that bit more and go to new places. Instead of just running the usual parks in South Norwood and Crystal Palace, I have also added in Dulwich Wood, Dulwich Park, Cator Park, Beckenham Place Park and Shirley Hills.

San Silvestre 8k in Buenos Aires 

Wherever I have travelled I have kept my trainers nearby to get in a few miles. So I ran to work when I worked in Central London, I did regular runs around the Royal Parks, including Richmond Park. Of course when I recently travelled to Argentina I ran - around Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Mendoza, even doing a running race while there.

I also did a running race in Tortona, near Milan and plan to do some running in Paris when I recce the route. I even did a run en route to join my second claim club, East Hull Harriers, up in East Yorkshire! It had been tempting to just peel off the motorway to go running around some National Trust land in a place called Sharpenhoe, near Luton!

My biggest issue now is that I will run out of time to go to some of the other interesting places I had hoped to run in. I haven't yet done the South Downs or the Box Hill area yet, and I was also hoping to do a bit more stuff north of the river like Hampstead Heath or Hackney Marshes. There's nothing like a marathon to get you out discovering new places!

The other great thing has been in this era of social media (which didn't exist when I last ran a marathon) it has been great to connect with other people. There's a Facebook group for Londoners who are running the Paris marathon, a group for all women who are running the Paris marathon, as well as equivalent groups on Strava. These are great ways to stay motivated while training, get tips and advice if you have doubts, and even make new friends.

Catching up with Mariana in Buenos Aires 

When I went to Argentina I managed to meet up with one of the girls from the Facebook group, Mariana who lived in Buenos Aires. It was great to be able to catch up with one of the Paris marathon girls on the other side of the world.

I look forward to seeing her when she is in Paris, and also when she comes for holiday in London.

So how is my marathon training going? Well, it's not too bad. I haven't had any injury or illness, apart from a cold a couple of weeks ago. There have definitely been moments where I thought this is all a silly idea and I won't get through it - particularly on those days where I felt really tired just doing a 3-mile run! But in the end I just had to really hang in there and believe in my strategy.

I have put in a few miles, so I am almost good to go. I just need to not break my leg during a ski trip that I've got planned, or pull a muscle during that final 20-mile training run! The coach trip to Paris (without Brendan!) is booked, my lodgings are sorted, so I just need to show up at the Champs Elysées on 8th April. But even now I'm not taking anything for granted!

Some might ask, why do a marathon? It's so time-consuming, there's a risk of injury, it can be painful physically and mentally. It's hard to fit around everyday life, it can be expensive when you add in the cost of equipment, travel, accommodation, entry fees and medical bills to prevent or treat injury. After all, I have done a marathon before, so it's not like I have anything to prove.

I guess the answer is that I do have something to prove. These challenges can't be taken for granted. Also my pet hate is living off my achievements from many years ago. I feel much happier celebrating something I achieved last week than trying to milk off something I did more than 10 years ago!

So as long as I am getting older the bar will naturally be getting higher, and so there will always be something to prove! Perhaps it is part of the mid-life crisis phenomenon but hey, I say if it's keeping me off the sofa, I'm happy!



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