Annual Review - This will be short!

As 2012 comes to a close, it's the time that I usually reflect on the past year, how my running has improved, or got worse, the ups and downs of another 12 months in this ageing runners life. Well, if I stuck to form, this would be a very short blog post, given running has not been at the Top of the Charts this year. Instead I will reflect on the year, and look forward to a much better year in 2013, at least as far as running goes.

The year started brightly, and with good intent. The first six weeks saw my weight dropping steadily, my mileage increasing, and things were looking promising for the Santiago Marathon in April. As the weight dropped, the speed was increasing too, and then February 13th arrived. I've written before about the pain, and what happened. The "why it happened" is still a mystery. According to the doctors, it has been an injury waiting to happen for years, and nothing triggered it specifically, and both my original doctor here, and the specialist, have advised that running was not the cause, and that I will be able to run again.

I "celebrated" my 54th birthday in March on my back. At that time I was still having Cortisone Injections every day, along with a cocktail of painkillers/anti-inflammatories, to keep me sane. Gradually, the sheer agony wore off, to be replaced by constant pain, and after Easter, MRI's, X-Rays, Kidney Scans, and various options being outlined to me, I finally started a course of treatment under Dr Calle, with Ozone Injections every two weeks to remedy the situation.

During this time under treatment, it was very difficult to sit on a chair for more than 10 minutes, or even to walk far. I am eternally grateful to Nurse Paula, who had to put up with me for far too long as the invalid patient, she has the patience of a saint, and needed to have with me. Also I was grateful for visits from my Frinking and hashing buddies, with at least two occasions when our Friday Night Frinking Parties arrived at my house, with bottles and food, to cheer me up.

Gradually, some aspects of life returned to a sort of reality, and I was able to start to get out a little. I managed to get to a few Hashes, albeit solely for the circle and a few beers, and Frinking was resumed in the bars of San Telmo, even if only for a couple of pints and home by ten! Over the winter months of July and August, I started to add a few teaching classes again, which when enjoined with the social activities, started to get my sanity back. It still hurt to sit down, but otherwise I managed to get out walking, although all the muscle strength had vanished from my legs. As an ex rugby player, and having ran for 20 years or more, I always prided myself in my leg strength, with well defined quads, even into my 50's, but now, they are more like matchsticks, and a lot of work will need to go into redeveloping these.

I last posted an update here in November, and it was then that I had the idea of entering the local Road Race here in Avellaneda. I had managed to complete the, free to enter, 8Km race in the previous two years, with friends, and as they had a 3Km fun run, Paula and I decided it would be a great mental stimulus to at least walk the 3Km. Which is almost what I did.... I couldn't resist the finish straight, and when I saw the Arch of the Finish Line Balloon, I had to try.... I jogged, in trepidation, the last 200m or so, crossing the line with a PW of 29:20 for 3Km. Paula was crying as I jogged on, but they were tears of joy and relief, as she confessed she had fears that I may never be able to walk again properly, let along jog, such was the pain I had been in earlier in the year.

After the race, I knew that I had to change physios, as my then locally based one was still treating me for the injury, rather than working on the muscles and helping the recovery process. I searched around for an English speaking physio with little success, until I found one on my doorstep. I had completely forgotten that one of the hashers was a Physio, and so I started to trek over to Belgrano, across the city, every week to Sandra Diaz, who has been a godsend, even when she has left me in agony having worked deep tissues. The improvement in flexibility in these last few weeks has been noticeable, and whilst the pain has not vanished, it is no longer agonising, far from it, and I can sit in a chair for a few hours now, without being a wreck afterwards.

As the year comes to a close, I can look forward with hope, that the doctors advice that I could be running again by March is likely to come to fruition. I have set a little target with one of my students, to run a lap (300m), of my local park by the end of January. When I say run, it will be on tiptoes, and very slow, but the process of rebuilding will take time, but all being well, I will be on target to run a little more as the months progress. I may never be fast again, but I will run again.

On a personal level away from the back and trying to run, although as this is supposed to be my running blog, that's what I talk about here, I am awaiting the call to return home to Ireland in the New Year. I am on two months notice of recall now, and even if nothing is heard from Dublin Castle, I will be heading home in May, after 3 1/2 years in Argentina, as Liam Og is getting married on June 1st, and I haven't seen my little grand-daughter Maisie since she was 2 days old in June of last year, so trips to Sheffield will be in order to see her and Melanie too.

So, this was my "short" review of the running year. Mind you, when have I ever been known for keeping anything short? Given only one 3Km "race" in the year, it's amazing how many words I can pack in. Lots to look forward to in the year to come, running, returning to Ireland, the wedding, and most of all, a return to good health. Hopefully, I may even be able to post updates here about running, rather than the ramblings of a grumpy old fella with a bad back.

My old mantra for marathons comes to mind as I recover, "If it is to be, It is up to me", so true.

See you in 2013.

OMG - It's been a while...

What can I say. The blog title says it all, and I should be looking for a "meeting" - Runners Anonymous - "Hi, my name is Liam, and it has been 9 months since I last ran....."

Only difference is, I am desperate to run again. In general, my back has been improving over the winter months (remember I'm still in the Southern Hemisphere), and I have reduced the drugs to just two a day (from 9, and an injection every other day!). I have managed to resume a relatively normal life, some teaching, walking, even attending the Hash, although only in the last few have I walked the wimps trail. But I still have problems sitting down for any length of time, so when I'm at home, I spend most of the time lying flat on my back on my bed.

The injections have worked, up to a point, but, clearly, the problem hasn't gone away. Just today, heading out to teach a class, my back hurt, with the pain going into the right leg, via the siatic nerve. Two blocks out, and my leg gave way, dropping me to the floor - ouch! Thankfully, only my pride was hurt, thanks to my back pack, I'm far too young to be falling down in the middle of the day - maybe on a Friday night after a few, nut not today.

The doc says it will be at least March before I can contemplate running again, but on the plus side, I have entered a local 5Km race this Sunday, obviously I will be walking, so expect a PW. Paula is joining me for her first taste of the race atmosphere, which will be fun.

On another plus note, my son, also a Liam, ran his second marathon this week, in Dublin, beating his time from last year, with a time of 4:13:52, proud of him. Hopefully I'll recover to join him on the start line before my body breaks down completely. Finally, as a true son of Erin, here's a picture, on a good back day last month, meeting with the Irish President, here in Buenos Aires, not a bad day at all.

Back with an update on the Back!

Well, here we are at the end of July, and it's been a while since I updated anyone with news of my back problem. Suffice to say, one of the reasons that there has been little information has been the fact that there has been little to report. As you know, I started a course of treatment involving injections of ozone into my lower back, and this process takes time to have an effect. I'm sure nobody wanted to read my daily rants about nothing to report!

Well, here we are, and whilst I am, understandably frustrated at the length of time all is taking, I am pleased to report that there has been significant improvement, albeit there are some days when the forward steps seem to take a retreat. I can get up and about on my own, however I can't bend enough to put socks or shoes on, for example. With the drugs, I am able to get out to the shops and for a drink on a Friday night, but sitting down for any time is very uncomfortable, which is another reason why I can't post long details of anything.

The long term diagnosis is positive. I have also now started physiotherapy twice a week, which is helping to relax the muscles that have tightened to rock over the months. I am not going to set goals as to when I can get back to doing things that a normal person would do. I'm guessing that the earlier advice that it would be, at the earliest, next March when I could run again, is still the realistic time frame for that, but we will see.

I'll come back and post again soon, hopefully as things get even better. Here's a pic of me from Sunday, when we hosted the hash from the house - obviously I didn't take part in the running, but enjoyed the company of friends, which helps the healing process. It's been a tough few months, but we're getting there - Snail like at times, but whilst the light may seem a long way, I think I can see a flicker in this tunnel.

Back Update...3 Months and counting...

BACK UPDATE...May 14th - 13 WEEKS. Yes, incredibly it has now been 13 weeks, three months, since the L5 disc in my back decided to herniate. For some reason, unknown to man, I haven't quite cracked up, yet! There is progress, and I have now had three courses of ozone injections, with more to come. It's a slow improvement, but I can get up and about in the house, and have even ventured out to the kiosko. Blessed by my nurse, who really deserves sainthood for putting up with me, and my friends who have ventured over to visit, and others who call me regularly for updates and chat.

All being well, I aim to attend the Second Rio del Plata Hash this coming weekend, obviously not running, or even walking, but it will be great to get back into some form of normality. i attach a picture of the ozone treatment being injected into my lower back, so you can see how it works. It's been a long 3 months, it was summer when it happened, and now we have the heating on as winter draws near.... misses quite a bit of this year already, hopefully it won't be too much longer before I can get back to enjoying life again.

8 Weeks Update - I'll be missing for a while it seems...

You may, or maybe not, have noticed that, having started back posting my summer training (remember I live south of the equator) over a few months, I suddenly vanished from the site, and no posts have appeared sine early Feb, except a brief-ish update. So, what happened? Here's the full story up to date.......


Well, the training was going nicely, a few aches and pains, but nothing to loose sleep over, and on Monday Feb 13th, i got up early with the intention of going for an easy 18km (12m-ish) run. Being in my early 50's, i like to stretch before heading out, and while stretching my lower back felt very stiff - no great pain, just tight... So I decided not to risk an early run on concrete, and agreed with myself to leave the run until the evening, when it would be cool again.


As the day progressed, my back tended to get a bit sorer, and by evening I abandoned a run, thinking I had trapped a nerve, or slept funny overnight. Went to bed, and woke up in agony around 3am. Suffice to say, it took me 30 minutes to get out of bed in the morning, and I was in so much pain, I had to go to the hospital; and ER as I could barely walk. A painkilling shot later, and advice to go home and lie flat for a few days followed...


Without boring you with details, I was in agony for 10 days, unable to walk etc., and I got an appointment with a back doctor, an x ray & MRI later, and I have a herniated disc! (L-5). The best treatment for this, is generally no treatment. Rest, lie flat, take anti-inflamatories,and see what happens when it quieten downs.... It didn't....


8 weeks later... Without heavy painkillers I still cannot walk further than the toilet, and on some days, not even that far, so clearly the normal treatment wasn't going to solve the problem. It was time for fresh opinions. On Tuesday I went to see another specialist at a major private clinic here in BsAs, he recommended injecting a Epidural Block into the spine, and if that failed to cure the problem, surgery.... I'm obviously not keen on the knife, but it was an option.


Yesterday, I was due to see a different specialist at Staff Espinal, a private clinic offering a different type of treatment, injecting the spine and disc area affected with ozone over a number of weeks, which helps to heal the affected area, reducing the inflammation, and has an 82% success rate. I was actually in too much pain to go, so Paula went with my MRI etc., and explained all. Last night we sat down, weighed up the options and costs, and decided to go with ozone.


Today, I had my first set of injections. There are thee insertions, first the local anisthetic, then two doses of the gases, injected directly into the lower back. It only takes about 15 minutes, a little rest, and back home. It isn't a magic wand solution, with the benefits starting to show after 3 or 4 sessions, but it's a start. Then the question I had to ask,,,,, If all goes well, when would I be able to think about starting up running again? The doc was honest, and said that it wouldn't be a problem to run again, and all being well, I could possibly start light jogging on grass in March next year...!!!!!!! Yep, at least 9 months, and up to a year!


So there you have it, the reason for my absence from here, just as I had got into the swing of it again... I hadn't expected to be absent from running for as long as this, let alone, what will inevitably be a year. My leg muscle tone has already vanished with 8 weeks prostrate, losing 12 lbs in weight, and all of it muscle... On the plus side, if I get back running next year I will have entered a new age group as I hit 55 next March, so although I will be slow etc., I will be setting New Age Group PR's....


I'll drop by with Ramblings as I take the long road to recovery, I don't intend this to be the end of my running life, just a set back I could have done without. The annoying thing is, it wasn't even caused by running, but it's running that will suffer.


In the cliche words of that ex-governator - I'll be back....

6 WEEKS FLAT OUT - AN UPDATE

My back first started to give me a problem on Monday Feb 13th, and that morning, feeling as if I has trapped a nerve, I did't go for planned run, hoping that I could make a run the following day, which wouldn't make a big difference in my plan for Santiago.

Move forward 6 weeks, to March 27th, today. I should be tapering for Sunday's Marathon. Instead, I spent the morning at the hospital, having further X-Rays on my back, and an ultrasound, they ruled out pregnancy, as they wanted to check the kidneys (no problem there). I am still flat on my back 23 hours a day, find it very tiring to stand for any length, and almost impossible to sit down, as the problem lies in the lower back, right where you bend to sit down. The actual disc is out of place at the front of the vertebrae, hence the deep-set issue of the problem. I have a change in medication, although all that does is bring down the inflammation for a few hours - easing the pain. Another two weeks of bed, interspersed with some walking, using a medical corset to keep me upright.

So, there you go, I am a crock. I have no idea when I will be back active. To be honest, I don't know when I will be back walking properly, let alone running, but one thing is for sure, I WILL. Watch this space...........................................

Well, That's another Comeback thwarted!

You may have noticed the lack of posts in February, and no updates on my progress. That's because it all came to a grinding halt on Feb 12th. Followers of my Facebook page will know, but in simple terms, I slipped a disc... Obviously this has left me laid up on my back, injections, painkillers, MRI's, X-Rays, the lot, and I will be laid up for at least another month. I have no idea when I can get back running, walking would be nice. Happily, it is getting easier, the first week was very difficult for me, and for Nurse Paula who is looking after me, above and beyond the Call of Duty.

I will try and post an update as to when I can commence my recovery. Obviously, I won't be going to Santiago next month, and I can't make any future plans until I am fully recovered. On the plus side, my weight is down to 82Kgs now, an amazing 16Kgs lighter than January 2011, and a great drop this year as well. I was aimimg at 80Kgs for Santiago, so I can still work on that, which will stand me in good stead when I do start running again - and I will......

Weekly Update with Longest Run for a few years

Week 5, of the 13 week plan, completed and another good week, without being over confident or slipping backwards. When I really got started on this at the beginning of the year, I did have my self-doubts as to how long I would keep it up for, and when would I drop back, mentally, into that frame of mind that has seen me have good intentions, but never carry them through, in the last few years. So far, after 5 weeks, the mental side of things seems to be under control, and no excuses have been needed for missing a planned run, and physically, things are heading in the right direction.

When I started the plan, January was intended to be about regular running, no speed work, no great distances, just getting used to heading out and actually training, rather than running when I felt like it, which had been a feature of my running for the last couple of years. January was a success, with more Kms run than any other month for a long, long time, in fact the first time over 100Km a month since July 2009. The weight too has been dropping off according to plan, and 5 Kgs in the first 5 weeks is a very acceptable level, and with the plan hoping to see a weight of 80Kg by Race Day in 8 weeks, the 1kg per week target seems well within reach.

What of this week. I started with a gym session on Monday, and a 5Km tempo run, as I seek to add one speed session a week in the February plan. This went well, with the run taking a little over 25 minutes. The weather broke a bit this week, with some storms and even floods in parts of the city, but these did not interfere with my running at all, aside from making the runs a little cooler after Tuesdays run, where I set out a little later than planned and felt the heat of the morning as I ran. I then managed three 10Km runs this week, all nice and steady, nothing special to write about, just steady mileage building runs, all of which lead up to this morning, and my longest run so far.

Because of the lack of interesting places to run around here, without travelling a distance for a run, something I will do later in my training, I decided that my 8 miler, would in fact be 14Km, which would consist of my usual 3Km run down to the Parque Dominico, and then I would complete 6 laps of the park, each lap is around 1.35Kms, making 3 laps 4Km. SO, by extending this run to 6 laps, I would be running 8 Kms in the park. Sunday's in this Parque are very interesting, as at one end, there is an open air market, where the main business seems to revolve around the selling of caged birds, budgies, canaries etc, and so there is a lot of activity for early Sunday morning. Obviously, I am not alone in using these green lungs as a training base, and it's always great to see, and acknowledge, other runners as you plod along, with the addition of many fitness walkers who use the circuit of the park for their own exercise.

The weather today was heavy and overcast, warm, around 26 degrees, even at 8am, but with the cloud cover, there was no burning sun to add to the heat exposure, and despite a lot of sweating, the weather didn't affect my running. I deliberately took things easy on the 3 Km run down to the park, and although not running to the watch, I did check the time to ensure I was keeping the pace in check. It was nice and steady to the park in a little under 18 minutes, and I then proceeded to complete each lap in a steady 6:40, relatively even paced for each circuit, before heading back to Avenue Belgrano and the asphalt trek back to base. I completed the run in 1:15:43, a pace of around 5:25 per Km, which is faster than I plan to be running my marathon, and although feeling the extra distance in the legs, overall it was a comfortable run considering how quickly I have managed to get to this point. I can continue my February plan with great expectations of success in maintaining my progress.

I add a little picture of the Parque where I am spending so much of my time at present, and whilst it doesn't do justice to the excellent running route circuit, it at least shows you where I am. The name of the Parque seems to confuse everyone around here - On the map it's called Parque Presidente Sarmiento, everyone refers to it as the Parque Villa Dominico, and this sign says something different - All I know is that it is the best place locally for me to run, and is helping me in my attempts to get Marathon fit by April.

Injury Worries, but weight continues to drop.

This week has seen me nursing my Hamstring along, with controlled running rather than anything too dramatic. The hamstring is still very much a concern, as it isn't healing up - realistically, I need to stop running for a week to see how that helps, but with my timescale being tight, I cannot afford the break. I am alternating my running, with a harder/longer session, followed by a very light session the following day. The one thing I can say is that the injury does not actually affect me running, it's the hours following that is filled with discomfort.

On the plus side this week, I had two sessions which clearly indicate improvements all around. On Tuesday I ran a 10Km route, almost a minute faster than I had previously run this route, in under 53 minutes, without feeling any strain at the faster pace, and without increasing the pace as I would in a race situation approaching the finish. And on Friday, I used the gym to check if any speed had come back to me as I progressed with the increased distances. I ran a timed 4Km run on the treadmill, recording 19:51 for the distance, my fastest over a 4Km time trial since August 2009, so things going well on two fronts - distance and speed.

And finally, the icing on the cake. My weekly weigh-in saw the scales reach their lowest point in many a year - 87 Kgs., which is just under 192 lbs. I still have a way to go to get to my target on April 1st of 80 Kgs., but I am very happy with this progress, and it makes the sacrifices all worth while.

A Mixed week - Up and Down

Whenever you start training specifically for an event, you start a countdown in your mind. On a good training day, the time to go to an event seems an age away, and when things don't go so well on a run, then the countdown clock seems to be running faster. This week, my clock has been speeding up and slowing down, all in the same few days.

I started the week with a good run with the Hash on Sunday. For many months I have been treating the Hash runs as simple jogs, with little effort, but this week, I ran with the front runners, and enjoyed a good 10Km run in the sun, albeit a little stop and start, but an enjoyable run, where I knew afterwards I had been running hard.

Monday is usually a rest day for me, but I jogged out and did 3Km in the sun, trying to get accustomed to the excessive heat, without pushing the body. Tuesday morning I was out early and had a good run down to Parque Dominico, where I extended the run to 10Km by running three circuits of the park, and feeling excellent - thinking the Santiago Marathon is a long way away...

Working on my alternative strategy, the following day was another "Run in The Sun" day, and an easy run to a nearby plaza, which is around 250 metres around, where I ran laps on the clock to see how I was doing, with the intent of using this plaza as a place to carry out interval sessions next month. I again ran out in the heat of the day, and certainly felt it, but was happy with the session.

However, Thursday, my left hamstring was feeling very sore, and although my plan was for a longer run, I decided to simply loosen the leg out and jog a short run. This I managed, using the Plaza Circuit again, and felt the tightness, so took things very easy. When I got home I iced the leg, and that countdown clock seemed to be rushing all of a sudden...

I decided that rest may be the best for the leg, so took Friday off, and on Saturday, the leg was feeling a lot easier, having had no hard run since Tuesday really, so took an easy jog to test. This morning, I decided to go for another 10Km run. With 10 weeks to go on that clock - 70 Days - I need to maintain these runs and extend them weekly to get the mileage in the legs, while balancing the tight hamstrings by stretching out. I ran 53:53 for the 10Km run today, not particularly fast, but I hope to race a 10K before the Marathon to judge the speed in March, we shall see.

So, up and down week, but satisfied with the running, just not happy with the hamstrings which I have to hand hold as I progress. We shall see..... On the weight front things are going in the right direction, which will obviously help the stamina, and will also help the hamstrings as I will have less weight on them :)... 2 Kgs lost so far, and creeping under the 90 Kilo mark, and with 10 weeks to go on that target as well, need 1 Kilo a week over the period.

Must tell you about this Madman....

Mad in a nice way that is.

Last year I was contacted by the Irish Embassy here in Buenos Aires, to see if I, or people I knew here, could help an Irish Runner who was attempting to run around the world! Naturally, I said I would see what I could do, and I discovered the exploits of Tony Mangan, an Irish Ultra Runner, who I had come across some years ago when he was attempting a World Treadmill record for 48 hours at the Dublin Marathon. Well, now he is running around the World, and after finishing a leg running around Europe he was completing his North American part of the journey, pushing a stroller with his kit. Unfortunately, the terrain in Central America and into South America was not conducive to pushing a stroller and he was looking to ship it to Buenos Aires to collect when he reached here. I managed to help him with his request, by contacting another Irish ex-pat here who has a storage business here, and all is awaiting his arrival.

He has now completed North America, and is presently in Colombia, having just started the South American leg, and he is recording his exploits on his fantastic blog CLICK HERE - THE WORLD JOG and I recommend it as a great read, and also if you want to support his run in any way you can. There are some who might question his sanity in attempting such a feat, including himself, but I admire him for this, and his many other feats of endurance. Next time I find an 8Km run tough, maybe I should remind myself about Tony's Run, and zip my own man-suit up. Check it out......

Cooler days, no alcohol, good run, and YES, we have electricity!

After 90 hours, we finally got the electric back on, amazing what you take for granted, and miss like mad when it goes out, at least for a day or so, then you get used to dealing without it - Having said that I am glad it's back on again.

Thankfully the last few days have seen cooler temperatures, with the hottest part of the day only getting into the high 20's - and never did I think I would be saying that the high 20's was a cool day! Compared to the 40 degrees it hit at the beginning of the week, it was almost time to pull out the thermals......

With the weather having drained me, and tight hamstrings I decided to take a rest for a serious run on Thursday and Friday, with just a coaching session on Friday as a modest run for me. So, Saturday morning arrived, after a night out Frinking, where I spent a great evening in the bar with friends, drinking Aqua sin Gas, and surprising a few at my determination on this front. Two weeks into the regime now, and all going well on that front. So, Saturday, and up for a morning run, with the temperature around 23 degrees, excellent running weather. the sun high in the sky and at 11am I was off. Ran the same as Tuesday, the trip to Parque Dominico, and two laps around the park. This time, no worries with the heat, and ten minutes faster for the 8.7 Km run. Felt freer and lighter in the legs, and very comfortable at this pace of around 5:15 per Km.

Heatwave and No Electricity

Phew! What a scorcher!!!!

Well, the first couple of days this week have been unbearably hot - Temps hit the 40 mark on Tuesday afternoon, certainly not conducive for running. To make matters worse, our electricity went out at 10:22 on Monday night, and with midnight temperatures still around the 30 mark, and no air con, it was a very difficult nights sleep. But I managed to get up and out for an early morning run. I would have liked to have got out an hour earlier, but at 8.30 I was out - with the temp already reaching the 30 mark.

I had planned a 10Km run, using a regular route to the park at Villa Dominico, and instead of the one circuit I have been doing, I would make three laps, with each one being 1.3 Kms, hence my 10. However, the temperature was climbing rapidly as I ran, bit the air, and mine, and by the time I got to the park I was feeling the heat. I had tried to run in the shade on the road to the park, but once I arrived, there was no hiding place. I managed two laps, and was feeling the heat, so decided to live to fight another day, and cut the run short to 8.7 Kms, feeling terrible by the time I got home. The day got worse with the heat, and still no electricity!

Wednesday morning and, thankfully, the temps had dropped to the 20's, after some rain overnight, which had allowed a decent(ish) sleep, but still no electric! I was feeling the effects of the run from yesterday, so went for a short recovery run of only 3.25 Kms, and legs were feeling heavy, as one would expect at present. Clearly have to take consideration of the heat this month, as I build the daily runs, and the stamina in the legs, but happy enough with the progress being made.

First week of Santiago Training.... Great

Despite the unnatural temperatures down here, I managed to survive the first week of training for Santiago, and it more or less went according to plan. I went dry from last Monday, and I was to be tested at the weekend, as a group of us from here were off to San Pedro, a county town on the River Parana, about 160 Kms from BsAs, where one of our group has a house. It was an extremely hot weekend, with temperatures reaching 38 degrees on Friday, not exactly conducive to running, and with the party atmosphere around, it was likely to be hard to sustain the alcohol free time, and get some runs in. But I managed both.... easily to be honest.

Saturday and Sunday mornings, Marlo, an Australian running friend who was with the gang, and myself were up at 7 and out with a run down to the river in the early morning heat (still around 25!), but before the day really heated up. Both runs were between 6 and 7 kms, with Sunday being slightly longer. One great thing about this run, was the long gradual hill back from the river, and while I am still in the early days of re-training, given there are no hills in BsAs to run, it was great to actually get a hill run in.

So the first week has been completed with 6 runs, and 35Km completed. Nothing fast, but the aim for January is simply to run 6 days a week and build the distance gradually, trying to ensure no injuries. Doing a body check today, I have a few aches, understandably, and quite tight hamstrings, but nothing too severe, so I can chalk week one down to a success. Now for week two, and with today my official rest day, thankfully, as it hit 40 degrees this afternoon, I look forward to tomorrow mornings 10Km run, along with the forecast for the week with temps dropping back to the high 20s, relatively cool.

Increasing the distance

After my four days in a row, I needed a rest yesterday, my ageing limbs aren't used to all this exercise, so I put my feet up, and allowed the muscles to adjust. This morning, I woke early and checked the forecast for today, with a Max High of 33 showing, so after taking in some fluids, I was out on the road just after 8am, even though it was already up to 23 degrees.

Obviously, I need to increase the mileage, and as previously suggested, it's a balance to daily running and distance, without overdoing it. One of my difficulties for running from the front door is the lack of green space nearby. All runs have to commence with a fair amount of roads, and as the sidewalks/pavements here are terribly maintained, it is the road that I hit.

Today's run took me to the park, but it also takes a 3Km straight run along a main road to get there, and, naturally enough, it's 3Km back. But it is worth it, and whilst I don't plan to simply add laps of the park to make distance, it is easy enough, and won't get boring for a while. A lap of the park is around 1.25Km, so easy enough to build up distance by using this park. An alternative is to head to the Capital, and Puerto Madero, the modern docklands of the city, where there are loads of runners, and open spaces, without vehicles, but again, it's a long urban run to get there, around 5Km, so those runs will be a few weeks away once I start getting up into the high teens and above. But there is hope...

Back to today's run, and despite the heat, I ran steadily, enjoyed the lap of the park, also seeing a few other morning runners, not a common sight locally, and headed back as the intensity of the sun increased. No wild animals to report, a few urban ones, and a siamese cat who gave me an evil eye as I approached, and scooted off in front of me, looking back, before darting into a doorway - Oh well.... managed the run at a pace of a tad over 5:30 per Km, not feeling too bad, although the legs needed some good stretching when I got back.

Already 22.5 for the month, which is way ahead of last year - The pace may be slow, but the miles Kilometres are getting there...

Four days in a row - I must be getting serious...

Day 3 of the year, and my fourth run in a row - It's been a long time since I wrote that. And to make matters better, the temperature had dropped a little this morning, and at mid-morning it was only around 23 degrees, so instead of a trip to the gym, I managed to get outside and enjoy a run I call Belgrano 4100, which is 4.2Km long, an out and back street run.

Pleased to report that although my legs could feel I have been running regularly, they eased into the run, and I reached the turnaround point without feeling any discomfort at all. I increased the pace a little on the return run, and, although breathing heavily, I finished strongly, and recorded my quickest time on this route. Now, whilst it is important not to be timing every run, or trying to beat my best time, what is important is to gauge the feelings of my body as I run. So, if I keep a check on my times for the distances, I can compare how I felt for each time I run a particular course. So, today, I went out easily, increased the pace a little on the return, and noted my breath levels, so I can judge in a week or so, when I do this route again - Today I ran 21:49, we will see what happens next.

Here is a picture from Sunday, which makes me look pregnant, something else I can compare with in a few weeks - Hopefully, just like my times, this will be coming down as well!

New Year, and here we go again....

Well, I have started the year with confidence, if not fitness. 90 days to go to the Santiago marathon, and no target set, simply get to the start line and, all being well, to the finish line. So, with this in mind, I should report my main training resolution - I am off the pop for three months. Years ago, when I was running seriously, this was a regular occurrence, but in recent years I have failed to keep this up, but this year I have good reason. My weight at the start of the year is hovering around the 92 Kgs, and by the race I definitely want to be under 85 Kgs, and if I can get nearer 82 Kgs, I would be even happier.

With all this in mind, Sunday saw me running the first 75% of the Hash as a FRB (Front Running Bas***d), which was around 8Km, and at a healthy pace, given the temperature was over the 30 mark. Obviously the summer weather here does not make for ideal training conditions, so today, an even hotter day, I went to the gym, and did an easy 3Km run in 16:11. I aim to use the treadmill four times a week, with two longer runs outdoors, either early morning, or evening, to turn over a 6 day a week regime. Easy at first, and then adding a hint of speed work as the stamina increases.

No easy tasks over the next few weeks, but lets hope this years beginnings can be maintained over the 13 weeks left to me. If all goes well with Santiago, and that simply means a finish, then Rosario in June may be on the cards, and Punte de Este in Uruguay, come September, when the winter temps here are more conducive to training, should me races that I can target with a degree of confidence, ending with the plan to run the Dublin Marathon back home at the end of October, along with my son.

That's mapped out the year, now, on with the training.....