Running Cycling Injury's and Health.
My first full year as a runner in Olympic year London 2012 if you cannot be motivated in such an amazing sporting year when can you? As I said in the opening paragraph very eventful so I will start now hopefully in the right order if not I do apologize. The first race of the year is the Brighton Half Marathon February 19th this was really strange as the reason for entering this race was to keep up the running during the cold wet winter planning ahead then the London Marathon become a reality and that become the priority and Brighton part of the training plan. Brighton Half Marathon Just a reminder that this was only race two in my lifetime ever. Really pleased with this race at the time. So the training for London carried on and the next big step was the Worthing 20 mile road race, the only race I have failed to complete after speaking with Sandra Roycroft-Davis whom I so grateful answered the phone on Mothers Day (Thank You Again) I realized that sometimes I put myself under to much pressure and that I am still not ready to fully handle pressure in the right way, there are two links now one for the race and a link to the blog as it was too big to put in comments box Worthing 20 MIle Road Race Worthing Blog This is the one race that I learnt so much about running and myself and the race I am most proud of looking back.
Onto the BIG ONE the Virgin London Marathon, Darin McCloud Marathon Runner I will never ever get bored of that statement. A race of two half's a defining moment in my life that at the time was full of disappointment regardless of the opening line in this paragraph. What I did not know at that time was that I have been carrying an injury (A lifetime Injury) and the longer the distance's the more my body broke down, It would take six months for the penny to drop on this point, when it did my god! I did start the marathon and I did finish the marathon I may have walked the last 10 miles but I had the courage, strength and support network to put the initial disappointment to one side dig deep and finish what I had started. Worthing had helped on that knowing what it is like to not finish a race is something I don't want to feel again unless I have a leg hanging off!! The Virgin London Marathon Marathon Blog.
The rest of the year is made up of 10k races until the end of October which will be the Great South Run and the start of running races a second time. I will do a quick recap of the races now. My next race after the marathon was the Marwell 10k just four short weeks later, This race is my personal best for 10k that's four weeks after a calf injury in both legs pushing on and walking the last 10 miles on a course that is very hilly looking back now I can see only failure regrets and just being grateful for taking part. Not going out and nailing a P/B that I have yet to get close to since. Marwell 10k
I also at this time start boot camp training something I really enjoyed but alas made my calves worse, I still have not gone back to boot camp training as I am still not right with my calves. My next race was my International debut a 10k race in Caen France this was a hard race for me but the time was better than I thought for the way I ran on that day. Caen 10k Next up the British 10k run on part of the Olympic Marathon course pretty bloody amazing watch both Marathons knowing I had run part of that course. British 10k
I need to add here that I have been seeing a Chiropractor for three months or so the GSR was touch and go but I desperately wanted to run this race no matter what, this is the only race that I have that much feeling for being as it race number one and the race I want to run every year for the rest of life. The Great South Run The last run of the year for me was the Santa Run 10k again this was a horrible race I struggled from start to finish, I could not get my breathing or pace sorted so just finishing was the victory for me. Santa Run.
I also entered but did not start three races due to injuries they were the Hursley 10K the Portsmouth RNLI 10K and the Gosport Half Marathon. You cannot run when injured that's for sure I will need to rethink entering races early as the only downside is paying to run these races and not running them, I am not well off but I make sure that I spend my money on things that will improve my life in the long term and not taking part in those runs hurt more financially than mentally. Another lesson learnt but I'm sure I will enter some races early anyway (Already signed up for GSR that's a given) My running stat's for the year are
| Count: | 89 Activities |
| Distance: | 536.89 mi |
| Time: | 108:52:48 h:m:s |
| Elevation Gain: | 10,774 ft |
| Avg Speed: | 4.9 mph |
| Avg HR: | 144 bpm |
| Avg Run Cadence: | -- |
| Avg Bike Cadence: | -- |
| Calories: | 90,569 C |
Due to my injury my Chiropractor said that cycling would aid my recovery and help my hip, this has opened up endless new possibility's included buying a quality road bike to make cycling enjoyable and fun, I am again amazed that I can do this and enjoy doing it at the same time my longest cycle ride to date is a 48 mile round trip to Bognor Regis really 48 miles!! Its important to note that whilst I enjoy my cycling until such time as I cannot run any more I will always be a runner first and cyclist second I do also plan to integrate both in 2013 by entering a Duathlon series in Portsmouth this year Duathlon Race Series as soon as Brighton is finished this will be my focus till May, I love a challenge. My cycling Stat's for this year are
| Count: | 14 Activities |
| Distance: | 266.69 mi |
| Time: | 22:15:58 h:m:s |
| Elevation Gain: | 4,315 ft |
| Avg Speed: | 12.0 mph |
| Avg HR: | 143 bpm |
| Avg Run Cadence: | -- |
| Avg Bike Cadence: | -- |
| Calories: | 18,257 C |
My overall stats for the year are below these also include the boot camp sessions.
| Count: | 119 Activities |
| Distance: | 840.90 mi |
| Time: | 147:32:08 h:m:s |
| Elevation Gain: | 15,412 ft |
| Avg Speed: | 5.9 mph |
| Avg HR: | 140 bpm |
| Avg Run Cadence: | -- |
| Avg Bike Cadence: | -- |
| Calories: | 114,486 C |
I have an awful lot to look forward to in 2013 as well as some frustration I hope to make proper decisions about my long distance running after Brighton in February mentally I am ready to make those decisions and find new ways to keep running injury free in 2013.
As for 2012 what a great year even with the injuries. The last part of this section is my weight as of yesterday my weight was 104.5kg or 16st 6lbs this is way to high and something I have struggled with ever since I was unable to train the good news (if there is any really) this has been my top weight for about 2 months now so at least I have found a level I also wonder if my weight gain has anything to do with my injuries I think not but it won't hurt to lose what I have gained that's for sure, so one of my goals for 2013 is to get my weight down to 95kg or 14st 5lb by the end of October so I give myself the best chance to run the best race possible for the Great South Run. So that's really two goals as I plan to smash the 2 hour mark. I will also make another goal and that's to listen to my slimpods every day just like when I started my journey back to basics if like whilst the running and cycling has carried on at a great pace and I often say I can not believe I am still running.
I am very disappointed with myself I cannot say that about eating yet, I can accept the work in progress and the patience that is required to achieve these goals and the fact that being injured for so long affected the weight gain, now is the time to right those wrongs the slimpods are about learning and improving and I am sure my weight would have spiraled out of control without them. This will not be easy as it was not the first time I have to get out of the mindset that I can eat more because I train, that fell apart with my long term injury. I understand where I went wrong, why it went wrong, and want I need to do to make sure it does not go wrong again (there is no failure only feedback) and I love I know all this as I embark on 2013 making it an even better year than 2012.
Mental Well-Being Depression.
During my injury lay off finding out I needed a Chiropractor and the fact it took so long to get better was really quite tough I felt at the time that my running career was over that I would never be able to run again it really affected me quite badly and another of my regrets is that as a person I still struggle to handle my disappointment in a good positive way rather than the bad old way I still do, if there is one thing I could change about me straight away this would be it the way I react when I get disappointed with myself, during this period I also had problems at work was I at fault were others at fault did I really have a melt down at the way I was being treated at work was everything connected or not???
I really don't know the answer to that what I do know is at that time I honestly believed that I was being bullied, it was a dark time coping with work and the injury I am so grateful to my two line managers who helped me get through such a tough time not only for me but my fellow team members as well. Its ironic that everything become clearer and better at the same time as the GSR so there must be a link I just don't understand it another fault of mine. The only bright spot of this period was how much more I was aware of the depression so whilst not knowing how to deal with it better I am aware that has to be a massive bonus.
Another goal for 2013 is to try and have a more level year that the highs and lows are not so extreme that I can handle situations better when/if I struggle, this would be a massive goal to achieve over the year.
Inspiration and Helping Others.
I'm not too sure how this section will go as I'm writing this so this will be interesting if it makes any sense. I love the fact that people are still inspired by me I sometimes get fed up with Darin the weight loss runner guy, so that people are still interested in my journey amazes me and I am so grateful that people are. The other bonus of my Slimpod journey is that I get to help people, either on the slimpod club, twitter, email and in person. This gives me such a massive buzz its unreal, During this year I have helped Tracey Cox run a 5k race for life and the greatest lesson I learnt is that people who push themselves and have a support network do amazing things that even they did not believe they could do, that includes me when I started running. Well done Tracey I'm so proud of what you achieved. I have also helped another slimpodder Debbie Cox, Debbie lives in Portsmouth and we first met up training for the GSR in 2011. This year Debbie asked for some races to run and we started training together (when I've not been injured) this arrangement has been more beneficial for me than Debbie, I would not have done so much running after my injury without Debbie helping and supporting me so this is really good that we help each other and having spent many lonely hours running on my own it has been amazing having a running partner I recommend it to anyone although solo runs have there place as well its about getting the balance right. Debbie Cox thank you for all your help.
I look forward to inspiring and supporting people on there journeys, I also want to help and support Sandra Roycroft-Davis where I can, this will be a big special year for Thinking Slimmer I know how hard Sandra has worked in 2012 to make 2013 special. I also hope to help out with Dr Lorraine Albon with local people with Diabetes, I hope this can all happen this year as helping others is such an amazing thing to give back.
I have a lot of goals and plans for 2013 I am so looking forward to this year being so much better and amazing than last year. And last year was pretty amazing.
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