TCS Amsterdam Marathon Review - 10th Marathon Ever And Most Enjoyable

WOW!

The 10th Marathon came and was conquered.

I thought I would write a short review of my experience.

Arrival at the airport was hassle-free save the massive queues at the airport. Thankfully, we managed to use an alternative exit but folks were coming down the escalator towards the passport desks and things were backing up. Fortunately, doors were opened and we sailed through. After that, it was onto the train and into the city centre.

Nicole, Al and myself in Amsterdam City Centre

Nicole and I met with my brother, Al and we chowed down a tasty burger at the Burger Meester and awaited the arrival of my running partner, Alex and his wife, Yaz. It had started to drizzle but the forecast for the following day was "clear skies and warm". Things were looking up.

One tasty burger - ideal marathon prep :P

Checking my pesky number worked

We headed off to the Expo which was a good half an hour by tram from Central Station. Processing was quick and efficient and we were out of the registration area within a couple of minutes and into the hubub of the expo. A good selection for a BIG CITY marathon but not on the scale of Paris or London.

Back we went and commenced carb loading (and a glass or two of wine to help with sleep) before retiring for the night.

Race day started at 6:45 and I was off to breakfast (always a challenge) before meeting up with Alex to re-trace our steps from the previous day.

The approach to the stadium was closed off due to the (understandable) traffic diversions so we had a 10 minute walk to the stadium. It was here where we peeled off from the main group to use the toilet facilities of a nearby garage/ service station before getting into the queue for the entry into the stadium.

Once in the stadium the tannoy sounded out with various instructions and we assembled in our pen (3:30-4 hours). Everyone was very pleasant and we started the warm up process as well as ramming some last minute power bars down our gullets.

BOOM! The starter gun went off and we began the slow shuffle to the start. The shuffle became a job that then turned into a run...and we were off. Out of the stadium and into the city streets taking care to hold back on the pace.

My overwhelming sense at the start was that there were so many people you needed to take care not to trip over people...nevertheless we emerged from the initial section unscathed and entered the Vondelpark (making a mental note that we would return in the closing phase of the race).

The weather was perfect and crowds of runners began to thin. The good news is that there was a fairly good spread of spectators. It was at the 4k mark when we came out of Vondelpark when we saw our gang of 3, already holding a glass of champagne aloft.

We were feeling strong and powered onwards down to the outskirts of the city where we picked up the loop down the side of the Amstel river. This was quite narrow and if you were in the mood to overtake you were often pushed onto the uneven grass area. But it was not too bad. The sun was shining and the crazy aero water gymnasts were flying around and doing somersaults which was a pleasant distraction.

Sun was shining and things were heating up as we crossed the bridge onto the other side of the Amstel river and began the run back into the outskirts of the city.

We crossed the half way point and were feeling strong.

At 25k the course took you into the less scenic part of the race, through industrial estates which could have been anywhere in the world. It was here when Alex hit the wall so I did my best to keep him upbeat and "happy"...At one point he did ask me to stop talking ;)

But before we knew it we were into our last 10k and we picked up the pace before finally approaching Vondelpark again..knowing that we had a mere 4k to go.

We were passing people continuously through the park and I felt great, holding myself back to ensure I didn't have a "moment" after finishing.





Then I saw the 500m to go and could contain myself no more. I dropped the gears and sprinted into the stadium with a massive grin on my face. I had done it... no injuries.

I stopped 50m short of the finish line and waited for Alex to come round the corner before joining him and crossing the finish line together.



Triumph! Definitely not my fastest (in fact second slowest!) but my most enjoyable.

Overall course was a 7/10 but what a great weekend.

Dropped metatarsal head, plantar fasciitis - All great prep for final Marathon No 10 - Amsterdam

Welcome back!

Running in the Negev Desert - Israel - Summer 2016

For those of you who have been following my (lack of) progress since crashing out of the Athens Marathon with a month to go back in September last year...well here's the skinny:

• Last year's crash and burn (September 2015) started as plantar fasciitis (again)
• Had a cortisone shot (this time not as painful but still grim)
• Helped briefly and then had new pain on the ball of my foot
• Turned out to be a dropped metatarsal head
• Tried multiple orthotics
• Pain persisted and distance was limited as a result
• Managed to push myself up to 8 miles and then encountered something I have never done.
• Started running with a buddy - Alex Bachelor, a bona fide nutcase who runs ultras just because he can. Nad is pretty damn good at it too. Great company running with someone and gives you stacks of extra encouragement for you both as things get tough.
• Things have been a bit hit and miss and I have had 4 cortisone shots top alleviate pain the ball of my left foot 

Alex Bachelor - Nutcase and Ultra Marathoner

So as Easter turned to Spring, out I went and upped the mileage to 8 and then (with my running partner) jumped to 13 miles.

Jerusalem - It's HILLY

Stayed at this level for about 5 weeks establishing a new base level of running.

But...probably/definitely too much too soon and I had some PF flare-ups along the way, alternating between feet which was a complete drag. No sooner do you get one foot sorted after 18 months of aggro and the other one starts up.

So...less than 4 weeks to Amsterdam.

This summer has seen some epic runs in Israel and Majorca - I've fallen in love with running again.

Tel Aviv Promenade - Get out early (<8am)

16 miles in the bag in 2:08 which means a sub 3:40 time..providing everything holds together.

This will be my final marathon - 10 is a good number and I can finish it and then go for smaller distances that do not wreck my body.

18 miles planned for Friday - let's see how things go.

Sunrise in Mitzpe Ramon - Up there with the most epic runs ever!

Anyone need any/capable of offering any advice on how to deal with dropped met heads in running - get in contact! There does not seem to be much online about it.

Fingers, legs and toes crossed for the next 3 weeks please :)

The End: Time to Hang Up Those Marathon Shoes

So 3 weeks ago after completing my first half marathon in preparation for Athens, the foot pain began..

Starting with the heel and then radiating up the achilles until the base of my foot stiffened.

The whole process took a week and by that time I was limping badly and in discomfort with every step.

This time the acupuncture, the electro shocks and the nonsense was out of the window. I knew I had to act fast to avoid my body over compromising and causing other issues (pelvic alignment etc..).

Last Friday I went back to the specialist who administered my second cortisone shot, 5 months almost to the day since the first.

I did't sleep most of the previous week as I anticipated the pain of the shot the first time round. Thankfully it was not as bad at all and I was pretty chilled.

Of course I knew that the worst was ahead of me as a week of transatlantic travel and walking between offices lay ahead of me.

Sure enough the pain the following day was bad and got worse over the next 2 days..then...mercifully things started to improve.

I rounded off the week with an intense sports massage to loosen things.

I have had to concede that my distance running days are behind me and for me to set my sights lower/shorter.

The specialist concurred and said that all is not doom and gloom and let's face it (as my daughter said), "this is not a terminal illness..get a life".

So it's time to thank everyone for following my exploits on the path to marathon glory.

2010 London, 4:14

2010 Loch Ness 3:37

2011 Brighton 3:33

2012 Edinburgh 3:35

2012 San Sebastian 3:27

2013 London 3:26

2013 Pisa 3:17

2014 Paris 3:11

2014 Loch Ness 3:16

The best of the best

• The elation at Loch Ness, marathon No 2 when I knocked nearly 30 minutes off my first time.
• San Sebastian after having 2 hours sleep I cracked 3:30
• Pisa in breaking 3:20, the day after family tragedy struck
• Paris - the 3:11 and Boston Qualifying achieved.

Time to focus on recovery and then maybe, just maybe a return to some shorter distances to tackle with gusto.

Au revoir.

Achilles!!! 55 days to go....

Athens: No chance of a PB but the journey will have been the hardest

And here is a song where the chorus sums up how I feel about it.

D'Angelo

Taking The Shot: A Marathon Runner's Perspective on Whether a Cortisone Shot will Heal Plantar Fasciitis ?

So folks..6 months on from Loch Ness and my situation has remained miserable.

Continued to try "natural" healing

Having taken 3 months off running and subjecting myself to a regimen of weekly hurt care of my friendly osteopath I have finally taken the plunge. Over this time period I have had my pelvis realigned and alignments and muscles brought back to their (mildly flexible) former glory.

After being given the all clear to run on grass I enthusiastically went out and after 2 tough miles going round and round in circles I stopped, stretched and crossed my fingers.

As feared the pain returned...I was very upset. Was there ever going to be a path back and would there be the opportunity to run my 10th (and final?) marathon in Athens this coming November?

No other option than to hit the meds..
Yesterday I went to the specialist and had a cortisone shot.
Many folks said "go do it" but medical professionals warned against the potential side effects.

So what is it like?

• So no BS here - It hurts. An injection with a rather large needle into the side of your foot/heel.
• An initial "scratch) followed by a prolonged (10-15 seconds) of pain as the fluid goes into and across your entire PF..
• Immediately I felt like I was walking on jelly as the fluid is a mixture of cortisone and a local anaesthetic.
• Late last night (about 4-5 hours afterwards), things started to hurt as the meds wore off and I started on the Nurofen. 

Progress

Day 1: Got out of bed and the whole area was very sore. On the Nurofen and hobbling about. Must do stretching exercises and ice the underside of my foot nightly. I have a 13 hour flight today so no harm of overdoing things.

Day 2: Arrived in Shanghai. After the flight I could hardly walk - excruciatingly painful at every step. Managed to walk/hobble for a few miles. Gritted my teeth and carried on. By end of day was in a whole heap of pain.

Day 3: Was asked whether I needed a wheelchair when I arrived at reception but as the day went on things started to get a little better. Starting to stretch but goodness me it hurts...so tight.

Days 4-6: Steady improvements but still not markedly better.

Day 7: At last things seem to be getting a bit better..no better than before the shot but at least getting to be more comfortable.

Day 8-9: Whoah! Something must have clicked or maybe it was the 13 hour flight not moving but for the first time in 6 months I am not hurting...my walking style is starting to revert to "normal".

Day 10: Genuine improvement - like never before. I am starting to get nervous as I am sure the osteopath will scold me when I see him tomorrow - but gotta come clean.

Day 11: Judgement Day #1: OK so came clean and he understood. Gotta do more stretching but otherwise I should be OK.

Day 12: It has begun - Ran 2 x 2 miles to check things out. Honestly achilles hurt when I had orthotics in - so ditched them running in softer insoles. Result = no pain.

Day 13: Tried a 2.5 mile run...still stiff and worried afterwards but felt - OK.

Day 14: Back to conventional cross training...feels like things are improving steadily.

Day 15/16: Cycling around Amsterdam - foot feels great.No pain at all. Tomorrow here we go!

Day 17: Ran 5k around Amsterdam - felt awesome.

Day 18: Day after 5k = no pain.

Day 19: Check-up today...we will see. AND......huzzah! Given the all clear but urged to go slowly. To celebrate did ANOTHER 5k!

So for me (and remember effects depend on the individual), I would give cortisone shot the thumbs up...just be patient and try all other "natural" methods first...oh and take it SLOOOOOW.

Next stop Marathon No 10 in November (see what I said about taking it slow).

Hasta la vista!

Chapter 23: The Final Chapter? Life Beyond Running?

I'm not my usual self of late.

Since late October I have been off road.. No no the ultra marathon kind but sidelined due to injury.

Approaching 45 and never before been injured. And it has happened...again. Race withdrawal but not just ANY race.. Boston.

Now I have to admit that since 27th November (my last post) I have had shockwave therapy. Did it work?

Firstly I should say that it felt like having a metal ball bearing rammed into your heel - not great but then it did feel like it was dissipating the problem (or so I thought).

So did it work? In short "No".

It is now end January and I have cancelled my flights to Boston, cancelled the hotel and written to Boston advising them of my withdrawal.. I also bailed on London Marathon as that too was off limits.

My heart goes out to anyone who has been sidelined through injury. IT SUCKS.

You do need to go through the grieving process as something that has become part of you vanishes overnight. I have come through the other side and having foolishly tried to "test" whether I was getting better with brazen 5k's - I have to concede defeat.

I have been off my feet now for 26 days I have not run.

25 days ago, the day after my last run I could not walk. I managed to walk though - to an osteopath.

I have realised that I have spent ages trying to address the symptoms rather than the cause.

My leg is completely tight, to such an extent that my flexibility had gone down to c30% on my foot.

So prognosis: Swimming, cross training (no foot impact) and stretching....lots and lots of stretching. And deep tissue pain (not even a massage when someone is digging their elbow or knee right into the most painful of painful places and pulling you around in an effort to right many years of wrong).

I am hopeful of a full recovery but need to be patient and embrace the downtime knowing that one day soon, maybe even this spring I will rise like a phoenix and run my 10th (and final?) marathon. There will be nothing left to prove at that point and I can maybe go back to being an ordinary bloke who once was not bad at running.

Wishing all you sidelined folks a speedy recovery - keep positive!

Chapter 22: Off Games: Injury Strikes - Absolutely no running!

Saw a specialist about my ongoing issue with plantar fasciitis and was advised that running needs to stop for the next few weeks (few = 2 in my book) until diagnosis has been made. So X-Ray completed and MRI scheduled for next weekend.

The prospect of not running for such a length of time upsets me so I am embarking on a programme to maintain fitness whilst not jeopardising my full recovery. In no uncertain terms, if I cock this up Boston will not happen or at the very least, my performance will be disappointing.

So here's how I managed things over the past 2 weeks: In short: Not all that well.

Day 1: 1 and a half hour session working legs and upper body. No impact to the heel area. Result: absolutely shattered most of the afternoon.

Day 2: Felt like I had been beaten up. Leg muscles were very sore...and all this with no running ;) Managed a long walk with family to celebrate Nicole's birthday. Felt a bit empty not having my customary long Sunday run.

Day 3: Not happy. Not running. Saw podiatrist. Gait analysis carried out, new orthotics ordered. No running of any kind allowed. icing, icing...

Stopped counting: To say I am not content about my situation is an understatement.

This November I have managed a paltry 16 miles, comprising of 1-3 mile blasts.

My heel is still painful and I have tried:

• Deep tissue massage
• Icing
• Stretching
• Accupuncture
• Electro accupuncture

This Friday I graduate to shockwave therapy.

Human Pin Cushion

With training supposed to start for Boston at the end of December things are hanging on by a thread.

To overcome this I am planning to continue with twice weekly personal training sessions (medium/hi intensity) coupled with (new addition) a cycling turbo trainer. 

My belief: If i can keep up the fitness levels and strength up in my legs and core I will be ready to make the switch to running once given the all clear.

Reality: I need to dispose of a sub 3 at Boston and just try and enjoy the fact that I will be running it at all.

Check back to see if I make it or not...