Long-distance training and metabolic data

How interesting... I had a routine NHS check-up yesterday (courtesy of recently turning 45).  I also happened to take advantage of a check-up done at work on 2 July, exactly 8 weeks previously, and before I had really embarked on the current round of long-distance training.

A couple of changes were very interesting.

Blood pressure: 2 July, 112/78 --- 28 August, 118/48

Cholesterol: 2 July, 4.65 --- 28 August, 3.22

These are quite marked differences, and which I can only attribute to training.  The low diastolic blood pressure reading made the nurse sit up and ask questions; I need to go back at the end of the year (post autumn marathons) for a re-test to validate the running link.  Looking at this chart, a diastolic reading of 48 is certainly in the low zone.

Am I on the right lines in my assumption that running has made the difference to my blood pressure and cholesterol levels?

Herts Stroller GPS stats

Here is the data from last Saturday's big day out.

A country stroll

Yesterday I did the Herts Stroller, a 53-mile event organised by the Long-Distance Walkers' Association.  Sue, Lucas and I left home around 7:30am and arrived in Hitchen for a 10 o'clock start with around 30 others runners.  The walkers had started at 9am.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect.  I quickly found myself next to a guy called David who is an economist, a beekeeper and a DofE organiser.  We chatted very happily for much of the first 20 miles or so over some spectacular landscapes until he started getting cramp and dropped off.

It was around this point that I started feeling weary, but unsurprisingly so as this was the limit of my training.  In a marathon this would be the bit where you dig in and head for home in the comfort that it won't be for long.  It's quite a different feeling when there are still 30+ miles ahead of you.

I felt myself getting slower - typically a 9 or 10 minute per mile pace - and the navigation started to get harder.  My Garmin 205 gave me a grid reference and I had a set of marked-up map sheets so I couldn't go too far wrong, but as I got tired I was less alert in seeking out quite subtle footpath signs in heavily vegetated verges and green lanes, and several times I had to turn back, which was a tad demoralising.

It was fantastic to approach the checkpoints and seeing the support crew (did I mention Ted the Westie?  He was in hyper licky mode) but I really struggled with the 'stop, eat stuff, refill your water bottle and carry on' arrangement, especially re-starting tired legs which had stopped for about 4 minutes.  I'm far more used to doing start-run-finish.  My system didn't think much of eating on the hoof and as time went on I could barely face eating at all.

Morning became afternoon and the afternoon became evening.  I ran, I walked up hills, I stared at the map and cursed my lack of concentration when I went the wrong way.  I lost sense of time and it got tough on my own.  For a few minutes I ran with an Essex guy called Sean who is an accomplished ultra-runner, but he soon left me behind.

I arrived at Great Offley, the last intermediate checkpoint, at about 7.15 pm.  The GPS said I'd done 52 miles, 4 over the theoretical course after all my pfaffing about.  I wasn't feeling great, and my heart sank a bit when they said it was another 6 miles to the finish.  That meant at least another hour's worth.  Sue asked if I really wanted to go on.  I wobbled for about 30 seconds because (a) quitting seemed an unappealing prospect and (b) I was looking forward to taking Ted with me on the last leg, but on the other hand (a0 there wasn't much light left in the day, (b) I was starting to go into decline, (c) GPS batteries were almost empty, (d) it would have been just me, no backup out there, (e) it had been a long long day for everyone and the clincher (f) I had run a double marathon and only 1 mile short of the published distance.  It wasn't a hard decision.

Here are some photos of me in various states of deterioration.

Checkpoint 3 (17 miles):

 

Checkpoint 5 (31 miles):

Checkpoint 6 (38 miles):

 Checkpoint 7 (44 miles):

...and the final approach to checkpoint 8 (52 miles):

I'm so glad that gnarly events like this take place.  The LDWA are a slightly bonkers but utterly charming bunch, with food laid on at every checkpoint.  The checkpoint people are open for hours and hours over the later to cater for the range of arrival times.  The Great Offley checkpoint was going to stay open till 4am the next day.  I'm in awe of the people who cheerfully set off for a 22-hour walk of an August weekend.

I enjoyed the day tremendously, although not all of it at the time.  Some of it was more Type 2 fun.  It was a rich experience.  But it also taught me that ultra running is not really for me.  I think the marathon distance is quite enough - this is something I can do without having to eat rice pudding, pork pies and marmite sandwiches on the way, and takes closer to 3 hours than 9.  It means I can happily let go of vague notions of running the Bob Graham Round.

You ultra running people, I really do salute you.  It's hard work.