Tag Archives: frozen shoulder

Brill Hilly 2013

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Having taken it easy at the Oxford parkrun on Saturday and refrained from beer drinking the evening before I was reasonably confident I could get round this years Brill Hilly in about 55 minutes despite my new found slowness and constant diet of painkillers. What with a strong and gusty wind and a big hill 12 miles seems like a long ride at the moment so I opted to dust off the geared road bike and carry my running shoes to change into at the start. This proved to be a big mistake because after a mile or so my frozen shoulder was having a good old grumble about the extra weight and different position forced on it by riding with drop bars for the first time this year. On top of the ache I was fighting to keep the bike stable in the gusty wind and down-hills I’d have loved a year ago became frightening as I tried to relax on the bike while hanging on the brakes. I suspect I was inadvertently favouring the duff shoulder and putting too much weight on the left arm causing the bike to feel really unstable and skippy.

So it was feeling somewhat jittery and with a numbly sore arm, sort of like shin splints in the wrong limb, despite the ibuprofen I’d taken earlier, that I arrived at the start venue. An energy gel, a drink, taking a moment to appreciate the sunshine and a chat with various familiar faces and I was feeling a little more invigorated by the time we needed to make our way to the start by Brill windmill. Considering strategy I had a dilemma – it was unlikely I was going to finish far from the back in my present decrepit state, but I was quite capable of storming down the hill that makes up the first couple of kilometres with the first half of the field. Where to start? I opted for starting far enough forward not to get blocked by slower descenders and to accept that lots of runners would pass me later as they reclaimed their rightful places.

Caught unaware we were off! Ailments forgotten I flew down the hill to a sub 7:30 minute first mile and, the descent much gentler, an 8:10 2nd mile. As the excitement and the descent eased I weakened though and let myself slow to a sustainable pace. Around the halfway mark, with about 90 seconds ‘in the bank’, we turned into a powerful headwind and I knew 55 minutes wasn’t going to happen. We continued along pretty lanes on the well marshalled course with hardly any traffic. The climb back up started earlier than I expected and I found myself struggling unreasonably. Efforts to push harder made me feel sick and wobbly, my upper arm ached like someone had punched it, my Achilles moaned like I’d run 14 miles not 4.

I reverted to the walk-run strategy before we’d even got to the steep bit, it wasn’t that hard psychologically as I’d drifted far enough back down the field to be amongst other walkers. I made a point of choosing in advance where I was going to start, or stop, running so as to keep control and on a walk bit chatted to another walker about the advantages of this strategy. I used the example of saying I was now going to run as far as those 2 spectators 200 metres up ahead then decide on how far I’d let myself walk before I actually slowed to walk. Unfortunately said spectators took this moment to start marching off towards the top of the hill so I had to revise the plan a bit.

Knowledge of the course from last year proved useful when I remembered how the 9k marker seemed to be a long time coming but shortly after it the road levelled off and even I could get running again. We continued through the middle of Brill, me feeling not so bad now considering, and followed the road curving left towards our turn for the finish field. Now still into the strong wind I realised we were about to turn left into a road then left again meaning a tailwind finish. A glance at my watch and a sub-hour finish looked just possible. I wound up the pace – which is about the equivalent of a tortoise making a break for freedom at the moment – passed someone for the first time in a while – and turned into the finish field. Almost there and there was a 1 hour announcement but at least I’d tried for it. Final score was 1 hour and 23 seconds 149th of 178 finishers.

Brill Hilly 2013

I grabbed a banana and a drink, nice to feel hot at the end of a race after that winter, and went to see how some of the others had done. Paul Brackett’s brother Peter had won 2nd MV50, Paul told how he doesn’t bother with watches and times anymore. Adrian said he thought he was pushing too fast as he was running at my pace and hadn’t expected to beat me round –  I’d seen him in the distance halfway up the hill when I was at the bottom so he doesn’t want to be holding back for me in the future.

I collected my bag, changed into my cycling shoes, and struggled back home against that wind. The descent from Brill had been a lot more fun running than it was getting buffeted around on my bike. Not an enjoyable ride, I was totally knackered. A chuckle on the way up the hill to Stanton St John where a photographer knelt by the road taking several shots of my slow progress only to be informed I was nothing to do with the event he was attached to – turned out to be the Westminster to Islip Big Bike Ride, hope they had fun!

 

Compton 20 2013

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The weather forecast for Compton was the best for a long while so I decided to be optimistic and run in long-sleeve top under Vegan Runners vest, shorts and gloves carrying a windshell in my bottle belt just in case. I trusted my feet to my almost new Inov8 295s as my 315s, while nowhere near dead yet, have worn a lot on one side of the sole and I didn’t want to tempt fate with a wonky gait. My usual plan – get to the start, collect number, return to the car to faff – was blown when I was directed into the overflow parking which was further away. Instead I carried my stuff up to the start and made use of the free bag storage while struggling to pin my number on to my vest whilst wearing it – another task made difficult by my frozen shoulder but not quite as difficult as getting the vest off and on again. Many of the other runners were swaddled in full bad weather gear but standing at the start with a bit of sun and not much sign of that freezing wind I reckoned I’d got it right.

I started near the back and took it very easy, the woods at the start were a walking bottleneck as usual but the mud wasn’t too bad. A slope to walk up after a mile but mostly easy running to the Hampstead Norreys checkpoint. I washed down the gel I’d just eaten with the water provided then it was a walk up the steep footpath, through some woods, then out onto a high and windy airstrip. We ran past a small biplane which a couple of runners posed by for a photo. My only real aim was to finish in under 4 hours with the minimum of pain while enjoying the scenery. I left my Garmin on the course page and just had a look when it buzzed once a mile to tell me the last mile pace. 11:25, 11:26, 9:25, 9:25, 11:59, 9:34, 10:10, 11:51, 11:13 reflecting the regular ups and down but comfortably under the 12:00 mile minute average I hoped for.

There was an extra checkpoint somewhere I think. The long climb up above Streatley came a little later than remembered and became my slowest mile, I didn’t see anyone run up it like I foolishly did during my first go at this event. A lovely descent over grass with the Thames way down below on our right and Didcot Power Station in the distance on the left (though a Didcot Runner had to tell me where it was as I was looking the wrong way).

Compton 20 2013Then up and up to the Bower Farm control, I remember this climb as long and gentle – I was right about the long but didn’t find it that easy. Getting tired now a few walking breaks found me at the top after 2 slow miles. Still feeling good I drank squash and ate a couple of orange segments before trotting off to see the errant baby calf we’d been warned of wobbling about on the path outside a barn. A farm worker came and took it away.

Compton 20 Profile

Compton 20 Profile

Final stage but I was knackered now having run further than any time since last October. I walked all the up-hills and ran the down-hills, still under 12 minute miles except for mile 19 much of which I spent wandering along reminding myself mile 20 was mostly downhill. I was pleased that my shoulder hadn’t set into a block of concrete as it had earlier threatened. I think it helped that I made myself dangle the arm loose then wave it about a bit every couple of miles rather than letting it settle into the usual 1 dimensional running groove. Much of this last stage is on the Ridgeway and similar chalk tracks parts of which had been turned to white, clingy, mud by the recent weather.

Then down and down on a fine bit of single track. Past the place where the 20 and 40 mile routes usually diverge, though this year the 40s were being treated to 2 laps of what I’d almost finished as their usual route had suffered from weather. I wrongly remembered the course as being 19.9 miles on my Garmin, it was more like 20.4, so my will power finished about half a mile before the rest of me resulting in a couple of walk breaks even on the flat roads of Compton with the finish round the corner. 9:54, 14:56, 9:41, 11:03, 14:03, 13:16, 11:15, 10:58, 12:42, 10:50, 5:42. I did run most of it though including the playing field and the final field then over the line to finish in 3hr 50m 13s 118th of 168 – a personal worst for this event but feeling pretty good and still smiling.

Run Like The WindCompton Harriers always do a good finishers shirt but this year they surpassed themselves – I had to use Google translate to find out what it said 🙂

Another Personal Worst at the Oxford parkrun

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Recently I’ve taken a new angle on parkrun. In the past it has always been a fast effort, a race, a tempo run or whatever. As both weather and body have been less than perfect I’ve felt much less competitive about it realising that dragging myself to the start for a slow run towards the back end of the field can still be rewarding. The fact that the nagging ache in my shoulder usually gets me out of bed early helps as the alternative of a pleasant Saturday morning lie-in isn’t on offer.

So a week ago Saturday I plodded round in filthy conditions, snow and sleet from above, real slippery mud below, to a personal worst of 28:09 20th of 32 which is less than half the usual field. I hung my cycling overshoes off my handlebars for the run and they must have filled with snow as by the time I got home both feet were freezing and I found the overshoe toes packed with blocks of ice – they took ages to defrost and felt really unpleasant 🙁  I was taking it easy as I planned to trot up to Shotover, run the Resolution Run 10k, and jog back home on the Sunday but the Resolution Run got postponed due to the conditions (though I ran up there anyway).

Gratuitous close-up of Honey taking a nap

Gratuitous close-up of Honey taking a nap

This Saturday’s parkrun I was to be even slower at 29:30 61st of 77 runners but it was very much a planned recovery run, in fact I set out too fast and would have been better going even slower but it’s hard with other runners all about you. On Friday I had run (mostly) 15 hilly miles – the furthest since last October I think – to try myself out for the Compton 20 next week. It was a bit slow, averaging just over 11 minute miles, and various bits started hurting towards the end. Good enough for me to have the confidence to try for a 4 hour trot round Compton next week if the weather isn’t foul again – I’d be happy with that considering!

Wobbly Image of a Prism

Wobbly Image of a Prism

OX5 Run 2013

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It was a sign of my diminishing fitness that I wasn’t much looking forward to cycling all the way out to Woodstock and back – a round trip of 24 miles – to run the OX5 Run at Blenhiem Palace. A few years ago I would happily cycle there just to the start of a 200k Audax, 12 years ago my 4 times a week commute was longer than that. Oh well!

Anyway the forecast said it would be cold and what with an increasing 15 mph north-easterly wind gusting to 30+ it would feel even colder. I wrapped up well for the ride out, getting quite toasty with the effort and all my layers and overshoes and winter hat and gloves on. The traffic was backed up to the Bladon roundabout and struggling to park in muddy fields so I congratulated myself for bothering to cycle. I’d allowed 30 minutes to orientate myself, peel off my layers and have a warm-up jog. I watched the official Zumba warm-up again but wasn’t tempted though a bit of music was nice.

It was so cold in that wind though. Soon enough I was back at my bike putting everything back on again I was that cold. My frozen shoulder throbbed through the layers of painkillers as it doesn’t like being double frozen. I wandered further into the Blenhiem estate to shelter behind a hedge and found Stuart, Phil and a couple of other IWCA members also tucking themselves away out of the wind. I chatted with other familiar local faces then wandered back towards my bike in time to hear the start had been delayed 30 minutes to allow the cars to park. The forecast had said it would feel even colder as the wind increased and it was dead right. I considered just getting on my bike and riding home, why I didn’t go in the cafe and have a cuppa I don’t know.

11am and at last we were off at last to the sound of an air-horn wielded by Raymond Blanc. My VRUK vest invisible beneath a fleece I decided to keep wearing though I did strip down to shorts. It was great to get going but the start was total chaos as many first timers were understandably confused which direction we were to start in and their efforts to get near the back put them right near the front. I started halfway down the field and spent much of the first, and consequently slowest, mile passing walkers and runners while faster runners passed me in turn.

There was some great fancy dress and teams of charity runners and the course is through some pretty parkland so soon enough I was warming up and glad to be there. I felt slow though and didn’t plan to push myself so just enjoyed the run, I was far enough back not to be passed by all and sundry. We went north round the lake then turned south for a bit of tailwind back towards the palace. Then continued round the lake past a gate with a ‘Please Close Gate’ notice we had laughed at when walking here at Xmas, the message made more sense now as it was attached to fencing.

Blenheim gate

‘Please Close Gate’ sometime around Xmas

Then up a short hill which felt like a big hill followed by a good descent through woodland, all on smooth paths, and a last down then up to cross the Glyme – this last bit straight into that wind. I was glad to finish and my 44:43 was as good as expected despite being almost 7 minutes slower than last time I ran the OX5 in 2011. I was 309th of 958 runners – the great thing about these fun runs is you can be slow and still finish in the first half. The ride back was exhausting and I foolishly failed to refuel properly so bonked pretty thoroughly. Glad I did it though and have just entered yet another March charity run – The Resolution Run 10k trail race up Shotover where I’d no doubt have been running anyway on the 24th 🙂

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Wrap-Up and Run 10k

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I’d not heard of Age Uk’s series of Wrap-up and Run 10k races before this year and thought the Oxford one at Cutteslowe Park would be fun, particularly as this is home to Oxford parkrun so at least some of the course would be very familiar. Somewhat perversely the limitations from my frozen shoulder offered an excuse not to try very hard which just made me look forward to it more.

On the day it was pretty cold but still and sunny so I locked my bike up in the park and kept my warm VC&AC hoodie on while I wandered up to the start to suss the layout. Then back to the bike to eat a gel and expose my arms to the cold morning. A jog to and round the start area did for a warm-up, no way was I going to attempt the Zumba many runners were participating in though I was impressed by their Gangnam Style.

I said hello to a couple of parkrun regulars then tried to position myself somewhere around halfway in the muddle near the start timing mat. A clear countdown then we were off. I soon realised I’d been over pessimistic but at least my knowledge of the course allowed me to use the wider bits to move forward about 50 places till I was comfortably in the 8:30 minute mile bunch where I planned to stay.

Slightly downhill and round the outside of the football fields in the opposite direction to the rarely used parkrun ‘summer course’. Past the pond to join the main tarmac path then down to cross the bypass via the cycle and pedestrian Millennium Bridge. I was now in unknown territory where we did a bit of rather muddy field then a path alongside the Cherwell then looped back so we could see the slower runners behind just as we’d earlier seen the fast folk come by. Then back over the bridge, up the tarmac path, across by the pond, a funny bit round the football club house and repeat to make a 2 lap course. There was water at the 5km point but I didn’t bother with it, I was nicely warm by now though. It was an interesting course, well thought out considering the limited room.

I finished in 52:57 which was pretty much as expected and was pleased that I’d managed even mile splits all round for a change. 8:29 8:28 8:28 8:33 8:24 8:22 2:14 according to Garmin. Surprisingly this time gave me 99th place of 320 finishers but I think this generous position was more due to a lot of slower runners than because the course was particularly challenging though it was mostly off-road and rather convoluted.

I grabbed my goody bag and headed back to the bike where I made a hash of putting my hoodie back on and managed to over stretch and aggravate my frozen shoulder which, once the running endorphins had worn off, complained for the rest of the day despite ample painkillers. By the time I was about to get in the bath an hour later it had got so stiff that I couldn’t get my running vest over my head and had to turn the taps off and sit and think about how this could be achieved without ripping it. I managed to get my functioning left arm inside the vest allowing me to enough slack to pull it over my head and along the right arm.

I need to constantly remember to concentrate on even simple things like getting dressed and reaching for stuff if I don’t want to be forever setting it off throbbing. It’s easy to forget for a moment there’s a problem and go about things as normal just to find I’m not only in pain but I’m stuck with a jersey half over my head, or something fragile balanced on the edge of a high shelf, and no plan on how to proceed. I know I’m going to have to put up with it for a while but I will be so pleased when it’s fixed!