Chim chimeny, chim chimeny, chim chim, cheree...

Well I've done some daft things in my time but it's been a while since I've done something quite as silly as this.

When I heard that Lee (the Clyde Stride race organiser) was in need of some sweepers (the folk who jog along at the back making sure that all the stragglers are accounted for) I thought it would be fun to bring my chimney sweeping brush for the photos at the start of the race.

Well, as you might imagine it caused a wee bit of a stir and folk were asking if I planned to carry it the whole way. I must confess I had thought about it and I decided that I would indeed find out what it was like to carry a chimney brush for 40 miles.

As it turned out, it was in in fact easy to run with (it's pretty light) and by the time I'd reached the first checkpoint I'd decided that it was going the whole way. Of course, when I say "run", I actually mean "a wee bit of running and an awful lot of walking". This suited me okay as I've done very little running in the last few months due to my chronic sciatica, which incidentally, is getting a bit better if you're interested. I'd been out on my bike for 4 rides in the week before the race (2x17 miles and 2x40 miles). Hard to be sure but I think they've helped me physically a bit. Whitout doubt thought they've helped me psychologically a LOT!

Today I had a really enjoyable 40 miler on my bike with no embarrassing walking breaks and plan to go out again tomorrow.



It been a very frustrating few months struggling to train in almost constant pain and having made the decision to forget the running for a while and just cycle, I'm really enjoying being able to get some decent exercise again. I'm now really looking forward to the Devil of the Highlands race which I was dreading before the Clyde Stride. I now feel confident of finishing at least.

Back in the saddle...

...literally.

After yesterday's cathartic whinge, I decided that the only way forward at the moment is to try and forget about running and try some cross training. I know, I know, you're all thinking "Duh?", it's an obvious response and an obvious answer to my current malaise but it's a route I've been reluctant to follow. I mean, everyone knows that running is The One True Sport don't they? Why would I want to do anything different? Anyhow, I decided that if I can't run and not running properly is making me miserable, I just HAVE to do something different for a few weeks.

I thought about swimming but with the schools on holiday I decided that my chances of getting any uninterrupted lengths in were going to be near zero. So today, I ventured into the garage and peered into the garage pile and pulled out a sporty looking number with no mudguards and not enough gears. After wiping the worst of the cobwebs and sawdust off (I kid you not, it's been sat there for about 5 years) I pumped 100psi into each tyre, crossed my fingers and wobbled off on a 17.3 mile ride.




It's odd really that I should be so reluctant to embrace my bike these days as I used to be a very keen cyclist when I was younger (and thought runners were absolutely potty) but I've somehow fallen out of love with cycling.

Anyhow, it wasn't long before I was regretting picking the bike with no granny gears as I wheezed my way up hills. My worst moment came on a long (but not steep) incline when I wobbled to a near halt and realised that I was going to have to walk. This was when my trust in bike turned out to be a little misplace as my SPD pedal was darned if it was going to let go of my shoe! Fortunately, I managed to get one out before I fell but I think a little lubrication and adjustment is in order before I venture out again. ;-)

Not long after that the rain started and the lack of mudguards meant that my feet and back got a good spraying. Admittedly, by the end of the ride I was almost enjoying it so I suppose I can stand to do this for a few weeks. Goodness only knows what it'll do for my sciatica but i guess I'll find out soon enough.

What do you do when can't do what you love to do?

First post in absolute ages and it's to have a self-pitying whine. ;-)


I'm having real problems with my running at the moment in that chronic back trouble is making it incredibly hard for me to train to anywhere near my potential.

Yes, I can still go out for shorter runs and enjoy them (after a fashion) but my sciatica constantly undermines my ability to do the longer runs that I need to do to train for ultras. Every day I'm thinking that if I wasn't a runner, my symptoms would be quite bearable and then I feel guilty for aspiring to something that most people wouldn't even dream of doing. It's not like I'm seriously disabled in the conventional sense of the word but and many folk would be grateful to have my present level of fitness, such that it is. Life would be a whole lot simpler if I wasn't a runner!

It's just that I so want to run next year's WHW race and while I know it's a long way off, this back trouble has grumbled on and off for months and months. It put paid to my plans to do the TDS earlier this year when I was forced to accept that there was no way I could put in the appropriate training to do justice to a course like that.


On the immediate horizon I have an entry for the Devil o' the Highlands race which is in August. I would love to run it but I'm having serious doubts about attempting it. It's not that I'm too worried about running with my pain (I've been doing that for ages) but that I know that I just can't get the training done that I'd like to do to run it "properly". I've never been a great fan of just achieving a finish for the sake of it.

I've seen my own physio who has given me mobilisation exercises to do for my lower spine but they've made no difference. I'm currently waiting to see an NHS physio so I suppose I should see what they can do. Although highly sceptical of surgery as a treatment for back pain my symptoms are very specific (single nerve root pain) and I'm beginning to wonder if that's the route I might eventually have to follow.

If any runners out there have been down the surgery route and have any comments they'd like to make, I'm all ears.