Aches and Pains

Sorry I haven't updated for a few weeks, after Xmas, I'll try and be a bit more frequent. As always the balancing act between regular training and being injured is a thin one, and following a crash on the ice, on my bike Saturday morning and the Up and Running winter race walking league yesterday, I have definitely gone over the wrong side of the line, my right hip and hamstring are very sore today, so a week of ice,ibuprofen and a visit to Chris Walker (chiropractor) is on the cards. My next short term target is the SCS relay, an event I am desperate to do, hopefully, it will be my 30th year of taking part in the event, I first took part in 1985, in 1995, the event was cancelled, and in 2009, I started, but didnt finish my leg due to an achilles injury, but I'm taking this year as my 30th consecutive relay, and then I can move on!! As with any injury, there is always some activity you can do to maintain fitness, hopefully I can cycle on the stationary bike in the gym or even the cross trainer, we'll see later. At this time of year, I would normally be trageting the lancs x country champs in Blackburn, a great event to keep you focused during the festive period, but due to my achilles problem (fingers crossed it seems to be getting better), I am unfortunately giving it a miss this year, Andy Fox, does a fantastic job organising the trip which is usually the first Saturday in January, Manx Harriers and local athletes generally do very well, and come away with an bag full of medals across the different age groups. I may ride the Hamper cycle race on Sunday 28th Dec, its advertised as a fun event over 25 miles in Jurby organised by Manx Viking Wheelers, but with the likes of Cav + Peter Kennaugh riding, fun is not a word I would use to describe the experience, but its another hard session, so fitness permitting, I'll give it a go. In Janaury + February, my thoughts will start to specifically focus on the Parish, but for now its short term goals, and cycling, walking + running pain free, which at the moment seems a massive challenge in its self, but its part of sport, and something you have to get used to! Just before I finish, I must mention our family holiday to London last week, well not the whole family just my wife Karen and 8 year old daughter Lola, the lads stayed at home, who now have work and important school committments. London, wow! what a place, great for Christmas shopping and getting in the Christmas spirit, but it makes you appreciate, the Island, and not having to struggle on trains and the tube to get to your destination. Managed a run around Croydon, but also enjoyed a bit more food and drink than usual, but not too worry! For me Christmas offers an opportunity to do a bit more training, time off work etc, but I appreciate thats not the case for everyone, and January offers the opportunity to kick start things training wise. Hopefully, I'll get one more post in before the end of the year, if I dont, have a good Christmas and a healthy and injury free 2015.

The Start !

Well here goes, starting to write this blog, which in itself is a first, makes things a bit more real now, in that, after about 20 years of thinking about it, June next year, I will hopefully be on the start line as a competitor. I appreciate first posts are usually to offer a profile of the blogger which I will do over the course of next 7 months, but firstly, I just want to thank Manx Telecom for supporting the event and also the army of volunteers, and supporters that make the Parish Walk the great event that it it is. I've been involved in athletics and sport in general for about 30 years, primarily as a competitor, but also as a coach, oh yes ! Its also my day job, so I really apprecaite that with out volunteers willing to give their time, allot of events we enjoy would not happen. As I said at the start, I've never done a blog before, so bear with me, I'll try my best to make it interesting, and hopefully my story/journey might help others to take part in furture Parishes. Training wise, I've got a bit of a plan, plenty of cycling, x training, hopefully a bit of running, the walking winter league, and from February + March, specifically focus on the Parish. I'll be asking lots of questions and picking people brains, who have more experience than me, Ive done a marathon, lots of 10km's runs, cross country events and more recently lots of cycling events, but for me this is a harder and very different challenge altogether. Well I'll stop there for now, I'll give you my next update in a couple of weeks and a bit more frequently after Christmas. Cheers G.