Danny's Blogg

50 mile challenge coming up

2009-06-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

Hi All
The London marathon seems a long time ago now and I am now preparing for a race that scares me to death. 50 miles over the lake district navigating your way around the course with maximum 24 hours to complete. The furthest I have ever run is a marathon so this is into the unknown. However i have been training well working very hard over the last six weeks doing long distance both Sat & Sun. I have also been doing longer distance in the week. I am beginning to feel the training on my knees and am having to plunge myself into ice baths after my long distance runs.
the weight is still coming off and I am now down to 12 stone 12 lb which for me is very good. I started this venture at 14 stone 4 lb so with a bit of luck I will be around 12 stone for the MDS next April. My place in the MDS is now secure having paid addition monies to run for the Charity Facing Africa. I would like to try and raise around £5000 for this charity so if you feel the need to sponsor me please go to Facing Africa .com and make a donation ensure you put who the donation is sponsoring.
I will let you know how the 50 miler goes.

Danny

London Marathon as gone and here comes Lakeland 50

2009-05-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hi All
Well London as soon come and gone and I really enjoyed it. 4.53 minutes along side Baz was very enjoyable indeed. Barry ran exceptionally well and I believe could have finished in a faster time, but good old Barry just tootled alongside me all the way around. Since London I have done a number of long runs and feel that i now need to pickup the mileage if I am going to be in any shape to complete the Lakeland 50 mile race at the end of July. The plan now is to try ans ensure i run on Saturday and Sunday covering in the first month 30 miles over both days this as started well and I am feeling good when I am running at the moment. However I know I have got to increase the mileage to around 50 miles over a weekend with the longest run being at least 30/35 miles on one day. I am hoping to slowly increase the mileage to try and achieve this over the next two months.
I will try and keep this updated so you know where i am up to.
weight is still 13 stone struggling to get under this but with the increase in mileage this should happen naturally.
keep smiling.
D

London is coming

2009-03-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hi All

Running is going really well at the moment, just returned from this mornings 18 mile and felt really good. Back problems seem to be sorted although I am still visiting my chiropractor once a month to keep it in check. I have over the last two months also been and had gait analysis done and mechanical assessment done. Very expensive but seems to be paying dividends. After £500 for assessment and one pair of orthotic insoles + new shoes I am now running pain free in my calves for the first time in around 4 years which means I can train without worrying that my calves will tighten any minute.
I am now training 6 times week four runs and two gym sessions really enjoying it. If you have been following this blog then you will know that my weight as been a problem, however no problem now with the high mileage and weight training I am the lightest I have been in around 5 years and the weight is still coming off.
Really pleased and training hard I will keep you informed with an update after London.

keep smiling.

January Blues

2009-01-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

Hi All
Thank god Christmas as gone and I can get on with the training I desperately need to do. All is going well and I am running up to 21/2 hours on a Sunday in my preparation for London. I am having problems with my Calf muscles, this as been a long term problem which I am trying to put right. On Friday of this week I am off to have a full assessment of my Bio mechanic running style and hopefully a pair of Orthotic insoles which should put my calf problem right. This calf problem stopped me running the Helsby Half marathon so really need to get it put right. I am still weight training twice a week and have reduce beer intake to almost nil over the last month. I am going away to the Lakes in February to do some off road hill work for a week. After my morning run my wife and I will then going walking for the rest of the day. should have some good workouts.
So things going well although have had man flu for a week so feeling sorry for myself.

London in April, then Lake land 50 mile race in July really looking forward to that one. Hope all are well.

Danny

Back in full training December 08

2008-12-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

Hi All

Anyone who is following my progress, I am sorry about the length of time without an update. I am still attending my Chiropractor, but now only once a month and the training is going well. I have just received a club place for the London Marathon in April and am Looking forward to the challenge. I will be doing Race the train in August and Snowdon Marathon in October. along side this I will be doing some weekend runs of up to 50 miles nearer the back end of 2009.

I am running 4 times a week and spending twice a week at the gym. Really enjoying my running again and working hard at the weights. Christmas is coming and always creates some disruption to your training. I will be running at the club on Boxing day and always run on new years day so I don't think it will get in the way that much.

The 2009 MDS takes place in April and I am really looking forward to reading all the story's that come out of the event.

Still around 15 months to go but I am very excited about making this challenge the biggest achievement of my life.

I promise I will update more regular in the future.

BFN

Time is ticking by frustration is high

2008-08-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

2nd August 2008

Hello all who take the time to catch up on my Blogg. Sorry its been so long since the last sharing of information but I have been having lots of problems with my back and have not been training as much as I would have liked.

I have now spent six weeks attending the Chiropractors in Newcastle three times a week to try and get myself back training again. I am able to do some gentle cross training and cycling but very little on the treadmill unless just walking.

Having not trained properly since my back first went in April it is almost four months lost and a feeling of frustration is definitely setting in.

I have just been away for a week and during this time did not feel any pain from my back at all and this was even doing some gentle exercises ( cross trainer & Cycle, walk & jog on the treadmill) so I am hoping when I go back to seem my back man on Monday 4th August we will be able to start my return to running.

Current weight not good back to 13st 7lb and the need for some serious training and diet control.
Really looking forward to getting back to the running club and enjoying some long slow runs.

A very frustrated fat bloke. !!!

May the wasted Month ( No Training )

2008-06-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

Hi All

May as been a very frustrating month for me. Firstly there was my hamstring injury so I was unable to train the last week in April. Things were going so well and my running and weight training were complimenting each other well. In the very early stages of May I had the old back problem arise and my lower back went into spasum.
(I was only twisting to pick up my tea cup) This put me out of action straight away. Four days off work and no training for two weeks. A trip to my back man who does a great job got me back training and running mid May. However I came back to soon and the second visit to the gym put my back out again and left me very frustrated and angry with myself for trying to get back to soon. My back man had gone on holiday for two weeks very inconsiderate I know. So the last two weeks of May as been spent doing very little in the way of training in fact I have done no training what so ever. So hear we are Wednesday 4th June I have an appointment with my back man tonight and hopefuly should be back doing very light training and stretching next week. This lay off as done one thing I have increased my weight by 4 pounds not a happy bunny. Current weight 13st.6lbs.
HOpe the new is better next Month. Danny Fatman

April 2008

2008-04-23T00:52:00.000-07:00

Hi All

April as not been a good month for training. At the beginning of the month I tweaked a Hamstring muscle while doing some weight training which stopped me running for two weeks. I ran twice during the month and then twisted my back which went into spasm and laid me flat for a few days. Which also put me off work for almost a week. I am not good to be around when I am injured however Jackie as looked after me very well. While doing this Blog I have just entered London Marathon 2009 online all part of the training preparation for the big event. I will be entering Beaverbrook 10K in May so anyone from the club, running this should beware Danny is running well at the moment so if you don't want to be behind some fat bloke who will give you grief as he goes past, then train hard to stay in front of me.

Marathon Des Sables 2010

2008-04-19T03:28:00.000-07:00

Marathon Des Sables Training
This is my training diary for the 2010 Marathon Des Sables. It is a 2 year program with various events in 2008; including 10K's, and half marathon to get me fitter, then the London marathon and Snowdon Marathon some hill run/walks in 2009. I plan to also take up the challenge of a number of ultra distance events in 2009. I'll try to keep it interesting and post some photos, maps and local information as I go. Interested to hear from anyone with similar interests.
I joined the local gym in October 2007. I have been running for 25 years having done numerous races of all distance from 10K to marathon. From when I did my last marathon London 2005 I have taken things easy. Slowing down and only running around 10 to 15 miles a week. So in October 2007 when I joined the gym I was feeling very unhealthy. 5” 7 and 14.4 stone I had put on some pork as you can tell by my picture on the web page.
So into the gym I went along with my wife who also joined we had never been members of a gym before. We started to go twice/three times a week and really enjoyed it. I also had a fitness assessment and had a personalised training program drawn up by a young man name Dave. My program was a resistance program so focused only on weight training. I was very surprised at the way I began to lose weight with still very little running but weight training three time a week.
It is now April 2008 so six months down the line and two months since I entered the MDS. I now training five /six time a week typical training week goes something like this.
Sunday 10 mile club run am Gym weight session pm
Monday Rest optional spin class am
Tuesday Weight session pm
Wednesday Run at the club 6/8 miles steady
Thursday Rest
Friday optional spin class am Weights session pm
Saturday Hill session treadmill gym

The purpose of my current training regime is to get to a level of fitness when I can sustain heavy levels of training for long periods of time. Current weight is 13.3 stones my target weight for August is 12.7. 23 months and counting.