For several years now towards year end I spend one month running every day. Initially inspired by doing the traditional ‘Marcothon’ which takes place in December. In the past few years I have adapted it for my own idiosyncratic purposes. If interested you can read more about this development in the related blogs below. I tell myself it is mainly to set a base level of fitness for the coming winter. Initially the Marcothon had a goal of 4.8km per day. Since then I have gradually increased this self imposed daily average. Last year in November it was 8.5km/ day. This November my aim is again to run every day. However this time my goal is, inexplicably, 10km/ day. Why the increase? Likely cause is I am rebelling against being a year older. Have a bigger goal, not less. It doesn’t make sense. There again much of my experience of endurance and ultra running is not logical. One day, I will have to come to terms with limiting factors.

Most of the year I run just 3-4 times per week and maybe total just 30-40 km/ week. To suddenly move to a training load of 70 km/ week is for me a big increase, almost double. Conventional wisdom is not to increase training load by more than 10% week on week. A recipe for trouble you might say.

Trouble came early in November. In the form of a sore right ankle. It is painful to run with and was afraid it was affecting my running gait. Especially so when my wife said I was starting to run ‘like an old man’! Whatever does that mean? Truth be told I have felt a few times the wisest thing to avoid longer term injury might be to stop and rest up. Such perceived running wisdom has not yet been applied.

My right leg is my stronger leg. With a weak right ankle this is a frustrating combination. I have run with pain and injury in single stage ultra marathons before. At least then aggravating any injury only lasts for duration of the event. In my experience these occasions are manageable and have only been for 24-34 hours. However do I keep running and avoid aggravating an injury even if it’s for a whole month?

So here I am. It’s 21st November and still in the game to average 10 km/day. A whole month doing something challenging is a long time. Especially when nursing an injury. However there have been good days. The varied blessings of running on muddy hillsides, tranquil trails, canal towpaths and sandy beaches. Pre-dawn skyscapes with some glorious sunrises as well as sunsets. Wet, misty and increasingly cold weather. Here in Scotland we have a special word for damp, grey sky weather – ‘dreich’. All part of the rich tapestry of November. Of course the rest of life is also in the mix of it all.

It may be that to continue is foolish but this is my plan. Keep running and, as much as possible, do so on soft surfaces. Run slower, gentler and do less on hills. Am finding that the tenderness and soreness reduces after about 30mins or so. Keep up ankle movement exercises. Apply soothing ointments. Administer also a little compassion mentally on myself. Not beat myself up if things go awry.

For a few days now I have ran less than 10 km. This means there is a need to up my mileage before month’s end to make up. My hope, maybe forlorn, is that the injury will ease. Of course an increase in pain might dictate otherwise.

Postscript

Writing this on the 30th Nov and pleased to say I did it. Average of 10km for each day in November. This is my biggest daily average run for a month. Total 300.22km and 3,652m ascent. Ascent was less than last year. I was  positively avoiding any climbs due to ankle pain. The main goal was the distance anyway! My ankle problems got less as month went on. Thinking that rather than an injury it was more of a reaction to the big increase in weekly distance and running every day. Anyhow now it is time for some rest and recovery. 

Related blogs

Modified Marcothon Madness
Modified Marcothon 2