Return to Excalibur...Half the distance, but not half the effort!

The Runners Hub Excalibur Half Marathon 13th May 2018

Foreword

So this year was my 3rd return to Excalibur after doing the full marathon in 2015 and 2016 both for charity. Last year in 2017 I entered again but was besieged with a knee issue which would not let me train adequately and I had decided that year to run little and not so often in order to increase the chances of my knee making a full recovery.

In 2017 I was also was dealing with my Mums continued hospitalisation at the time from March through to June and there was no way my head was in the right place to take on this event.

Now in 2018 and after a very kind deferral option from the organisers The Runners Hub in Heswall, I was granted the chance to take it on this year without paying again for my entry.

I really deep down wanted to take on the full, but hadn't been able to train for marathon distance due to yet another round of knee issues which limit my training mileage in total, so I cannot run or train as much as I would like to be well trained enough for the events I want to take on, including the full marathon here at Moel Famau and the Clywdian mountain range.

The decision was made to only take on the half marathon as a stop gap for my now increasing training for my A plan run/event/challenge in September the huge ask of the GB Ultras Mount Snowdon 50 mile Ultra!

Common sense told me do the half here and use it as training for the Snowdon recce/training runs in 3 weeks time at the beginning of June, which will involve a 20 mile run inc an ascent and decent of Snowdon among others, followed by a 15 miler the day after.

I was also getting very kindly driven there and back by my Dad and didn't want him having to sit around for hours on end while I was trapesing around the Welsh countryside turning the air blue with 'What the hell was I ****** thinking?'

Race morning

The night before was an early night to try and get some sleep ready for a 5:45am wake up. I didn't particularly sleep well as per usual pre run day, but I felt rested and not tired, and as I was running the half as opposed to the full I wasn't feeling as concerned about every little bit of my planning like sleep, food, hydration, clothing, anti chaffing etc etc.

I got up at 5:30am in the end and had a shower to wake me up fully and to ensure I was fresh at least. Dad rang just after 6am to ensure I was up as I was supposed to be ringing him at 6am to ensure he was up himself. 

Pre run breakfast this time was a big bowl of porridge but no coffee as it wouldn't mix. Usually I would have peanut butter on wholemeal seeded bread and a coffee, but today knew I needed slow release carbs and energy via the oats etc. I had also had a big portion of pasta the last couple of nights to ensure my energy stores were tip top so to speak.

Pick up was 7am and we were off to Wales. It was nice to again be on my way to Wales with Dad. We had only one week earlier been to Wales with my Brother also in order to finally spread my Mums ashes in Snowdonia, and this week on the 10th May would of been my Mums 75th birthday, so Mum was greatly on my mind as she always is, especially when Wales is brought into the equation.

We actually got there quicker than expected as I figured it was a 90 minute journey from Southport via Liverpool and down the Wirral peninsula to Queensferry and onto Moel Famau between Mold and Ruthin. We actually got there about 8:15am, so plenty of time to find a parking spot courtesy of the helpful attendants at the gate in the now busy car park at Coed Moel Famau as it was rapidly filling with runners.

9am was the start of the marathon but I was doing the half at 10am so no hurry. From 9am onward was number pick up and registration, so I popped down to get my number and say a few hellos to fellow running friends if they were around. I managed to bump into Ultan and Tom (Ultan being a fellow #caker), both previous runners of the full marathon here and both wisely having chosen just the half this year same as me.

9:40am and I said my goodbye's to Dad and gave a rough finishing time of 12:30pm to 1pm so he could travel elsewhere for a few hours for lunch etc and return to collect me later.

I bumped into a few more fellow #cakers from my Run or Cake charity running group here, Pat, Steph and Anne all sporting Run or Cake running vests or tops to promote our charity cause. Always good to see a friendly face or two at events, especially #cakers.

The start/finish area I may add was great with an easy registration area, plenty of places to sit and chat, toilets and catering for food and tea and coffee etc and a children's play area if kids were bored waiting around.

The Half Marathon start 

10am and after a quick racing brief put on by race director and organiser Nigel we were off and straight up a steep path up the side of the nearest hillside of Moel Famau and it's rather huge base as it spreads out far and wide into the surrounding countryside and our path was via a long steep and winding fire road that goes the very long way round.

It was this initial path up to the fire road that I realised I wish I had had a warm up run as we were straight into full cardio effort and a lot of huffing and puffing was going on. At this point I squeezed past Ultan and Tom as I started right behind them as you can see from the start picture below. I am in the middle with the cap and Ultan has the yellow sunflower army t-shirt on and the crazy stripy socks, and Tom is just about smiling at the camera second in from the front in the red white and blue GB Ultra Running Club top.

We are off up the first climb (Photo credit : Neil Gooding).

Once onto the fire road you discover this is a very deceptive path, and the first time I ran here I was shocked to discover that we run up several hundred feet and then down again multiple times as we wind around the sides of Moel Famau as opposed to steadily going up to the top. No doubt this catches a lot of people out, but not me this time as this was my 3rd return and in doing the half I was also doing a slightly shorter (but not much) route along this fire road.

It is still a difficult section to run even though it is a shorter opening section than they do on the full marathon. Especially on a warm or hot day as you are just trying to settle down your comfortable pace and usually discover on these constant up and down sections that there actually isn't a slow comfortable pace.

You find yourself following the runners in front of you , thinking they are running the required pace and if you are huffing and puffing you start to doubt your ability, especially if you do not know the route ahead and know whether or not the course lets up at any stage.

The endlessly long and winding path up and around Moel Famau (Photo credit : John Williams).

After running round and round the long up and down fire road through the Clywd forest we basked in what was now becoming a very warm and sunny day while taking in the spectacular views of the surrounding countryside from our vantage point high up the hillside. There are some stunning views from this side of the hillside back towards the North West as well as in the direction of Mold, Flint and the Wirral etc.

Once you come of the winding forest road you start to hit the more fell type paths which are more mud and grass combined with bits of rock etc. easier on the feet but more difficult to run if you are not looking at your feet.

I had to take my t-shirt off on the final climb here towards Moel Famau as it was becoming clear that just my running vest would suffice. I used the walk up the hillside to my advantage to recover a little and stuff the t-shirt in my bag. I also put my sunglasses on as my hand and arm kept rubbing against it in the side pocket of my race vest back pack. 

Smile for the camera! (Photo credit : Phil Tugwell photography)

This was my first walk section as my plan was to walk any steepish climbs and use them to preserve energy for later, especially if running them was going to be just as slow as fast walking them with my long legs.

There was a photographer at the top of this section too taking pictures of smiling runners who at the same time were trying not to go ar$e over t*t on the odd rock while looking at the camera. You can see my picture above.


Shortly after the photographer and before we get to the actual top of Moel Famau we actually turn right, off down into the countryside below. This can be a bit of a mind game when you realise you aren't going to the actual top yet and are sent descending downward losing all hundreds metres in climb you just achieved relentlessly over the previous miles.

Right turn and back down we go. (Photo credit : John Williams).

 Checkpoint #1

After the tricky but thankfully this time dry descent back down into the countryside we eventually find Checkpoint #1, which is roughly 4.5 miles in and has water and some snacks.

I didn't need either but stopped to fasten my race vest fully as I only had one strap fastened after taking it off earlier to stash my t-shirt, and my vest was jumping around a little and irritating me. I didn't want to try and fasten it on the go because you have to watch your footing at all times on the Excalibur as it's tough varying terrain mostly.

Having had a little breather it was of up the road toward some little fisheries and back up toward the next hillside for another long climb. This climb was roughly a mile long and for me walking was my preferred method to conserve energy for later. 

 

The long climb up to checkpoint #2 (Photo credit: John Williams).

I could see people ahead running a little and then walking a little but I was confident the energy I saved would at least give me a chance later to make up the distance again and end up behind them. The views on this section again were stunning and it is always worth a look around as you slowly climb up this section.

On this climb up I crossed the little plank over the brook which is where photographers from SportSunday usually are, waiting for you to fall in as you 'smile for the camera'. They were not there this year so no need for smiles other than the smile/grimace that was fast becoming natural on these climbs.

Checkpoint #2 

After the long hill climb and a mere 1.5 miles further on from checkpoint #1 was checkpoint #2. I knew exactly where it was as I had been here before but never realised until writing this blog and looking at mileage that it is only at mile 6 or so so only 1.5 miles roughly on from the last checkpoint. But it is very well strategically placed on the ridgeline, and it is a very very welcome break from the long climb up the hillside.

I stopped for a few minutes here to take a gel and to also try and realign my knee as I had just knocked it out slightly by standing awkwardly on a rock and had twisted it. I have done this before but a little bit of a crouch down on bended knee and a slow return upright and it normally clicks or clunks perfectly back in place lol.

From here was the long descent down the other side of the hillside across and down Sheep Poo Paradise dodging sheep and poo as you go on a fairly steep and dodgy cambered grass path.

I was beginning to suffer what was starting to feel like a blister, I couldn't tell, something was rubbing the side of my foot and this hillside camber was not helping it.

I decided to carry on without stopping to investigate as I didn't want to lose places or time and figured I would check it later at the top of the very long and steep hill that I knew full well was coming up next.

That Hill! 

Next up after the long descent down the hillside was the just rewards for a long downhill....another long uphill back up to the ridgeline of the Clywdian Range!

It is a sod of a climb and I have really suffered up this on previous years with calves that feel like they want to explode after filling with burning lactic acid and have had to stop every 300 yards or so.

I can't imagine runners are capable of running up this section for the half marathon, never mind the full marathon, but they do and some of the photo's shared later clearly showed what the capabilities were of the fittest and fastest among us, or in front of us.

A small section of the long endless climb back upto the ridge (Photo credit : John Williams).

This time I managed to plod on up this hill without calf problems or lactic burn so was happy with that, but the legs suffered at times and I really wanted to stop and admire the view a little along the way, but just stuck with the odd glance backward over my shoulder, as per norm on this route the views were spectacular.

Finally after what felt like a mile of constant uphill came the top and our turn off and our return leg toward the looming Moel Famau. It's a beauty to behold, but damn it always looks so far away!

Checkpoint #3 and The return to Mt Doom

I often joke and call Moel Famau Mount Doom due to it's imposing nature from afar, especially when you are on the full marathon and realise you still have to climb up the damn thing at mile 24 or so. In the half it is a mere 10.5 miles in but is still an imposing view as your legs are trashed from having just climbed up the previous big hill and you are in no mood to start running again so soon.

Sadly as your competitors find their legs before you do you realise you are going to have to put the same effort in and run on after them, otherwise they will just leave you on your lonesome on the hillside and ridgeline going up and down on the roller coaster of inclines and declines, ascents and descents that follow on your way to Mt Doom...sorry I mean Moel Famau.

Moel Famau from a pic from 2015.

Prior to Moel Famau you come across checkpoint #2 again, although it is now our checkpoint #3 as we are running past a spot we have been at before, so you have another chance to fill up on water etc or sweets and treats.

I was running on gels and a bottle of Tailwind, although I was trying not to drink too much Tailwind as I didn't want too much liquid swilling around my stomach as all the jumping up and down on the paths here on the rocky paths was causing me a little stomach upset so I took my second SIS gel at checkpoint #3 or just after as I ran straight through it without stopping.

Finally getting nearer to Moel Famau (Photo credit : John Williams).

It was now the final approach to Moel Famau and a chance to look over our shoulders at the spectacular views available of the surrounding Welsh countryside. I could see the Snowdon mountain range in the distance as clear as day and I took a large gulp and intake of breath as I realised how hard this half marathon felt with 3100ft of climb and in Sept I would hopefully be over in Snowdonia attempting 56 miles and over 19,000ft of climb for charity and in remembrance of my Mum.

Great views across the countryside throughout (Photo credit : Michael Ellis).

Tough training ahead and a reminder that it is all about the effort, and here I was putting in the effort as I was wearing my new Suunto Peak Vertical watch with an altimeter for accurate height, ascent and descent measurements, and a heart rate monitor to check my heart rate and effort levels. My heart rate was clocking 180 beats per minute on the climbs here at Excalibur and that was walking up them.

Moel Famau was now upon me and the steepest climb of the day was to be had and boy was it hard. I could feel my legs losing the will to move and I was losing the will to try and lift them, and cardio wise I was at my limit, hard to think you can be like that walking.

Checkpoint #4 Moel Famau

Finally the beast was beaten and the toughest or highest climb of the day was over and Jubilee tower and checkpoint #4 was in sight, albeit another 300 metres or so away along a bit more of a path to the actual top, and I really didn't want to run anymore. I'm pretty sure I walked the next 300 metres as I tried to recompose myself and catch my breath after that climb.

At the top of Moel Famau was a photographer ready to take pictures of joyous yet exhausted runners as we tried to start the obligatory run for the picture shot and look like we were still capable of any kind of effort.

Next was the long descent down the side of Moel Famau and sadly for me my competitors in front had already scarpered off down the hillside and quite frankly it was unlikely I was catching them up.

In previous years on the full when it finished in the car park at the bottom of this hill before it was moved, I would put on a last ditch effort and go hurtling down the hillside without a thought to the damage to my knees, and I would usually catch 3 or 4 runners as their legs suffered the descent.

I forgot though that this was the half marathon and not the full, so the people in front didn't have battered legs from a full marathon and were not going to be taking it slowly down the hill in pain, trying not to fall flat on their faces.

The scenery below us as we descent Moel Famau, you can just see our path on the top left of the picture (Photo credit: John Williams).

I started off down the hillside path and it was apparent my knees were taking a battering so I sadly gave up on hopes of a heroic downhill catch up and decided to take it a bit easier and try and preserve my knees. I also knew at the car park at the bottom was no longer the end of the route and there was another uphill which I would have to walk before descending a bit more to the final finish at Coed Moel Famau car park etc.

I finished the descent into and through Bwich Penbarra car park and onto the next uphill. The uphill was longer than I thought and by now I was pretty trashed and I was definitely walking up, even after the guys further upfront started running I thought stuff it I'm walking, places weren't that important I was happy with my performance so far on the day.

The final descent back to the finish came and one final pass of a competitor, but not before being passed by someone who came from nowhere and with the emptiest looking run vest I have ever seen.

Finish line crossed in 2hrs 25 minutes and I was happy to finish earlier than my guesstimate of 2hrs 30mins after previously having a full marathon time of 5hrs 30 mins to compare too. 

I was 16th in my age cat, 33rd male and 37th overall if I take out the Cani-x competitor who was running with two dogs.

I was greeted over the line by fellow #caker Pat who had already completed the 10k and was waiting around to see in fellow #cakers and friends, the 10k itself a was a tough course too, so well done to Pat.

I had a chat with Pat and a bit of a rest, and after Pat left I went to get some food and drink prior to waiting to say well done to remaining #cakers still to finish, Steph, Anne, Ultan and Tom.

I would point out that as a plant based eater who doesn't eat meat or dairy for health and moral purposes, my food options were very limited at the catering van as it was all unhealthy burgers, sausages, eggs, fried fish etc so I had to go for chips and mushy peas, but they were nice so no complaints about them. The coffee was nice too.

Glad to report all #cakers on the day finished safely, including Sarah J who took on the full marathon, although I wasn't still there when she finished, as marathoners finished later than us.

We got a cracking t-shirt to confirm we had indeed 'Conquered the Excalibur' and a cracking Welsh slate medal with ribbon attached, and a goody bag with an Innov8 drinks bottle, some Clif shot blocks and some Colombian Guava sweet product, a bottle of water also.

A couple of interesting stats of the day from my Suunto watch. I spent roughly an hour and 30 minutes going up hill, 55 minutes going downhill....and a MASSIVE 6 seconds on flat! That is how much up and down there is at Excalibur.

I also spent literally my entire run in the Maximal Zone on my heart rate monitor with an average bpm of 176. That just proved to me I put in as much effort as I could.

Thank you's, conclusions and closing

THANK YOU to everyone involved in Excalibur and The Runners Hub. You put on a cracking event over many distances and you do yourself and the trail running community proud.

Thank you to all the volunteers, Marshall's , the mountain rescue teams etc for giving up your time, especially in all weathers hot or cold, dry or wet. It is greatly appreciated by all, even if we often are not in the right frame of mind on the day mid event to thank you as we pass.

I would highly recommend this event to anyone reading this blog/review and considering entering in future years, you won't regret it. 

I would also like to recommend The Runners Hub in Heswall, Wirral, as a well recommended small business and independent running shop, and the organisers of this fine event, long may it continue.

THANK YOU to God for even allowing me to wake up on the day. 

THANK YOU to my Dad for getting me there and back on the day and accompanying me.

THANK YOU to my Mum for watching over me as I ran for the day and getting me through unscathed and inspired and keeping me hopeful for the ultimate event and challenge in Snowdonia in Sept the GB Ultras Mt Snowdon Ultra!...

...and THANK YOU to my fellow runners for making the run with you all so much fun, enjoyable and a day to remember.

God Bless.

https://www.excaliburmarathon.com/

https://www.therunnershub.net/

 

 

I now have a 100% organic cotton clothing online store via TeeMill. All profits from designs on my store go to charities. Some of those charities are mountain rescue teams in Wales itself. Please take a look and share around if possible, and hopefully consider a purchase.

https://shoutoutwear.co.uk/

 

 

 

Spring the bringer of new challenges, new hopes and new beginnings..

 This blog post covers a mix of subjects as I was unsure whether to write a 'fitness with Gru' blog post or a 'Running for my health' blog post as I have so much on my mind at present and as always so much to say. In that regard I apologise in advance if this drags on....

2018 my story so far...

 As some of you will know I was doing two jobs as I slowly tried to move from working in the hotel industry to the fitness industry. This entailed me giving up my full time job in a hotel and going part time so I could also get my foot in the door at a local Everlast gym in my hometown, albeit just as a cleaner and general assistant. This happened back in Oct 2016 and the main reason I did it was I discovered I was suffering with Anxiety and it had worsened over recent years, so much so that I had to remove myself where possible from the environment that had worsened it, the hotel.

My mental health improved as I identified the problem and after receiving some helpful advice off my brother I have learnt to live with it and more importantly spot the signs of an on coming attack. Stressful situations and pressures at work often triggered attacks and the minds subconscious link between my stresses and the work environment often caused me to feel unwell in the hours leading up to a shift at work, all this before I knew why I was feeling unwell.

After identifying my problem as I said I sought to find the solution, in my case it was reducing my time in the stressful environment, hence going part time and taking a second part time job at a local gym.

The new environment did wonders for my health both mentally and physically and a change of jobs is often a worthwhile life choice for many as we can often become lost and stagnate in some run of the mill jobs.

I soon settled into the routine of the two jobs but after a while discovered that the original source of my issues was still being triggered sometimes by my work at the hotel and sought to change this.  In the Spring of 2018 my opportunity arose when more hours became available at the gym and a decision needed to be made.

It didn't take me long to decide that the gym was where my future lay and my commitment to my daily work standards there would be appreciated by many.

So as of April 2018 I am now full time at Everlast gym as a cleaner/general assistant and to be honest I like the job tremendously as I am clean, conscientious and a tad OCDP (obsessive compulsive disorder personality) so keeping things clean, tidy and particularly in order is my thing. Top this with working around people who are there to improve their health and well being and you have a win-win work environment for me.

New challenges..

I have kept my training to a minimum this year to start as I tried to decide what this year would bring for me event wise, challenge wise and more importantly fund raising wise. My biggest priority this year was always going to be my memorial fundraiser for my Mum to mark a year since she passed away last June in 2017.

Originally I had planned a memorial walk along the Welsh Coastal Path from Chester to Caernarfon and onto Snowdon in June. But I also wanted to do the new GB Ultras Snowdon 50 Ultra marathon in Sept 2018 and the recce/training runs for this event fell on the same week as the 1st memorial date the 2nd June. I was stumped as to what to do, but decided that the Ultra was a fitting tribute and challenge to take on especially as it was the first of it's kind in that area of Snowdonia and it took in so many local sights I was familiar with as a child whilst there on family holidays with my Mum, Dad and Brother.

I will be doing the Snowdon Ultra to raise money for the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team who are a vital voluntary unpaid rescue service keeping us all safe when in and around the Snowdonia National Park. They are out almost daily saving people from themselves when they have often gone out totally unprepared for what lays ahead on one of the most treachourous mountains in the UK. They deserve our full support. I will also be fundraising for Lupus UK which is a condition my Mum suffered from and is not widely known about but carries some nasty consequences and is currently incurable for it's sufferers. They are both worthy causes.

The recce runs for the Ultra will allow me to still be in Snowdonia on the all important date, and I would indeed be staying there on holiday with my Dad for most of that week anyway and it would allow me to pay my respects in the best way possible with an ascent and decent of Snowdon on the 2nd of June itself as part of the training run. 

This plan of action is currently my preferred direction for this year, and I am doing everything in my power to be able to get there in one piece. Unfortunately for me my knees have other ideas at the moment.

As always my right knee in particular is trying to throw a spanner in the works which is why I often take periods of time off from running events as I cycle instead to maintain fitness and allow me to actually recover ready for my next event. This worked in 2017 and I am hoping it will work in 2018.

I have currently only done one event this year so far (other than my run every day in Jan challenge for Mind) and that was a recent run out at the Caldervale Country 10 miler which is a cracking 10 mile road run out in the countryside North of Preston.

I had a good day there and my knee was fine to be honest, but a couple of days later it was a little niggled and I realised I was in fact running and recovering and then running again quite a lot recently and not dealing with the issue. It looks like I have a 'Bursa' at the bottom end of my hamstring tendon where it joins the lower leg aside the knee joint. It inflames after a run and tightens up and restricts full movement for a day of so, something I was just dealing with as I work and not running till later in the week when it was ok again.

I am now resting this for 1-2 weeks with no running as rest is the prescribed repair process for this type of injury apparently and I can feel it improving daily. I am also fast approaching my next tough challenge though which is the Excalibur marathon at Moel Famau in North Wales which has 5500ft of climb over the entire route. I have done this before and it is extremely tough when in top shape, never mind restricted shape with lack of decent training.

I may consider dropping down to the half to be sensible so I don't flare the injury up again before my multiple Snowdon recce runs 3 weeks later. But I would also like to take my running poles and try them out here as practice for Snowdon etc, as the Excalibur has a lot of tough climbs and they would be of great benefit here. If I do the half then I won't take the poles as it will look and feel like overkill.

I am hoping by doing less regular social running and more few and far between tougher training runs I will be able to dial in my ultra specific skill set, of which I currently don't have many lol.

New Hope  

A this year unfolds I find myself grateful that my mental health is improving, but am aware that the Anxiety will always be there, and has in some way always been there. I just never recognised the flaws in my character as such. I have always been shy, quiet and reclusive, all of which are trademark 'Social Anxiety' issues. I used to drink to fit in on nights out to lose my inhibitions which were just my Anxiety kicking in, always worried what people thought of me, what I looked like, were the people over there laughing laughing at me? etc etc. I was incredibly self conscious and my self confidence took a beating.

Since changing to a Whole Food Plant Based diet and lifestyle I don't really drink any more so no longer use alcohol as a crutch, therefore I tend to avoid social occasions as my worsened Anxiety kicks in big time. This does save me money though and I no longer poison my system or general health in the process so I guess there are benefits.

I have come to the conclusion in recent months that not going out socially allows me to save money, this then allows me more opportunity to sponsor and support other fundraisers in their conquests and challenges and I really enjoy being able to do so. I would rather be poor and support those in need, than be rich, selfish and self centered.

'We will rightly be judged for that which we don't do, as much at that we do!'

New beginnings..

As I have said above I now follow a Whole Foods Plant Based diet and lifestyle, this also means I agree with and follow a fair few of the Vegan principles when it comes to animal welfare and our abuse of and misuse of the animals around us. Our health should be one of our main priorities and getting meat and dairy out of our daily diets is the biggest and most important step we can and should make.....

The benefits to us in changing our dietary lifestyle are vast. We can halt or reverse type 2 diabetes, we can halt and reverse several otherwise chronic diseases and we can make ourselves effectively heart disease proof, and the last one is the biggest killer of all. 

Why would you knowingly increase your risk of heart disease by huge amounts by continuing to eat processed meats for example when the World Health Organisation along with the major Nutritional experts confirmed that they are Class One carcinogens, in the same class as Arsenic and Asbestos and are proven to cause Cancer?

We have our heads in the sand as we prefer to stick with what we know, or what we are addicted too. Lets face it we know it harms us, but we still do it. Our selfish need for self satisfaction overrides our bodies self defense mechanism as it tries to get the bad stuff out of our system , but we overload it and it starts to break down and self destruct. Heart disease build up, bad animal proteins feed cancerous cells and they start to run riot in our bodies until we either except the consequences and just blame genetics, hereditary traits or just accept our perceived fate. 

 'We have no fate, but that we make' 

As famously said by Sarah Connor in Terminator2 'We have no fate, but that we make'. We often create our own fate with our life choices and it is becoming incredibly more well known that our dietary choices can and will help or hinder our fates. It will also help or hinder those around us including our fellow animals in this our shared World. We do not own it, we do not have the right or the authority to abuse, defile or deal death to the innocents around us just because of our taste preferences.

There is no widely known need or benefit to eating meat over plants, no matter how many meat and dairy industry funded research they care to deliberately try and confuse us with.

I continue to read up and watch what I can to educate myself with regard to Nutritional studies and research in the hope I can help those around me who wish to be helped. My physical health has improved since going 'plant based' and my athletic performance results from last year compared to previous speak volumes and are testament to it's benefits and recovery properties, all this despite me training less than I have ever done in my life.

I do wish you all improved mental health, physical health and a productive 2018. I do hope you will continue to follow and support my fund raising endeavours, especially my 56 mile mile Snowdon Ultra in Sept which I may add has 19,000+ ft of climb. It's going to be hard, it's going to be painful, I am going to remember my Mum, I am going to undoubtedly cry but I will prevail and I will overcome....

  

VeloChampion Compression socks trial and review - Another yes from me.

VELOCHAMPION 500 Series sports compression socks

My trial and review.

THE INTRO:

So depending on whether or not you read my last review which was for the VeloChampion calf sleeves, you will know that writing actual product reviews is new to me as I usually only write race reviews after I have done one.

Most of my running events and races that I take part in are to raise money for charity, which is why I write about them so I have a written account and record of what it was all about for donors to read after ward, and so other runners can get a good idea and feel for what a particular event is like. This helps them make a more informed decision on whether or not a race/event sounds like it is worth doing.

I have a memory like a sieve and writing it all down in blog form and attaching some of my favourite pictures also gives me a nice memento to look back on later.

I was lucky enough recently to see a request from VeloChampion for runners to trial some of their product and I was lucky enough to be selected once I applied.

So they sent a pair of compression socks and calf sleeves, the later of which I have already trialed and reviewed in my previous blog post, and you can find that here : 

http://fitnesswithgru.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/velochampion-calf-sleeves-my-trial-and.html 

I was also sent a pair of compression socks to review and I waited until I had finished trialing the calf sleeves first and had written the review before starting to trial the socks.

Having now trialed them for over a week and under various circumstances I feel confident I can now provide a decent enough review for your perusal.

I will start as last time with all the manufacturers blurb from their website about the product itself in the information section, as I don't want to misquote anything.

Feel free to scroll past and return to it later for more detail about the product after reading the review itself... 

PRODUCT INFO:

This pair of high performance, unisex compression socks use highly advanced technical yarns that provide comfort and recovery DURING and AFTER exercise. Our compression socks are fully tested in a state-of-the-art lab, passing strict guidelines to meet the 20-30mmHg compression rating. VELOCHAMPION is one of only a small number of brands to use a certified manufacturer which uses production machinery that can accurately test the compression of the socks.
The compression benefits are ideal for all sports activities e.g. running, cycling, football, rugby, fitness, athletics, hiking, gym, yoga, golf, tennis, squash, triathlon, cross fit, weight/dead lifting etc. They are also perfect for people who stand up for long periods at work, fly regularly, suffer from calf strains/muscle pulls/Achilles tendon injuries or to combat deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Products features

• Compression support DURING exercise
• Compression Recovery AFTER exercise
• Graduated compression from foot to calf design aids the flow of oxygen to the muscles
• Improves muscle performance/reduces fatigue
• Aids recovery by helping the muscles 'pump' blood back to the heart
• Ventilated Foot bed which is wear proof and comfortable
• Comfortable Cuff design keeps the socks in place without restricting blood flow
• Heel and Foot bed support reduces pressure and friction build-up
• Available in 4 unisex sizes - please see image for size guide

Technical Information The compression socks act as a layer of muscle gently squeezing stretched vein walls. This built-in feature helps fight the force of gravity and circulates blood back up to the heart more efficiently. When blood is properly circulated it provides much-needed oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles that have been deprived during a workout. This compression helps muscle regenerate as well as help to remove any lactic acid build up.

Quality Control
Compression socks provide standard graduated compression fully tested on EACH sock before dispatch. The socks undergo the most advanced medical compression stocking testing (MST Professional) to ensure a true compression and conforms to CE DD ENV 12718/USA FDA standards. This means you receive the very best compression socks available on the market allowing you to reach higher performance with faster recovery times.

MY TRIAL:

So back to me again and for the trial I used the socks after a week off from running after completing the R.E.D. January challenge for Mind in January, which was basically running, walking, cycling or whatever you wanted every day for the entire month. 

I had chosen to run every day and ran mostly 5k's and fast 1 milers in between for a bit of recovery especially after a hard day at work.

To me this was an ideal reason and time to trial the socks as my legs where a little tender after a hard consistent month of everyday running, something I never do.

My trial comprised of at least two 5k's, a 7 mile big dunes run, a 10k road run which I have just completed and a shift in work with them on to check out the recovery benefits.

I will point out that I have in the past ran full on hill marathons and all day events in compression socks and indeed calf sleeves before now including the very tough Runners Hub Excalibur hill marathon with over 5500ft of climb at Moel Famau and the Clywdian hill range. I will be doing so again this year and most likely in the VeloChgampion socks or sleeves.
https://www.excaliburmarathon.com/ 

The only reason my trial runs for the products are all short is because I am not in long run training at the moment, and do not run big mileage until needed for the distance involved for my next event, and I don't feel it is necessary to do so for an accurate product trial and review. 

I have every confidence both products will still perform well over a long distance, and indeed will reap extra benefits for you, especially for your after run recovery, of which I always find is quicker if compression wear has been worn during a run or afterwards to enhance post run recovery.

THE REVIEW: 

So my first experience was perhaps my hardest and initially my most frustrating. That being trying to get them on! I got them out of the packet and thought, nice looking socks, nice material and nice decent looking quality and yes decent compression that looked like it wouldn't just stretch out and dissipate after a few runs or washes.

How true that was, I had forgotten how hard it can be to get compression socks on in the first place and I was struggling to get just the foot section over my foot and up to my heel. I was being over careful not to just yank them up by the top of the sock as this is not recommended by manufacturers in general as you will stretch out areas of the sock, and risk ripping or tearing seams if there are any on a product. 

I almost gave up as at one point as I was pulling I was genuinely concerned that one little slip and I would in fact knock myself out with a knee to my own face and give myself a hard to explain black eye in the process.

I did get them on past my heel eventually, and they rolled up my calf up to my knee no problem at all and to be fair once on everything was OK. I have narrow feet so I would recommend to anyone that you give yourself a little leeway with the sizing so you are not struggling like I was to get them on the first couple of times.

 I also found a handy You Tube video that showed a tip on getting them on easier by turning them inside out up to the heel and then pulling them the rest of the way up. You would have to see it for yourself to understand it clearly, but it did make them easier to go on on my subsequent runs.

I must stress though that I am a size 11.5 UK and I subsequently noticed that the socks are in US sizes so my Large socks were a US 12 max which is a UK 11.5, so my foot was the largest size they were actually designed to take.

Therefore it was my fault for not going for the next size up and VeloChampion were good enough to send me a pair of XL after ward to rectify this and once unpacked it was clear they would go on nicely and far easier so panic over, no need to worry, just order the right size first people...oopsie!.

Anyway, after all the drama of getting them on I continued with the large pair while I waited for the XL to arrive later in the week.

First run was a 5k with my local Lunch Bunch runners who I lead on a Thursday lunchtime run around my local town and it's public amenities, such as a delightful marine lake, promenade, seafront and several Victorian parks.

The 5k was a cold damp day and was why I decided to wear them for definite as I always find keeping muscles at optimum temperature while out training a bonus, especially with cold damp icy winds etc, which we had plenty of believe me.

They were nice and comfortable, warm and felt as did the calf sleeves like a security blanket wrapped around my calves. On the entire run they felt 100% OK and no need to try and pull them up as they don't roll down, and stay completely in place, so all good as far as I was concerned.

Trial number two was an aborted run as I was about to go out and the phone rang and I got delayed and decided I didn't have time to run. After the effort of getting the things on I decided I was leaving them on, and would test out the recovery and comfort uses of improved blood flow whilst on your feet for hours at work for example.

This meant I wore them around the gym I work at which normally tires my legs as I don't stop moving around for the entire shift. They were under my tracksuit bottoms by the way, so I didn't look over prepped for a nights work.

Again they felt nice and comfortable and I did feel they helped my legs during the shift, so if anyone is thinking of using them for long shifts on their feet I would say they are worth giving a go.

Next up was my toughest run in them. It was a sand dunes run along the highest dunes range alongside my local beach. I had a 1.25 mile walk there and a 5 mile out and back run up down and along all the highest ones I could find, followed by a 1.25 mile walk back. This actually gave me over 1000ft of climb within the 5 miles of actual running.

It was the first time I had ever done the entire range of big dunes as I usually run the lower ones or run between them. I was concerned that my calves would swell with all the effort and the socks may become too compressive, but they were fine and the blood flowed nicely as it should and I had no degeneration of the calves at all during the run. So again a good result for the socks as far as I was concerned.

The third run was another Lunch Bunch 5k run and again they kept my legs nice and warm and comfy and I had no issues at all.

My fourth and final run was an extended 10k road run to the post office to actually collect my XL socks as I wasn't in when they originally arrived via post. Again they felt comfortable, warm and nicely secure as compression wear should make you feel.

By the fourth run getting the socks on had by now become second nature and I had mastered the technique so all four trial runs were done in the Large socks and all were positive experiences.

THE CONCLUSION:

Bearing in mind I am a critical person by nature I couldn't really find any issue or problem with the compression socks and for the price they are at the moment they are a cracking buy. 

I found them a nice comfy compression sock and of good quality and they gave me every confidence they would last a fair time and the material used was a decent one.

Once I had resolved my initial sizing issue which was my fault I can honestly and happily recommend them to any of my running friends. Especially those with any kind of issues with Achilles, calf issues and any muscular aches or pains in the lower legs. 

I won't go into the in and outs of whether or not you need or do not need to wear them etc as they are there as a running/cycling/sporting etc accessory and only you can decide. Personally I have always found them to be of benefit when I have chosen to wear them, and I know plenty of runners who have had issues with injury and previous injury and the compression sleeves or socks have helped them no end in their road to recovery and subsequent injury protection.

THE SCORES: 

Looks: 4 out of 5 for me. Look good but in my mind could be more one colour.

Fit: 5 out of 5. Once I got myself the right size.

Quality: 5 out of 5. I cannot fault them.

Price: 5 out of 5. At the offer price an absolute bargain, otherwise good value.


Overall score : 19 out of 20. Almost a full score for the price band and market they are aimed at. It's not a question of an overly high score, but more that it is hard to fault or deduct points from a good product.

As I said in my previous review the VeloChampion stuff seems to be a good buy and good quality, whether it's on some of the offer prices they currently have or whether it is at the normal price.

I would suggest going online here and checking out the current offers and flash deals which are at near on 50% off, a serious bargain.

 https://www.velochampion.co.uk/collections/compression

Give them a try folks! 

 

 

 

Velochampion calf sleeves - My trial and review - Suitably impressed.

The review:

Velochampion compression calf guards/sleeves.

So this is new for me. I was lucky enough to see a post on Twitter by a company called Velochampion who I already knew did cycling wear as I had a cycling jersey of theirs which was one of my favourites.

The post on Twitter was asking for people to trial and review some of their new product, mainly some calf compression guards/sleeves and some compression socks. This particular review is for the calf sleeves/guards as I have spent a week trialing them before reporting back with this review.

I will begin with a copy and paste of the manufacturers blurb about the product itself so I don't have to try and explain it all and risk inaccurate information on my part. So here is the aforementioned blurb first.....

 These high performance UNISEX 20-30mmHg compression rated calf sleeves use technical yarns to provide athletes with comfort during exercise and help speed up the recovery process.

- Ideal for all sporting activities including cycling running and triathlon
- During and After exercise benefits - Compression support DURING exercise - Compression Recovery AFTER exercise
- Graduated compression design from the ankle to above the calf aids the flow of oxygen to the muscles. - Improves the performance of muscles and reduces fatigue
- Aids recovery by helping the muscles 'pump' blood back to the heart - Comfortable Cuff design keeps the socks in place without restricting blood flow

Available in 4 unisex sizes 

Technical Info:
Standard Graduated Compression 20-30mmHg
The compression calf sleeves act as a layer of muscle gently squeezing stretched vein walls. This built-in feature helps fight the force of gravity and circulates blood back up to the heart more efficiently. When blood is properly circulated it provides much-needed oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles that have been deprived during a workout. This compression helps muscle regenerate as well as help to remove any lactic acid build up.

Quality Control
Compression calf sleeves provide standard graduated compression. This compression is fully tested on EACH VeloChampion sock before it is despatched.

The calf sleeves undergo the most advanced medical compression stocking testing (MST Professional) to ensure each sleeve has a true compression and conforms to CE DD ENV 12718/USA FDA standards. This means you receive the very best compression calf sleeves available on the market allowing you to reach higher performance with faster recovery times.

Ok, back to me again. I hope you found all the above information useful and it saved you a bit of time looking it all up on their website.

I'll start with the important bit, the price and their website so you can go and have a look and hopefully buy yourself some, especially while  they are on offer as I write this at £9.75 down from £19.99! It's a ridiculous price for a product of this quality I can assure you. I've had cheap entry level cr*p from some manufacturers before and I can assure you this isn't.

https://www.velochampion.co.uk/ 

THE ACTUAL REVIEW:

So I will start with pointing out that I have worn compression sleeves before including on the Runners Hub Excalibur marathon at Moel Famau  2 years on the run so am aware of their benefits and how they should feel and work. It was an incredibly difficult challenge on the lower legs and I feel calf sleeves or indeed compression socks are of great benefit in events like this, especially with 5500ft of climb. They helped me no end.

I am signed up for a 3rd go there again this year and will very likely be donning my VeloChampion calf sleeves there.
 https://www.excaliburmarathon.com/

 I have also worn compression socks before, so am familiar with what they should and can do. I say this because my test runs for this trial where all short.

 I am also familiar with brands like Red Venom for compression wear at the cheapish low to mid price range to Skins compression wear at the mid to high end so I know what you should get for your money.

I spent all January doing the R.E.D. January challenge, which was basically running every day in January to fund raise for Mind the mental health charity. I did this as my leisure time is dedicated and committed to fund raising as many of you will know already.

This particular challenge was new to me as I would never normally recommend anyone runs everyday, certainly not mainly 5k's which is what I did with recovery 1 mile runs on other days when I was resting as such.

I got delivery of a pair of the calf sleeves and a pair of the compression socks, but I will trial and review the socks separately.

The calf sleeves I wore on the last week of the challenge, and at that point I was pretty much in dire need of them as my lower legs were by now aching on and off during the day and I was getting a little worried that shin splints or the like may be approaching.

For this reason the calf sleeves were a God send as putting them on pre run was like fitting a perfectly fitted glove combined with a security blanket as they went on easily and felt really comfy, and also gave me a feeling of warmth comfort and security that gave me confidence that they would help me out on my run.

I was suitably impressed with the quality as well, as soon as I unpacked them I pretty much knew they were going to feel good once on. They fitted me perfectly from my ankles up to my knees and I am a tall 6 ft 2 runner so that is often a challenge. The compression felt just right, not too much and not too little, and they felt as comfortable as my Skins compression socks which I would normally wear when my muscles were a little weary.

My first run with them was a 1 miler after a late shift at the gym on a cold damp night so the added warmth was a bonus, especially as I was going all out for the mile with no warm up, so keeping the calf muscles warm and comfortable was vital. The run went well with an overall 7 minute mile and I sat in the calf sleeves for half an hour before taking them off as I was enjoying the comfort so much, especially as my legs had been aching after work before the run.

I repeated this for the next two nights at 1 mile for a fast mile each time which pushes your chance of an injury without warm up sometimes, so the calf sleeves/guards were an extra line of defense against that and they did their job.

On the 4th trial out I did a 5k run with my local run group who I take out on a Thursday Lunchtime 5k social run each week as I have free time during the day Mon-Thurs. Again they were a treat to put on and they gave me the confidence that they would be ok on the run despite all the days off running I had already done that entire month.

The entire 5k the legs felt fine and the calf sleeves sat perfectly in place at all times, no pulling them back up required at all on any of the runs so the fit was perfect.

I even wore them for an early Sunday morning 4 hr shift at the gym purely for recovery purposes as I had worked an 8.5 hr late shift on Saturday night and was on my feet all shift and my lower legs were far from happy when I got up Sunday morning. 

Normally as my gym shift progresses on Sunday mornings my legs start to feel the effects from the shift the night before and start to ache and tire, but with the calf sleeves on they felt fine, I didn't notice any discomfort or tiredness at all. Definitely a thumbs up from me for recovery, especially as I wear compression gear for recovery after my longest training runs for comfort purposes and I have always found the actual recovery process is definitely sped up by this.

CONCLUSION

On a whole I am very impressed and happy with the Velochampion compression calf sleeve/guards and whether they are on offer at £9.75 or at their normal price of £19.99 I wouldn't hesitate to buy some more and I am certainly going to recommend them to running friends inc triathletes and maybe even cyclists if I can get past the secret code of what you can and cannot wear whilst out on your bike etc :)

SCORES

Looks: 5 out of 5 - I like them.

Fit : 5 out of 5 - Fit me perfectly.

Quality: 5 out of 5 - Can't fault them.

Price: 5 out of 5 - At the offer price a bargain, and at full price good value.

Overall: full score, and not just because I got them to trial for free, as I said I will likely buy some spare pairs of these while they are on offer especially. I am an honest truthful person as everyone who knows me will agree. If I don't like something I will tell you :)

NEXT UP...

Next blog post/ trial/review will be for the compression socks once I've done some decent runs in them over the next week.....See you soon folks!

Velochampion are currently offering a  'Flash Deal' at £20 for a pair of their calf sleeves/guards and a pair of their compression socks, I would highly recommend that package while it is available.

https://www.velochampion.co.uk/collections/compression