Mile of Miles 2024 10.52

Hmmm

I wonder what my mile time would be now?

I'm feeling really positive about my running at the moment.

I still have some niggles which we're sorting through physio and s&c, but overall it's going very well.

I seem to be able to comfortably run 9.5/10km without any worries. This distance will increase so i'm comfortable running a half marathon in training - how cool will that be!!

I'm going to see what my time will be over the next few days 

Leatherhead fire-station 10k

Loved it!!!!

Uphill into Norbury park for 4k then back down into Leatherhead for 6k

Great route - fabulous views 

Was really happy with how I felt

Was tired by about 7.5k but I didn't stop running unless crossing a road.

Cycled back to mums 

My left groin hip pelvis top of leg area - the bit where the leg attaches to the body - that was very sore. The right side was okay. I'm not strong enough yet - was thinking crikey, no way could I do that another three times to make a marathon. But I will next year!

I did Banstead parkrun Saturday morning in 38:20

I partied at E&A's Halloween party till 00:30

It was a marvellous weekend. 

Day 4/4 - ready for next mini break

I'm loving the 5:55am alarm which is enabling me to do an at least 45min pre work workout. Today was a run. Felt great 

Groin is okay, I can def feel it which I've decided is good as it shows I'm doing more and more. But it's also very annoying as I'm obviously not fully healed yet from my accident over 2 years ago. 

Coach Emma and physio Max plus Mr. Liss are all convinced I'll be 100% by CLS which is excellent as that'll be when I'm about to step up my Outlaw training.

Focus for the next few weeks? 

Cementing the below big three…

1. Physio stretches

2. Physio strength work 

3. Coach Emma's S&C

Reflecting on the 100km

Yeah, I didn't eat enough.

I need to listen to some podcasts, read some recipe books and organise better nutrition.

Sunday I had:

x2 peanut butter and marmite wholemeal rolls

x3 chocolate oaty bars 

x1 banana

A pork scratching 

Numerous biscuits  

Half a date flapjack

At least x5 bottles of water

x4 cups of tea 

So not enough which may have caused the weird pins and needles. 

Love our sport - so much to organise xx

Gridiron 107.5km bike ride

Wow.

Did it.

Groin was so so soooo sore.

However my recovery (currently) is remarkable. Tired but not hugely sore and able to move about. Uber to A's for food as don't think I'd of been able to cycle - certainly didn't want to cycle.

So let's break it down.

At about 35km my groin was sore and I had weird pins and needles / restless legs. In fact the sore groin and restless legs kept going the rest of the day. Groin getting steadily sorer. 

Right shoulder so sore - reckon that's all about position on the bike for all those hours.

Really happy with fact my bits felt fine. Shorts good, chamois cream worked so well. 

Glutes sore 

Quads sore

Top of thighs under butt - sore 

Walked up one hill 

With about 25km to go if someone said did I want a lift I'd of bitten off their hand for one. 

Really tough. 

Also not 100% about nutrition. 

The bacon bap at the end reinvigorated me so much I'm wondering if I'd don't eat enough on the ride 🤔

Absolutely delighted though.

Did it.

Physio today - yee gods my right glute

Wow.

Max's elbow in my right glute. Excruciating. Which means it was needed!

Solicitor Liz reckons it maybe time to explore settling - once get medical report. 

Driving back to Ashtead, lower back sore, was an uncomfortable drive. 

So I guess lots to be positive about but also lots still to do. Max would like to see me once a month for 9months just to get me back to where I was when knocked off my bike. I am also loving having a coach! 

Signed up for the Stubbington 10k  11/1/26

My goal?

To go sub 60mins 

New post accident parkrun PB = 32.41

I'm sat in my living room feeling like I've been jumped on from a huge hight. My entire body is sore!!

This cannot all be from my morning's post accident parkrun pb. It might also be because of the whole trying a carry the sofabed with mattress out of the flat last night (failed) 

Although the very sore groin and lower back plus glutes and hamstrings is probably the parkrun pb 

Upper body and core is probably the sofabed 🤔

Sofa-bed impromptu workout

I cannot stress this enough.

If you are moving a sofa-bed out of your flat into your neighbours then you must must must remove the little feet of the sofa and the mattress.

Sometimes I surprise myself with my stupidity 

My poor neighbours friend who was a total superstar trying but ultimately failing to get the sofa-bed out of the flat with the mattress still inside. It's so obvious now. A mattress is heavy. The feet make the sofa wider. 

They took the cushions and mattress last night and made a nest on the floor 🥰 Hopefully we can get the base out today and it's not too broken due to a ridiculous amount of kicking and shoving when it kept getting stuck. 

Outlaw 2026 entered

2nd time lucky

I'm now all set for July 2026 to try again to do a full Ironman distance triathlon

3.8k swim - I suggested I could do the swim in 90mins

180k cycle - no idea but I'd like to get to a minimum of 25km / hour a average so approx 7.5hours 

42.2km run (a marathon) - again no real idea but under 6 hours 

This would take my time to under 16 hours as long as my transitions weren't too faffie. 

I'm very happy with a goal of a time that starts with fifteen hours and then the minutes 🥰

I'm feeling super confident 

Mr Liss thinks I'm absolutely on schedule for doing the distance 

I've got Coach Emma, soton tri club and all my running / tri buddies

I also know what to expect so I have a huge respect for the distance and my need to do the training. 

So all in all, I'm feeling brilliant 

Very excited 

And amazed that less than 26months ago I had to learn how to walk again and now look at me 🥳

#SlowlyCarefullyGently

#LizzieGoesLong xx

Recovery Tuesday & medical exam

Mr Liss reckons another 6 months and then I'll be fully recovered. These niggles are fine. They will get better. Once I settle I'll be able to properly recover and move on from the 15/7/23 and that life changing accident. 

Sore back 

Sore glutes

Sore groin 

But they're not as bad / sore as they were xx

New forest sprint tri 2025 Vs 2024

20 minutes quicker today 🥳

So happy

And yes, still niggles - glutes, left side sore - top of leg, groin sore - on the bike when pushing the peddling. But overall delighted. 

Checking progress

I love this!!

This time last year and then the year before

And what about this year?

Niggles, blinking flipping pissing niggles

Groin still sore, glutes still sore, IT band sore.

But - my back isn't as bad as it was. I don't get the leg spasms and I'm feeling so strong!! 

So def progress 

Swimming, cycling, running - all are feeling good!

I am so excited for next Sunday and the New Forest sprint triathlon. It'll be a wonderful gauge of how my recovery is going 

#LizzieGoesLong 🥳🤗

What a weekend

Run / swim / tea with tri club buddies 

Uber to RVCP & a cuppa with Charlotte

Vik's retirement / bday BBQ

Helped tidy up

Walked home over the bridge

Pottered about

Lift to Polesdon Lacey with Shaz

Cuppa tea with Shaz & Loz

Cycled to Mum's

Brunch at Rachel & Hussain's

BBQ at Claire & Linda's with Gabs & Pat

Home by 11:20pm

Bedtime

Fabulous weekend

Glutes sore, groin sore, ITB sore

When am I going to not be sore after doing regular stuff

Shaz's glutes weren't sore about 90mins in the car 😟

However, I am now 10stone 1lb / 64.1kg so that's good xx

Celebrating a good week

Obviously the key to getting a time that starts with a 15 will be consistency. I'm now getting up at 5:30/6am on a work day and 7:30/8am on a non work day. Hopefully this will mean I'm more likely to do whatever coach Emma pops in training peaks for me to do 🥰🎉

I'm very happy with how this week has gone.

Worked Tuesday - Friday in the Student Hub 8am-8pm

Tuesday and Wednesday spent 60mins each way walking to and from work 

Thursday up early - run -  4.8k 38min

Friday 15.5k cycling a long meandering way to work in 60mins

Saturday morning STC swim session at the Quays 

And today - morning S&C and 30k / 2hours evening cycle ride 

A good solid start 🤗💪

I'm also going to see if coach Emma can do me a S&C session that I can do at the gym.

Hopefully this will encourage me to access the gym before or after work when on my 4 days on.

Then when on a 4 day mini break and in Southampton I'll be more inspired to go to the Mayflower gym and work out or go to Jubilee to access a class.

Jo Pacey has recommended Pilates. 

I will try and get to some of Maxine's classes. 

Fabulous day of S&C, blackberrying and evening bike ride

S&C before breakfast while chatting to Sue and Jenny

Blackberrying in Ashtead park with Nessie and Phil

30k evening bike ride while gawping at the amazing views of the glorious Surrey hills

Honestly you cycle 25minutes and suddenly you feel like you're in Devon 🤣

I am though pretty tired.

Needless to say I'm very glad it's a rest day tomorrow 

Quads on fire during the bike ride 

Glutes / groin again niggles, could def feel soreness 

But loving how my body is responding to doing more. I can feel myself getting stronger. 

Laying down my IM base - again!

Here we go again 🤣🙁

Although I am feeling equally excited and this time around I have a coach and I am a lot more aware of exactly what I'm signing up for! 

Huge Banstead parkrun PB / major niggles

What a morning!!!

Saturday 2nd August 2025

33:10!!!!

Banstead parkrun isn't quite 5k so I ran abit after getting my token

5k 34:05!!!

Just fantastic 

Tracey had said I bet you can go faster so I thought let's see. We started slightly further up as the girls had Milo dog. I felt strong and just thought, do it Lizzie, run faster run stronger keep going and see what happens

A huge PB happened!!

Groin was sore, left glute sore

What we realised was we actually warmed up before the run which obviously made a huge difference- will def so that again!

When I got back to mums, my training plan said a post parkrun run

So out I went

Not such a focused warm up

Great run but crikey - groin sore, both glutes so sore but especially the left one - and all over the glute plus hamstrings. 

Was not impressed

Obviously needed to have warmed up but also realised that although 100% heading in the right direction I am def not 100% recovered.

I've cycled 70k

I've run (walked) 21k

I swim 2.8km ish when I do Oaklands morning tri club swim

So I'm certainly heading in the right direction but still along way to go to be able to complete a full Ironman. 

3.8k swim, 180k bike, 42k run.

Needless to say I'm so glad I've got coach Emma to make sure I get to the Outlaw sensibly and Lizzy to help my body recover with her sports massages and Max from Jonathan Clarke physiotherapy who's pinpointing which of my pelvis muscles are still in need of treatment.

I'm feeling very protected.

One year to go

#LizzieGoesLong xx

This time two years ago

The human body is amazing really

I'm now training for the outlaw again but this time for 2026

I'm doing okay, still got pesky niggles which is why I'm so glad that this time around I've got a coach!!!!

Left hip/glute niggle / PB Banstead parkrun

Hmmm

Smashed it at Banstead parkrun with Tracey, Milo dog and Dominic. Felt great. Very strong. Did some stretches, watched cricket and the lions rugby after shower. Katie and Emi over then headed back to soton on the 7:13pm.

However, I'm not loving these niggles

Groin fine, right side fine but left side - hip, groin, top of IT band - all sore. 

But as Tracey did point out, yes it's been two years but also it has only been two year so relax, do the physio, do the training and keep an eye on it.

It's the Outlaw this weekend. Tomorrow morning. 

This time next year it'll be me all registered, racked and nervously eating pasta in our air BnB. 

I think I have a few key issues to sort

But overall feeling just super excited and focused xx

1. The niggles 

2. Trying for much better consistency with any physio exercises 

3. Getting better at just doing whatever coach Emma sets in training peaks.

4. Work out a way to get more sleep. I'm thinking no phone in the bedroom so no doom scrolling 

5. Getting more salad / vegetables in me

6. Getting more protein 

7. Using S&W better - gyms and pool plus classes 

8. Figuring out how to do a lot of training while in Ashtead. 

9. Making sure I keep connected with friends 

Loving having a coach

Decided not to do the RR10 - wanted to clean my bike ready for our bike ride tomorrow on the South Downs and decided just wouldn't be enough time to cycle over to wide lane for 7pm and clean my bike 

I suggested to coach Emma I'd go treadmill run for 60mins at the Mayflower gym instead this evening

If I hadn't of mentioned that to Emma I reckon I'd of stopped running at 20mins. There's no way I'd of done an hour 

Ran / walked / played with the gradient and then speed 

Left hip area was sore so I did fast walking uphill and then running. I'm loving how strong I'm feeling but also frustrated with these niggles. 

Also very excited. 

It's the Outlaw this weekend which means I'll be signing up for 2026 race soon 🥳🥰

*this time 2 years ago - RSH recovery unit. 

What a difference a few years makes 

Kicking hard at swimming = feeling strong

So weird. 2 years ago taken in my wheelchair to the RSH rehab unit so I could learn how to walk again. Today, wearing fins, I'm kicking strongly in the water. Up and down. Could feel how strong my hips were feeling. 

The human body is remarkable 

I'm feeling very positive

Blood sugars are 48

Solicitors working on my case

Coach Emma has officially started the building the IM base 

Jonathan Clark Physiotherapy doing end stage recovery 

And at work it's Graduation 🤗

X3 runs this week

It's been a week of thinking of my accident and thinking I'm going to do the outlaw next year 

Ran 3 times this week 

Swam once

Worked 3.5days

Saw the physio

Sports massage tomorrow 

It's hard to imagine this time 2 years ago I was in a bed at the General learning how to walk again 

Two year anniversary

Cycled home from work but unlike 2 years ago, made it home safety 🥰

Just back from physio

As I thought, I do have some genuine niggles which are mainly just tight, weak muscles from the accident just under 2 years ago!! Crikey, there are soooo many muscles on the pelvis 

But all easily sorted with some more time and exercises 

I'm definitely on the home stretch with my accident recovery 

Will update my fab solicitor with my expenses over the next few days or so and then she'll be able to decide when to explore settling. 

I'm feeling very positive 

Although I was a bit sick when I did a plank just now. The strain on my core wasn't liked by my maybe still sensitive gut from the race on Sunday. I'm now feeling abit nauseated/ abit weak. Will take it gently for the rest of the day. A chilled walk in the new forest, tri club online meeting and then early night .

I was going to swim tomorrow but I think maybe not. I think it'll be good to give my gut a bit more time to settle 

Swashbuckler - loved it

What a difference a year makes. This time last year I was just starting to cycle clipped in, done one maybe two OWS and was doing parkrun abit. 

Now look at me!!!!

A few niggles still - groin sore when started on the bike, left glute cramped when putting on trainers but overall felt so strong and so happy with how my body was responding.

Walked 2k to Sue's marshal point so 4k in total which was probably really good for my recovery 

Saw debs and Emi

Popped up to A's

Then home to empty a lot of bags full of damp kit.

I'm now thinking I should go to bed 

Just so happy xx

Swashbuckler standard tomorrow

Very excited for tomorrow's standard triathlon

I'm all packed and ready, just watching lord of the rings and thinking I should go to bed 

I did go for a little 40min cycle this evening

My left buttock was quite twingey afterwards. 

It'll be good to see Jonathan Clarke physios on Tuesday to see what they say 

Showed off Southampton to the Benson's this morning and then chilled / got sorted this afternoon.

Now I'm just curious to see how it goes tomorrow and how my body responds to 1100m swim, 40k cycle then an 11km run. Should be great fun xx

HOWL skins swim - 1750m Glorious

1750m in approx 53mins.

On Sunday I need to do 1100m in under 40mins.

I think I'll be fine 🤗

Excellent pre swashbuckler training run

OMG having my wrist vibrate and beep every time you need to do something different in a workout is so brilliant!!!

35mins of running

Waited till after 9pm to do it but I was still soaked with sweat when I got back to mums

Up and down the rec 

Sunset was wonderful

Felt so strong and so smooth

And no need to worry about whether I was doing the workout right because my wrist vibrated every time I needed to go faster / slower. 

Loved it.

I'm super excited about Sunday 

I'm curious to see how my body holds up and how I manage the ever increasing fatigue that I'll be feeling over the course of the 1100m swim / 40k cycle and 11k run. 

Niggles

I'm sat down thinking my butt is sore, the small of my back is sore, my groin is sore.

i've made an appoitment to see a physio on the 8/7

We're hoping that i'll be able to settle soon but we don't want to settle if i'm not 100% recovered

Fabulous 77.5km bike ride with Sue on Wednesday

Very excited for the Swashbuckler standard tri next Sunday 

But so fed up with the niggles. I don't remember this many niggle pre accident!

Exbury 10k

Well that was fun

1:17.54

I could have been quicker. I felt so strong.

Groin was sore after the race and my left glute area is still a bit sore and I had some discomfort during the race

But I'm also so pleased.

I'm feeling excited for the Swashbuckler standard tri on the 6/7

I'm also really pleased I've got a Lizzy massage booked for tomorrow 🤗

One year of restarting OF&H

Just bonkers!!!

I really must be kinder to myself 

Yesterday I swam 2k with tri club at the Quays

Today I ran 7.5k and cycled 10k (and went to find the poppies at Langley Vale) 

Basically I'm back trining 

This time last year I was clipped in for the first time since my accident and OWS first time since my accident.

I'm still not 100%

But I'm getting closer and closer 

Walked home, 55mins, left hip/glute not happy

Okay. That's not right. I think I'll book to see a physio as my left glute shouldn't be bothered by a 55minute walk!!!

Talking to physio Amy she did mention that I may not get back to 100% where I was pre accident.

That had never crossed my mind.

I can understand now why solicitor Liz is keen to ensure I don't under settle as there is a chance Lizzie may not be able to go long 🙁

I'm very pleased I've got coach Emma and I do need to update solicitor Liz with some more expenses 

Post accident parkrun pb

What a day yesterday

Oli and Tina's wedding

My post accident parkrun PB

35.16

And I would have chatted a lot more if Charlotte had remembered to bring her inhaler 🤣

Today I did my post parkrun run session

Just clicked on training / calendar and then today's session. Pressed start and did it. I'm loving figuring out how to manage to get all green ✅

Not there yet but soon xx

BMI finally saying not obese or overweight

1st time this millennia

1st time in decades 

I know it's just a number but it's a number I've been checking periodically for years so it's a good metric for me around where my body is 

The monjaro injection is amazing 

But the weird thing is that now I'm 66kg I'm thinking I'm still tubby, still got too much tummy so let's see if I can get into the low 60s and then reassess 

My accident was awful but the off shoots are very promising xx

Cycled up box hill

So much fun 

Now sat at Mum's, just back from C&R's BBQ - i'm tired, groin is a bit sore and my right glute is sore but I am delighted with today 

Fastest parkrun since my accident (Banstead this morning)

Cycled up box hill 

I am sore and tired but I am feeling rather epic 

Fastest parkrun since accident

Felt so strong at Banstead parkrun today 

I'm now 68kg so lost at least 4kg since January which is significant in running 

I did fade in the last km but pelvis / groin area still feeling good

Groin abit sore now 

Right glute abit sore as well

But that could be muscle fatigue from the 5k this morning 🤔🥳

Day 3 in Mallorca - two rides done

It's raining so we're all chilling in the outside covered dining room waiting for the rain to stop so we can go into Pollensa.

We did 65km yesterday up the mountain - Coll de Feminia 588m of total elevation 

We did 60k today -  off to St Margalida today - 88m of total elevation - so a lot flatter!!!

Recovery is good

Need to do more stretching but groin is just a tiny bit sore, flutes tiny bit sore, quads very sore 🤣

 Heading off yesterday 🥳