Back

I’m back. Back in Ireland, back in work, back to the real word and unfortunately I have a back strain. I wish I could have avoided the back strain, but it seems I was an accident waiting to happen – more on this issue a little later. I’ve struggled since returning. Initially I felt fine on a long jog with mate Peter O’Farrell to get me settled in. Doubts started with my first session on home soil – an 8 x 1km session over a hilly Phoenix Park loop. It wasn’t the times that particularly worried me, but how I felt as I struggled through the session with low energy and stomach problems. Perhaps the Friday evening pints didn’t help. The session was with Raheny Shamrocks. As a Rathfarnham athlete it may seem strange to train with a competing club, but the reality is Irish athletics is a relatively small community and I certainly feel it’s appropriate for clubs and athletes to help each other out on occasions for the common good. It suited me to join in and Raheny were certainly very welcoming, with Dick Hooper providing sound advice as always. In particular I was struck by my last loop, which I was doing solo. I got huge encouragement from the Raheny guys as if I was one of their own – amazing really.

After the Saturday session I headed for Tullamore to catch up with family and friends. A couple of mandatory pints that evening to recount some Colombian tales and catch up on the local gossip. The Sunday run was a struggle – 32km was the target at sub-7 minute pace – nothing overly strenuous. I felt fine for 20km, but struggled badly home. Why? Were two nights of easy drinking to blame? Was it my poor diet since returning? Was it adjusting to sea-level low-temperature running? I’m not sure, but the rot continued as I felt particularly stiff on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday was the real downer as small slip on the road during a tempo run seems to have caused a strain in my lower back. I could hardly walk after the session, let alone run. Is the Paris dream in tatters?

Went to the Dublin Spine & Sports Physiotherapy Clinic on Thursday morning – although they helped with mobility, they couldn’t pinpoint the problem. Next up was a massage on Thursday evening, which I hoped would loosen up the area. It did help my walking, but running remained out of reach. I was hoping the massage would get me back running immediately so I could continue my 2011 daily running streak, but alas it wasn’t to be. Next port of call was Anthony ‘Star’ Geoghegan – a man with a serious reputation for resolving physical problems. He’s certainly a man in demand. I left Dublin at 8:20, arrived at his place in Carlow at 9:30 but didn’t get to see him until 12:40 as 20 others had already arrived. He really needs a booking system. On finally meeting him he immediately commands respect – a straight talker – exactly what I need. He identified the issue pretty quickly after a quick physical inspection followed by targeted ultrasound. The news was mixed – no magic bullet back click fix, but potential for relatively quick recovery. He spent about 10 minutes loosening up joints and was particularly damming of my condition. He was amazed I could run at all given my lack of movement range – if I don’t act now, he made it clear that more injuries will follow. The flip-side of that was he said I could potentially see huge improvements if I resolve my core movement issues. His advice was to get some serious deep massage and flexibility sessions in, recommending Vinny Mulvey as the therapist – I’m already booked in.

So I’m now at a key point in my marathon preparation and in a state of limbo in relation to training. Uncertainly is creeping in, but I’m optimistic about my recovery – easy jog tomorrow and hopefully back to sessions within five days. Preparation races like the inter-club CC and Bath half-marathon are seriously compromised now, but 7 weeks remain before Paris and I believe it’s enough time to get back. Time will tell, watch this space ...

Gridiron

Unfortunately all good things some to an end and the time has come to leave Colombia behind. Our last couple of days in Bogotá were relatively uneventful, as was our flight to New York thankfully. Our resting place on the upper east side of Manhattan with Sharlene’s sister is an ideal location for the running with Central Park only a few blocks away. My first taste of Central Park running was as part of a race – the Gridiron Classic 4 Mile. It’s a Super-bowl Sunday tradition and it would have been rude of me not to attend since I was so close to the start-line J

Gridiron Classic in Central Pack - Losing the Battle

The race was primarily an experiment to see if there was any speed in my legs after seven weeks of pure endurance work. I had a stomach bug in the days leading up to the race, so I certainly wasn’t putting pressure on myself to perform. Still, I felt relatively fresh on race morning and intended to give it 100%. I was blessed to get close to the head of the race, having left it to the last minute to fit in one last toilet stop. There were barriers up and I was being ushered to the back of the 5,000 field. Thankfully with a smile and a ‘please’ to a steward, I was allowed hop a barrier to within a few metres of the start-line. A race like this always has 400m specialists – those who hit the front from the gun and run out of steam in no time. I spent the first couple of minutes looking for the ‘real’ competition. After three minutes I found myself in the lead. It wasn’t my plan to lead from this early stage, but no one responded. After five I had hit race nirvana – the sound of silence – no one within audible distance. Now I could run at my own pace. On crossing the two-mile mark in 9:40 my peaceful bliss was demolished with very quick footsteps closing in. Within another few minutes I was passed and desperately trying to hang on. Now the hills of central park were kicking in – the third mile was torturous. I was expecting a relatively flat course, but now I know there are some relatively serious hills in Central Park. Alarm bells were ringing after clocking a 5:05 third mile, so I tried to pick-up again on the last mile. There was no catching the leader, but I held onto second in a time of 19:44 – not a personal best, but not that far off – very satisfactory performance given flights, illness, icy conditions (forced to slow considerably at one junction) and lack of speed-work.  The winner, Chris Pannone is a local speed specialist who knew the course well (think it's his fourth win in this race).

That evening I watched Super Bowl XLV in a local bar. It was enjoyable, but not as big a deal as I was expecting. It would have been a bigger occasion if the Jets made it to the final, but Green Bay and Pittsburgh played out a relatively uninspiring final. I wasn’t particularly impressed with Black Eyed Peas interval act or adverts either. All much ado about nothing really, but I can see how the game has potential to thrill.

The rest of our New York trip was about shopping, dining and enjoying the good life. My daily workouts were in bitterly cold conditions. Wednesday was particularly crazy, with an 8 x 1km session scheduled. I couldn’t feel anything below by waist – a sensation I’ve never really experienced before. I was telling my legs to run, but only my eyes provided proof that my legs were responding. It was a poor session – only hitting 3:15/k, but I really couldn’t get my body warmed up to the level required for a session. I had to run fast just to keep blood flowing – not the day for an easy jog without arctic gear. We’re back to Dublin tomorrow. Our life of leisure is coming to an end L

Northern Exposure

After an absolutely fantastic couple of weeks exploring Zona Cafetera and area around Medellín it was time to go to the northern Caribbean coast. I was happy to delay the trip up north for a couple of reasons. Firstly it’s the tourist hotspot of Colombia and even though I’m part of the brigade I dislike all that is associated with the popular visitor areas.  Secondly as one would expect from a coastal area it’s at sea level.  Descending the red blood cell inducing heights of central Colombia was inevitable, but my fear was that running in consistent 32-35 degree heat with high humidity would be unbearable. Still, there is a reason why so many tourists flock north – it’s the main event – so it would be impossible to visit Colombia without seeing the major sights.

At Café del Mar, Cartagena

We flew from Medellín  to Cartagena, opting to avoid the sixteen hour bus journey. Our hotel was the Tres Banderas, a hotel with an excellent reputation from the Lonely Planet. It’s a nice hotel, but more expensive that what we were accustomed to in Colombia.  The north is full with tourists and they price accordingly – guess it’s the old supply and demand equation.  We were actually lucky to get a room at the last minute.  The charm of Cartagena is immediately obvious on entering the old town with colonial walls and buildings, reminding me of a recent trip to Morocco.  It’s definitely a place where one can just wander around for hours. Cartagena is hot, but it’s not unbearable as there a nice breeze flowing particular in the evenings. There’s a good choice of upscale restaurants, but again the prices immediately stand out. They’re comparable to Dublin prices. Normally the capital city is the most expensive destination in a country, but it’s certainly not the case in Colombia. We still found some excellent value venues. Our top recommendations would be La Bodega Ibérica on Calle Gastelbondo for a nice wine and excellent tapas/cured meats, the nearby Gelateria Paradiso for dessert (best ice cream parlour I’ve ever visited) and Café del Mar for drinks overlooking the sea on top of the old fort wall.

Casa Verde, Santa Marta

Two nights in Cartagena was enough for us and we ventured west along the coast to Santa Marta.  While in Santa Marta we stayed at the excellent Casa Verde hotel (thanks to a recommendation from Sharlene’s friend Sinead).  It’s a small but amazing space, with beautiful duplex level rooms and a courtyard with an inviting small pool, rocking chairs and hammocks to relax.  The owner is particularly helpful and knowledgeable. He has great enthusiasm about his new hotel and it shows – next plan is convert the flat rooftop into a terrace area. Santa Marta isn’t as impressive as Cartagena, but has a good energy and some particularly nice areas. Litter is unfortunately a huge problem –Cartagena was bad, but Santa Marta is worse. The winds make it difficult, but it seems that the main problem is that northern Colombians don’t respect their own neighbour. Botogá and Medellín are clean by comparison, so why is the north different? Still, Santa Marta has its gems and Parque Santander is one of them. You’ll find the ideally located Donde Chuchos sea food restaurant here.

Next morning we headed for a village called Palomino. It’s certainly not on the main tourist trail, but we had a good recommendation from a fellow traveller. From the village we had a tough hike with backpacks for 30minutes into the Sierra Nevada, arriving at a riverside hut which became home for the night. It is a particularly nice setting in the depth of the jungle, beside a river and with stunning scenery of the Sierra Nevada surrounding us. The owner of the property was away, but we were welcomed warmly by his proxy Chapolo and family who help maintain the property. We sat politely at their humble home for about 20minutes with a cold chocolate drink while being introduced to the family – his beautiful wife, three sons, a brother-in-law and nephew. The pace of life here is as slow as it gets. Helped no doubt by marijuana – the brother-in-law was particularly chilled, offering us a joint immediately on arrival. We passed, opting for a refreshing orange juice instead. The hut itself is large and particularly well equipped, perhaps overly so as the satellite TV is the corner just doesn’t fit in.  Chapolo’s wife and her brother cooked us a fine meal the evening. They brought the whole family along as our hut was nicer and larger than their own home. We didn’t mind, but it was unusual – if ever staying here don’t expect privacy. I reckon it’s a regular occurrence while the boss is away.

Our Palomino Hut - it's in the jungle, honest ...

Eventually they did leave and all we had left was the jungle to keep us company. And it did – there is no avoiding wild-life in a place like this. A frog decided to make our bathroom his home. Mosquitoes were an issue, so we covered up particularly well. Geckoes type lizards were everywhere, which is possibly a good thing as they have a taste for mosquitoes. The birds here are particularly impressive. The noise from nature is loud and relentless – it was difficult to sleep. Apart from our hosts, our only close neighbours were the local Tayrona indigenous tribe. Many years ago they ruled all of northern Colombia, but are slowly being pushed out. The tribe all wear the same off-white clothes and are much smaller than average, possibly due to a lack of key nutrients. In the not too distant future tribes like this may disappear as already the younger generations are integrating more with society. It’s a pity, but seems inevitable unless their land is made completely off limits. Guess I'm part of the problem as a tourist ...

Next morning after an early run and breakfast we headed further into the Sierra Nevada, equipped with an inflated truck tube. After about a half hour we jumped into the river on top of our basic flotation devices and enjoyed the views as we floated downstream. The rapids were tame but there is a good flow on the river and we managed to pick up speed at times. In truth this was more about relaxing than looking for a thrill-seeking white-water experience.

Playa Los Naranjos

Next up was Tayrona national park, which as Colombia’s number one national park is a tourist magnet.  First we had to find lodging, and we set out for Playa Los Naranjos. The Lonely Planet highly recommends Barlovento as a spectacular place to stay. The setting is indeed magnificent, with the Río Piedras meeting the sea at a beautiful beach. Barlovento is at a height overlooking the sea. The idea of staying here was indeed romantic, with the waves crashing under out potential bed. The reality is the place is completely over-priced. Initially they were looking for 300,000COP (€120) for essentially a tiny room with a mattress on the ground. After some negotiation they reduced to 200,000 but it wasn’t far enough for our depleting wallets (we were short cash, with no ATM close-by). We had another accommodation recommendation about 4km down the road, but before leaving we decided to hang around the beautiful beach for the afternoon to catch some rays and swim. We eventually did leave and took a bus to the town Río Piedras to check out Eco Hostal Yuluka. It’s a fab spot, set on a hillside with several very well equipped huts. We picked the highest hut with great views and a particularly good chilling area with two hammocks. There’s also a very nice pool here fed from a nearby spring, so it’s semi-natural. All-in-all the place is a bargain at €32 euro for a hut per night. The food here is also good – recommended as your Tayrona base instead of getting ripped off inside the park boundaries.

We ventured out that night for a stroll to find the local pub. We were consistently warned about going out at night in the countryside, but from our experience this is overkill. There’s not that much reason to wander mind – very little to the small village of Río Piedras.  Most people here are early to bed and early to rise, so we followed suit. And indeed I did rise early for my morning run. Peculiar, but I’m getting up earlier on holidays than I would if I was working. By 9am I had my 25k run, with 12k tempo complete. Breakfast is always particularly satisfying after a good workout. I wasn’t particular fast, only hitting 3:50/k pace for tempo, but now I’m blaming the heat. Previously it was altitude, now heat and when I get home it will probably be wind or freezing conditions. There’s always some excuse J Thankfully in races it’s always a level playing field – it only matters if you’re chasing a time.

Tayrona: Cabo San Juan de la Guía

Pueblito Staircase

After breakfast it was off to Tayrona national park. It was primarily a day of hiking, starting from Cañaveral. It took a little less than an hour along a forest hike to our first stop was Arrecifes – a very nice beach, but unfortunately it’s not recommended to swim here due to the currents. Then it was coast hopping exercising, stopping at any nice beach that came our way.  The costal scenery is impressive and it is easy to understand why the park is so popular. La Piscina is the best beach for swimming, but is doesn’t have good facilities. We stopped here for lunch, which was a mistake – very poor – venture on 20 minutes to Cabo San Juan de la Guía if you’re in this neighbourhood looking for grub. The weather wasn’t particularly good, which put a little damper on the beach experience. It was still close to 30 degrees, but there was some cloud cover. At Cabo/Cape there is a trail inland to Pueblito, an ancient Tayrona city. It was 3pm and we were warned not to start the hike as it would take at least 4 hours to get back to the road (after dark, so again not recommended). We knew we were faster than the average punters and were keen to see the ruins, so we ignored the advice and the signs saying not to start the trail after 1pm. This trail is not properly promoted – not much of a fuss is made about it by the locals or in the guide books, but it was certainly the highlight of our visit to Tayrona. The hike is truly amazing, ascending a natural rock staircase. Some of the rocks are difficult to traverse, so it’s one for the relatively fit. The ruins are great to see, but this is more about the journey than the destination. We were also right to disregard the advice on the length of the hike as we were back on the road within 3 hours to catch a local bus home before dark.

Pueblito, Ancient City at Tayrona

We fitted in so much in one day that there was no need to return to Tayrona Park. Instead we hung out at the Naranjos beach to enjoy the sunshine. That evening it was back to Santa Marta and the Casa Verde hotel. We initially tried La Casa, which according to the Lonely Planet is ‘far and away the best’ place to stay in Santa Marta, but after viewing we reverted to Casa Verde. In fairness to the Lonely Planet Casa Verde probably didn’t exist when they went to print, but I find that the use “do not miss” or “the best” too often. We had one more day in the sun before flying back to Bogotá. We went to the nearby town of Taganga in search of better coastline, but to be honest the beach at Santa Marta is just as good. It’s very popular with the back-backers and is a great place to go diving or snorkelling, but otherwise it’s just an overpopulated costal area.

Seven weeks in Colombia and seven good weeks of marathon training complete, clocking up over 650miles on foreign soil to date.   It’s been difficult at times with altitude, heat and hills all taking their toll, but hopefully it will be of benefit when I return to Ireland. Another 10 weeks before Paris, so I’m hoping to be in shape to do damage. Only time will tell. Unfortunately it has all been endurance work and I feel I’m lacking speed. Hopefully that will be a relatively quick fix when I return to Ireland and start hammering out the sessions J