The Welsh Beer Mile

The concept of a Beer Mile is pretty straightforward.  Drink beer and run one mile as fast as you can.  If you fall over or “lose your load” you are penalised, well strictly speaking the falling over part will be a self-induced penalty, while “losing” beer means that you need to drink another as the clock ticks.

If you enjoy beer and running, what’s not to like?  Having now run my own Beer Mile, I can answer that one quite bluntly….  All of it!  But it is an experience like no other…

There are rules for running an official Beer Mile.  It should be run over a measured distance and four beers must be consumed: at the start; the quarter mile point, half mile point and finally the three-quarter mile point.  All your Beer Mile questions can be answered here.

The male Beer Mile world record is 4:57 and the female equivalent is 6:17.  Not sure if there is a dog assisted record and if there is, would the dogs have to drink beer too?

I have wanted to try a Beer Mile for a while and a family visit to North Wales for fun, beer and inspirational speed training sessions on the beach provided the perfect opportunity for my first ever attempt.

With the help of our friends at Gallt-y-Glyn we headed to Dinas (near Caernarfon) with beer, glasses and a determination to give it a go…

We arrived at our destination at high tide, which was a blessing in disguise as my recent running with dog on beaches pace has been around 4:30 minute mile pace and run with such effort that I feel sick without the inclusion of beer!  So a makeshift route was soon created.  It consisted of four laps on grass and track on the sea-side. 

The first beer was easy to drink and the first lap was a jog out accompanied by Kez.  The second beer and next lap were uncomfortable with beer sloshing in my stomach as Kroi tried to convince me to run with more enthusiasm.  By the third beer I was starting to think about giving up beer for life, Kez agreed and we trotted round with me holding my stomach.  The fourth beer was like trying to drink beer while struggling with a hangover, it was awful.  I fought the desire to vomit and tried to concentrate on just getting to the finish.  We turned the last corner and I asked for Kroi’s help, he responded by dragging me through the last 1/8 mile at well under sub5 minute mile pace.  I finished and almost collapsed in a heap.  I normally run ultras for fun and this one mile challenge nearly destroyed me!

My time for the full mile, including the drinking of beer was 7:14, with over a minute of standing around time.  Would I do it again?  On the day my answer was a very blunt NO.  But upon reflection and consideration of perhaps drinking my most favourite beer, I may well have another go.

Thank you Russ and Heidi at Gallt-y-Glyn for your help; Ian for the never ending support and amazing photos; Linda, Ruska, Lewis and Cameron for their tolerance; and big shout out to my very special running team of the Siberian Husky brothers, Kez and Kroi.

Spike: Looking back on life so far....

Looking back....

Two years ago I made a very important decision.  I wanted to make amends for something that lives with me every day and will never go away.

His name was Kobi and for 18 wonderful months I lived the dream.  A dog so traumatised by abuse and torture, he had given up on life when he came to live with us.  I wanted to save him and show him happiness and for a brief moment in time I did that.  I showed him love and trust and he repaid me by loving and trusting me in return.  But he could love and trust no other being, human or dog and ultimately the abuse and damage that he endured as a puppy was too much for him to bear.  In April 2012 I held Kobi in my arms as he fell asleep for the last time.

After Kobi left us we fostered various dogs and helped them on their journey of life.  Each time it got harder as we became attached to every dog that shared our life.  We decided to stop being a foster home for Siberian Huskies.

And then, in March 2013, I learned of the plight of a husky puppy that had been severely mistreated and was in need of a foster home.  He had been abandoned at Brentwood railway station very underweight and infested with mange.   A wonderful man and his family found him early one morning and after tempting him with baby food they were able to catch him.  They certainly saved his life that day as he appeared to be on a mission to run onto the railway tracks.  This family knew of a lady in the area that owned huskies and asked for her help to look after the pup.  This lovely lady took him into her home and for two weeks showed him love, fed him well and treated his mange.   This lovely lady worked in a pub and the puppy met many of her friends that worked with her.  They all fell in love with this poorly little pup.   Sadly she could not keep the puppy, now called Blue and she asked for the help of her dear friend involved with Siberian Husky rescue.  Her friend agreed without hesitation.

Little Boy Blue

When I learned that a baby puppy, possibly 3-4 months old needed a temporary foster home, my “no more foster dogs” became a “one last time” and “it will only be for a few months Ian”. ...

And so in April 2013 Blue came to live with us.  We expected a very cute and fluffy 3 month old puppy.  The reality was that the pup was between 6-9 months old but in such poor condition and severely malnourished that he was the size and weight of a 3 month old pup.  He was not cute and I am ashamed to say that I immediately thought that he looked more like an evil Gremlin (from the movie of the same name) than a husky pup.  He had huge ears, a strange shaped head, big front arms and a very frail back end.  His tail had virtually no fur on it and the rest of his body not much more.  The mange infestation was gone, but his skin was still very red and itchy. 

However, I was blown away by the pup’s smile and attitude.  He just looked at us and smiled in a way I had never seen before on a dog.  Some people walked past as we took him from the van to the garden and this pup smiled and leapt forward to try and say hello to them as well.  This little dog loved people even though he had clearly been abused by them in his short life.  His frail body struggled to carry him, but he was so full of determination.  Both Ian and I both believed then that there was something a bit special about this pup. 

Spike with his hero

As his foster home, this pup would only be with us temporarily, just until he was fit and well enough to be adopted and given a home for life.  We initially referred to him as Little Boy Blue and then decided he fitted the name Spike rather well. 

Over the spring and early summer of 2013 we helped Spike gain good weight and condition.  His hind legs took a very long time to strengthen and he would fall over easily, but it never bothered him he just jumped up and continued with whatever he had been doing.  It took many months before Spike even had the strength to shake properly.  He would try to and then fall over.  We feared that he might have a neurological problem, but thankfully that was ruled out.

Our pack of Siberian Huskies taught him all about pack life and Kez taught him the rules of the house.   It was clear from very early on that Spike idolised our pack leader, something that Kroi was remarkably calm and tolerant about.

After a few months of good food, gentle exercise and love, Spike turned into a beautiful swan and it was time for him to find a permanent home.  There were many offers for this special little dude and in the summer of 2013 Spike was adopted by a family chosen for him by the welfare organisation.

36 hours later Spike was back with us, deemed “too bouncy” by his new young family.

We agreed to foster him again without hesitation, committed to our vow to find him a wonderful loving family of his own.

But then it all changed…

Becoming more concerned about his hind movement, we had his hips x-rayed and it was confirmed that he had hip dysplasia.  Not good news, but with the correct care and exercise it could hopefully be managed well.  We were referred to Top Dog Hydrotherapy (Andover, Hampshire) and Spike was soon having regular hydro sessions (running on a treadmill in a water tank).  This form of exercise, combined with gentle running with me, resulted in a great improvement in his movement and soon we were once again looking for that special home for him.

And then it all changed.  One day while out running with him he suddenly stopped dead and for a split second I feared that his hips had “gone”.  But after the initial panic was over I was able to confirm that it was his front right leg that was causing him great pain.

It was confirmed in December 2013 by Fitzpatrick Referrals that Spike had Elbow Dysplasia (ED) there were several surgical options available, depending on where his ED fell on the spectrum – best case a tidy up within the joint, worst case total elbow replacement.  We agreed to adopt Spike, come what may.

The full details are contained here, but in January 2014 Spike returned to Fitzpatrick Referrals and the full extent of his condition was confirmed.  To have both elbows replaced was not possible on ethical and financial grounds.  We were forewarned that Spike may only live another 6-9 months.

We made a vow to ensure that Spike had the best ever “rest of his life”, however long that may be. I remember saying even if he wants beer, he can have beer. But maybe that was one step too far!

So we knew Spike would be with us for the rest of his life. We enjoyed figuring out what he enjoyed, how much he could run and how to balance his running, rest, hydrotherapy, swimming, acupuncture and laser therapy. This little guy lives the life of an elite athlete! He got stronger, his short runs with his husky house mates bonded him with them.

Then he faced his next major setback in September 2014. On a short walk in the village he ruptured his cruciate ligament. Now only able to use three-legs Spike didn’t seem to care. While we winced at his hobbling, to be honest there was little that Spike didn’t try and do, even with only 75% of his legs available! Of course the leg needed to be fixed and he had to endure major surgery and 3 months of very little exercise, during which time he lost a lot of weight and became very depressed.  We came close to losing him.

Leading the way at Brentwood parkrun

At the start of 2015 we had to start all over again, teaching Spike how to walk, then to jog and then to run.  Combined with our training plans and his medical treatments we made it work.

And now, 15 months since the dreaded news, Spike is still here, happy bouncy and running.  He has regular hydro sessions at Top Dog Hydrotherapy and laser treatment by Shelley Doxley.  He runs short distances every other day, he needs lot of rest afterwards, but he is absolutely determined to run and he can run very fast!

He also loves to run with Ian.

Weald Country Park, Brentwood with his pack

Yesterday Spike won a 5k parkrun with Ian, in Brentwood, Spike’s original home and where he nearly died.

And after the run we finally got to meet the person that saved Spike’s life in March 2013.  This person and his family saved Spike from certain death as he tried to run onto the tracks at Brentwood railway station.  Without people like him the world would be a very different place.  Thank you.

Meeting Railway workers at the Station

We took Spike to the railway station where he was found and the pub where he met the lovely lady that helped him before he entered our lives.  It was very interesting seeing how Spike behaved during all those experiences.  He spent a lot of time sniffing and staring at a particular point in the car park.  I can only guess what could have been going through his mind.

Spike’s has many great adventures yet to come, one of which I truly believe will be the most inspirational yet.

With the family that saved his life

I believe Spike can help me achieve a long held dream of running a Sub4 minute mile.  He is getting stronger and quicker each week and last week with Kroi’s help we ran our fastest mile since May 2014.

The only minor inconvenience is that I need surgery on my ankle joint and it will happen in the next month or so.  I have chronic pain in my ankle and surgery to alleviate it is quite invasive and may involve breaking my fibula to get to the damaged section of bone.  I have an awesome surgeon that I trust explicitly and he has already performed 3 operations on this ankle, each one I have bounced back from.   I guess Spike and I are a bit like real life Weebles ;-)

Spike is a very special dog and has many guardian angels that have helped him on his journey of life.  From those that saved him from certain death to those that help pay his medical bills and those that broke the rules in order to help him and those that support him each and every day.  And then there are those that go far and beyond to help his medical and veterinary rehabilitation.  Thank you to each and every one of you, especially North Pole Marathon, we are eternally grateful for your continued help and support.

Let's go catch a dream....

 (Photos courtesy of Ian J Berry, Brentwood parkrun and me)

The Miracle called Spike

Spike's Motto  - "Live life to the full"

We have shared our lives with Spike for nearly two years.   Two years of experiences that I would not wish on my worst enemy, well certainly not the bad bits, but the good bits are worth a lifetime of negatives.

Spike is an entity.  A very special entity that defies medical logic and is determined to prove just how special and inspirational a being can be.  No one ever said that only human beings can be inspirational…..

Since I was 13 years old I have managed chronic pain in my left ankle and as I get older it gets harder to manage.  The negativity sets in and fear takes over.  I don’t like taking drugs, I prefer to manage the pain as best I can, sometimes I can and sometimes I cannot.  Sometimes my mind weakens and I cannot overcome the negativity.  I was doing okay until a couple of years ago, round about the time the entity that we call Spike entered our lives…..

For those that do not know.  Spike has hip and elbow dysplasia.  He has had x-rays, CT scans and been put through every medical examination possible.  We have the factual details and know what we are working with.  He also ruptured his cruciate in September 2014 and had to endure extensive surgery to repair the damage.   My ankle has been operated on 3 times, CT Scanned, MRI and x-rayed and know the facts of my condition.  They are not disputable.  Spike and I don’t have cartilage in our joints.  When we move we click and crunch as bone meets bone.  This is a fact, but sometimes facts don’t matter. 

If you are a logical person that thrives on logic I suggest you read no further.  However if you can throw logic out the window and want to enter a world where the word miracle springs to mind,  then I welcome you to the World that Spike lives in.  A world that we try to control as we want to protect him, but truly he is the one in control….

Every day Spike wakes up and wants to run.  He is a Husky and running is in his blood, it pulses through his veins.  We are his human protectors and we know that if he runs every day then he will suffer.   I wake up every day and want to run, I make the decision as to whether I do or not.

Both Spike and I have adapted our bodies to assist our desires.  Muscle development in the affected limbs helps protect and reduce the impact on the joints.  We walk and run “weird”, but it works for us.  We both hobble when walking, but when we run you would never know that anything was wrong.

We have reached a compromise that Spike appears to accept.  He is allowed to run every other day, which not surprisingly he loves!  The non-running days are a bit of a problem and normally Ian has to manage Spike’s enthusiasm on those days while I disappear into the darkness with our other Siberian Huskies.

On the days that Spike runs, life becomes easier for us – he sleeps for the rest of the day!!  On the days he does not run our poor garden suffers.  He is currently trying to create a Hobbit size hole in one of our gardens, well either that or a tunnel to Australia….

Running with his favourite human

We are trying to build up Spike’s running slowly, but at the same time run at the pace he wants to.  Since December his pace has gradually improved from 8 minute miles to 4:50 minute miles.  He cannot run for a great length of time, and in that respect we differ greatly.  I prefer distance over speed and struggle with motivation to maintain effort over a short distance.  However I have a long held dream to run very quickly for one mile and that is where Spike and my paths collide…..

I need his help to run a Sub4 minute mile.  We have two Siberian Huskies that are easily capable of running 4 minute mile pace for a long period of time, but I am not physically capable of prolonged running at that speed.  When I tire they ease back and let me run at a pace I am comfortable, they are my doggy protectors.  However, Spike on the other hand is not so considerate!  When he runs he wants to run quickly and with reckless abandonment.  He wants to get “there” before everyone…. 

Spike has been solo training and running with Kez since his TPLO operation.  Spike runs a lot with Ian and that partnership works very well.  We are being very cautious with his post recovery training and have so far not allowed him to run with Kroi.  Kroi is a speed demon and when he runs with Spike testosterone generally fuels the run.  They are male dogs of similar age, so not surprising that they are competitive with one another!   

Spike continues to have regular hydrotherapy sessions to help his fitness and muscle development.  He also has laser therapy treatment and is assessed by a vet on a regular basis.  He is not on any regular pain medication and is physically in the best shape he has ever been in.  He also regularly digs very deep holes in our garden, which is quite a feat when you consider the condition of his elbow joints!

Spike is indeed a very special little dog that continues to defy medical and scientific logic.  He is our little miracle….

(Images thanks to Ian J Berry, well apart from one :-) )

This is not the end, dreams are forever

This week I received some news that scared me and yet filled me with excitement for the future.

The photo that says it all :-)

Ooh, which colour for 2015?

For many months I have been preparing myself for the imminent minor surgery on my ankle that would “take me out of action” for 6 weeks or so.  Unfortunately based on my recent MRI scan the surgical intervention to reduce my pain is going to be a little bit more complicated than I hoped and my recovery will involve a minimum of three months on crutches.  If you are squeamish, please do not read the next paragraph as I am about to describe the procedure….

The operation involves drilling through the talus bone to make it bleed and “erupt” over the surface of the bone, creating scar tissue which will take the place of the missing cartilage within the ankle joint.  Hopefully surgery will be performed via keyhole (arthroscopy) but if access to the area cannot be reached that way then a section of my fibula (the thin bone next to the tibia) will be removed to allow full operational access and then bolted back together.

Some of the Dream Team...

However, the prognosis based on this procedure is very good from both a life and running perspective.  I will never lead a completely pain free life, but I will be able to do anything that I want to, well almost anything!  And the good news is that this week’s x-rays have confirmed that both metatarsal fractures (in the opposing foot to the injured ankle) remain fully healed and have coped well with my return to running.

This will be the fourth operation on my ankle and all surgeries have been performed by a wonderful consultant that believes in me and all that I do.  Each time he has performed surgery on my ankle I have gone on to do amazing things: run around 90 marathons and ultras; run thousands of miles with Siberian Huskies; won National Championships; earned two Great Britain vests and run in Commonwealth, European and World Championships.  I have created dreams and lived those dreams thanks to him.

The time to beat....

It is with this knowledge that I will undergo this surgery and believe deep in my heart that all my running related dreams will wait for me to recover.  Dreams never die; they just sometimes sleep for a while.

The operation will probably take place before the spring months.  At the moment I am able to run thanks to a very high pain threshold and the knowledge that I am not damaging the ankle further.  I am going to go on a very special dream quest, running faster that I have ever done in my life, but only for one mile.  I have 4:13 to beat and I am going to ask for help from some very special Siberian Huskies.

(images with grateful thanks to Ian J Berry and Runners World)

Spike: The Dream lives once again....

It is now 15 weeks since Spike had TPLO surgery to repair his leg following the rupture of his cruciate ligament. 

His recovery has been a very stressful and heart wrenching experience to witness.  We have watched his health and well-being decline during this time.  The happy character that we have all come to love and admire for his tenacious and determined attitude to life moved out and a very depressed and grumpy little Spike moved in.

He was not allowed to play with his friends, interactions with the other pack members had to be carefully managed and he was only allowed a few minutes’ gentle walk from the house.  Running and playing were banned and life for Spike became very mundane and boring.  He lost interest in playing with his toys and got very grumpy if anyone tried to move a toy from where he had carefully arranged it within his special den.  He spent 23 hours of each day sleeping in his den and did not want to eat.   

During this time our worst fears were also realised and Spike’s elbows have deteriorated.  We knew this would happen, we have seen the x-rays, analysed the CT Scans and spoken to several orthopaedic consultants.  But what happened in early December still came as a huge shock.

Spike had been limping heavily on his nearside foreleg for several weeks and suddenly one evening he started limping on his offside fore as well.  Only his offside hind leg was still working, all others were causing him such intense pain that he could not even rise from his bed without our help.

A depressed dog that cannot stand without assistance would not lead the life that we promised Spike would only ever know.  A very restless night ensued as we tried to prepare ourselves to say goodbye to Spike.

However, if you wish upon a falling star, sometimes your wish really can come true…..

The following day Spike struggled to get up, but he did manage it without our assistance and as the day progressed he started looking stronger and happier.  We reinforced our determination that whatever the future held we were going to give Spike as many happy experiences as we could for as long as we could.

We took Spike out in his special buggy to meet people and Ian ran a parkrun with Spike in the buggy the whole way – he loved it!

He was given veterinary approval to return to Hydrotherapy the following week and allowed to once again play in the water and see his special friends at Top Dog Hydrotherapy in Andover.

He has been receiving laser therapy and acupuncture treatment from Shelley Doxley.  And he continues to wear his Trion:z collar.

We took him to Scotland over Christmas to meet my family.  He made some new friends, visited the beach and shared Christmas dinner with the family.  Brussel sprouts were politely refused but roast potatoes were devoured instantly.  Spike loves all form of potatoes, baked, chipped or mashed.  I think potatoes and porridge are his favourite foods as he will choose them over anything else, including all forms of meat.

We stopped off in the Lake District on the way back from Scotland and had some fun on the mountains in the freezing cold.  Spike saw sheep and snow, lakes and standing stones.  He even had a little taste of beer, but only on the tip of his tongue as I was not prepared to share any more!

Since we have returned from Scotland the Spike we all know and love has returned.  He is happy, bouncy, shouts a lot and is a general pain in the backside. 

A few days ago we let Spike have a very short and controlled run.  The smiles on his face during and after were confirmation that we chose well.  As his guardians we have to make very important decisions on his behalf and a “Spike smiles” tells us all that we need to know.

There is a long way to go yet but I now dare to dream that Spike will one day run again in our little Husky team.  A three dog Dream Mile may yet still be possible.

(All images with grateful thanks to Ian J Berry and Paul Hammond) 

The wonders of laser therapy treatment

Ten years ago if you asked me about "laser treatment", I would have pictured in my mind a Jedi Knight using a lightsaber in a battle with a bad dude from the dark side! 

However, fast forward ten years and courtesy of my job and my own personal experience, I have learned a lot about the medical benefits of laser technology.  So when it was suggested that Spike underwent laser treatment to help his medical conditions we had no hesitation in agreeing for him to be zapped by lasers….

Laser treatment works by applying red and near infra-red light over the injury/ site being treated.  The light beams stimulate the cells in the body that reduce pain and inflammation and to repair damaged tissue.

This form of treatment is non-invasive and offers drug free pain relief and enhanced healing of injuries.

Some of the benefits of using laser light to treat injuries:

Anti-inflammatory

Rapid cell repair

Enhanced healing of wounds

Reduces the formation of scar tissue

Increases blood flow to the injury site

Nerve function stimulation

Spike has been receiving laser therapy treatment from Shelley Doxey since his TPLO surgery to repair his ruptured cruciate ligament.  Shelley has been helping take care of Spike since the day he arrived in our home.  She has helped diagnose all of his medical conditions and advised the best forms of treatment and surgical options. 

Spike has benefited greatly from acupuncture and laser treatment, both of which have been performed by Shelley.  Shelley is Spike’s special guardian angel and it is delightful to see his face light up and his whole body tremble with excitement every time he sees her. 

Thanks to Shelley, Spike was also introduced to the wonderful world of hydrotherapy at Top Dog Hydrotherapy. 

Shelley uses a Class 3B level laser to treat her patients.  A small handheld device that is positioned over the treatment area and can be done in whatever position the patient is comfortable in.  Spike lies down when he is being treated and looks very much like he is sleeping as the laser works on his cells.

Krofti our 14 year old Siberian Husky has also been receiving treatment from Shelley via acupuncture and laser therapy.  After treatment he is extremely relaxed and sleeps through most of the night.  On the days he is not treated Krofti is very agitated and anxious several times throughout the night, which results in everyone else in the house being deprived of much needed sleep!

(Thanks to Spike the patient, Vet Shelley and Ian for the photos and words for this article)

Spike - a tail of inspiration

Relaxing and dreaming at BSA Ringwood...

It is now two months since Spike had his TPLO Surgery for the ruptured cruciate ligament in his hind leg.  He has been on restricted exercise since then and his mind has struggled to cope with this.  We have tried to manage the situation as best we can and numerous toys and special permissions have been given to him.  Not every dog gets the living room to themselves with their choice of movie playing on the DVD on the rare occasions when both Ian and I need to leave the house together!

The good news is that the operation has been a success and a recent x-ray has confirmed that the bone is healing well.

The face of apprehension - at the Vets

The bad news is that Spike has a very inflamed patellar tendon, which is clearly causing him pain and discomfort.  

He is also acutely lame in his front left leg, a combination of soft tissue damage and his elbow dysplasia worsening, something we have been prepared for ever since we learned of the extent of the damage in his elbow joints.

The really good news is that Spike has already exceeded the life expectancy that was predicted in January and it is clear that his spirit and determination remain strong.  

Spike's devout attitude to wanting to run is one that I can relate to very well. 

However, while I understood why I was not allowed to run for 4 months, Spike is confused and does not understand why he cannot run and have fun with the other doggy members of the team.  It is heart-breaking to see his little face when the others go running.  He has been incredibly accepting of the restrictions imposed on him and not once has he rebelled or become destructive, not even his toys….

Spike has a little den in our living room where (through choice) he spends most of his time.  He has special bes and lots and lots of toys which he neatly piles up in one corner of his den.  Every now and again he rearranges them into the diagonally opposite corner, in just as neat a pile.  He is very protective of his den and his toys and gets quite upset if one of the other dogs wanders into the den and removes a toy.  Being bottom of our pack he cannot stop them and we have to be discrete when “rescuing” his toys from a fatal ending.  

Thankfully the toy destroying husky of the house is very respectful of Spike’s little den and only ventures into Spike’s den when he is trying to get my attention…..

Spike has been receiving excellent help during his recovery.  As well as the amazing support from the North Pole Marathon Spike has had special laser treatment from one of his most special friends.  Without her help and support Spike would never have received the medical help essential to his survival.

Icing Spike's leg - he is very helpful :-)

Spike’s biggest supporter and helper is most definitely Ian.

Ian carries Spike when he needs to be carried; helps him eat when he refuses to eat; ices his leg when it needs to be iced; cuddles him when he needs a cuddle; rescues his toys when they need to be rescued; makes him do his special exercises; basically Ian is there for Spike 24/7.  They have a very special relationship and it is heart-warming to witness.

Spike has many people to thank for giving him the gift of life and hopefully they are reading this and know just how grateful we are for their help.  Without their help Spike would never have made it this far.   There are some wonderful people in this world, people that choose to help save a life no matter what it takes.   

Humanity in its purest form crosses the divide between species and there can be no other greater inspiration than knowing that whatever happens, everybody has a guardian angel for them somewhere.