Learning lessons

An instructive run today. I went out shortly after getting up - no breakfast and only half a cup of water. The first run was painful to say the least - every bit ached. I stopped having run 2.56k in 18.08 mins. Then walked back to Dulwich Village rather than West Dulwich to buy some water, whereupon I started again. It was a completely different beast. Slower, mind, but no pain at all - I did another 2.54k in 19.18. So that brings my totals to 5.1k (or 3.16 miles) in 37.26 minutes, around the late 11.something pace. Note to self: eat and drink before runs unless you want to completely run out of steam. I really learned something today. For the record, it was in Nikes, 19 degrees and sunny - felt really hot when I came back.

Running back to happiness

Mucho, mucho mejor. After 8 days without running and some nagging and lingering pains, I went out today for a short run to see how my body feels. The short answer is great. I did 2.62 miles in 26 mins, giving me a 9.56 pace - and I felt like I was running slow today too. It was pretty hot so stuck with normal kit - pink top and old tights.

Cardiovascular stuff all okay despite smoking a fair bit this week. So, lessons learned: don't screw around with changing trainers etc, don't try and build up distance too fast (really!), and stick recovery days in between hard runs. Simples. Training kicks off in earnest on 6th August... a mere 9 days away... ulp! Now, time to settle into the real activity for the day - Olympic-watching.

Home Run? Home, ouch, more like

So after the nasty Asics ride yesterday, I tried out Home Run tonight. The idea is simple - run home with a bunch of other folks, with keen runners to help you get there. The principle is nice but I don't think it's for me. After the first mile, my outer shin muscles were burning and I'd slowed to a 12.30 pace, really slow for me. I managed another 0.4 before calling it a day and letting ultrarunner Jen get on and catch up with the guys. It was too early in my training to try it and I don't enjoy running with people and without music. I picked up my pack, ran another 0.7 cross Clapham Common with it before collapsing on to the bus.

I think I've trained too much too soon. I had this same crash almost exactly four weeks ago and needed a good five days off and not thinking about running, and I know if I try and run through it I could do myself a serious injury. This, I cannot risk so close to starting training for the half. I am a bit worried though about the half training - I did a couple of weeks with 13 miles and it's screwed me up in week three. In retrospect racing and then running a five miler would probably have been okay with a good bit of proper recovery time, but to do that, rest for a day, then try a recovery race in shoes which don't work for me, then try and run 4.3 miles with faster people was a stupid and potentially dangerous idea. All of my lower body hurts now - knees, ankles, calves, hamstrings and shins. It's not shin splints, it's just exhaustion.

So that's the remainder of this weeks' training out of the window - running-wise, at least. I'm switching back over swimming to at least early next week. Total rest tomorrow; long swim on Friday and maybe middling swim on Saturday, long swim again on Monday and a reconvene on Tuesday to see how the legs are feeling. Need to finish that race, not crash out half way around because I trained badly.

My physical limitations are frustrating and upsetting but my body knows more than my mind. Got to listen up and pay attention - running through it is only going to make me worse. Aggravating! On the plus side, I now have a phone sleeve which doesn't rub or hurt and provides better protection in the rain than my existing one. I also have a neon orange t shirt which might come in handy for winter runs.

Giving the Asics one last try

In the interests of not wasting extortionate amounts of money on a pair of trainers, I decided to try the Asics again on the 2 mile tootle around West Dulwich again. It was not good. From almost the getoff, my shins were really aching, something they never ever do in my other shoes, even the Inov8s. I managed 1.21 miles at a disappointing 10.48 pace. I made the rest of the route around walking, and did 20 laps in the pool to make up for it tonight. At least I've given it a decent try now and stopped before I hurt myself.

Looking forward to Home Run tomorrow night instead!

Week in review, 9 - 15 July

This week, I ran 13.2 miles, smashed my personal best with a 30:20 minute 5k, and ran the furthest session so far in ManiRuns take 2. I'm pretty pleased with how things went this week. Kit has stood up, I kept going despite threatening cold and feeling a bit crap, and TOM starting yesterday morning. I can definitely be proud of this week.

So, goals for next week:

Tuesday 2 miles
Wednesday 4.3 miles (with Home Run as a trial to see if I like it)
Friday 3 miles
Saturday 6 miles

The schedule is a little different because it's Phoebe's confirmation on Sunday, so I need to be there for that. The two long runs are fine in that one will be organised (and they carry your bags home for you, hurrah) and the other is just me tootling around on Saturday. Tuesday and Wednesday short runs will be either before or after work depending on what time I get up - am in East London both days so might be easier before work rather than after. Ho hum. It's a bit of a leap from 13.2 up to 15.3, so will keep the length of Saturday under advisement. Feeling much, much more confident about starting half marathon training in three weeks now!

Longer and longer

Just finished what I thought was a short and slow run to find out, thanks to Runkeeper, that it was both long and fast :) Five miles in 56.52, giving me an average pace of 11.26 which I think is extremely good. Especially as I was in Big Red last night! Temperature was 18 degrees, nice and very sunny, back in my Nikes. No nagging aches or pains at all, just a little calf and hamstring soreness on both sides when I finished. All good!

Fastest 5k ever :)

It was the Race for Life in Regent's Park today. Did it in 30:20, a 9.29 pace, despite hills and loads of other people! Nearly killed me though, and I was really gasping for air in the last 500m. I also ran the second half at a negative split: I was 15:30 at the halfway point and managed to run the remainder in 14:50, which I think is pretty impressive. Double that and you come in at 29:40 so I think I am totally capable of a sub 30 - that's the aim for the next one, anyway.

So pleased, slightly because I can concentrate on distance again! I didn't like the experience of so many people - racing is probably not really for me, other than as a way of occasionally assessing performance. I did it in Nikes and my long sleeved black top, was raining and about 14 degrees. I have also found out that doing even a couple of miles in the Inov-8 shoes is too quick for transition, which should take 4 - 6 months. That's best left till after the half then I reckon, these should see me right til then. Knackered but happy!

Getting faster all the time

I went for a post-work run today. I used to hate running in the evenings but I'd been looking forward to this all day. Back is miraculously better (we put the futon mattress on top of the very expensive but too-soft mattress, which is incredibly comfortable) and cold has completely disappeared. Vicks First Defence really can work miracles.

So, Zombie-assisted, I did 3 miles exactly in 29.45 which both Runkeeper and the Zombie app think is 9.55. Under a ten minute mile! Spanked it! I completely sprinted during the two chases but even so - I am thrilled with that. I felt great, too. My right leg is still giving me some gyp, particularly the calf and hamstring now (weirdly not the knee or ankle), so I'll stick to racing and going long on Sunday to the old trusty Nikes and wear these Inov-8s in gently. Weather has been downright peculiar all day - thunder, lightning and very heavy rain interspersed with blue skies and bright hot sunshine. I picked a happy moment between showers, and the weather app tells me it was 17 degrees. I ran today minus sunnies for the first time in ages, and the weather was just right for my green wool t shirt and zoom tights :-)

Easy like Tuesday morning

I was in bed at 8.30pm last night, unheard of. I was so exhausted on the way home from work and feeling really nauseous, so I thought a very early night followed by an early morning might help. I woke up naturally around 5am and stayed in bed lounging until about 6.30, very nice. My back is still fairly stiff and sore, and I didn't want to aggravate it.

I did 2.1 miles in 24 minutes today, a pace of 11.25, so slower than I normally run but this was a recovery day and eeeeeverything hurt. My right calf and knee were achy most of the way around, left heel joined in for a moment, my arms felt like lead. I was in my new Inov-8s so inevitably my feet started aching too. It was just one big ball of ache :-) On the plus side, a) I did it and b) I was barely out of breath at all - enough to sing along to the music playing on my iPhone for most of the time.

Time for a hot and cold shower and off to work. I think I'll try running in the evening tomorrow and see if the extra 8 hours' difference helps in terms of recovery time.

UPDATE: the reason the run was so crappy became apparent at about midday when I came down with a streaming cold. I'm tackling it with Vick's First Defence and Sudafed max strength, which is really helping me through the work day. If I feel okay then I'm running Thursday; if underpar then I'm going to save myself for the race on Saturday. Fingers crossed it's the former!

Week in review, 1 - 8 July 2012

This week I have run approximately 13 miles (didn't chart milage for Monday's nasty attempt but it was around the 3 mile mark) and run four days. I've tried out some new kit (Mizuno top, nice, Zoot tights, nice, Inov-8 shoes, nice but will need some breaking in). I've tried some new routes, now incorporating Herne Hill, and played Zombies with both interval runs and as a long run to collect items to open up new missions. I've sorted out some decent tunes to run to. I've also finally worked out how to stretch correctly and this is, I hope, going to make a difference to my run recovery.

On the downside, I had a horrible Monday run due to nasty hangover; my right knee in particular has been a bit painful, although nothing run-stoppingly bad. I am a bit worried because after showering from my run (using cold water on my legs as recommended by... someone) I twisted my back which did the heartstopping sharp pain thing. I hope it'll go after a proper night's sleep.

So my hopes for next week are:

1. Run intervals on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings
2. Sort myself out a personal best for my 5k on Saturday :)
3. Go long on Sunday - hopefully take it to the five mile mark

I stepped on the scales at 193.75lbs this morning; it'd be an achievement to step on the scales to 192 next Sunday. I need to be better/more careful about food intake this week as well as drinking less booze. Socially, there's the FNM gig on Tuesday night which won't be a big drinking night, and although I'm out with Hani and the cousins on Friday night, the run the next day should keep me focused on minimising the intake. George and Eoin are over Saturday night and then there's the meal with all the guys on Sunday evening. Let's see!

Progress towards goals:

18.25lbs down, 34.75lbs to go.
Hips down from 42" to 39", would like to reduce by another inch to 38"
Waist down from 38' to 35", would like to reduce by another 5 inches to 30"
Bust down from 44" to 39", would like to reduce by another 4 inches to 35"

Am just over one third of the way there.

I went LOOOOONG!

I didn't really fancy it this morning. It was cool (about 16 degrees), drizzly and I was hungover from the BBQ yesterday. However - once I got out there, the drizzle was lovely and cooling. I stuck on Zombies but removed the chase element, which was great, and added a different dimension to the run. I did 4.14 miles in 46.45, making it an 11.16 pace which is about right for my longest run :) Nice route too, down to Gipsy Hill, round the back of Dulwich College, through Dulwich Village, down to Herne Hill and then back along Rosendale Road, finishing at the pub. Ace. Time for stretches!

Cross training

Oh man it is tipping it down here in south east London. So much so our bathroom ceiling is leaking, which is definitely not good.

The rain was making me ponder whether it was worth fitting in a fourth this week; my slightly drink-impaired conclusion was that if it's drizzly or dry tomorrow, I'll try and fit in an easy run (treating today as my hard/long) followed by a long session in the pool, and if it's continuing to come down in biblical proportions then I'll just head straight to the pool and try and swim further than I've gone before. I've now done two 1250m swims and haven't swum in a couple of weeks; if there's no easy run then it's 1500m for me, moving up from 50 to 60 lengths. I also kind of don't want to piss on my own parade for what was a great run today - having a shitty run tomorrow (and I've drunk a lot today at the family BBQ so it's not going to best today) would be somewhat disheartening. Interesting how much my mental attitude matters with training. Training for what is the real question; wedding day or real life?

Ace run

Lovely, lovely run today. I did a 3.2 mile, 5k bounce around West Dulwich in my trendy new togs - Inov-8 225s and a pink Mizuno bib and new longer running tights. Getting used to the shoes will be a process I think, they were pretty comfy but about halfway around my right heel began to ache a little underneath. It went away again but was aching at the back by the end of the run, and my right calf felt a little tight too. However, I ran that mother in 35 minutes at a 10.56 pace which is, I believe, my fastest run to date :) I also evaded three zombies and completed mission 3 :) The weather was great too - 18 degrees, cloudy, with a cloudburst at the 21/4 mile mark which was nice and refreshing. Groovy!

Rethinking training plan

Much, much better run at lunchtime again today, running in 22 degree heat. The blue singlet/knee length short combo is working well now. I ran 2.68 miles in 30 minutes, making it an 11.13 minute mile run which for me is a good increase in speed. Because... I've gone back to Zombies, Run! It made such an impact on my aerobic comfort doing a long one after a couple of sessions of this and I think that is what I should be working on rather than distance, or rather a combination of the two, in the run up to half marathon training. If I do 2 x Zombies, Run! 30 minute interval sessions and one longer run a week, going up in five minute increments, I should be easily running 3 miles twice a week and four once at the start of the programme which is where I'm aiming for. I can keep playing Zombies on my Tuesday runs when I start, too, which I think will help keep me motivated. Very sweaty though, that's what I get for running at lunchtime.

Also - yippee! Have definitely broken the 14st plateau with a very creditable 13st 12.55lbs today! This is a mere 194lbs :)

Spoke too soon

Because today's run was horrible. I did have a hangover which didn't help - I am going to have to massively cut back on the alcohol if I want to make this work. I did 1 x 20 min run with a short walk break (and loo break - note to self, the Crown and Greyhound only has hot water in the ladies, disgusting to drink) then another 10 minutes - it was meant to be 20 but I just ran out of energy. I think it's also partly in my head - my chest wasn't aching and my legs felt fine, I just felt blergh. I also then had a mammoth walk home from North Dulwich as I'd run so far out of the way. Better luck next time...