This is how I do it.

baza1976

Well as the title suggests this is how I'm going to do it.

Do what? ... you may ask. Well as much as possible.

I plan on doing the Limerick marathon in May, Cork in June. WOuld Like to think I could fit in Dingle before Dublin but I'm a realist(and bad at spelling).

About 3 weeks before the Cork marathon 2009 I could feel a twinge in my hamstring but I carried on training and completed the marathon which meant I missed out on Dublin. I missed a lot of the spring summer and autumn with that injury. So I hope to stay injury free for ever:rolleyes:. TO help with this objective I have started to cycle to work it's 9 miles each way. When the evenings and mornings get brighter I can take the direct route to home and work of 7.5 miles each way. I'm hoping to tek up swimming too.

So far I have completed 5 marathons since Dublin 07. In training for that(07) the most I ran was 7.5 miles....... yes I have learned. ...... yes I have learned the hard way. I have finshed in times ranging from 4.57 to 3.44. I will never win a race( my daughter keeps asking me if I will ever win), I want to do my honest best, be through to myself, and not have my running interfer with my wife or 3 kids. So I will try to get out either first thing in the morning before work or late in the evening when the small fella has gone to sleep.

I don't have any fancy gadgets like a gps or heart monitor and so on. I used to use my sons watch but that went missing during the summer so I ususally check the time before i leave and again when i get back. I feel if i invested in the Gadgets I might end up taking things too serious and not enjoy my running as much.

So thats it, thats how i'm going to do it....... do what??? well thats why I'm here.

I'd very much like people to comment as i go along and if you would like this man to feel important you can ask him for advice:D ( i have a feeling I'll be doing all the asking)

baza1976

3 miles. Very icey.

metamorphosis

Hey Bazza - best of luck this year. Im sure we will cross paths sometime soon seeing as were both from limerick.

Ill be doing Limerick myself.

Slogger Jogger

Good luck baza. Had to laugh there as my kids usually ask me 'did you win' when I return from marathons etc. They'll learn.

Do you do munster imra races too? Think I saw your pictures from Keepers hill and some of the imra guys were running there before Christmas?

baza1976

Thanks UL, Yes I'm from Limerick, Don't live there anymore but not too far away all the same. I might see you at the runs being organised by the UL boat club,

Hi SJ, No I haven't done ay IMRA racs yet. But I have met up with a bunch of them that run in various places around. Yes they were up Keeper the Wenseday before Xmas but I couldn't make that but I did head up here myself on Xmas eve and New Years eve.

I've had a look at the roads around here and I'm not too sure If I will get out for a run today.:(

village runner

Best of luck with the new log.

baza1976

Hey I'm back.

I got sick of waiting for the ice to melt so I put some screws in the soles of my old Kayanos at work today and had a nice steady run home. If you want to see a pic have a look at the running on ice thread, I posted a pic up there earlier today.

The run is 9 miles of country roads, very quiet roads at that. If I took the direct route I would have ran 7 miles but really I would have only managed about 1 as the "main road is a small, at times twisty bendy road with no footpath or lights and a million cars racing home.

So yeah 9 miles today in about 1hr 10 at the most, I didn't "clock it", the time that is. Very happy to have got out running.

Total miles this week 9.
Total days running this year 2.

Just finished stretching and foam rolling. All is good

baza1976

I'm on the road again......... That tune kept repeating in my head on my loop this evening. :cool:

So I managed 3 miles. The small lad went to bed at 8 and I did my change into the running gear that would make the man of steel green with envy.

Now if I could make bekle envy my 3 mile run!!!!

Roads were perfect not ice:eek: first time in over 3 weeks, so I didn't need my screw shoes.

Went a "good" clip and enjoyed getting out as I'm not too sure about th weather tomorrow. It is very very cold and if a cloud comes with in range I could be in trouble.

So 3 mile.

Total this week 12
Total this year 15
Total days running this year 3.

RedB

Good luck with the log and the training baza1976.

Keep on trucking .

baza1976

5 miles this evening. Nice an brisk, got the heart pumping. SOme nice hills in this run, which meant it was tough on the way out but handy(ish) on the way back. Watching out for the ice patches which there was very few but that is due change in the next few days so I'm trying to make th most of it.

Foam rolled and stretched.

Total this week 17
Total this year 20
Total days running this year 4

Hey I knw this log ain't so exciting but keep checking in it's early yet and I might surprise you;)

baza1976

3 mile today with some sprints thrown in for good measure. No sign of snow here yet, some flurries but it is very cold. tomorrow is a 10 miler.

Total this week 20
Total this year 23
Total days running this year 5

baza1976

10 miles today in the snow at slower than MP. Really enjoyed this run today. Stretch and foam rolled afterwards.

Total this week 30
Total this year 33
Total days running this year 6

baza1976

4 miles today.

Straight home from work and got special permission from my wife to go and get my run out of the way.
So thanks to my wife I headed out into the lashing rain and gael force wind.
4 8min something miles. Stretch and foam roll.

Tomorrow I'm due to run home from work tomorrow. Hope the weather is kind:o

Total this week 4
Total this year 37
Total days running this year 7

baza1976

So today was running home from work day and that is what I did. WHen the clock was getting near 5pm I was not looking forward to the run. But as my wife had dropped me to work this morning I didn't have a much of a choice....

By the time I changed into th running gear it was just gone 20 past 5. I notices a bit of a stretch in the evening today. I enjoyed the run as I usually do;) and as hoped the weather was kind to me.

Stretched and foam rolled.

Total this week 13
Total this year 46
Total days running this year 8

baza1976

Here I am.

Last night (Tuesday) was my first time running since last Wenseday evening, when I ran 9 miles home from work. For various reasons including work , Family and the cramming for a collage exam I had on Monday were all factors.

I actuall ran on a threadmill for the first time in over 7 years last night. The max speed was 10km/h. After 30 mins of snail pace 5k running I gave up. Jezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz so slow and boring.

This evening is run home from work day again. :cool:

Total this week 3
Total this year 49
Total days running this year 9

baza1976

well as planned I ran home 9 miles. I took it slow(ish) and steady and got home in 72 min. I'm a bit worried that I'm watching the time, as I don't enjoy running when so much when I time myself. I like to be relaxed when running and if I am watching the clock I am not so relaxed.
Felt fine afyer and during the run, I was a bit worried that I would not be comfortable after missing some runs last week.
I carry a gear back on my back with my clothes in it. I put the bag on the scales when I got home and there is 6 pounds of weight there (3 bags of sugar). Nice bit I weight to be carrying for 9 miles I thought. It be only good, cant it!!???!???

So I'm off to foam roll and stretch.
I hope to cycle to and from work tomorrow and hopefully put in a 5 miler when the samll fella is gone to be tomorrow evening.

Total this week 12
Total this year 58
Total days running this year 10

baza1976

Thursday

Was hoping to cycle to work but that didn't happen. Later that evening when the smallest of our 3 went to bed I headed for a run and put 7 miles in.

Saturday
3 miles

Sunday
8 miles
I was up at 8 this morning to go for a run but i was not able mentally to do it. I had my running gear on but to no avail. I eventually got out this evening at 3.30pm. put in 8 miles. I'm well able to do 8 miles if it was in my plan for 18 I'd say something. The motivation is real bad at this time, don't know why. This has never happened before.

After each of the above I foam rolled and stretched.

Total this week 30
Total this year 76
Total days running this year 13

baza1976

Monday


No running today. but I cycled too and from work which is 18 miles. This was my first cycle of the new year.

Tuesday

4 miles in 31min. I felt good on this run, but 1 thing I notice is when running or cycling I have a lot of flem coming up my throat and from my nose. This is happening for a few weeks now, don't know why as when I'm not running or cycling I'm fine!!??!!

Running
Total this week 4
Total this year 80
Total days running this year 14

Cycling
Total this week 18
Total this year 18
Total days cycling this year 1

useurename

im coughing up a lot of stuff at the moment aswell.what can you do?30 miles a week plus cycling is very impressive.best of luck with the training

baza1976

Hi useurename,

I'm thinking the flem and spitting is coming from drinking coffee!!???! So I think I'll cut back a bit on it. I'm still not sure though.

As for the cycling. Well i hope to do more and more of the cycling with my training. I don't intend on doing tri's or anything like that. I'm doing the cycling thing to (hopefully) prevent some injuries. I was due to cycle agin this morning but to honest I got lazy:o. I started to cycle at the end of last October to work and back which is 9 miles either way and I was doing it up to 4 days a week. I wasn't running at this time due to injury.

baza1976

Thursday

Didn't get out for a run yesterday and only just managed to get a run in there this evening. Was late enough leaving the house and put in a "snappy" 5 mile.

Running
Total this week 9
Total this year 85
Total days running this year 15

Cycling
Total this week 18
Total this year 18
Total days cycling this year 1

baza1976

Friday

I was late heading out for a run agin this evening. All my runs are a long rural roads so it's dark with no street lighting, but I wear my high viz vest and my "minors light". 6 miles of hills. I enjoyed the run...yet again.

Saturday

Less than 12 hours after my Friday run I was on the road again. With half a medium size banana and a few glasses of water I was off. I ran 10 miles and really really enjoyed it. There was a few icey patches around but they had all melted hen I was i finshed.

I'm due 16 miles tomorrow but I don't think i will get out for it. My wife is away tonight and won't be back till tomorrow afternoon at the earliest .

My training so far has been scattered at best. I don't think i have put in a full weeks training yet. So i hope to improve that next week. also plan to cycl more, only managed the one day this week.

Running
Total this week 25
Total this year 101
Total days running this year 17

Cycling
Total this week 18
Total this year 18
Total days cycling this year 1

baza1976

Well as I may have mentioned in a previous post I wasn't able to get long run in on Sunday as Ms baza was away "galivanting" . I thought i could sneak out on Sunday evening for 5 or 6 miles but to tell the truth I wasn't feeling up to it as I could feel my sinus playing up:mad:

And true to from I woke up Monday morning with a lump the size of a golf ball sticking out behind my ear. Off to the doc and missed my first day at work since Dec 08. On antibotics now and have to back again in 2 weeks when infection clears up to get a "heart trace" and lung test carried out:eek:

I mentioned here in this log about a week ago that i was coughing and spitting up a lot of phlem only when running. Doc reckons that is part ofthis sinus infection.

Was feeling like sh#t this morning but wnet to work anyway (thats us private service guys for yeah;) )

Earlier this evening I was messing around with a skipping rope that my wife got me a few weeks ago. Kinda getting the hang of it. I think it is a great tool for warming up.

So tonight after the usual routine of putting the small fella to bed I went for a 4miler. I think I did a tempo run I ran fast for long periods then slowed till I got my breath back and repeat, repeat.

Not really used to farleks and tempos and so on i ususally run the way I feel to tell the truth.

Running
Total this week 4
Total this year 105
Total days running this year 18

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 18
Total days cycling this year 1

baza1976

7 miles tonight with the dog. we went around in about 55 min.

did some skipping agian before we left. I wonder if anyone else is trying this??!!!?? as a warm up or even as cross training??? I think it is great.

Running
Total this week 11
Total this year 112
Total days running this year 19

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 18
Total days cycling this year 1

baza1976

Last Monday I was at the doctors for sinus issue. He put me on antibiotics to get rid of infection. But I carried on as per usual and kept running. I hadn't run much on the antibiotics but I think the damage was done well before hand. On Thursday morning I was in a bad way so I decided to stop and wait a few days, so here I am.

Monday

Preped my lunch and breakfast last night and my cycling gear. I was able to take the main road this morning as it is almost bright at that time add in my high viz vest over the gear bag, hi viz jacket. lights back and front plus my trusty miners light I was in safe hands. The main road which is more direct to work than the usual back road measures just over 7 mile.
The cycle home is 9 mile and much mcuh safer at that time of evening.

When I got home the OH parents and sisters were visiting. I took this as an opportunity to sneak out for 4 miles. I felt good all warmed up from the cycle.

Running
Total this week 4
Total this year 116
Total days running this year 20

Cycling
Total this week 16
Total this year 34
Total days cycling this year 2

baza1976

I didn't get any running today:( But I did cycle to work so I not feeling to guilty.

So not much to report other than 16 miles of cycling

Running
Total this week 4
Total this year 116
Total days running this year 20

Cycling
Total this week 32
Total this year 50
Total days cycling this year 3

--amadeus--

Years ago when I boxed I used to skip a lot, it is without a shadow one of the best CV exercises you can do, really intensive. Great for co-ordination as well, I have a good rope kicking about somewhere, I must dig it out...

When you skip what are you doing? Just 5 - 10 mins of steady pace or are you doing it like intervals (3 mins on, 1 min off style)? I assume one would be good for endurance and the other for speed?

baza1976

Hi Amadeus,

Nice to see such an established runner as youself frequent my log:D

Am the skipping. I not the greateest, I still trip up and stuff. I start slowish, and then build up to as fast as I can go. This usually goes on for about 10 min maybe. Till I feel the heart racing and maybe start to sweet. then I know I'm warmed up. Off out the door like a gazelle:cool:

--amadeus--

Not sure I'd call myself established. More like disestablished!

I was like a puppet with tangled strings for months learning to skip. Maybe try slowing it down until you get the rhythm?

Anyhow best of luck with the training, May isn't far away

baza1976

Thanks Amadeus,

Thursday

Cycled to work and back again so there is another 16 mile. Mr Armstrong has nothing to worry about here, but I do go at a "steady pace".

After the little fella went to bed. I quickly changed into the running gear. Skipped for about 10 min. Next thing I know it's gone 8.30pm.
Off out the door and 6 hilly miles later I'm back. Stretched but no foam roll tonight:o

I was tired this morning but I still cycled to work. Glad I did now:D

Running
Total this week 10
Total this year 122
Total days running this year 21

Cycling
Total this week 48
Total this year 66
Total days cycling this year 4

baza1976

Friday

So I started for the 4th time in a row this week by cycling to work and back = 16 mile. I was very tired this morning and I was very tempted to drive to work. I'm nearly sure the car beeped and flashed it's head lights as I cycled to work

Came home as you do had yet another excellant dinner thanks to Mrs Baza..

Put small fella to bed around 8.30ish. Off for a run bout 10min later. I warmed up again by skipping. 3 miles later all was over as I arrived back home. I must say I am tired now. I now the running miles are low but there is a lot of hilly cycling in there, with still 2 more days of running only left.

Running
Total this week 13
Total this year 125
Total days running this year 22

Cycling
Total this week 64
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

baza1976

Saturday:

3 miles today ahead of a long run tomorrow.


Running
Total this week 16
Total this year 128
Total days running this year 23

Cycling
Total this week 64
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

baza1976

Sunday

Long run today, 18miles in about 2hrs 35min or 40 min. I don't carry a watch with me for head wrecking purposes, but I had quick look et the clok a fewmin before I left and again when I got back. It was a very hilly 18 mile on the footsteps of the Silvermines, and a lovely day to boot. I have an ach in my right hamstring now, hop it nothing serious. I have been stretching since I finshed run and will do some foam roll later. Plus, with tomorrow being a rest day, some more stretching and foam rolling should sort it

Over all I'm happy(ish) witht his week work. I got to ccyle to work 4 out the 5 days, but I did miss a day running.

Running
Total this week 34
Total this year 146
Total days running this year 24

Cycling
Total this week 64
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

baza1976

Well this is it for the time being. I got some bad news on Monday. I don't know if you have read through my posts but back about 2 weeks ago I went to the doctors for my sinus. They were killing me at the time with Lumps behind my ears and headaches that would make me question myself if I was drinking or the night before!!!!

So I finished my antibiotics last Thursday I think ,and was due to head back to the doctor on Monday just gone for check up. He told me the last day I was in with my sinus he wanted to check for exercise induced asthma. So he was going to give me a lung test and take a "snap picture" of my heart. Was not sure what he meant by that so I went anyway. The snap picture he was taking was an ECG. I felt fine during this, it took only bout 5 min or so. then the lung test. This also took a few min. Grand I thought, I'll be back at work in min.
Sitting in the waiting room for a few min waiting for the Doc to call me into his office. In I go. He can't look at me and keeps his head down as he is asking me about the running I have done and about recent running. hen he asks if anyone in the family have had heart issues, and how often do I get heart palpitations (spelling). He goes on to tell me my lungs are in excellent shape but my ECG has shown up abnormalities!!!!!:eek: And that he is referring me to a Cardiologist. My Doctor said it looks like "electrical signals are firing when they shouldn't be firing/

Total shock for the next two days. How could this be!!???!!?? I have completed 5 marathons in since Oct 2007, ran countless miles over that time in all terrain and conditions, Have played sports since I was 6 (34 since 1st of Jan). I was always the most active player in any team sport I played, always running and chasing down the opposition............ Surely if my heart had a problem I would have dropped by now!!???!!??

So Now, no running, not until I get cleared from the Doc. I have a Wife and 3 kids to consider.
Am I being selfish when I say that when I meet the Cardiologist, he will tell me that it's ok???

SO the right thing to do now is stop running and wait to see.

SO if anyone is reading this go get an ECG. Tell your Doc you do XXX amount of running and for peace of mind you would like an ECG. It really only takes 5 mins.

I'll update here when I know more.

useurename

hey baza that is some scary news you are after getting.hope the cardiologist gives you the all clear.like you said you have done marathons and sports allyour life so hopefully the abnormality is not too serious.mind yourself and please god the cardiologist gives you good news.

Blueskye

Scary. Hope it all turns out ok. My dad is always telling me to go get an ECG from the doc and I keep putting it off. Fingers crossed it's good news and that you see the cardiologist soon.

RedB

Hang tough Baza. Hopefully its only a minor thing. Better getting it checked out anyway so that you know you'll have a clean bill of health afterwards.

Krusty_Clown

+1 Baza. Fingers crossed it's just an alarm bell, and turns out to be a minor problem. Hopefully you'll be back hitting the road in no time.

baza1976

Thanks for the kind words everyone, means a lot to me believe me.

Well I called the cardiologists office this morning. Apparently I gave the wrong mobile number on Monday I said 087 instead of 086.

So I'm off on Monday to see him, which is good news as the wait was driving me mad. I'm getting an echo thing done and a stress test on a thread mill

So I'll know more then.

baza1976

Update,

Went to see the Cardiologist on Monday. I got my ECG done again, also had an Echo Cardiograph carried out and a stress test. My heart looks "good" and my resting heart rate was 45!!!!! But the abnormalities showed up, WPW http://www.irishheart.ie/iopen24/wolffparkingsonwhite-syndrome-t-80.html is what I have been diagnosed with. It's basically an extra electrical pathway in the heart. The Doc said it would cause major complications in later life if it was not found. So he tells me I will have to head to the big smoke for an overnight stay where my heart will "mapped" and the extra electrical signal that is there, will be terminated.

He also told me it has nothing to do with running but it is hereditary so I am in the process of spreading the word to Family. DOc also said that I can continue my running, but try not be breaking any world records.

I went for a nervous run last night, 4 mile. I didn't enjoy this run at all. I took my time hardly broke, bout 9 min miles, but was very nervous. I won't be doing any fartleks or intervals for now just mono pace for the time being. I might go for a 7 miler tonight, but I'm not too pushed about running at the moment to tell the truth.

But lads, I don't want to sound like a broken record: you spend alot of money on runners and gps watches. Is it not worth it to spend a fraction of this at your GP and have an ECG carried out??

Running
Total this week 4
Total this year 150
Total days running this year 25

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

RedB

Forewarned is forearmed alright Baza. Good catch by you and your GP for getting a handle on it now rather than later. Heart problems are big issues for Irish people in general so yeah, an annual checkup is the least we should do. I know its not a priority now but I hope you get your mojo back on the running front in a while. Mind yourself.

DustyBin

Good to hear you're ok baza
Like RedB says, hope you get your mojo soon - but you know not to push it too quick
I've never been for a medical, but from reading your post last week I had a chat with one of the lads I do my long runs with at the weekend and between your first hand experience and his replies it's defo something I need to get a handle on and quick
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience, and hope it all comes together again for you soon

MarieC

Wow Baza thank God you found out about this before it was too late, and as others have said, thanks for sharing your story. It must have been some fright to hear that news but how lucky you to be hearing before its too late.

All the best anyway

baza1976

Hey guys Thanks for the positives:D

Marie,

I see from the UL results you finished 3rd!!!!!:cool: well done, excellent work.

So I feeling a bit better of the last few days running. I did 7 miles on Thursday and 6 more hilly ones tonight. I took the dog with me both nights, he misses the running more than me lol.
I started each run with about 10min of skipping and finished with stretching and foam rolling. I'm still not at ease and thinking all the time about n ot pushing too hard, but I'm not as bad as i was on Tuesday night.

Running
Total this week 17
Total this year 163
Total days running this year 27

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

baza1976

4 miles this morning, felt tired during this run. Went swimming with my daughter for 2hrs before rushing home to catch the match.

Running
Total this week 21
Total this year 167
Total days running this year 28

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

baza1976

18 miles today. felt good through out. Last 8 miles were very hilly. Came home in 2hr 45min. I happy with to tell the truth as at no stage did i exert myself. Had to phone home after 10 mile to let everyone know I was ok.

Running
Total this week 39
Total this year 185
Total days running this year 29

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

baza1976

4 miles with my trusty dog. home/foamed rollled/stretched/

I think I'm starting to relax when running again:) .

Running
Total this week 4
Total this year 189
Total days running this year 30

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

baza1976

Wednesday
yet another 4 miles, for some reason I thought I was due an 8 miler!!??!! But when I checked it turned out to be 4 miles. So after a bit of skipping to warm up I headed off out the door with the dog. 1/2 hr later I was back home to stretch and foam roll.

Running
Total this week 8
Total this year 193
Total days running this year 31

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5

MarieC

Hi baza1976. You sound v.content and as if you are enjoying your running so thats good to hear. Any races coming up or what is your next target?

baza1976

Hi Marie,

Yeah I more relaxed over than last few runs. I was a bit nervous about heading out for my long run last Sunday. I had a chat with my wife before I left the house.
I'm still waiting for the call from the cardiologist to sort out the WPW.

Thanks for asking

baza1976

Thursday

8 miles tonight. Was a brillant night in the country side. I ran a lot of it with out my miners light on, only switching it when a car was approching in the distance. Again I foam rolled and stretched when I got home.

Friday

A fast(ish) 3 miler tonight. This was a loop around the outside of the village.

Running
Total this week 19
Total this year 204
Total days running this year 33

Cycling
Total this week 0
Total this year 82
Total days cycling this year 5