Natural Born Quitter

southofnowhere

Right, time to start a training log.

First off the title - it refers to many plans and subsequent failed attempts at fitness (among other things!) in some form or other.

The latest effort (before this) was last autumn when good intentions finally got the better of me and I got out running after years of becoming weaker and fatter behind a desk.

It ended in a really bad case of shin splints, followed by a few months of returning back beyond square one. On reflection I was guilty of too much, too soon (bit of over enthusiasm) and not listening to my body.

I also truly didn't understand how terribly unfit and weak I am. Now I do.

On a positive note, I started again recently. Did one of those ubiquitous off your lazy ass to 5k programmes. It's been tough at times, but I have really enjoyed the runs, getting to 5k early.

I'm carrying bout an extra stone/stone and a half. Progress has been slow, but it's a while since my first 1.5 mile run knocked the stuffing out of me.

Learning as I go - with the aid of the forum, some great stuff in there. Started looking at the logs this week too (very helpful/interesting), which is why I decided I should start one.

Anyway, I'm almost 28, male and, as of next week I shall be training for the Strawberry Half Marathon in Enniscorthy in June.

Figure I needed a goal, so why not be ambitious? And, to be honest, and predictable, if I manage that I'd love to have a crack at the Dublin City Marathon this year.

Motivation is not currently an issue. Major problems I need to address - a terrible diet and lack of strength. I know what I need to do and will start this week now that running has commenced (not doing everything at once and having it all end in tears and wispas was part of my sensible strategy this time around!).

Shin splints are always an issue, but resting properly and stretching will ward them off, please God. Three runs a week is my limit right now.

So in April I will begin the Hal Higdon Half Marathon novice plan leading up to the Strawberry Half Marathon - seems impossible right now given how I feel a mile in to most runs, but I am feeling optimistic nonetheless!

Tomorrow I will be going for a long, slow run. Well all my runs are slow (my one pace is still 'Jesus Christ, just keep going'), but this one will be long for me. Four whole miles.

Sorry for going on!

southofnowhere

Changed my planned slow four mile run today cos I felt good!

Sun was shining, nice sea breeze, so I said why not try run a quick 5km, seeing as I never did a race at the end of the training programme.

Flat and gentle declines to 4km point and then gentle incline to finish. Tough at start, but felt better towards end.

Got it done in just under 25 minutes pushing myself, which I am happy with. Then I headed out onto the beach itself and (with a strong sea breeze at my back) jogged a pleasant three km back to my car.

For the first time had stuff ready there to get into me to refuel and I think this has also contributed to what was an enjoyable outing.

Have twinges and aches in the lower legs, but then I always do. Won't know 'til tomorrow morning really what (if any) damage I did!

Will decide then, based on how they feel, whether to go out Tuesday or Wednesday night. If Wednesday, I'll do some cross training on Tuesday night instead.

southofnowhere

Legs weren't so bad tonight, so I headed out on the pavement for a three mile run.

First time out in the rain so far - strangely for this country of ours! Aiming to do it in under 30 minutes and got there with 25 seconds to spare (even if I did have to kick on towards the end!).

Felt good tonight, still struggling to a varying extent on all my runs, but I'm struggling less I reckon.

I could just feel that little bit more in the tank tonight, I don't know if it's just confidence from Sunday's run or what.

It was 'only' three miles, and slow ones at that, but up to a couple of weeks ago three miles had been my aim in training. Looking forward to Thursday now!

girvtheswerve

Best of luck with the training man. Looks like we're at about the same level and starting training logs at the same time so ill be keeping an eye on your progress!

southofnowhere

Woke up with a bloody Achilles strain in my left foot. Not too bad, but can really feel it. And I thought last night had gone well.... I just can't go near the bloody roads it seems. Even for three poxy miles.

Anyway, going to try be clever here for once. Last year I ignored oncoming shin splints and it was a disaster in the end. Going to give tomorrow night's planned run a miss for sure and see how I feel at the weekend for Sunday's planned run.

Still, silver lining of sorts, I realised running three days, resting four, is not enough to build a strong base for a half marathon so I went to the gym for some cross training.

Did half hour on bike, went off and stretched for a while, then did another half hour. 20 km in total at easy level. Might go back tomorrow and look at getting a weights routine together.

Anything to distract myself from being stupid and going for a run... Pissed off, but hoping this won't last long.

southofnowhere

Achilles still sore, couldn't run today, tried a few light jogs in vain, but I may just get this looked at now. It's getting worse since I was out Tuesday, How, I don't know. Frustrating doesn't even come close to describing my feelings right now.

Took the dog for a walk instead today so I'm counting that as cross training! Seriously though, it was an absolute killer walking around today, which was the best of the year for running by some distance.

Sun was shining, nice and warm, but a cool breeze... I was absolutely sickened. Was just dying to cut loose.

Anyway, 13 weeks to the half marathon, my 12 week training plan has to start this week as I will miss a week in the middle. Going out Tuesday night for an easy three miles - it will be a week since my last run at that point.

I don't care how much it hurts by then, no way can I leave it more than a week, I'm only at the 5km stage and it's a long way to 21km.

LionelNashe

Good luck with the training, South: 5k in 25min is a good pace.
On the Achilles strain, how old are your runners? During one past attempt to get fit I was limping for days between jogs, and I realise now that the £20 pumas that were a couple of years old when I started jogging were probably the problem.

southofnowhere

Thanks LionelNashe, think the runners are okay. Ya, felt I had got to an okay pace on the short distances, hence my desperation to keep going, so......

Went for some myopractic muscle therapy tonight - torture! ****ed now, including my arms - from bracing myself and gripping the table, big baby eh?!

An hour of unending pain, all for my own good of course. Seems my right leg was 25 mm (that's an inch to you and me) shorter than the left, which was leading to all sorts of problems.

Also all muscles were very badly contracted from hips down. Said I was a recipe for serious injury, torn hamstrings etc, if I kept going unchecked. Was very surprised to hear I hadn't lower back pain too.

Anyway, said he's going to sort me, but I can't go back running 'til after third visit at least. And there has to be five days between visits or else he'll just be working on bruises from the last day.

I'm upset that I'm sidelined for at least two weeks, but hopeful that this will make me stronger, more injury proof long-term and I'm now planning on getting going on my diet and maybe some upper body strength work so I keep my momentum in some shape or form.

southofnowhere

Second session tonight, he reckons my legs are getting better and are now pretty much equal in length. which is great.

Still got lot of pain in Achilles so he focused on that area tonight - pleasant it wasn't.

Hope it begins to come right soon, getting anxious now I'll be right back to square one, struggling to do a couple of miles slowly,

After a week of mainly eating lots of junk and feeling sorry for myself, I finally got some cross training in last night. Did 30 km slowly on the exercise bike, easy level.

The whole diet and weights plan is still on hold!

Plan to get into gym again (and do some rowing with cycling this time) over the weekend and will definitely be heading for a long walk. Third session next Thursday, just praying my foot starts to heal now.

southofnowhere

Woke up with less pain than I've had, first time I can say that since I hurt myself. Hopefully, I can say it every day now and get back running soon.

Did another 30 km spin on the exercise bike today.

dolliemix

Hope you're ready to get back running soon! I'm enjoying reading your progress!

claralara

Sorry to hear about the injury but good work on the cross training in the meantime! I thought I'd never be able to walk again after my back went into spasm playing tag rugby about a year ago and it was horrible. Bit of physio, TLC and patience got me back on track though! You still have plenty of time until the strawberry...thank god (for me anyway!!:D)

southofnowhere

Thanks for the encouragement, it's badly need at the moment!

Did an hour of cross training earlier, ten minutes rowing, forty on the exercise bike and ten minutes on the rower again to finish off.

Took it handy enough. Third session at the myopractic clinic on Thursday evening so I'm hoping to God for a run of some sort this weekend.

If I don't get out this weekend and get back into my stride quickly I'll never make the Strawberry Half - will be a struggle now even if I do get going at the weekend.

Otherwise, I'm getting way too much food and not enough sleep!

southofnowhere

Another hour of cross training. Losing my mind.

southofnowhere

Did another hour earlier/last night. Just took it easy in the bike. 30 km.

Third session at myopractic clinic at 11 a.m. Will rest up after it, stay off the beer tomorrow night (probably, maybe, hopefully) and get out onto the beach on Sunday for my first run since March 23.

That's the plan anyway. Have not given up on this Half Marathon yet, as unlikely as it's now looking.

claralara

Chin up and keep plugging away!

Good luck with the physio, rest up for the afternoon and go enjoy a beer tonight!!

Then at some stage tomorrow do a slow easy 20 min run on the beach. Take it easy and build it back up again. You still have plenty of time. Strawberry is 11 weeks away - plenty of people seem to go from nothing to half in 12 weeks and you already have a base!

Just got my timetable for my final set of professional exams and they start the monday after the strawberry so I don't know what i'll do now. I'll have to have a think!! I'll keep training anyway!

southofnowhere

That's bad timing alright claralara, but when you're hitting the books hard the running will become even more beneficial.

I guess the race itself is the issue for you, but you could always be home in the early afternoon to hit the books!

Even God took a break from work on the seventh day

Very rough session again earlier, but he says I'm improving every time - I better be!

Got the all clear to come back slowly and surely so I'm delighted with that. So I will be heading to the beach tomorrow, hope it's as nice as today.

Funnily, I'm excited, but also nervous about how hard I'm going to find it, been so long since I ran. And nervous that I won't be right after - that would be a crushing blow.

Ah positive thinking! Back to Real Madrid-Barcelona now and a few beers later. Carbo loading I think I'll call it.

southofnowhere

Oh, and best of luck to everyone in Connemara tomorrow!

southofnowhere

Back in action.

Couldn't have wished for a better day for my comeback run, after a long three weeks on my ass going mad to get out.

Was truly beautiful. Went to the beach and probably went out a bit hard, a combination of pent up frustration at not getting out, the weather, running with music (which I hadn't been doing previously).

But I quickly slowed down! Not exactly fighting fit. Did five miles in around 40 minutes, with some wind assistance.

Nice and flat, plenty of sand so please God (and whoever else) I won't wake up tomorrow having aggravated something. Couldn't hack it. Muscles a little sore now, but I presume that's to be expected after three weeks out. It's the tendons in my lower legs that I need to worry about.

If all goes well for me that was my first 'long' run of 11 leading up to the Strawberry Half.

southofnowhere

I put the S back in LSR today.

First run since last Sunday's, which left me with muscle soreness for days because I went pretty much as fast as I could after three weeks out and the day after my session at the myopractic clinic. Stupid.

So did nothing all week, but back out today and did five miles again, this time I did in 52 minutes. That's 12 minutes slower. Still, I was fairly tired at the end of it.

Such a beautiful day and nice run. Surely will avoid problems now having gone at that pace. Going to try get smarter about my training.

One thing that happened today, I don't know if it's the pace or what, but I got some nasty chafing. Not nice at all!

Going to try start eating right tomorrow. Plan to run every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from here on in.

southofnowhere

Monday: rest

Tuesday: 30 minutes easy (no idea of distance, not far)

Wednesday: 5 km - easy, hard, easy, hard, easy in terms of kilometres, did it under 30 minutes. Then walked for a while and jogged last km to car.

Next week might try for three hard and two easy splitting them.

southofnowhere

Thursday: Went to the gym for a bit of strength training.

First time lifting a weight in a long, long time. I'm weak as feck, which will be a problem as I up my meagre distances.

So didn't overdo it, light weights, not too many exercises or sets, but it's a start!

Viva la Revolution!

southofnowhere

Friday: No time so hopped out of the car and ran for it!

Short loop, was hoping for 15 mins fast (for me!) and 15 mins easy, managed about 22 minutes fast. Prob somewhere between four and five km, closer to four!

Just wanna lend my encouragement. Good reading Best of luck!

southofnowhere

Went for my long run in glorious sunshine today and managed my first ever continuous 10 km run.

A not to so great time of 59:53. But it's less than an hour!

Delighted to have finally got that far anyway.

Have pains in all the wrong places now as far as previous injuries are concerned.

Breaks my heart. In fact I could have kept going today only I knew it would have meant another three weeks laid up probably.

And a lower leg transplant is probably out of the question! Still, progress is being made!

dolliemix

10k in under an hour! Thats my dream!:D

Well done!

southofnowhere

Monday: rest

Tuesday: Knackered today. Legs like lead.

Struggled through 5km in 29.35, took a walking break and the struggled through 1.5 km in 9.07.

Was going to do 5 km tomorrow, three fast km split by two slower ones, but I'm shattered and my legs are very heavy.

Might stretch them out and go for a walk, postpone the fast running till Thursday.

girvtheswerve

Fair play on doing the ten k. Good to do longer distances and feel like you're getting some where with your training.

Might be a good idea to take a day off if you're tired. You dont want to aggravate any injuries by overtraining.

southofnowhere

Took the rest yesterday anyway and went out tonight.

Good idea. Few niggles in lower legs/feet, but overall I felt up to a run - unlike the last few days.

Forgot to charge the Garmin, so I worked on time, doing five minutes slow first and the five minutes of what I reckon might be my 5k pace.

I repeated this four times and then one last slow 5 mins to finish.

So 45 mins running/jogging in all. I'm guessing I did around 7/8 km.

Thinking of doing this: http://lecheileac.blogspot.com/2010/04/le-cheile-5k-road-race.html

Would be my first ever race. Got to start somewhere though and it would be good to get my first PB

claralara

Great to see you back up and at it. Definitely go for that race. You're well able for it!

southofnowhere

Didn't get out for my planned LSR yesterday as I was ill, just a bug.

Woke up felling okay this morning so off I went to the beach, where there was a nice sea breeze and glorious sunshine.

Did 13 km in 1 hour 16 minutes, three kilometres more than last week, so I'm delighted with that.

Ran with someone today and I found that really helped, but unfortunately that was just a once off (we're 100 miles apart generally). Was at a pace where we could chat away.

Still though, the fact that my last two LSRs were the furthest I've ever run on each occasion is a great boost, while today was my first time spending over an hour on my feet - hope to God I don't pay for it tomorrow.

Going to walk the dog later, hopefully that will help my recovery.

southofnowhere

In a lot of pain after Monday's long run, no muscle soreness which is good obviously, just the usual tendon trouble - and then some.

Went for a run anyway tonight because I felt I needed to do something before Saturday's 5k.

Did 5k. I started off slow enough and in pain, but I quickened the pace out of sheer stubborness and finished in around 25 minutes.

Might hop on the exercise bike tomorrow and/or Friday for short spins, but may try let the legs recover now.

So pissed off with this right now it's unreal, I really want to run now and get fit, but I just keep getting hurt.

southofnowhere

Legs still killing me, gone from looking forward to Saturday's 5k to kind of dreading pounding the concrete.

Anyway, did 15km on the exercise bike tonight before heading back to work.

dolliemix

Hey hope you're feeling better tomorrow and your legs can run for you on Sat!

southofnowhere

So I have completed my first race. It's only 5k (felt bad after reading all those half marathon reports just now!), but I'm still happy out.

I had fairly bad shin splints coming into it, but I was determined to do it anyway. Went up to Leixlip with a friend for the Le Cheile 5k. Beautiful day and well done to the club on a really well organised event.

With the adrenaline etc and first race excitement the shin splints quickly became an afterthought! I set out too fast altogether and got to the 1k marker in four minutes.

But I kept pushing myself and as it was my first race I didn't realise the extra bit you find from competing compared to training!

I was working my way forward nicely by trying to catch people ahead. I was succeeding until about 3km in when I started to tire. Course was good and not tough, but the headwind was fairly tough!

But I rowed in with another runner and we stuck together for the last 1.5k to the track for a 500m lap. (Nice fella, I had a chat with him after when I thanked him for his help and encouragement, as he was also geeing me up when I was starting to wane).

He kicked on when we reached the track, but I just didn't have anything in my legs for a kick of any sort. About four people passed me on that final lap, which was a bit disheartening, but that's what I get for setting off like a madman!

Crossed the line in 20.49, which exceeded my expectations. I ran as fast as I possibly could on the day, so no regrets.

Plenty of chocolate and cakes afterwards! Then we went out last night and that particular celebration of our athletic prowess lasted til around 6 a.m. 20 minutes running followed by eight hours of drinking - now that's proper training!

This afternoon when I re-emerged I could really feel my shins, so I kind of knew it was time to rest them. Decided I would focus on cross training till next weekend. Five days rest should be very beneficial. How wise.

BUT... sure if you're doing nothing till next weekend then why not get in your LSR? You'll still get the five days.... Fuelled by a fry, chocolate and sunshine I went out and did 12k in 1 hour 10 minutes this evening.

I was tired, but it was good to do it. My legs really are very sore now so the self prescribed rest will follow. I realise this was probably very stupid, but if I went back a few hours I would do the same again.

I've been threatening to sort out my diet and start some weight training for ages now anyway (then doing nothing) so hopefully if I throw myself into that it will distract me from not running. I'm sure I would speed up anyhow if I lost the gut and wasn't so weak!

Other firsts apart from my first race this weekend.

First blisters (tops of two toes)

First time falling while running (did a neat Indiana Jones style tumble running down a hill at the beach)

Sorry for going on!

dolliemix

lol at your eventful two days! I don't know how you managed the 12k so soon after race and all night session!

Great time on the 5k. Congrats

claralara

Well done on the race - great time!! Bet you weren't expecting that after your hard couple of injury ridden weeks. Well done for keeping at it. Onwards and upwards now eh?? Make sure to rest up now for a few days for now though!

southofnowhere

Have been eating like a pig and haven't lifted anything heavier than a big quarter pounder.

Another cross training/diet addressing plan ruined. So after two days of sloth I just had to go out tonight for my sanity (such as it is).

Shin splints were quite sore (and I will be in bits tomorrow), but I just ran through it, find pushing myself hard helps distract me.

Got through the first 5k in around 23 minutes, then faded/eased off and ended up doing the 8k loop in 43.35.

southofnowhere

Stopped off for a jog on the way home, up some trail I'd been told about but never ventured near before.

Surface was hard and legs were sore, but it was an interesting kind of run because I didn't know the area at all.

No Garmin, so no clue how far, took 30 minutes though, so judging by pace it was probably around 5k.

dublinrunner

Enjoying the log, keep up the good work! So hard to diet when ur running...well for me anyway cos i just get so hungry all the time!!:)
Your 5km times are so speedy!

southofnowhere

Half an hour on the exercise bike and a bit of a stretch this evening.

Woke up with a bit of problem this morning, very sore left foot, right along the bottom of it.

Self diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis so far, it is sore to walk on, but on the bright side is distracting me from the shin splints.

I shouldn't have run up that hill last night. Also shouldn't have broken my own rules and done runs on consecutive days: Sat/Sun and Wed/Thu.

Over enthusiasm and stupidity are a potent cocktail though. Hope to be able to get out Sunday, when I'm planning my first ever 10 mile LSR.

I don't mean to be complaining by the way, things are going okay, I just can't seem to get pain/injury free at all, and I can't afford to rest at this very early stage of my training.

Thanks Dublin Runner, I eat like a horse and have a serious sweet tooth, but I'm not too concerned about the weight really because if I can start marathon training it should take care of itself as I ramp up the miles - hopefully!

RayCun

Not to put you off, but if you're feeling sore now from running 2x2 consecutive runs this week, is Sunday the best time for your first 10 mile run? You can always afford to rest - sometimes it's better than the alternative.

southofnowhere

Thanks for the advice RayCun, I know you're right. You'll see from my log though that I'm a bit of a fool!

Still I really want to do my first 10k the weekend after this, so maybe I should lay off for this weekend and aim to get a couple of runs in between Mon - Fri before the 10k on Saturday?

What kind of runs they would be I have no idea. I'm kind of looking forward to starting the Hal Higdon novice programme so I'm not as subject to my mad flights of fancy for a while.

RayCun

Higdon also has a Spring training plan, which basically builds up to the point where the marathon programme starts. You could maybe do that, starting a few weeks from the end? But anyway, if you're doing a race next weekend I'd say there's no point in really pushing yourself before then - do a few easy runs to keep yourself ticking over, with a couple of days rest before the race.

dolliemix

Hey there

I got shivers reading about the pain in the soul of your foot. I had plantar facsitus two years ago and its awful! I hope you don't have it! Between that and the shin spits sounds like you need to get looked at by a physio.

Hopefully you'll be feeling better in a few days

southofnowhere

Thanks Dolliemix. Appointment next Wednesday. Finally given in to reason. particularly after getting some good advice/reading some cautionary tales on here. I'm not running til late next week at best now.

Had been really looking forward to having a crack at ten miles tomorrow, but I'll get there soon enough. If I do it out of madness I could do serious damage.

Anyway. to do something semi- productive I went to the gym earlier and ran through a whole heap of different resistance exercises to see how they felt, what weights I should be using etc

I'm in awful shape, way too weak for most decent body weight exercises :rolleyes: It was an eye opener for sure. But I have loads of other ones sorted now, just did on set of them all, so it was kind of a full body workout in the end.

So I'm going to try split the various body parts now (in theory!) and do three sets of each exercise I did today during the workouts. Will aim to do three sessions a week (getting core and leg work into two of those sessions). I'll also tip away on the exercise bike all going well.

I guess if I could strengthen up my legs, particularly my calves, then I wouldn't be getting so many problems from impact down there? Or is it simply the way I am? I don't know. Getting stronger can only be a good thing though.

Trying to stay upbeat. Legs still very sore, but I know they'll be right in a couple of weeks....

dolliemix

Hope you'll be ok soon. You're great to get stuck into the weights straight away. Your strength should improve in no time.

If you want to keep up a bit of cardio cycling has minimal impact, depending on your injury. I was also able to use the cross-trainer but I know not everyone could.

Good luck!

dublinrunner

Hope the niggles get sorted out at the physio! its so annoying for you to have to put up with that at the start of your training, cos i know for me the training is tough enough on its own!!!
Best of luck with the weights etc!

southofnowhere

Not done any running since. and the weights and the diet didn't take.

Been seen and assessed. Shin splints need rest, calf muscles are incredibly tight and will need serious looking after when I go back running.

Sounds like the stretching will take longer than the running. Also i may have to attack myself with one of these rolling pin devices!

I'm off on holiday tomorrow until Wednesday week so i will do as I'm told and rest. At least I'll be distracted, been feeling a bit crap since I stopped getting out for runs.

Want to get back in plenty of time to start Hal Higdon's novice marathon programme.

dublinrunner

Hey, hope ur not feeling too bad, i know its weird when u stop running you feel really sluggish and stuff, but in the long run it will do you well to rest the legs, you'll be back fighting fit and fresh in no time! Theres still a full 5 months before the DCM, its better to have time out now rather than later!! Enjoy your holiday, plenty of R and R! hope its somewhere sunny, mind you ireland could count as that at the min!!

DigiJem

Sorry about your injury, but enjoy your holiday, and rest up those shins. You've still got plenty of time to get back on track with the marathon programme.