Moving Forward Faster

blockic

Time for a boards log comeback. With the recent injury woes and even being mentally drained from taking one step forward and two steps back with my running for quite a while now I felt the need to distance myself from both running and boards for a while. Feeling refreshed from the break and Boston a week away its time to make a return.:)

I will update the training in detail this week but to summarise it has been a pretty quiet last 4 weeks where I have run approx. twice weekly. Nothing more than 5/6 miles easy for the most part. Have also hoped on the bike in the gym a couple times a week (yes, a bike!)

End of last month I ran the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in downtown Chicago in 31:30 (work rivalries making me run faster that I should have) which then knocked me out with the foot for about 5 days afterwards.

The top of the foot would flare up about two miles into each run, be sore for a couple of days and then OK again so I repeated that cycle on about four occasions before realizing I had to get it seen to.

Got it checked out last week and it was diagnosed as tendinitis on the upper foot/ankle. Good news is I was given the all clear to jog Boston (which will probably take me as much effort as racing it now!) so this has given me a little bit of excitement as there was a point in the last 4 weeks where I thought I might not be able to even make the start.

So this past weekend I managed a 10 miler at 7:30 pace and 5 miler yesterday and came through relatively unscathed. So think I’ll get through it OK. Looking forward to the weekend now and catching up with old and new boardsie acquaintances!

Once I cross the finish line this time next week I will consider it a successful outing, regardless of time!

Good to be back round these parts.

AuldManKing wrote: »

Bad luck Blocky, must be some underlying reasons for the spate of injuries??

Ya, I've pinned it on something you are very familiar with. Old age. :pac:

On a serious note, my form has never been the greatest, exposing many weak points!

tang1 wrote: »

Hows the body now J? Any improvement?

Thanks tang for the note!

tang1

Good stuff, great to see you back & you have gotten to the bottom of the injury woes. Nice to be able to do Boston in some capacity to.

blockic

Picking up from where I last let off I am going to give a pretty quick summary!
No runs for the remainder of the week I picked up my latest injury.

Might be a few quick posts here!

Week Mileage Summary – W/E March 15th
Monday|Tuesday|Wednesday|Thursday|Friday|Saturday|Sunday
7m|7m|10m|Rest|Rest|Rest|Rest

Week Total|Month to Date|Year to Date
24m|90.5m|387.9m

blockic

Monday March 16th
4.5 miles recovery / 8:53 average pace

Was supposed to take a few more days off but there was a surprising early spring day with summer temperatures so had to take advantage of it.

Met two total opposite runners on the route, one had a tracksuit pants and top on still not believing it could possible warm up and could not let go of wearing layers of clothing, the other totally topless taking maximum advantage of the warmth, that said it was only about 12c!

Still remember this day vividly as it was like the city population was at the exit gates of a prison after serving the life sentence that is winter! People were not sure what to do and took the first step to freedom with extreme caution! That being said the whole 3 million population took the step that day!

The foot was pretty ok on this one.

Wednesday March 18th
7 miles easy / 8:03 average pace

The running club I am with here is known as TTAU or Track and Trough Athletic Union. The track part is self-explanatory, but the trough is quite famous in the city with runners as it is the only supply of running water on the lake shore path that is running all year round as most others are frozen up over the winter.

Will take a picture of it the next time im there but basically on this run I ran to the trough and back which is about 3 miles each way from my abode.

Leg flared up a little on the last 3 miles of this one so lead to a few more days rest.

Week Mileage Summary – W/E March 22nd
Monday|Tuesday|Wednesday|Thursday|Friday|Saturday|Sunday
4.5m|Rest|7m|Rest|Rest|Rest|Rest

Week Total|Month to Date|Year to Date
11.5m|102m|399.4m

blockic

Monday March 23th
30 min gym bike / 6 miles

Back on a bike so get some exercise in without stressing the foot. It’s a bad situation when you see me get up on a bike!

Wednesday March 25th
5.5 miles easy / 8:02 average pace

Jogged from home on this one down to the Fleet Feet running store to pick up a few bits. During my injury it was very frustrating seeing people out running as the weather was starting to change at this point and runners started to come out of the woodwork.

The frustrating part was suffering through the runs during the rough winter when only the dedicated were out running, and now that the weather started to change and the softer folk starting appearing, I was unable to take advantage of it. Grrr.

blockic

Sunday 29th March

Chicago Shamrock Shuffle 8km

Time: 31:32
Average Garmin Pace: 6.07/mile
Result: 439/22884

This report will be on the shorter side of things! I had this planned in the books for months as my only prep race for Boston to see where I was at. As any target was out the window the plan was to run this at a comfortable 34-35 min pace.

However, suddenly some people at work started to sign up and there were odds put in place to first cross the line. I was favourite but my injury suddenly put my reputation at risk as the runner in the office as some GAA heads were potentially on my heels if I ran it handy.

I would hear about it for the next 12 months if I didn’t finish before these lads. :pac: So took off handy with the main threat in view and when the guy was still with me after a mile I had no choice but to up the pace and run the rest of the race a little faster than I liked.

Felt some discomfort in the foot the last 2 miles. It was more than a little dumb (ok downright stupid) to do it but at least the reputation was intact beating the nearest office rival by 90 seconds.

Being honest I did surprise myself a little as I didn’t think I would manage anything near 31 minutes so truth be told I was a little satisfied with the result albeit about 3 minutes slower than where I want to be.

Week Mileage Summary – W/E March 29nd
Monday|Tuesday|Wednesday|Thursday|Friday|Saturday|Sunday
XT|Rest|5.5m|Rest|Rest|Rest|5.1m

Week Total|Month to Date|Year to Date
10.6m|112.6m|410m

blockic

Monday March 30th
30 min gym bike / 7 miles

Wednesday April 1st
30 min gym bike / 7 miles

Saturday April 4th
5 miles easy / 7:58 average pace

The race knocked me out for a few days so this was a little five miler over to Oz Park and back just to test the leg. Far from 100% but it was runnable

Week Mileage Summary – W/E April 5th
Monday|Tuesday|Wednesday|Thursday|Friday|Saturday|Sunday
XT|Rest|XT|Rest|Rest|5m|Rest

Week Total|Month to Date|Year to Date
5m|5m|415m

blockic

Monday April 6th
30 min gym bike / 6.2 miles

Surprisingly was getting into the bike a little and it was refreshing to mix it up a little from the running and no stress with this to the foot whatsoever.

Wednesday April 1st
Run: 2.7 miles / 7:25 average pace

This was the combined total of a run to the physio and back to try get to the bottom of the foot injury.

No skeletal damage was discovered and physio said the area was inflamed and diagnosed it as tendinitis. I then told him I’d Boston in two weeks and I would like to just even jog it. The response was “well you are not missing that!” as a marathon runner himself. Told me I should get around and just keep icing and a little stretching. We will see shortly if he is right!

XT: 30 min gym bike / 7.2 miles

Saturday April 11th
10 miles LSR / 7:28 average pace

Wanted to get out for at least a double digit run to give me even the slightest bit of confidence leading into Boston that I might get around. Ran to the lakeshore on Saturday morning and turned around at 5 miles. Leg felt the best in a while on this run and it was just what the doctored ordered.

Sunday April 12th
5 miles easy / 7:35 average pace

A handy 5 miler around the block after watching young Jordan don the green jacket. Very impressive it was to hold your bottle in that situation and so I went out on this run a little pumped up and motivated for the weekend ahead. Foot was OK here too.

Week Mileage Summary – W/E April 5th
Monday|Tuesday|Wednesday|Thursday|Friday|Saturday|Sunday
XT|Rest|2.7m|Rest|Rest|10m|5m

Week Total|Month to Date|Year to Date
17.7m|22.7m|432.7m

blockic

Monday
30 min gym bike / 7.4 miles

Wednesday
6 miles easy / 7:45 average pace

Leg loosener to make sure I can still run. I can, but this six miles felt laboured and a little bit of effort. Legs were a little dead for it. Must be taper madness after all the miles I’ve put in during the last 5 weeks! :pac:

Heading on the early flight east to Boston in the morning to meet with up with opus, ger, PaulieYifter and DrQ. Looking forward to actually seeing boards faces again.

Feel for Tbl who has put in great training only to be let down in the last minute. Very harsh when so close but that’s the marathon and marathon training I guess. Was looking forward to meeting the famous man from around these parts too, just to see if he is all he is made out to be There will be another time hopefully and he will be back to nail the sub 3. The boards Boston group this year has been seriously cursed! Hopefully Ger, Paulie and opus can keep it going for the rest of the crew so we have an excuse to celebrate after!

My target for the race is to see the finish line and say that I have ran Boston. The other is to embrace the entire weekend and soak up all the atmosphere so that the next time I hope to be back I can concentrate on nailing a target and completing unfinished business.

Might pop in before the race but if not, catch you all on the other side!

ThebitterLemon

Good man J,

Hope you have a great run and enjoy the experience.

We might get a chance to get a running date at some time in the future

TbL

tang1

Best of luck Monday J, i know your not doing it in the shape you would have hoped but at least you can do it. Plenty of other marathons to get the times you want, sort the body out first and you'll be flying again. Shame to see you struggling with the talent you have.

Tom Joad

Best of luck with Boston and most importantly enjoy!

Bulmers74

Enjoy the experience J Hope all the injuries will be sorted soon & you get a clear shot at a decent training block.

Bahanaman

Have a good one J! Get to the finish and enjoy!

yaboya1

Good luck tomorrow J

AuldManKing

Enjoy that little run thingy you're doing

Murph_D

Good luck J.

martyboy48

Enjoy the run J, stick to your plan.... Keep an eye on the other lads for us

davemcmahon

Good luck J

Pacing Mule

Enjoy it !

Dubgal72

I'm working my way through your log, great reading! Looking forward to the latest update, enjoy

opus

Tracked down your report on Rotterdam that we were talking about, scary stuff!

RedRunner

Hope it all went well for you J!

tang1

Hows the bod since Boston? No race report for us? Hope all is well J.

blockic

tang1 wrote: »

Hows the bod since Boston? No race report for us? Hope all is well J.

Hey tang,

Been offline here for a while! Body is recovering fine but I frankly have not been out running much since..I had planned to settle down to do a report but keep putting it off...I will get one in hopefully soon!

I have been out of routine recently with other items taking priority but thankfully that's starting to ease off a bit now but not even sure for how long!

Hoping to get back to normal soon in general and in running terms!

Hope things are well with you!