Again and again

gerard_65

I'm back!
After farting about for months I need to get some discipline back to my running. Excuses like - "its too cold, its raining, I'm too tired, too busy, hungover, etc.." have all been used.
I'm very much starting over again as I really gotten out of shape, so hopefully keeping a log will help. No targets yet, just want to get fit again.
My first race in weeks was the Marley Parkrun on Saturday and I actually enjoyed it but 21:07 shows how far I've fallen - last September I ran 18:55 for 5k:eek:
So here we go:
Monday 11th March.
5 mile in 42mins. Avg 8:24.
Fooking freezing. Gloves, hat, jacket and a new pair on tights (7.99 in lidl). First time ever wearing tights (well maybe not, but lets not go there - I was confused at the time). Over to Bushy- a couple of laps and home.
My first proper run in months, the 3 mile jogs up to now don't count as proper runs.

BeepBeep67

Good to see you back - keep it steady!

gerard_65

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBQ0_9IFzU0

TRR

Like a bad smell that is all

gerard_65

Tues 12th March
5.03mls in 41:57. Avg 8:21.
Same as yesterday but clockwise this time. Crappy dull, cold day. I don't like the cold. Listening to 'Stop making sense', forgotten how good this album is.

gerard_65

Wed 13th March
4.97mls in 42:08. Avg 8:29.
Same route as Monday. It got fairly warm when the sun came out, was wearing too many layers. T-shirt and shorts would have done.

gerard_65

Thurs 14th March
5.07mls in 45:59. Avg 9:05.
Tuesdays route. Awful run. Tired, leaden legs. Four days in a row may have been too much

gerard_65

Sat 16th March
3.12mls in 26:36. Avg 8:31.
Took yesterday off and gave the parkrun a miss this morning. Was going well until calf pain stopped me in my tracks. The pain is in the lower calf, something similar happen a couple of months ago a only took five days to heal, so I'm hoping its only a minor tendon strain and not a muscle tear.

gerard_65

Sat 23rd March
3.61mls in 31:41. Avg 8:47.
First run in a week. Calf was fine but after investigation I think it will continue to be a problem if I don't keep my runs short and easy for a while. Will need to start doing heal drops and raises for it.

gerard_65

Sun 24th March
3.64mls in 31:04. Avg 8:33.
Freezing cold in a strong easterly wind.

gerard_65

Sat 6th April
Well that comeback didn't last long. Injuries and more injuries. Looks like my only option is to start back on a C25K type program in a couple of weeks and very slowly build the calf back up along with stretching and foam rolling. So my Saturday mornings will be spent in Marley Park wearing a hi-vis jacket, for the foreseeable future, instead of long runs up to the hellfire club.

theboyblunder

Hard luck. Dont give up though! Slow and steady will get you back to your best and the parkrun volunteering will keep you motivated.

gerard_65

Thurs 11th April - Sun 21 April
The rehabilitation has started. Started with a run/jog of 1min/1min. A little bit extra each day. 5 mile continuous jog today. Plenty of stretching and foam rolling. So far so good;)
Had a rush of blood to the head today while watching the London marathon and entered the Dublin city marathon. Nothing like handing over lots of money to focus the training:cool:

gerard_65

It had to happen, paid my entrance fee for the DCM on Sunday and the calf pops again this evening. The exact same injury that has kept recurring for months now. Not too sure if I'll continue trying to run anymore. Maybe the body has had enough.:(

professore

Do you have flat feet by any chance? I have chronically flat feet - extra bone in my foot - long story - and used to always get that injury before I got orthotics. Now it never gives problems.

theboyblunder

gerard_65 wrote: »

It had to happen, paid my entrance fee for the DCM on Sunday and the calf pops again this evening. The exact same injury that has kept recurring for months now. Not too sure if I'll continue trying to run anymore. Maybe the body has had enough.:(

Ahh crap. Dont give up though. I doubt your calves have had enough...not the same as knees or joints etc. Maybe a good physio. The one I went to last time was very good. Recommended by a few on here. Drop me a pm if needs be.

Plenty of time before the race.

gerard_65

Its not that, had gait analysis a few times. Its a shortening of my left calf, properly due to age, wear and tear. I've been stretching foam rolling a lot but its not helping.

gerard_65

theboyblunder wrote: »

Ahh crap. Dont give up though. I doubt your calves have had enough...not the same as knees or joints etc. Maybe a good physio. The one I went to last time was very good. Recommended by a few on here. Drop me a pm if needs be.

Plenty of time before the race.

Been to two physio's in the last couple of months, recommended, but no joy.

jcsmum

Really sorry to hear that G.

shels4ever

Sorry to hear that. I feel your pain. To be honest I though I'd be posting that on my log before you this time.

TRR

gerard_65 wrote: »

Sat 6th April
So my Saturday mornings will be spent in Marley Park wearing a hi-vis jacket, for the foreseeable future, instead of long runs up to the hellfire club.

I know you didn't manage to get to the hellfire club recently but running on hills won't do the calf any favors. Have you been running any hills at all lately? I'd try find the flattest area around you and start back there again

BobMac104

If you are in the mood for trying something different here is my own 2c.
Try walking around at home more without shoes on. the lack of any heel lift from your shoes will gently elongate the muscles in your lower leg.
Also (again just a suggestion) get a pair of minimal shoes for work and walking around everyday. This should further help to slowly stregthen and elongate you calfs and tendons. Wearing no shoes at home wont cost you anything and a pair of shoes such as the Merrell trail gloves wont be too much more than a single physio session. IN the begining your calfs and feet will be tired from walking around in them but in a few weeks they adapt.
Worth a shot if you have exhausted all the traditional routes.
Best of luck

gerard_65

TRR wrote: »

I know you didn't manage to get to the hellfire club recently but running on hills won't do the calf any favors. Have you been running any hills at all lately? I'd try find the flattest area around you and start back there again

It went on a small but steep hill in bushy, I only realised when I came to it on my lap, but said f*** it and went up it. Its a hill which your up on your toes. I should have kept to the football pitches.
I'm going to give it one more go, but this time stretch out the rehab. I'm ditching the track season and focusing 100% on the DCM. This will stop me rushing things.

gerard_65

BobMac104 wrote: »

If you are in the mood for trying something different here is my own 2c.
Try walking around at home more without shoes on. the lack of any heel lift from your shoes will gently elongate the muscles in your lower leg.
Also (again just a suggestion) get a pair of minimal shoes for work and walking around everyday. This should further help to slowly stregthen and elongate you calfs and tendons. Wearing no shoes at home wont cost you anything and a pair of shoes such as the Merrell trail gloves wont be too much more than a single physio session. IN the begining your calfs and feet will be tired from walking around in them but in a few weeks they adapt.
Worth a shot if you have exhausted all the traditional routes.
Best of luck

I've been doing this for a while now. I always wear very low heal runners during the day(nike I bought but had no support for running in) and house slippers at home.
I got a good rehab program today so as soon as the calf begins to heal I'll give it a go.

gerard_65

Week 13th May - 19th May
Wk 1 - DCM
Mon: 30 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk
Tues: 45 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk
Wed: 45 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk
Thur: 50 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk
Fri: 30 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk
Sat: 60 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk
Sun: 45 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk

The long road back has begun again. This time with more patience. I've been advised a jog/walk routine is the only way the strengthen the calf, along with gentle stretching and foam rolling. Another two weeks on the jog/walk program and then I can try continuous jogging.
This week was the first week of a Lydiard 24 week marathon program (without the walking bits, but at this stage that doesn't matter).

gerard_65

Week 20th May - 26th May
Wk 2 - DCM
Mon: 40 mins - 5min jog, 1min walk
Tues: 55 mins - 8min jog, 1min walk
Wed: 40 mins - 8min jog, 1min walk
Thur: Rest
Fri: 45mins - 10min jog, 1min walk
Sat: 60 mins - 10min jog, 1min walk
Sun: 45 mins - 15min jog, 1min walk

Week two put to bed. Calf still holding up. One more week of the jog/walk routine.

gerard_65

Week 27th May - 02th June
Wk 3 - DCM
Mon: 30 mins - 15min jog, 1min walk
Tues: 50 mins - 15min jog, 1min walk
Wed: 40 mins - 20min jog, 1min walk
Thur: Rest
Fri: 50mins - 25min jog, 1min walk
Sat: Rest
Sun: 30mins.

First continuous run today. Still not very confident about the calf. I spend most of the run analyzing every twinge from my calf. See how next week goes.

gerard_65

Week 3rd June - 09th June
Wk 4 - DCM
Mon: Rest
Tues: 3.63mls
Wed: 3.4mls
Thur: 3.55mls
Fri: 3.43mls
Sat: 4.16mls
Sun: Rest.

First full week of continuous running. Two scares on Thursday and Friday. Felt a twinge in my calf and stopped to walk a short distance. Didn't turn out to be anything but I'm paranoid the calf is going to pop again. I've changed my plan to the schedule in the Irish Runner. Lydiard would have had me bounding up and down hills in a couple of weeks and the Irish Runner schedule has more rest days. At this stage I'd be happy to just get around in one piece.

shels4ever

gerard_65 wrote: »

Week 3rd June - 09th June
Wk 4 - DCM
Mon: Rest
Tues: 3.63mls
Wed: 3.4mls
Thur: 3.55mls
Fri: 3.43mls
Sat: 4.16mls
Sun: Rest.

First full week of continuous running. Two scares on Thursday and Friday. Felt a twinge in my calf and stopped to walk a short distance. Didn't turn out to be anything but I'm paranoid the calf is going to pop again. I've changed my plan to the schedule in the Irish Runner. Lydiard would have had me bounding up and down hills in a couple of weeks and the Irish Runner schedule has more rest days. At this stage I'd be happy to just get around in one piece.

Glad to see you back, i would 100% keep away from those hill bounds. Had a calf scare myself the other days, some hao managed to flick a twig up the sent a shooting pain into my calf. Was very happy to see a nice scratch on the back of the calf.

gerard_65

Week 10th June - 16th June
Wk 5 - DCM
Mon: 3.61mls
Tues: 4.22mls
Wed: 4.45mls
Thur: Rest
Fri: Rest
Sat: 3.44mls, 1 easy, 1 brisk, 1 easy.
Sun: 6.23

Survived another week. Yesterday was a big test for the calf. Didn't have any time in mind, just run it faster than usual. Surprised to see 6:53 pace, long time since I ran that fast. No problem from the calf. Legs fine, breathing poor.
Fecked today, pints last night may have had something to do with it. But plodded my way through. Longest run in months.

gerard_65

Week 17th June - 23rd June
Wk 6 - DCM
Mon: Rest
Tues: 3.99mls
Wed: 3.43mls
Thur: 4.30
Fri: 3.44mls, 1 easy, 1 brisk, 1 easy.
Sat: 6.15mls.
Sun: Rest

Legs felt heavy this week. Life stress. Fridays 'fast' mile was 6:53, exact same as last week but had a stiff breeze for half the lap this week. A bit more mileage next week. The schedule takes in the Irish Runner 5 mile next Saturday which I'm not doing so might do the parkrun and do a my long run during the week.

gerard_65

Week 24th June - 30th June
Wk 7 - DCM
Mon: 5.64mls
Tues: 6.19mls
Wed: 6.12mls
Thur: Rest
Fri: 5.17mls
Sat: 8.33mls
Sun: Rest

Best week yet. Bounce coming back into my legs. Skipped the parkrun yesterday and decided to do a longer slighter hilly run to test my calf on hills. Still need the two days rest during the week as I'm still getting DOMS in my quads.

gerard_65

Week 1st July - 7th July
Wk 8 - DCM
Mon: Rest
Tues: 6.41mls
Wed: Rest
Thur: 6.30mls
Fri: 4.28mls - 1 easy, 2 tempo, 1easy.
Sat: 10.14mls
Sun: Rest

Missed Wednesday with other stuff. First time in double figures yesterday for a long time. Tired over the last few miles. Maybe it was the heat or the previous evenings run. Legs tired and sore today.

gerard_65

Week 8th July - 14th July
Wk 9 - DCM
Mon: 7.05mls
Tues: 6.00mls
Wed: 6.01mls, 2 @ tempo.
Thur: Rest
Fri: 6.07mls.
Sat: 6.37mls
Sun: Rest

Saturday should have been 12 miles but I was in trouble after about 4. I'd left the house about 9am to miss the worst of the heat but after about half an hour I was sweating badly. Started getting a headache and blurred vision - time to call it a day. Took most of the day to hydrate again.

gerard_65

Week 15th July - 21st July
Wk 10 - DCM
Mon: 6.6mls hilly.
Tues: 6.06mls
Wed: Rest.
Thur: 8.5mls hilly.
Fri: Rest.
Sat: 12.1mls
Sun: Rest

Unplanned rest day on Wednesday this week. Too tired from the heat when I got home. On the plus side I got a couple of hilly runs in. Yesterdays 12 was very tough. Sweating badly and took most of the day to re-hydrate. The last 4 miles were a slog and the pace slipped to 9:30 min/mls but I had to get it done. The weather is forecast to cool next week, hopefully it'll make training more bearable.

gerard_65

Week 22nd July - 28th July
Wk 11 - DCM
Mon: 8.05mls.
Tues: 8.36mls hilly
Wed: Rest.
Thur: 8.3mls - 4 @ tempo.
Fri: 6.14mls.
Sat: 14.32mls
Sun: Rest

Going well this week till yesterday. Haven't felt as bad over the last 3 miles for a long time. Had to stop and walk a couple of times. I was going ok and suddenly I felt I'd run into a wall. Maybe dehydrated or not enough to eat before, not sure. A run which knocks the confidence. Still feeling the effects today in my legs. I'll see if I can add a longer run of close to 90 mins during the mid-week.

gerard_65

Week 29th July - 4th August
Wk 12 - DCM
Mon: 0
Tues: 10.64mls
Wed: 6.16mls
Thur: 0.
Fri: 0.
Sat: Marley Parkrun 5k.
Sun: Rest

Rubbish week. Maybe overcooked Tuesdays run. Yesterdays 5k was hopeless, didn't even break 21mins. Back to the drawing board. Achilles problem has returned, same as last year, but this time I know how to deal with it. Have pushed out my DCM time to 3:45.

theboyblunder

gerard_65 wrote: »

Achilles problem has returned, same as last year, but this time I know how to deal with it.

Sorry to hear that. Have this myself at the moment. Would be interested to hear what you are going to do?

gerard_65

Week 05th August - 11th August
Wk 13 - DCM
Mon: 13.13mls
Tues: 7.82mls
Wed: Rest
Thur: 8.23mls.
Fri: 6.13mls.
Sat: 16mls.
Sun: Rest

A much better week. Two long runs. Went well, but tired over the last couple of miles. I did them on a empty stomach and no refueling so would expect to tire but its good to get the body use to it. The achilles was not a problem this week. Plenty of heal drops really helps.

gerard_65

Week 12th August - 18th August
Wk 14 - DCM
Mon: 10.44mls
Tues: Rest
Wed: 9.71mls.
Thur: Rest.
Fri: 6.68mls.
Sat: 12.51mls.
Sun: Rest

Late updating for last week. Fairly tired this week. Studying atm so finding the going tough. Disaster on Saturdays run, legs just too tired. Frank Duffy 10 mile next Saturday so an easy week next week (or this week now).

gerard_65

Week 19th August - 25th August
Wk 15 - DCM
Mon: 6.33mls
Tues: 6.31mls
Wed: 6.08mls.
Thur: Rest.
Fri: Rest.
Sat: Frank Duffy 10 mile.
Sun: Rest

Tired this week, study and exams, still another few weeks to go:(. Memo asked me on facebook on Friday what time I was going for in the 10. I told him I'd go out at 7:30 pace for the first 5 and then pick it up if I could, I couldn't. Mile splits - 7:18, 7:22, 7:29, 7:24, 7:22, 7:22, 7:22, 7:35, 8:00, 8:20. The wheels really came off over the last 2 miles, I've never felt so tired in the last mile. Just a bad day. Met RQ just after "I beat you" big grin on her face - I'll remember that. Then I saw the colour of the t-shirt - PINK!! for f... sake. McMillan gives me 1:41 for the half next month:(

gerard_65

Well, everything went off the tracks a few weeks. Firstly study/ exams got in the way, then a foot injury sidelined me for three weeks. At that stage I'd decided to pull the plug on the DCM, but the last two weeks have been good so very foolishly I'm back in with a revised time of 4 hrs. Just couldn't face loosing my entrance fee, ha ha. So Monday I line up with another 15000 fools
In other news I'm joining Knocklyon, know a few people from here and met a few at the parkrun a few weeks back so decided to bite the bullet and join up. First run with them last Thursday and enjoyed running with other people.
Hope to meet a few boardies on Monday. good luck to everyone running.

theboyblunder

Good to meet you the other day. Welcome to the fastest growing club in dublin*

*May be true

gerard_65

Did it. 3:51, delighted with myself after all the missed training. Was really nervous this morning with only one 20 mile run under my belt and that was over 6 weeks ago. The plan was 4hrs but found myself running in the 8:xx. Just felt like the right pace. Was expecting the wheels to come off somewhere between 18 and 20 miles but that didn't happen, I just kept plowing on. Mile 24 and 25 were tough, really had to dig in, but refused to walk. I looked at the watch at the start of the last mile and thought I could get under 3:50 so picked up the pace, but forgot about the last 385yrds:rolleyes:.
Support was amazing on route, from friends, people I know from here and total strangers.
Legs very sore now, stairs are not my friend and I reckon my IT Band will be a problem for the next while.
Today was my fourth marathon, not the quickest, but the most enjoyable. I could get hooked on these things;)

gerard_65

Dusting the log down. The marathon really fecked my IT Band. Haven't been able to run much since. Thought it was better last week, did 4 miles on Sunday without any pain. Went out Monday and it hit me as bad as ever after 20 mins. Another few days off, did 30 mins yesterday and 30 mins today. No pain, wahoo. But I'm not overly confident its sorted. I'll see how tomorrow goes. Haven't been able to go back to the club either, I've only been once . Another XC season slipping away :mad:. Been doing all the stretches/ foam rolling etc, I wonder if its doing more harm than good.

RacoonQueen

You joined the joggers?

RayCun

he's seen the future

theboyblunder

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You joined the joggers?

Youd be more than welcome down M for one of our jogs on tuesday nights as a guest bring an emergency contact number and some ventolin....

Ger: hope to see you down soon.

RacoonQueen

theboyblunder wrote: »

Youd be more than welcome down M for one of our jogs on tuesday nights as a guest bring an emergency contact number and some ventolin....

Some of us have a track and facilities and stuff and spend time using them on Tuesdays

Have you guys got the highest proportion of single females or something? can't think of any other reason why Ger'd have picked yee over an actual club.

gerard_65

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Some of us have a track and facilities and stuff and spend time using them on Tuesdays

Have you guys got the highest proportion of single females or something? can't think of any other reason why Ger'd have picked yee over an actual club.

Ah here, you have me pegged as some sort of casanova. I'm a perfect gentleman when it comes to females, I'll have you know. Now.;)

gerard_65

10th Dec 13.
Drove to Wexford on Sunday evening, when I got out of the car I felt a twinge in my knee, may have been nothing but decided to take yesterday off. Back in Dublin today and got 30 mins in this evening, no pain in the knee:). I would like to have 24 hrs between runs but I have to go back down to Wexford tomorrow afternoon so I'll see if I can get another 30 mins in the morning. Not sure if I'll get any runs Thursday or Friday as I'm house sitting till Saturday.