Shotgun 2020

ariana`

Very sorry to hear about your friend. Take it easy on yourself while the reality of it settles.

Speedy44

Very sorry to hear about your friend, certainly puts things into perspective. Mind yourself.

shotgunmcos

Thank you folks for your kind words. So very much appreciated.

Monday 22 June
Easy 3.53m @9:32, HRR 53.6%
Rowing 30mins easy, HRR 64.3%, 7,130m
S&C light 15 mins

I was in two minds about logging but its a welcome distraction to get back to this community. I'll catch up on all of your logs over the next couple of days. The main thing was the run today. A short tester. I started very easy at 10min miles and the hamstring was almost silent. Just kept it at that for 25 mins in the soupy humid air. Had a chat with myself to be patient. I resisted the temptation to turn it into a "run". I took in a hill across the road from my house and gradually built the effort for 5 mins in zone 2, actual easy running pace. It felt good and I felt good. I did the rowing before it so I was well warmed up. It feels like a bruise when I press it but I also accept that its progressing slower than I'd like. I just have to be patient.

The plan never really started. Now, I will wait until I am ready to put in some easy volume weeks consistently and be comfortable doing some strides before contemplating a plan or workout. I'm unsure how long it will take to get there but I will get there. I'll still aim for a marathon TT at the end of it, hopefully toward the end of November.

The other thing I've done to distract myself is read and analyse a bit more of the heart rate training. I buy into the Karvonen method in so far as it uses resting hr. A metric that changes with fitness, age etc.. As you get closer to max hr HRR and max HR get closer anyway. Its just the easy zones that are different. What swung it for me was Marathon sweet spot 80-85%. Using HRmax it just had me on the low side of where I know my sweet spot to be. HRR on the otherhand had my LT a tad higher. I settle on the fact that marathon sweet spot was the priority and LT would likely change anyway as I get into workouts. Anyway, plenty more about that on the heart rate training thread.

shotgunmcos

Tuesday 23 June
Easy 4.82m @8:55, HRR 56.4%
Rowing 30min, 7,166m, HRR 58.6%
S&C 20mins

Another short run in a light misty rain. Started super slow again. All good but hamstring still reminding me to take it easy. Kept it slow for 25min again, all good. Gradually built it to 65-70% HRR for a mile and actually enjoyed it. Warmed up on the rower again before I went out. Happy with progress but not there yet. The S&C was a short session. 8 exercises to burn. The hamstring handling it better. A day at a time.

Just before I sat on the rower, I opened the side door we rarely use for some cool air. Saw a spider I hadn't seen before. Initial reaction, a false widow. Caught it in a glass and sussed it out. Sure enough. Then Zoe yelled, she found another. The slightly smaller brown male version. I scooped up the sac of eggs too to catch the whole family! Mom, Dad and the kids...

Murph_D

Catching up, sorry about your loss.

Interesting re ‘sweet spot’. Where does 85% HRR stand in relation to your LT?

shotgunmcos

Murph_D wrote: »

Interesting re ‘sweet spot’. Where does 85% HRR stand in relation to your LT?

85%HRR is 96-98% LT or 89% HR max. My LT is 90-91% HR max. So 85%HRR is just below LT and within the LT training zone.

Sweet spot (functional threshold power) is usually a hard enough effort you can sustain for an hour. Thats the cap though. My sub3 last year was 83%HRR avg (middle 2hrs). The actual marathon range is much wider but I like the tighter range of the upper marathon/lower half marathon effort. Hence the importance of knowing your heart rate well. Just a few % more and I'd be capping at or over LT and thus training too hard. Most of my MP training miles (Hansons tempo SOS) last year too fell into the 80-85% HRR range.

shotgunmcos

Wednesday 24 June
Easy 6.34m @8:28. HRR 57.1%
Rowing 30min progressive. 7,307m, HRR 72.1%
S&C easy 30min including some foam rolling

Run first this morning. Despite the activation sequence, including a little bit of Tbl's glute activation, I felt a little stiff on the first sluggish mile. The last 2 days the easy rowing had me well warmed up. Still, it felt ooookaay. By mile 3 I started to increase the effort to 60, 65, 70% HRR. Went from about 8:30 to 7:15 pace over the mile. So so muggy out that it felt heavy. As I turned onto a short hill and started to ease off I felt a twinge in the hamstring. Not sharp, just a reminder that it was a tad too much. The next half mile was back to slow on grass. It felt better by the time I got home and held up to some basketball with the kids later. Overall it was 15min in Z2 in comparison to 11min yesterday and 5min Monday. The next step is to do a full run at 60% HRR.

Soon after the run I set the rower up again. No wildlife today. Simple 30min, gradually building the effort every 6 minutes. I ended the last 8 minutes at tempo 85-89% HRR. It felt good to do a little work but OOnegative would have been proud of the sweat puddle beneath the rower. I had the door open but it was just warm soupy air. The S&C was easier than lately as I was a bit stiff. I included the chin up bar and managed a whopping 10 reps :rolleyes: My 9 year old niece can do 8. Ended with some rolling of the calves, ouch, and gentle stretching.

Catching up on reading other logs. Seems the excitement of the Boards TT last month has been replaced with a swathe of injuries, niggles and motivational issues. Is it the weather

shotgunmcos

Thursday 25 June
Easy 8.57m @8:04, HRR 63.6%
Rowing 30mins, HRR 72.9%

Giving the S&C a break today, calves tender after rolling yesterday. The run, Yay Over an hour at easy pace and 63% HRR overall. Hamstring good for it. Also, it was my usual undulating route with a couple of longer hills. Very happy with it. Kept it very easy for 4 miles then gradually pressed onto zone 2 and zone 3. Humidity was in the mid 90s but breathing was steady. I did 15mins activation before I ran which I'm sure, helped. Not there yet but a step forward.

The 'easy' row was later in the morning on the decking under the hazy sun. 73% HRR was the same effort as the progressive row yesterday! So heavy and warm out. It may be challenging to keep the rowing when I start to build run mileage again but its worth it to keep a couple of sessions a week. Plus it feels good.

Hopefully I can start the plan again next week. 20 weeks would put me into the middle of November, where Marathons are thin on the ground though..

Swashbuckler

shotgunmcos wrote:

Hopefully I can start the plan again next week. 20 weeks would put me into the middle of November, where Marathons are thin on the ground though..

Seems risky M? Is it worth it?

shotgunmcos

Sweatlicker wrote: »

Seems risky M? Is it worth it?

First 3 weeks are base miles only. First workout is W4D4 and its a 5m tempo. Ill first see if I can handle the base volume. Then, next thing are some strides at tempo effort... a day at a time

shotgunmcos

Friday 26 June
Indoor Row 30mins @60% HRR. 7,209m

Interesting. Better power and 10% less effort than yesterday! Cooler today and no run in the legs though. Miserable weather so it was really indoor, with the sound of Tinkerbell blaring over the whir of the flywheel. A bit jaded today so a rest day from running. Hoping to do a longer easy run this weekend which will be a green light to start the plan. 20 weeks with 3x easy weeks to start. Ill plug a series of TTs into it too. 5k, 10k, HM and 26.2m. Any of them to be replaced with an actual event if they open up.

shotgunmcos

Saturday 27 June
Indoor Row 30mins, HRR 62.1%, 7,249m
Easy 7.58m @8:10, HRR 62.9%
S&C 30 mins

Back to work next week so I doubt I can keep up rowing and running. Another half hour on the Concept 2. 7 days in a row, rowing Felt good and held a rock steady low rate at 3hr marathon pace. Years ago I set an ambition to do a sub3 marathon swim, run and row. Only the row left but no hurry for it. Really feel the rowing and mat work hitting the core this week which should translate to better running form when I tire.

20 mins later I was out into the elements for an hour run. Very windy and wet. Crossing the bridge out of town a sudden squall and face stinging sideways torrential rain nearly had me cowering under a tree with a family. I was soaked anyway so drove on. I did very nearly lose my cap into the river. Must remember to wear it backwards on windy days :rolleyes: The legs were a little heavy from the row but not bad. Both hamstrings and calves were a bit tight. The running needs rolling while the rowing needs stretching. Kept the effort around 60% HRR. Slow deliberate S&C after changing out of the wet gear and I was ready to hoover up any food in sight

Tomorrow, if I can hit 90mins easy with no issues, I'll start the plan on Monday.

shotgunmcos

Sunday 28 June
Long Run 4.13m... abandoned after 2m, then 2m limp home :mad:
Indoor Row 60min 14,438m, HRR 72.1%
S&C 20 mins

Totals for the week
35 miles Running in 5hrs
50 km Rowing in 4hrs
S&C 2hrs

Just when I was feeling good about running. The hamstring just a slight niggle but ready to run. Out into the strong wind and had it behind me for 2 miles into town, felt great. Then felt pain under my foot, 2nd-3rd toe. Thought it was a cramp and slowed down to run it off. No joy. Sat down, took off the shoe and sock and massaged it, not sore to touch. Started running again and knew it was something, felt like a stone in the shoe. It hurt walking. 2 miles hobble back up town home, dejected :mad: I massaged the toes and all good. Then tried the "hop test" and hurt straight away. Felt ok walking around in my feet though. Advice from the club coach on Strava to rest it for a few days and if no better to get an MRI. Honestly, who is the Goddess of Running again? Atalanta is having a laugh.

To salvage something I hopped on the rower for an hour. Average HRR 72% but the cardiac drift hit 85% HRR so it was sweaty work for the last 15 minutes. Unfortunately the log will resemble a rowing and strength log for a while so I hope you bear with me. I really want to get back running consistently and doing workouts From the running perspective this week I'll focus on the TT Thread and get the report done for Sunday. Best of luck getting ready for it this week!

Shotgun

pconn062

Sorry to hear about the injury. If you squeeze the space between your second and third toes from top to bottom is there pain?

shotgunmcos

pconn062 wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the injury. If you squeeze the space between your second and third toes from top to bottom is there pain?

Thanks pconn062. No pain there. I massaged it out during the run and felt pain under the sole of the foot back from 3rd toe. Hop test was sore straight away when I got home. Later in the evening had calmed down. Felt ok walking around in bare feet. This morning hop test again in bare feet on a yoga mat, feels much better. Can still feel a little but <10% of the pain yesterday. Odd I'll rest today and try a short run on grass tomorrow.

Treviso

Sorry to hear that too. Not sure if it's related but I too get a pain under the base of my foot by my 2nd and third toes (left foot only). It happened when I first started running. Went to the physio and he said it was Morton's syndrome (not neuroma). Happens when the foot doesn't land on the 1st metatarsal (big toe), but on the 2nd instead. Causes inflammation around that area.

I now wear a prescribed insole on my left foot for most runs (not for races) and it's fine. When I feel the pain in that area, I roll my foot on a golf to massage out the scar tissue.

Maybe something to speak with your physio about. Hopefully it's not that, and just a small niggle for you.

shotgunmcos

Monday 29 June
AM: Row 30mins easy 7,285m. 63.6% HRR.
AM: Yoga 40mins
PM: Row 30mins progression easy to LT 7,360m. 65.7% HRR (87% HRR)

Thanks Treviso. If its not good in a few days I'll head back to the physio. I'll go back to check the hamstring anyway. Sore again walking around since this morning. Skipped strength work this evening as too much weight (bodyweight)on the foot.

The row and yoga this morning was early before breakfast and work. I needed the Yoga. An easy, stretchy session with Adrienne that I felt good about afterwards. A couple of hop tests on the foot and it felt fine. Despite sitting for most of the day it got worse through 2-3rd metatarsal area. Can't undo injuries. Just got to roll with them but this is a new one to me. I have strong, flexible feet so hopefully that will help speed up recovery.

Logged off work for a while and did a half hour progressive effort on the rower. Felt good and it was better than last week. Started easy for 12 mins and built it to steady over the next 12 mins. Entered the LT zone and finished just under LT for the last 6 mins. Hopefully I can keep it going and build the base fitness without impact. It will keep me active and sane at least :rolleyes:
Last week: 7,309m, HRR 72.1% max HRR 88.6%
This week: 7,360m, HRR 65.7% max HRR 87.1%

shotgunmcos

Tuesday 30 June
AM: Row 30mins easy 7,324m. 63.6% HRR.
PM: Row 30mins easy 7,234m. 62.1% HRR
AM: Yoga 20mins intensive core

Well top of the foot is bruised and between the toes. I've cracked enough bones in my body to know what that is. Weeks of no running. So no S&C while I'm icing it. Rowing is fine though. 2x half hours easy today feeling great, feeling motivated. I read all of Zico10's sub 2:30 log to stoke the fire within. Cant wait but will wait, to run.

The Yoga was straight after the evening row. Short burning core session. Still feeling great. Unusual for being injured. Just no point being miserable. Do what I can to improve.

Shotgun

shotgunmcos

Wednesday 1 July how time flies
AM: Row 30mins steady 7,369m. 67.1% HRR.
PM: Row 30mins inc 5x500m LT 7,641m. 75.7% HRR and max 91.4%
PM: Yoga 20mins salutation sequences

A bit more juice today. First row was early. Started easy and became more steady state throughout. Enjoyable session although Garmin tells me I'm overreaching apparently.

After work another half hour with a bit of spice. 1.5k easy, then 5k fartlek and finished steady. The hard reps were 500m and really solid. I felt my heart rate climb quickly though. I didn't drop the handle between either. Like running workout reps, I prefer to run easy between reps. Harder to do on the indoor rower as your whole body is burning. It was 10mins work but I spent over 15mins in the LT zone. Happy to get over 7,500m for the first time too. Good short workout. More icing the foot today but the bruising has reduced.

Little time afterwards because the little ones needed a bath and my eldest is back to Rugby and hollered for collection. Life resumes...

Shotgun

ThebitterLemon

“Felt like a stone in my shoe”, Morton’s neuroma?

I had that before in my eclectic collection of injuries and it felt like I’d a pebble in my shoe around the same area your talking about.

Maybe google it to check if you can relate to symptoms

TbL

shotgunmcos

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

“Felt like a stone in my shoe”, Morton’s neuroma?

I had that before in my eclectic collection of injuries and it felt like I’d a pebble in my shoe around the same area your talking about.

Maybe google it to check if you can relate to symptoms

TbL

Been all over Dr Google on this one Tbl, thanks. The stone in the shoe feeling on day 1 was not a symptom like Mortons Neuromo pinching, stingy pain. I had no numbness and no pain/heat in my toes. I mentioned like a stone more like I had suddenly stood on something like a stone or marble, or like stubbing your toe. Thought it would ease out but it became even sharper. Foot off the ground or sitting down at rest, fine. My body weight on it, ow. Impact from 3x bodyweight, pain. It came on suddenly from impact. Massaging everything it was hard to find but hopping on the ball of my foot hurt. I was advised that it didn't start to ease after a few days to get an MRI. It has eased to the point that I was chasing the kids around the garden in bare feet yesterday and the bruising has almost gone so moving in the right direction.

Shotgun

shotgunmcos

Thursday 2 July
AM: Yoga 18mins, S&C 25mins
PM: Steady State Row 16,000m in 66:13. HRR 70.7% to max 80%

Woke up with the birds. With a long work day ahead I intended to do 2 short rows again. I felt a bit sleepy though and it was less than 12 hours since the workout yesterday evening. Pulled the yoga mat out and spent the bones of an hour moving, stretching and sweating.

8k planned for lunch became 16k when a meeting was cancelled. We have a run series work thing and I entered a 21.1km run every week with a best attempt by the end of July. Unfortunately with my foot I won't be running 13 miles this weekend nor next weekend. So it was agreed I could do it on the rower. 13 miles on the rower is tough and feels longer and harder than 13 easy miles on the road. Alas, I'll give it a go this weekend. The 16k today was out on the decking under the sun. Every time a cloud passed over I felt a wonderful cool breeze and the cardiac drift slowed down. The average pace brought me to 80% HRR for a finish. I'll have to reduce the pace to keep within that for an extra 5k. Good session, with swallows diving across the garden for a distraction. My right glute was a bit tight afterwards :rolleyes:

Edit: Interesting thoughts on the heart rate graph for this session (not sure how to copy and paste a graph from strava or GC). As with all of my shorter rows, there was a distinct steady cardiac drift (climbing heart rate). However it didn't last for the whole 66 mins. Basically it climbed from 124 steadily to 158 over the first 50 mins and then hung around 156-158 for the final 16 minutes I maintained the same pace and was even marginally faster for that last segment too. Just got me curious. The effort climbed for 75% of the time then leveled off

With running I can go out and run an hour easy and the heart rate will stay steady for a steady pace. I know one factor is heat. Running doesn't necessarily heat up your core body temp for a steady state run unless its a hot day or you have have too much gear on. Indoor rowing is both A) warmer and you are using a lot more muscles.

Now that I think of it. It was mostly sunny for the first 45-50 mins and I remember how good the coolness from a small cloud passing felt. Perhaps it was cloudier and thus cooler for the last 16 minutes giving my body a chance to regulate core body temp and divert more oxygenated blood from cooling the skin to the working muscles...

The numbers for June
Total 40hr14
Run 20hr14, 142.8 miles
Row 10hr43, 149,603mts
S&C 6hr17
Yoga 3hr

Similar overall hours to May which was basically 300 miles running and a bit of yoga. I should have a similar variety for July but I'd be delighted if I can put a week of running together by the end of it.

shotgunmcos

Friday 3 July
AM: Row 8,000m Easy in 33:19 (2:04.9), HRR 64.3%
PM: Row 8,000m Steady State in 32:37 (2:02.3), HRR 65.7%
PM: Yoga 20mins, S&C 20mins

Been in bare feet all day and the foot feels much better walking around on tiles. Not sure I will even try a short tester run this weekend. I want to wait until I can't feel it walking around and hop tests are good.

I'm sort of enjoying the rowing anyway. No impact and I'm getting stronger. Its not hurting my aerobic capacity either First 8k this morning. I opened the door for fresh air but it was so humid that I probably sweated more! Interesting that my hands and back are both good (no blisters or aches) which is a good sign that I have decent technique. The kids were being dropped to creche so I could blare the tunes and wake the neighbors instead :pac:

Another 8k steady at lunchtime. Steady State is sweet spot rowing. The kind of pace you could hold for an hour without crossing into LT. I felt good but ended at 83% HRR, getting as much out of the zone as I could. I got a new Performance Monitor delivered too that in conjunction with an app, tracks my session and loads it to Strava which is cool.

Onto the mat afterwards for some yoga salutations and a bit of bodyweight strength. The foot was good for lunges, squats and bridges.

Best of luck all in the TTs tomorrow! I look forward to tracking it and hope to get all the results together on Sunday.

shotgunmcos

Saturday 4 July
AM: Row 8,000m Easy in 33:11 (2:04.4), HRR 63%
PM: Row 8,000m Easy in 33:08 (2:04.2), HRR 65%

The bruise on the top of the foot is down to the size of 2c coin. Went for a walk with the kids to run errands and after 20mins I felt it. After 30 more so. Thus still a while away from running. Odd TT to follow today, the usual great stories and performances but so many DNF and DNS. I have my assumption and will write them up with the results tomorrow. Still, I'd love to have done even 10mins today... Well done all for giving it a go and kudos to anyone finishing all 3 TTs so far.

More rowing today. I know it may be boring stuff to the runner buts it's cardio and it should help me transition back to running smoothly. 2x easy 8ks. Holding a steady rate and good form. Ill be all about the running form when I can do drills. A good thing about the rowing is that it is engaging and gently stretching the hamstrings too amongst the load of other muscles used. No bad thing.

Shotgun

shotgunmcos

Sunday 5 July
AM: Pancakes with the kids and baked bread
AM: Compiling results from TT.. hours of Strava, Boards, Excel, Notebook and I still made mistakes
PM: Half the day alone with my youngest... at his whim
PM: Half Marathon Row - 21,097m in 1:26:58, HRR 70% Max HRR 83%

Overall this week
10hrs28 Total
7hrs45 Rowing for 113,300m
1hr58 Yoga
0hr45 S&C

Very pleased to eventually get on the rower and get the half marathon done and at sub3 pace to boot It was akin to running 13 miles at marathon pace though. Properly good session and my body felt amazing, well except for cramping calves, stiff neck, sore glutes...

The foot unfortunately is still a bit bruised. I'm barely walking 2k steps a day but its ok walking around in mostly bare feet. I'll do a bit more S&C this week and fingers crossed for a test run by the weekend. Not taking any chances with this one

Shotgun

career move

Fantastic rowing....you're a machine

Laineyfrecks

Sure everyone makes mistakes

shotgunmcos

Monday 6 July
AM: Row 8,000m Recovery in 35:48 (2:14.1) HRR 55%
PM: Row 8,000m Easy in 33:01 (2:03.8) HRR 67%
PM: Yoga 20 mins

Very easy row this morning before breakfast. The body was unsurprisingly a bit heavy after the HM yesterday. Low stroke rate, low heart rate and had most of it done before the kids arrived sleepily. Took nothing out of me.

Later after work, I brought the rower outside for another short easy sweaty row in the sun. I'd much rather have been running. Nice breeze there and couple with the occasional passing cloud, it acted as a coolant. Some easy Yoga to stretch out afterwards. Overall easy day today. Trying to stay off my feet with the kids is a challenge though. Mini streak of 16 days on the go

Shotgun

shotgunmcos

Tuesday 7 July
AM: Row 8,000m Progression in 32:10 (2:00.5), HRR 69%
AM: Row Tabata Intervals in 4:00 (1:36.6), HRR 93%
PM: Yoga 20 mins
PM: Row 8,000m Easy in 33:14 (2:04.6), HRR 61%

Good short progressive row this morning. Felt good and controlled a steady rate with a gradual power build. KM splits in 4:05, 4:04, 4:02, 4:02, 4:00, 3:59, 3:59, 3:56. Enjoying the short doubles and something I might incorporate when I'm back running.

Session 2: A short tabata intervals blast. 8x 20sec on 10 secs off, full tilt! Its like doing a set of 8x100m sprints with 10 sec recoveries :eek: Over quickly and the lactic pain set in. Hit 93% HRR max so I clearly didn't hit it hard enough :rolleyes:

Session 3: Later after a stretchy bit of yoga on the mat and another 8k easy row. Low rate and steady focus on technique. The foot felt fine walking around today. I jogged in my bare feet around the kitchen for a minute with no discomfort.

Shotgun

shotgunmcos

Wednesday 8 July
AM: Row 16,000m Steady State in 1:04:58 (2:01.8), HRR 70%
PM: S&c 30 mins, Yoga 20mins

Niggles and injuries are so up and down Bruising pretty much gone from the foot and felt great for a while this morning. Then it became less comfortable during the day. It was the first day with no drugs. The ibuprofen had been masking it the last week. So I went from excited to try a run around the block to accepting that I'll likely have to wait another week.

On to the rower then to burn kcals, much needed. 16k steady is a good aerobic threshold session. My right hip flexor was complaining during it. Seriously, one niggle after another.. old I feel :( Still got through the piece satisfactorily dipping under 65mins. A lifetime best would be sub60 (akin to sub60 10 miles). I averaged 192 watts for the piece this morning but sub60 requires holding 245 watts for an hour, a tall order. I'll start doing some reps at that power but it will take some time to even hit 30mins at 245w. I love how the body feels after a row though

If I was on the run schedule I'd be aiming for a sub40 10k TT this month, so I'll do that on the rower instead.

The hip flexor was still angry during the S&C so I tried not to load it too much. Focused more on loading quads with kettlebell snatches and dumbell clean and jerk with burpees between for fun. A good 8 mins on the core specifically too. On the Fitness Pal app today I'm going through so much variety to meet the nutrients required. Without quick fix sugar, I'm eating a LOT to keep up.