My sporadic running blog

Seve OB

4 miles yesterday.

still concentrating on the cadence. Feels very different taking shorter strides, I’m 6ft tall and logic and natural reaction says longer strides, so it’s taking a bit of concentration.

average was 154 again and just green at start, till the HR shot up and I had to slow down a bit! 15% of this run was in zone 3+. Righty or wrongly I tend to try keep running (at absolute snails pace) rather than stop or walk when HR goes high, just till it comes down enough at then pick the pace up again. I was deffo a bit slower avg pace this time, legs feel good though.

cycled to work today. 11 km each way and I take it handy but a couple of proper hills there to test the metal

Seve OB

So an observation. Coming home other day on the bike I hit Chapelizod/Knockmaroon hill. Anyone who knows it, knows it’s a bit of a killer. My fitness is definitely improving, I was able to take it on stronger than I ever have. But I do notice when I do go up it, it’s like I’m after going on a flat out sprint which would send my HR through the roof. And that’s the way I feel when I cycle it. But about as high as my HR goes on the hill is 155. I’m sure there is science behind it, but just find it a bit crazy as if I was running and felt the same I’d probably be looking at well north of 180.

anyway, back to the running. Took another 4 miles on Wednesday evening. Probably the strongest I’ve felt, maybe ever, on a run. Again worked on short strides to get cadence higher, managed to stay in the green a bit longer. These green stretches are always at the beginning of the runs. Average for this run was 156 so a gentle improvement.

of course that’s cause I’m going faster at the start before my HR kicks up a notch ( I never warm up, apart from a few stretches). Zone 3 was hit for 10% of this run so another improvement. Average pace was 6:59 , which is another improvement. Probably my best easy zone 2 run so far.

im sure next time will be hard enough to match that as I seem to be up and down from run to run, but hopefully I’ll keep it close at worst and look for improvement where I can.

oh and also improvement in Garmin VO2 max and Fitness age, with note that my training status is productive and above targets……. I’ll take that.

Seve OB

Well I’ve been quite lately….. cause I’ve been busy, and running/cycling has taken a back seat again!

So for the first time in probably 2 months I went out for a run last Thursday. 3km block and and while I went out with the intention of taking it reasonably handy, and had a target to break 20mins. the first 500m or so was probably a bit fast. I was concentrating on a short stride and quicker cadence.

Best and most consistent cadence I’ve ever run.

I then slowed slightly, but when the watch beeped to say that I’d passed through the first km in 5:44 I said to myself, keep going at this pace and cover another half km, then the push was to get the 2km mark at the pace.

2km was 5:37. I was on the limit. But decided to push it for one more km. full gas and see could I keep it going and beat 18 mins. Well it was hard. I usually have a little kick left as I turn onto my road and the last 100m or so. I had nothing! but managed to finish the last km in another steady 5:52 and posted a time of 17:15 for the 3km block. One of no more than 7 or 8 times I’ve beaten 18 minutes and only 2 seconds slower than my fastest ever which was 5.5 years ago.

i was bolloxed 😂 had nothing left,

realised with not going out in so long, I didn’t prepare, no little towel for sweat, no drink of water and the big one, no inhaler. Not having a couple of puffs before I went out made a big difference. I really felt a big difference when I was finished with the breathing.

anyway, it was a great run, I’m very happy with it, but most importantly it got me back at it and I went out again yesterday and went under 20 mins at about 70%.

Seve OB

Dark nights are coming in now. No more football so back to running. Set a marker tonight. It wasn’t a good one.

5km in 40:31

tried to stay in zone 2. I think Garmin shifts my HR zones because they seem slightly lower, so I invariably drifter up into zone 3 a bit (10 mins in total).

will aim for 3 runs per week, maybe 4. Zone 2 all the way, concentrate on short strides.

Seve OB

As usual been quiet and not to much running over last few months

went out New Years Eve and did 5 miles. Couldn’t run it all but ran most. Just over an hour.

last Friday I went out and gave it socks for 5km. Probably went off too fast. First 2km was just under 12 mins. Couldn’t keep running all the way through so a few walk breaks. Covered the distance in 32:32. I was laying down a marker to see where I’m at now and set myself a goal. Not sure I could have done much faster but now I have something to work on. Target is Easter Sunday, 5km in 29:30

HR is still mad high

started a 5k plan tonight on the Garmin. Ran .97km in 5 mins. My record on Garmin for 1km is 4:58. Definitely something I can target but for the moment I’ll try just following the plan

ariana`

Are those Zones accurate or just Garmin defaults? I'd probably mostly ignore them if they're not accurate (unique to you based on a lab or field test to identify threshold or max). But in general consistency is what you're after, and you'll only be consistent if you're not flogging yourself every time you go out. Set an achievable process based goal - eg. run 4 times per week for 30mins, all easy running on 3 of those days and once a week throw in a few strides. After a couple of weeks start to increase 1 run per week by a few mins each week, working your way up to an hour comfortably without stopping - in general I think if you are stopping you're probably going too fast, just slow it right down. Right now you'll make big gains just being consistent and not over complicating it and definitely not by testing how fast you can run 5k or 1k on a regular basis.

Or else just follow the Garmin plan - though if it is based on a goal time then I'd be wary of it.

Seve OB

Thanks for feedback ariana. Getting comments like this always gives me great encouragement to get back out there.

First let me clarify that I do not flog myself every time I go out, far from it actually. When I went out on NYE it was first time in probably 6 weeks since I'd been out and a good bit further than would be regular. I didn't push that one, the legs just didn't have the distance in me which is why I couldn't run it all.

Last week was just a hard run just to test myself in order to set a goal. So yes I was running to fast which caused me to stop. I agree, testing myself on a regular basis is not what I'll be doing. (The 1km there was the Garmin Benchmark run to kick off the training plan). I've no plans to be doing that again for at least a couple of months.

In general I think my legs are not used to it, tired (and old 😁) and need to build up a bit of strength in them again.

You are probably correct in saying I should just go out 4 times per week. Thanks for tip and link to strides, I'll definitely look at that. But as is my problem, I hate running lol so always find it hard to get motivated. So for now, I find that having the Garmin plan set up gives me the best motivation so I'll be truing to stick to that.... even if it is time based goal 😆

I think the zones are good, they are not Garmin defaults. They are based on max (I'm closer to 50 than I am to 40) but I'm not sure where I got the percentages, it was either here or a link I was given from here. It's always bugged me though because I can never get running in lower zones (HR just beeps to say gone to high all the time) so the zone 2 training never worked no matter how hard I tried. It became annoying so I pretty much gave up. Maybe they are just wrong though.

anyway, Garmin seems slightly confident that I can hit the goal, I’ll plug away for now and see how I get on

Seve OB

So 3 weeks of this plan now completed.

I’ve not missed any sessions (4 per week) but did defer a couple when either times didn’t suit or I felt I needed break.

Sometimes I feel crap on a short run and good on longer runs. I guess a lot has to do with the bones getting older, rest periods and definitely booze 😳

I need to work on my form, looking at stats on Garmin I’m way off. Stride is too long and I’m clearly bouncing too high when I run. I find it is a bit easier to concentrate on this at the beginning of runs and shorten strides and keep head down to minimise the bobbing but after a km or so and I’m starting to feel the burn, I find it much more difficult to control. I guess as I build endurance up again it might help me work on that a bit harder.

HR can still be all over the shop, even trying to take it handy I just can’t keep it down. But the odd time, and it is rare, it doesn’t go up as bad as other times. I just think it’s got a lot to do with how fit/unfit I am.

changed my goal to 29 minutes and brought finish date a week earlier. Garmin is even more confident that I can do this after 3 weeks.

Seve OB

Week 4 done and completed there on Sunday evening

It consisted of 5 workouts as in week 1 I had deferred 1 workout and I only caught up this week.

Definitely feeling stronger in the runs. Left leg a little sore as shin on the longer runs. I guess just need to build up the strength.

In this week there were 2 new workouts being goal pace repeats and a time trial. Up till now it really had been a bunch of easy runs. They aren't gone though.

The goal pace was 600m @ goal pace and 400m recovery * 4 times. I was strong and was ahead by 12-19 sec p/km in each repeat, so good signs. Will be a different story when doing them all together though!

The time trial was a warm up for 10 mins than a mile run. I was conscious not to go off to fast and think I settled into a decent rhythm fairly early on and was able to keep the pace pretty steady for the full mile. I figured that I was already showing signs of being as good as I've ever been, so I set a target to break my mile PB which was recorded a couple years ago @ 8:48. So about 5:20 km pace was target. So I did start a little fast at about 5:15. Probably felt it as I did drop down to about 5:30 after 3 mins or so, but kept that steady and a strong finish kicking it up to 4:50 crossing the line. New mile record @8:34.9. Very happy with that.

My form is still terrible though, strides way to long @ about 1.2m when running. Cadence much better though when running strong in high 150's... but that is running flat out.

Similar schedule for the week ahead to cross the half way point and looking strong and favourite to make target goal time

Seve OB

7 Weeks finished and haven't missed a session. Definitely feeling stronger and probably for the very first time in the 10+ years of my on and off running, I've had a few sessions over the last week or 2 where I actually felt like a runner. A bloody slow one, but a runner none the less 🤣 So much so, that the needle was off the chart and confidence level was top of the purple.

So up till week 6 I was just plodding along following the plan. To be honest I was starting to find the plan a bit boring. It basically has 3 easy runs per week, 2 short & one long. And the fourth session is the only one with a bit of a mix up, and always seems to be on a Wednesday.

So Easy runs, Zone 2. I just can't do it. HR always goes to high. The plan gives a time to do the easy runs in (about 6:50-7:20 per KM) and I was originally trying to keep within the time. Then I tried to keep the HR down and within the time. It's basically impossible. Having a hill in the runs at about the 3km mark probably not helping. But go into zone 3 and even zone 4, I'm slowing down, get HR back down and go again. However it is just not possible to get within the time at Zone 2 but I may have gotten close a couple of times. I really tried a few times and the other day on long easy run half way through I gave up. If I'm to keep to zone 2 for a longer run I probably want to run at about 8:15... sure I can feckin walk at that pace.

With the last week or so, trying hard at keeping HR down has meant the needle has fallen way back into the green. From here on in, I'm ignoring the idea of zone 2, (rightly or wrongly) and plan to just run within the time frame indicated.

Week 6 threw hill repeats at me run. I wasn't looking forward to that. I picked a closed road in Phoenix Park and ran up and down it 8 times at pace (well pace for me). 45 second spurts uphill at 5:20 ish, but the last one I gave absolute socks and covered that in 4:26 pace. I won't be getting excited over about 160 meters though.

Week 7 threw me the most daunting looking task of all. Goal Pace repeats, with added striders??? If I can get close to completing this I'll have a real chance of breaking the 29 minutes. Possible chance as I've kept hills off this route but I'll never get close though will I???

10 minute walk or jog warm up, (which I shuffle along at about 8-9 min pace)

5 * 1km run at 5:51-5:57

200m jog in between (I walked most)

3*200m @ 5:05-5:17

200m jog in between (I walked most again)

10 minute cool down (I probably went to fast at 7:16 pace

So the most daunting, but without question, the most enjoyable training plan run I've ever completed. 2km in and hitting the targets, 5:51 & 5:52, but I had to walk in between. I thought I'll be doing well to get 4 km's done at the pace. But I was feeling stronger the more I got into it. 5:46, 5:49 and last one was 5:51. I have to reign in the excitement though as I was walking 200m in between each km. I couldn't have done that jogging in between, I needed the rest. Now for the big test though, picking the pace up a few times after all that. I gave it my best shot. Didn't sprint just ran strong an faster. 5:00, 5:10 & 5:06. I did it, but walks in between again. I was kinda dissapointe that I had walked, which is probably why I ran a bit faster on the warm down than I probably should have @ 7:16 pace.

When I finished I had covered 9.88km in 1:07:14. My 10 KM PB set last year is 1:09:11, so essentially I just ran my fastest ever 10km (even though I didn't finish the last 100m 😆). But it gives me hope.

Same run on the schedule for this week, which I'm looking forward to although not really expecting to get the same results, but I'll try hard to get the jog in between. I'll stick to time goals on easy runs also