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Monday 25th: nothing
Still in Dublin and didn't get out in bed in time for lane swimming in Rathmines. Just as well because later that evening when travelling home the jolts of the bus were causing some little shin twinges .....
Tuesday 26th: nothing
This was being sensible. There was still some niggling from the shin and I decided to sacrifice a day rather than have the disc kick off again. Skipped the pool for the same reason.
Wednesday 27th: 56mins easy (5miles @11:12 avg), pilates
The leg was a good bit better today so went for a run. This was done from work in the evening on the meadows, mostly grass and (clay) trails. Nice and comfortable and no shin twinges during the run
. I could feel the right side of my back near L5/S1 a bit in the first 20mins or so, after that it was quiet.
stretches: did some of the stretches after the run, but then had to walk to pilates (but the skipped stretches mostly got covered at the class). Did almost all of the pilates stuff (even rolldowns) without trouble. Shin and bum were pretty good on Thursday morning.
Thursday 28th: physio appt, 1000m freestyle (7x50m, 5x100m, 1x150m)
Had a physio appointment this evening and despite telling him about having to back off at the weekend, overall he was very happy with the progress and my reports of 70mins running. Got a bit of ultrasound on my back and also got a sequence of mobilisation and strengthening exercises to be done *every day*!!! (please no comments ....)
There had been little bits of niggling through the morning, but everything had felt fine on the 2 mile walk to the physio appt, so I went to the swimming pool with the idea that of getting out again if there was any trouble. No need for that though. Not up to doing drills at this stage and wasn't timing the reps but I was definitely taking less rest between sets compared to last week, and got the whole thing done in just over 30mins.
Friday 29th: 62mins not-so-easy (5.32miles @11:39 avg pace)
No mobility/strengthening this morning .... was destroyed after the swimming and slept in and had to run out the door to work.
Late evening run mostly-on-grass in Holyrood Park. Made use of the grass and trails round the playing fields as usual, but also did a bit of exploring. Ososlo might be reading this thinking that I took up the challenge for running as slow as possible - not so, in fact bits of this run weren't all that easy. One of my discovered trails was a narrow little clay track about half a foot wide like the sheep use up in the mountains, but which is not really an ideal running track. And due to the good weather even the sections of the grass that get mowed regularly were a few inches high.
The sun was beginning to drop in the last 10mins of the run and there was a lovely orange shine on Arthur's seat and the Radical Road. Was sorry I didn't have a camera with me.
stretches: None this evening (bad hillsiderunner). Btw, this side of things has been pretty-good (if not perfect) this week and last week. It was *terrible* in the first fortnight of "return to run", but my achilles and hamstring started niggling and I couldn't ignore it any longer.
Saturday 30th: 20miles cycle
Easy cycle out along the coast for just under 10miles; then turning around and pushing into the wind for the way back home. Had planned this as a longer cycle but didn't have time and was probably better to test the disc with a shorter trip anyway. Had some slight twinges in the bum/back area around 6miles and they probably are related to the disc. A slight shinny feeling in the second half of cycle but it was gone again by Sunday morning.
Destroyed again after this (20miles only!!) so did not do the mobility&strengthening. Had not done it in the morning as I'd been up late and still tired after the run the night before
. Not sure what's going on.
Ah yes, for Saturday's report there is one more thing, a weigh-in at Boots. I don't own a weighing scales and rely on occasional weigh-ins in other people's houses. Anyway from my Dublin visits I had noticed a bit of increase earlier this year and then a "jump" when I weighed myself last weekend. Was not sure this was genuine because I'd tried again the morning after the first weighing and it was a good bit less again (think this scales needs to be perfectly level to give the right answer). Anyway did a trip to Boots Saturday afternoon to check the definite answer and the higher-weight was correct ... and even allowing for 1-2 pound fluctuations I am 3/4 stone (5kilos) over my steady-running weight of recent years. Not bordering on the dangerous category and I'd love the extra pounds if I could chose where to arrange them - but unfortunately they have wrapped themselves around my middle so they'll have to go.
If I can stay injury-free and get the running on an even keel probably that'll take care of most of it but for now I'm going to reduce the portion side a bit, and there will be a max of 1 tube of green pringles coming into my flat every week regardless of how good the special offers are. Have been a bit lazy this year and have been taking the bus to work a good bit (it is 1.3 miles to walk ...), will stop that too.
Sunday 31st: 74mins easy (6.55miles @11:18 avg pace)
Had the first go at the mobilisation&strengthening back exercises this afternoon and it was *fine*. Know a lot of these from pilates and only have to do 30secs of so of each item so it took less than 10mins and I'll have no trouble doing it every day. Even crossed my mind I may take it up to 1min for each.
Went out in the evening for a hillyish run in Holyrood Park and its surroundings, about 3miles of grass/trail (if clay paths of 1/2 foot wide count as trails), the rest on hard surfaces.
stretches: All the stretches after!
weekly total: 16.85miles (3 runs as 192mins), 1 swim (1000m), 1 short cycle (20miles), pilates
The disc injury has been behaving pretty well ever since I went to the physio on Thursday. I am feeling positive and right now it looks like I'll be able to continue increasing the mileage gradually.
This is the first month in ages I've had proper miles to report, it's the maximum for 2016 .....
monthly total: 75.8miles
Month|2013|2014|2015|2016
January|55|85|70|49.5
February|69|9|96|30
March|53|57|134|61.5
April|85|61|85|39.8
May|65|71|145|26
June|51|43|89|6.8
July|25|99 |79|75.8
August|84|120|26.5
September|18|131|0
October|83|0|15
November|78|3|62.5
December|53|56|86
Total|719|735|888|2890 -
hillsiderunner wrote: »The disc injury has been behaving pretty well ever since I went to the physio on Thursday. I am feeling positive and right now it looks like I'll be able to continue increasing the mileage gradually.
Great, delighted to read that 0 -
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Tuesday 9th: easy 50mins w. 5x100m strides (4.75miles total)
Mostly grass-and-trail lunchtime run on the meadows, starting in the rain. But it dried up nicely during the 50mins and the runners were only a bit damp when I was finished. Stopped the watch at 47mins to do the 5 strides on the tarmac but didn't bother timing or measuring distance. Then back to the office to finish the 50mins. Easy running was 4.55miles @10:59 pace, that slightly-faster-than-true-easy pace. Think I must have had .2miles for the strides so rounding the distance up. No note about stretches in my file but I think I did them.
Wednesday 10th: 1000m freestyle, pilates
Oh what fun it is to be a tourist in your own city! Brilliant five days checking out shows and food-options I never knew about (and discovering that off-licences can't serve after 10pm). But it was time to wave goodbye to the visitors this evening, so I was able to head to the pool. Did the freestyle as 8x50m, 100m, 50m, (4 or 5)x100m, 50m. Really wasn't feeling it and that's why there is a single 50m after I'd started the 100s, needed a rest. I was starting the next 100m after 750m and started wondering if I'd really done two 100s that finished that end of the pool ... and maybe I was only at 650m. Was going to leave it but the 1000m minimum is the only discipline in my current swimming so I stuck in an extra 100m to make sure. 90% it will have been 1100m I think. There was a bit of a crowd in the medium lane this evening and a couple of them doing slow things like chilled-out-breaststroke or backstroke. Had been stroking the legs of the swimmer ahead a few times during my session, and put in an aggressive burst on the final 50m to overtake the lazybones ahead (had been overtaken myself earlier in the swim I should mention).
pilates: blurry intermediate pilates class because I'd forgotten to take my glasses to the swimming pool and I'd discarded the daily lenses before getting into the water. Did not have time to go home to get the specs so did this through a haze. Was very well behaved and didn't try anything that might upset the disc.
Thursday 11th: 60mins hillyish (5.38miles @11:09 avg pace)
Was flying to Dublin this evening, so got this in after work before heading to the airport. Mixture of grass/trail and hard surfaces in Holyrood Road and on the roads there and back. It was drizzling a bit but dried off later in the run and by surprise this was one of the nicest runs I've done in ages. Nice and easy except for a couple of cement uphills. But also a lovely comfortable gently-uphill stretch on a narrow "sheep" clay trail. Really enjoyed this run and came back to the office with a light dusting of muck on the inside of my lower legs. It was pretty comfortable and I was a bit surprised that the pace was not slower than this when I checked.
stretches: Discovered that I'd no towel in the office so no shower, and enough time to get all the stretches in. Threw on my clothes over the sweat and the dusting of muck to head to the airport.
Friday 12th: 15mins w/u, 15mins of fartlek, 15mins c/d (4.45miles)
Massive feed of sleep last night after a late arrival into Dublin (will not type the time I got out of bed). Had been watching Rio on the TV this afternoon and had done the back exercises in front of that. Anyway will be tied up on a special assignment tomorrow and Sunday so had to get this one in today. Done round HX/Kimmage/Terenure on hard surfaces. The plan was 50mins with 20mins fartlek, but I was playing it by ear. Had made an agreement with myself that I could leave it at 15mins if I wanted. Then when out I was doing the second half of the fartlek along by the Dodder and I was finding it tough as I came up around 13, 14mins. And coming up next was the uphill stretch to Terenure .. so I let myself off with the easy option and ran home at easy pace. Paces were about 11min miles on the w/u and c/d miles and 8:52, 8:35 for the 1.7miles or so of fartlek. Came back to the house and did all my stretches (polishes halo).
A day and a half of babysitting coming up next, will do my LSR on Sunday evening if I'm not too wrecked!0 -
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Monday, 15th: nothing
Nothing as planned. Well there might have been a swim but still in Dublin and after the babysitting and evening LSR I was a bit too tired to get up at 7:30 for the lane swimming.
Tuesday 16th: nothing
Not planned, this was laziness. Hadn't slept too well the night before and had a heavy day of proofreading at work, and couldn't kick myself off the sofa in the evening. Had a physio visit about the disc, and mentioned the right achilles to him while I was there. He checked and it's not inflamed, and gave both achilli (?) a bit of ultrasound and strapped them with kinesio tape. I can keep doing the stair drops, they "will not do any harm". Am quite skeptical about the tape but whether it's that or the ultrasound (or the two days off!), the achilles is feeling better these past couple of days. Still not signed-off from the physio, there will be another visit in a month's time.
Wednesday 17th: 60mins with 30mins @tempo pace (5.9miles), pilates
Another run on the meadows after work, mostly grass and trail, doing laps past the sunbathers, with bits of coughing when going past the barbeque spots. Gorgeous evening. 15min w/u just slightly under 11min pace, and then into the tempo. I had been thinking I'd aim for about 9:30pace (and secretly hoping it'd be 9:15), but I took over a mile to get there. There was a bit of huffing and puffing, and afterwards I was trying to hope I didn't pass too many people from work. Paces for the tempo were 9:48, 9:29, 9:27, and "the bit" just over 9min. 15mins c/d again just below 11min pace.
Passed the electronic screen near the end of the cool-down and it was showing 20C at that stage (after 7pm). So this counts as warm-weather training.
stretches: Did most of them, though had to stop a bit early to head to pilates class. Also forced myself to do the back exercises before going to bed.
Thursday 18th: 60mins hilly (5.21miles @11:31 avg pace)
Took an extended lunchbreak to do this on the same route as last Thursday, about half hard surfaces and half grass/trail. Maybe a bit too soon to do it after last night's tempo, but there is a BBQ this evening in the last bit of sunshine, and there's no chance I'd push myself out in the dark after a few hours of burgers and wine and lazing around. Especially since there is always plenty of wine at this house ....
Another run in the sunshine, with a little bit of breeze on some stretches. First mile at just over 11min pace, hmmmm, not so easy in fact. The second mile had a cement uphill and that was tough, taking tiny little steps, so after that I took things down to proper-easy and stopped worrying about the pace. Shortened an out-and-back section a bit so I'd get back to the office within 60mins. The pace ended up at 11:31, good bit slower than last week's effort, but feeling harder. The last 5-6mins of this route are up a long cement uphill, and with the sun beating down I was dying coming up this - was very tempted to stop and walk at around 56mins but managed to keep going and run all the way to 60mins. Immediately stopped the watch after that and walked the 100m or so back to base. Was making sweat marks on the office door when doing the calf stretches.
My worries about being spotted last night are gone, would be much more embarrassing to have been spotted struggling at a snail's pace on that last uphill ... not to mention the bit of loose pink kinesio tape flapping back and forth around my left ankle. Let's hope they were all festival tourists.
stretches: all done.
Have tomorrow off, then back to the "miles in the legs" project at the weekend. Waiting to watch the hurdles now. Come on Thomas!! 0 -
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Monday 22nd: nothing
Tuesday 23rd: nothing
Today was planned to have 40mins with 20mins or so fartlek or so. Went out to some festival stuff in the evening, and still planned to do the run after I came home, but it was well after 10pm when I got back and I didn't have the inner strength. So one of the midweek days gone and the plan changed to consecutive 60mins runs for Wed and Thurs again this week.
Wednesday 24th: 60mins with 9mins, 5mins fartlek (5.74miles), pilates
Ok for sure this was not the plan - the aim was to do 20mins w/u, 20mins fartlek, and then 20mins c/d. Was trying to space out the Wed, Thurs runs better this week so was doing this from work at lunchtime in the meadows, mostly grass and trail. So headed out on the sunshine with a bit less than perfect commitment to the fartlek effort. Did the w/u fine and then got stuck into the fartlek, but was getting sick of it fairly early in, so when the watch beeped for a mile I took the pace down to easy again. Was going to leave it at that but after another slow mile I decided I'd try another mile of fartlek - got sick of it early though and left that section at 5mins. Main thing right now is building miles so I'm not going to worry about it. Paces were around 11min for the easy miles, and roughly 9min for the fartlek mile and half. Had been warm out there (ok ok, 20C but it's all relative) but I think the main issue was mental strength.
Thursday 25th: 60mins steady (6.12 miles @9:48 avg pace)
Not the usual Thursday route, as I ended up doing this in the dark and needed street lighting. Had been at a festival event this evening and spent a while chatting at the pub after, so it was after 9:30pm after I got home. *Again* ... except this time I was going to make sure I didn't shrink into my couch. Threw on my running gear, including *tights* (today it decided to be autumn) and kicked myself out before I could think about it. This was going to be laps of the neighborhood circuit which is mostly flat - so with no hill stimulus this week I decided I'd try a steady run. Was actually surprised to see it coming out as fast as it did, but I kept a very consistent pace, and although the last mile was a bit harder I think I could have done a couple more at that pace. Partly the hard surface will have helped too. Anyway was delighted to get it done at this pace, slower than my easy pace a year back but it's progress now. Wasn't even tired the next day.
Friday 26th: nothing
Took my swimming gear to work and might have gone to the pool. But I didn't.
Saturday 27th: 100mins LSR (8.8miles @11:22 avg pace)
Ended up doing this a day early on a longer variant of last Sunday's route, mostly hard surfaces with about 3miles of grass and trail. Went much better this time with none of the torture of last week's run. Still slow on the uphills but not struggling to continue, effort very consistent even though hills affected actual pace.
There is something is the air here, maybe some delayed Olympic fever or the sunshine has had an effect on people's brains. Was coming past a pub just after starting the run and a guy coming out lifted up his hand for a high-five. Very gentle high-five with no drama. Then a couple of minutes later I was turning a corner and a driver with the window down called out "Aaaawwwlll riiiight" as I went past. Then 8 miles later and coming to the end of the run - "that's it, hen, you're going well. You'll get there, wherever you're going." In fairness this old chap was right as I was only a couple of minutes from my flat. Don't know what's going on, it's weeks and probably months since I've had any comments during a run.
Had been planning to cycle out to the coast today to do the LSR on a trail route I've had my eye on. A special treat and that's the reason I was doing the LSR on Saturday. But have been battling a ridiculous problem with the front tube/tyre of my bike for about a year now ... it's not punctured but won't pump up properly either, so I end up cycling on a splodgy front tyre. Have been to the bike shop a few times with it and they always swear it's not punctured and cast aspersions on my upper body strength, but did they did eventually agree to change the tube a few months back. After getting the bike back that time (with the pumping done by their big strong arms) it deflated a decent bit overnight, and taking it back (*again*) that time I guessed there must be something in the tyre. There was a bit of glass in there it turned out. I was vindicated I thought and it's been ok for a couple of months after that but the nonsense has started again, and battling with it this afternoon didn't help. So no trip to the sandy trails and I ended up on the usual turf. I'm going to have to get working with the forks and basin of water because I won't be happy till I get to the bottom of it. Probably a valve I guess but really could the bike shop not have worked that out....
It's nice to have the LSR done a day early. Plan for tomorrow is 45mins with strides, and maybe a swim.0 -
Sunday 28th: 1200m freestyle, 45mins easy with 5x100m strides (4.3miles)
Ended up in a race to the pool to get the swim in before the pool shut at 1:30. It was after 1pm when I arrived poolside and I didn't expect to hit my usual minimum of 1000m. Less hanging around between lengths as I was trying to get as much in as possible. In the end we got about 10mins grace and I was on my way down the pool to hit 1200 when I saw the lanes being pulled up. Was doing this in a 25m lane and I notice it's a lot easier to keep the continuous swim going when you're turning every 25m - the tiny bit of extra rest makes a difference. I had two sections of continuous 300ms today but didn't really need to stop between them to be honest. First swim in over 2 weeks, so good to get this done.
Another latish run tonight for the 45mins with strides: 4miles in 45mins (11:15 pace), and then the strides will add .3mile. Kept the easy-mins easy except for the last few minutes when I realised that I'd have untidy minutes (over 45) or horrible just-below-4miles as things were going. So did my calculations like the nerd I am and brought the last miles in below 11mins and hit 4miles at 45:01
.
weekly total: 265mins as 4 runs (25miles*), 1pilates, 1 swim (1200m)
stretches: After each of the 4 runs (even Thursday's late night one)
back exercises: 6 days out of 7, the mobilisation and strength was done every day except Monday. Almost all of these were in the morning. The disc is behaving fairly well this week with occasional minor niggles into shin. I am making sure to stand for some of the working day and I'd say that's helping.
niggle maintenance: Did the 2sets straight-leg, 2sets bent-leg (each side) of the stair drops 3 times this week. Right achilles seems better (am also being careful with shoes). Also have done the dynamic hamstring stretch 3times.
I have a registration for a half-marathon in 16th October that I made a few months ago before I re-injured the disc. It's been at the back of my mind with the increases in the LSR and at this stage I think I'm going to pencil it in. After Thursday's run I'd have some hope of hitting 10min pace for it. Or maybe slightly quicker after the extra 7weeks of training. Would usually not bother doing it at this early stage but the run is along a Loch in a really beautiful area of Scotland, and there will be autumn leaves to look at. So it'll be a "destination" HM. I'll be quick to discard the plans if the disc gives any trouble on the way.
Next week is going to be a mini-cutback, will keep the LSR below 80mins, and reduce the time of Tuesday/Thursday runs a little bit.
(*) 24.96 to be exact0 -
Monday 25th: nothing (as planned)
Was a bit whacked after the miles and metres over the weekend so needed the rest anyhow.
Tuesday 26th: 1mile w/u, 30mins tempo, 1mile c/d (5.17miles)
Done on the grass and trails near the office after the working day. Was not in the mood for this one and would not have got out again if I'd gone home. Of course after getting out it didn't take long before I was enjoying it. Tempo paces 9:42, 9:22, 9:21 and 9:07 for the .17. Was looking back at the tempo I did 2weeks ago and this one is slightly quicker but scarily similar in pattern with the slower first mile (each mile-pace 6-7secs lower). Warm-up mile was very slow at 11:47 and the c/d just below 11mins. Glad to have this done especially as I need it for my August table.
monthly total: 97miles
Month|2013|2014|2015|2016
January|55|85|70|49.5
February|69|9|96|30
March|53|57|134|61.5
April|85|61|85|39.8
May|65|71|145|26
June|51|43|89|6.8
July|25|99 |79|75.8
August|84|120|26.5|97
September|18|131|0
October|83|0|15
November|78|3|62.5
December|53|56|86
Total|719|735|888|3860 -
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career move wrote: »Good to see you making some progress with the running and the swimming. Pity about the bike though. Amazing that the bike shop can't get it sorted!
They did temporarily sort it, it was ok for a couple of months. Might be that my frantic efforts with the pump are the problem ... will try a very gentle effort next attempt. Have found some stuff online that might help me sort it.
Congrats on your ITERA adventures, I read the first two installments and have the later stages on my to-do list. Hope you are having a good rest!
Btw, there's no triathlon in my future, the bike is only an old hybrid 0 -
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Trussed-up for an early night in bed with a box of tissues and lemsip, so might as well do the log.
Monday 5th, Tuesday 6th, Wednesday 7th: nothing
The rest day Monday was planned, but then I had the silly idea I'd get up early on Tuesday morning and do 60mins with fartlek before my Italian visitors arrived. Course the only thing being done Tuesday morning was frantic vacuuming and tidying. The disc/shin had been twinge-ing a bit that day anyway, so no harm. Same story again on Wednesday but it was mainly because of disc/shin twinges rather than constraints. If I could single out anything that kicked-off the disc it would be Sunday's swim. In the bad weeks the thing that used to aggravate the disc most was swimming and especially the kick drills. Had not been doing drills last weekend but had been trying to work on my kick.
Thursday 8th: 15min easy, 10min fartlek, 10min easy, 10min fartlek, 15min easy (5.93miles total)
The disc niggle was better on waking, and at work in the morning, so went ahead with this. The visitors still here so I had the gear in work and did the run from the office in the late afternoon. Mixed weather and mostly grass/trail. Have been struggling with the fartlek over recent weeks, so decided to break it up from the outset as two 10min sections. And finally I succeeded in completing it as planned!! Easy miles were just below 11min pace, fartlek sections all below 9min pace ... though this was borderline for the final 'bit' of the second fartlek, and I very nearly walked a couple of steps after I'd transitioned to the easy, but held it together.
Friday 9th: nothing
Saturday 10th: 45+ mins, then 5x100m strides (4.3miles total)
Visitors left this morning so no excuse not to do this. A reluctant late evening run round the neighbourhood loop. 4miles @11:20 avg, then the strides. Posterior tibialis behaving fine (the light niggle I noticed last week).
Sunday 11th: errrrr ... 0.58miles easy
This was supposed to be a 105mins LSR. Had left it to late afternoon to head out and was not feeling it whatsoever. Also thought I could feel a bit of the posterior tib tightness .. and more to the point I was worrying about a bit of leftover work that needed to be done that evening, would I be too wrecked after LSR/stretches to do it (anyone feeling too sympathetic, note I spent 3hours in the morning watching Mo Farah and Vivian Cheruiyot and a load of people in costumes on the TV). Kicked myself out and trotted the tarmac paths towards the park, and was just into the park and going up a little climb when the motivation drained away. Stopped, decided to bail, and walked the little stretch back home. Could try the excuse of posterior tib worries but the main reasons were the thought-of-work-not-done, the hill, and the 12:xx on the watch. Was a lovely evening for a run too..... Was thinking I might get the run in Monday morning for a short while until I copped on to myself. Took the stuff to work to do the run during/after the working day, but it never happened. Also could feel the posterior tib a bit tight as the day continued, so in the end just decided to throw the week away and start the next week as planned on Tuesday.
weekly total: 10.8 miles
exercises, niggles etc: Did the back exercises 6days/7 despite the visitors, a good week. Pathetic performance on the stair drops and dynamic hamstring stretch, only once for each. Stretches after both runs.
New week and the first time to break the midweek miles into 3days even though I've been planning it for about a month.
Tuesday 13th: 40mins with 20@tempo pace (4miles)
Round the neighbourhood loops in light drizzle in the evening. 10mins w/u just under 11:30, the 20mins tempo were 9:23, 9:09, and the "bit" 8:47, 10mins c/d just over 10:30. The achilles was giving a bit of trouble in the first 2/3 mile, quietened after that but was still "there". Similar experience last Thursday and could only assume it doesn't actually like the missed running.
Wednesday 14th: physio visit, pilates, 30mins very easy (2.51miles)
Talked about the disc, my achilles and the recent niggling of the posterior tib. In fact the posterior tib had gone a bit weird on my way to the appointment and when I demonstrated my running I wasn't able to put proper weight on it. Had literally only happened on the way to the appt. Right achilles mobilised and taped, and for the posterior tib the same suggestion of foot-rolling and stair drops. Stair drops twice a day! (*reels in horror*). Thought I would be finally finished with the visits to the physio but still ended up with an appointment for a month's time and am going to make sure I'm perfect for that one.
The run was done after pilates in the dark at a very very easy pace, just below 12min avg.
Thursday 15th: 55mins (4.75miles @11:35 avg pace), mostly grass and trail
Not sure whether to go out and do this one or not. Had done a bit of foot-rolling at work, but no stair drops, and could feel a bit of a twinge midway down the inside of calf on the walk home. Left the house at around 7:30 and headed for the park, but the daylight was fading and I knew I wouldn't be able to run the loop (there's very little by way of street lighting inside the park). Ran through the playing fields and did an out-and-back on a trail for the first 30mins, with a couple of stumbles near the end as the daylight finished. Then turned round and back to the start with an extra loop thrown in to make up the time. It was tricky running on the grass in the darkness, think I'd need a headlamp to do this regularly. And discovered some dog dirt on one trainer when I got home. On the other hand there were quite a few runners and dog-walkers around even after the light went down, felt pretty safe. And the leg was fine.
Friday 16th: nothing
Rest day and travelling up to an outdoors centre beside Loch Tay.
Saturday 17th: 1.5hours kayak, 2hours windsurfing, 48mins easy (estimate 4.17miles @11:30)
Perfect watersports weather of 18-19C with hardly any wind. Lovely sunshiny Kayaking. Chose to learn windsurfing in the afternoon, and after a few tumbles into the Loch was glad to stay upright and drift way down the Lake to the other bank, but *way* beyond the target. Had started to work out how to steer the board near the end of this so after getting towed back up to our original spot, was able to use my new learning to make it across to the other side in a straight line and without falling off. Had the option to hang up my sail at this point but there was 30mins left and I didn't have the sense to quit while ahead ... unfortunately the wind had picked up from half-nothing to the lightest-breeze-ever, and every time I got a little bit of wind in the sails I came straight off again. After a while I just sat on my board in the sunshine and looked at the mountains around the lake, and after about 15-20mins I got towed again :rolleyes:. Spent a few hours walking around in blissful ignorance until my friend broke the news that I looked like a beetroot. Not a typical September day getting sunburnt in Scotland.
run: Got ready to do the run and realised the Garmin was very low on charge, so went out with my nokia as my timer. 48mins easy as an out-and-back on the local road, little bit of hill. Saw a little red squirrel go flying across the road in front of a passing car, fortunately he made it across safe. I can probably assume 11:30 easy pace on recent progress, giving 4.17miles.
Sunday 18th: 1.5 hours kayaking, 105mins "undulating" LSR (9.2miles @11:25 avg pace)
Got a chance to do the run round the Loch in the afternoon and just as well as I would never have got to it after arriving back home at 7pm or so. Nokia again as my timer, and the plan was to turn around a bit after 50mins. Headed off on the lakeside road in the Eastern direction, the opposite direction to last night. We had been down this road for a walk on Friday night so I knew it was going to be a bit hilly, but all good practice. Was about a mile and a half into the run when I saw a sign for Ardeonaig hotel 3miles away so that was a target for turning round. Up and down, and round the bends I went. Many many sheep, about 15 cars, 2 motorcycles and one bike, but not one person on foot. Saw some "Red squirrels crossing" signs but none of the little beasties themselves this time. Nice views of the lake from time to time. There was a long downhill after about 45mins and I went down it dreading the return leg. Bit later and there was the Ardeonaig Hotel & Restaurant on my left, just after 50mins. So turned around and came back the way I'd come. I was expected to be slightly quicker on the return leg, but was exactly the same, back to base at 101mins. Added a short little out-and-back to make it up to 105mins.
Gmap-pedometer gives 8.85 for the trip to the hotel and back, and then scaling by 105/101 I get 9.2miles at average pace 11:25.
This was not an easy run, it was **tough** on the uphills and comfortable on the downs (and the bits of flat). Was knackered on Sunday night. Had been keen to do the LSR near Loch Tay because the terrain is similar to the HM I'm registered for in 4weeks time - on the road around a big Loch, and "undulating". But wasn't expecting it to be quite *that* undulating. Had to go and map-out the HM route to check whether it's the same level of undulating and it's not too different in fact :eek: ... there were two climbs of 35m on Sunday and the max-climb on the HM is just over 20m, but all the same the average climbing-per-mile looks pretty similar. The HM is advertised as "relatively flat" on their website. Still not 100% I'll do it, will depend on disc, posterior tib., achilles etc etc ... and possibly the weather. For sure it will be a slow one.
weekly total: 24.6miles
niggles and exercises:
Back exercises 5days/7. Was not in the mood on Monday and could not escape to do them Saturday, there's a limit to how anti-social you can be. There have been about 4-5 stair-drop sessions but I'm way from the twice-a-day I was prescribed. Stretches done after every run except the very easy Wednesday one.
Had been feeling a tickle at the back of my throat on Saturday, and had started sneezing in the car on the way back home yesterday (at least I got my LSR in before I realised). Spent all night and most of today working my way through piles of tissues and drinking endless cups of tea to wash the virus out. Not much improvement though, and suspect that there'll be no run tomorrow ... But sick or not I will have to htfu on the stair drops.0 -
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Kayaking! and windsurfing
love it. The long run sounds challenging but lovely too. Hope you're feeling better soon.
Twas lovely but of course thinking about the wet hair and catching my death (and the window open in the bedroom) and all that nonsense. Don't believe in any of it except this time it lines up with the cold.
The tea and lemsip is having an effect I think. Will have a proper early night tonight and read a book or something.0 -
Monday 19th, Tuesday 20th, Wednesday 21st: nothing
Was piling up the used tissues and working my way through a box of Barry's tea, but I probably could have managed a couple of short runs .... problem is that the disc was niggling into the shin. Not sure what caused it, in the past it's usually been non-running-activities seeming to trigger it, but if I'm being honest the first time I felt anything at the weekend was coming up to the top of one of those steep hills on Sundays LSR. True, there was lots of extra stuff being done last weekend but can't rule out the running as a cause. Skipped Pilates Wednesday as I didn't want to infect anyone.
Thursday 22nd: 15min easy, 10min fartlek, 10min easy, 10min fartlek, 15min easy (5.91miles total)
Nearly the same as a fortnight ago. The disc niggle was better today (though not perfect either), so I did my fartlek on the meadows before the sun went down. Mostly grass and trail. Managed to get it done with the fartlek sections each coming out as 9:02 for the first mile and below 8:50 for the "bit" ... 9min average pace overall for fartlek. Easy miles were around 10:45 for the first section, slowing to around 11:20 at the end. Almost exactly the same numbers as a fortnight back, just 0.02miles less overall ... and also I did end up walking 15steps after finishing the second fartlek this time
. Disc/shin had niggled a few times during the run, but I didn't seem to have done any damage, and there was no niggling at all on the walk home .
Friday 23rd: nothing
Saturday 24th: 50 mins, then 5x100m strides (4.92miles total)
The minutes done mostly on grass and trail round the playing fields, little bits of hill but nothing major. Decided to push the effort a little bit so this is really closer to steady than easy even if I might rather pretend otherwise: 10:49 avg pace for 4.62miles. Then the strides, went fine, just noticed a tiny tightness in the right hip flexor on the last 100m. Did the stair drops straight after coming in and the other stretches/dynamic-hamstring in front of Strictly.
Sunday 25th: 112mins (10.25miles @10:56 avg pace)
This was in fact planned as 112 mins (halfway between 105 and 120). Was thinking I might increase the minutes on-the-fly as I wanted to get above 10miles (and even a little bit more to "tidy up" the Thurs+Sat mileage), in the end the extra mins weren't needed. Was also thinking I'd try to push a little bit again and not keep it super easy. Probably "steady" is the truth again here. On familiar turf, the route was to run into Holyrood Park, do one clockwise loop, then a 1mile of the playing fields which would bring me to around 5miles ... and then repeat the same thing. This was exactly what happened, except I ended up sticking in a little bit extra at the end to use up the minutes and get the mileage up. Very mixed sections on this run, tough long uphills in miles 2 and 6, some wind tunnel battles in miles 3, 7 once I was on the exposed section, and two lovely long grassy descents in miles 4 and 8. Slowest miles over 12min pace, fastest below 10min pace, and despite the erratic paces the effort was consistent I think. I was finding the last couple of miles harder but was able to bring these in around 10:40 (these had little ups and down but overall they had balanced hillyness). Was a lovely sunny day, and there were loads of people out, walkers getting in the way on my trails .... Stuck to grass and trail wherever I could and probably did 6.5miles or so of this on the soft surfaces.
For once my cold did not progress to long-term racking coughs of a Dickens character. Think the litres of hot fluids may have made a difference. There has been a bit of discreet snorting into hedges on the runs, but the stuff being snorted wasn't too horrible. Less of this today too. Fingers crossed.
Thinking back to the torment of my July/August Holyrood LSRs (not to mention the bailed run 2 weeks back) probably there's a teensy bit of progress at this stage. Also it's the first time in 15months I've done a run in double figures (though that was already true after the 8mile run I think). More of the same next week, I'll be hoping to hit 11miles as that's the final LSR before the half.
weekly total: 21.1 miles
exercises, niggles etc:
Back exercises 6days/7, though one of those was at a ridiculous hour before bed just to get it done.
No stair drops Monday, but at least once a day for all other 6 days (twice on Friday, and I'll do a second set today before bed). Posterior tib is behaving well.
Stretches after all runs.0 -
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Saturday, 2nd Oct: 40mins easy with 5x100m strides (4.3miles total)
40mins easy round Kimmage and Terenure in the late afternoon, making 3.73miles @10:43 average. Then found myself a flat stretch near the house (hope none of my parents neighbours were watching) and did the strides, bit longer than usual so I'll round up to 4.3miles. Back to the house for the stretches and to see poor Mayo denied.
Sunday, 3rd Oct: nothing
Day ran away with itself with family-stuff (again) and in no time it was late afternoon. Had things that I needed to do for work so pushed the LSR out to Monday morning when I would have time. Little bits of posterior tib "awareness" so no harm to wait. Ended up working well past midnight, then I forced myself to do the back exercises and some stair drops. Had already missed 2 days of back exercises this week and couldn't bear to see it drop to 4days (though technically the last batch don't belong to this week) ... *weeeeell* past midnight before I went to sleep.
Monday, 4th Oct: 120mins "Cinderella" LSR (11.09miles @10:49 avg)
(of course) was late getting up, so didn't get the run in before my coffee date. Then after that I only had about 4 hours before I had to leave for the airport. Decided not to be such an obsessive running nerd and to hang out at the house like a normal person. Flight was due to land in Edinburgh around 8:40pm so there was still a hope of getting the run done. There had been bits of posterior tib. tightness today but I'd done a few foot rollings so wanted to give it a try. Got back to my flat a bit after 9:30pm and got dressed and headed out before I could change my mind. Did this round the Eastern suburbs and coast of the city and most of it was pretty deserted - a bit eerie at times but there was occasional traffic throughout so no danger of being abducted :rolleyes:. No sign of any niggles in the first hour, then for the second half the right leg felt slightly less stable with a hint of underlying ankle stiffness. Know from the past this is posterior tib. related, but it seemed ok to continue and I wanted this long run under my belt. Finished my 9mile loop and then threw in a couple of laps round the neighbourhood circuit to bring it up to 120mins. Was back inside my flat a few minutes before midnight (*punches air*). Did the stretches with stair drops, and the last few back exercises not done in Dublin airport (tiles too hard on my crooked spine to do the sit-ups).
Was genuinely comfortable on this run. It was a less-hilly route than usual and on tarmac (like most of this week). Best of all was not even tired this morning (ok ok, was a 10am start at work. But no yawning and have been alert all day.)
"weekly" total: 285 mins as 4 runs (27.3miles), 2 pilates
niggles etc:
Back exercises done 5day out of 7 (or 6 out of 8, whatever)
Stair drops: none Monday, one batch most days, 2 batches Friday, Sunday, Monday.
Stretches after all runs except Wednesday's.
Most niggles behaving well though the posterior tib needs watching.0 -
One decent week done. So next to follow, a bad week.....
Tuesday: nothing as planned
Wednesday: pilates but no run
Posterior tib was niggling, more than Tuesday. So skipped today's run on purpose.
Thursday: nothing again
Had taken my running gear to work and got dressed after work and went out. It was colder than earlier, and my legs were cold in my shorts. Was also having a bad day in work, not to mention losing the will to go on with the back exercises, the f***in stair drops, and oh god, I should be giving the left hamstring a bit of attention again. Decided it was too cold to run so I'd walk home and throw on my winter gear and do the run from the flat. Motivation was still low, so a detour via the supermarket and I'd cook dinner and do a late night run when I was in a better mood. But dinner, glass-of-wine, wine gums, and green pringles still weren't enough to raise my mood, still cross and annoyed at 10pm, the run was never done.
Friday: 70mins relaxed (6.15miles @11:23 avg pace)
Post-work run got done today. Posterior tib has been niggling through the week, but the walk home from work loosened it up . Was still getting twinges from the achilles even after walking home but I headed straight out before I could change my mind ... One lap round Holyrood, back out before it got too dark, and a bit of extra stuff to take it up to 70mins. Genuinely relaxed comfortable run in windless conditions and happy to have done it. Was a bit annoyed that the achilles was still twinge-ing during the run and even after. But by Saturday morning it had improved.
Saturday: 23miles cycle
Knew it wouldn't be sensible to run three days in a row, so a cycle out-and-back along the coast instead. Nearly always have wind on my face coming back into town but today the direction was reversed so had the easy leg for my return journey.
Sunday: 100mins hilly LSR (9.04miles @11:04 avg pace)
Two laps of Holyrood Park, then back out just before it got too dark, and a neighbourhood loop to bring up the minutes. Posterior tib had been niggling in the morning but walking had loosened it up and it was pretty good on the run, little bit of tightness in the final miles. Beautiful sunset views on both descents of the Holyrood circuit. Also overtook someone on the climb the first time round! And had to walk about 6steps the second time round ..... probably the effort today was closer to steady again. Not ideal but the miles done. Windless conditions *again*!
weekly total: 15.2miles (shuffles, avoid eye contact)
niggles, exercises etc:
Posterior tib needing attention, but it's not got any worse. You wouldn't think it from all the moaning above but in fact I've done stair drops twice-a-day every day this week except Friday which was once (well, only once today also, but I'll do them again before bed).
Back exercises 6days/6 so far, will also do them before bed to make it 7/7 for the first time ever.
Stretches not done after Friday's run (just a few calf stretches), but done after today's.0 -
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Your weekly mileage is double mine :eek: am jealous of your longer runs! Did you sign up for Run The Line in the end?
Skipped RtL in the end because I'm not sure of dates in Dublin, and it's often harder to get to the races than from here anyway, feel like a bit of a pain coming to visit and heading out on a Sunday morning for hours. And I won't be in any kind of racing shape for months yet.
May well line up for a different hilly run in December......*sqwawk*0
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