PB or not PB...that is the question

23/01/2020

10K – 44:14 – Road – NP34

Don't remember ever running in such heavy fog before but don't think it affected my performance too much.....no wind, cool and nobody else out of the footpath :pac:

Had planned to go the more rural 8K hilly route near the office but there's a few stretches that are hairy enough in good conditions so didn't want to take any unnecessary risks.

Anyway, went at this reasonably hard I guess relative to recent workouts - was glad to get under 45 mins fairly comfortably....still think I made the right call not pacing at that speed on Sunday though.

Still struggling badly with the sinusitis....over halfway through the antibiotic and still feeling like shyte tbh.

The MRI came back clear so it seems whatever I have is nothing too sinister thankfully.

Running not even remotely on the horizon right now :-(

Slowly getting back on my feet, went out for two leisurely paced 5k efforts on Wednesday and yesterday.

Was reasonably comfortable for both of them (@ 5 min per km) so will probably aim for something similar over the next few days before attempting either an increase in pace or distance.

The niggle I had back in January in left knee/ITB/quad popped up to say hello yesterday so will be continuing rolling and stretching this week

Another 6k today in pleasant spring wind and sunshine.

Felt lighter today and generally turning the corner health wise. This is the first of recent outings that has felt like a run rather than a jog/plod.

Not too bothered about times atm but today was 28:10 following 29:48 on Sunday.

The effort felt the same tbh so hopefully back to something approaching normal

You have to laugh really.

Went out for a handy 6k yesterday evening....felt good and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the spring countryside which was drenched in glorious sunshine.

Came home and the young fellas were mad to play a game of football in the back garden. All was going well until I was on a foray deep inside the opponent's half. I swerved to avoid a 2 footed lunge from the 4 year old and went to slot the ball past the keeper. But alas my foot struck the concrete garden fence pillar rather than the ball resulting in me shouting in a painful heap and my young fellas rolling around laughing. I played on manfully and didn't think too much of it tbh. I noticed my small toe was a bit inflamed looking in the shower, and then this morning it was fairly swollen and badly bruised. I recognised that look (and the pain) as I'd broken the very same toe about 10 years ago.

Tldr: won't be running for a couple of weeks after breaking/fracturing small toe.

Fuppit anyways....was just getting back into it

29/04/20

7K - 34:02 - Road - NP34

02/05/20

7.25K - 33:54 - Road - NP35

A couple of more satisfactory runs....would ideally have gone out on Friday evening but was fairly knackered after the week tbh.

Yesterday’s run was meant to be a 10K loop (the new restrictions have opened this route up) but I felt I was running out of gas a bit so took the shortcut at 4K.

No pain in the toe so far and all ok besides

06/05/20

8K - 38:08 - Road - NP35

Another few miles on the road to recovery/normality.

Did a 4K out and back route...struggled a bit on the way back into a strong breeze but kept the legs going

09/05/20

10K - 48:46 - Road - NP35

Finally broke through the magical 10K barrier but it was a bit of a slog in the sun.

Had to take a few brief walking breaks which skewed the time a bit....ran 6 kilometres at <= 4:45 pace which is about par for my fitness right now.

This run was part of a virtual club run for Darkness Into Light, a lot of charities struggling during the lockdown so happy to help out with a donation

13/05/20

8K - 37:19 - Road - NP35

Went out around half 8 last night and it was freezing :eek:

Haven't been that cold on a run in a long time so wasn't hanging around.

Aimed to run at my newish default lockdown pace of 4:45 per km (38 mins for 8K) and pretty much nailed it with a relative degree of comfort. The time gains came in the last 2K which are mainly downhill/flat.

All good besides I think - might do the Curraghchase virtual 10K later in the month to keep halfways focussed.

23/05/20

10K - 48:05 - Road - NP35

26/05/20

8.25K - 38:05 - Road - NP35

So it's been an extremely higgledy-piggledy couple of weeks since my last update.

Basically my thyroid has gone absolutely bananas....wake up some mornings feeling like I've been hit by a bus, some mornings with a dirty hangover feeling and some mornings normal.

Have had another round of blood tests and waiting to see a consultant. Also had a Covid test last week....not a pleasant experience but happy to report, as Donald Trump said, that I was positively negative. My GP has advised to exercise if I feel like it so will keep plugging away when I can.

Anyway, the last couple of runs have bizarrely been the best this year by a long shot. Felt strong and full of running (relatively) both evenings so will just have to take each day as it comes in the thyroid front.

And bought another pair of Pegasus today for a sensational €59. It would have been criminal not to get them...right???

ariana` wrote: »

Sorry to hear you've had a rough few weeks. Hope you can get on top of the thyroid again soon with the results of the bloods.

It's been killing me but i've been trying to stay away from the Nick30! I still have a pair of Pegs in their box since the last time they ran that deal, in fairness it's pretty amazing value, well wear.

Cheers...the thyroid thing has been an issue for the last 18 months or so but deffo getting more volatile lately. Hopefully I'll get to the bottom of it soon one way or the other.

I love the Pegasus I have to say....will be keeping the eyes peeled yet again for the DPD van :-)

29/05/20

7K - 32:16 - Road - NP34


31/05/20

10K - 46:25 - Road - NP35

Bizarrely I had zero after effects from running a fast 5K in racers. Had half expected my Achilles to seize up but no, fresh as a daisy the morning after which made a welcome change.

Anyway, two solid runs ran at faster than my default Lockdown pace followed by the pleasure of a lengthy cooldown in the paddling pool.

05/06/20

10K - 49:20 - Road - NP34

A slow run to end a slow week, had vaguely planned to do 12K but the wind was very gusty when I was out so decided to cut my losses and stick to 10K which no longer feels like a long run :rolleyes:


06/06/20

Intervals - 8 x 800m - Road - NP35

Happy enough with this workout, the average was somewhere around 3:18 I’d say. Didn’t feel under pressure at any point apart from a tricky 200m stretch in the first interval where I had to outrun a combine harvester

It was a narrow country road so nowhere for me to go other than forward as quickly as possible til I got to a point where I could get off the road.

Anyway, all good besides - could do with an event to plan for though!

As I was heading out last night for my tempo run with trusty NB880's in hand it dawned on me that the shoes were absolutely knackered...will reluctantly have to bin them I think...they've done a lot of heavy lifting over the last couple of years but time to say adios.

Shoe Roster Update
- Asics Flux - 90% worn....another good workhorse shoe edging it's way towards the bin.

- Saucony Kinvara - 60% worn...bought these on a whim years ago but find a hard run generally ends with my calves turning to concrete. Have worn them on treadmills and dry cross country but not in a while

- Asics DS Trainer 17...85% worn...bought these at the London Marathon expo in 2012 and mainly used them for races and speed work. A great shoe & still not in too bad shape all things considered

- Asics DS Trainer 21...75% worn...another race/speed shoe, have to admit I never really liked them despite a couple of PB's. Much more rigid that the other ones and marked the beginning of the end for me with Asics.

- NB 880 - RIP after a couple of years great service; the shoe equivalent of James Milner for me

- NB 1400 - 20%....a racing shoe that I've done very little racing in tbh but hopefully that will change next year

- Pegasus 34 - 80% worn...wore these a good bit for DCM mileage last year

- Pegasus 35 - 40% worn...ran the marathon in these and have gradually become my regular runner in the last few weeks.

- Pegasus 36 (Cherry red) - in a box under the bed...will be unveiling them soon

- Pegasus 36 (Black) - in a box under the bed also got these last week for €59 so will be a while before they see tarmac

14/06/20

12K - 56:27 - Road - NP35

A comfortable and solid "long" run... probably had more in the tank today but no point in rushing at this stage.

Might try a few at this distance before progressing up to 10 miles