To the waters and the wild

Everything at the moment is about building and improving form and fitness- a typical week has about 5 runs totalling perhaps three and a half hours. Of that total, maybe 1:50 is done at PE3/4, 45min at PE5/6, 45min at PE7/8, and only about 8mins at PE9/10. So the stress is limited (for now) as the body adapts to running faster (and running faster when slightly fatigued at the end of the session). I guess its a balancing act between intensity and breakdown. You'd get a lot out of a hard 20min run (but greater risk of injury), a little out of an easy 20min run (with lesser risk of injury), and by mixing the two a progressive run should give you good top-end PE benefit while minimising injury risk.

Another point is high-PE running form is easier to maintain during a progressive run with a fast section at the end. Krusty from the running forum told me once he always finishes his runs with a fast last km for this reason.

Sat 13k easy run

Very cold here this morning at Courtown, I sat in the heated car waiting for predawn and then set off. Seeing the first light come over the horizon is Zen, and a great start to the weekend. My route then took me inland around the frost covered fields of the hinterland, before finishing with a loop of the thawing forest. Everything was kept easy pace and manageable effort.

Sun Rest day

Mon 30min S&C, 20min run; 60min Masters swim

Run: 10min EZ, 10min build to 8/9PE
I felt energised after a rest day, but the effort still seemed tougher than pace would suggest at the end. However, the HR wasn't too high, so I should be over my cold.

Swim:
400m warmup
8*75 as (25kIMO, 50drill, 10s)
20*50 as (25IMO, 25swim BE3, 10s)
250 hypoxic as (10*25 take 3,2,1,0,0,0,0,1,2,3 breaths each length)

First time back in a while, a little rusty but nothing too bad. The IMO strokes were better than usual- fly kick in particular is improving although my breast kick is diabolical. Good to be back swimming in company again.

Wed 45min swim; 10min yoga, 40mins turbo

Swim:
450 warmup
5*100 off 1:45 (pb, pb, sw, pb, sw)
1 min rest
5*100 off 1:40 (pb, pb, sw, pb, sw)
1 min rest
5*100 off 1:35 (pb, pb, sw, pb, sw)
1 min rest
5*100 off 1:35 (pb, pb, sw, pb, sw)
1 min rest
50 swim down (had to dash)

These weren't great times, although form was better than usual. I was slower with the pb than straight swimming. Breathing wasn't too bad (trying to take on less air and BE3- think I'm gasping in too much air BE2 and not enough time to exhale). I was nowhere near hitting the last set off 1:30 so didn't bother. We've a 1,500mm TT tomorrow evening so I want to keep it at 1:35 pace with good form throughout.

Turbo:
10min EZ
4*(10sMAX, 2:20 EZ)
5*(1min build to 9/10PE, 2min EZ)
5min EZ

These were only a minute on, but boy do they hurt! I did the first couple a bit too hard too fast and it was tough to hold the power. The last three built better; a short sharp shock of a session.

Thurs 15min S&C, 15min jog; 15min yoga, Masters swim

Swim:
400 wu
9*50 (1-3 descending), 20s
1500m TT 24:15
100 easy
250 hypoxic

I'm going to have to work on my breathing, thats the root of the problem.

pgibbo wrote: »

Not too far off your target of 1:35 per 100. Nice going.

At least you know what to work on. That's a great starting point.

If they gave out medals for "glass half full" you'd podium every time pgibbo! Thanks for the note, but I'm pretty disappointed at being slower. Breathing letting me down again. At least Triathlon isn't a winter sport. Glass half full

Fri 15min S&C, 30min easy run; 45mins weights

Today's another day in the program, lets tick it off and look forward.

Sat Nothing.

I had intended racing my nearest Parkrun, up early and into the car... the roads were sheets of black ice and the car was skidding all over the place so I slowly turned for home after about 200m. Just as well as the Parkrun was cancelled as the route was too icy! I couldn't get anything else done as the rest of the day was family stuff.

Sun 15.6k hill run; 1:55 turbo

There was a local hill run on in Ballycoog, it was a misty and wet morning but I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I fished out the closest shoes I had to trail shoes, and drove down to the start. A pretty good turnout given the weather, and there were some top hill runners present. It was obvious this would be more than a local hill run, and indeed as it turned out an awful lot of work had gone into designing the course.
Right from the start I knew my footwear would slow me down, we ran up along a mucky field and I was slipping all over. Things got better as we entered some forest fire road, and I plodded along as we ran up. Breathing was quite heavy here, but the effort was solid rather than race pace. Some skidding across fields, an incredible forested arch, and we began the slow trudge upwards towards the summit of Croghan. Visibility was poor, and a cold wind pounded us from the side.
The first signs of snow appeared, nothing too bad, but pockets that were a foot deep you had to plough through. I closed in on three runners, we said a brief "Hi!" and ran across open mountain... and soon realised there were no flags or tape evident. That brief meeting meant a lapse in concentration, we all for a moment dropped our gameface and obviously missed a turn. It was difficult to see anything with the mist, but soon figured out our error and were welcomed with the reassuring sight of red/white tape again. A climb along a fence brought us to the summit of Croghan- nothing to see here but the trig-point, as visibility was down to about 5 meters or so, despite the gale of a wind.
I took off down the fence, enjoying running through snow, and soon entered a forest again. From here things got really interesting as the route meandered along a narrow path, up over ditches, through fields, along gullies, before descending across open field that I would have love to let loose on (in the proper footwear!). As it was I had to keep from slipping, but really enjoying the descent. A stile crossing brought us along a steep tree path, at the top of a slop that fell down to the river below. You had to be very careful here, the camber was angled and the route muddy- any slip would have brought a fall down to the river, so caution was merited. I take my hat of to the course designer, and the organisers, for allowing such a thrilling route!
Some more fields were crossed, observed by curious sheep, and we had to clamber down a steep ravine- "Go down Backwards" said the sign! Naturally I ignored this suggestion, and just as naturally I slipped going down the muddy track, falling with my back onto a felled tree trunk. The resulting crunching noises were worth a fortune in chiropractor visits! No bones broken, a little shaken but I made my way a little more carefully down to the river crossing. It was a mud fest getting back up the equally steep other bank, before ploughing and slopping through the final few fields to the finish. Really glad I did this run, it was a joy to run that course, and great to meet up with some of the hill runner gang over soup and sambos after.

Turbo:
10min EZ
4*(10s MAX, 2:20 EZ)
6*(10min build 3-6PE, 5min EZ)
5min EZ

Despite the fatigue in the legs I had a scheduled turbo to do, so spent hopped on and watched the first 1:55 mins of Barry Lyndon, a film that gets better each time you watch it.
The efforts weren't as high as usual as I kept things to the minimum expected, but glad I did it as its all too easy to drop and skip sessions this time of year.

pgibbo wrote: »

How are you after the fall now?

I've got a lovely set of bruises right across my middle back, but besides that no bones broken. In fact, the whole back/neck seems a lot more flexible!

Can't say the rest of the body is flexible at the moment though! Tight legs which is to be expected after a hill run. It really was a great course though- end the week on a high to make up for the disappointing swim TT

Wed 10min yoga, 40min turbo

10min EZ
4*(10s MAX, 2:20 EZ)
5*(30s build to 9/10PE, 2:30 EZ)
5 EZ

I have the start of a cold, added with the DOMS, added with the miserable dark time of year, meant this turbo effort was dialled back. At least it got done (NY resolution is to become a glass half full type person).

Sat 55min hilly run; 45min weights

Took a couple of blasts from the inhaler and set out, the first couple of km were flat and probably a bit faster than the "easy" I'd planned. To be honest I'm trying to convince myself there's not a problem, but as the route started upwards I was struggling. Not getting enough oxygen from restricted airways, and that leads to the body tightening up with subsequent issues. I slowed along the top road which was flat enough, and things got easier. No doubt, I just will have to keep breathing under control until this passes. Any increase in effort places exponential stress on the lungs.

Boohoo, woe is me... but sitting at home doing nothing is worse so at least its another run ticked off. I'll be glad of the consistency when my breathing is better.

Tue 15min S&C, 30min Fastlane

This was done after a long day travelling, but I felt much the better for having done it. Various free pacing, with some bursts. Focus on extension and a strong slightly faster pull which seemed to pay dividends.

Owing to the days journey (and familial obligations!) I couldn't get out on a planned run, but given the time of year one session is better than none!

Thurs 15min S&C, 60min hilly run, 30min Fastlane

Run: 30min EZ, 15mins a touch faster, 15min PE8

Another day another Annagh run. I'm spoiled at the moment, out of routine so lots of time to run on the trails (rather than suburbia runs squeezed in between kids swimming hours). With plenty of frost visible on the top, I trudged up along the stone wall climb. There's a very faint track here, but almost impossible to run owing to the elevation. Large clomping footsteps were the order of the day as I walked towards the summit. A few trees to be negotiated through, but the top was found easy enough, as were views of the Welsh hills across the sea. Running could begin again now, but progress was impeded by the many pools of frozen water along the summit track. I had been considering what footwear to wear- ice skates would have sufficed here! Progress would be better on the other side of the stone wall so I hopped over and ran through the frozen grass.
Back onto rough track for a downhill, holding down the pace for fear of slipping in my road shoes, and after running the crest of the hill I hit west-side trails again. From here I could increase the effort a bit without fear of stumbling or disappearing down icy bog-holes, and continued in this fashion back to the car.

The Fastlane straight after was more recovery than anything else, but always great stroke feedback.

Sat 10k run (including Tullow Parkrun in 20:09)

2k easy warmup
Some elements of run yoga, hip flexor stretches etc
1km progressive with few strides in second half
5k park run
2km easy, with stretches every 500m as cool down

I needed a 5k baseline and with the kids not at swimming, drove to the local Tullow Parkrun. Running a lap as warm up the rain from last night was evident- nothing too bad, but it made for heavy going in a few places, and cornering would be slippy in areas. After some stretches and strides, we lined up at the start. I was nervous and felt sick, a reaction to not having raced in a while.

The gun goes and we are off, two lads took off at a fast pace and were gone. Two others ran past me, both with gaits that suggested I would reel them in at some stage. I was running at a decent effort and took back two spots over the first couple of km (3:59, 3:52). Things started to feel tougher now, in no mans land running on my own. I was breathing quite heavy, the legs feeling the pace, and ducked down the next couple of km (4:12, 4:10). Audibly gasping at this stage and with heavy footfall I knew the sub-20 had gone and finished the last km (3:55) as best I could, happy to finish.

Probably learned as much mentally from this race as physically. I threw away my hoped for sub-20 goal by slowing on the second lap- thats a reaction to pain demons that should disappear as I do more racing and get used to suffering again. Ditto any pre-race nerves and nausea. I weighed myself when back home- a whopping 90.6kg which is a fair amount of excess Xmas lard to lug around, and so faster times should come automatically from weight loss.

Tue 15min yoga, 30min Fastlane; 15min yoga, 60min run

Its a pretty wet and wild day here, perfect weather for hitting the hills in my new Inov8 X-Talons. I drove to Annagh and ran up the sodden flank of Cummerhill, it was very muddy but the shoes had brilliant grip. Took it handy enough while scouting out some new routes, the possibilities are endless on this ever-changing hill. After nearly 40 mins of up/down I settled back down on flatter trail to run the meat of the session, 15min steady to strong effort. I was hurting and glad of the end, but had been travelling at a faster pace than anticipated. Hard to judge pace on the hills, but the recent Parkrun has helped remind the legs what running faster is. An easy warm-down (actually cold and upwards) back to the car to make up another fun hour in the hills.