tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67416751091292883952024-03-14T05:59:18.128+00:00Rambling on about runningWritten as much for myself as others, this originally started life as an account of Paris marathon in 2007 but eventually became a log of my running and fitness endeavours and challenges.
I'll never be an elite, even for my age, but with effort I'm getting better. Now aiming for the target of 3:15 in my next marathon.Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.comBlogger279125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-88402964637982297722012-09-04T08:03:00.004+01:002012-09-04T08:03:48.824+01:00You don't know what you've got 'till you lose itOr, in my case, until you gain it...<br />
<br />
Sixty days ago I had a BUPA fitness assessment, measuring weight, body fat, strength, VO2 max, heart ECG, lung strength and flexibility. <br />
<br />
Going into it I felt <em>fairly</em> happy with the condition I was in: I'd just done the first of 7/8 20+ mile runs ahead of Amsterdam, my weight was back at Paris level, weekly mileage was creeping up to about 60 and I was running pretty fluidly. On the flip side I still felt I was carrying too much fat, my weight was half a stone or more above where I wanted to get to and I knew I'd done no speed or intervals work since March.<br />
<br />
The results, though, were incredibly pleasing. I won't bore with all of them but everything was OK and I found some real highlights:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Bodyfat was 13%</li>
<li>Lung health was that expected of an active 25 year old</li>
<li>VO2 max was 60.5 - the highest the nurse had seen in 3 years of conducting tests</li>
</ul>
As these were the results for a physical condition that was 3 months from peak I was delighted. <br />
<br />
Delighted to the point of complacency. <br />
<br />
With 2 weeks until a fortnight's holiday in France I started eating badly, feeling that when faced with duck, cheeses, croissants, chocolate, deserts etc, I'd gain a little anyway so why not let go a bit beforehand?<br />
<br />
The mileage stayed high though, and by the time we went away I doubt I'd gained too much. <br />
<br />
We drove down to the gite, stopping a night in northern France and then another in central France en route. At 6am following the second stop-over I went out for a 21 mile run and it went perfectly. Running along a peaceful long distance path (disused railway line), in the early morning sunshine I did the opening 10 miles at 8:23 a mile and the next 11 at 7:19. I was thrilled. It just underlined that I was in a great position to really ramp the training up from.<br />
<br />
What I didn't realise was that it would prove to be my peak, and on the other side of the summit was a long, steep decline.<br />
<br />
Through the first week at the gite I carried on with my runs but it was a struggle. The high 30s temperatures left me tired and it was a challenge to get going early enough to avoid the heat (despite the alarm) and my running began to feel as laboured as it had previously felt fluid.<br />
<br />
By the end of the week I had a more serious problem.<br />
<br />
When I injured my left achillies last summer I also had pain on the inside/back of my right heel. This wasn't anywhere near as bad but whilst the left healed the right stayed the same - no worse, no better - right through Paris training and beyond. It didn't effect my gait or ability to train so I gave it little thought.<br />
<br />
In June, though, it had started to gradually feel a little more sore; enough for me to mention it to the physio. She was re-assuring. I had very tight calf muscles, especially on the inside right of my gastrocs, that restricted ankle flexibility and caused strain on the tendon; but this could be fixed easily with eccentric exercises and concerted daily stretching.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, in the same way that nutrition went out the window in the lead up to the holiday, I did virtually no stretching/strengthening; telling myself that I'd have plenty of time for that while away. Then, when I was away I did nothing.<br />
<br />
On the Thursday of week one I manged no more than 2 miles as I was limping.<br />
<br />
Rest eased it a little though so that on the Sunday I opted for a 17.86 mile route in the hills rather than a flat 22 miles on the riverside road. Hindsight says that hills were the last thing I needed with a ropey achillies but I'd estimated the distance only at 16 miles and hadn't appreciated just how hilly the route would be. Afterwards I was sore and limping.<br />
<br />
Monday was a rest day and Tuesday's 10 miles felt OK-ish. Sore, yes, but not too debilitating. On Wednesday, though, I got no further than 10 metres. As soon as I set off I was limping heavily and knew I had a fairly big problem.<br />
<br />
I rested it for the remainder of the holiday and for another week at home. By this time there was almost no residual soreness and I drove into the centre of Leeds geared up for anything from 18 to 22 miles. I managed just a quarter of a mile. With the first step my foot collapsed painfuly inwards and whilst I tried dynamic stretches I knew that each step was damaging me further and gave up. With that my Amsterdam marathon plans ended.<br />
<br />
I'm another few weeks on from that and haven't tried running since as the achillies is still sore even from running up a flight of stairs or jogging across a road. I have another 8 weeks to rehabilitate by which time I must start running again to give myself a chance of training for Paris next April, and I've made a physio appointment for 27/09.<br />
<br />
When a similar thing happened last year I felt really low. Depressed at not running, comfort eating, then depressed at the weight/size gain.<br />
<br />
However, last year I recovered and was able to then execute a perfect winter training programme and spring marathon so the decision to abandon Amsterdam (the race not the trip - everything is paid for) was met with a more philosophical shrug as a result.<br />
<br />
However, when you run 60 odd miles a week you can eat pretty much whatever you want. If you suddenly stop, but don't curtail the eating, you'll gain about 2lb a week. Add to that an element of comfort eating and the rapid weight gain of a fairly sedentary holiday (where any exercise beyond the week one runs consisted of trudging a few feet from a sun bed to a food filled fridge) and the outcome is inevitable. <br />
<br />
Sixty days on from the thrill of my fitness assessment and I'm <strong>twenty one</strong> pounds heavier and doing virtually no exercise.<br />
<br />
Or at least that was the case on Monday. Since then I've started logging food intake and doing rehab exercises. Starting today I'll do some walking and cycling. Yesterday I had half an hour in the pool. <br />
<br />
Small steps.<br />
<br />
I guess every challenge like this is an opportunity to learn. Last year I learned that I can come back from injury and that's made coping with this summer's set back far easier. That's helped me to recognise that my body can't cope with 2 marathons a year and that next year I'll have a fallow period with little or no running post Paris, maybe leading to 10ks, relays and halves in the autumn. <br />
<br />
What I'm learning right now is to be realistic with regards to weight and body shape. Sixty days ago I thought I was 'okay' but the assessment suggested I was more than that. When I look in the mirror now, or try (and fail) to fit in to most of my clothes I realise I really was in very good nick and perhaps shouldn't have been trying to endlessly chase (relative) perfection that was always just over the horizon no matter how far I travelled.<br />
<br />
In a few months time when the weight is back off and I'm running again I hope I'll be rather more thankful for what I have.<br />
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Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-78022179597870080732012-04-24T09:06:00.000+01:002012-04-24T09:06:50.117+01:00Whatever next?Once the waves of tiredness and euphoria of the first day or two after a marathon subside, this is the question that invariably presents itself to runners.<br />
<br />
The answer might be to tweak training to eradicate the weaknesses exposed over 26.2 miles, it's frequently the booking of an event for next autumn/spring and sometimes it's the decision to look at challenges away from running for a while.<br />
<br />
I'm no different, and after a week of pawing over Garmin data and previous training plans I think I know my answer.<br />
<br />
That is to say I think I've <em>refined</em> <em>my</em> <em>answers</em>, as Amsterdam was already booked and I'd taken the decision several weeks ago not to view Paris as an end in itself but as a milestone on a longer journey.<br />
<br />
I've got 27 weeks, including last week, until The 'Dam. I know what I'll be doing for the last 18 of those as that will be the Pfitzinger & Douglas 70 miles a week plan. It's what I'd do before that that was most loosely formed in my mind.<br />
<br />
Initially I'd thought of having 2 full weeks off from running but the need to be doing 55 miles, running 6 days a week, in 8 weeks time makes that a problematic approach. The initial rest might be beneficial but it would make the ramp up steeper further down the line.<br />
<br />
As a result, I decided to build from P&D's 5 week recovery plan, but with a week off beforehand and 3 further weeks of building at the end. I'm hoping that from a running perspective that will allow a number of easy weeks (compared to what came before) but will have me in reasonable shape for starting a tougher marathon training plan afterwards and in terms of running that's it. No speedwork, no runs longer than 15 miles, all fairly regulation stuff and all quite deliberate as, learning from the last 20 weeks, I want running to step out of the limelight for a bit. <br />
<br />
Through the Paris training I was so focused on my mileage that I did very little in the way of strengthening, core work or even stretching. It was so easy to skip session after session after session, and I'm sure that had I incorporated these it would have been beneficial for the 26.2 miler, and by beneficial I mean <em>faster</em>!<br />
<br />
So, as well as writing up an 8 week running plan I've also done an 8 week cross training plan that I hope will strengthen me ahead of marathon training but also make cross training a habit. I won't go into detail over the content but in summary it includes:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Daily stretching and foam roller work</li>
<li>Basic core work 3 days a week</li>
<li>Leg & glute strengthening 4 days a week</li>
<li>One gym based weight training session a week</li>
<li>The P&D dumbbell/body weight weight training session twice a week</li>
</ul>
That's 17 sessions a week on top of the running. Whilst they're all pretty short that's still a large number and that's why I want this to have greater priority in my mind than the running, which I'm regarding as something that will just happen as routine.<br />
<br />
On a similar theme my weight wasn't where I'd initially planned for Paris. I was able to lose weight for a week or two but couldn't keep it going. In part that's because, again, mileage was the dominant objective but it also reflects greater difficulty in maintaining calorie deficit when mileage was high.<br />
<br />
So, maintaining a deficit while mileage is low in the next 8 weeks is my other big objective. In that way I expect to finally get to 11st by the time marathon training starts. If I drop a pound or two after then I'll be delighted but at this stage that's not something I'll be deliberately setting out to achieve.<br />
<br />
The final part of the plan is about taking a mental break from running and pace defining success. In truth weight loss is principally linked to running success in my mind but as I won't be pushing myself while running I need to define success here more as aesthetic. I'm helped in that by having 2 weeks booked in South West France in late July, though staying in an isolated inland gite with private pool kind of makes the beach/pool body a bit superfluous...<br />
<br />
To summarise, I'm looking to use the next 8 weeks to allow full recovery from Paris whilst gradually getting me into the best shape possible for (and to allow focus on) the Amsterdam training that follows.<br />
<br />
In terms of my aim in Amsterdam, at the moment I'm just saying sub 3:15, but in the same way that Paris started at sub 3:30 and became sub 3:25 I have half an eye on something lower but that is absolutely dependant on weight loss success.<br />
<br />
The late Max Jones had a <a href="http://www.valleystriders.org.uk/calcmar1.htm">formula</a> for predicting marathon times that proved shockingly accurate (to within one minute) for Paris. Makes me wonder what more I could do?<br />
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<br />Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-1288808267093454362012-04-18T11:39:00.000+01:002012-04-18T11:39:09.164+01:00Paris Marathon Race ReportWell, that's all done then...<br />
<br />
...and quite satisfied with how things went.<br />
<br />
The pre marathon taper held a few of it's usual trials and tribulations. With 2 weeks to go I was scheduled to run a race of about 5 miles on the Saturday but the race choice was limited to a park run so instead I did a 5 mile 'time trial' on my own, covering the distance in 33:50. The next day though I struggled on a 16 mile run with very tight hip flexors on the right. A trip to the physio found tightness in HFs as well as adductors - probably as a result of almost completely neglecting strength, core and stretching throughout training and the speed training exposing it. Took it easy as a result, dropping the last speed session as well as one run in the final week.<br />
<br />Carb loading was its usual challenge of bloating and discomfort and on the Saturday afternoon I was convinced I was coming down with a virus. Ironically though, that night was the first time I got anything close to a decent night's sleep for some time.<br />
<br />
Weight loss didn't work out as planned either in training or taper and I tipped the scales a stone over where I'd wanted to be and 5lbs heavier than Paris last year.<br />
The forecast for the marathon was for it to be mercifully cool at 6c but there were northerly winds of 21mph gusting to 49mph also forecast, and whilst most of the route would be sheltered from these the last 6.2 miles would be in park land largely straight into the headwind. As a result I invested in a pair of Gore arm warmers at the expo!<br />
<br />
It was extremely cold waiting for the start, not helped by the new starting process for this year. The normal approach has been for time based pens but this year these were also split into left and right with each half being started on a random pattern. Unfortunately that meant a 12 minute delay before starting (as I picked the wrong half) rather than last year's 4 minutes. The approach was designed to reduce congestion but I found the opposite to be the case as there were far more runners to pass.<br />
<br />
I'd firmed up my plan to be:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Hit 20 miles at 7:44/7:45 average</li>
<li>Run the remainder below 8:02 average</li>
</ul>
It didn't take long to get into the right rhythm for that with the first 6 miles looking like...<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>7:44</li>
<li>7:39</li>
<li>7:39</li>
<li>7:39</li>
<li>7:43</li>
<li>7:37</li>
</ol>
<br />...and nothing much to report from them other than a realisation that I maybe should have 'gone' in a bottle before we started, meaning a water station and toilet break slowed mile 7, with water stations also losing a few seconds in 10 and 13:<br />
<br />
7. 7:57<br />
8. 7:39<br />
9. 7:43<br />
10. 7:49<br />
11. 7:30<br />
12. 7:37<br />
13. 7:49<br />
<br />
That meant that at half way I was feeling really good and if anything was having to hold myself back so that adrenaline didn't prompt me to abandon the discipline of the plan too much.<br />
<br />
The next few miles were where I'd began to suffer last year but this year I just felt like I was chalking off the miles one after the other:<br />
<br />
14. 7:44<br />
15. 7:50<br />
16. 7:39<br />
17. 7:47<br />
18. 7:46<br />
19. 7:50<br />
20. 7:47<br />
<br />
Not sure why I dropped a few seconds in that section. The two 7:50s included water stations, and that area was very sheltered and briefly sunny meaning I felt a fair bit warmer but overall I suspect it was a mix of fatigue starting to kick in alongside realisation that I was comfortably ahead of schedule overall. At 20 miles I was averaging 7:43 a mile - the average having slowed by 1s a mile since halfway.<br />
<br />
So, that was the first part of the plan done and dusted.<br />
<br />
21. 7:55<br />
<br />
No water station to mark that mile - I think it was more a case of my allowing myself to slow but still be 7s ahead of the new target, particularly as I realised I had 40s extra banked from the quicker first 20.<br />
<br />
22. 8:08<br />
<br />
Over confidence, running into the wind and a drinks station all slowed me down but it was a bit of a wake up call and I decided I needed to maintain focus rather more. This was getting tough though as at 20 miles I was starting to get some ITB pain and this had widened to engulf my quads which were incredibly painful from mile 22.<br />
<br />
Looking at the data afterwards it looks like tightness shortened my stride but I automatically upped the cadence to over 180 spm to partially offset it.<br />
<br />
23. 7:51<br />
<br />
Better, much better. Higher cadence and a conscious effort to breathe more deeply even though it was my legs that were the challenge rather than heart or lungs.<br />
<br />
24. 7:49<br />
<br />
Held the pace ok and stayed focused. <br />
<br />
25. 7:44<br />
<br />
Back to the first 20 target pace so obviously still working well. I've since wondered whether I could have stuck to this sort of pace after 20 and whether the revised target became a justification to allow some pace drift?<br />
<br />
26. 8:12<br />
<br />
Really don't know what happened there. Certainly I was tiring and for the first time I found myself mentally 'looking' for the finish. I don't recall the wind being any stronger but I do remember other runners were becoming increasingly unpredictable in terms of blocking my way or running erratic lines. Mainly though I presume I knew by this stage that I was 'there' and simply lost a little discipline.<br />
<br />
The staggered start meant a good number of runners to pass (about 1500 passed net) and that contributed to my running over distance: 26.34 rather than 26.20 and by the latter stages I was struggling to mentally factor that in. The 250m to go mark also took me by surprise meaning I hadn't 'wound up' the pace in the last full mile.<br />
<br />
As I tried to lift the pace in that last short section I didn't feel there was much there but the last 0.34 miles were covered at 7:01 pace so I must have had something left.<br />
<br />
That meant I finished in 3:24:39.<br />
<br />
<br />
A perfect 'Ronseal' plan and strategy: they did exactly what they said on the tin.<br />
<br />
That's why I describe myself as satisfied rather than elated, but that's not to be mistaken for disappointment. Elation would have been if I'd pressed on to run sub 3:23 but this one was just nicely executed.<br />
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Pawing over Garmin stats afterwards shows me that heart rate stayed fairly low so my CV fitness would have let me do more. For Amsterdam I need to drop the blubber and show a bit more discipline with leg and core strengthening. Do that, as well as run a few more miles each week and I'm confident of getting under 3:15 but for now there's no running planned until next week at the earliest!<br />
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<br />Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-62045993179828943292012-03-28T08:00:00.001+01:002012-03-28T08:00:53.289+01:00Into the taperThis week marks the beginning of that rather strange period: the taper. There's still 19 days to go until Paris but the mileage will steadily decline as I walk the fine line between maximising rest/recovery and losing fitness.<br />
<br />
I feel in good nick. Still haven't missed a run (though one was cut short), but am still about 10% ahead of mileage targets and some 260 miles ahead of this point in last year's programme.<br />
<br />
In terms of long runs, I peaked at 23.15 miles and have done 7 runs of 20 miles plus.<br />
<br />
Since the last post the speed side has come together through weekly intervals sessions, trying to do part of long runs at lactate threshold pace and even a couple of races.<br />
<br />
First up I did the Roundhay Parkrun 5k. Hilly, with a net ascent, I finished in 21:36 and didn't feel I'd gone all out. That was a small confidence boost as it fitted with marathon goals and I was told that course was about a minute slower than flatter ones.<br />
<br />
That gave me the confidence to make my 20 miler a progression run 4 Sundays ago and as that went OK the following week I planned to run 5 miles at 8:30 per mile followed by 15 at 7:50. In the event that turned out to be 5 miles at 8:15 and 15 at 7:34 a mile. Huge confidence boost. <br />
<br />
Last Sunday was similar with 4 miles at 8:04 followed by 16 at 7:41 pace, though by the end of it I felt done in - which I realised later was dehydration in this unseasonably warm March.<br />
<br />
In between those runs I ran the St Annes 10 mile road race in Lancashire. That proved to be another huge boost to the confidence. Remember that a few weeks ago running a few miles at 7:30 pace seemed to have me needing rest breaks, but as the previous weeks had gone so well I decided to run at 7 minutes 18 seconds a mile with half an eye on 7:12 (which would get me 1hr 12).<br />
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<br />
The day was warm and sunny and the flat out and back course had a strongish breeze to run into on the way back. I made a schoolboy error and ran the first mile way too fast at well under 7 minute mile pace but as it felt reasonable I tried to keep to a pace a shade under 7 minutes and by half way I was still under that pace. Predictably the wind and fast start took its toll on the way back but I was passed only once at 5.5 miles but then passed 8/10, so slowed less than those around me. By the finish I'd ran at 7:04 pace and smashed my PB with 1:10:59.<br />
<br />
The race and the two 'marathon pace' long runs either side of it have allowed me to firm up my Paris plans. I'm intending to run at 7:45 a mile and review again at 18/20 miles. That's 3hrs 23 pace but I'm realistic enough to accept there will be some slowing down in the last 6.2 miles so my 'Gold' target is actually 3 hrs 25, silver sub 3:30 and bronze a new PB for anything below 3:38:51.<br />
<br />
Weight wise I'm still where I was before at half a pound over 12 stone. I'd like to use the first 2 taper weeks to get down to 11st 9lb if possible as that would put me at the same weight as last year's race. As the training demands fall I hope I can spare some focus to watching diet a bit more closely and consistently.<br />
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I can't praise the Pfitzinger & Douglas plan enough. It all comes together nicely but most of all the varied intensities get you through without injury and allow you to get maximum benefit from the tougher training sessions. If anyone wants me to explain more - let me know!<br />
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Only fear is the weather. Current weather conditions are so like both last year and 2007, each of which were uncomfortably hot. Still, nothing I can do about it and hopefully if it is the same that's where the silver and bronze targets will come into play.<br />
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I've also set my targets for after Paris: I've entered the Amsterdam marathon on October 21st and, if Paris goes well and the post race recovery weeks reveal no injuries, I'll follow the 55-70 miles a week plan and see if I can get anywhere near 3:15.<br />
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<br />Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-69241351187419241602012-02-07T08:28:00.001+00:002012-02-07T08:28:03.240+00:00Back?<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, I'm not sure if this marks a return to blogging or not, but it's been a while hasn't it?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While running last week I had a fancy to write a blog post but as with many of the good ideas that drift into my relaxed mind while running they're gone by the time I'm out of the shower and facing up to the challenges and responsibilities of the real world.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, here I am now, so I'll take a tentative step back by giving a quick re-cap-cum-update on where I am now:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><strong>Injury</strong></u></span><br />
All seems good here. I've carried on running, and whilst I still get some soreness on the back of the right heel its not debilitating and doesn't seem to be getting any worse. On the left (the initial issue) there's no pain at all. Occasional I think I imagine something there and some weeks ago I squeezed the tendon and felt a tiny bit of soreness on the inside. So now I don't squeeze the tendon....ignorance is bliss.<br />
<br />
<u><strong>Running</strong></u><br />
I'm just coming up to the midway point of the 18 week Pfitzinger & Douglas 'up to 55 miles a week' plan. Pre-injury I'd hoped to follow the '55-70 miles' plan but settled on the lower level for obvious reasons. <br />
<br />
Tempting fate here, but its been going shockingly well. I've yet to miss a prescribed run or to cut one short. In fact, through adding in a little here and there, especially to long runs, I'm about 10% ahead of prescribed mileage and around 140 miles ahead of the same point last year. Last week I topped 60 miles for the first time, something that seemed unthinkable six months ago.<br />
<br />
With nearly 10 weeks to go I've done three 20+ mile runs already (including 22.1 miles in heavy snow on Sunday) so I'm very happy that the endurance training is very much on track.<br />
<br />
Speed wise its less clear. With no speed work since March of last year I've found the half marathon pace tempo runs tough. I've hit the pace target every time but have tended to 'need' a short break at some stage. Last Friday I did 6 miles of a 10 mile run at that pace and even with the break would still have been under target though as I'd averaged 7:20 a mile. That was pleasing. Its only been the last 2 weeks that the speed element has really been introduced to the programme and that continues in the coming weeks so...cautiously optimistic...but I'm thinking about sacrificing an LSR for a half marathon race in order to get myself toughened up to the psychological demands of pushing on when really tired.<br />
<br />
I've done a couple of long runs with marathon paced elements too. Last one was 20.67 miles with 10 miles at 7:49 pace. That also included a couple of short breaks though, and the 10 miles were the middle miles rather than the last ones. I have a similar run scheduled for Sunday so will learn a bit more from that.<br />
<br />
<u><strong>Cross training</strong></u><br />
Here is where I haven't stuck to the plan.<br />
<br />
In theory I was doing 2 core sessions, 2 weights sessions, 1 bike/rower session, 2 stretching sessions and running drills per week. In other words, 64 sessions by this point. So far I've done 9. The weights I'm ditching, probably the same with the drills but I'm trying to get back onto the other elements.<br />
<br />
<u><strong>Weight & Nutrition</strong></u><br />
Pre-Christmas my weight had generally gone down from the injury induced high point. I can't remember the figures but whilst I'd set myself targets and failed to reach them I'd at least got within sight of the top end of them.<br />
<br />Over Christmas I predictably gained. I lost most of that in the week or two after but since then I've really struggled to get a hold of it. At recent mileage levels I'd have expected my weight to fall off but the higher the mileage the tougher its been. <br />
<br />At 30-35 miles a week I find weight control easy as I'm doing enough exercise to allow myself to eat a fair amount yet still lose weight. Over 50 miles a week and I find I'm hungry but also lack motivation to even try calorie counting. I hit Friday tea time and start to over eat, on Saturday I very deliberately over indulge on carbs but also give in to cravings for chocolate or sweets. On Sunday I burn off a large amount but by the evening am ready to eat quite steadily for the rest of the day. Similarly on Monday I feel the need to re-fuel.<br />
<br />I'm not sure what objective I'll be setting myself now. I suspect I <em>could</em> still hit my ultimate target but that would have me dieting for 7/8 weeks consistently. I may have to set myself a gold/silver/bronze and take it from there.<br />
<br />
Looking back at last year its difficult to do a weight comparison as so often my entries talked about a change in weight but not absolute figures, but I'd hazard a guess that I might be close to where I was then and quite possibly a pound or two lighter. Maybe that's a good incentive?<br />
<br /><br />
I think that's pretty much got me back up to date?Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-45602411069005392182011-11-06T15:45:00.001+00:002011-11-06T15:45:46.588+00:00I'm still breathing...Yep, I know, AWOL again.<br />
<br />
That's not usually a good sign with me - it usually means I'm not doing much in the way of exercise and am eating my way through a Thorntons warehouse. Not this time though: it's actually all going okay.<br />
<br />
By way of an update:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I've lost 17lb since the late summer weight peak </li>
<li>I started running - very carefuly - 3 weeks ago</li>
<li>Longest run is only up to 7.5 miles and this week was the highest at 22</li>
<li>Exercising consistently 6 days from 7</li>
<li>Have recorded food intake every single day since the end of September</li>
<li>Achilles is holding up okay - no pain uless I squeeze it</li>
<li>I've entered Paris marathon again!</li>
</ul>
Plan from here is to carry on with the weight loss until Christmas then knock a bit more off after Christmas (along with any festive gain). That should take me 9lb lower than I was when I ran Paris this year. I'm already lighter than I was this time 12 months ago.<br />
<br />
Training wise its a gradual increase to 30 miles a week by early December, and a long run of about 11.5 miles. No speedwork, no hills. Then I'll have a crack at following the Pfitzinger & Douglas 18 week 'up to 55 miles a week' plan.<br />
<br />
Right now I'm cautiously optimistic of making it to the start line in April. If I do I'll stand a good chance of a PB. If I don't make it then so be it. At least I'll have carefully given myself a chance.<br />
<br />
HOPE EVERYONE ELSE IS FIGHTING FIT!<br />
<br />Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-3426597411454409582011-09-22T10:40:00.000+01:002011-09-22T10:40:11.812+01:00And here we are<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Having posted precisely <i>sod all</i> for the last month or so this might be the first of several in the next few days. Typical me: all or nothing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I haven't really had a huge amount to blog about. No great initiatives, no big leaps forward but no disasters either. Equally I've had problems accessing some other blogs that I've found today, can be solved by using Safari rather than Explorer.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For what its worth, by way of an update, here's what's happened on my main blogging themes:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Injury</span></u><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No big changes. I still get a bit of stiffness each morning, achilles still feels 'odd' at times and the back of my right heel can still get quite tender. I've been using the podiatrist supplied insoles for 'x' weeks now but there doesn't seem to be any great change. Mind you, I've not been doing the prescribed exercises for the last 10 days and a little sporadically prior to that so therein may lie the problem.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Running</span></u><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As the injury hasn't settled down there's been precious little of this. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was hoping the insoles would work their magic and decided to more or less write off running for a number of weeks to allow them the time to do so. After very little running since the middle of May I've become resigned to it (and I will be blogging about this soon) so another few weeks didn't seem much of a hardship. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All I've been doing is the Couch to 5k programme with the eldest daughter. This time last year, aged 11, she could (reluctantly) cover 5 miles of trails but she stopped running and this was a way I hoped to get her back into it and provide an accomplishment she could feel proud of. She's enjoying it and doing really well, and my achilles seems to tolerate tiny bits of jogging.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marathon Plans</span></u><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Having cancelled my participation at Chester all my hopes were pinned on Paris next April. Registration opened last week but a few weeks ago I decided I wouldn't be running. Due to the date next year the family wouldn't have been able to go and a trip on my own would mean it would have to be a serious PB attempt or I wouldn't bother (as the total cost for registration, gels, accommodation, flights, food while there would have easily been £400), and this wasn't going to be a serious attempt. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To have had a decent crack at it I'd have needed to start training at 55 miles a week in early December and ramp up quickly from there...to do that I'd have needed to be doing 45 miles a week pain free from mid October...and to get from zero miles and discomfort to 45 miles with none in 6 weeks was just never going to happen.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bit of a bugger that.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Gym</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, my surrogate running is gym based, which works. Sort of.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A few weeks ago I came up with a plan. I like plans, maybe I like them a little too much, as the truth is I'm better at planning than doing; so I opted not to herald it to the blogging fraternity. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, the idea was to replicate the time and type of exercise that might be used in a middle of the road marathon plan. In other words train 6 times a week, with some easy days, a couple of days with weights and cardio intervals and a long session on Sundays.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rationale was that if I had something with a bit of intensity and structure I'd stick to it more, feel a sense of accomplishment, find weight control/reduction easier and find transitioning to running easier when the achilles settled down.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I said that sort of works. For the first 10 days or so I stuck to the plan relentlessly but since then my adherence has been more sporadic. I think there are three challenges:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If I work away the plan has to give way - the gym can't go with me in the same way a Garmin and trainers could.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There's no end objective so less incentive to stick to the plan.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If I felt lethargic or under the weather running from home and seeing 'how it goes' was almost always the approach but its harder to get the kit, towel, change of clothes, drink etc ready and drive to the gym on that basis.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beyond that though its worked OK in that I enjoy my time there. Its not outdoors, its not as social and it doesn't feel as hardcore but I still enjoy it. Likelihood is that I'll tweak the plan for the next 4 weeks and get going consistently again.</span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Diet & Weight</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unsurprisingly its chequered news on the diet/eating front too. Some days I eat extremely well, others I don't. As per the exercise, with no firm objective in sight its difficult to stick consistently to any sort of 'diet' so I've hardly tried. Whilst that still leaves me a long way above the sort of weight I'm happy at the good news is that my weight has stayed level for a couple of months now. At least its stopped going up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Overall, I've ostensibly become accepting of my current lot and I'm really not sure if that's a good thing or not. On the one hand I no longer beat myself up for being unable to run or for having some ice cream but on the other not being able to wear quite a few items of clothing and feeling I don't look/feel at my best constantly niggles away at me in the background.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Time will tell I guess?</span>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-35678782593819023702011-08-23T08:09:00.003+01:002011-08-23T08:26:28.421+01:00Brief update (nothing to do with pants)<div>The last week has gone pretty well. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>It took me until Thursday to truly get back into the swing of things. For the first few days the intentions were good and I managed 3 trips to the gym but I tended to lapse with food either because I was out with work or because I'd eaten too little during the day.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Since Thursday I've been spot on and have also been slowly upping the cardio element at the gym. I'm now starting off with 35 minutes on the Concept2 then do 35 - 40 on the cross trainer. Its not running but I'm hoping its enough to maintain stamina.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>On the running front advice was to drop the running for ten days and temporarily wear heel lifts to allow the tendon to heal more easily. It also means I've had to drop the habit of wearing flip flops or being bare feet a good deal of the time. The lifts and ban on being barefoot lasts for 4 weeks. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>This advice came from a podiatrist I went to see. His view was that the switch in shoes was too sudden and almost certainly was the cause of the problems. He couldn't see any issues with regards to range of motion, leg length discrepancy or similar and said that I would be a natural mid-foot striker with a fairly rigid foot (sometimes incorrectly described as a supinator) and that I should always avoid any sort of support shoe. Ironic that in years gone by 'specialist' running shops have advised me to go for support and even motion control shoes.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>So, fairly happy but there's a challenge the next few days in that I'm staying away tonight (therefore evening meal in the restaurant and cooked breakfast to contend with) and then Sue and the kids are away for two nights following that. I'm also hardly at home between now and Thursday evening and have an awful lot of work to fit in between. Today's train journey may afford some time to work out some strategies to meet those challenges.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Sometimes I cope really well with the temptations of being away but other times I fail spectacularly. What do others do?</div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-26943528428036895532011-08-15T08:20:00.002+01:002011-08-15T09:41:13.828+01:002 weeks in Barbados?Sorry, I haven't been around for a few weeks.<div>
<br /></div><div>Initially this was because everything was going along swimmingly. After the 1 mile run I did as the physio had advised and did runs on alternate days of 2, 3, 4, 5 and then 6 miles. All without any noticeable increase in stiffness/pain in the achilles. Sure, the runs felt shockingly hard - I described the 5 mile run as feeling more like a 20 mile run by the end - but the fitness was returning as I could see my heart rate dropping with each run despite the increases in distance. In addition I was eating very well, seeing (unreported but notable) changes in weight, resting heart rate and body composition and was at the gym probably 5 days out of 6.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Then, on the 29th I finished work to begin 2 weeks off.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We can't afford to go anywhere again this year so I knew it would be 2 weeks at home but I had a loose idea of how I expected it to be: sunny with days spent by the outdoor pool at the gym, nice walks in the dales, the odd meal out, maybe day trips to York or the east coast, lots of exercise, some nice little runs. It would still be relaxing, rejuvenating and healthy.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>It started well. Over the first weekend I went to the gym twice and did an hour on the cross trainer with each visit as well as doing another 6 mile run on the Sunday and some weights. Two days earlier the physio had 'discharged' me on the basis the achilles was steadily improving. Weather wise there were a few brief sunny interludes amongst the light greyness.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>On the Monday I did a shorter gym session then had a rest day on the Tuesday. I went to the library and got 4 new books (yes - a trip to the library really was a highlight of my 'holiday'). Also on Tuesday I had an hour or so sat in the intermittent hazy sunshine by the pool before the rain started.</div><div>
<br /></div><div> I ran again on Wednesday first thing though I cut it back to 5 miles as I seemed to have a hint more soreness on Monday and Tuesday. The weather that day was dull, gloomy and grey and my mood followed its lead. I spent most of the day lying on the bed reading.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Thursday wasn't much better in weather, mood or activity and this wasn't helped by by achilles feeling sore once again - which worried me and pulled my mood down further.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>On Friday I got up and decided to cut the run to 4 miles as a gesture to the previous day's pain but as soon as I set off everything ached and my achilles had me hobbling. I stopped after about 20 metres; went home and went back to bed. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I felt really depressed and whilst Sue and the girls spent the day by the pool (with the sun making a brief appearance in the afternoon) I wallowed in my pit thinking about injury, weight (my diet absolutely fell apart as soon as the weather/mood changed) and the fact that I was half way through the annual 'big' 'holiday' and the weather had been poor, we'd been nowhere, I hadn't been more than 3 miles from home and the resumption of running had been snatched away. I felt like the previous week had been a waste of holiday and a waste of time.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Although the weather remained overcast and dull I picked up a little by the Saturday afternoon, chiefly because we'd collected a dog that we are looking after for 2 weeks. I took him for a couple of walks and that helped lift my mood. I confess I was quite excited as I'd never walked a dog before! I always wanted a dog as a kid but my parents wouldn't let me have anything other than a budgie! Sue always had cats.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Unfortunately the lift was short lived and the next 5 days saw wet, windy, dark days that mirrored my mood. My abstention from the gym continued, as did my comfort eating of all things sweet, sugary and fatty. Gradually my legs/achilles felt better but I didn't try to run and still spent most of the days lazing around reading. Aside from trips to the supermarket I didn't leave the house. I didn't feel at all rested or de-stressed from work and the feeling that this was a complete waste of my 'holiday' pervaded - the fact that the weather had been the worst of an already disappointing summer and that this would prevent trips out somehow felt preordained.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>For some reason things changed on Friday. I think I just felt that whilst the fortnight had largely been a waste I at least wanted to end on a high of some sort. It was still grey and it was still intermittently wet but we made a packed lunch and all headed off about 20 minutes north to do a short walk through/around some forest. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>For the rest of the family it wasn't a success. Sue doesn't like walking through forests at the best of times and after all the rain it was incredibly muddy which had Sue and Bethan moaning most of the way around. This probably wasn't helped by the absence of signs in the forest and there being far more trails than those marked on the map (but we only got lost once and briefly at that) and Bethan having lots of pain from wearing boots that were too small.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>For me though it was good. I do like forests, especially densely packed ones. There's something about them appeals to my psyche - they're dark but there's still a soft light, they're still, completely quiet, peaceful, dry. In them I feel hidden and safe. How about that for a window onto my state of mind? I also like mud and as we walked I thought how nice it would be to run there.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>When we got home I quickly showered and zipped over to Bradford to get a new ( and far larger) pair of trail shorts, then we all went out for a huge Indian meal which everyone really enjoyed.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>On Saturday morning I proposed to the family that if we walked on both days at the weekend we could go out for a similar meal on Sunday (so my fortnight ended on a high). Unfortunately Bethan raised objections but a trip to Go Outdoors to get her some new boots (her feet have suddenly grown a size and a half unbeknown to us) did the trick and we went out to Nidderdale for a pleasant 6 miles. Even the sun put in an appearance mid-way round leaving me with a burned head!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Yesterday probably got better still. I was up just after seven AM and went back to the scene of Friday's walk - this time with my new shorts and trail shoes! It was only 4 muddy miles and I did get lost several times on dark forest trails but after the first half mile the achilles felt fine. When I got in I changed and went to the gym for the first time in nearly 10 days. After that we did another 6 mile walk, this time near Grassington, before another excellent meal.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Today the achilles feels OK. Nothing too bad. I seem to have put on 8.8 pounds in 16 days (all that I'd lost in the preceding 2 weeks) but I hope a little of that is just water/food from last night's meal out. The return to work and routine will hopefully allow me to get back to the pre-holiday health routine.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
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<br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-50584288836518875952011-07-20T07:01:00.002+01:002011-07-20T07:17:53.936+01:00I'm a Runner (again)I hope I'm not being like David Cameron's father should have been (premature) but I think I'm putting yesterday's mile down as a success.<div><br /></div><div>It was only a nine minute mile jog along a straight stretch of canal towpath but it felt fine during the run. Mind you, jogging for even a mile felt shockingly difficult after so many weeks off. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe more importantly than how it felt during the run, it felt no worse than normal after and the same can be said for this morning too - a little stiff, marginally sore but nothing that isn't there every morning. As I also did 80 minutes on a cross trainer and my additional achilles strengthening exercises yesterday its particularly pleasing.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, rest day today (if a 6 hour drive and 2 hour meeting can be seen as rest) and only a swim in the evening. Tomorrow or Friday I'll push the boat out and go for 2 miles!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-19915301061073463122011-07-19T07:10:00.003+01:002011-07-19T07:19:49.537+01:00Physio's view on progressThanks for yesterday's comments. It seems you could work out the physio's advice before I got it - especially Jess's comment on the tendon being painful to squeeze for a long time after being able to run.<div><br /></div><div>To cut a long story short she feels its 'making progress' but that it will be slow, so I need to keep reminding myself of what it was like 4/6 weeks previously. The exercises will continue for another 10 weeks minimum. I am to carry on with the current exercises but add in 2 different types of jumps from a step and carefully try gentle static hopping as long as it doesn't cause a notable increase in pain. The pinch test isn't deemed an important one as she warned that it might be that it will remain sore to the touch permanently.</div><div><br /></div><div>In terms of running I can start...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>...with one mile of straight line jogging (!), and if that feels okay during, after and the next day I can carefully progress; then go back again a week on Friday.</div><div><br /></div><div>With the achilles taped up with garish blue and pink tape, I shall head out for my jog later on today.</div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-4797770358243931382011-07-18T07:41:00.004+01:002011-07-18T08:07:56.626+01:00A very pleasing weekOne week down and sixteen to go.<div><br /></div><div>After months of being able to do well for 2 days then blow it all (and then some) for the next 5/6, this last week has been surprisingly easy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've kept to within 100 kcals of target (either side) each day from Monday to Saturday, then yesterday we went for a family meal out and thanks to exercise and slight moderation during the meal I suspect I stayed within 200 of maintaining - though the nature of what I ate made it impossible to accurately capture.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't say that I have found it particularly challenging thus far either. Long may that continue.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the exercise front its a similar story.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went to the gym each day, doing a workout on 6/7 and just doing some gentle swimming on the other day. I've very much enjoyed what I've been doing and can see and feel the benefits very clearly already.</div><div><br /></div><div>Achilles wise its not so clear cut.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the plus side I've (mainly) been doing the concentric as well as eccentric strengthening, which puts me ahead on the achilles exercise front; and there's been no major aggravation from using the cross trainer. On the minus side it still feels a bit stiff and occasionally a little painful and is certainly still very sore if pinched even slightly. </div><div><br /></div><div>One sobering moment was when I'd been doing some lunge walks on the running track. At the gym there is a small but useful indoor running track that I'd earmarked as perfect for running drills and plyometrics, so, flushed with endorphins I decided to try hopping along it on my uninjured side and then stupidly did the same on the left. Sore during and instantly very sore afterwards.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think there's still some way to go.</div><div><br /></div><div>Off to the physio this morning and it may well be that she'll tell me I'm OK to run. Part of me hopes she does but part of me is frightened that if she does I'll struggle and make the injury worse. Its not often I feel frightened to try something but this time its certainly there.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-51039550574427083062011-07-12T22:07:00.004+01:002011-07-13T22:46:48.158+01:00Explanation & gym programmeIts a two parter today - I'll give a bit of feedback on my (always appreciated) comments from the last blog entry, then I'll give a little account of the programme I was given (or at least my thoughts on it).<div><br /></div><div>I've just had a quick look up of yesterday's comments so hopefully I won't miss any out!</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall there is method (or methods) in my daily measurement madness. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm monitoring RHR daily, partly to establish the current level but then to watch for any hint of over training and alongside the RHR I get the blood pressure measurement so may as well record that.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've tracked daily weight changes before and I'm very relaxed about how the numbers change: that there's never a uniform loss, and for me I'll often get several days staying the same or rising before a sudden large drop. Knowing that variance exists puts me off weekly weighing as the isolated figure is dubious without the context of the days that preceded it but also I can find that a weekly weight check can lead to my feeling tempted to switch off for a couple of days and try to play catch up before the date.</div><div><br /></div><div>More importantly though, whilst the statto nerd in me wants a comprehensive body of data to analyse after the next 16 weeks I'm not setting myself any weight/measurements/RHR targets. Sure, I know the sort of level I'd like to get the weight to but I deliberately haven't worked out when I might expect to get there. My only commitment/target is to log my food intake and to exercise 6 times a week - I'm comfortable that if I concentrate on the process rather than the results all will work just fine. If I log food 90% of the time and exercise on 5.5 days a week then that's a success. That's how I'm defining it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Regarding measurements though - spot on. My instinct is to measure monthly, but I do want to measure after one week solely because I suspect my belly will shrink through lower food volume and I'm curious to see if I'm right. Measuring after a week but then monthly disturbs the symmetry of the plan so I suspect I then went for weekly to maintain it (what would I psychologist make of that?). However, I'll tear myself away from weekly but reserve the right to use more colours in the plan to hide it!!</div><div><br /></div><div>I definitely like the cross trainer. I could happily spend an hour or more on one whereas I cant do anything other than short intervals on a treadmill, and even that under duress. As for the exercise bike, I find that about as pleasant as repeatedly stabbing myself with a fork or watching a few minutes of Top Gear.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, yesterday I got my first programme from the gym.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beforehand I was rather naively expecting to get something like 3 separate programmes based on 6 days training a week, a decent emphasis on cv work to supplement the shortfall in running, a very running specific set of weights and core exercises and a good running specific flexibility programme.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hindsight tells me that was an unrealistic expectation from a gym instructor and that to get that I'd probably have to get something from a Personal Trainer or even a running coach.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead, what I got was what I suspect is a fairly generic programme: some upper body exercises on a Kinesis machine, body weight squats and lunges, 3 abdominal exercises, very basic stretches and a whole 10 minutes HIIT on the cross trainer.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was disappointed.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, I've done the programme twice and with some adaptations it actually works well enough for now. I've added on some extra core work, added more CV work in addition to 10 minutes HIIT, added more stretches. If I can start introducing some running in addition, having the odd swim (there's a heated outdoor pool as well as an indoor one) and continuing to add to the CV element to supplement running then it'll all work well enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>Further down the line (as the achilles heals/strengthens more - and I feel it already has started) I can use the indoor running track for some drills to strengthen and injury proof my legs and there's a running club/group that run on Wednesday evenings.</div><div><br /></div><div>Everything looks rosy. :-)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-76926968782575908232011-07-11T10:22:00.002+01:002011-07-11T12:23:33.622+01:00Like Verbal Kint: I'm the man with the planWell, part of a plan anyway. <div><br /></div><div>Actually, its not so much a plan as an objective. </div><div><br /></div><div>In fact, not so much an objective as some objectives, plural.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I can measure progress. To some extent.</div><div><br /></div><div>With me so far? </div><div><br /></div><div>No, me neither. </div><div><br /></div><div>Let me start again, as vague though this all seems I do feel quite enthused.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last week's news from the physio wasn't too bad and whilst doing the exercises since has made the achilles periodically sore, I'm managing that okay with ice. I do think its already getting stronger and I'm very hopeful that a week from now I'll be given a cautious green light to return to running. Beyond that, though, I don't know how quickly mileage will build or even if I'll avoid any relapse. Its all a bit unknown.</div><div><br /></div><div>Without running I've struggled. I've struggled to maintain much in the way of fitness. I've eaten very poorly and gained a lot of weight. I'm sure my mental well being has taken a knock too. Its not been easy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Obviously a return to running will help all that but as the speed and certainty of return are a bit vague I decided I needed something more. As a result I joined a very swanky new gym on Saturday, initially on a 16 week membership, and got very excited at being able to use that 16 weeks to make a really concerted effort at achieving <i>something</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I thought a little of what I could do and began to imagine what 16 weeks hence could look and feel like.</div><div><br /></div><div>My initial thoughts were very much running focussed. By that time I will have needed to make a decision on whether a spring marathon is achievable, and realistically that means I'll need to be running 40-45 miles a week, pain free, and be including some form of speed training by the end of October.</div><div><br /></div><div>That seemed a pretty decent, realistic, tangible objective, as even if I started at 12 miles a week a 10% increase weekly would still take me over 45 miles by the final week. I soon expanded this idea to wanting to be as injury proof as possible and very much ready for the ramp up in mileage marathon training would entail.</div><div><br /></div><div>That all started leading me towards a gym based programme geared up to support the running based objective. I hope that will be fine but on the basis that I don't really know how quickly I'll be able to increase mileage (the physio could very easily suggest 3 x 2 miles a week for 2 weeks before increasing to 3 miles etc) it might not be achievable, so I decided I needed to widen or supplement the objectives.</div><div><br /></div><div>Building on the theme of getting injury proof I then came up with a seemingly vague idea that I wanted to be as 'fit' as I was at the beginning of April. Naturally, even at 45 miles a week I wouldn't have the same endurance as I did in April but maybe I could still be as fit by being 'differently fit', in other words stronger or more flexible, as well as getting my weight down to a similar level. It might also mean that my methods and objectives need to be flexible in line with rate of progression and injury rehabilitation.</div><div><br /></div><div>On that basis, and starting from today, I'm recording changes daily in:</div><div><ul><li>Weight</li><li>BMI</li><li>Body composition</li><li>Resting heart rate</li><li>Blood pressure</li></ul><div>Then weekly I'll be taking body measurements, and Sue has taken some Usual Suspects style pictures of me which we'll re-do monthly.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>There's little more that I can measure, and whilst I recognise that figures will go up and down I'd hope that over the 16 weeks they will all have moved very clearly in the right direction. Its wooly perhaps, but I think its as precise as I can be in the circumstances.</div><div><br /></div><div>In terms of process I'm committing to exercise 6 days a week wherever feasible (i.e. unless I'm ill or incapacitated!). With luck the running element will slowly increase but until then I'm looking to do a fair bit of work on the x-trainers* (3 different types at the gym) as well as core stability, flexibility and strengthening work. The what and when should be decided this week as I have an appointment with an instructor this evening where I'm hoping she'll have a few suggestions so we can develop something together for the next 4 weeks (then review and agree a new plan at the end of that time).</div><div><br /></div><div>How does that sound?</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">* I've done 40 minutes on the cross trainer on each of the last 2 days and it doesn't seem to have aggravated the achilles.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-28985748026594166352011-07-07T07:45:00.003+01:002011-07-07T11:32:13.562+01:00Physio verdict:I had my physio appointment on Monday.<div><br /></div><div><i>Diagnosis</i></div><div>She confirmed that I have an achilles tendonopathy on the left side but there didn't seem to be any partial tear. On examination I was surprised at just how painful it was when pinched though!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Causes</i></div><div>Underlying problem is something that comes on with age but that isn't necessarily the main or only cause. It wasn't a result of disparities in muscle length, calf tightness or restricted ankle mobility as they were all tested. It wasn't due to over pronation as she checked me out on a treadmill. It <i>could</i> be the change in shoes (so she advised me to ditch them just in case) but I'd been running in flat Innov8s for much of the winter with no problems so she was by no means certain that they played any part. Beyond that there was nothing obvious. On the downside I'd hoped for something concrete so that I could eliminate it but on the upside it didn't seem to bother the physio unduly.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Treatment</i></div><div>Eccentric strengthening exercises, 2x20 morning and night for the next 2 weeks, with icing following, then go back again. If that's gone ok then she'll add in some more exercises and will allow a very slow, gradual and cautious return to running. The exercises will need to continue "not for days or weeks but for months".</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Prognosis</i></div><div>Fair. She's hopeful that whilst fully repairing and strengthening the tendon will take months that during this time at least I'll be able to do some sort of running. Moreover she thinks this approach should make it manageable if not completely cured. However, as she can't see an obvious cause its still possible that there is some minor breakdown in my gait that has become inherent and can't be controlled in which case I'd need to go down the podiatrist route. Fingers crossed I don't.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-53986415354956376422011-07-04T07:43:00.003+01:002011-07-04T10:07:21.473+01:00I can make you run faster...<div>...probably.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lose weight, run intervals, run hills, do tempo runs, do higher mileage. They are probably the five most common pieces of advice on how to speed up your running. They all work too, either because they gradually get you physically and physiologically 'acclimatised' to faster running so you can maintain a faster pace on race day; make it easier for your body to propel you (in the same way that you could throw a cricket ball further than a shot put) or gradually improve your running form so you become more efficient.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good though they are they are not what I'm advocating today though.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm going to suggest something that is mentioned in almost all running coaching books but that rarely gets more than a few sentences: stride rate, or how many steps you take each minute.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Put simply the speed we run at is a product of stride length and stride rate. Logically, if you increase either of these you run faster. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maria has recently had some success using Audiofuel downloads. From what I can see they contain music that has set beats per minute in different intervals and that these beats drive differing stride rates, and that the faster stride rates equate to faster intervals. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are a range of different plans that can be bought from Audiofuel and they look to have cleverly created a market niche for an aural training tool. I am certain that following their plans will deliver some improvement but only from the gradual physiological and psychological benefits that could be gained from any interval training or even doing the odd fartlek session.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Bob Glover, Danny Dreyer, Jack Daniels and Matt Fitzgerald, for example, will all tell you your stride rate should be as close to 180 strides per minute as possible. Audiofuel too, utilise that number but in a very different way.</div><div><br /></div><div>The coaches tell us its the magic number for everyone, elite or not. Some people will run slightly faster (probably because they are shorter) and some a few less (if taller) but all will be as close as possible to this number<i> irrespective of how fast they are running</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you watch a race on TV the elite runners will all run at more or less the same stride rate of 180 per minute BUT they'll run at that rate regardless of whether they're running faster (e.g. 5k) or slower (e.g. a marathon), and they'll maintain the rate irrespective of whether they're doing a slower middle lap or a fast last lap. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>So, coaches advocate (and elites demonstrate) that speed is increased by stride rate remaining constant while stride length varies. Audiofuel ostensibly encourages the opposite: that stride length stays constant while stride rate varies. I say ostensibly just because I suspect that in traditional intervals style the Audiofuel intervals will have an extremely gradual effect of speeding up base stride rate.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>When an elite, or just an efficient runner, lengthens their strides they do it not by trying to reach further with their leading leg but by hitting the ground harder, getting more rebound energy, and floating in mid air for further between foot strikes. That's very different to many of us, who are encouraged by our footwear to run in a different way, but I'll come back to that later.</div><div><br /></div><div>So far all I've done is ramble on about stride rate and elites, whilst raising a couple of doubts over what has become a popular product, when the title promised rather more.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, here's what I propose, and like me its very simple:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>Order yourself a small plastic clip on metronome. They are about 3cm square, designed for clipping to music stands and can be set to beep at various rates. They cost less than £10 and can be bought from Amazon.</li><li>Get your stopwatch and set it to bleep after counting down for one minute. Run this minute in the middle of a run and at your normal pace. As you do so count how many strides you take. </li><li>Now you know your current stride rate and you know that you should be running at 180 so you need to close the gap.</li><li>Set your metronome to a few bpm higher than your current rate and for the next week run to that rate. If you came in at 160 you might set it to 165 etc.</li><li>The week after increase it again and keep doing this until you get to 180.</li></ol>Don't try and run any faster though - you need to keep this up for the whole run and not just a short interval. To do that you need to shorten your stride <i>not</i> maintain its length. That's the key difference to Audiofuel. </div><div><br /></div><div>This will result in your running at the same pace as normal but with a faster stride rate and it should mean you actually feel its far, far easier and not harder to run at that stride rate. It should feel like you're shuffling along. You won't be but it will feel like that at first. That's a good sign. If it feels tiring then you are trying to run faster and maintaining your old stride length - you <i>must</i> shorten it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The reason it should feel easier is that many of us overstride - we use a bounding stride and reach forwards with the leading leg with the heel striking first, <i>in front</i> of the body. This has two big problems. Firstly there is a lot of wasted energy propelling us upwards rather than forwards, and secondly (as any GCSE Physics student would tell you) Newton's third law comes into play so that as the foot impacts with the ground in front of us there is an equal force pushing us backwards. So, each step has a braking effect - rather like trying to drive the car while repeatedly just touching the brake it'll limit your speed, limit your economy and 'components' might wear out more quickly.</div><div><br /></div><div>A shorter stride, by contrast, encourages a footstrike beneath the body. This reduces wasted upwards motion and eliminates the braking effect. With a shorter stride achieving the optimum stride rate is pretty easy and it will leave you a faster, more efficient runner for what will certainly feel like <i>less</i> effort.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not sold yet? Still think 180 sounds like it'll be too hard?</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me give you a real world example: a (then) 40 year old who had been running for about 3 years; who couldn't run more than 20 miles/ 3 times a week without lower leg injuries, who had a (flat course and cool weather) 10k PB of 53:01. Me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was filmed by a coach and when she replayed the video she showed my slow, bounding, heel first gait and said this was the only thing holding me back. From memory I was running at somewhere in the upper 150s for stride rate. She advised the approach I've given above. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did so and started to increase my stride rate. The very first time I did this I ran 10 miles and found had it been a race I'd have broken my 10 mile PB and afterwards didn't feel in any way out of breath and the next day felt none of the usual soreness or fatigue.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few weeks later I had got up to 180 stride rate and ran a 10k on a humid day on a far from flat course that finished with a last mile that went relentlessly up hill. I ran 46:03.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's seven minutes off the PB and all done quickly through shortening my stride and through doing so increasing my stride rate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Give it a go!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-46994302613735941172011-07-01T07:36:00.002+01:002011-07-01T07:51:37.544+01:00Blackpool, dieting and my achillies heelInto day 5 and all so far so good - despite the lack of exercise.<div><br /></div><div>My stomach has shrunk dramatically (principally because it's containing a lower volume of food!), my face looks thiner (though that could be because I haven't shaved since Tuesday), and the scales say I'm 6.2lb lighter. Most importantly though, on 3 of the first 4 days I stuck very closely to my allowance and on the other - when faced with the unforeseen challenge of Sue returning from a school trip to Blackpool with an, ostensibly Irn Bru flavoured, stick of rock for me - I didn't let it lead to giving up for the day and stayed 550 under maintenance level.</div><div><br /></div><div>The food types have been far better too with huge salads for each of the last 3 days. Its more difficult during the day as I have to limit myself to a very light breakfast and incredibly light dinner in order to leave myself the scope for a decent tea and some calories left over for a light snack in the evening. Even light running would make a big difference there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Achillies still feels sore to the touch and occasionally a little sore/stiff during the day but nothing more. Unfortunately, getting a physio appointment has seemed about as easy as getting a plumber (a difficult task I faced last week). I emailed on Monday evening asking for a call back to make an appointment and expected a call Tuesday morning as its not like they will be inundated with requests each day. When no call came I tried calling them but in rang through to answer machine. So I tried again on Wednesday and once more yesterday, with the same result again. I'll try again today, but as I was working from home all week I'd been hopeful of getting an appointment this week. Never mind.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-89473215059413491312011-06-28T09:10:00.004+01:002011-06-28T09:56:03.829+01:00First tentative stepsMore Ronnie Corbett than Paul Bunyan, but on the back of yesterday's advice (on and off line) I took the first steps to getting back on track yesterday:<div><br /></div><div><ol><li>I weighed myself (13st 7.4lb as opposed to 11st 9lb at the start of April)</li><li>I entered all my food/drink onto WLR</li><li>I maintained the appropriate deficit</li><li>I didn't eat any crap</li><li>Sue got me some new shorts (thirty frickin' four waist and thirty frickin' two quid)</li><li>I made sure I had lots to drink through the day</li><li>I sent an email to the physio asking for an appointment</li></ol><div>On the last point I'm 99% certain of what I have, what the treatment is and what the possible prognosis is but I want some advice on the when and what to do running wise. For example, based on the severity I think I have/had Noakes says achillies tendonosis needs an initial 3 weeks rest but I've had 2 weeks and in the last week there's been little improvement so do I still run at 3 weeks? If so how far? In what conditions should I bail out? Am I really rating the severity accurately? I suppose I'm after a framework for the what and when of treatment and hopefully recovery.</div></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-84071172873194346262011-06-18T22:04:00.003+01:002011-06-26T13:01:03.702+01:00Not so much wallowing as drowningThanks for all the responses to my last post - really appreciated the thought behind them and flattered that my ramblings were of interest.<div><br /></div><div>I haven't posted since, partly as I've been really busy and partly because I've had little to post about. I've also hardly commented on other people's blogs since either - apologies for that too.</div><div><br /></div><div>I did start a post entitled <i>'Injuries Don't Negotiate'</i> but it didn't get past draft stage and I've cannibalised it for this entry, which is part update and part (hopefully) cathartic heart pouring.<br /><div><br /></div><div>I got Tim Noakes's excellent book <i>'Lore of Running'</i> a couple of years ago. Its a mighty tome of close to 1000 pages and can be pretty scientific and heavy going too but as a reference source to dip in and out of it really is excellent. I wish I'd referred to it a few weeks ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>Based on Noakes's comprehensive guidance on achilles injury and the other research I have done on line I'm certain that I have a mild case of plantar fasciitis that resulted from sudden weight gain along with with achilles tendonisis on the left. The former has settled down almost completely (at least when not running) but the latter is a fairly big problem; with recuperation still very much a work in progress.</div><div><br /></div><div>Taking Noakes's description on board it looks like the causes were:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li><b>Age</b> - Its a degenerative condition not uncommon in middle aged male runners. There's a cheery thought.</li><li><b>Wearing stiff soled shoes with very low heels</b> - My post marathon running was done almost exclusively in new Saucony minimalist shoes. The heel height is extremely low and there's not much flexibility in the soles. Might be coincidence but the injury came on after switching to these shoes. Might have been wise to have transitioned to them as the pre marathon running was done in far more built up Nike Lunar Eclipse and (for tempo and speed work) Newton Sir Isaacs. </li><li><b>Sudden single long run</b> - Noakes states this as a common trigger and I can only remember the pain being notable after the 16.5 mile run I did a few weeks ago. That run was notably longer than anything I'd done since Paris so, again, sems quite a coincidence if it wasn't the trigger.</li></ol><div>In summary: looks like the underlying problem is age related degeneration (cue more cheery thoughts), with possible aggravation from switching too quickly to radically different footwear and an immediate trigger/breakdown point from suddenly trying to do a long hilly run off the back of very little training.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>According to Noakes recovery is measured in months and years rather than weeks, though in <i>most</i> cases a good recovery can be made eventually.</div><div><br /></div><div>In terms of treatment he advocated immediate complete rest (i.e. avoid standing and walking as well as running) for 1 - 3 weeks minimum at the first sign of symptoms. Oops. That's where the negotiating came in as I tried to cut back and run through discomfort and it didn't play ball. He also suggested regular icing, which I did belatedly do and found it surprisingly effective.</div><div><br /></div><div>He classes all injuries through 4 levels of severity and for this injury I'd summarise his ideas as:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>Soreness each morning - complete rest for a week, change footwear, stretch calves.</li><li>Discomfort during running but doesn't interfere with run - treatment as above but drop intensity and distances upon starting again.</li><li>Pain during running that interferes with performance - 3 weeks complete rest, treatments as above, re-start with light jogging only until symptoms become Level 1.</li><li>Pain prevents running - try approaches above and if no joy consult a surgeon.</li></ol><div>I'd say I definitely got to Level 3. Arguably I got to 4 as on several attempts I had to abandon runs at the first stride but (I hope) that may have been a hint of caution on my part and I was actually only at L3.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>In the last 3 weeks I've ran twice: 0.7 miles and 2 miles the week before last. Both were 'testers' pre-Noakes and both went OK but brought on some soreness afterwards. On Thursday I had to run about 150m as I was late picking Charlotte up and that also left some tenderness if the achillies was pinched in the next 24 hours.</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems like everything got 80% better in the first week but since then the rate of improvement has slowed to a crawl. I'm a bit sore on a morning and during the day may feel occasional stiffness/creakiness in the achillies but generally feel its OK, but I'm not convinced its good for running (from Thursday's experience). I'm probably a bit scared of trying too. At the moment I'm thinking of leaving it another 6 days until next Saturday then trying again - back in the old trainers.</div><div><br /></div><div>I did try going to the gym a couple of weeks ago but found that the cross trainer and rower both aggravated things immediately. I haven't been back since. I feel a bit ashamed to go due to my change in size and whilst the exercise bike is OK injury wise its still less than inspiring. Besides, as you'll see below' I haven't really had the time.</div><div><br /></div><div>My weight and size remain unchanged at best and at worst a further couple of pounds on. I've managed a couple of days of good diet but that's about it. I haven't had a day off work in 3 weeks and my weekdays in the last 10 days have been 13-14 hours a day. I'm absolutely shattered and living off generally appalling convenience foods plus sweets/biscuits and chocolate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last year when I was at 11st 7lbs I got rid of all my bigger clothes. Now, at somewhere between 13st and 13st 7lb, I honestly have virtually nothing I can wear:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>One pair previously baggy jeans are just about OK</li><li>One pair jogging pants with forgiving waist</li><li>2 t-shirts that just about fit</li><li>One pair of hugely baggy gym shorts now just fit but my arse looks like the back end of a bus in them</li><li>One running/gym shirt still fits</li><li>One suit (just) fits though I had to buy 2 bigger shirts to wear with it</li></ul></div><div>Sue and the kids have gone strawberry picking but I've stayed at home as the only clean clothes I have that fit are some jogging pants and an old stripey polo shirt. I don't want to wear that and leave the house - I look like a participant from the Jeremy Kyle show.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes I feel very pragmatic about things and accept that until my achillies is fixed there's little I can do. Other times I actually feel really down about it. Not so much wallowing in self pity as drowning in it. </div><div><br /></div><div>The clothes thing falls into the latter despite my JK jibe, and even the fact of feeling down about that depresses me further - it doesn't seem a very manly thing to feel let alone admit too. On top of that there's an underlying fear that the injury just wont get better or will take many months before it becomes tolerable from a running perspective. Lastly there's the fact of the injury being largely down to age related degeneration. I can't begin to say how depressing a reality that is.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy days.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-17158444895002829642011-06-17T07:02:00.004+01:002011-06-17T16:21:05.083+01:00The Great WLR DebateWith little to report on the running front (but more on that later), I thought I better boost my tawdry post count for June by summing up my thoughts on a big debate that seems to be very prominent on the www.weightlossresources.co.uk message boards.<div><br /></div><div>I don't use the boards very much as they don't seem to offer anything very new and, if I'm quite honest, I don't think I have anything very new to offer the boards either. For as long as I can remember though there has been what Alistair Campbell might describe as 'rigourous debate' on the fundamental question of how to approach weight loss and weight management.</div><div><br /></div><div>There seem to be two rival, and often outspoken, camps: those that advocate a very basic calorie counting approach (epitomised by WLR itself), and those that believe dramatic results can be achieved through adopting the latest trends in the field.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Proponents of traditional calorie counting say its very simple: as long as your 'calories out' figure exceeds your 'calories in' one then you lose weight. What these calories are made up of is neither here nor there, though a passing nod is sometimes given to the idea that the food intake should be 'balanced'.</div><div><br /></div><div>They believe that anything beyond this is, at best, over complicating the issue and at worst is an attempt to prey on the gullible and desperate by suggesting false benefits, backed up only by pseudo-science, in order to make someone in America very rich. In other words unsustainable fad diets.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the other hand there are plenty of people who feel that calorie counting misses the point: it over simplifies complex issues and is flawed in that it tries to accommodate the many failings of a modern western diet, a diet that we're not evolved to cope with.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead of calorie counting they believe we should concentrate more on the composition of our diet. Typically this involves limiting, or even excluding, simple carbohydrates and putting a far greater emphasis on protein. In doing so they are supported by research that shows that protein promotes satiety and, as it is more difficult for the body to process, promotes a greater calorific expenditure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes I see the debate as conservatives versus radicals. Equally, I think the debate could be seen as between those that favour a macro management approach (concentrating on the big numbers) versus those prefer micro management (looking at the detailed composition of food intake). </div><div><br /></div><div>The debate seems to extend, less passionately, to exercise. Traditionalists seem to favour cardiovascular exercise to burn more calories and directly effect the daily calories in vs calories out calculation; modernists favour muscle building from resistance training to slowly raise the metabolic rate. Again, I see this very much as macro management versus micro management.</div><div><br /></div><div>Both groups claim that their way is proven and scientific, while the other route is unsustainable and here's where my own opinions start to emerge:</div><div><br /></div><div>They're both right and they're both wrong!</div><div><br /></div><div>The fiercest proponents of each camp are often living proof of their own beliefs: people who have lost a lot of weight through an approach. I suspect that their success leads to understandable frustration with those that countenance the existence of an alternative view, and this leads to the debate sometimes having a pretty intolerant, smug tone from the alpha (fe)males of the WLR message boards.</div><div><br /></div><div>Leaving the tone aside, take two examples of success from the two camps. There's a chap (whose name escapes me) posted this week that he'd lost something like 7.5 stones by following a very basic calorie counting approach. Incredible result and bravo. Take a look at Jo's blog (linked to on the right) and you'll see she's had some incredible results through a mix of resistance training, intermittent fasting and a paleo diet.</div><div><br /></div><div>What these two individuals show though, isn't so much that their approach <i>does</i> work more that it <i>can</i> work. I think there's an important distinction.</div><div><br /></div><div>Building on the theme of using my two examples (and without asking either first!) I'd question the sustainability of both. </div><div><br /></div><div>I very much doubt that Jo is going to be intermittently fasting and eating a paleo diet for the rest of her days. At some stage she'll want/need (for want of a better word) to 'normalise' her diet. That's a risky point. I just don't see a full on radical approach like this as being something truly sustainable 'for life' even if it may feel like it for a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>Its not plain sailing for the calorie counter either, despite the claims that calorie counting benefits from not excluding any food. I'd hazard a guess that 99% of WLR members 'fail' in the sense that they wont reach the target they set by the expected date and the vast majority that join will never reach their goal. I'd also guess that even a great many of the site's success stories wont have stayed at their goal weight. Calorie counting is too rigid and doesn't make allowance for differences physiology and psychology. It isn't really sustainable either, not least because few of us would like to be spending £10 a month and 20 minutes a day in order to log our food intake until the day we die.</div><div><br /></div><div>I suppose I see it that 'new diets' can offer an exciting opportunity to reinvigorate your approach to healthy eating and weight management, as well as the opportunity for dramatic short term results, but each will ultimately prove to be the next in a long line of approaches that come into, and then fade out of, fashion. Calorie counting, on the other hand, will always be there and its long standing reputation for no nonsense success allows companies like WLR and Weight Watchers to come into being, but its the reality of its widespread failure that allows them to make a profit.</div><div><br /></div><div>We're all very different. Our bodies are different, our lifestyles are different, our relationships with food are different, our psychologies are different. That means that different approaches have more appeal (and will work better) for different people. More than that we change and what we find easy to follow and successful today may not work for us tomorrow. </div><div><br /></div><div>To claim there's a one size fits all approach is ill informed and, in the context of a weight loss message board, distinctly unhelpful.</div><div><br /></div><div>I feel there are definite merits to both approaches, and in my view the ideal would be to work to the loose framework of calorie counting whilst accommodating gradual changes to dietary composition that will make the results more meaningful and lasting, but thats a deliberately broad statement. </div><div><br /></div><div>The precise diet any of us follow should be what works best for us, not for anyone else, and not because it makes a few bob for someone else either, but above all it should be flexible, designed with the long term in mind and allows for the evolution of habits.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-48629420779492729872011-06-05T09:15:00.002+01:002011-06-05T09:57:37.213+01:00Aha!Having decided to take it easy on all fronts (well, diet and running anyway), I seem to be in a better place mentally and more in control of eating.<div><br /></div><div>Yesterday I was happily active, got lots done and whilst my diet included the rare treat of a Chinese takeaway, two of the overhyped Oreo biscuits and two pain au chocolat, there was no binge and far more controlled choices.</div><div><br /></div><div>Result eh?</div><div><br /></div><div>Interestingly though, my achillies still felt sore from just walking and carrying yesterday and both heels felt sore. In the past a physio had said I had a touch of plantar fasciitis (which I'll shorten to PF from now) but it didn't really cause a problem and faded away again, but I decided to look it up last night.</div><div><br /></div><div>Digressing slightly, Googling that sort of thing isn't too reliable. A number of (generally American) websites purport to give information but are essentially barely disguised marketing tools for specific insoles and are a little misleading as a result. The information from universities (also generally US) seems far more even handed and gives a different 'weighting' to both causes and treatment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not sure if the achillies is related but I suspect it might well be.</div><div><br /></div><div>You see, I've been trying to work out what might have triggered the injury. Its chronic rather than acute and there was no 'incident' to set things off but neither was there a sudden increase in training mileage; sudden change in terrain, sudden increase in length of runs, or change of footwear. There were none of the triggers that explain a chronic injury's onset.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or so I thought.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'd recognised that the recent hefty weight gain would make runs feel harder and that it could make a small contribution to tiredness and knotting of muscles but last night's research suggests rather more than that.</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems weight is a major factor for PF. This is particularly true for the obese (which I'm obviously not) but several sites list a common cause as 'sudden weight gain'. The fascia operates to raise the arch with every step and is loaded each time with a pressure of double our body weight, so a sudden gain of 20lb means every step adds an extra 40lb of pressure on the fascia - effectively a sudden ramping up of training workload.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bingo! There's the trigger.</div><div><br /></div><div>I still don't know if the achillies is linked or not - not directly as its not a PF symptom - but I now suspect the trigger is the same. Its not the weight I'm at, its the speed at which I got here.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bad news is that it can last for months or even years. Good news is that losing weight and appropriate stretching, allied with NSAIDs, ice and rest in the early stages can help speed things up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good news, is that when I think back to last year there were two times when I had heel and/or achillies pain and both matched to periods of weight gain. Whilst neither seemed as prolonged or painful as this, they both were brought back under control.</div><div><br /></div><div>I won't even try to run until at least next weekend, and as and when I do it will be a very short very slow run. In the meantime I'm popping the drugs and doing the stretches. At the gym may stick to the bike in order to keep weight off my feet.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I'm not doing is hurtling straight into a knee jerk, super fast weight loss regime. For today at least I'm happy just to feel control. In the coming days I'll go with trying for some form of defecit as this is evidently a big part of the cure but it wont be pressured or dramatic.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-89902986076788860972011-06-02T14:47:00.003+01:002011-06-02T15:50:02.208+01:00All bets are off<div><div>Next week Chester marathon training (was due to) start. That required me to run 54 miles in the first week. </div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't ran 54 miles over the last 5 weeks. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the moment I'm not able to run much more than 6 miles and I can't do hills or speedwork as to do so would cause my achillies injury to flare up again. Similarly I can only manage these short slow runs with a good 4 days rest between. Anything more than this and I'm limited to hobbling round the house. In the last 10 days I've aborted three runs where I felt just about ok but the moment I took the first running step I had to stop.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not sure what I have done to it - though achillies tendinitis is common in middle aged men according to net research. A fact which cheered me up no end. Presumably my prostate will be next to go?</div><div><br /></div><div>Realistically there is not the slightest chance I could get up to the required mileage next week. If the achillies healed quickly I might just manage to take 2-3 weeks to ramp up to a lower mileage training plan but that would be pretty unlikely to succeed as tendons are so slow to heal. I'd be odds on to make the injury worse. Besides which that wouldn't be the training (or therefore race) that I planned.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add to that my weight. I'd need to be dieting carefully at the same time as marathon training. That's the equivalent of Hitler fighting the war on two fronts: sure I'd defeat France and send the British running back across the channel but on the other side there would be an inevitable Stalingrad. You can't successfully do both. Plus that would put me in the guise of Hitler and I don't like that.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I've accepted now that Chester isn't happening, and now I'm giving myself another week away from running at least. I'm not going to try and diet during this time either.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully in a week, or however long it takes I can begin to slowly reduce weight while slowly increasing running; do some runs simply for fun and maybe by the autumn be in a position to run some really good shorter races.</div><div><br /></div><div>If I do that there's no pressure to chase impossible weight targets and no need to push my running too hard. In both cases there's then less to get stressed about.</div><div><br /></div><div>For this course of action do I deserve a medal or are you sending me a white feather?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /></div>Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-84697837030983654642011-05-27T07:34:00.002+01:002011-05-27T07:49:25.193+01:00Ice, Ice, BabyFirst of all I'd like to apologise for the title. It does run the risk of making people think of Vanilla Ice or worse Jedward. In fact, worse still it could prompt people to think of the X-Factor more generally: Cowell, Cole and the X-Factor's educationally sub-normal viewers. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.<br /><br />I digress. The title actually refers to my new best friend: the ice pack.<br /><br />After Wednesday's run my Achilles felt sore again but by yesterday morning it was far worse and I was hobbling quite noticeably. So, I limped my way to Boots and got a re-usable ice pack (that needed freezing first) and an instant ice pack. When I used the latter for 20 minutes it was fantastic - instant pain relief - and when I walked there was no pain and virtually no limp (what there was probably being a result of my still holding the foot stiff). I carried on icing every 2 hours and it's felt fine. Woke this morning and it feels good as gold.<br /><br />However, I get the feeling that running today may not be wise so I'll try a 20 minute walk and if that is ok I'll try the gym later on. If they're both ok I'll try a short run tomorrow and take it from there. Fingers crossed and keep up with the healing vibes Jess.<br /><br />Diet was fine yesterday. No exercise made it tough but I stayed 900 under maintenance so pleased with that, particularly as that included room for a small treat - a refrigerated Curly Wurly with a cup of coffee while watching the Diamond League athletics last night. 115kcals and it'll last a good 10 minutes.<br /><br />One last thought. I've decided to opt for weekly weigh ins. In the past I've had success with daily weigh ins as well as no weigh ins but each method also had its challenges. Next weigh in is Wednesday. <br /><br />What do others do? Weekly, daily, hourly, not at all?Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-75625108985681313482011-05-26T06:49:00.003+01:002011-05-26T07:31:15.812+01:00"That's a really fast runner!"I wasn't sure what to title this post as. Initially it was going to be <span style="font-style:italic;">'Good News & Bad News'</span> but I decided that was missing the point. More on that later. More on the eventual title later too.<br /><br />I think I've been living in denial for a few weeks. I could tell by reflection and the feel of clothes that I'd put on weight, and knew from my last weigh in a few weeks ago that I was close to a stone heavier than I was in the week before the Paris marathon, but I hadn't faced the scales since. <br /><br />Generally this was more a case of not thinking to weigh first thing than consciously avoiding it but there was also a feeling that knowing my weight would impact my morale and prevent me from doing something about it. <br /><br />Noble sentiment but flawed in one small way.<br /><br />It was bollocks.<br /><br />I wasn't weighing but nor was I doing anything about it. My food intake was certainly better from Friday of last week but I was still going through chocolate and biscuits at an alarming rate.<br /><br />Yesterday I confronted the scales and it wasn't pretty.<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>I weighed 13st 0.4lbs (compared with 11st 9.6 pre Paris and 11st 12.6 in late April).</li><li>My bodyfat had gone up to 20% (from 15.4% pre Paris)</li><li>The visceral fat had gone to 9lbs (from 6lbs pre Paris)</li></ul><br /><br />When I got off the scales I was quite shocked. The amount and rate of gain were frightening and the visceral fat alarming. Equally, it was sad to think that little over a month ago I was looking at being 11st by early June.<br /><br />However, there was also a sense of relief at knowing where I am and I immediately recognised that this would form the end of a chapter; that it would establish both a limit and a start point. <br /><br />I suppose that looking at the numbers on the scales was rather like giving fear a name. In fact, having just typed that I think that is exactly what it was: it quantified and named the fear and reduced it to a manageable problem.<br /><br />For the first time in around 8 weeks I logged my entire food intake yesterday, and stayed within my limits. In itself that was good, but what was even better was that to accomplish that I had to make rational choices over quantity and type of foods and feel comfortable with them i.e. it's the process rather than the result that pleases me most.<br /><br />On a similar theme I was pleased to get out and run yesterday. My Achilles was still a little sore and I did toy with the idea of having another rest day but got changed and headed out of the door. Within a few yards I was limping and again the idea of canceling the run crossed my mind but I chose to carry on and as with most tendon injuries the pain eased off (only to come back since).<br /><br />The run though, felt tough. I ran only 5 miles and was barely under 9 minute mile pace with even that only being accomplished thanks to three short stops. <br /><br />At around halfway I was feeling quite sorry for myself - tired and lamenting that just a few weeks ago running twice the distance at a minute a mile faster would still only feel like a warm up - as I passed a lady and her daughter of about three years.<br /><br />As I passed them I heard the little girl say <span style="font-style:italic;">"That's a really fast runner"</span> to her mam. Actually, she may not have said 'really' but that's how I'm remembering it. I'd love to say everything felt easy after that but it didn't. However, her comment certainly made it easier to accept the situation. Bless her.Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6741675109129288395.post-32623804812823229902011-05-25T07:04:00.002+01:002011-05-25T07:11:51.002+01:00Doing nothingSometimes doing nothing is the best thing. Hopefully, yesterday was one of those occasions.<br /><br />After Sunday's run I had some soreness (by Monday) at the top end of my left Achilles. I assume this is because my calves were tight from doing approximately bugger all in terms of both running and stretching for 3 weeks prior to running over 16 miles.<br /><br />Hindsight says easing back in with 10 miles may have been a wiser course of action but what's done is done. Its not a major injury: there's no inflammation or redness but it still felt a little painful when walking yesterday.<br /><br />I suspect it would have eased off while running but that might have prolonged the symptoms so no run for me yesterday and today's run will just be an easy paced 6 miles or so to play doubly safe, then tomorrow I may haul my bloated carcass to the gym.Running Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16438876298746999401noreply@blogger.com1