Another good week.
The staples included a slightly frustrating and stuttering club run which I extended by a bit of an extra loop on my own to take it up to 7.33 miles; and I ran a couple of times with Bethan who twice broke her 3 mile PB in the process as well as running 2 miles before her quick break during those runs.
The two 'hard' runs for the week were a 6.2 mile (10k) run done to see what pace I could manage and a 13.1 mile LSR today. The 10k was completed in 47:20 which was pleasing and today's half marathon LSR was finished in a shade over 1:56.
Weight wise it started well but then my weight stuck at 12st 1.0lb Tuesday to Saturday. Over eating through the weekend will have upped that but I still hope to get under 12 stone before next Saturday's departure on holiday.
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Last week was the highest mileage since the week of the Marathon de Paris at 31.6 miles.
Despite a recalcitrant Garmin I managed 4.21 miles round Adel on Monday while Beth did her last session at the junior running club before the break for the summer holidays. The same afternoon I volunteered to take part in the Washburn Valley Relay event for the club as there were two teams 'spare'.
On Tuesday I headed to Swinsty & Fewston reservoirs with a group from Abbey Runners to 'recce' the course where we ran legs 2 & 3 in torrential rain, thunder and lightning. 7.14 soaking miles in total.
Wednesday was a 3 mile run with the ever improving Bethan before a rest day on Thursday.
Friday was the day of the relay where I ran the 3.26 mile leg 3 in 25:20. Overall I was happy enough with that. I overtook one runner and was passed by another but for the most part had nobody in sight in front or behind. That made it tougher mentally to keep pushing myself and I'm fairly certain that had there been a 'target' in sight or the route been on a drier track or tarmac the pace would have been higher.
Saturday morning was another run with Beth, who broke her record for 2 miles by a whopping 53 seconds! Then on Sunday I did my 6th run for the week, a 12 mile LSR.
That proved a little bit toughr than expected. It was quicker by some way than the sort of pace I was running before deliberately increasing my cadence a few weeks ago but also 25s a mile slower than the pace I'd done 10 miles in a fortnight before. The last couple of miles did feel noticeably tougher and the top of my right quadricep muscle felt fatigued, but I guess it was the 6th run of the week, the highest mileage for 4 months, the longest run since Paris and only 36hrs after running in a race.
The prospect of doubling it and then adding on 2.2 miles seemed ridiculous but with 8 1/2 months to go I think I've time to build it up again!
Despite a recalcitrant Garmin I managed 4.21 miles round Adel on Monday while Beth did her last session at the junior running club before the break for the summer holidays. The same afternoon I volunteered to take part in the Washburn Valley Relay event for the club as there were two teams 'spare'.
On Tuesday I headed to Swinsty & Fewston reservoirs with a group from Abbey Runners to 'recce' the course where we ran legs 2 & 3 in torrential rain, thunder and lightning. 7.14 soaking miles in total.
Wednesday was a 3 mile run with the ever improving Bethan before a rest day on Thursday.
Friday was the day of the relay where I ran the 3.26 mile leg 3 in 25:20. Overall I was happy enough with that. I overtook one runner and was passed by another but for the most part had nobody in sight in front or behind. That made it tougher mentally to keep pushing myself and I'm fairly certain that had there been a 'target' in sight or the route been on a drier track or tarmac the pace would have been higher.
Saturday morning was another run with Beth, who broke her record for 2 miles by a whopping 53 seconds! Then on Sunday I did my 6th run for the week, a 12 mile LSR.
That proved a little bit toughr than expected. It was quicker by some way than the sort of pace I was running before deliberately increasing my cadence a few weeks ago but also 25s a mile slower than the pace I'd done 10 miles in a fortnight before. The last couple of miles did feel noticeably tougher and the top of my right quadricep muscle felt fatigued, but I guess it was the 6th run of the week, the highest mileage for 4 months, the longest run since Paris and only 36hrs after running in a race.
The prospect of doubling it and then adding on 2.2 miles seemed ridiculous but with 8 1/2 months to go I think I've time to build it up again!
Monday, 13 July 2009
Back to it
After a week off it was back to the grindstone last week.
I started off with a short but brisk 3.75 miles on a muggy, humid Monday afternoon then followed that with an enjoyable 7.26 on Tuesday evening - round the reservoir with Abbey Runners.
Wednesday and Friday were rest days and they sandwiched 6 miles (done in 47:36) on Thursday evening. I was pleased with that.
On Saturday I did a mile with Beth in the morning (she'd been ill in the week so we took it easy)followed by 10 miles in the afternoon running the route of the Eccup 10 race which I marshalled at the following day. Both the run and the marshalling were good fun. Marshalling, like life, is a case of the more you put in the more you get out.
That meant another rest day on Sunday and I filled my time (post event) with a trip to the carvery, a dvd with the family and a whole lot more eating!
That was a change from the rest of the week where I watched food intake closely and dropped to within less than 2lb of Paris weight - somewhere I expect to get to this week.
I started off with a short but brisk 3.75 miles on a muggy, humid Monday afternoon then followed that with an enjoyable 7.26 on Tuesday evening - round the reservoir with Abbey Runners.
Wednesday and Friday were rest days and they sandwiched 6 miles (done in 47:36) on Thursday evening. I was pleased with that.
On Saturday I did a mile with Beth in the morning (she'd been ill in the week so we took it easy)followed by 10 miles in the afternoon running the route of the Eccup 10 race which I marshalled at the following day. Both the run and the marshalling were good fun. Marshalling, like life, is a case of the more you put in the more you get out.
That meant another rest day on Sunday and I filled my time (post event) with a trip to the carvery, a dvd with the family and a whole lot more eating!
That was a change from the rest of the week where I watched food intake closely and dropped to within less than 2lb of Paris weight - somewhere I expect to get to this week.
Friday, 10 July 2009
Feeling racey
I've ummed and ahhhed about which races to do and now finally have my race calendar for the rest of the year organised. Its going to be a busy time:
- August 23rd Birchwood 10k in Warrington
- September 6th Great Yorkshire Run 10k in Sheffield
- September 13th Wistow 10 miles in Selby
- September 26th Saab Salomon Turbo X 10m x-country in Sheffield
- September 27th Horsforth 10k in Leeds
- October 4th Harewood 10 mile trail race in Leeds
- October 25th Great Cumbrian Run half marathon in Carlisle
- November 8th Lancaster half marathon in, er, Lancaster
- November 22nd Abbey Dash 10k in Leeds
The ones in bold are the ones I feel I could aim for a PB at, the other 3 being participatory rather than raced. 9 races in 13 weeks but with 6 weekends free of racing within that period - doable with care!
EDIT: Now thinking of tagging the Thirsk 10 mile on the end of that on the 29th November. Its another PB possibility.
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Give it a rest
Last week was earmarked as a rest week but with no real plan behind it. In the event it turned into a bit of a week off for the most part.
Monday was really humid so I did 2.6 miles while Beth was with the running club then left it at that. I'd expected to do 6-7 miles on Tuesday night with the running club but it turned out to be a slow and slightly disjointed 4.68 miles instead. Wednesday was due to be 3 miles with Beth but she was determined not to go leaving me in a foul mood and over eating. The dye was set.
Thursday's run was also cancelled though I can't think why and replaced with significant eating. Friday was always a rest day and normally a gluttony day too. Saturday was 3 miles with Beth and lots more eating; and Sunday I planned to do 8 but after several days over eating and sleeping badly the previous 2 nights I ended up doing a difficult 5 miles in the humid weather. And then went for a curry!
Ah well, a week off probably does you good. Yesterday I started the week living only on fruit & veg and did 3.75 while Beth was at her club. Running club tonight.
I have less than 4 weeks until we go on holiday and now want to get down to 12st by then. That's a very tough ask as yesterday the scales read 12st 13lb!
We shall see.
Monday was really humid so I did 2.6 miles while Beth was with the running club then left it at that. I'd expected to do 6-7 miles on Tuesday night with the running club but it turned out to be a slow and slightly disjointed 4.68 miles instead. Wednesday was due to be 3 miles with Beth but she was determined not to go leaving me in a foul mood and over eating. The dye was set.
Thursday's run was also cancelled though I can't think why and replaced with significant eating. Friday was always a rest day and normally a gluttony day too. Saturday was 3 miles with Beth and lots more eating; and Sunday I planned to do 8 but after several days over eating and sleeping badly the previous 2 nights I ended up doing a difficult 5 miles in the humid weather. And then went for a curry!
Ah well, a week off probably does you good. Yesterday I started the week living only on fruit & veg and did 3.75 while Beth was at her club. Running club tonight.
I have less than 4 weeks until we go on holiday and now want to get down to 12st by then. That's a very tough ask as yesterday the scales read 12st 13lb!
We shall see.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Last week has had a similar theme to the week that preceded it - both running and weight wise.
On the running side I did a 3 mile run in the pouring rain last Monday while Bethan was at running club then 6.72 with Abbey Runners the day after. The latter was with a small 'breakaway' group from the usual lot and was run slightly faster with fewer breaks. I rested Wednesday & Friday and between them did 5 miles in sunshine and heat. Saturday brought Beth's first 3 mile run and then yesterday I covered 10 miles in 1:22:56.
I've carried on with the Chi Running principles, or at least some of them. I've been running to the 85 cadence on the metronome (and will up that by one per week for 5 weeks) then after a mile or so have started to think more about relaxing the lower legs and finally practised the lean at different points in the two most recent runs. It now looks to have made me about 40s per mile faster for the same perceived effort.
With weight to lose, Chi Running form to improve, cadence to up further and fitness to come the PB targets I've set for the autumn look very achieveable.
I entered 7 races on Monday:
Birchwood 10k on 23rd August
Great Yorkshire Run on 6th September
Selby Wistow 10 mile on 13th September
Horsforth 10k on 27th September
Harewood 10 mile on 4th October
Lancaster Half on 8th November
Leeds Abbey Dash on 22nd November
The ones in bold are races with genuine PB potential. Add to those the Great Cumbrian Run (half) on the 25th October which I'll enter soon. I'll also fit in a couple of 5ks at the Hyde Park time trials in Leeds at some point.
Weight loss has been a complete mirror of the previous week: Going great guns Monday to Thursday, with weight at lowest by Wednesday, then blowing it by bingeing Friday to Sunday. Net result of only 0.2lb lost week to week. Not sure what to do about that - obviously weekends are a danger area for me, this week even without a meal out.
Having a cut back week this week, though realistically that just means I'll do 6 miles on Sunday instead of 10/12.
On the running side I did a 3 mile run in the pouring rain last Monday while Bethan was at running club then 6.72 with Abbey Runners the day after. The latter was with a small 'breakaway' group from the usual lot and was run slightly faster with fewer breaks. I rested Wednesday & Friday and between them did 5 miles in sunshine and heat. Saturday brought Beth's first 3 mile run and then yesterday I covered 10 miles in 1:22:56.
I've carried on with the Chi Running principles, or at least some of them. I've been running to the 85 cadence on the metronome (and will up that by one per week for 5 weeks) then after a mile or so have started to think more about relaxing the lower legs and finally practised the lean at different points in the two most recent runs. It now looks to have made me about 40s per mile faster for the same perceived effort.
With weight to lose, Chi Running form to improve, cadence to up further and fitness to come the PB targets I've set for the autumn look very achieveable.
I entered 7 races on Monday:
Birchwood 10k on 23rd August
Great Yorkshire Run on 6th September
Selby Wistow 10 mile on 13th September
Horsforth 10k on 27th September
Harewood 10 mile on 4th October
Lancaster Half on 8th November
Leeds Abbey Dash on 22nd November
The ones in bold are races with genuine PB potential. Add to those the Great Cumbrian Run (half) on the 25th October which I'll enter soon. I'll also fit in a couple of 5ks at the Hyde Park time trials in Leeds at some point.
Weight loss has been a complete mirror of the previous week: Going great guns Monday to Thursday, with weight at lowest by Wednesday, then blowing it by bingeing Friday to Sunday. Net result of only 0.2lb lost week to week. Not sure what to do about that - obviously weekends are a danger area for me, this week even without a meal out.
Having a cut back week this week, though realistically that just means I'll do 6 miles on Sunday instead of 10/12.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Its been an eventful 10 days or so since the last blog entry.
I ran with Beth Saturday before last and she struggled again, though having a glass of milk just before leaving home probably didn't help her too much! We ran again on the Sunday and whilst she wasn't at her best she was much better, enjoyed seeing a fox, and was chuffed to bits with herself when she chose to add a little 'sprint' onto the end of the run.
Before running with Beth I'd done 6 miles with Sue. It was meant to be a tempo run for her, a week before she did the Jayne Tomlinson 10k, with the middle 4 miles at 9:15-9:30 pace. After 2 miles of that (9:27 & 9:42) she stopped saying her heart was pounding way too much and she couldn't possibly carry on at that pace. Coach Bob snapped at her and we headed back at a slower pace and in silence!
She did the race today and I feel fully vindicated - her pace for the 6 miles ranged between 8:28 and 9:21! She did really well and really enjoyed it.
On Monday I took Beth to the running club and did 4 miles running round the fields on my own, while I waited, and then on Tuesday did an enjoyable and hilly 5.34 with Abbey Runners. Wednesday was a rest day and Thursday was 5 miles with the middle 3 (tempo) at 8:03 pace. Friday I rested again.
Yesterday I took Beth for her run (her second best time) then went to a Chi Running course by http://www.revolutionaryrunning.co.uk/ . It was quite enlightening in the end. I found the postural exercises relatively straightforward and the running element more difficult, largely because it required a degree of multi tasking & coordination - not my strong suits. No surprises there.
The instructors had said early on that my weakness was my very slow leg turnover (or cadence) but when I saw a video of my running taken at the start of the day I was shocked at what I saw.
I'd always assumed I looked relatively 'normal' as I ran and that my foot hit the ground somewhere between a mid foot and heel strike. Two things stood out as I watched it: firstly, there was the slow bounding gait (I honestly thought it was being played in slow motion at first) and secondly there was the most pronounced dorsiflexing of my foot and subsequent heel strike. Each stride was like a leap, with energy wasted bouncing me upwards as well as forwards and my leading leg stretched straight out as far as possible in front of me leading to the inevitable heel strike. Its no wonder I've had lower leg pain and now I also know what causes the tenderness I feel after runs at the back/base/'corner' of each heel - my entire body weight (several times over) bouncing repeatedly onto that small area!
Afterwards, I felt a mixture of relief (that I'd identified a big problem area) and despair (that I looked so far removed from what I thought I needed to look like that it might prove impossible to get there).
When we got back from the JT run today I headed out to do the planned 10 miles along the canal, but this time I took a bleeping clip on metronome with me, set to 85 per minute (the instructors had suggested 85-90 for me).
It was very strange. First up it was slightly embarrassing with the bleeping causing panic, confusion and amusement to the various other runners and walkers. Only one guessed at what it was and asked what it was for. Then there was the running itself. My feet felt like they were blurring beneath me in a fast shuffling stride but I pretty much kept the rythmn and turnover rate throughout. It would have been interesting to have seen a video of today's run for comparison.
For the first mile and a half I had the unwelcome and uncommon accompaniment of lower shin pain but then made a conscious effort to not only go with the turnover rate but also to 'loosen' my ankles between lifting the foot and putting it back down again. I don't know if that fixed things but the pain dissapeared and didn't return.
After 3 miles I stopped to get a fly from my eye - a standard problem from summer time running by a canal - and decided to head back rather than complete the 10 miles. This was purely down to my realising the left side of my vest had a large bloody circle on it from the nipple chaffing as I'd forgotten to apply plasters.
The run back was as before: pain free with the leg turnover on target, though I also added in occassional bursts with the Chi Running 'lean' which not only speeded me up a little without changing cadence but also helped promote a mid foot strike (I think).
I stopped the watch after 6 miles, feeling very comfortable, no breathlessness. Normally a warm sunny day would make me struggle if I pushed it at all, especially as I didn't feel I'd hydrated well and hadn't felt especially 'up' for running.
I looked at the watch readings for the first time and was shocked. 51:28 for 6.01 miles - an average of 8:33. In itself that wasn't astounding as I run tempo sections comfortably faster but this was for the whole 6 miles, without looking at the watch once, without trying to run fast, without heavy breathing, without trying to do anything really apart from keep the leg turnover high, and with my feeling relatively fresh at the end.
I feel pretty enthused now. I suspect the high turnover automatically shortens the stride in front of me and reduces heel strike - especially with the lean and relaxed ankles - and that the high turnover also forces the feet to stay closer to the ground reducing bounce. Net result a more efficient run - going faster but with less perceived effort. I'll look into the Chi running all the more!
Until yesterday the dieting was going well - not too far from Paris weight now and I still have a chance for 11st 7lb by the end of July. Yesterday was a mini binge but I can live with that. Its a curry tonight then back to the diet tomorrow.
I ran with Beth Saturday before last and she struggled again, though having a glass of milk just before leaving home probably didn't help her too much! We ran again on the Sunday and whilst she wasn't at her best she was much better, enjoyed seeing a fox, and was chuffed to bits with herself when she chose to add a little 'sprint' onto the end of the run.
Before running with Beth I'd done 6 miles with Sue. It was meant to be a tempo run for her, a week before she did the Jayne Tomlinson 10k, with the middle 4 miles at 9:15-9:30 pace. After 2 miles of that (9:27 & 9:42) she stopped saying her heart was pounding way too much and she couldn't possibly carry on at that pace. Coach Bob snapped at her and we headed back at a slower pace and in silence!
She did the race today and I feel fully vindicated - her pace for the 6 miles ranged between 8:28 and 9:21! She did really well and really enjoyed it.
On Monday I took Beth to the running club and did 4 miles running round the fields on my own, while I waited, and then on Tuesday did an enjoyable and hilly 5.34 with Abbey Runners. Wednesday was a rest day and Thursday was 5 miles with the middle 3 (tempo) at 8:03 pace. Friday I rested again.
Yesterday I took Beth for her run (her second best time) then went to a Chi Running course by http://www.revolutionaryrunning.co.uk/ . It was quite enlightening in the end. I found the postural exercises relatively straightforward and the running element more difficult, largely because it required a degree of multi tasking & coordination - not my strong suits. No surprises there.
The instructors had said early on that my weakness was my very slow leg turnover (or cadence) but when I saw a video of my running taken at the start of the day I was shocked at what I saw.
I'd always assumed I looked relatively 'normal' as I ran and that my foot hit the ground somewhere between a mid foot and heel strike. Two things stood out as I watched it: firstly, there was the slow bounding gait (I honestly thought it was being played in slow motion at first) and secondly there was the most pronounced dorsiflexing of my foot and subsequent heel strike. Each stride was like a leap, with energy wasted bouncing me upwards as well as forwards and my leading leg stretched straight out as far as possible in front of me leading to the inevitable heel strike. Its no wonder I've had lower leg pain and now I also know what causes the tenderness I feel after runs at the back/base/'corner' of each heel - my entire body weight (several times over) bouncing repeatedly onto that small area!
Afterwards, I felt a mixture of relief (that I'd identified a big problem area) and despair (that I looked so far removed from what I thought I needed to look like that it might prove impossible to get there).
When we got back from the JT run today I headed out to do the planned 10 miles along the canal, but this time I took a bleeping clip on metronome with me, set to 85 per minute (the instructors had suggested 85-90 for me).
It was very strange. First up it was slightly embarrassing with the bleeping causing panic, confusion and amusement to the various other runners and walkers. Only one guessed at what it was and asked what it was for. Then there was the running itself. My feet felt like they were blurring beneath me in a fast shuffling stride but I pretty much kept the rythmn and turnover rate throughout. It would have been interesting to have seen a video of today's run for comparison.
For the first mile and a half I had the unwelcome and uncommon accompaniment of lower shin pain but then made a conscious effort to not only go with the turnover rate but also to 'loosen' my ankles between lifting the foot and putting it back down again. I don't know if that fixed things but the pain dissapeared and didn't return.
After 3 miles I stopped to get a fly from my eye - a standard problem from summer time running by a canal - and decided to head back rather than complete the 10 miles. This was purely down to my realising the left side of my vest had a large bloody circle on it from the nipple chaffing as I'd forgotten to apply plasters.
The run back was as before: pain free with the leg turnover on target, though I also added in occassional bursts with the Chi Running 'lean' which not only speeded me up a little without changing cadence but also helped promote a mid foot strike (I think).
I stopped the watch after 6 miles, feeling very comfortable, no breathlessness. Normally a warm sunny day would make me struggle if I pushed it at all, especially as I didn't feel I'd hydrated well and hadn't felt especially 'up' for running.
I looked at the watch readings for the first time and was shocked. 51:28 for 6.01 miles - an average of 8:33. In itself that wasn't astounding as I run tempo sections comfortably faster but this was for the whole 6 miles, without looking at the watch once, without trying to run fast, without heavy breathing, without trying to do anything really apart from keep the leg turnover high, and with my feeling relatively fresh at the end.
I feel pretty enthused now. I suspect the high turnover automatically shortens the stride in front of me and reduces heel strike - especially with the lean and relaxed ankles - and that the high turnover also forces the feet to stay closer to the ground reducing bounce. Net result a more efficient run - going faster but with less perceived effort. I'll look into the Chi running all the more!
Until yesterday the dieting was going well - not too far from Paris weight now and I still have a chance for 11st 7lb by the end of July. Yesterday was a mini binge but I can live with that. Its a curry tonight then back to the diet tomorrow.
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