Putting it into perspective

So i could say I managed 16 1/2 miles, legs were tired, two weeks running over 40 miles etc etc - but I saw this article in The Independent on Saturday about what some the elite Kenyan runners are putting up with - good luck to them all

The week so far...

After Tuesday I've managed a 7.5 on Wednesday which picked up in pace over the last 20 minutes, which was an unexpected bonus as I was tired going into the run. On Thursday I ran before work for about 7.5 fairly easy and the morning's are just beginning to bet light enough, sibject to cloud or rain, to get out about 7-30 and be able to see where you're going.

I was off Friday and had an enjoyable 8 mainly off road. However the wind on the way back was a bit breezy and made me struggle. Overall I'm up to about 29 for the week with, hopefully, a long Sunday run to go. I've been sniffly and tight chested again today but hopefully that will lift by Sunday. I just need the confidence to know I can go out and do the long runs unhindered and without having to stop to catch my breath every few miles. Maybe tomorrow?

Still on the lookout for some shoes and the New Balance 755s look favourite

Spring is in the air

Another glorious day for a run at lunchtime with clear blue skies and a nip in the air - short sleeves and gloves were the order of the day with the gloves ditched about half way round. I ran the repeat of last Thursday's 7 miler (or thereabouts) but in the reverse direction and a couple of minutes quicker. Unfortunately I'd left my heart rate monitor strap at home so couldn't see how the effort compared to the previous week. Certainly felt swifter early on and perhaps without the HR readout I failed to keep within a sensible limit.

All being well this should see another 40+ mile week and looking back that will be my first back to back over 40 miles since March 2007 before my virus pulled me out of London. Perhaps that explains the beginnings of the familiar feelings of hunger and tiredness I associate with marathon training, albeit at usually elevated mileage to the meagre 45 so far and only a single genuine effort session. But I am where I am and with continued runs at least clocking up mileage early in the schedule should bear fruits once (hopefully) I start feeling closer to 100%. Unfortunately work is getting in the way and once my regular runs get beyond about 7 miles that will be difficult to fit in at lunchtime. Running into work remains an option if I get organised to take clothes in the previous day to change into once I arrive. I'm not carrying a suit and work shoes on my back...

Sunday run

After a break on Saturday Sunday saw a better, but still not great, long run - about 16 miles / 2:12 with a couple of drinks breaks. Quads a bit sore after Friday's hills and breathing laboured, but far better than last weeks' feable effort.

So that's about 45 for the week and slowly getting back to some semblance of fitness.

Need to think about marathon shoes to get a pair tested and then a pair broken in before 13th April. Looking at old model New Balance 755 at Sportsshoes.com at 40 quid a pair...

OK, not quite vest weather...

After an unseasonably warm Wednesday it got breezy and a bit drizzly, but still warm for January.

So Thursday saw a steady 7 miler, mainly on road through the city. Nowhere near as nice as the country lanes and cycle tracks I frequent now. Heart rate still too high, bit getting a bit better so,...

Friday I gave a hill session a go. Only managed a set of 6 and set of 4 hills - I'd wanted two sets of 6 but HR high and quads knackered. I reckon my theory that high heart rates at slower pace after illness probably does take it out of you. But more miles this week, with Sunday to go, than last week in total. Let's hope the corner has been well and truly turned

Tuesday 16th Jan - easy (?) 7.5

Headed out at lunchtime for a cycle path and loops of a park for about 7.5. Heart rate was again high, averaging 161 for 57.5 minutes. This was the same route as the 30 minute tempo two weeks ago and was a couple of minutes slower but with a higher heart rate. Obviously still recovering...

So leave the proper tempo run for now I think

Lovely midday sunshine and clear sky and surprisingly warm, even in a short sleeve
top. Now, where's my running vest?

Tuesday 8 miler

The schedule calls for four seven milers followed by 18 on Sunday. We'll await Sunday to see how that goes. However got an eight under my belt tonight, albeit still at too elevated a heart rate - average 155 bpm for 8 min miling is way too high.

I often wondered why after an enforced lay off my legs feel tired and heavy despite not having run for a period. I think there's an element of stiffness and getting out of the groove, but it struck me this time around it's probably due to elevated heart rates as you recover. Assuming tiredness and lactic acid build up are affected by heart rate and effort so it presumably stands to reason that after an illness as the body recovers and the heart rate is high so even "easy" runs induce greater exertion than usual and have the same effect as running hard when well. Well, it's a theory...

I'll ease off doing efforts (or at least longer tempo runs) until the heart rate drops back to approaching normal. If I'm hitting the lower limits of tempo effort going uphill at an easy pace then any longer effort is likley to push me over the edge! Even two weeks' ago when I ran 30 at effort I had a bit of a funny turn after showering when the corridors seemed to slope away from me - blood sugar or just effort shock?

Until tomorrow...

A struggling 13

As expected I couldn't manage the full 16 today. Infact I was struggling with very shallow breathing after a couple, rallied for a semi-decent miles 8 to 11 roughly and then headed for home for about 13 in 1:47 - not great and I needed stops to regain my bretah, but it's 13 more miles in the bank when at one stage I thought I'd be lucky to get in five. Thanks to my training partner for sticking with me and my slow pace to push me through.

I'm hoping that once this cold and chest goes my legs will be fresh from the enforced rest / reduced mileage and I'll be ready to crack on.

...it was definitely a cold

The good thing is I had a cold which laid me up for four days so my sluggish runs on Sunday were not necessarily down to poor fitness. The bad news is I had a cold which laid me up etc - so couldn't run until Friday. This week's mileage will look decidely dodgy, but there are still 13 weeks / three months to go before London, so let's not get woried too soon eh?

Friday night saw an easy 5-ish mileage with the usual post-cold tight chest and sluggish legs. However I felt I could have slipped in a an extra mile or so but didn't. Probably wise.

Saturday and I clocked up a slow-ish 7.5 in an hour. However it was a route I'd used over the last few weeks which has a shortcut to about 6.5. In previuous weeks I'd taken the easy option and headed for home at a T-junction roads to the shortcut. This time I felt reasonably OK and at the junction turned away from home for the full distance. There's also nothing quite cold puddles in a country lane to wake you up in the morning - you know the sort which stretch right across the road and the grass bank is actually a mud verge. Nothing for it but to wade right through and feel the cold water splash against the calves. Lovely day though - blue sky, slight cold breeze and bright wintery morning sun.

Now, let's see what Sunday's proposed long run brings. The schedule says 16. Not sure how I'll fare.

End of week 1...

Friday I struggled through 6.5 / 7 miles with my chest feeling tight before driving off to Leicester for family stuff. Consequently Saturday was a rest day, as scheduled, but without cross training. Sunday was one of those days I love running - clear, crisp and cool - a bit cool with frost on the roads, but I generally love running on those days. My schedule called for 14 miles. I had other engagements before driving back home so struggled through 11 with a higher than should be heart rate. However I'm sneezing well again on Monday so maybe that cold is still with me.

Overall I like this flexible schedule. I'm not happy that my long run was 3 or 4 miles ahorter than what I wanted. However ticking over at 38 mles and one decent effort session is better than some considerable time. I'm hoping that when I get fully well the reduced number of effort sessions should mean the quality sessions can be run hard and my legs don't feel wiped out. Here's hoping...

...time for a rest

Rescheduled rest day - no time for a gym session so just a complete break. Just as well as not feeling too clever - nausea and slight giddiness - not sure if its tiredness or this vomitting bug that's going round. Off to Leicester for a few days so may have to switch sessions as and when and see how I feel. However really getting into this flexible training and have got some of my motivation back...bring on the long runs!

Tempo Run

Well, the thing I like about this "new" schedule is its flexibility. I used to trap myself into a fairly rigid routine (tempo or long efforts Tuesday, track Thursday and long run Sunday). Maybe there is such a thing as over training after all...

This time with one scheduled effort plus the Sunday long run I can shift the efforts to fit work, weather etc and still build in another session if I want. So with meetings booked for Thursday lunchtime (plus apocalyptic weather predicted for the east of England...) it made sense to do my effort on Wednesday. The schedule called for 6 miles with 4 miles effort. So I went for a 7 1/2 mile route with 10 min warm up and 30 minutes at approximate half marathon pace / effort - for me that's about 165 to 175 bpm on the heart rate monitor.

After an easy warm up it took about 3 mins to get the heart rate up to 165 and for about 20 mins this was OK, even into a stiffish cold wind. But this was the longest sustained effort I've run for about 9 months and it told. I slowed at the end and the cool down at a slow pace didn't get my heart rate below 165 - active recovery wasn't an option. I still had a bit of a cough, but I think that cutting edge fitness has departed and needs sustained work to get back. But I have a benchmark to re-run over the coming weeks to see how I perform. However allowing for 10 min warm up and 15 cool down I'm fairly happy with 7.5 in 55:30.

On to the next run hopefully....

Off Road 6 1/2

Times were when New Year's Day was spend racing the rather excellent Wymondham AC 10K. This usually attracts a mix od the hung over, fancy dress, belated santas plus racers. Infact my 10K PB was set there in 2005 (40:03 and probably the closest I'll get now to that elusive sub-40 10K). Having not raced for a couple of years this is no longer my usual habit for 1st January anymore.

So instead I took myself off for an easy-ish 6.5 to 7 mainly off road around Blofield, Strumpshaw and Brundall. Chest was still tight from the cold and it was more of a struggle than it should have been at the easy pace, but it's great getting out in the open air, little traffic, birds scooting around and a soft top coating of slippy mud across footpaths (some of which had been ploughed over and consequently required a bit of picking your way through). However I'm lucky to be healthy enough to run and enjoy such things.