So after a weekend of partying, today was back on the running with a 9.5 miler on the way home from work. Felt really good until around 6 miles when the right calf got tight again. All in all went round in 1hr 18 mins, but I'm concerned about the calf. It didn't stop me from running, but with a 22 miler planned for Thursday it worries me a little, and makes me wonder if I should just rest tomorrow night?
However I got through the run fairly easily, so not sure to be honest what I should do and why I keep getting this tightness. Think I'll book a session for a massage and get some special attention on it. I really want it to be spot on for the marathon in 5 weeks, as I only have this weekend and next as full running weeks before taper... so we'll see... hmmmmmm!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Hot hot hot...
So after switching things around a little last week, I had two relatively easy runs at the weekend to take the tally up to 50 for last week. Saturday was up early to do a simple 9km dash that started off slowly and then finished faster. Strength felt good whilst doing the run, and it was good doing it on the running machine. I think I'll carry on doing a few sessions like this on the running machine as it's not so boring when you're gradualy increasing the speed. Plus it's extremely humid in the gym in my apartment block, so good training in that respect too.
Then Saturday morning I flew to Melbourne to see some mates from the UK... so a bit of a big weekend, but we got a simple 5 mile run in, again starting off pretty slowly, and then I pushed on for the last 10 minutes to get the heart rate up, so nice to do some different training. Plus it was absolutely roasting in Melbourne, hitting high 30's, so some good warm weather training too.
So back here today, and I was going to go off again tonight, but I didnt get home until 8pm, was hungary, plus a little hungover, so decided against it, and have switched things around for this week. It's going to be tough work though as I've worked out that I'll now be doing 8 runs on the bounce, including a 22 miler, which will be tough, but good practice again... he says slightly scared! I'm sure it will be OK though. All this switching around has been to commitments over the weekends, but it's not too bad. In fact I prefer to do the longer runs on week days as I'm generally more in a routine, whereas I'm not so great in getting into a routine at the weekends, as in I get up late, eat at funny times and generally tend to bugger it all up! Anyways, half thinking about doing a split session tomorrow, but I have a heavy work week this week, so dont know if that will work. We'll see...
Then Saturday morning I flew to Melbourne to see some mates from the UK... so a bit of a big weekend, but we got a simple 5 mile run in, again starting off pretty slowly, and then I pushed on for the last 10 minutes to get the heart rate up, so nice to do some different training. Plus it was absolutely roasting in Melbourne, hitting high 30's, so some good warm weather training too.
So back here today, and I was going to go off again tonight, but I didnt get home until 8pm, was hungary, plus a little hungover, so decided against it, and have switched things around for this week. It's going to be tough work though as I've worked out that I'll now be doing 8 runs on the bounce, including a 22 miler, which will be tough, but good practice again... he says slightly scared! I'm sure it will be OK though. All this switching around has been to commitments over the weekends, but it's not too bad. In fact I prefer to do the longer runs on week days as I'm generally more in a routine, whereas I'm not so great in getting into a routine at the weekends, as in I get up late, eat at funny times and generally tend to bugger it all up! Anyways, half thinking about doing a split session tomorrow, but I have a heavy work week this week, so dont know if that will work. We'll see...
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Happier man...
Just decided to go out and do the long run tonight... or rather I set off and thought if I'm still good at 10 miles... then I'll carry on, and carry on I did. I think the difference tonight was that I did take it pretty easy. I think last Saturday I was going too quick early on, hence why was just battered! Anyway... it was a pretty good run, although at just gone 13 miles I got a major pain in my back on the left shoulder blade... forced me to stop and walk for 30 seconds, like someone was stabbing me in the kidney!... it carried on for a bit after I started running again, but seemed to disappear, but really strange.
Anyway, right calf was again really tight. I think I may have a slight strain in it, although it could have been cramp too? I don't know, we'll have to see how I feel tomorrow. It's not too painful now, but it was really starting to hurt towards the end of the run. So all in all, managed to do just under 21 miles this evening, well 20.75 in 3 hours smack on. Slightly slower than last time I broke 20 miles, but not too bothered, it's there or there abouts and I'm just happy I broke it again. I've been suffering from major confidence issues over making the distance in the last few weeks. But it was OK. To be honest, my body was screaming at me at around 18 miles, but I got through that and towards the end, body felt OK apart from the calf, which I think I'll rest up tomorrow and then do a little run on Saturday before I head to Melbourne for some partying... can't wait. Off to see some of me bessie mates from the UK who are over, should be a ball!
Anyway, it's late, I've spent most of the evening running and I'm going to kip like a small infant tonight!
Anyway, right calf was again really tight. I think I may have a slight strain in it, although it could have been cramp too? I don't know, we'll have to see how I feel tomorrow. It's not too painful now, but it was really starting to hurt towards the end of the run. So all in all, managed to do just under 21 miles this evening, well 20.75 in 3 hours smack on. Slightly slower than last time I broke 20 miles, but not too bothered, it's there or there abouts and I'm just happy I broke it again. I've been suffering from major confidence issues over making the distance in the last few weeks. But it was OK. To be honest, my body was screaming at me at around 18 miles, but I got through that and towards the end, body felt OK apart from the calf, which I think I'll rest up tomorrow and then do a little run on Saturday before I head to Melbourne for some partying... can't wait. Off to see some of me bessie mates from the UK who are over, should be a ball!
Anyway, it's late, I've spent most of the evening running and I'm going to kip like a small infant tonight!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The early bird catches the worm????
Well I think it's probably due to the excitement of having new trainers, but I was wide awake at 5am. (That's a little sad isn't it!)... but on these rare occasions when I am awake, I need to take advantage, so thought I'd head off for a steady 8.5 miler to watch the sun rise. Well it didn't so much rise, it was a sultry 21 degrees and 77% humidity at 6am!!! First 5 miles were fine, but then the last 3.5 were tough, but I eased off quite a bit also, as given that I was in new trainers, I was steadily breaking them in, as I didn't want to get any blisters.
Anyway, so far so good. I also wanted to test the calf's also and see if it was the trainers. And I think to be honest, it was a case of needing new trainers. The calf's are still a little sore, but there was none of that exploding feeling in them, however I am getting a little strain just on the inside of the knee, so am still a bit paranoid, but he run went pretty well I think. I'm also glad I knocked off 8.5 miles, as it now means I only need to do around 5.5 tomorrow ahead of the big twenty miler planned for Friday night. Which means I can ease up and take it steady for that. So all in, feeling fairly positive, but Jesus was it hard work this morning. We haven't had humidity like that in Sydney for a few weeks now and at 77% it's a timely reminded of just how much it takes it out of you. No wonder I was feeling drained!
Anyway, so far so good. I also wanted to test the calf's also and see if it was the trainers. And I think to be honest, it was a case of needing new trainers. The calf's are still a little sore, but there was none of that exploding feeling in them, however I am getting a little strain just on the inside of the knee, so am still a bit paranoid, but he run went pretty well I think. I'm also glad I knocked off 8.5 miles, as it now means I only need to do around 5.5 tomorrow ahead of the big twenty miler planned for Friday night. Which means I can ease up and take it steady for that. So all in, feeling fairly positive, but Jesus was it hard work this morning. We haven't had humidity like that in Sydney for a few weeks now and at 77% it's a timely reminded of just how much it takes it out of you. No wonder I was feeling drained!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
What a difference a day makes...
So after feeling generally completely wasted from the weekend long run and subsequent recovery run, the thought of going out and doing a ten mile run last night was really not something I wanted to do. I was suffering with tight calfs, so was going to get on the treadmill in the gym in my apartments, just to make sure I was on softer ground so to speak and no hills at all. However I get up there and someone is on it (the very nice girl who lives opposite! Better not let the missus read this!), and to be honest as much as it was a nice view, I couldn't be arsed to wait, so headed off back on the roads, but on a route with reduced hills, but still some buggers in there!
However, I actually felt pretty good, or rather my calfs did, until around 7 miles in when the tightness started to kick in again. Not to the point that it stops me running, it just feels like they're about to explode! Me thinks me needs to change my trainers now to be honest. I've done around 400 miles in them, which I think is when they should be changed. However this is not great, especially when you buy Kayano's as even out here in Australia, you're talking 100 quid a pair, but still, needs must I guess. This was the cause of my last bout of sore calfs, again feeling like they wanted to explode! So a trip to the sports store again at lunchtime for yet more financial losses! But going to take a rest night tonight as planned. I've run 8 days out of the last 9 (might explain the sore calfs!), covering around 75 miles, and whilst I feel like I could go out, I need to make sure I rest properly. Fingers crossed that this calfs trouble is just because I need to change trainers and is not something worse.Have already said to myself that I would rather rest up for a few days and get my long run right than go out and do some of the piddly 7 milers that I do, and mess things up again. Oh well, we'll see!
However, I actually felt pretty good, or rather my calfs did, until around 7 miles in when the tightness started to kick in again. Not to the point that it stops me running, it just feels like they're about to explode! Me thinks me needs to change my trainers now to be honest. I've done around 400 miles in them, which I think is when they should be changed. However this is not great, especially when you buy Kayano's as even out here in Australia, you're talking 100 quid a pair, but still, needs must I guess. This was the cause of my last bout of sore calfs, again feeling like they wanted to explode! So a trip to the sports store again at lunchtime for yet more financial losses! But going to take a rest night tonight as planned. I've run 8 days out of the last 9 (might explain the sore calfs!), covering around 75 miles, and whilst I feel like I could go out, I need to make sure I rest properly. Fingers crossed that this calfs trouble is just because I need to change trainers and is not something worse.Have already said to myself that I would rather rest up for a few days and get my long run right than go out and do some of the piddly 7 milers that I do, and mess things up again. Oh well, we'll see!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Issues...
Not me personally, but now I know why I felt so bloody awful on Saturday during my long run - well at least part of the reason. Went to go for my 7 mile recovery run yesterday and filled up the camelbac. Came back 10 mins later to find it leaking... so guess what, no wonder I ran out of water at 18 miles on Saturday! I reckon I only got through about 1.25-1.5 litres of water on the 18 miler on Saturday, and thought it bizarre that I had run out so soon... now I know why! Still doesn't distract from the fact that I was probably dehydrated before I went out.
So all in, 57 miles for the week, and a new high mileage for me personally, however I'm disappointed with the way in which I ran. Not having a camelbac for the recovery run was a nightmare, because it was about 24 degrees and 60% humidity, so I had to carry my raidlight bottle. Now then... who the hell invented the straw system in that? Certainly not a runner I can tell you. It's a nightmare! You have to suck like a vampire to get anything out of it, and then blow back into it to get the air back in the bottle. In the end I got so annoyed I pulled the straw out and chucked it en route... probably not the best thing to do in hindsight!
Anyway, another thing is that I don't think I'm eating enough generally. I'm wasted at the moment, and and I don't think I'm getting enough calories in my body to make up for all the running I'm doing. I haven't weighed myself in the last few months, but I reckon I've lost between 6-8kgs in that time. How do I know? Well I got some trousers made in Thailand last year to fit me perfectly. There's not about a two inch gap around the waist, and they are falling down... so a clear indication there. So lessons learnt from this week?
- Get a decent camelbac system!
- Start to eat more and better
- Hydrate properly before a big run (done this one before haven't I?)
Anyways... 3 more big weeks, and then 3 weeks of taper... need to make these count if I'm serious about a 3hr 30's marathon.
So all in, 57 miles for the week, and a new high mileage for me personally, however I'm disappointed with the way in which I ran. Not having a camelbac for the recovery run was a nightmare, because it was about 24 degrees and 60% humidity, so I had to carry my raidlight bottle. Now then... who the hell invented the straw system in that? Certainly not a runner I can tell you. It's a nightmare! You have to suck like a vampire to get anything out of it, and then blow back into it to get the air back in the bottle. In the end I got so annoyed I pulled the straw out and chucked it en route... probably not the best thing to do in hindsight!
Anyway, another thing is that I don't think I'm eating enough generally. I'm wasted at the moment, and and I don't think I'm getting enough calories in my body to make up for all the running I'm doing. I haven't weighed myself in the last few months, but I reckon I've lost between 6-8kgs in that time. How do I know? Well I got some trousers made in Thailand last year to fit me perfectly. There's not about a two inch gap around the waist, and they are falling down... so a clear indication there. So lessons learnt from this week?
- Get a decent camelbac system!
- Start to eat more and better
- Hydrate properly before a big run (done this one before haven't I?)
Anyways... 3 more big weeks, and then 3 weeks of taper... need to make these count if I'm serious about a 3hr 30's marathon.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Silly boy...
So the big one today, and I messed it up. Although I took 2 lires of water with nuun in it, I was dehydrated before I went out. My own fault really, looking back I wasn't drinking enough ahead of the run. So I started to get stitch around 6 miles in (not good). The at 12 miles my body literally started to break down. Very weird feeling. Started to feel sick and just empty. Carried on until 18 miles, and then I ran out of water, and called it a day. Very frustrating as my legs were fine. No hitting of the wall or anything, just completely dehydrated, so very annoying indeed. Walked back the last two miles and was feeling really bad at this point. Got home, hydrated myself and now feel fine... so going to head out again tomorrow as my legs feel good, so we'll see how we go.
So, I should end up around the upper fifties for this week, which is good, but I think I may have overdone it a little, first week back from illness, and obviously disappointed with not hitting twenty miles running, but still have three 20+ milers planned before I start to taper down, so I guess having been ill makes sense to build up again... Three more big weeks, then taper down to 45 miles, then 35, then it's marathon week!
So, I should end up around the upper fifties for this week, which is good, but I think I may have overdone it a little, first week back from illness, and obviously disappointed with not hitting twenty miles running, but still have three 20+ milers planned before I start to taper down, so I guess having been ill makes sense to build up again... Three more big weeks, then taper down to 45 miles, then 35, then it's marathon week!
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