Category Archives: Training

Training

Running statfest

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YTD mileage total  as of the start of March – 62.9 miles

Minimum target for the year, at approx 6.3 miles per week  69 miles.

So 6 miles down. But now arrived in Malaysia, on sabbatical, and have a working treadmill upstairs so plan to get running later today – although jetlag has slapped me about, as anticipated, and am running on about 3.5 hours sleep so may collapse later today and start tomorrow…

Wish me luck – think this will be what Sensei Paul calls a series of ‘sweat’ runs as  the temperature outside will climb to 34 degrees C today. Crikey.

Training

Sabbatical running off to a good start

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20k in after the first weekend. Tomorrow is a 16 hour flight so might be a while before I get going again but hoping for a 2 days on / 1 day off routine, alternating distance and speed, and with stretches and some strength work daily. Although not bench pressing Emily, I understand that’s cruel and unusual!

Runs in Malaysia won’t be Runkeeper tracked as they’ll all be treadmill-centric. Here we go….!

Training

Scientific testing to improve running technique

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In a past life, I was pretty heavily into the science of things. I’m still fascinated by science and all that jazz as a general principle, but the specifics are lost to me.

Which is one of the reasons why I’m so horrible at improving my running process/technique. Instead of changing one thing – new shoes, summer running gear, running in the morning or one of the other half-dozen variables under my control, I change them all in one go so have no idea what it was that helped me break a certain time or that caused me a particular issue.

As I’ve commented before, running is like golf – the number of uncontrollable variables is legion. I may need to introduce some scientific rigour to my process as I aim to improve my half marathon time this year…

Training

Waterwalker

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This week’s run was blissfully on the beach down in West Wittering. With the tide out, Runkeeper’s official log of the run had me literally running on water. Which is, y’know, cool and stuff.

Of course, it’s not two runs, which was the new year resolution that’s failed to extend into February. This morning I woke up feeling continually ruined by the cold that hit me midweek last week and the theory that the run yesterday would make me feel better definitely didn’t carry through. Argh! Frustration!

So: will I make the distance next weekend? Travelling down to London for my brother’s birthday, so there’s a good chance that I’ll struggle again. And I need to start building the stretching routine in on a daily basis (regardless of runs) as a sore back and tight shins have added themselves to the list of gripes that started with the pinched nerve. It’s astonishing how quickly you start to feel the fundamental interconnectedness of all things as far as fitness is concerned.

<sigh>. I think I’ve found a half marathon, though, that might help the motivation. Anyone fancy joining me for the Bracknell half?

Injuries, Running, Training

Weekend training update

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I’m not going to lie to you, I was diminished this weekend. Underslept due to the neck injury, slightly demotivated and struggling… I eventually made myself hit the road on Sunday morning and only managed a 5k. But better than nothing…?

The running helped the pinched nerve thing, with my neck seeming freer after the run… but I seem to have some have back tightness today so will spend a bit of time this week stretching out ahead of next weekend’s training. I’m getting old.

Next weekend will see me down the coast so the running will be a bit more exciting, hopefully, and keep me going for longer!

Running, Training

Running technique–the stride

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Another run today, thinking a bit more about running technique.

Before this recent bout of running hit me, if someone had talked to me about running “technique” I’d have been somewhat cynical. One foot in front of the other, and all that.

When the ITB injury hit me last year I learnt how much I was doing wrong from Sudhir, and it became apparent that I needed to put much more thought into the way my feet rolled off the ground, the length of my stride, etc.

On Friday, Amanda was watching the One Show (before Eastenders rather than through deliberate choice) and they were doing a feature about rabbits – and how they run quicker than people. A big part of this, they said, was because the proportional stride of a rabbit was equivalent to a full grown man striding three meters with each footfall as they run. My running stride probably varies between 60cm and a metre, at a guess, due to rubbish hamstrings, poor fitness and disciplines. So on the run today, I gave it more thought and was amazed at the difference in pace I achieved when making a conscious effort to lengthen the stride. (Incidentally, the One Show tried to extend the stride of a man by extending his legs with those running stilt things – silly, but fun)

It makes sense, after all. 1000m is 1000 steps with a metre stride, and 600 odd more with 60cm strides. Effort wise, it stands to reason that the smaller effort in lengthening the stride is proportionately less than the effort needed to take the extra 600 steps. So I plan to spend a bit more time focussing on my hamstrings and my stride in the runs to come.

As an aside, another bit of random telly we had on whilst Emily was feeding was some athletics. During a 3000m race, people were finishing in 8 minutes, with a 2m 30 odd second split per kilometre. Given my best time for 3 km is about 17 minutes, this was pretty awe-inspiring. Their stride was immense. No idea how big but a damn sight bigger than my meter / 1.2m at best running stride.

More effort / training needed. Need to give that running coach thing a bit more thought…

Racing, Training

The routine continues

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Days 2 and 3 of running with the new shoes went well, although gathering the willpower to make it out this weekend was properly hard – for a few reasons.

1. It’s still cold enough to be miserable and cause me to completely misjudge what to wear. “Sweat runs” as Sensei Paul calls them are a regular appearance.

2. My fitness is still down after my September heights, although the ITB rolls at least are getting easier.

3. I’m still eating like a mentalist, far too much, and am heavy and not feeling the grace of my earlier lightness

Hoping to resolve this in the weeks ahead… But still ahead of my distance target and hoping to continue this into the month ahead. Wish me luck…

Running, Training

Running in the dark

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frosty common on early morning runFor a variety of reasons I was working from home this morning – which meant – early morning run instead of my commute! The 5k was fairly standard, although odd running with a head-torch, past early morning commuters driving into the station and trying to avoid slipping on the countryside frost.

I was wearing the new trainers, which surprisingly enough were totally comfortable and didn’t seem to need much breaking in. Even the ITB rolling was less painful than I’d expect… so hopefully a good investment and encouragement to resume training.

2011 distance to date – 25.7 miles – about a marathon in the first three weeks. My pace is still pretty mediocre, but at least I’m starting to rebuild the routine…

Training

Why is swimming more tiring than running?

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Did about 700m worth of swimming in 20 mins today, considerably less time or distance than I normally cover in my 5 or 10k runs, and now exhausted. Admittedly a large part of the excursion involved bundling up Emily, persuading her that pools are fun (she was mostly unconvinced, although did like her snazzy bathing suit), and getting her warm and dry as quickly as possible!

What is it about swimming? Less used muscles, apparently…  but who knows?

Racing, Running, Training

Weekend running

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Just one 10k this weekend, but in 60 minutes (more or less dead-on) and the first semi-distance run I’ve done since the half marathon. Winter, as well as having Emily around, is making this a much tougher challenge to take on.

Am in London one night this weekend ahead of my sister’s registry wedding. Wonder if I can squeeze in a canal run on my old route for old times’ sake!

Haven’t found a race to aim for yet. Thinking of another local Hampshire one of seeing if I can persuade Sensei Paul to take on another race with me and find a location either nearer him in North Somerset or somewhere between us. Will keep you posted…