Category Archives: Training

Running, Training

Dadrunning

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Having made it through the half marathon and become a dad, and with winter encroaching, my motivation for running training has waned. As a result, finding the time and inclination to leave my cute daughter (who could wake at anytime and want to play with her dad at the weekend) has been really tough. And of course, things have been busy, so everything has waned.

Yesterday I took a first step at tackling this distressing lack of motivation – after all I still take a massive amount of satisfaction from running and want to get back on the roads.

This vital step was, of course, shopping. Now equipped with running rain jacket/windbreak, running tights, running headlight, reflector strips and long sleeve running t-shirt, I am ready for the colder season of running.

I can’t do much about wanting to be around to play with Emily at the drop of a hat but have certainly diminished my concerns about running in the cold with those purchases!

Another thing that’s going to help is running pre-planned routes. My previous two post-Dadhood runs were on untried routes and necessitated a lot of on-the-go routefinding which is a demotivating factor for me as it messes with my training splits. I’ve a lovely 11 mile run that I sometimes do that I will just do sections of until I can motivate myself to plot another nice road running route.

With Christmas fast encroaching I really can’t let myself degenerate into moderate fatness as I did last year. The diet tracker is coming back out and I’m going to pick my next race and set my next target so I have something to work towards. Maybe the 50 minute 10k should be my next objective?? Thoughts on a comment…

GMT hugs to all of y’all….

Postscript: it is working already, of course. Did a v speedy 5k yesterday to break in the running jacket and see how the fitness had held up. Jacket great. Fitness so-so!

Running, Training

Back to running slowly

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No sooner do I manage to get around to publishing the previous post than I manage to get back out on the roads again. My first two post-half-marathon runs were disappointing for time and distance… but unsurprising given that my eating, sleeping, stretching and exercising routines have all been somewhat disrupted in recent weeks.

On the plus side, I’ve run through scenic autumnal countryside, even just on casual jaunts towards Basingstoke. Much more compelling than the view of the North Circular I used to get on my London canal runs!

New shoes and winter running gear are on the shopping list, though, and I will be back to my promised weekendy running routine as soon as I can manage. The first frosts have hit the village and I definitely need  more willpower to get out of the house – the right gear will help motivate me through that! Running in tracksuit bottoms and fleece today was probably overkill, though…

Racing, Running, Training

Post race plans

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I had vaguely expected to be debilitated by the race- too broken to contemplate a run for some time- but four days later I’m itching to get on the road again.

The worst of the aches passed after day two with two exceptions (turn away now if you’re squeamish):

1. My nipples took a pounding, despite Vaseline. I probably should have reapplied midway through the race but didn’t want to lose the time. It’s the same reason that I needed a wee for 3 hours on a stretch. Healing, though, and with more Vaseline I’ll be fine to resume my casual runs.

2. A weird skin fold on my right foot that hurts like a bad bruise. This is the thing that’s got me slightly concerned as it’s causing a limp. Hoping more moisturiser will sort me out here – ah, Vaseline- truly you are the WD40 of the human body. Doctors should prescribe this miracle stuff.

I’m going to try to establish a new routine, post first half marathon, going into winter and with a baby and a country commuter lifestyle to take into account:

1. Two, longer weekend runs a week, peaking out at about 25k over two days

2. Building up my speed towards a sub 2 hour half – I need as Sensei P says to get to 9 minute miles over a long distance – so have a way to go.

However, might take this weekend off as I celebrate my 30th birthday and will probably need to acquire some fresh / winter running gear (not to mention get the washing machine installed!

Still buzzing from the half. Keen to enter a 10k just for the fun of it. Thinking good thoughts in Sheila’s direction as she does her first race (a 10k) on Sunday and Arvind and Heather’s as they prep for the London Parks marathon (or whatever it’s called!). This running bug is infectious!!!

In any case, the Long Slow Run is here to stay. I’ve got a huge amount of satisfaction from interacting with y’all on here and hope you’re enjoying it too. Not quite sure where my coauthor has got to but here’s hoping @jimbocoyle’s GNR went well too!

LSR, Training

Training update – two weeks till half marathon

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So, this week saw two speedy five k runs (including  a new, sub-28 minute PB), a day spent lifting the material contents of my life in and out of a van, and today – a mammoth 18.5k LSR – pace of 6.27 / km – completing the circuit in under 2hrs. This bodes well for a 21k time of sub 2h20 (extra 2.6 or so km in 20 mins should be manageable!), and doubly so as it was on a real countryside route rather than my standard London canal runs – so involving inclines, variety, a view etc.

I am knackered – but thrilled with new home, building in anticipation for the arrival of Hippo (and for race day! have you sponsored me yet?), and pleased that I’ve more or less kept to my “5 week” half-marathon training regimen. Although the diet has slipped a little of the last few days, the weight loss seems to continue too – sub 78kg for the first time since forever ago this morning on the (lying) scales, but still indicative that I’m moving in the right direction.

LSR, Running, Training

Three weeks to go: training update

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It’s been a mixed week of training. Monday’s 38ish minute 6k, Wednesday’s 35ish minute 6k (awesome!), Friday’s < 60 minute 10k (hurrah, on a roll)… all injury free and going well. So, to the Long Slow Run – commenced today, after breakfast (never a good thing for me at the moment)… and I powered through 15k in a not terribly impressive 100 minutes.

It was a little disheartening the extent to which my long-distance endurance has withered over the course of the injury… but I’m glad I pushed myself. On the original post-injury training plan I was only meant to be on 13k today, so have exceeded myself in both my recent LSRs.

That said, I need a rest day tomorrow and a lot of stretching before I start next week’s running training (which will also be interspersed with much carrying of boxes as I become a houseowner and move to the countryside all in one week!).

At least I’m once again reaching the point where I think of a 10k as an average distance run, which is a pretty invigorating feeling. I think I’ll be able to finish the half without a pause for walking – I hope so! – and with a little, little bit of luck it’ll be in under 2h30. Any hopes I had for a quicker speed are slightly dampened after today, but we will see!

Have you sponsored me yet, btw? Please, please do so here!

Injuries, Training

Should I stretch before I run? No.

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I’ve talked about this before – the wisdom of Sensei Paul and others is validated by a new US study, which shows that pre-running ‘hold and release’ stretching not only has no positive impact on injury prevention but can actually cause injury. The study did say that if you did currently stretch before running, you should ease your way out of it rather than stop ‘cold turkey’ to minimise injury risk.

via LifeHacker – check their site out for the précis here.

Running, Training

Winter is coming

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Woke up this morning for my early morning run and for the first time since June the I felt the cold. Brrr! Took a bit more willpower to leap out of bed and get to it, but get to it I did and with good result.

Despite feeling the need to don a sweatshirt for this morning’s run I managed to blitz it – getting through 6.1k in 35 minutes – a full minute and a half quicker than Monday’s effort and with no ITB or even hamstring pain. Very satisfying – the average pace of 5.42 / km is quicker than I need for a sub 2 hour half – although at present fitness there’s no way I could sustain that for two hours!

If I feel this good for Friday’s run – which I might make a 7k-er – I may up my weekend distance target to 15k…

Running, Training

I wanna go fast

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Really getting into running again. Lovely, if convoluted, 6k today as one of my mid-week mid-length runs (pace 6m14s / km – target is 6m/km over 21k!).

Now need to resist running again tomorrow morning. Need to give myself rest days to avoid injury.

But I want to go fast! Frustrating.

Couple more 5ks and a 13k on Sunday is the programme for this week (and some house-packing, shopping for Hippo and a busy work week in between!).

The sub 2-hour time for the half marathon may be out of reach this year but I’m hoping that 2h20 may be possible. Let’s see…

Running, Training

5 week LSR training for the half marathon

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Right, here we go.

Having peaked early by running the full half marathon distance earlier in the year (twice!), injuring myself and been off running for the best part of the last couple of months, I need a running programme leading up to the New Forest Half in September. I made it out this morning for a more or less 30 minute 5k with no knee pain so think I can start to gradually build things up. Of course, I only have 5 weeks, and I’ll be moving over the course of that so I need to map out each weekend’s LSR. Here are my targets:

w/e 28 Aug – 7k (I’m still building up strength post-injury so think I need to restrain myself. May exceed if I feel able)
w/e 4 Sept – 10k
w/e 11 Sept – 13k
w/e 18 Sept – 15k

And I’ll taper off that last week ahead of the half marathon on the 26th. Mid week will involve runs of 5k to begin with, possibly upping to 10k is the strength builds (and I may struggle once the commute lengthens in mid September).

Sound like a plan? Wish me luck! Better yet, sponsor me here! I have a vague hope of making it to £1310 (£100 per mile and all that) but have a feeling my busy-ness will constrain fundraising.

Guest post, Running, Training

Guest post: sk on preparing for the new season

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This post comes courtesy of  fellow B2L-er and ‘True Lad’  Sam Kane – always an inspiration… Follow him on Twitter at @SamKano.

I’ve loved sport all my life. You name it, I’ll try to play it. In the off-season though, I’ve never really done much training in preparation for the new season come September-time – I’ve always much preferred Red Stripe, crisps and Nandos (because I really am a True Lad) if I am honest. However, last season, I had a bit of awakening. I always used to be able to go out drinking on the Friday and still turn in a half-decent performance on the Saturday. The past season, I found that this was no longer the case… any boozing on a Friday meant sheer fatigue on a Saturday. I’m sure turning 30 and a visibly slowing metabolism is nothing more than a mere coincidence.

So this summer, I thought, for once I am going to make sure I am in some sort of shape for the coming September. And naturally, working in such close proximity with James and Armo meant running was front of mind. So I have been attempting to do a couple of runs a week to help with the upcoming season. The main sports I play (football and rugby) are very stop-start, and when it comes to running are much more about pace over 40m than any distance. As a result, long distance, which for me is about 800m, has never been a forte.

However, after talking with the LSR boys about their running exploits and the fact that a certain other person recently smashed a 10k run (it’s either talk “running” with them or actually try to have a conversation with them… the former always wins). The Charminator put me on to a really useful app, RunKeeper, which uses GPS to monitor your distance, heart rate, calories burnt, pace and speed. Despite the new advertising campaign for Adidas’ miCoach, starring SK-rejects Jessica Ennis and Victoria Pendleton (unlucky ladies), I can’t recommend this app highly enough. I have been running for about two months now and was taking on 7k runs. I’ve got my time down to 31.26 from an initial 34.50. This week however, I hit a true personal milestone.

I knew I was meeting a friend for the football last night, am going to a pub quiz tonight, have a birthday tomorrow and wedding reception on Saturday, meaning running won’t be too high on the agenda for the coming days. So I decided to do two laps of Wandsworth Common instead of the normal one, which transpires is a 10k run (ok 9.8km, but I’m new), to justify the impending drinking. I’ve only ever run as far once before in a Nike 10k, when the aforementioned age was considerably lower and the aforementioned metabolism was considerably faster. I got round then in 48.17. I surprised myself with the result (and believe me, my ego is often off the Richter). I clocked 44.28.

Now, I’ve seen what James and Armo do on this blog, so here are my mile times or “splits” as I believe people in the know call them:

Mile                  Pace (min/mile)

1                                             6.33
2                                             6.26
3                                             7.59
4                                             7.20
5                                             8.15
6                                             7.30

I think it’s fair to say I went off too quickly, but was pleased to almost keep under eight minutes a mile. There’s no doubt that the regular running has improved my fitness and probably put me in better stead for the upcoming season. And there are two other points to end on. 1) I’m now obviously completely ripped and 2) it is undoubtedly completely down to the sheer inspirations that are Armand David and James Coyle… Both are gospel truth…. Obviously…

sk