Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Planned run 60 minutes

Date: 29 April 2009
Time: 60 minutes 1 seconds
Distance: 11.7 km
Approx Speed: 11.7 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 155
Google Ped: route

60 minute run the day after 15 hill reps. My legs were quite sore, and I am bit tired, so I had to work hard to finish. Still it is the best 60 minute run so far. Progress is progress.

No specific injures, just sore and tired.

Planned run 15 hill reps

Date: April 28 2009
Time: meh
Distance: meh
Approx Speed: meh
Average Heart Rate: meh
Google Ped: meh

Planned 15 hill repetitions. Used a hill starting at the railway crossing at Wynnum North Staion, and up to the next road. Felt ok. The last hill I did a little further up and sprinted. I got completely out of breath to such an extent I had not felt for years, so very extreme.

Worked leg muscles quite hard and so this should help build strength. No injuries at all to report. Calf is completely recovered, knees and heals are all good for now.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Planned run 90 minutes - Did a 10km race instead

Date: 26 April 2009
Time: 48 minutes 2 seconds
Distance: 10km
Approx Speed: 12.49 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 158
Google Ped: none

Christine and I stayed at Surfers Paradise Friday and Saturday nights. The hotel was facing the Southern end of the 'Night Club Strip' in Surfers, and the noise from a newly opened nightclub nearby caused us to not sleep well at all. The Saturday night before the run we ended up moving to a different room at about 11PM. We had to be up and about at 6AM for the run at Runaway Bay. So we suffered badly from lack of sleep.

Also in the lead up to this run I had a small injury on my left calf. Christine had a 40 minute run Friday, and in my last blog post I said I would not be running until my calf was good. Well I went out for a slow run with her instead. I really should have rested it!! I pulled up sore again Friday night. I had a really good massage Saturday afternoon, which limbered me up really well. I felt like I had gone to the gym after it was over!!

Next up, temptation got the better of me, I have a few beers the night before the run, but not enough to be hungover at all Sunday. So, three things were against me:

- Lack of sleep
- Bad calf
- A few beers the night before

After all that I managed to run the race in 48min 2 sec, a definite best performance for me. I had to run without striding out as much as I wanted to avoid hurting my calf muscle, and I used all thighs and bum muscles to get going ;) I got to 8km in pretty close to 37minutes 30 sec which is also a best time for me in that distance.

The calf did not trouble me too much overall, just slowed me down a little. My tactics in the run were - Take off, see how calf feels, run till I get sweaty and drink as much as I could at the water stations. They have one at the 3km mark and doing another lap we reached it again at about 7km. I actually stopped running and grabbed two cups of water each time, walking as I drank then took off again. Considering all these factors and a sensible trouble free build up to a future 10km run, I feel I have a 45minute run in me. So that is my next aim, break 45 in 10kms.

One injury still troubling me, the left calf, but it is on the mend. No other injuries, so I anticipate my next training run on Tuesday I will be in good shape again.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Update - Calf muscle badness

Ok so, last Planned Run I pulled up after detecting a twinge in my left calf muscle - 33 minutes into a 40 minute run. At the time it didn't feel bad at all, just oddly sharp and a low level pain. Thinking back I feel it was not that big a deal at the time I was running, so I wonder what compelled me to stop. Anyway I am glad that I did. After running, warm down and stretching, the muscle got steadily more painful that night, and the next day I was walking with a limp - That was Thursday.

The weird thing about it is I can do all my usual calf stretching and there is no hint of pain. The pain only happens as I walk and spring off from the ball of the foot. It seems to be a muscle that is used in the spring action and so is used heavily in faster running. So the 'Fartlek' is to blame ;) . I guess the different action of faster running stressed my calf muscle slightly differently and I ended up with a muscle pull.

As I write this post it is 10:30AM Friday, and my calf is much improved. The previous night I treated the calf with repeated hot and cold which really loosened it up well. I think it is a relatively minor problem and I will be ready to run Sunday morning for the 10km race. But no running until I am completely recovered.

Anyway I have learnt another thing - I will use Fartlek training method quite often as I feel it is going to be a huge benefit, but I have to build it up. Once a week I will use some sort of speed play and increase the frequency over time, and try to avoid doing it two days in a row.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Planned run 40 minutes

Date: 22 April 2009
Time: 40 minutes 1 seconds
Distance: mehkm
Approx Speed: meh kmh
Average Heart Rate: meh
Google Ped: meh


I intended to do a 'Fartlek' thing again tonight for a total of 40 minutes and for the first 33 minutes I did that.

I went out for the exact same distance as last night and at about the same speed. On the return leg I began to feel twinges in my left calf muscle. My calf muscles are very sore in general so I decided to stop and walk - One thing I have learned is to listen to what your body tells you, and I am certain that while the hard running last night and tonight were beneficial, it is just a little too much.

I did about 4.5km in almost exactly 20 minutes which is not too bad. I am getting faster but I have to be sensible and patient.

Also, I have decided that I would benefit from a few days rest so I will have a break Thursday, Friday and Saturday. My next run is a 10km race Sunday 26 April, where my aim is to break 50 minutes for the distance. I have done that before in a training run so I want to make it official on an accurately measured course with a timing system. I think it is doable.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Planned run 40 minutes

Date: 21 April 2009
Time: 40 minutes 1 seconds
Distance: 8.5km
Approx Speed: 12.74 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 157
Google Ped: route

Today I did this run in a disorganised Fartlek style - Fartlek is 'speed play' and is effectively fast pace, recovery pace and normal mixed up in a semi random fashion. Essentially go fast for a bit, slow down to recover, run at normal pace for a while and when ready, repeat.

I ended up doing the run slightly faster than usual so that is pretty good. I have read that Fartlek training can help to improve the 'anaerobic threshold' as well as explore you limits and ability to recover after an elevated pace. In my case it is also possibly a way to get faster :)

No specific injury problems, felt pretty good. Slightly tender at start after the 90 minute / 17km run two days ago. I intend to do the Fartlek thing again tomorrow night and follow up the next night with an easy steady 40 minute run again. We are doing a 10km race on Sunday so I will have Friday, and Saturday off for rest.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Planned run 90 minutes

Date: 19 April 2009
Time: 90 minutes 6 seconds
Distance: 17.00km
Approx Speed: 11.32 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 152
Google Ped: route


My plan for today was to do three laps of the route as plotted in the link above. I also intended to do a pace that was comfortable, and I did that. Oddly I ended up running a decent average speed indentical to my last long run of 80 minutes.

I began with a slightly shorter first leg using the route above. Then did the exact route for second leg, and finished with a route slightly longer. The distance overall is approximately 3x route == 17.0835km.

I suspect it was in reality slightly less than 17km, because of inaccuracies in the plotting on google ped. But then I have been using the google ped for a while and so it is a reasonable indicator of my pace and distance compared to previous efforts.

Approximately 17 km in 90 minutes - only a little more than 4km to reach half marathon distance, which is quite encouraging. I certainly feel that I am capable of doing the full half marathon distance now, but it would have hurt terribly if I had done the extra 4km's.

I recall that I used to tighten up at around 30 minutes in my longer runs, where today I tightened up at about 1 hour 10. I concentrated on maintaining my pace when that happened, and it was very difficult! I felt like I was running uphill for the last 20 minutes and it burned.

No specific aches or injuries.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Planned run 10x30 second speed, 30 sec jog recovery

Date: 17 April 2009
Time: 30 minutes
Distance: 4.3721km
Approx Speed: meh kmh
Average Heart Rate: ...
Google Ped: route

Had 10 x 30 seconds speed with 30 second recovery - Ran with Christine as she had a 30 minute run. I didn't count the repetitions, ran with Christine for the first 10 minutes, and did a lot of speed/jog sequences at around 30 seconds.

It is very difficult to time these sorts of runs. I think I will get a timer of some kind to help with this.. Mentioned this already in previous post.

I felt ok, no specific aches or pains, just slightly sore from last night's record breaking sub 50 minutes for 10kms ;) Now I have a 1 hour 30 minute run to do on Sunday. I anticipate it will hurt a little, but it is only another ten minutes on top of what I have been doing already.

I plan to do this route three times, around 17km in 1 hour 30 minutes. Yikes !!!!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Planned run 50 minutes

Date: 16 April 2009
Time: 51 minutes 37 seconds
Distance: 10.56km
Approx Speed: 12.28 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 160
Google Ped: route

I finally cracked 50 minutes for 10km. I concentrated on beginning steadily, building speed as I approached the mid distance ( 25 minutes out ). I concentrated on maintaining pace after mid distance. Ended up doing an extra 500m and about 1 minute 37 seconds. I still ended up slowing down in the second half, but not as much as usual.

Heart rate was elevated again at 160 average which illustrates that my pace was not exactly 'comfortable'. The training program I am following does say the distance runs are supposed to be 'comfortable'. But I cannot help myself!! So I shall change my ways, and commit to doing what the training program says now. If it says 'comfortable' that is what I will do.

At least I have now achieved two simple goals - sub 40 minutes for 8km, and sub 50 for 10km. I have a pace run tomorrow night, 10x30sec speed, with 30 second jog recovery, will do that hard. My next long run happens Sunday, 1 hour, 30 minutes. The longest I have done so far, and am looking forward to it.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Planned run 3km time trial

Date: 14 April 2009
Time: 13 minutes 15 seconds
Distance: 3.0107 km
Approx Speed: 13.59 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 156
Google Ped: route


Compared with my last 3km trial, I went slightly faster this time. I was a little bit sore from my 80 minute run two days ago and feel like I should be able to go faster. I feel need to improve my speed, so will work a little harder on the speed runs.

I haven't done any hills at all since I began this 20 week program - the one session I had scheduled in the program so far I was too ill to do them. I think hill reps will help a lot with speed/strength and the next one is week after next. This week I have a 50 minute run tomorrow night, and I have a 10x30 second speed with 30 second jog to recover. I will hit that one hard.

No injuries troubling me at all apart from the slightly sore legs from my last 80 minute run.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Planned run 80 minutes

Date: 12 April 2009
Time: 80 minutes 16 seconds
Distance: 15.15km
Approx Speed: 11.32 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 156
Google Ped: route

This week is a tangible improvement for me. The last long run I did was about 14.9km, at about 10.6km/h and a time of 84 minutes. In that run I had to stop at the last few hills and walk as I had tightened up really badly. This time I still tightened up but I was able to keep a reasonable, comfortable and relaxed running style. I went faster and further in a shorter amount of time today.

Also, I had a sore throat, headache and chest cold and am just getting over tat, so I am very pleased with the run.

No specific injury problems today either so I am very happy with my progress. Looks like this training really does work :)

Friday, April 10, 2009

Planned run 2x2km with 90 second standing rest

Date: 10 April 2009
Time: 9 minutes 12 seconds
Time: 9 minutes 36 seconds
Distance: 2.1274 km x 2
Approx Speed: 13.87 kmh 13.29 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 160-170
Google Ped: route

Went out last night and had a few drinks, so I am slightly hung over. Went to dads place and had a good seafood lunch too, so am a little heavy!!. I also have a slightly sore throat - I will be very annoyed if I come down with a cold after being ill recently.

So this all adds up to a slightly flat day for me running wise. 2 x 2 km speed. I took off quite fast and managed to maintain that for the first 1 km - had a quick look at my watch and saw that I had done the first 1 km in about 4 minutes 10. The second 1 km I tightened up a lot and slowed down, finishing the 2 km in 9 minutes 12 seconds.

The second 2km felt a lot slower but I ended up doing 9 min 36 seconds, so not that much slower at all.

It was a reasonable pace considering I was bit flat. I can certainly go faster, and need to really hit the speed runs hard in future to get the best out of them. No specific injuries troubling me today.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Planned run 50 minutes

Date: 8 April 2009
Time: 49 minutes 26 seconds
Distance: 9.88km
Approx Speed: 11.99 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 160
Google Ped: route

So, I pulled up just short of 10 km's and did it in less than 50 minutes. I _almost_ made it under 50 minutes for 10km, I actually made an error and thought I'd done 50 minutes. I could have gone another 100 metres!!

I think my speed was right on the way out, I slowed a little too much in the middle. Now I know a route that is almost spot on 10km, I plan to use this one every time I do a 50 minute run.

No injuries bothered me today which is a great relief. I am certainly improving.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Planned run 6x500m with 1 minute recovery second standing rest

Date: 7 April 2009
Time: 2 minutes
Distance: 0.5295 km x 6
Approx Speed: ? kmh
Average Heart Rate: 160-170
Google Ped: route


Distance was a little over 500 metres according to the google ped. However, using the google ped to plot the route with map view, and zoomed out resulted in a distance it calculated just over 600 metres.

I can do sub 4 minutes for 1km, so I suspect the google ped calculated distance is a little short, and so the real distance was more like 600 metres.

Anyway, felt good, I recovered from the 80 minute run on Sunday quite well.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Planned run 80 minutes

Date: 5 April 2009
Time: 84 minutes 40 seconds
Distance: 14.94km
Approx Speed: 10.59 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 148
Google Ped: route

First long run for two weeks or so. Felt a lot better than previous long runs. Right knee is still a potential problem, it twinges as soon as I hit a small hill and need to drive hard with thigh muscles to get up the hill. Not at all sure what I should do about it. Hoping that I will get some strength back after being ill, and it will sort itself out.

Pretty happy to get the long run done - Wherever I read about training and preparation for a half or full marathon, they say 'distance is king' so I really need to get these long runs done over the shorter ones - and the the speed runs.

The pace I did is quite good. If I can manage around 10.5km/h it will get me across the finish line in just under 2 hours. So I will have to get a little quicker over the long distance to be able to achieve a 100 minute half marathon.

Planned run 15 minutes pace

Date: 4 April 2009
Time: 15 minutes
Distance: 3.64km
Approx Speed: 14.57 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 158
Google Ped: route

Second run after being ill for five days, felt sluggish and I still lack strength. Ran on Saturday instead of the planned Friday schedule, as I wanted to have an extra day to recover from the first run I did Thursday.

This run is supposed to be sustained 15 minutes at speed, and the basic rule of thumb is - when the 15 minutes are up, you should feel as if you could not run any more. I did that, and certainly did not feel any spring or strength. Even so, did a good pace and 3.6 km in 15 minutes.

Planned run 50 minutes

Date: 2 April 2009
Time: 44 minutes
Distance: 8.89km
Approx Speed: 12.1335 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 151
Google Ped: route

Being ill for 5 days, I missed the following:

- Sunday planned 1 hour 20 minute
- Tuesday 15 hill reps

I rejoined my running program on Thursday 2nd, and did the planned 50 minute run. Came up 6 minutes short as I felt pretty weak due to being ill for 5 days. I felt aerobically ok, but legs were weak, and slightly cramped.

Also, as I hit a hill I had a slight twinge in my right knee, felt exactly like the injury I had almost a year ago when I over-trained. So I immediately stopped running. I suspect that because of my being ill, muscles were weak, and so lead to the injury flaring up. Hopefully as I get strength back again I will improve and the injury will repair itself. I plan to avoid hills for the next few weeks as a precaution.

I am glad to be back, being ill was terribly frustrating. I am very surprised about how much condition I lost.

Planned run 40 minutes

Date: 27 March 2009
Time: 40 minutes
Distance: mehkm
Approx Speed: meh kmh
Average Heart Rate: meh
Google Ped: meh

I have not updated this blog for a week - Got a bad case of Gastro, so I did not run from Saturday through to Wednesday. Was terribly ill, and lost about 3kg because I could not eat properly. A blessing in disguise perhaps, as I am now about 76kg.

This run I have recorded was done on Friday morning, 26 March. Felt ill all day. Anyway I am finally back and able to run again.