Threw in a Sunday longer run last night

We were working through our budget on Sunday afternoon, it was stressful, and we both argued about it for several hours. I felt the need to get out and run so I did.

My plan has been to do 3 runs a week:

- Tuesday 5km easy, plus 5x300 reps increasing to say 10 over a few weekas
- Thursday 5km easy with one or 2 km's sub 4mins at the end.
- Saturday 5km race

I did the Saturday race, my best for the year of 21:50. I did the first 1km too fast for the condition I am in, pulled back for the 2nd one but it was all stacked up. So I struggled for the rest of it, as slow as 4:40min/km . I tried hard to finish fast but I did not have the wind for it.

Its clear to me that my legs are good and strong. My training until now is cultivating comfortable speed and good strength. But I don't have aerobic capacity to carry the speed over decent distances. This is pretty much the same issue I have had for years. Plenty of speed but not enough lungs. So I certainly need more mileage to improve that aspect.

Following on from the Saturday run I did 9km last night Sunday, and ended up doing it at average 4:55min/km pace. This is the longest run I have done for this year and the pace is also the fastest for all my longer runs this year. It was great to get out and go reasonably briskly and long. The weather was absolutely perfect, not at all cold but not muggy. A slight headwind on the way out that was nice and cool, and it assisted me on the way back. It did the trick I felt much better - but am a little sore today after it.

For this year, last nights 9km run counts for 8% or so of my total mileage. I have to use self discipline to NOT run too much as I feel the three days a week has been allowing everything to remain good and injury free. I am definitely needing more mileage to improve, but I HAVE to go easy and rehabilitate completely. 

Been even slacker, no update since December 21 2012. - What have I been up to?

Took another couple of months off at the beginning of this year to allow my heels to get completely better. I think its worked, although I have not been doing anything near the mileage I had been doing.

I pulled some reports out of my Garmin connect account of all my runs recorded on my watch.

2010 - the year I did my first marathon, I swung over to full mara training after a reasonably successful year building to a couple of half marathons in 2009. From 1 Jan 2010 to 26 April:

82 activities
Distance 594.58km
Average speed 12.1km/hr


2011 - The first year in which I was suffering from heel problems, but I did not have the sense to bloody well stop running:

46 activities
Distance 259.5km
Average speed 10.1km/hr

2012 - After getting treatment 2011, in October, I took several months off, I came back to some running again, ended up having a reasonable year where I achieved PB's in 3,5,and matched my best 10km race:

55 Activities
Distance 168.53km
Average speed 7.5km/hr

2013 - THIS YEAR. My heels are the best since 2009, ie hardly any issues at all.:
19 activities
76.6km
11.5km/hr


Wow what a difference!!  I am absolutely determined to keep the mileage down until I am sure I can handle it WITHOUT my heels injury regressing to where I was at the end of 2011.

It is just horrifying to look at how much timemy heel injuries  have taken from me. If I ever get to do another Marathon, I will be at least 2 years older than when I did my last one, 2011, and 3 years older than my first ( 2010 the best so far but by no means a good one).

Anyway, I have returned to fairly consistent training, typically I have been running up to 5kms on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and every so often I have done some speed sessions afterwards. 5x300's generally. I have also been doing the Saturday morning Park RUn in Wynnum at the foreshore.

I feel like I am making gains - even though its only 3 runs a week and I have been running only for a couple of months. I am in approximately 22min for 5km shape right now I think, maybe faster. I am going to see how fast I can get doing this simple training program:

Tuesday - 5km easy, at about 5:30 pace    plus 5x300, building to 10x300, pace about 3:40min/km
Thursday - 5km easy, with the last 1km sub 4min/km, building to 2 or 3km
Saturday - 5km race Park run - Hope to match or beat my PB of 19:59 I did last year.

Its still incredibly frustrating not being able to do the distance I want - I REALLY want to do half and full marathons, but I have to be patient. Wow what an ordeal this has been, but yet again I have some hope again that I am on my way back to fitness again, and may do the distances again.

A blog post only every month? How slack !!

I resolve to updating this blog more frequently. First news is, I bought a pair of Hoko One One Stinson Evo 'Low'  shoes.

These things are monsters, massive bounce, very plush ride. I can see myself covering a far few miles in them quite easily. I bought them second hand from someone who so far does not seem to have any contagious foot fungus so that is good news too. He'd done three runs in them. I have done a few recently.

Unfortunately I got one size too small, for my personal preference. US M 11. US M 12 is the next size up on these shoes according to the manufacturer. I can get away with using the smaller inner sole - a little tight but not too bad.

Another problem, these things are designed for off road, trails, grass gravel, mud and NOT road or concrete or tarmac. So theey tend to wear rather quickly. Been trying to avoid the roads but its difficult where I am running. I will seek out some off road areas on weekends.

Meanwhile the ride, really cushy, and soft and the seeimgly load and impact reducing effects may be good for my heels. Certainly I am getting longer runs done with less consequence later.

On the basis of these Stinson EVO Low shoes, I have decided to grab a pair of the Stinson Tarmac, US M 11.5. Hopefully these will be the right size for me.

Finally, I have sought some info on anti-inflamatories natural based. Found a few promising things:

- Cut down on Sugars of all descriptions. Hopefully lowering blood glucose levels as this has major bearing on inflammatory responses
- Apparently B12 injections have been shown to be effective - so I am planning on taking B12 supplements. Not as effective but may help
- Glucosamine with Chondroitin plus MSM
- Some Enzymes that help in Protein digestion - Like that found in PineApple - have been seen to have an anti inflammatory effect. Specifically Bromelain.
- Tumeric has been shown to have anti-inflamatory properties when ingested


So I plan on dosing a bit on these above in the hope that it can give me a better chance of surviving a full Marathon training program for the greater part of next year. The idea of using NASAIDS is horrifying, they have some bad side effects if taken long enough and too much of them.

Finally back to the road

It really does seem that I break down toward the end of the year. Pattern has repeated three years in a row, to varying degrees of 'breakdown'.

2010, heels
2011, heels
2012, hip and health in general

I have noticed that I have gotten weaker,especially in the legs in recent months. I have a back problem long term, more than 35 years, and I have had aches and pains for the last few months too.

Things are gradually getting better again, and I hve decided to try and improve strength in general using a few machines at the gym.

My hip is ALMOST completely better now too, to the extant that I can actually run without it twinging. I may be on the way to complete health, and injury free, heels also much better. I have been doing minimal running, but slowly getting back to it again.

I am ever hopeful that I can do some decent training again beginning now, and build up to doing another Marathon on 2013. I am today feeling optimistic and determined, and physically up to the task. Those have not been present at the one time since January 2010!!! 

An update on training and other stuff - New Job!!

A lot has happened since my last update :

- Hip was sore and it got worse
- Also beginnings of what seemed a benign and insignificant sore left leg became much worse
- My work got in the way of training and that sort of saved me - a bit. Extremely tight deadlines lead to my missing a lot of running.
- I changed jobs, starting a new one on 2nd October
- Other things in my life added to significant stress and distress - over indulgence, clashes with people, words said etc.


The big end result of all the above was I got a little sick, stopped running for a bit, stopped eating properly, lost about 3kgs.

BUT things are a little better now. Stresses reduced but not gone, health is far better. However I still need to attend to a few things that are bothering me!! Until these things are resolved I am not a particularly happy man.

As far as injuries are concerned, heels are better now than they have been since May 2010. Left heel, no problems at all, the right has slight problem. I still don't think I can handle full Marathon training, so I am sticking with my loose plan - When I break 40min for 10km I have permission to train for a Marathon again. Its going to take a while!!

As far as left leg problem I mentioned, it seems to float around a bit. Aches in knee one moment, then something that _feels_  like shin splints. Gets better with no running so I suspect thats what I have to do.

Been going to the gym more and more, doing a few things that won't build bulk but should help core strength and maintain muscles all over. I am going to try and do a lot more endurance sessions in the gym, ie:

- 15 min on rowing machine
- 12x something resistance training for upper body
- 15min on cross trainer
- 12x something resistance training for upper body
- 15min on stairs machine
- 12x something resistance training for upper body
- 15min on stationary bike
- 12x something resistance training for upper body

etc

Maybe build this up to a couple of hours a few times a week. And do short fastish runs 2-3 times a week. All this until I can feel that I can handle long runs again.

Its been such a LONG time getting over these heel problems. Many times I contemplate the question "why am I desiring to do marathons again?", with all the misery the training has caused. The answer is easy, and the reason I won't give it up is sign of how stubborn I can be. My first Marathon, I was in the best shape ever for the distance. But a stupid and idiotic unforeseen problem caused me to go far slower than I was capable of. I want to fulfil that potential. Maybe just once will be enough..

Wednesday 5 September 15km run

So far this week:

- Sunday 10km race 42 minutes
- Monday 16km easy 5:03 pace - It was not easy, much muscle fatigue and sore
- Tuesday full day off, but hit gym for strength work, it was good. Still slight sore in belly muscles as I worked them harder than usual
- Wednesday 15km over hilly course. 5:05 pace, but fatigue was quite high.
- Thursday today, no gym no run. Feel I needed the day off.


I will run tomorrow, Friday 7 September, a super easy 10km most likely, then I have the first ParkRun on Saturday. That will be my speed run for this week.

I have had a sore right hip since the run on Monday, and its still sore now, a good sign that I worked too hard this week. Hoping its not anything serious, it does not exactly bother me while running, but feels like if it gets worse it might.

As I write this today, Thursday September 6 I am actually feeling pretty crap, tired and slightly under the weather. So the day off may well be needed.

16km run day after the Bridge to Brisbane

Yesterday, Monday 3 September, did a 16km run. It felt pretty good, was supposed to be a recovery run, but I extended it to se how 16km feels these days.

I had not done that distance for quite a while, and with the muscle soreness from the race the day before, it all added up. Quite sore again, especially glutes. Energy levels were great, just leg fatigue.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/218215913

I hit the gym this morning for my new 'usual' routine and have had a day off running entirely. I will probably do another longer run tomorrow, hopefully 17 or 18km if I have the time for it.