Despite the best of intentions, last week I only got 41 miles done, less than the planned 50.
No run on Monday.
Tuesday was a planned tempo session. 1 mile warmup as always, and then into it.
The target was for 8 miles around half marathon pace. However, my target half marathon pace is quite ambitious for my current fitness level. I set the watch to 6:30 minute mile pace.
As per the norm, the first two miles were very tough, and always I wonder how the hell I am going to keep the pace up. But as I warm up into it, the miles tend to get easier, and tick by quickly, so by 4 miles I have usually found my stride, and it actually seems to get easier.
I suppose the miles went by easily enough as I hadn't run the day before, but in any event, I finished the session with a 6:25 average, and the pace was fairly consistent all the way through.
One mile cool down to home was 10 for a good session.
Wednesday evening it was late, after 9pm when I headed out the door into a cold crisp night, and I just did an easy pace six miles.
No run Thursday as the weather was pretty bad when I got home from work, I was pretty wrecked, and the kids just wanted some family time, so that was that.
Friday was a day off. I had deferred a hard long run the previous week, but there was just no getting away from it, so it had to be done. A mile warm up, and then off for 12 miles at 6:55 pace.
At the off, it felt easy enough, but I knew the last few would be a slog. The slog never really materialised, but there was some slightly slower miles towards the end, with a 6:56 average to finish. I definitely put that down to no drink for the run, not even a sip of water, but overall, again quite pleased.
Saturday, again the weather wasn't great, and I skipped the run. Sunday, even tough again the weather wasn't ideal, I pushed out an easy, and turns out quite enjoyable 12 miles.
So only four days, but some good sessions.
This week, Monday was again an easy 9 mile run.
Tuesday had originally been planned for the 9 mile target pace run, but due to a short notice change at work, I had to cut the speed part to 5 miles, which was a pity, because the session was going well.
As I knew mile 5 was the last one, I pushed it out to a 6:18, with 7 miles for the run.
On Wednesday I did what I really don't like to do, and I went for a run early in the morning before work. It suits some people, but not me. I plodded agonisingly around for six miles, dragging myself, and the legs decided to wake up on mile 6, a bit late!
A better break to today. Again it was late enough when I went out. I went to meet a group from the club who run on the local GAA club track. Two mile warmup, and then into 4x1 mile at 6:15 pace planned. I had some very welcome company for the first two miles, but unfortunately we pushed each other a bit hard, and mile 1 was 5:56, mile 2 6:05. The next two I ran on my own, 6:07 and 6:08, with a two mile cool down.
I enjoyed the faster miles again, and I definitely need to start working on that over the next few weeks.
Thursday 16 February 2017
Monday 6 February 2017
Worn Out
As the title of the post suggests, my runners are worn out.
How do in know, well my left knee has started to hurt.
Ok, so it could be other things, but once I thought about it, it made sense.
My current 'everyday' runners were bought in September in preparation for the Dublin marathon, and I ran the marathon in them and pretty much every running day since. I have to date been very lucky, and I generally don't suffer from too many injuries, so it was unusual to experience the pain in the knee for no apparent reason.
To test the theory, I went back to another old pair,Manichaeism actually probably had less miles on them, and after two days the pain was gone. So, the perfect excuse to order the new model then.
Just over 50 miles again this week.
The tempo again went well with 7 miles at an average of 6:24, with 9 for the session.
A speed session of sorts, 10 minutes warmup, then 1 mile 5:57, 1 at 6:04, 1 at 6:13 and the final at 6:25. I know that looks bad that the miles were getting slower as they went,many I suppose to an extent it is, but I wanted to run as hard as I could for the first three and see what the times were. The last mile was just to see what the target half Marathon pace felt like afterwards.
It also serves as a benchmark for future speed sessions.
Two kind of long runs, Saturday was a 10 mile run over a very hilly course, but not run particularly hard. Sunday I kind of surprised myself. I expected to be fairly tired after almost 40 miles, with some hard sessions, including the day before, so I set out for an easy enough pace.
But one mile in and the legs were absolutely flying along. I picked up the pace to a point where I was not breathing with any difficulty, and not feeling like I was pushing the effort. While the pace was variable depending on the terrain, I finished 11 miles at 7:10 average. That was pretty good for an 'easy' target run, but more importantly, when I finished, it was like finishing an easy 10k.
I was very hungry afterwards. A pizza and ice cream afterwards for a treat, while gave me short term pleasure, the bloated feeling for the rest of the evening was definitely not worth it.
Strength training is still going well also. I think it is keeping my weight up slightly. I am currently 10st 8lbs, which is pretty heavy for me, normally around 10st 6 depending on mileage.
I didn't do Gary's 12 mile at 30 seconds slower run, it just didn't fit with how my week went.
Maybe next week, if I pluck up the courage.
How do in know, well my left knee has started to hurt.
Ok, so it could be other things, but once I thought about it, it made sense.
My current 'everyday' runners were bought in September in preparation for the Dublin marathon, and I ran the marathon in them and pretty much every running day since. I have to date been very lucky, and I generally don't suffer from too many injuries, so it was unusual to experience the pain in the knee for no apparent reason.
To test the theory, I went back to another old pair,Manichaeism actually probably had less miles on them, and after two days the pain was gone. So, the perfect excuse to order the new model then.
Just over 50 miles again this week.
The tempo again went well with 7 miles at an average of 6:24, with 9 for the session.
A speed session of sorts, 10 minutes warmup, then 1 mile 5:57, 1 at 6:04, 1 at 6:13 and the final at 6:25. I know that looks bad that the miles were getting slower as they went,many I suppose to an extent it is, but I wanted to run as hard as I could for the first three and see what the times were. The last mile was just to see what the target half Marathon pace felt like afterwards.
It also serves as a benchmark for future speed sessions.
Two kind of long runs, Saturday was a 10 mile run over a very hilly course, but not run particularly hard. Sunday I kind of surprised myself. I expected to be fairly tired after almost 40 miles, with some hard sessions, including the day before, so I set out for an easy enough pace.
But one mile in and the legs were absolutely flying along. I picked up the pace to a point where I was not breathing with any difficulty, and not feeling like I was pushing the effort. While the pace was variable depending on the terrain, I finished 11 miles at 7:10 average. That was pretty good for an 'easy' target run, but more importantly, when I finished, it was like finishing an easy 10k.
I was very hungry afterwards. A pizza and ice cream afterwards for a treat, while gave me short term pleasure, the bloated feeling for the rest of the evening was definitely not worth it.
Strength training is still going well also. I think it is keeping my weight up slightly. I am currently 10st 8lbs, which is pretty heavy for me, normally around 10st 6 depending on mileage.
I didn't do Gary's 12 mile at 30 seconds slower run, it just didn't fit with how my week went.
Maybe next week, if I pluck up the courage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)