Running Dark

I took a little time to reflex during my run last night.

Now I'm not exactly sure what people think about my exploits (or Triathletes in general).  Some think we're crazy.  Some simply can't see why we all do what we do.  Some just 'get it' and don't need to question at all.

I suppose that everyone finds their own way to unwind / distress / chill out / relax / find a different place - whatever takes your fancy.  Some people drive fast cars.  Some take foreign vacations.  Some get drunk.  Some go Clubbing.  Some read!  Me?  I look for the moments like last night run ...... 

The calf injury is all but gone. I don't think about it anymore.  Focus has now moved to the Right shin (!) with a single sore point just above the ankle.  Running is still quite limited to once a week.  It's still progress compared to the first couple of months though, so I'm happy.  I'd like to be doing more, but at the moment I feel 90 years old the next day!!  Gentle is the key word for me still.

Having had a really positive run last Wednesday evening when I really tried to reign in any notion of time / distance / thoughts of previous runs and concentrate on technique and relaxation, resulting in a fantastic feeling that I could go on and on, a light heart rate and no real element of stress or tightening up, I again left it a full week to ensure there was not a delayed reaction or anything bizarre going on with the leg.

I did the exact same run last night, again just focussing on form and low energy exertions.  This together with an almost perfect clear sky, moonlight to guide the way (lack of street lights in some areas!), the decent of a little fog, a chill in the air and the country-side was just M.A.G.I.C.  That is what makes training worth-while and keeps me motivated.  Now that is Running Dark!! Tremendous.

So, the secret?  (N.B.  This might be all cobblers / psychological etc, etc - but it seems to work, so I don't really care). Over Christmas I read a book about Chi Running.  While I do quite like the image of this Tai Chi stuff in some desolate Country Park, alone with just a pack (!) of Stags watching from a misty hill-top and the sound of the odd Chinese Gong / birds (do I watch too many movies?), I'm not necessarily convinced by the 'inner Chi' / 'let your Chi flow' preaching’s.  You can't measure it, see it or buy it.   

I do however like the idea behind the 'technique' side of Chi Running - A strong CORE, standing tall with head / shoulders / hips and ankle aligned, and using the tilt from the ankles to allow gravity to provide forward momentum, not necessarily your legs so much.

At the moment, this is what I think of while on the run, together with the recollection pointed out time and time again through the book - Remember when you were a kid running around without a care in the world, never thinking about running or getting knackered?  Run like that kid again!! 

Now, my memory isn't all that good, but it does give you a bit of focus and helps relaxation.  It also subconsciously helps with pace.  Although I'm still really early out of injury, I'm well up on my target race pace.  Last night’s run was 7.5 miles at just under 8 minute mile average (believe it or not, I actually remembered to not only charge my Garmin, but USE the bleed'in thing too - Happy days).

Progress indeed.  I won't look for a pace any greater than this, just build in Brick sessions (hard ride into a medium distance run as the training regime builds up) and try and maintain this.

Enough of running.

Went Mountain Biking with the Club last Sunday.  One word - MUDDY :)  Another word - BLOODY MARVELOUS (OK, two words. Sue me). 

The Ashford Tri entrant list for this Outlaw is down from Six to Five (Hope Andy recovers soon and get's back on that horse (Wrong sport?).  The rest of us have taken to gather about once a month to have a catch-up, brag about training pace, worry about how quickly this event is coming round, talk nutrition, training plans, compare injuries and anything even vaguely related.  It's a really great evening. A sort of self-help group!  Last week was all round my place.  Apart from the dog embarrassing herself, I didn't cook, so no food poisoning at all.  Bonus! I may have inadvertently scared Sally about the bike distance.  Real sorry Sal!

Stuff to do next - not necessarily in this order:

•Visit the Osteopath again.  I will try to maintain this as I'm sure that I'll be constantly battling the lower leg injury.

•Book another Swim Analysis at TheTriLife.  May be a bit too late to change anything drastic, but I'd appreciate the guidance of more experienced triathletes

•Get out on the TT Bike

•Get out on the TT Bike

•Go running

•Get out on the TT Bike

•Purchase some of the race neutrition products and get experimenting with the re-fuelling on the go (HIGH5)

•Re-charge the Garmin

•Take some pictures of the TT Bike

•Post about the TT Bike

•Obsess about the TT Bike

 

Later people.

W.

First Public Appearance of the TT Bike.

Oh nice :)

 

 

 

 

Suprisingly comfortable (for the five minutes I spent on it!).  Will have to see how a longer ride goes.

First race of the year - Headcorn Half Marathon

First race of the year has now been and gone.

This was the first running of the Headcorn Half Marathon, and advertised as a dead flat race route.

Given the fact that I've got little running under the belt so far this year, (3 runs of varying distances in total!), this was to be more experimental than anything.

I wanted to see how the Calf healed up, concentrate on a slight change in technique I've been planning, and concentrate on trying to pace myself a bit better. I was aiming for a 1:45.

Well, 'flat' my arse! Although you couldn't call it hilly exactly, it most certainly was not pan-flat. This and the seemingly constant head winds made it a slightly firmer challenge than expected.

The calf is holding up really well. There is now zero pain, but it gets tight down the outside edge quite quickly, so I'll still continue to 'work' on it. There is also a small point of inflammation on the right hand shin that developed, so I'll also be treating this. Hypochondria setting it?

Pacing also went completely out of the window! Although I really tried not to go too fast too soon (I didn't even try and chase a team mate as he shot off at the start), I still found that I was in the mid to high 7 minute mile pace for the first 5 of 6 miles. This typically results in my complete drop off in pace at about the 10 mile marker. I'll have to work on this.

I'm not in to religiously training by the watch (you can get some fantastic GPS based training watches nowadays), I really should religiously CHARGE THE BLOODY THING UP!! I was going to use this to at least monitor my progress through the race to learn by, but it ran out of juicy at mile 4! Burk.

The concentration faded with the miles too, so the focus on Technique went, and I could only think about the tightness across my shoulders / neck and upper back. I'm not generally prone to this, so guess it was something to do with the wind and maybe a need to loosen up a bit more (spent too much time chatting before the race I think!).

It’s been just over a day since the race and the leg ache has already gone (after a nice gentle bike ride in shorts and tee shirt in the sun for the first time this year (starting to cultivate the Tan Lines already) so real pleased about the recovery.

Experiment or not, the race time was 1:44:34 in the end, so I'm pretty pleased with that. Next stop - Paddock Wood Half Marathon in 4 weeks. Bring it on!

W

 

Running update

Finally, progress ......

Running has been a little concerning for me over the last couple of posts (as some of you have noticed).

Trying to drop little niggling injuries to the LHS Calf had taken a lot longer than I had initially hoped for. I had been religiously using the Foam Roller, self-massage and stretching to ease tightness, using all manner of gloop and lotions in an attempt to help cure.

The frustration was that I knew that I had to wait for the injury to heal fully before I went through the process of gait analysis and new trainers, then on to concentrating about the run technique work and building up the miles. If i'd tried to er.... run before I can walk, then I'd create more problems.

Since the other training is going exactly as intended, the fact that running was lagging behind only added to the frustration.

However, I was a good little soldier and a really good trip to the Physio taking in some acupuncture did seem to trigger a recovery. A week later and the pain and soreness had completely gone. A further 4 days of no running left me happy enough to do the gait analysis (showing Over-pronation) and one shiny new pair of trainers later and I'm back on the road TFFT!

So only a couple of runs to date, building up real slowly. A 5 k and then a gentle 7.5 miler without a hitch.

I must say, feeling comfortable on the bike and with core / gym exercises, I'd not even considered that running would be so draining on the legs. It'll only be a short time before it comes back to me, but it does show that I've got some catching up to do.

I'll stick to my training plan to make sure I don't overdo the run in an enthusiastic effort to catch up though. Plenty of time yet.

I'll also make sure I keep up the roller and pampering to keep the calfs in tip top condition. I'm sure there will be other niggles to come along, but I'll just have to make sure that any training I do is as positive as possible to compensate for those times that I need to ease off for a while.

Bike is going good - except for the fact that it's even too muddy for the MTB, so plenty of catching up on films in the shed.

Swim is going great. slowly transitioning for technique to a little speed work (although not too speedy if you get what I mean!!).

Also built in 2 Core sessions a week into my plan for those 'lighter' mornings.

I've got a local 1/2 marathon at the weekend. I'll post again after that to present the progress. Naturally not expecting too much form this, so will treat it as a purely training exercise..... until the gun goes :).

W. 

How quick is this month going?

How quick is this month going?

Given that running remains a problem, I'm still quite positive about how the training has been going.

Bike has been great. After the icy roads of the Kent countryside, I needed to regain some confidence on two wheels, so a couple of trips to Bedgebury in the (really) sloshy mud has been great. Absolutely ideal for some fun, leg work and bike handling technique stuff. A couple of laps in the pleasant company of a fellow mud-junky ;) a couple of weeks ago i probably felt as strong as I've ever felt. Had the frozen toes been up to the task, I recon another couple of laps were for the taking..... next time! I'll certainly be maintaining the MTB action through the next phase of training. Anyone wanna join me?

On the road, I've been toes along by Allan (he's an animal), but again, feeling really good about the small steps I'm taking. This is backed up by progress on the Gym bikes I've used. It's difficult to compare one verses another, but they serve a purpose at the moment - making me feel good!

A couple of over-nighters with work have meant a little juggling of training sessions. Not too bothered with rotating the swim sessions as they are quite easy to slot in on other days, but lack or running (yes, STILL) means gym bike, rollers or core strength sessions.

I've drawn up some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) sessions that I can do on the move and on the Rollers in the shed. To my surprise, I'm loving them. Generally one hour long and focussed on one particular aspect of training. Also a chance to catch up with my aging music collection :D

I did a Bike one in the gym of Uni Loughborough. I think I was the only one sweating (like a waterfall - NOT cool). Received some funny looks, but hay, no pain, no gain ..... apparently. A bit daunting being flanked by former England Rugby players at breakfast next morning though. They remain built like Brick Outhouses (except Mike Catt. I'm bigger than him:))

So, on to the saga of the Running. Not one run since before Xmas had me panicking for a bit, but some great words of encouragement and offers of help have been gratefully received. I'm certainly gonna take them up.

The calf took a full on 4 weeks with regular 'attention' (icing, massage etc) before it felt 100% last weekend, so I thought I'd trot round the Park Run to see how it felt. Result - SORE again! Ahhhh. Am I an idiot or what? So, cashing in on the offer of assistance SOOOON. Having said that, it's been 4 days since the run and the calf is recovering from that really quite quickly, so maybe this was just a bit of a consequence of not running for such a long time. Think I should have taken it easier for the first few runs!

Hope I've not bitten off too much, but Headcorn Half Marathon has been entered at the end of Feb, so I'm forming an action plan for this. I'm not too worried about the distance as fitness is not an issue, so I'll just use this a a bit of distance training. There is another 1/2 marathon in Paddock Wood (done it before) in March and I'll use this as a pointer of form!

The Outlaw Club (ATC members doing the same event) had a get-together last Friday evening. There was a distinct lack of Alcohol around which was a bit weird, but we (I) had a great evening. Just a general chit-chat about what our individual expectations were, how we are going about training, dealing with the nerves, plans etc. It was really encouraging. Think we are going to make this a regular thing. All round mine next! If any of you are reading this, I've already bribed the Missus to cook :) so no worries there.

Given the recent calf injury management, I have one piece of advice to offer - Never, ever leave the Deep Heat tube next to the Toothpaste in your swim bag! #nearmiss

W.

 

Happy New Year everyone

A very happy New Year to everyone. Happy training

A quick update on Xmas training......

ZERO Swimming. None planned so no drama there.

Plenty of Bike :)

Have my Rollers returned from a load-spell with a friend, so I've been in the shed quite a bit catching up on some films (and wimping out on the poor weather - well mostly).

Now, there seems to be two camps in the cycling world when it comes to training on the bike - Turbo Trainer v Rollers.

A typical Turbo Trainer

 

The Turbo Trainer physically clamps your bike firmly into the Trainer frame so that it is fixed in position. This allows you to move around a bit on the bike, apply a bit more power and, on most reasonable Trainers there is a variable resistance so that you can vary your work-out. However, there is not a lot of scope for improving technique / bike handling.

Rollers offer a different experience. The bike simply sits on top of three rolling tubes meaning that it acts as a rolling road. You cycle just like you are on the road (just without pot holes or Lorries). The training differences are that you cannot vary the resistance of the rollers while training  so you can’t vary your training as much during a session (I just let the tyres down a bit to offer some increased resistance), but you do have to actively cycle, thus encouraging you to improve technique (pedal efficiency and handling). I just find them much more fun because you've got the risk of a crash :) ...... not that I've done that before! Just check out some YouTube clips to get the biggest grin. I laugh so loud that it hurts. I treat this as Core Strength training!

Cycle Rollers:

Want a laugh too? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN1cuVRRRzM

I'll be using my rollers (filmed) to help set my TT bike up ..... when I get round to it.

I did get out once on the road over the holidays. Probably the only bright sunny day. Started out frosty, so I delayed the start to about midday. Got 25 mikes out and, while pedalling past my Sister's place I hit some ice that remained in the shadows of the road-side hedge. Literally everything clenched up but I still made it over without eating dirt. A miracle. It did knock my confidence though, so i gingerly headed home. What a baby.

Running has still been almost non-existent. I did the Park Run just before Christmas with little Sis Laura and my daughter Aimee. Sis got a great PB, but Aimee tried so hard she er..... revisited breakfast (!!) so I walked back in with her. A DNF, but a proud Dad.

Almost immediately after this I picked up yet another leg injury (mid-calf). No idea how and I certainly wasn't running. I went the entire holiday without breaking into a stride and though that I had it licked, but a run with the Club last night left me struggling to reach a gentle trot after about 20 minutes. Hurts like hell today.  Another physio trip booked already.

I'm taking steps (pardon the pun) to look at my running to see if it's something I'm doing (read 'what I'm doing wrong').

I'm getting really concerned that I'm not going to be able to string together any properly structured running training because of my constant niggling problems. Anyone got any advice? www.H.E.L.P.com #Ijustwannarun

Check in again when the physio delivers her verdict.

W.

 

 

 

  

According to some, 'It's all about the bike'

Well, it must be said that I am a bike tart! Although I'm er....... maturing (!) in years, I can't resist a good bike. They just make me smile.

The earliest of my dim memories has me on a self-made BMX in our local town recreation ground looning around with my friends doing jumps and tricks (I have the scars to prove it). I'd blag and buy parts to build up or improve my ride into something worth. I can't for the life of me think why I ever get rid of a bike - especially my early BMX!!

After years without a bike, I fell into the Mountain Bike thing when my family started Camping Holidays. It was only intended to be a bit of a Family rider.

I started to use it more when I first got into the Keep Fit thing. Living near East Midlands Airport at the time, I used to ride around the Airport perimeter trail of an evening with a friend. Fun cycling under planes while they were landing.

Moving back down South, I stayed with the MTB for a while and went over the local woods, then on to the local Forestry Commission trail (Bedgebury) where I still go now. Single-track looning is the best. Usually go there nice and early in the day to miss the crowds. All weather. Not fussed. I'll post some Video soon.

Bedgebury Insomnia MTB Race from 2013 - 12 hours, at night :)

The 'before' shot 

 

 

It was being friends with the mud that sort of encouraged the entry into my first encounter with the Tri Club - the annual Kingswood Duathlon (2.5Km run, 13Km ride, 2.5Km run). The first time was my first public 'event'. I hadn't a clue about how I'd do (read 'if I'd finish'). To my surprise, I came off the first run in something like 14th. This quickly faded during the bike and second run, but even so, HAPPY!!

Joining the Tri Club after this meant the move in to the Road.

As I wasn't sure if I'd last any significant time with the Tri Club, I bought a road bike for 40 quid off Ebay. Figured I'd not waste too much if it went wrong. Needless to say, this lasted about a year before I plunged into CARBON bikes :D

As I used to love building bikes up, I opted to build a Road Bike instead of heading down to the local dealer. I also decided to take the risk of importing a Carbon Frame and wheels. It was a risk, but I think it paid off (and I almost stuck to the budget!)

 

 

I think I've probably done over 3000 miles on this bike so far, and it's still going strong......

However, it's a general Road bike. For those real keen, there is the out and out Time-Trial bike that is much more focussed on allowing speed to be built-up and maintained.

The riding position is a lot more aggressive, with the aim to reduce the overall cross-sectional area of bike / rider (mainly rider!!). This is achieved by shifting the riders weight forward over the crank / pedals and lowering the handlebar contact points, thus lowering your shoulders.

With this new position comes a compromise in comfort over long distances, so it is an acquired skill, so plenty of practice needed!

This is where Priorclave have kindly stepped in to support me by supplying a TT bike. How cool!

I’ve gone about this in the same manner as my Road Bike, by buying out of China with an un-branded frame, forks and wheels, and then sourced the remaining components on the Web to keep costs down.

Made In China .... you have to throw things together the second you receive them just to see what it looks like - its a Boy thing!

 

 

Mid-Spray...

 

 

Nearly there - in the Priorclave Yellow and White ... Nice!

 

Completed bike pics to follow in the next Blog :)

W.