Week 9 Day 5 Long Run, longest ever

Rested all Friday, for long slow run early Saturday morning.

Aimed for 18 miles, with good chance of doing 20 or more for first time.

Made a list of things to remember the night before and promptly forgot some of these straight away when waking up. Doh!

So forgot jelly babies, sports gel to try that will be given out on the day.

Up at 6.30 for light breakfast. and getting ready at 8am. Meant to get out for 8.15 but didn't make it, only just 8.30am which was pushing it for time to meet Mrs FRC later on.

Much warmer than previous runs and could instantly tell the difference, harder effort but still okay.

In hindsight, either having a bottle with me or getting a drink at 3-4 miles would've been better. As it was, had to go up to 9 before stopping at Tesco for a much needed toilet break. Probably ate too late Friday night with the obvious side effect later on.

Running good though all sub 9 mins bar a little before Tescos.

Much replenished with a sports drink (35p ?) picked up some speed and got nicely around 8m 15-35 per mile, pretty much target pace for the marathon for me, but well within my range in reality (sub 7m45 for half marathon).

Ran out of time on doing more than 20 miles but finished 18.25 in 2hrs 40 minutes... comfortable and still more to come but definitely needed more water at 2-4 miles and 15 if carrying on.

Definitely a learning experience getting everything right, hydration, timing, kit, routine.
Almost there though.

Certainly got my recovery good though, Chocolate shake & 500 ml water within 2 minutes of finish.

Then porridge, tea, more water (1 litre), and finally poached eggs on toast. oh and more water.

Stretched legs out with a 2 mile walk about 90 minutes after finishing.

Week 9 day 1-3

Day 1

Nicely rested up, another days rest on Monday, plus a visit to the chiropractor. Some movement on my hips and the difference on my left leg, not major though.

Personal trainer session with Cath at 8.30am, so up for a early light breakfast at 6.30 and out at 8am. Okay did have a small coffee at 6.30... more on this later on in the week, caffeine and me is interesting.

Massive difference in energy levels to last week's session after resting for 2-3 days. Felt tired doing even 10.5-11 kmh on the treadmill last week just as a warmup but comfortably able to low speed interval at 10.5-11 kmh with higher speed interval of 13-16.5... and still chat too.

Good session with the new sandbag at the gym, lunges, squats, deadlifts.. then move onto weights, all on the arms.

A bit of rest then had a 2 hr horse ride/ beach hack booked... glorious weather, scorching hot.

Phenomenal. Cantering along the beach to West Kirby. My right hamstring was a bit tight but loosened up nicely with all the trotting on the horse.

The Wirral looked as good as I've seen it, 25 degrees heat, the sea right out, could've been Egypt. (see photo below).

Day 2

Relatives visiting so out for an early morning run at 6.30am, 6-7 miles.

Later on in the day, did the pumpfx weights class... again felt so much better than the week before.

On the other hand, some how managed to give myself small cuts on my fingers.. Weird, just doing a press up on a step. Looked down and a few bits of blood.

Day 3

Football at lunchtime, but nothing in the morning before it and well balanced days before that.

Loads of energy this time, back up to 550-600 calories rather than last weeks 400ish, able to run, sprint all over the place. Had some pasta and a coffee in the afternoon.

Evening, recovery run around 10 mile pace, 8.5 miles, quite comfortable... although heart rate up at 170-175 for the entire 90 minutes.

I'm definitely very caffeine sensitive! Seriously spikes my heart rate weight up for 4-10 hours.

Long run planned for Saturday morning, 18-20 miles. No coffee

Week 8 day 5 and 6

Rested for 2 days after pushing myself too hard this week.

Too many hard sessions , not enough easier or recovery based.

Day 5

Went for a slow recovery run with Mrs FRC through Arrow park , the woods and up to thingwall road. Really pleasant run , 9.5 miles mostly in forests and across farmers fields.

Lots of sleep after 2 days of walking round ness gardens and tatton park flower show.

Day 6 end of week
Walked to gym, no running then boxing circuit class. Good varied mix of running weights exercises and boxing.

Scott ran a great class.

Still managed 20 miles running this week and lots of other things, just have to learn from this and pushing hard on the important things and choose others around this.

Felt like I had been given kryptonite though on Thursday.

Another rest day tomorrow. Long run planned this week coming - maybe up to 20 miles even.

Week 8 day 1-3

Okay made some mistakes this week so a few lessons to be learned


Day 1
Horse riding with approx 5 miles of running around this. Fab ride on big Molly a huge horse... Very fast.

Then onto body conditioning class after. Was tired after 18 miles run at weekend and boot camp but recovering.

Day 2
Plan was to do a recovery run with Mrs frc or slow pace run then do the pump fx weights class after, skipping the boot camp circuit class.

Here was the mistake.

We split up on the run, I went faster, then doubled back to catch up again. Sub 8m 30 pace for 5-6 miles.

Then since we were in the vicinity went and did the boot camp anyway. Very high cardio fast big surge of energy used.
Managed to do the pump class but tired and not at full strength.

Day 3
Booked a pt session with Cath for 7.30am. In comparison to previous weeks literally not bounding out of bed.:)

Great pt session and some really nasty pyramid weights. Arms absolutely max ed out.

Still tired. Wore my Garmin with heart rate strap the whole session for the stats. Did okay.

Football at lunchtime too. Wore my heart rate monitor again to compare this game to one 2-3 weeks ago.

This showed 25-30% difference in terms of calories so 2 rest days planned. Back off a bit and aim for more next week.

Week 7 day 6 end of week

Day 6
Still recovering from 18 miles run yesterday, probably didn't drink enough fluids or refuel as much as actually needed.

Circuit class excellent as always but definitely slower and not 90-100% energy on certain stations. Right shoulder also a bit sore on things like a chest press, plank and army crawl.

Replenishment definitely something to work on, that extra sports drink, litre of water, toast, poached egg perhaps within 1-2 hours of long run. I'm borderline hypoglaecmic so also need to top up carefully.

Day 7
Booked in for a swedish massage, tired and a bit sore still on hips and now right shoulder.

Didn't fall asleep but very relaxing.

Still managed 37 miles running this week, mostly the long run Saturday and the medium fast one - nearly 30 miles combined..

Week 7 Day 5 Long run

Okay, had some pizza the night before.. (can't I have some fun? pleeassse) so thoroughly charged up for my long slow(-ish) run.

17-18 miles, 2hrs 50 including breaks and stretches. Felt like I had a fair bit more in my legs too.

Up at 7am for breakfast, snooze for an hour or so after, out finally just before 9am.

Start still not good though, high heart rate up at 180 bpm+ and tough to even get under 9m 30 s miles for first 5-6 miles - not something that usually happens to me, thought its happened twice now. So something to work at, maybe a different warm up routine? Might have a slight cold or chest infection holding me back possibly.

After that first 5 miles though, heart rate dropped significantly to 150 bpm or below and going along nicely sub 8m 20-30s miles.

Protein/ carb shake waiting at the end, nice bowl of porridge, a litre plus of water but then forgot to have something else and konked out, tired and had a snooze. Really needed to eat some toast, maybe poached eggs, a sports drink and even more fluids.

Suffered for this the day after too, hadn't got enough energy or carbs in whatever I ate today so glycogen levels low the day after.

Week 7 Day 2+3

Day 3

Personal trainer session with Cath at 7.30am approx... alarm set for 5.30am, quick breakfast then back to bed for 50 mins or so. Snoozed a bit so out a bit later so out of the house ~7am and gym by 7.15 ish.

According to Cath, doing a PHA Session this time?
Never heard of this before... Pheripheral Heart Action ... (more details see here)

Allegedly lets you train smarter, hard effort but in less time, working very hard pumping the blood alternating sets between upper and lower body resistance exercises then doing some cardio and back again to do another set.

So might be 20-30 reps bench press, 20-30 deadlifts, 20-30 weighted squats, then 5 minutes cardio with the aim to keep the heart rate up at the end then start another set. Could easily do this at home though, gym not needed.

Anyway, whatever it was.. PHArd!

Football at lunchtime later on, sun beating down, very tiring but good. Nice balanced game.

Used my garmin again but without the heart rate strap... estimated calories, 320... but with the heart rate strap a few weeks ago was 600+ calories... so proves that it does work.. heart rate shows your effort level far more acurately.

Tomorrow is a rest day before my long run of the week on Saturday. Knees a bit sore so definitely need a little rest.


Day 2
Something light after Tuesday's harder run, maybe.

30-35 mins of jogging plus some hill intervals, nice to go up Bidston Hill/ road a few times then fly back down. Approx 3 miles, different paces, but not at my maximum.

Back to the gym, 2-3 minutes to 6 just in time for a fast 30 minute circuit class.

5-6 work areas setup around the gym, 4 exercises on each, move from station to station every minute or so. Pretty good, nice and fast. Could really push since it was only a half hour class.

Positively whizzed up the army crawl section - 6 months of the Sunday class with Liam paying off maybe.

Week 7 Day 1 medium run and Tip of the Day!

Hip feels much better after some physio and massage from my physio (thanks Gill!)

Painful but good ultimately. Though it was nice having a home visit, laying in the garden, cats walking past and wanting a stroke. Sort of relaxing.

Also invested in a foam roller for a bit of self massage when needed.. almost an exercise using in itself doing a plank or reverse plank and pushing/ rolling the roller on legs etc. Ouch, painful.

Hip feels a lot better so tried the fairly hard Upton -> Heswall run and back, but at a slower pace - approx 10 miles and two long hills in the middle going up & up.

Didn't push the pace too hard but felt okay, warmed up and did those hip extension exercises after 2 miles.

Comfortable sub 9 min miles, most around 8m30s, 10.5 miles in about 1hr 30 minutes.

5-10 minute rest and then into Cath's body conditioning class. Mix of all sort of things as usual. Even a few kettle bell style exercises, squat into a press and similar.

Oh, important point to remember, protein/ carb drinks are milk based... Had one in my bag all day took a big swig before the class and it was starting to go off... not nice. Ugh.

Added this to my list of things to do before a run... along with vaseline and plasters, emergency jelly babies, etc..

Week 6 day 7 end of week + physio

End of Week 6, only managed to just do 20 miles running this week, admittedly doing a 5k race at maximum pace but have picked up a slight hip problem.

On the brighter side, Gill my physio came out and did a home visit.. which we were able to do in the garden, a bit of sun, nice pot of tea, just needed some cake and I'd be set for the afternoon.

Then onto the physio & massage on my sore hip... which led to a problem in my back and ribs being manipulated... then down to my tight calves and hamstrings. Ouch and ouch.

Pleasure and pain all in an hour session. :)

Sports Massage in the garden

Recommended.. (just need to remember cake the next time for the full Heaven and Hell affect).
http://www.outreachphysio.co.uk/

Week 6 day 5+6

Okay, definitely tired after this week's efforts, especially the Wirral Seaside run took it out of me even though it was only 5k.

My hip is sore too when seated for more than 20-30 minutes, little dull ache across the top so not aiming for 30 miles running this week, more a rest week, back off and concentrate next week.

Saturday
Marathon workshop on so a rest day, too tired to get up and go running at 5-6am as originally planned.. (was that ever wishful thinking).

Marathon Workshop very good again, but very few people there, 10-15 at most.. (not sure why?).

Good talks from Professor Greg Whyte about sports science side of things (he helped Eddie Izzard do 43 marathons in 51 days), someone about core & biomechanics (in some sense been doing this since November), someone about strengthening and conditioning (plus some exercises to try).

The last guy was interesting since he helps run a gym in Hoylake just down the road from me... may check this out. Very hard circuit & weight classes, also kettle bell classes.

Sunday

Medium 9.5 mile run, I've done this one lots of times before and have felt really good, but not today.

Maybe related to my hip and general state of my legs. Stats back this up, pushing heart rate really hard for first 5 miles, upto 180-185 bpm..  not comfortable running even with 2 breaks and stretches. Maybe a bit of flu or a cold? Not sure.
At West Kirby I did stop and do some dynamic stretches and some hip extensor ones, stats settle down to sub 160 bpm and faster miles.. weird. Note to me, hip extensor stretches after 1-2 miles ! :)

Circuit class after, tough as always with Liam. Even just the warm up of 5 punches, shuttle run, press up, shuttle run back to boxing pads, then 10 punches, run, 2 press ups, repeated right upto 50 punches and 10 press ups. Oh, and since there were 3 people there, so I had to do the warm up twice. Grrr. And Thats just the start. Nasty but good.

Hips definitely still sore so booked in for a a bit of massage/ physio tomorrow with Gill.

Week 6 day 3&4

Day 3
Finished up the 3mile run at 7.30pm, personal trainer session booked for 7.30am the next morning.

Up at 5.30am, out at 6.30am, jog to gym and on a treadmill by 7.10
A bit leggy but feeling ok, though the Wednesday race has tired me a bit I think.

Great session with Cath my trainer but tough. Definitely no prisoners !

Day 4
Definitely leggy after the Wirral Seaside run but had offered to play in an 11 a side football match (on astro turf thankfully).

Played in both halves, not too bad and able to run freely. LJMU team unlucky to loose 5-4... 3 dodgy referreeing decisions on their goals.

Rest day Saturday, Marathon workshop on in town... did plan to get up early and run but very tired.

My left hip is sore too, has been all week. This is the side my chiropractor has worked on, hopefully haven't jarred this.

Week 6 day 2 football and 5k race

Chiropodist in the morning, getting my feet and a few blisters seen to. Lots of good advice, taking care of my feet, maybe using vaseline on my feet before a run? New one on me.
Will be seeing the chiropodist a few times before October I'm sure.

5 a side football at lunch, good game, and always sunny/ warm at 12 ish so tiring. Actually was 4 a side so more tiring. Not a huge amount of energy last after this.. felt very leggy.

Wanted to do a few 5k & 10k races and one half marathon before the  October Marathon. The Wirral Seaside 3m was on today, probably not a good idea to do it with tired legs but gave it my best shot.

Race started at 7pm and was raining at 6.30pm already.. light drizzle so cooler, but fairly wet.

Did spot my PT Cath just before the start a little bit ahead of me and kept her in sight pretty much to the end when my race number blew off costing me a few seconds.. just getting ready to sprint too. Honest !

Don't know my time yet but probably a personal best, maybe a fraction over 21 minutes.

Went a lot faster than expected though. heart rate at 90-95% of max, at least 2 of the 3 miles at sub 7 min pace. Phew. Fast for me since I usually do distance not speed.

Reward, okay, shoot me, I was knackered after and got some chips on the way home.
Next time, I'll have a rest day on the day of the 5k and see if I can get under 21 minutes. I'm sure with a couple of interval sessions (400/ 800/1200/ 1600m at 6-7 min mile pace) I can get close.

Week 6 day 1 horse riding/ run/ class

Busy day planned, always aim to do Cath my PT's body conditioning class at 7pm since it helped my half marathon training so much but was booked to do horse riding at 5pm with 4-5 miles running to get there & back in time.

Hot stuffy day so very humid.  Horses, always good. Though didn't get to ride Bea as expected (she is beautiful though, see photo below).. should be next time. Even the horses were moaning a bit about the heat, and still some flies around biting them.

The run back though, not nice. I really hope the weather blows out a bit before my planned 3m race wednesday.. [EDIT, rained 9pm, much cooler]

Cath's class good as always. She even sneaked a few exercises in she'd tried on me the week before... so I'm a guinea pig. Squeak! LOL.

Week 5 day 6 end of week

No run longer than 11 miles planned this week and had already done 20-25 miles so got some shorter speed / interval work in around a boxing circuit class.

Hot outside too so tough with a hill in the middle of  5 x 1 mile as fast as possible , then 1 min rest. Good times around 7 - 7.30 min miles, 8.15 on the hill.

Boxing circuit different since we had Scott (another scott), lot more punching, pads work, shuttle runs all sorts.. pretty hard already, and even harder for me since I was doing it on the back of 6 tough miles before hand. Great class. Arms sore after.

20 mins rest then finished off at home with another 3 x 1 miles, similar pace to finish me off for the day & wek for a well earned breakfast.

End of Week 5, 30+ miles run a week, plus cross training of 4-5 hours every week.

Have actually done 167 miles in 5 weeks since I've done 31-35 miles in reality.

Hmm.. a blister on my right foot though so going to the chiropodist to get everything tidied up.

Week 5 day 4 pt session & 10m slow run after

Call me mad running cat.

Session booked with Cath my personal trainer at 5pm and then planned a long slow run with Mrs FRC soon after.

Pt session really hard , dripping with sweat after and some nasty exercises, kettle bells returned and really work you hard. Also canoeing with bar with no weight, odd but tough.

The hardest exercise though by far was interval training on a rowing machine. Normal pace 33-36 strokes per minute then a slow pace of 15-20 so the machine resisted you at top of each stoke. Only 6 x 1 minute fast/slow but legs & both shaking after. A bit of refuelling & 30 minute break then 10.5 mile long slow run, around 10.30 min miles but comfortably on low heart rate range less than 140 bpm.

Stretches every 2-3 miles but even so tough on my feet hence the picture. Ice needed regularly to sooth them.

Rest day tomorrow.

Week 5 day 3 - 500 miles running since Jan 1st

Okay some good exercise today and something achieved too.

Great game of football at lunchtime, actually wore my Garmin gps watch & hr strap so knew how many calories & distance run.

For an hour, kept running for 50-55 mins and covered 3 miles approx 600 calories so lots of sprints, stop/ start.

See graphic below.. might not be Steven Gerrard but still got around the pitch.
Garmin Stats click here

In the evening, 8.5 mile recovery run with Mrs FRC, trying to keep my heart rate low in zone 3 so under 145-150 bpm so exercising but not pushing as hard as I tend to do even on long runs so far.

Whilst out ran my 500th mile of the year. Big achievement for me, never done this before.
In the past, I might do 5-10 miles a week plus football and a spin class - could even do a half marathon on this - now doing now more classes + 30 miles a week - and more miles to come.

In the next few days I will have run 150 miles in 5 weeks.
and probably 500 before I do the marathon in the next 10-12 weeks

Run on the sea front was lovely, nice weather, bit of a wind at the end, sand blowing in our faces though.

All fine, apart from the new running shoes I had on... breathable fabric is good, but when running in sand... the sand goes straight into the shoe.. had about a sandcastle in there after 2 minutes on the actual beach.

Photos to follow