Sunday, February 27, 2011

Training Week 21st February 2011 & Round-Up

Weekly Round-Up...

Okay - first up there is the weekly round up on a couple of things and then the training log. Log is below if you want to skip to it. Basically ~100 miles, one good 5 x 2k session, one okay but not great 7 mile tempo. Job done.

Just Do It

 Some weeks make me think this more than others - this was one of those weeks. It brings to mind an old but very apt "once a runner" quote.

"And there were questions: What did he eat? Did he believe in isometrics? Isotonics? Ice and heat? How about aerobics, est, ESP, STP? What did he have to say about yoga and yogurt? What was his pulse rate, his blood pressure, his time for 100-yard dash? What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes." 

Which sums up my view very aptly. Just get out there and run as many miles as you can is the most basic thing any runner can do. Is it necessarily the best and most optimal training - possibly not? Does that matter - not so much. People end up quibbling about that final 1% be it diet, stretching, plyometrics that they forget that if you just focus all of your energies on running a lot consistently - you may not win an olympic medal but odds are you'll be an awful lot better than you were when you started.

Change is good...

And now to totally contradict my above advice... Perhaps the one thing that is equally important if not more so than just plain getting the miles in is avoiding injury. Now some injuries are acute - there's not an awful lot you can do about them. Some might be non-running related (falls, trips etc. - Chris Tomlinson put himself out for most of a season stubbing his toe on his bed) and some might be running related but generally there's not a huge amount you can do about those other than warming up properly. On the otherhand overuse injuries are something you can often do something about...

Whilst specific strengthening advice from your physio is key - the most simple thing I think you can do is to change things up? What things?


- Pace
- Terrain
- Shoes


These seem to be the easiest 3 to change to me - if you run across a variety of paces (from very slow to fast), a variety of terrains (some muddy runs, some asphalt, some hard trail, some grass) I think you're well set. The last one of those (and possibly most contentious) is shoes. I think overuse injuries often come from a very specific set of circumstances - I don't know about you all but I certainly find I tend to run in a very different way wearing one pair of shoes to another. By having a variety I hope it constantly challenges muscles and tendons in slightly different ways rather than working the same ones constantly. Not sure whether there's any truth in this but seeing as it doesn't hurt to change the pair of shoes I wear for different runs I figure I might as well do it. 


Hyde Park Relays (and jogging around a course)

Went to these on Saturday after my tempo. Never really appreciated what a great way to rack up some miles just going along and running around a race in reverse really is. Something I've always planned to do but never really got around to. Got some more miles in and had a good chat with lots of people. I think these events seemed a bit bigger this year and there was a great spirit despite the slightly miserable weather. Particularly nice to seem some club and training group teams having a go as well as the universities.

Post-race food definitely gets a 10/10. Chilli and potato went down a treat.

Training Log




2/21/11
Mon AM

PM 9 miles easy at 7:30mm with Chasers - including a 7 minute MP tempo @ 5:38 pace in the middle.
Tue AM

PM warm up to Battersea, 5 x 2k, 6:30,29,34,32,29 off 2:30 lap jog, warm down
Wed AM Easy lunchtime run - 35 minutes at 7:30 pace up Regents Canal

PM Recovery run home very slowly - 8 miles at 8:30 odd pace - legs felt track the previous night. Didn't feel anything from ankle but still aware of it.
Thu AM 36 - easy lunchtime run - 7:30 pace

PM 8 miles home - first 5 recovery last 3 easy pace.
Fri AM Steady lunchtime run with Harold - 32 minutes at ~ 6:30mm

PM 10 miles home very slowly - about 8:10 pace- legs really struggling for last section - muscles just very tired.
Sat AM warm up, 7 miles tempo at 5:27mm, warm down - really struggled here on last of 4 laps as my legs were just shattered and struggled to lift them much- aerobically fine

PM 8 miles - had to get to Hyde Park to watch Hayley run Hyde Park relays, very easy recovery running and legs actually felt okay
Sun AM 2:07 long run - just over 15 miles so a slow pace but glad to get one in with good company in Chasers 3-3:30 group

PM



Running minutes
751
Miles
100
Cycling Minutes

Total Minutes
751



Summary
Very solid week – I was pleased with my 2k session on Tuesday as when I started I thought that'd be brutal. Bit disappointed to drop off on the tempo but aerobically was fine – legs were just mashed from the week. Nice to have gotten into a solid routine during the week with lunchtime 5 and post-work 8 being a nice training routine. 8 miles Saturday afternoon probably not smartest thing I've ever done but it just seemed simplest way to get there! 

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Bryn Running

Training diary and musings on running in general.