Sunday, December 14, 2014

Training from 24th November - 14th December 2015

Bit of a delay as I had another bad achilles flare-up in the week starting 24th November. I was totally out of action for 3 days, back jogging at the weekend and actually did a half decent long-run.

I kept the following week relatively easy without any intensity and relatively low volume letting my achilles fully recover - leading to this week's training.

Monday: Recovery

Tuesday: 50 into work (50).

Wednesday: 76 steady run over Wimbledon Common - moving well (76)

Thursday: AM 35 easy to Westminster station with laptop (35)
PM wu, 3 miles MP, 2 minutes recovery, 2 miles tempo, wd [MP @6:30mm, tempo @ 6:05mm] (75)

Friday: 50 into work (50)

Saturday: 75 steady with James around Clapham Common ~7:30mm (75)

Sunday: short wu, 20 x 45-50 second hill (jog down), 4 minutes tempo (52)

Total minutes: 413 minutes / ~55 miles

This was a fairly high intensity week with almost all runs at a steady pace or faster and very few easy or jogging miles. The achilles has held up really well.

I've come to the conclusion that my achilles just can't take track work. I'm not particularly sure why but the trend of starting to get a little bit fitter and then putting myself out of action after a track session totally for 3 days and realistically away from faster running for 10 days is just getting too frustrating.

I think it's the combination of the increased intensity and the sharp bends on the track that is setting me off. Ideally I would work on a proper strength and conditioning programme to strengthen my achilles to the extent that it can stand up to the rigours of fast track work but (realistically) at my age I'm having to work-around it.

I'm really disappointed to not be able to do the track work as I really love it (and more the atmosphere at track) but equally I'm looking forward to replicating the sessions on the roads (and I am at heart a road runner). I can still go to track to coach and *I think* that at lower intensities I may still be able to pace people around without injuring myself.

So - slightly new chapter - hopefully this one will be the one where I don't get injured and start performing at my potential.

Bryn Running

Training diary and musings on running in general.