My last post was back in February after finding out I had pneumonia.
The 3 weeks off work gave me some time to reflect on what I'd done, and where I could go. Initially I was angry at missing out on an early season goal (Wokingham HM) and future goals. I moved on to acceptance, trying to work out how soon I could get back out there. Then I stopped caring about training and focused on getting better. Kuebler-Ross at her finest.
I'll admit I started back too early. I ran about 6km easy one Tuesday, then followed it up with an easy 10km club run the Thursday after. Plus some MTBing. Looking back I can see that this lengthened the recovery. It's hard to sit around doing nothing!
The grand plan was to smash out the HM, then work with an as-yet-unidentified coach towards PowermanUK. Obviously the plan had to change, but by how much? I knew from past experiences that I had an idea of what training I should do, but scheduling it was always a problem, frequently ending up injured. I likened myself to a 2-stroke race engine; running at high revs and needing frequent rebuilding. I could see from my premature return to exercise that I needed someone to curb my enthusiasm. I set out to find a coach with a two-fold purpose; control my return to fitness and get me fit enough for some form of attendance at PowermanUK.
During the latter week of illness and the subsequent weeks I had researched who was available, how recommended they were, and what the styles of coaching were. After some digging, I narrowed down and made my choice.
It was strange to begin with, devolving most of the decision making to someone else. I questioned a lot; Is that really the HR limit? Turbo or outdoors? I like to question, I like to understand the whys and wherefores. I'm probably quite annoying. However the aim was to return slowly, and not over do things, and that is what is happening.
I'm doing HR based training, which is something I don't think I've done since I started to run, some years ago. More recently I was doing paced-based running and power-based cycling. HR training was odd to begin with, but I can now see my average pace increasing for a given HR cap over a given course. Proof of something working at least.
Quarterly data:
Bike: 390km, 22h12
Run: 173km, 20h38
March alone:
Bike: 302km, 16h16
Run: 108km, 11h55
Last week was my biggest week back with longest duration and furthest distance run & bike since illness. If you believe in ATL and CTL then they're still shadows of their former selves, but also at a post-illness peak!
So just under 5 weeks until PMUK. I'm not where I wanted to be. I had an early season planned, plenty of TTs and longer sportives, some running, some shorter duathlons. However you only get the hand you're dealt, and it's up to me to make the most of it. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, etc
So I'll be there on the start line at 7am on the 11th of May. I may have to hold something back when the horn goes off, and it's going to hurt. But I'll be there, and that's what counts.
Showing posts with label Recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recovery. Show all posts
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
Monday, 7 October 2013
A week of good hurt!
This is the 14th week of being back running.
I've had a good build up of easy miles and left it until last week to inject some faster paced work. I'd also started to add some quality bike work.
So Monday was a TrainerRoad session.
On Tuesday Finch Coasters had a 2x20 minute session which I aimed to run at fast tempo (4:15/km). A little fast on the downhill way out (just shy of 5km in just shy of 20min) and suffered a little on the way back. All in all it was a good tempo session and I remained under HM pace on the return leg. The entire session was a real confidence booster as I hadn't had a fast run since taking some time out.
Wednesday was a morning recovery run then an evening FTP/VO2 session on the bike. Thursday another club run which on analysis was 'Easy' though felt like a tempo session at the time. Probably due to pacing!
Friday was a rest day, which left the weekend.
Saturday we wandered to Woodley parkrun as a family. First time we'd tried that one. It was a pacing event and my wife was hoping to go to 34 minutes. Unfortunately she went of way too fast and then suffered! My plan was to take things easy and use it as a faster session in my LSR. Unfortunately my ego got the better of me, especially after Monday. I overtook the 20 minute pacer not far in to the first lap. The second began to hurt and I had to dig on the final lap. Garmin was under-reading and I came in at 20 minutes exactly, and 9th man. Didn't get chicked! This was another confidence boosting session, especially as I had not intended to run that fast. Coupled with WU, CD and some extra mileage at lunch that was 14km in the bag.
Sunday was a great 3 hours XC MTBing on my new build.
All in all a really good week, with some quality build added in. Today was an easy 10km, followed by entering some local races. Dinton Duathlon (November) and Wokingham half-marathon (Feb 2014). As usual the HM was the cheaper of the two. I'm all about supporting local races, but the online registration companies really take the biscuit. £3.28 for a service fee to allow me to enter a £35 race? Daylight robbery from Active Network.
The grand plan is to have a good XC season whilst building for a good spring HM. Some added bike work will see me do well at Dinton and some other low key duathlons. Spring Ballbuster in March followed by PowermanUK in May.
I've had a good build up of easy miles and left it until last week to inject some faster paced work. I'd also started to add some quality bike work.
So Monday was a TrainerRoad session.
On Tuesday Finch Coasters had a 2x20 minute session which I aimed to run at fast tempo (4:15/km). A little fast on the downhill way out (just shy of 5km in just shy of 20min) and suffered a little on the way back. All in all it was a good tempo session and I remained under HM pace on the return leg. The entire session was a real confidence booster as I hadn't had a fast run since taking some time out.
Wednesday was a morning recovery run then an evening FTP/VO2 session on the bike. Thursday another club run which on analysis was 'Easy' though felt like a tempo session at the time. Probably due to pacing!
Friday was a rest day, which left the weekend.
Saturday we wandered to Woodley parkrun as a family. First time we'd tried that one. It was a pacing event and my wife was hoping to go to 34 minutes. Unfortunately she went of way too fast and then suffered! My plan was to take things easy and use it as a faster session in my LSR. Unfortunately my ego got the better of me, especially after Monday. I overtook the 20 minute pacer not far in to the first lap. The second began to hurt and I had to dig on the final lap. Garmin was under-reading and I came in at 20 minutes exactly, and 9th man. Didn't get chicked! This was another confidence boosting session, especially as I had not intended to run that fast. Coupled with WU, CD and some extra mileage at lunch that was 14km in the bag.
Sunday was a great 3 hours XC MTBing on my new build.
All in all a really good week, with some quality build added in. Today was an easy 10km, followed by entering some local races. Dinton Duathlon (November) and Wokingham half-marathon (Feb 2014). As usual the HM was the cheaper of the two. I'm all about supporting local races, but the online registration companies really take the biscuit. £3.28 for a service fee to allow me to enter a £35 race? Daylight robbery from Active Network.
The grand plan is to have a good XC season whilst building for a good spring HM. Some added bike work will see me do well at Dinton and some other low key duathlons. Spring Ballbuster in March followed by PowermanUK in May.
Friday, 9 August 2013
Time trialling again... and running!
A busy end of July & early August. Holidays, work travel.
Last night was my first outing on H10/10 this year. A lumpy kinda exposed course. First TT since the beginning of July too.
I'll admit it was hard. I prefer to TT with a visor rather than sunnies as the vis is better; the sweat dripping off my nose is not.
It's not a fast course, so a half-respectable 25:02 (ouch) was the result. The usual "if I'd known I'd have broken 25..." followed.
In other news I have been running again for 4 or so weeks. It was a bit 'interesting' to begin with but the body has settled back in to the groove. Plus over 100 eccentric heel raises/drops each day. Building calf strength.
It's great to be out there again. This week I have increased to 26km/week spread over 4 days. Following a Finke/Daniels/Pfitzinger 3 week hold followed by 1.5km/day increase.
Long run is now a huge 10km. Looking forward to getting some miles under my belt then hitting the track end of Sep/early Oct.
Happy days.
Last night was my first outing on H10/10 this year. A lumpy kinda exposed course. First TT since the beginning of July too.
I'll admit it was hard. I prefer to TT with a visor rather than sunnies as the vis is better; the sweat dripping off my nose is not.
It's not a fast course, so a half-respectable 25:02 (ouch) was the result. The usual "if I'd known I'd have broken 25..." followed.
In other news I have been running again for 4 or so weeks. It was a bit 'interesting' to begin with but the body has settled back in to the groove. Plus over 100 eccentric heel raises/drops each day. Building calf strength.
It's great to be out there again. This week I have increased to 26km/week spread over 4 days. Following a Finke/Daniels/Pfitzinger 3 week hold followed by 1.5km/day increase.
Long run is now a huge 10km. Looking forward to getting some miles under my belt then hitting the track end of Sep/early Oct.
Happy days.
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
Running man - learning from mistakes.
I'm back running (again, I think).
Four weeks off, complete with ~100 daily calf raises has helped. My first 3 km back was not pretty. It took a long time, the heat notwithstanding. A few days later I followed it up with a 6km. Sunday, in the heat I did 10km. This actually took forever, and I wished I'd had water. I hadn't run that far with water since starting running. It was a hot day though. Weekly total some 20 km.
Both Pfitzinger and Daniels (I believe) recommend holding distance for 3 weeks before adding a maximum of 1 mile (1.6 km) per weekly running day (3 days = 3 miles, etc). My achilles injury really means baby steps and I'll keep this in mind. It may even be more than 3 weeks.
Daniels also recommends maintaining this weekly mileage when adding a day. Whether 3, 4 or 5 days a week running he recommends a 1, 2, 3 split. Normal, or hard runs are a distance of 2/2 (i.e. 1). Easy runs are 1/2 and long are 3/2. So for a normal run of 10 km an easy run would be 5km and a long run would be 15km. Regardless of weekly distance this ratio is maintained.
As I'm returning to running I wasn't sure what my weekly distance would be. Perhaps I should have averaged my mid-week (4.5km average). What I should not have done was my 10km run. It still hurt yesterday. This morning's 5 km certainly didn't help. My comeback plan calls for a 6km on Thursday but we'll see how that feels. I may reduce the Sunday distance. We're camping with my running club this weekend and my focus will be on fun rather than run.
Watch this space.
Four weeks off, complete with ~100 daily calf raises has helped. My first 3 km back was not pretty. It took a long time, the heat notwithstanding. A few days later I followed it up with a 6km. Sunday, in the heat I did 10km. This actually took forever, and I wished I'd had water. I hadn't run that far with water since starting running. It was a hot day though. Weekly total some 20 km.
Both Pfitzinger and Daniels (I believe) recommend holding distance for 3 weeks before adding a maximum of 1 mile (1.6 km) per weekly running day (3 days = 3 miles, etc). My achilles injury really means baby steps and I'll keep this in mind. It may even be more than 3 weeks.
Daniels also recommends maintaining this weekly mileage when adding a day. Whether 3, 4 or 5 days a week running he recommends a 1, 2, 3 split. Normal, or hard runs are a distance of 2/2 (i.e. 1). Easy runs are 1/2 and long are 3/2. So for a normal run of 10 km an easy run would be 5km and a long run would be 15km. Regardless of weekly distance this ratio is maintained.
As I'm returning to running I wasn't sure what my weekly distance would be. Perhaps I should have averaged my mid-week (4.5km average). What I should not have done was my 10km run. It still hurt yesterday. This morning's 5 km certainly didn't help. My comeback plan calls for a 6km on Thursday but we'll see how that feels. I may reduce the Sunday distance. We're camping with my running club this weekend and my focus will be on fun rather than run.
Watch this space.
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Recovery and reflection
Marlow seems to have taken more out of me than I thought it would. The extra hilly 5km on the bike and the extra 4km run have taken their toll. Yesterday was a 30 minute recovery spin and a club swim in the evening. I have just finished an hour on the turbo, doing TrainerRoad's Ericsson.
4 x 8minute sweetspot intervals. Sweetspot gives a great training
stimulus but doesn't hammer the body as much as Threshold work. Great
for recovery.
Comparing previous year's results I finished 26 places higher than 2012, where I finished 49th. A great improvement. I think this says a lot about base training; the bulk of the training I did for the Outlaw Iron-distance tri was all in heart-rate Z2, low effort, endurance based training.
Here is the Marlow bike leg on TrainingPeaks viewer. Compare this against the bike leg from Althorp. Both have the same training stress score (TSS) though Marlow was 5km longer and almost ~80m more climb. It seems obvious now the reduced effort I put in on the bike leg at Marlow.
Just waiting on the pictures from Marlow now!
Comparing previous year's results I finished 26 places higher than 2012, where I finished 49th. A great improvement. I think this says a lot about base training; the bulk of the training I did for the Outlaw Iron-distance tri was all in heart-rate Z2, low effort, endurance based training.
Here is the Marlow bike leg on TrainingPeaks viewer. Compare this against the bike leg from Althorp. Both have the same training stress score (TSS) though Marlow was 5km longer and almost ~80m more climb. It seems obvious now the reduced effort I put in on the bike leg at Marlow.
Just waiting on the pictures from Marlow now!
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