XC Runner

cfitz

I'm not sure whether or not this log will be regularly updated but I've decided to start it with good intentions!

Background: I'm a distance runner, with my favourite event being cross-country. I've just turned 26 and I've been running since I was 14. Over the past few years, the past 12 months especially, I've been training at what I would consider a fairly dedicated level. My aim is to be able to race cross-country at a fairly high level - to keep improving over the next few years I suppose.

In January/February I began an 11 month training program to bring me to this cross-country season. It involved a few months of base mileage with very little intensity work. Then over the summer added in some long reps such as 2 x 2k and 4 x 1600m and some hill runs. Most weeks I would cover about 100km.

I was just starting into the hard work in Autumn with some pyramid sessions when a niggle inside the arch of my foot turned into an injury. I substituted my running for aqua-jogging for a while and after visiting my osteopath tried to return to running. The injury returned (or had not left).

So this log begins with my return to the pool after two and a half weeks of complete rest. Before this injury I had been running 9 times per week so this break gave me a chance to fill my days with other interests! I have received some advice about how to get the best out of the aqua-jogging, here are details of my first session this morning:

15 min warm up jog
5 x 1 min very hard with 1 min recovery
15 min jog warm down

I found this session quite good, my heart rate seemed to be well up, I was breathing heavy and I didn't really want to do anymore reps.

I need to learn more about aqua-jogging to get the best out of it on my road to recovery. Hopefully this log might help people returning from injury.

shels4ever

Great . This will be good reading.. I'll be keeping an eye on your log for sure. Best of luck.

cfitz

Day 2:

This morning I returned to the pool for some aqua-jogging. (Some people seem to call it aqua-running, maybe that's a more appropriate term seen as I'm doing intervals and the like.)

Anyway, I went to the pool with a friend again today and here's what we did:

5 min warm up jog
30 min fartlek (We took turns in 'control'. The person in 'control' just picked it up whenever suited him, for as long as suited him, and as fast as suited him. As soon as he slowed back to easy pace, 'control' was with the other person.)
5 min warm down jog


I think the session worked fairly well. But I think the informal nature of it meant that we were racing each other a bit causing us to not concentrate on form. As I'm new to aqua-jogging I think it is important that I get into the habit of using good technique.

I found it a tough workout for my core also, which I think suits me at the moment.

Racing Flat

With all the injured runners aqua-jogging/running around the country, I call for a change of name from 'swimming pool' to 'running pool':D

cfitz

Racing Flat wrote: »

With all the injured runners aqua-jogging/running around the country, I call for a change of name from 'swimming pool' to 'running pool':D

Yeah maybe if they were called running pools I wouldn't feel like as much of an eejit with all the swimmers staring at me

Thanks for helping me get that info on the technique and the types of sessions that work - it's much better than what I had been doing before.

Racing Flat

cfitz wrote: »

Yeah maybe if they were called running pools I wouldn't feel like as much of an eejit with all the swimmers staring at me

Thanks for helping me get that info on the technique and the types of sessions that work - it's much better than what I had been doing before.

My friend said that initially he had loads of stares, but after a while he had a few people asking what he was doing, and by the time he was finishing up he wasn't the only one doing it. He's back training with his group now doing better times than last year, considering he had a stress fracture in April, the aqua-jogging definitely helped maintain fitness.

cfitz

Day 3:

Was a bit late getting to the pool today coz someone decided to put a brick through my car window during the night. When I got there this is what I did:

10 min warm up jog
45 min (started out very easy but tried to keep it somewhat progressive and was going quite hard by the end)
5 min warm down jog

At some stage I'm going to start doing some walking to build up strength in my foot but I want to be confident that my foot is ready for it, so it's just aqua-running for the moment.

cfitz

Day 4:

Aqua-running:
5 min warm up jog
45 min steady, hard towards the end
5 min warm down jog

Think I got the heart rate up to a reasonable rate near the end. I might get my heart rate monitor fixed and bring it to the pool some day to see how high it actually goes and what it averages at. Actually maybe I'll borrow one for a day and find out sooner rather than later...

MCOS

Don't get me wrong, the supernovas are a good shoe but for a lighter foot! I think the Asics are more suited to long distance. If I had to choose one to sprint a lap of a track I'd put on the Addidas, but for miles on the road its got to be the 2130s. Good luck with the log:)

cfitz

MCOS wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, the supernovas are a good shoe but for a lighter foot! I think the Asics are more suited to long distance. If I had to choose one to sprint a lap of a track I'd put on the Addidas, but for miles on the road its got to be the 2130s. Good luck with the log:)

Thanks for the good wishes. People don't talk about the width/roominess of a shoe very much, but I'd say it makes a big enough difference. A nice snug fit is fairly important. Regarding Asics, I'd consider them to be one of the top brands for running shoes, but running people in Ireland seem to be Asics-mad for some reason. I don't know how they managed it but it was a masterstroke of marketing!

cfitz

Day 5:

Aqua-running:
5 min warm up jog
Intervals - 1min, 2min, 3min, 4min, 3min, 2min, 1min (1min recovery between each rep)
10 min warm down jog

I think in future I will up the warm up to 10 minutes. Session was ok, it's a bit frustrating when you compare it to how a proper run/session feels!

cfitz

Day 6:

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
4 x 5 min hard (1 min jog recovery)

Pool session finished unexpectedly so didn't get to do a proper warm down jog.

My right calf muscle got sore on the first rep and annoyed me for the rest of the session. It's a bit weird coz as a runner you kind of think of the pool as a place that you're safe from any leg injuries.

I found my triceps were very tender after this session. They usually do get a bit tender when doing the aqua-running. So that's one area where what I do in the water isn't mimicking what I would do in normal running. I'll have arms like Rocky in a few weeks...

cfitz

Day 7:

30 min walk.

Not sure how quickly my foot is improving. Going to stick with the aqua-running and probably go for a few walks. Hopefully I'll be ready to go for a jog in the not too distant future.

cfitz

Week 2, Day 1:

Went to the pool this morning but it was closed for the Bank Holiday. So went for a walk instead:

30 min walk

Then watched Ramzi winning the Olympic 1500 afterwards, important to keep the motivation up during rehab

cfitz

Week 2, Day 2:

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
2 sets of 6 x 1:30 with 30 seconds recovery (2 min between sets)
10 min warm down jog

Found it hard to get going on these, was doing the reps on my own so I think not having the competitive edge made it more difficult. I'm finding that the feeling I get from running in the water is closer to running up a tough hill than running on the flat.

cfitz

Week 2, Day 3:

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
50 min easy

Tried to concentrate on my technique today and I think it is improving. I seemed to hurt my hamstring yesterday getting out of a chair! It's annoying me now after doing the pool session. Is doing less causing me to become more susceptible to injury?

My foot has been a bit stiff the last two mornings when I got out of bed, perhaps it was too soon to start walking on it. Hopefully it will get better during the week and maybe next week I'll try another walk and see how it reacts.

cfitz

Week 2, Day 4:

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
7 x 2:30 with 30 seconds recovery
10 min warm down jog

Think this session went well, I seemed to be working reasonable hard. My technique felt really smooth on the warm up, but I think it went a bit weird during the session.

MCOS

Maybe a dumb question but do you wear pool socks when aqua jogging to avoid slipping on the pool floor?

cfitz

MCOS wrote: »

Maybe a dumb question but do you wear pool socks when aqua jogging to avoid slipping on the pool floor?

I wear a float around my torso, so my feet don't touch the floor. To do aqua-jogging you need a reasonably deep pool.

cfitz

Week 2, Day 5:

Aqua-running:
45 min steady

Not much to report here, was going fairly hard towards the end. I got into a good rhythm for a while but I seemed to lose it a bit as I pushed harder. It's hard run like normal when you're not getting any feedback from the ground!

cfitz

Week 2, Day 6:

AM

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
5 x 5 min hard with 1 min recovery
10 min warm down jog

PM

30 minute walk


Hopefully I'll be able to add in the walks more regularly and eventually get out for a jog.

shels4ever

Do you mind if I ask what injury you had? You seem to have kept up a great level of fittness , do you have any return date or race that you want to get back for?

cfitz

shels4ever wrote: »

Do you mind if I ask what injury you had? You seem to have kept up a great level of fittness , do you have any return date or race that you want to get back for?

Plantar Fasciitis is what matches my symptoms closest. I had planned to be at my peak for the year around the time of the National Novice cross-country, National Intercounties cross-country, and County Senior cross-country. As soon as I'm back on my feet for a little while I'll run a race to see where I'm at. When I'm back in full training I'll choose new goal races, possibly in February or March.

cfitz

Week 2, Day 7:

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, 3 min, 2 min, 1 min (1 min recovery between reps)
10 min warm down jog

This session seemed to come together nicely. Was working hard and the heart rate felt like it was right up by the last few reps. Dying to get back out on the grass. But I need to put the work in at the pool until I'm ready.

cfitz

Week 3, Day 1:

AM

Aqua-running:
65 min easy

PM

30 minute walk


Felt like I needed the easy day in the pool today. Mostly I think that's a good sign, means I'm not taking it too easy. I've been cycling around a bit over the past week coz my car had a broken window. Hopefully it's done more good than harm. Might stick with it, saves a little bit of money and the environment!

cfitz

Week 3, Day 2:

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
2 sets of 7 x 1:30 with 30 seconds recovery (2 min recovery between sets)
10 min warm down jog

First set was ok but there were a lot of swimmers there for the second set and I found it hard to keep my concentration while dodging them.

Went to my local 'sports therapist' or whatever you call the person who gives you a sports massage (I know of her through reputation rather than qualifications). She thinks my injury is probably caused by a tightness in my lower calf. She worked on the inside of my lower calf and it was quite tender so hopefully she has found the problem. She is convinced that the root of the problem is a lack of support and told me to get my orthotics sorted out (they are damaged and I stopped wearing them once I got injured) and just stick with the aqua-jogging until I get them back. So, still a while to go, but hopefully the finish line is in sight!

cfitz

Week 3, Day 3:

AM

Aqua-running:
35 min easy

PM

2hr core stability session


Had hoped to do more in the pool but they closed the deep end in the middle of our session so that was the end of that. First time I've done a full core stability session - wasn't much fun! Made me really tired and hopefully I won't be aching too much tomorrow. If you think long runs or interval sessions are hard work try one of these sessions. The guy who was showing me the session does it 3 times per week alongside his running, I don't know how I'd fit in such a long session that often.

TheRoadRunner

What's involved in the core stability session ?

cfitz

Week 3, Day 4:

Aqua-running:
10 min warm up jog
8 x 2:30 with 30 sec recovery
15 min warm down jog


Session went ok, don't think I really got the best out of myself. Parts of me were quite tender this morning after yesterday's core session but I don't think it affected my aqua-running that much.

cfitz

Week 3, Day 5:

Aqua-running:
65 min steady

Went well, feel like I had a good rhythm going. I think my technique was pretty good, but I'd like if someone who knew more about it was able to look at me and tell me if I was doing something wrong. Was a bit sore here and there this morning, possibly something to do with the core session I did on Wednesday. I need to be careful doing new exercises and stretches.

cfitz

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

What's involved in the core stability session ?

Well I was just doing what I was told so I can't remember it all. There was a long set of warm up exercises, dynamic stretches and the like, and a long warm down with stretches and exercises. The workout itself seemed to exercise the shoulders, back, stomach, thighs. I don't know the names of the exercises so I can't really describe them. It's something similar to what Lorna Kiplagat does though if that's any help. There's a good chance I'll be doing it more over the next few weeks, so I might be better able to explain it then!