Diary of a middle-age runner

gerard65

pgmcpq wrote: »

Fantastic week - two PBs. That's pretty much the definition of breakthrough territory.

Thanks, but not really a breakthrough, more back to where I was 2 years ago which I've been looking for. Last year was a bad year, injury and over training. Early this year again over training, I think I'm starting to understand what works and what does'nt, the generic/conventional training methods don't work, making it up/ adlibing does. A xc race in two weeks will be interesting, two years ago it was my best race, if I can get close to that form I'll be very happy. Also Daniels and mcmillian put me close to that elusive sub 40 10k, thats my aim.

plodder

Nice running in Rathfarham there. I'm looking forward to the XC season myself, as soon as this marathon is out of the way.

shels4ever

gerard65 wrote: »

Thanks, but not really a breakthrough, more back to where I was 2 years ago which I've been looking for. Last year was a bad year, injury and over training. Early this year again over training, I think I'm starting to understand what works and what does'nt, the generic/conventional training methods don't work, making it up/ adlibing does. A xc race in two weeks will be interesting, two years ago it was my best race, if I can get close to that form I'll be very happy. Also Daniels and mcmillian put me close to that elusive sub 40 10k, thats my aim.

Will prob see you at the XC race, will you still wear the trail shoes how do you find them fro XC , need a new pair of spikes but not sure what to get.

gerard65

Sat 9th Oct.
BHAA Teachers 4 mile XC, Castleknock.
Time 27:01. Avg - 6:44. Pos.- 81/161. Pos. Std.- 5th. Pos age - 12th.
Thought I'd just gone under 27mins but the official results put me just over. First XC race of the season on a mild morning with going firm underfoot - very uncharacteristic for XC running. I made an arse of it. The mile splits tell their the tale : 6:27, 6:43, 7:01, 6:47. Went off much too fast for XC and really suffered over the last two laps. Still, fairly happy with the time, but could have run faster if I been smarter on the first lap.
Next race is the beach race on the 13th Nov.

gerard65

Its nearly a month since I've updated this. No races but I've been playing around with my training. I've found that fast running is beginning to hurt me. Not too sure where to go from here, but for the next couple of months I'm sticking to slow(ish) miles and see how it goes. I'd like to build to 50mls per week and hold it for a few weeks, then maybe have a go at adding the faster stuff in.
For some reason the idea of me doing an ultra in the near future seems to have got into some peoples minds. I'd like to state I've no intention of doing same, I merely asked a question on a thread. Some day maybe - maybe.
Reached the 1000mls for the year this morning but it may have come at a cost. Right calf is fairly sore now, I hope its only a strain.
I'll have to keep this log updated, two years old now:)

xebec

Congrats on reaching the 1000 miles, only a few weeks ahead of me hopefully! I take it from the post above that you're not going to be giving XC season much of a go this year?

gerard65

xebec wrote: »

Congrats on reaching the 1000 miles, only a few weeks ahead of me hopefully! I take it from the post above that you're not going to be giving XC season much of a go this year?

Thanks. I'll wait till the new year and see how training is going.

Macanri

Congrats on reaching 1000mls for the year (so far)!

RacoonQueen

Congrats on the 1000 miles. You'll reach it quicker next year when you start ultra training.

Might see you at the beach race next week if I can be bothered getting out of bed.

gerard65

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Congrats on the 1000 miles. You'll reach it quicker next year when you start ultra training.

Might see you at the beach race next week if I can be bothered getting out of bed.

Don't think I'll make the beach race next week. The calf began to get very sore yesterday evening and this morning I could'nt walk on it. Very odd that I could finish yesterdays run without any real pain, for it to start a few hours later. Should have iced it when I got home. Hopefully its only a minor problem.
I will NOT be running an ultra next year:D

gerard65

Sun 14th Nov
3.9 mls.
Took a bit of a risk in going out this evening. Its been eight days since straining my calf, seven to ten days of rest was advised, and I'd been debating with myself all day whether to risk it. Decided to go in the end and thankfully the calf seems fine. Just jogged a couple of laps around the block so if it popped I would'nt have far to get home. I'll stay wary for a while longer and take this week very easy.

menoscemo

gerard65 wrote: »

Sun 14th Nov
3.9 mls.
Took a bit of a risk in going out this evening. Its been eight days since straining my calf, seven to ten days of rest was advised, and I'd been debating with myself all day whether to risk it. Decided to go in the end and thankfully the calf seems fine. Just jogged a couple of laps around the block so if it popped I would'nt have far to get home. I'll stay wary for a while longer and take this week very easy.

That run last saturday jinxed us both!!

gerard65

menoscemo wrote: »

That run last saturday jinxed us both!!

Yep. I still can't work out why the calf went, if we'd been belting along I could understand something going wrong, be we were jogging. The only thing I think might be a issue is I did'nt stretch before we set off, I usually do despite what some say, and it was a cold morning. The calf began to get sore after a couple of miles but was managable, it was only when I got home and the next morning it was really sore. Wasn't too serious, just a minor pull.

menoscemo

Yeah, I have been trying to pinpoint when things started going wrong for my foot and it all points back to last saturday too (I felt it on all the runs after to varying degrees). I have no idea wwhy though.

gerard65

Mon 15th Nov
3.9mls.
Same two laps as last night but in the opposite direction. Calf felt fine so I picked the pace up a bit on the second lap with no problems. I'll keep the runs to about 4 miles for the rest of the week.

gerard65

Tues 16th Nov
4.6mls.

Wed 17th Nov
3.3mls.
Was considering throwing my hat in the ring for Sundays inters but the calf starting acting up tonight. Had to cut this run short, really p'ed off now. Got an ice pack on it as soon as I got home and it doesn't seem too bad but I'd say its another couple of days off. Maybe I just getting too old for this game.

kennyb3

Everybody gets injuries ger, less of that talk now. head up. runners are an incredibly impatient bunch. use the break to do some other stuff.

gerard65

Don't mind me, I just p'ed off not been able to race this weekend!

dna_leri

gerard65 wrote: »

Don't mind me, I just p'ed off not been able to race this weekend!

Its easy to get pi'd off about not racing, but sometimes you have to check if it is really an important goal. Though I read sometime back that you weren't doing XC this year? Nothing like a hilly mucky XC course to challenge the calves.

gerard65

dna_leri wrote: »

Its easy to get pi'd off about not racing, but sometimes you have to check if it is really an important goal. Though I read sometime back that you weren't doing XC this year? Nothing like a hilly mucky XC course to challenge the calves.

Its different - I feel I've let the team down, when someone goes to the work of organising things and I don't turn up:(

Sat 20th Nov.
3.3mls easy.
I said to hell with it, I'm going out for a run. Took it very easy and had no problems from the calf. I'm beginning to think the pain in my leg is just my bodies way of telling me to take it easy for a while. I've been generally tired lately. With studying full time on a fairly demanding course and trying to fit in part-time work its been a bit much, all my time is either college project work or sitting on front of the board late into the evening doing up planting plans. Burning the candle at both ends - something has to give, so I'm backing off the training for a few weeks - not stopping but taking it easy for a while. Might just follow one of Hal's beginner plans to keep ticking over and motivated for a few weeks.

gerard65

Sun 21st Nov
3.25mls

Mon 22nd Nov
3.27mls

Very easy miles. Calf seems fine at these distances and pace.

gerard65

Sun 28th Nov
Seven days on the trot. Nothing mind-blowing, just about 30mins each evening. First time in a long time I've enjoyed a full weeks running. Really just getting back to basics with consistancy been the key. No pressure from upcoming races or following training programs. Yesterday and today were snow runs so took it very easy, running in the snow tends to put alot of stress on the legs, but its fun:)
Milage for this week - 24miles.

gerard65

Sun 5th Dec
That was an interesting week, snow, ice, thunder and lighting, hail:eek:. But got out every day for a few miles. Just as well I'm in an easy phase because theres not much you can do in that weather except take it easy. Had every excuse not to continue the 'running streak' today with both icy pavements and a hangover from last night:cool: but dragged myself around for 30mins.
Weekly total - 26miles.
Much of the same next week.

tunguska

gerard65 wrote: »

Sun 5th Dec
That was an interesting week, snow, ice, thunder and lighting, hail:eek:. But got out every day for a few miles. Just as well I'm in an easy phase because theres not much you can do in that weather except take it easy. Had every excuse not to continue the 'running streak' today with both icy pavements and a hangover from last night:cool: but dragged myself around for 30mins.
Weekly total - 26miles.
Much of the same next week.

That was me shouting at you the other night when you were running down springfield road. You're stone mad, I could barely walk on those paths:eek:.

gerard65

tunguska wrote: »

That was me shouting at you the other night when you were running down springfield road. You're stone mad, I could barely walk on those paths:eek:.

Ah right, I actually thought it was someone else. I've decided not to run tonight (see, I'm not that mad), even for me those paths arn't worth the risk, their gone beyond risky, their now lethal:(.

gerard65

Week Mon 6th - Sun 12th
Hopeless week. Nothing done Tuesday to Friday because off the icy paths. A friend smashed her ankle while out walking her dog on Tuesday when she slipped on ice and now faces an operation next week, so there was no way I'd run once the snow turned to ice. Yesterday got over to bushy and did a few laps of the field, no snow but very muddy. Planned my route this evening to avoid as many icy paths as possible but still bad in a few areas. The plan was to begin to up the miles next week but I might just step back to this week again.