Cool runnings

davedanon · 22-06-2019 12:13pm

Knee still swollen, btw. Trying to be patient with it. Still aches from time to time, but no problems doing the workout.

Murph_D · 22-06-2019 2:51pm

That’s some workout. May the rehab continue to be positive.

davedanon · 01-07-2019 7:40pm

Good news. Real running has re-commenced. On Friday and today I did a 45 minute session on the grass. Four minutes jogging, 2 minutes walking. I'm trying to stay up on the midfoot and off the heel. Will build from here. Still maintaining the gym routine.

davedanon · 02-07-2019 4:25pm

Back in the gym today, but instead of the cooldown 5k on the dread cross-trainer, I went out on the track. The club league currently running its Summer League, and the last race(s) takes place on the track. I'm thinking of a glorious comeback, probably in the 800m (it's a four person team - slowest gets 400m, fastest 1600m). Might even be a single lap. Needed to get an idea of current middle-distance aerobic capacity, so chugged around for a lap, not knowing what my pace was. 2:03.....oh dear. Tried again, at a faster clip, but not flat out, conscious that I might need to have another lap in the lungs. 1:37........not too bad. I won't embarrass myself. 2 more cooldown laps to bring up the mile.

davedanon · 03-07-2019 9:26pm

Another grassy run today, broiling heat again too. 5 mins jogging against 90 secs walking this time, and I noticed the difference, especially with the heat. I think the cumulative effect of the new schedule was making itself felt as well. Not only am I aerobically deficient, I also have no 'miles in the legs'. That ability to bang out 5 or 6 runs/sessions on consecutive days without accumulating too much fatigue. Little pickup in the pace though, here and there, although I had to drag myself kicking and screaming into the gym for the exercises and weights afterwards.

OOnegative · 03-07-2019 9:29pm

Rushing it a bit D? Big picture.

What’s the recommended recovery now?

davedanon · 03-07-2019 9:42pm

If you mean my training schedule, it's these run/walks every other day, with a truncated gym routine, and the full gym routine (which is all about S&C, knee strengthening, and core work) on the alternate days. The idea is to build up to 15 minutes continuous running. Bear in mind that the running is all done with a changed gait - more midfoot, consciously keeping the heels off the ground as much as possible. This is obviously more stressful, particularly on the calves, and I'm really not pushing at all, pacewise. Any improvements are incremental and 'natural'. My max HR is coming down steadily, and I'm content to wait for the fitness improvements as they come.

OOnegative · 03-07-2019 9:49pm

davedanon wrote: »

If you mean my training schedule, it's these run/walks every other day, with a truncated gym routine, and the full gym routine (which is all about S&C, knee strengthening, and core work) on the alternate days. The idea is to build up to 15 minutes continuous running. Bear in mind that the running is all done with a changed gait - more midfoot, consciously keeping the heels off the ground as much as possible. This is obviously more stressful, particularly on the calves, and I'm really not pushing at all, pacewise. Any improvements are incremental and 'natural'. My max HR is coming down steadily, and I'm content to wait for the fitness improvements as they come.

Just take it handy, we all want to see you at a race soon.

Great to see a successful comeback.

davedanon · 03-07-2019 10:10pm

Thanks. It's funny, only a few months ago I was fretting about my form and my age, wondering how on earth I could possibly manage to eke out another pb, at any distance bar one I hadn't yet tried. Now I feel as though I have all the time in the world.

davedanon · 11-07-2019 11:06am

Weeek beginning 1st July
4/5th busy with anniversary-related stuff. Saturday did a gym strength session, sans hopping, then my 5mins on/90 secs off routine on the track. Aerobic capacity still hugely impaired, but the pace is coming down, or up, nicely. Hitting 8.30 pace at times. Easier on the track of course.

Week beginning 8th
Monday 5/90 again, then a full gym session on Tuesday. Been having enormous trouble sleeping lately - it's like I've forgotten how - and felt the effects on Tuesday in the gym.

TRR_the_turd · 11-07-2019 6:05pm

Gym w****r

davedanon · 12-07-2019 8:40am

TRR_the_turd wrote: »

Gym w****r

Takes one to know one.

TRR_the_turd · 12-07-2019 4:07pm

davedanon wrote: »

Takes one to know one.

I’m just a w****r. Don’t frequent the gym!

davedanon · 12-07-2019 6:54pm

TRR_the_turd wrote: »

I’m just a w****r. Don’t frequent the gym!

That's what I meant.

davedanon · 13-07-2019 11:25am

Bit of a speedbump. Setting off from the back of the club, and somehow before the end of the first mile, which is as far at least as I had intended to run, I had managed to pick up an ache in my achilles tendon. No word of a lie, I've never had an achilles problem before, so I, perhaps foolishly, persisted, hoping it would just go away. But it didn't go away, and after a mile, then half, then another mile, with short breaks, I had to throw in the towel and limp a couple of miles back to base. I only hope I haven't done any serious damage. After all, I've been hopping up and down and running on the balls of my feet for months now, so I imagine it's just a tweak. Maybe it was a combination of the little slope at the back of the club and a cold, unstretched tendon that are to blame. I did stay on the tarmac the whole way too. Either way a visit to the physio beckons.

davedanon · 15-07-2019 7:41pm

Confined to quarters (club gym) since. Staying off the injured leg when necessary, but I can use the cross-trainer, which is good, although I'm seriously cheesed off with it in general. I did break 20 mins for 5k on it twice over the weekend, though. Seeing the physio tomorrow, and hopefully will be back to proper running soon, although the surprise track comeback on Friday will probably not happen now.

Murph_D · 15-07-2019 8:49pm

20-mins 5k on a cross trainer? How reliable is that? If you're talking about one of those elliptical yokes, I'm very impressed.

Keep the faith.

davedanon · 16-07-2019 8:04am

Elliptical? Dunno, you mean one where your feet sort of go up and down? Big wide handles you hold with your hands, although I've stopped using them because it's not like actual running. It's an ancient yoke, too.

davedanon · 17-07-2019 4:03pm

Good news on the injury front - it's not too bad, as I had hoped. Had some ultrasound treatment on it yesterday, and was given the all-clear to run again, so I did a total of 3 miles today, with short breaks. Still aching a bit, so took it easy.

davedanon · 25-07-2019 3:50pm

Made a comeback of sorts at the final club summer league race last Friday evening. Finished a distant last in the 800m, gasping my way over the line in 3.13! Achilles quite sore too; this was probably a mistake, but I really wanted to pull on the club vest in anger again.

On Monday I went out on the track again, but decided to call it after 2x1mile at 8:00 pace. I don't think I should run on it any more, until this thing has cleared up. Two gym sessions since then, including a new cross-trainer 5k pb of 18:53 today.

davedanon · 07-08-2019 12:23am

Not much to report. One attempt at real running, but sore after 1 mile, so jacked it in. Close to full recovery now, though, and risked a cooldown track mile instead of the cross-trainer yesterday. No issues.

The 5k pb (cross-trainer version, not like running) is down to 16.20 meanwhile.

davedanon · 08-08-2019 8:40pm

"The 5k pb (cross-trainer version, not like running) is down to 16.20 meanwhile."

Actually, 15.26 as of today.

davedanon · 16-09-2019 12:27pm

Right, time to start setting some goals, I think. A few short runs here and there since the last entry, nothing much to speak of. Achilles permitting, I'll aim for a modest target of 15 miles this week.

davedanon · 17-09-2019 6:46pm

Gym session today and yesterday, followed by 5k on the road. A bit slower today, feeling creaky after yesterday. HR much the same though, despite the heat today. Boringly I've decided to run the same route all this week, in the hope of seeing my average HR come down a bit by Friday.

davedanon · 22-09-2019 8:10pm

So, target attained. 3.5 miles today brought up 15 for the week. 5 runs in total, with a gym session before or after as well. No issues with the creaking body.

davedanon · 30-09-2019 12:51am

23-29th September

5 runs, 5 gym sessions. 18 miles in total.

davedanon · 10-10-2019 12:09am

30TH SEP-6TH OCT

Between work and a stag weekend, only 2 runs with accompanying gym sessions. Up to 5 miles now though, dipping under 9 min mile pace and starting, just, to feel the green shoots of aerobic recovery. 10 miles in total.

davedanon · 13-10-2019 6:56pm

7th-13th October

5 runs for 24 miles. Including a sub 25 minute 5k run today.

davedanon · 21-10-2019 1:23pm

14th-20th October

5 runs for 21 miles, including my return to competitive running (sort-of) with an appearance at Tymon parkrun. Sub-24 was the target, and 23.34 was a pleasing result. 4 gym sessions as well.

davedanon · 28-10-2019 1:07am

21st-27th October

5 runs/5 gym sessions for 28 miles, including a 23.13 effort at Tymon parkrun. Dry-retching on the grass in front of all and sundry at the finish. Stay classy, Dave. Stewarding at DCM on Sunday, and it's just not fair how the body wears out and says 'no mas' when it comes to marathons. Gloom abounds.

Cool runnings

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