Run Forrest

gramar

I went out halfway through the second half of England v Scotland match as a comeback from Scotland was about
as likely as a rocking horse having a shít.
Still feeling much the same but at least the runny nose had receded from Guinness Book of Records proportions.
No big plans just 6 easy kilometres. All systems were running smoothly especially the legs which felt very fresh
and the slightly progressive pace was due to them wanting to kick on a bit.
5:45
5:42
5:28
5:27
5:17
4:47

gramar

I was thinking of a tempo run this morning as I haven't done anything of the sort since the end of January.
Stuck the head out the door at 9:30...nice cool dry morning. Not a hint of wind. Went out at 10:30 after a
light breakfast and it was windier than a flatulence anonymous meeting. It must have been waiting for me
to put my runners on.

I warmed up over 2km with a mix of easy jogging, strides and walking before setting off.
At about 4:40min/km the effort was high enough into the wind and I felt if I pushed any more I'd
probably be spent before halfway. Once I turned after 2.5km I used the next 500m with the wind (which of
course you hardly notice when it's with you) to steady the ship before pushing on for the last 2km.

5km in 23:03
4:43
4:45
4:45
4:32
4:18

I was pleased with the time seeing as the cold is still hovering around and the first half was made more
difficult by the wind.

gramar

The first midweek run for quite a while. I had about an hour and the intention was to run nice and easy
for as much as that hour as I could. The other day a friend with a lot of running experience told me if I was out running
to keep off the hard surfaces and stick to grass and clay paths to save my knees. He's just over 60 and most people in his
group are carrying knee injuries from years of running on hard surfaces. So taking his advice I took the clay path through the park
and everything was going fine and dandy until about a mile in when I tripped on a root, flew for a split second before I went
sprawling to the ground and irony of ironies my knee taking the brunt of the fall. No damage done though not even to my pride
as I don't think anyone saw me and up I got and soldiered on. The rest of the run was uneventful and I felt comfortable all the
way particularly so from about 25 minutes on.
8.8km in 51:00.

gramar

Time for a few hill intervals today so I did 3km easy jogging to where I'd chosen to do them.
I could have done them outside the backdoor but this way I had 3km to run back once I'd finished so
there would no temptation to skip a decent warm down.

I pulled the time of 45 seconds out of nowhere and did a test up the hill to see how long I'd take to
walk back down and set the watch accordingly. It worked out at 2 minutes so it was 45s uphill at about
80% effort then two minutes walk down and 8 more of those.

The first 20 seconds were easy enough but halfway up, as the legs were tiring was also where the track
steepened and got a bit more uneven with a lot of loose stones and 80% effort became 100% effort very
quickly. The pace according to the watch was about about 4:30min/km stating out and slowing to about 4:45/50
as gravity got the better of me. Went fine though and followed this with 3km at 5:20km.

Expecting to feel it a bit tomorrow particulary as I was on my feet for a few hours after doing a few things
around the garden so I'll be an easy trot if I get out at all.

gramar

Lovely bright morning, bhí an ghrian ag taitneamh agus ni raibh scamaill sa speir. I didn't have much energy and did 6km starting at 5:40 working my way down to 5:10.
The legs were most likely tired from yesterday and a few squats before made sure they felt slow.

gramar

After a good warm up or so I thought the idea was to do some 500m intervals and try maintain a pace of around 3:50. I got his completely arseways and did the first in 1:50 and really struggled towards the end. The second was 1:57 and again I as practically down to a jog for the last few metres. Another 2 minutes rest and this time before halfway I succumbed to an almighty stitch right across my abdomen that only got worse when I stopped. That was enough of that. I had half an hour left so I did 5k at 5:30 pace.
Bit of a disaster but at least it gave me some indication of where I'm at.

gramar

Redemption.
I was intent on righting the wrongs of Thursday and doing some proper 500m intervals.
I felt quite good doing a 2km warm up and I tweaked the target pace to 4min/km and
added 20 seconds rest to make it 2min 20sec. It worked well as effort levels were high
above 90% effort but not flat out.
2:00
1:54
1:56
1:54
1:56
1:55
2:00
1:56

HigginsJ

When you are doing intervals are you on a track or have you measured ot a section of road etc.?

gramar

HigginsJ wrote: »

When you are doing intervals are you on a track or have you measured ot a section of road etc.?

I do nearly all of my running on the tracks around the village used by farmers to get around which are mostly a mix of compressed sand/gravel. Some surfaces are better than others as you can see from a couple of pics I've attached. The first is the track I use mostly and is more or less flat and has an even surface. The second is one of the many hills with a lot more loose stones making it harder again. There's no cover so the watch always has a good signal and I've checked distances with google maps and they match up so I can just set the watch to a distance and I'm fairly sure it's accurate.





Today after a bit of russian roulette with the showers of rain I headed out about lunchtime. After the first 2km I began to feel more comfortable. I think this may have been down to the body managing at this stage to purge the beer and smokes from last night. That's not to mention the 3XL burger greasier than John Travolta's hair in the movie of the same name. After 3km I turned and did 2 fast 1km's and a hard 500m to finish up and felt all the better for it.

gramar

Brought the gear in case I could get out after work and get out I did to one hour of easy jogging.
It was an all terrain run as I was on tarmac, grass, gravel and clay at one stage or another. Lovely
evening and enjoyable although I only got into it after about 5km.
10.86km in 1:00:07.
Fun fact - the first run on a Monday, Tuesday or Wenesday since the 2nd of Jan.
Bonus fun fact - my first run on a Wednesday since October 12th.

gramar

Easy run planned for this evening 4.5km out and back. Very blustery and running into a headwind for the first 4.5k taking it easy at 5:25 pace all
the way and I was very comfortable. I picked things up slightly after 5km doing km 6 @ 5min/km km 7 @ 4:50min/km and km 8 @ 4:30.
Eased off then for the last one at 5:20 or so. Felt good all the way. Not sure it that is a little bit of fitness returning or just the Friday feeling.
102km for the month plus a few km's warm up that weren't on the watch.

gramar

2km or so warm up followed by 6x800m with 2min rest.
I wanted to do these at about 4:10min/km pace. Went fairly well.
Effort was high enough but I felt I had it under control.
3:23
3:21
3:16
3:23
3:20
3:20

gramar

After a long day yesterday today was always going to be an easy run and 40mins was the target.
Stacking a ton of sticks, an interval run, playing football with kids, lunch, drinks, more playing football with kids,
more drinks and getting to bed at 1:30am does not for a good run make.

First 3km or so were up a slight drag into the wind and the last 3 with the drag in my favour and wind at my back
so picked it up slightly. I noticed again today that I'm only beginning to get into a comfortable rhythm after 3-4km
although not entirely sure what that means.
7.51km in 41.47.

gramar

I had 40 mins to get this evenings run done so I decided to make it a run of two halves. 20 mins at an easy enough pace and then
pick it up for the last 20mins. I covered 3.75km in the first 20mins and from there kicked on a bit and covered 4.26 in the next 20mins
going from about 5:20 to just over 4:40min/km. I felt good after the run, not just physically but felt a bit stronger than I had recently.

HigginsJ

Good stuff G, building to some good times this year.

gramar

HigginsJ wrote: »

Good stuff G, building to some good times this year.

Thanks J...Even though it wasn't a particularly long or fast run, today was the first day in a while I felt I was making progress and felt confident that I was going in the right direction.

gramar

Friday evening I left the car in for servicing which is on the way home and ran the rest. 5.5km in 28:30.
The legs were sluggish and running into the wind meant a distinct abscence of any Friday feeling.
Saturday I had to go and collect the car so set off in the opposite direction and surprise surprise I was
running into the wind again. Went a bit harder at this and did 5.5km in 26:45km.
Sunday morning I did a 2.5km warm up and then for the 2.5km back I set the watch for two 100m intervals.
The first was 100m strides and then 100m walking and I did this all the way back doing 13 sets of strides
altogether. Quite enjoyable to do this for a change. I hit my top speed on the last one of 2:37min/km.
My groins will thank me for this tomorrow.

gramar

I think I have my first running injury. I noticed it Sunday as I warmed up but it went away fairly quickly.
I didn't feel it again until yesterday and a bit again during the day today and most definitely felt it when I went out
for a run this evening. After some google diagnosis it appears I have shin splints. Or shin splint as it's only on my
left leg, halfway up on the inside of the bone. Like I got a kick there but not sore to touch and ok to run on. Or maybe
it's not but I did anyway. I did 1 hour easy earlier and after about 2km I didn't really notice it. Nice evening for it and
took it easy at 5:30min/km pace or so.

gramar

I was looking at a Hal Higdon plan for 5km a few days ago. I'd seen marathon programs but didn't know
there was a 5km one. Turns out it's more or less my own make it up as you go along plan. The main difference
are the intervals that tend to be a bit shorter from 200 to 400m whereas I was doing more 800m and 1km.

Today it was tempo run time. The plan was 2km at 5min/km then up the pace a bit to 4:40 or so and then
ease off for a km and then up it again for the last one. About 800m in I rounded the bend to see an auld fella
with his wife pegging stones at the dog. I remember meeting them before and she saying she was afraid of
them. No better way of course not to antagonise them than by throwing stones. I met them on the way back
and she apologised. Being a bit OCD about stopping once I've started I told it was fine and not to worry as
I sailed on.
6km in 28:23.
4:59
5:03
4:36
4:27
4:47
4:27
I followed this with the same 100m strides/100m walk as a few days ago. Surprisingly my groins made no complaints after
Sunday but the shin is still a bit sore but more or less disappeared after about 500m.

gramar

I felt a bit of a pull at the back of my left knee after Thursday that was worse Friday. I had no run planned but if i had I wouldn't
have been doing it. It was a bit better yesterday and I didn't notice anything today so I decided to chance it. Google said some kind
of tendonitis but it appears to have cleared itself up without the need for ice packs, massages, anti-inflammatories and knee supports.

After 500km of driving this morning I was glad to get to stretch the legs.
Felt nothing at the back of my knee but after hardly 100m into the warm up my shin was quite painful but it eased a bit after about 500m
and once I picked up the pace a bit disappeared altogether.

I did a 2km/10min warm up followed by some 400m repeats with 90 seconds walking. As usual I started off too quickly and I needed more
than 90sec rest as I was fooked after 3 of these. I ground out the last one and after a longer rest decided to do two more as doing only
4 hardly seemed worth getting changed for.
1:24
1:24
1:27
1:28
1:29
1:29
I had 2km left to warm down and did 1600m before pushing for the last 400m in 1:27. This left me wondering how I could only manage 1:29 off
2 mins rest and then do 400m in 1:27 picking up from a 4:50min/km pace for 1600m preceeding it.
It also left me wondering how I did 3:45min/km for the last km in a 5k last year and can't hold that pace for 400m now.
I reckon I could manage a 5km in 21:30 or so at the moment which McMillan says is a 76sec 400m.
The fasted today was 84, there were a few more seconds there but not that many.

HigginsJ

Whats your 5km PB G?

After such a long drive I wouldn't read anything into the times today, hell of a workout mind.

gramar

HigginsJ wrote: »

Whats your 5km PB G?

After such a long drive I wouldn't read anything into the times today, hell of a workout mind.

I did a 20:16 last September and a 19:45 a couple of weeks later.
They had last km times of 3:37 and 3:27 respectively. I have a lot of work to do to get back there.

gramar

Today was tempo run day which was mostly because it was getting dark and I didn't have time for
much else and also because if I didn't go last night I wouldn't be able to go for a week due to work
and travel.
With 23:30 or thereabouts as a target I set off and is often the case these evening runs feel a lot
better than morning runs. The body seems to feel more awake and willing and while I wouldn't go as
far as to say gliding I was moving easily. This was 2.5km out and back with the headwind very noticeable
after the turn but didn't really bother me.
5km in 22:46
4:39
4:36
4:32
4:32
4:22
A few easy strides to finish and I was done. Pleased with that and there was probably a minute and a half
I could take off that with a balls to the wall run. There's a 5km on in a months time so I'll put that theory to
the test then.

gramar

An unexpected schedule change meant I could get out for a midday run. I wouldn't have bothered only it'll be the middle of next week before I'm out again so I wanted to keep things ticking over. Sitting in a doctor's waiting room for ages for what in the end took only 2 minutes was eating into my running time to I had less than an hour for the 10km I wanted to do.

After a few hundred metres I was doing a few seconds under 5min/km so I kept it there. With a strong wind behind it felt easy but I knew the 5km coming back would be a lot tougher and I wasn't wrong and effort levels were high enough into the blustery invisible bastard. I set myself the challenge of a negative split to stop any slacking off which I must admit was tempting but I stuck at it managed it by about 7 seconds or so.
10km in 48:04.

gramar

First run in 8 days due to one thing or another. I was hoping the rest would give the shin time to recover
and thankfully there was no discomfort. I did 4 easy km's with the wind and felt fine. On the way back I
did the second 500m of each km a bit faster in a fartlek type effort and again comfortable all the way.
A few more runs over the next 3 days and I should be back on track.
8km in 41:25.

gramar

After a few hours in the gardening planting what I hope to be eating over the next few months I decided to head out.
I know Hal Higdon prefers short intervals but I wanted to do a few 1km ones. 5 to be exact to see how I'd cope.
Quite well I thought in the end. After 2km to warm up and a few strides I tried to hit a 4:10min/km pace off 90 secs
rest and did fairly well if I do say so myself. The effort levels were highish but I felt i was controlling the effort instead
of it controlling me and I had a bit more to give.
4:09
4:05
4:07
4:11
4:10
I'm quite happy with that and it went better than expected.
The one thing I changed was the first 100m or so. I usually try to get up to target pace within 20 metres. I tried
to start slow and increase it progressively and avoid the trough on the graph when I look at it on the polar later.
Heading out too fast...slowing in the middle and pushing towards the end. Only the first and last interval weren't
trough-like though despite my good intentions.

gramar

I had the faintest twinge in my hamstrings on Sunday after the km repeats the day before but gone by yesterday. 10km out and back in 53mins. Nothing to report other than that I was hungry from about 4km on.

gramar

I went to one of the local parks after work for some 400m repeats. There's a straight flat gravel track about 500m long so ideal for this.
After a a couple of km's to warm up and a few strides I got going and did 8 with the time ranging from 1:30 to 1:35. and I hadn't much more.
The legs were fine but I couldn't have shovelled much more coal on the fire in terms of effort.

I was thinking of doing a few more but got chatting to someone so left it at that and as I chatted watched a few of the habitual winners of the local
and provincial 5km and 10km races glide past effortlessly.

Checking later I was about 5 or 6 seconds slower than a similar session two weeks ago and a whopping 15 seconds off my best time over 400m
last summer which means that time is either wildly inaccurate or I'm as slow as erosion. Hopefully the answer is somewhere in the middle. The track while flat and straight is under a lot of tree cover and the running line mapped out is anything but straight so it's probably (hopefully) measured long and I'm at least where I was two weeks ago. I'll need to do this again in a couple of days just to put my mind at ease though.

gramar

Home earlier than expected and the only thing on my mind was getting out and running
a few 400m repeats and prove to myself I wasn't as slow as last night's time would have me believe. I had checked the distance with the google maps distance measuring tool and then did a test run to see if the watch gps agreed which it did to within inches. After 2km to warm up and a few strides I was ready for the off with 2 minutes recovery instead of the 90 seconds the evening before and I certainly needed every second of it. The lungs were gasping for air but at least my mind was at rest.
1:24
1:20
1:22
1:22

gramar

Rain was forecast for Friday evening but it didn't look too bad as I headed out and thought I'd get finished before it started.
The strong wind I was running into though was carrying the rainclouds in my direction though and I felt a few drops about a km in.
Just on the second km I rounded a bed giving me a view of a few miles down the valley and I could see it was tipping down.
Between fight or flight I chose flight. There was no point running into that so coward that I am I turned on my heel and legged it back.

Seeing as I only got 4km Friday I went out again today.
9km at easy enough pace including a few climbs and fast last km. A few strides then and decided to take a short cut home which
meant running up a steep field. All in all it was a bit of a dolly mixture of a run today.