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Fear is the key
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I've been off this forum for a while. Reading logs would make me feel guilty. Procastinating. I'm good at this - I just stopped reading them
Updating this log mean facing some thoughts I don’t really want to address. because I’m afraid of the answer. I’m afraid of the disappointment.
What am I now, anyway?
Runner?
Ex novice?
Graduate?
Delinquent sailor (to my OH’s disgust, that ain’t changing any time soon, developed a completely irrational ‘fear’ a couple of years ago)?
Powerlifter?
Worse, damaged (aka one handed) powerlifter?
Any of the above?
Post DCM, I had to take one week off completely - on account of not being able to put anything but flipflops on one foot. I won’t go into any further details :eek:
Since then, I’m back running & going to the gym, just a few easy runs ranging from 15-130 minutes, the short runs on a treadmill before gym weights sessions (light weights, high volume) twice a week and the longer runs in the park at weekends.
I love the runs, they give me a peaceful headspace with no pressure to do x amount of miles regardless of time constraints or tiredness. Heart rate has been nice and low. Twisted my knee last Sunday and cut the run short, but otherwise the body is fine.
Why am I a procrastinating:
I hurt my back/shoulder in June - end result being nerve damage to my left arm caused by disc stenosis. Pain is completely gone, but I now lack strength in my left hand and still have pins and needles in 2 fingers. Last time I tested (pre DCM), grip-strength was only about 80% with a wrist strap.
I love lifting heavy weights. I get such a buzz. If my grip doesn’t improve, I really won’t know what to do with myself. I’m am terrified at the thought. Gym-coachy is, as always, completely positive. It will be a few weeks before I know how I stand. I have to build the weight up again after so long, before I know. Longer still before I get any idea if the weakness is permanent.
So anyway, I made a plan. Nothing like a bit of distraction. I downloaded the graduates plan. No races until next year. Absolutely happy with this decision. Let’s get back to some decent lifting. Mmmn, what if that goes south…..
Re-drew the plan, pretty colours. Again no racing until next year. Very happy.
Then I accidentally entered Jingle Bells
The Plan
2 days x Gym, short easy treadmill run before each. Steadily try get back to lifting reasonable weights.
3 x Runs - following the graduates base building plan, specifically the 2 sessions and 1 long run.
Is this wise - effectively 5 mid-hard days per week?
I have been reading some of the older graduates threads. I selectively picked a single post in an old thread where the mentor advised one graduate with a very specific training goal and arbitrarily decided I can apply that specific advice to me, irrespective that the goals don’t match. (Let’s not dwell on the fact that my bread and butter day-in day-out is knowing you have to treat each and every set of circumstances differently, depending on their own facts.)
We’ll see how it goes.
Now I have a lot of posts to catch up on...0 -
You're baaaack!
Good stuff, and good to hear you're getting back into things. You've had a lot to contend with so I wouldn't worry about the labels for now.
As for the plan and scheduling, I'd say you know much more than I do but I have always heard that if you're combining lifting with running the concept of 'hard days hard, easy days easy' applies, so where possible you do lifting on the same day as harder runs (with a gap maybe), and keep some days just for recovery/easy stuff. Though I don't know, if the lifting is your main thing it's probably different.
If Huzzah! has taught me anything, it's that creating excel spreadsheets with pretty colours is the key to lifeRe-drew the plan, pretty colours. 0 -
Yay. I love this log. Good to have you back Fingers and toes crossed the strength comes back.
As for the plan and scheduling, I'd say you know much more than I do but I have always heard that if you're combining lifting with running the concept of 'hard days hard, easy days easy' applies, so where possible you do lifting on the same day as harder runs (with a gap maybe), and keep some days just for recovery/easy stuff. Though I don't know, if the lifting is your main thing it's probably different.
I've no idea either, but I try to do Pilates on session days in line with the hard days hard, easy days easy mantra. I'd be inclined to maybe keep it to one session and the long run and everything else easy, but that's not based on any knowledge, just a gut feeling. The Grads Plan is also sort of designed so that you're running your long run on tiredish legs.If Huzzah! has taught me anything, it's that creating excel spreadsheets with pretty colours is the key to life
If only it was the key to life, I'd be winning!0 -
Thanks guys. I think it will be a case of learning as I go along. I will try to be sensible, though.
Maybe 1 session, 1 easy and 1 long will be best for now. There has to be a solutions to this 'want' to both run and lift.
Sun 25: 60 min progression, 7.9k HR ave 147 max 183
Wasn’t really sure how to approach this. Decided to try increasing the paces in 15 min blocks. (OO- endorsed this strategy, so I am clearly a natural
). This worked in principal, but the splits were far from steady.
Mon 26: Gym weights (deads, floor press, rdl’s, 1 arm row, shoulder press, triceps) followed by 20 min rec. on treadmill (2.7k)
Tues 27: rest
Wed 28: 20 min rec. on treadmill (2.7k) followed by gym (squats, incline bench, straight leg deads, overhead press, lat pull-down, biceps)
Thu 29: 40min, 10x100m AH, cooldown, 7.5k, HR ave 134 max 187. Most sprints were way too fast, couldn’t see my watch properly in the dark, couldn’t remember how to set it to keep the backlight on. I also need to get to grips with running in the dark. There can't be lunatics or dogs at every corner.
Fri 30: Rest0 -
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Wooooop, go you! PB and sub-30 with plenty to spare, very nicely done.
Definitely not a fraud. In some circles feeling like that at the end of a 5k is considered a badge of honourI ran straight for a gap in the fence where I dashed to dry heave on the grass, feeling like a bit of a fraud.
At least you can be sure you didn't shy away from the fight. 0 -
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Congrats on the pb. Very well done.You ain't no fraud. Congrats on the PB. Sub 30 was a special one for me. Nice start to your graduate "career"Wubble Wubble wrote: »40 second PB, get in! Nothing wrong with that. Plenty more to come.Great stuff on the PB, getting in well under sub-30, well done!OOnegative wrote: »Well done J, great racing!! As has been said, more to come off that time.
Thanks all.Sunny Dayz wrote: »Congrats on a great pb! Your km splits are beautiful!
In fairness, the course profile helped.Brilliant pb. I have some experiencing of dry retching like that - it's not pleasant but you persevered on well done, great result and more to come i'd say!Wooooop, go you! PB and sub-30 with plenty to spare, very nicely done.
Definitely not a fraud. In some circles feeling like that at the end of a 5k is considered a badge of honour At least you can be sure you didn't shy away from the fight.
I can see the experience actually holding me backGreat running. That 4th km took a huge effort as it wasn't hugely downhill, it was pretty flat. You definitely gave it everything. Well done.
I will be honest and admit I didn't analyse the course, I just assumed the second half was net downhill and went as hard as I could. Not the best preparation :pac:
As to feeling like a fraud - it's not that I didn't put in the effort or really feel the pressure, I did. I know I did my best.
But I didn't really feel like I had a right to have such a physical reaction, when so many are so, so much faster. I'm not looking for praise, endorsement, anything, just expressing (rightly or wrongly) what goes on in my head. I hope I'll always be my own worst critic and it will drive me onwards.0 -
Oh but I've always thought (though I know less than nothing about biology, so take my opinion and do with it what you will :pac:) that the physical reaction is to do with the relative effort put in, not at all to do with actual speed. So anyone, at any speed, is as likely to have it as anyone else if they're working that hard. Hence getting yourself to that point and hanging on means you're tough as nails, speed ain't got nothing to do with itBut I didn't really feel like I had a right to have such a physical reaction, when so many are so, so much faster. I'm not looking for praise, endorsement, anything, just expressing (rightly or wrongly) what goes on in my head. I hope I'll always be my own worst critic and it will drive me onwards. 0 -
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So, it's been a while.
With the run up to Christmas, then Christmas (skiing as usual), more knee pain (from the skiing), then back to work depression, knee rehab, odd run & very odd gym, then girl ‘flu ... brings me to:
Last week, I saw a physical therapist who was super positive. The C7 stenosis has left residual nerve damage in my arm & hand, still affecting my grip (left side, left hand). No exercise is ruled out unless it aggravates it. She gave me a reminder about forgotten (or blanked-out) nerve flossing. She also said I have to keep up my knee exercises, particularly.
My decision now is to start a 12-13 week weight training programme coupled with starting Base Building (my butchered version) again, training times based on my Jingle Bells 5k.
On balance the emphasis will be on weights, so I’ve no real business being here, but I have nowhere else suitable to go :P
I’ll probably target a short race early March, eg Lusk 4 mile.
So week 1 of base building:
Monday 21: 20 min easy, 1 hour weights.
Tuesday 22: Rest
Wednesday 23: 20 min very easy, 1 hour weights.
Thursday 24: Plan 60 min Progression (8:15-6:45)
Actual: 53 Min, HR, ave 154, Max 182
This started ok, managed the progression reasonably ok - until about 40 minutes in, and a nagging ache in my lower back wouldn’t be ignored, it affected my speed, my heartrate spiked and I cut the run short. I think it’s just from lack of running (ok and maybe the gym last night).
Friday 25: rest
Saturday 26: 40 min easy + 10x100m strides (AP with full recovery)
HR, ave 142, Max 188 (from avoiding a wayward dog on cooldown)
I really tried to stick to the pacing and I think I managed this reasonably ok, - although I realised on the first split that any splits I had done for DCM training were waaaay too fast! :pac:
Sunday 27: 90 min easy
10.94k @ 8:16, HR, ave 141, Max 172, Cold and windy, enjoyable, but my ankles began to hurt on the incline home, like they are swollen again. I am refusing to accept another kankle episode.
A low 30k for the week
Feeling really positive, off now for 'afternoon tea' to undo all my good work.0 -
Base building week 2
Monday 28: 20 min v easy @ 8:31, HR, ave 128, Max 156, 1 hour weights.
Tuesday 29: Rest
Wednesday 30: No run. 55 min weights. Tough session.
Thursday 31: 45 min moderate & short cool down - windy sleety evening, needed a bit of a talking to before I went out. So glad I did. I won’t say I enjoyed it, but I felt great after.
6.7k @ 7.33, HR, ave 145, Max 174
Friday 1: Rest
Saturday 2: 45 min easy (last 5 min @ Threshold)
6.8k, HR, ave 140, Max 164
Struggled with this, was running too fast for the easy and too slow for the threshold.
Sunday 3: 90 min easy
11k @ 8:19 HR, ave 143, Max 173, cold & damp, picked a known loop, but did it in reverse - and took a wrong turn. Things look different in reverse
28k for the week. Max heart rate was high on occasion - but I ran up my hill (0.5k) to home at the end of my runs sometimes. Not really cool down technique, I guess, but it's cold 0 -
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