Sunrise Running

shotgunmcos

Simple log title to reflect my preference to run in the morning. I like to run by feel. I like to feel a rhythm. Running to a rhythm as the dark sky cracks, revealing the beginning of a sunrise, is an energizing way to start the day Plus in a busy urban life, its the only guaranteed way to find peace!

A new log. Possibly my last one.

2020 Actual - 10 hrs/week, 6 days active and 2,100 miles (40 mpw), despite not running for most of the summer due to injury.

2021 Target - Same volume 10 hrs/week, 6 days active for 2,600 miles (50mpw)

All PRs are under attack! To PR, the efforts to beat are...

Mile -- 5:35 pace (2020)
5k -- 5:52 pace (2011)
10k -- 6:08 pace (2011)
10m -- 6:14 pace (2010)
HM -- 6:23 pace (2012)
FM -- 6:49 pace (2019)

Some of the targets may need more time than 2021. The older ones were from a time when I was pretty fit and had a coach. All will be tough to beat. Instead of a shiny pair of luminous adizero adios pro, Santa this year brought a comfy pair of Ugg... slippers! I'm not that old yet, its more to do with an underlying metatarsal bursitis issue. It carries risk if flaring at any time. How much mileage can I build? How hard can I push the envelope? If I can stay healthy and motivated, 2021 will likely split into 3 phases.

Phase 1
Test myself regularly over 2k, 5k and 10k. Enter races if they pop up. Proactive focus on S&C and running accessories. Mind the foot.

Phase 2
Switch summer focus to a 5 day team Adventure Race in Scotland (if it goes ahead). Running focus turns to base long runs, exploring MP effort. I'll take a full 1-2 weeks break after the race as the body will need it.

Phase 3
An 8 week build and peak for a PR attempt at DCM 2021 (if it goes ahead). Execute a Half Marathon TT or event en route. Ideally bank the PR, take a break and switch focus back to 5k, 10k. All going well I'd be fit for some winter XC.

healy1835

Nice one Mike. Glad you started a new log as there's always something to be gleaned from your posts quick question; do those Ugg's have a carbon plate?

Annie get your Run

healy1835 wrote: »

Nice one Mike. Glad you started a new log as there's always something to be gleaned from your posts quick question; do those Ugg's have a carbon plate?

+1, lots to learn here, best of luck in 2021!

Interestingly, my physio told me to stay well away from UGG and sketcher type shoes & boots as they don't provide enough stability for the foot. However, I'm much older than you and probably have a different area of weakness.

shotgunmcos

Lol haha J. The slippers are basically as I now WFH I'm constantly walking barefoot on hard floor tiles. Interesting the Pro shoes debate. I waited until others popped up. Have my name on a waiting list for the Adidas Adios Pro. Even if I do get a pair though, I promised they won't be used until I bag at least one PR. That depends on how the foot holds up to forefoot pounding..

A - the Uggs are simply for cushion around the house. My physio is good but hadn't a clue about the bursitis. Foot strengthening stuff. Otherwise if it flares, an injection to get X months..

Murph_D

Good title! Best of luck with those goals. Presume you’ve listed paces as you’re predicting plenty of TTs rather than races, which seems sensible for 2021. Good luck!

OOnegative

Hipster with your UGG slippers....... Your probably growing the hair long at the minute to so you can tie it in a man bun!!!

Best of luck with the log M, will be following with great interest as always.

shotgunmcos

Ah thanks lads.

D - good assumption! Probably TTs until the summer at least. While injured last summer I did a number of progressive rowing TTs. Tough but very satisfying. Thought I'd apply a similar approach to running. Pace focus instead of time so I can bank x minutes per week at target paces or % of target paces. Similar to MP focus but for shorter distance. Hopefully will help me control workout efforts better.

B - man bun eh, are you creating a running forum calendar? Lol what month is TbLs arse?

BeginnerRunner

Personally, I'm all for comfy slippers. Those, a good pair of jammies, a nice neck warmer and a solid hat are winter essentials.

shotgunmcos

W/E 2 Jan - Monday to Wednesday
M: 9.31 miles @7:45 | HRR 69-80%

Felt suitably heavy and sluggish. It will take a few clean January weeks to undo the excess festive kcals. Harder to do every year. Brisk cadence in a bitter north easterly. Easy to steady effort. The body was stiff from a pile of impromptu squats the previous evening. Thought it had loosened during the run but the DOMS were even worse that evening. Too sore to roll out.

T: Day off. Long walk with the kids.

W: 8.15 miles @8:07 | HRR 60%

Chilly and calm morning. Still cold enough to see my breath and freeze my knuckles. Easy miles but the body was reluctant. Each freezing mile felt like double gravity. 5 miles in I came across a post with a sign. Olympic Trail 4. The 2.6k trail used by Neil Cusak so many times to train for the 1972 (10,000m) and 1976 (Marathon) Olympics. So many times I've passed it and never noticed. Still on a plod though approaching the bridge back into town. A local speedster passed me looking speedy. Perked my posture up for the last 2 miles home in a light cold rain.

HRR (Heart Rate Reserve) vs MHR (Max Heart Rate)
Why I use HRR? Its an extra variable. It takes in your max and resting heart rate. Max doesn't change much but resting HR is different per person and can change as your fitness peaks and troughs. There is a good HR Training thread in the main forum for anyone thinking of using HR with shiny new watches.

OOnegative

Neil Cusack maybe??

BeginnerRunner

Was always curious if you quoted HRR numbers in your training and meant it as heart rate reserve because they seemed way too low for the effort you were putting out if they were HR max %s.

Do you recalculate manually afterwards or does your watch do it?

Murph_D

How often do you check your RHR? Given that it's best to do before you get out of bed (or at least that's my understanding), if you haven't thought to do it that morning, you won't really know when you're heading out the door. When marathon training I got into the habit of keeping a pulse-ox monitor on my bedside table to get a good read.

I guess this is one advantage of being a morning runner like yourself.

shotgunmcos

I check HR everyday. Garmin Connect tracks it too. Rest/Max everyday and a 7 day rolling avg. I set my zones to automatically pick up rest and max on GC for HRR. I use HRR as a guide on runs. If its a capped easy run, its the only metric I use. I think it picks up the avg rest hr instead of the lowest point of the day. The wrist based hr can throw up anomalies.

The Garmin watch run summary details doesn't give me avg HRR though. Not sure how/if you can change that.

I take my actual avg/max hr values and put them on a drive sheet that auto calcs HRR that auto colour codes zones.

Swashbuckler

Happy to see this log. All the best with the 2021 plans. We may even get to run a TT together at some point!

Annie get your Run

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I check HR everyday. Garmin Connect tracks it too. Rest/Max everyday and a 7 day rolling avg. I set my zones to automatically pick up rest and max on GC for HRR. I use HRR as a guide on runs. If its a capped easy run, its the only metric I use. I think it picks up the avg rest hr instead of the lowest point of the day. The wrist based hr can throw up anomalies.

The Garmin watch run summary details doesn't give me avg HRR though. Not sure how/if you can change that.

I take my actual avg/max hr values and put them on a drive sheet that auto calcs HRR that auto colour codes zones.

How do you set it to automatically adjust? I have mine set for HRR too but I only see a box where you can enter your resting heart rate, I just picked a number that's about average for me most days.

shotgunmcos

Annie get your Run wrote: »

How do you set it to automatically adjust? I have mine set for HRR too but I only see a box where you can enter your resting heart rate, I just picked a number that's about average for me most days.

Morning! OK in Garmin Connect

Garmin Devices/FRxxx or your watch version/user settings/Heart Rate Zones/select "based on % Heart Rate Reserve/select resting Heart Rate.. you should see option to "set custom" or "use automatic"

Hope that helps?

Murph_D

My wrist monitor just does not work reliably on my skinny wrists so I can't trust the RHR it gives me at all. I think I'll try to get back to the pulse-ox on wakening routine as a new year resolution.

shotgunmcos

I don't have skinny wrists and the wbhr is still atrocious. I use a Garmin HRM-RUN strap. I sometimes forget it and rubbish the data. Although, will say it usually settles after 10mins. Can spike at any time too. I don't like to wear the watch as tight as you need for a better running hr read.

Annie get your Run

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Morning! OK in Garmin Connect

Garmin Devices/FRxxx or your watch version/user settings/Heart Rate Zones/select "based on % Heart Rate Reserve/select resting Heart Rate.. you should see option to "set custom" or "use automatic"

Hope that helps?

Thanks, I have selected 'based on % HRR' but I don't see any option for 'select resting heart rate', only a box where I can enter a fixed number, nor do I see an option to set custom or use automatic. Perhaps its dependent on the watch! I don't think my RHR changes drastically enough for it to matter, it averages between 42 - 48 depending on sleep or wine quantities!

shotgunmcos

New Years Eve 2020
S&C: Row, skipping and tabata sets | HRR 66-89%
6.31 miles progression | HRR 69-92%!!

Appropriate way to finish this weird year. On the rower, the mat and the road. Totals, 2,100k on the rower, 60+ hours on the mat and 2,100 miles on the road/trail. 500 hours logged on 321 active days. Lots of work on the engine room and chassis.

The workout was 20 mins row at 213w or 1:58.0/500m. I then tried out my new beast rope elite for 10 mins. I love the feel of the steel handles and smooth bearings. Struggled as a novice does but I will become a double under beast this year.

Straight onto the mat then for some short sharp suffering. Tabata is 8 reps of 20sec on, hard as you can go, 10 sec rest. My little girl set up her mat to match me and my youngest slapped a cold wet hand towel off us during the session! 4 sets with 60 secs recovery... torture

Set 1: Tabata burpees for score. Hit 9,8,7,7,7,7,7,7 for 59.
Set 2: Tabata forward lunges/reverse lunge + knee drive
Set 3: 16kg DB snatch/push ups
Set 4: Core assault with hollow rocks/v sits

The burpees were evil after just the 3rd rep. Hit a HRR max of 89% on this first set! The next set, lunges was grand. Set 3, the snatches were technical but the pushup were a mess after the burpees. Managed just 8 pushups on the last 20 sec. Thought the core round would be OK but how wrong I was. Tough workout. High 5'd my daughter who at 6 years was hitting 2-4 strict pushups and did the whole burpee round with me!

Picked up the last 12kg slam ball at Aldi today so thrusters and wall balls will make it into the workouts soon.

Later in the evening headed out for the final miles of 2020. Figured a short figure 8 of the quays and bridges. Quiet in town. Eerie with all the lights still on, especially the illuminated super still big wheel in the park. More birds than revellers, just a few couples taking selfies against a shiny high tide and its happy swans.

8:11 first mile into a bitter breeze. Just trying to warm up. Figured a short run as the foot had a pounding with the skipping and burpees earlier. 7:39 mile 2, steady fresh cadence. 7:30 mile 3. Hmmm, push on? Figured I'd be hungover for any work tomorrow so decided to press it. 7:22 next mile including a run across an empty bridge in the middle of the road.

The wind behind me running back up town but into a stride with 6:46 mile 5. Thought about dropping back to easy for the last mile but then thought, to hell with 2020. Pressed hard on the last few minutes up town, uphill, gasping. I was at 6:06 pace. Flat home, wind assisted, I gulped the cold air and smashed out a 5:49! HRR 92% to hit my 2nd fastest mile of the year! Nice way to cap it off.

If the foot holds up, I will become a better runner in 2021.
Happy New Year boardsies! Looking forward to the forum banter, following your logs and hopefully putting faces to names and some event or other! Stay safe..

Shotgun

Murph_D

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I don't have skinny wrists and the wbhr is still atrocious. I use a Garmin HRM-RUN strap. I sometimes forget it and rubbish the data. Although, will say it usually settles after 10mins. Can spike at any time too. I don't like to wear the watch as tight as you need for a better running hr read.

Yes, I use the strap too. I’m not asking the question properly - how do you know your resting HR day to day if you don’t trust the watch? I take it you don’t sleep wearing the strap!

shotgunmcos

Murph_D wrote: »

Yes, I use the strap too. I’m not asking the question properly - how do you know your resting HR day to day if you don’t trust the watch? I take it you don’t sleep wearing the strap!

OK got you. Most mornings, check the the last 4hr graph on the watch. Its not great during activities but at least you are relatively still for periods during sleep. Don't usually see the usual peaks on that "last 4hrs" when I wake up. Click that graph and you get a graph showing RHR over last 7 days. Gives you a number and trend. Its tracking 24/7 so despite not trusting during activities, I feel this 7 day trend is a decent gauge.

Actual morning routine. My blood pressure drops suddenly making me dizzy if I leap out of the bed. Crazy bleary memories of picking the kids out of the cot as the world spun. Anyway, a good habit I've created is drinking a pint of water first thing. Sit up, feet on the floor and once in a while count my pulse for 30 secs. Do it twice to be sure. Usually find its a beat or 2 lower than my 7day Garmin avg. No big deal. It means <1% variance on HRR readings.

In short I trust the watch more at rest than during activities but can't beat a simple pulse check.

During activities, if I forget the strap for easy runs no big deal. However for workouts I'll grab the realistic data from GC. The time spent in zones is pretty useful, and based on the %HRR settings in GC. Using avg/max HRR is one measure but also useful to clock actual Z4 and particularly Z5 minutes per week.

shotgunmcos

New Years Day 2021
7.35 miles easy @8:28 | HRR 64%

A plod into darkness. A cold sunset reluctant hour with sore glutes. Bloody burpees. Loads out walking but dodging these electric scooters ain't fun. Lots of hopping on and off the curb. Legs fatigued. Tired. Took it a mile at a time wanting to bail often. Stood on the scale this morning. Apparently I'm obese and my bodyfat is close to 'high. Celebrated that instantly with 30 push ups and 15 pull ups.

2021
7/2,600 miles
30/10,000 push ups
15/2,000 pull ups

Shotgun

shotgunmcos

Jan 2
Row 8,010m, 33mins @180w | 59%HRR
Calisthenics 22mins

Had an alarm set to run before Mrs Shotgun left for work. Slept through. Didnt even hear the kids. 10hrs sleep and woke up feeling ragged. Head cold. Explains why I felt so awful running yesterday. Hot toddies and fire going for the day. Went for a short walk to get the kids out of the house. Will get another good sleep and leave the run to tomorrow.

Easy Row and conditioning to move the body. Low rate rowing felt OK. Little Ms Shotgun kept me company again for 2 rounds of 20 reps on the mat
Forward lunge
Reverse lunge
Push ups
Squat jump
Calf raise
Pull up (4x5)
Side plank dip
Hip bridge
Supermans
Mountain climber

2021
7/2,600 miles
100/10,000 push ups
65/2,000 pull ups

Shotgun

shotgunmcos

Jan 3
Row 8k @182w | HRR 61-68%
S&C 25mins plyometrics | HRR 66-81%

I really wanted to run today. Gorgeous cold clear air. Alas headcold still bothering me. Runny nose and sneezing. Wouldn't get through a mile without snot rockets. Plus what would I get from a short easy run vs a night by the fire, mulled wine and an early nights sleep :rolleyes:

Indoor session so. 33 mins on the rower at 2:04.4, a pace I'd like to hold for a marathon some day. Got a sweat going. Heart rate was ok for the effort, a sign that this is above the neck. Next, mat out for a plyo session. This log will refer to cals (calisthetics) and plyo (plyometrics) regularly this year. Cals are bodyweight exercises while plyo are body weight and/or some weights and more dynamic movements.

Session was 3 Rounds of 60sec on/15sec off
Skater jumping squats
Mountain climbers
Jumping lunges
Russian twists with 12kg slam ball
Single leg glute bridges
Shoulder tap plank

60 sec feels like a long time when you are going hard, particularly on the jumping lunges and the russian twists. Used the 12kg slam ball I got in Aldi. It will feature regularly too. Quality stuff. Still had to resist going for a run all day.

Decided to swap to metric for this phase as I focus on 5k and 10k.

Week 1
49.9km (31 miles)
1hr26 rowing
1hr20 S&C

6 days active but just 50/80km target running and 7/10 hours. An ok start.
Next week is back to work and routine. I absolutely need to hit the morning predawn runs to get it done, plus get used to running metric again.

2010
7/2,600 miles (11/4,200 km)
130/10,000 press ups
75/2,000 pull ups
21/1,000km rowing

Shotgun

ReeReeG

Great to see the new log started up good luck with the 2021 goals M!

shotgunmcos

Jan 4
Yoga 27 mins
17.54k @4:53 |HRR 66-75%

Woke up before the alarm. Ninja down the steps. Sleepy yoga with Adrienne. Made blueberry and banana creamy porridge, had coffee. Kids arrived down and we had ate together. Normally I'd be out the door first thing but with schools still off had the opportunity to wait for day break to avoid the icy frosty paths in the dark. Gorgeous calm clean cold air. No rush to start work first day back so enjoyed a longer one. Avocado and poached egg on homemade brown bread and another coffee for second breakfast

Although it was daylight, it took over an hour for the sleepy winter sunrise to appear. Thought it appropriate to christen the log title with my first running sunrise of the year

shotgunmcos

Jan 5 - Workout Day
C2 Row 8k easy | HRR avg 49% max 55%
S&C 20min Test | HRR avg 71 max 87%
12x400m off 60s | HRR avg 75 max 91%

A few kcals burned today!

Session 1
Easy rowing warm up then a 20 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible). A Crossfit classic "Cindy" workout. As many rounds of strict 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats as you can in 20 minutes.

Result: 14 Rounds +11 reps. Total 75 pull ups, 146 push ups, 210 squats
Gave it a good go and was wrecked for a finish. Push ups again is where I broke down. After 7 rounds down to 5,3,2. After 10 round down to 2, singles. Its only one round off my best of 2020. Pretty happy with that as a first attempt for this year.

Session 2
14.88km including a workout. 20 mins warm up in the Boston 7s. First non cushioned run shoe in months. It has some boost foam but you can really feel the road. A well broken in pair with 200 miles in them. Much prefer them to the Boston 8.

Overall a a better controlled session than normal. Set the target around my current 5k PR. After the first 2 reps I found a groove for the next 4. Had to dodge some cars on rep 7 and switched off a little. Switched back on for rep 8 and it was much too fast :rolleyes: However, more or less back on track after that. Good workout off a smaller recovery than I historically used (Hansons Plan) but kept running between the reps. A solid 20 threshold minutes banked

12x400m off 60s jog
Target 3:50 range 3:45-3:55
dist|time|pace|in range
400m|1:32|3:52|Yes
400m|1:28|3:42|No
400m|1:31|3:49|Yes
400m|1:30|3:47|Yes
400m|1:30|3:46|Yes
400m|1:30|3:47|Yes
400m|1:33|3:54|Yes
400m|1:27|3:38|No
400m|1:31|3:50|Yes
400m|1:31|3:49|Yes
400m|1:31|3:48|Yes
400m|1:29|3:43|No


2010
27/2,600 miles (42/4,200 km)
306/10,000 press ups
165/2,000 pull ups
24/1,000 km rowing
5/5 days active

BeginnerRunner

It's amazing how quickly the push ups go. And once they're gone - they're gone!

shotgunmcos

Jan 6
12.38k @5:20 | HRR avg 58% max 65%
S&C: Calisthetics 26 mins | HRR avg 44% max 61%

Sunrise running easy is lovely when you have the opportunity to eat some warm creamy porridge, read a chapter** and head out. Thats only due to Mrs Shotgun not working today and I don't have to do the 8am school run Sunrise is a lazy 0845 so I catch it towards the end of my run. That will be a different story mid summer when sunrise is before 5am :eek: B..B..B..Baltic again this morning, coldest one yet.

A bit of fatigue in the legs to be expected. Last night I debated going out for the workout, thought I'd leave it for today. However, then thought having 2 easy days to recover would be better and that got me out.

Some light Cals afterwards. Reducing sets of 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Pull/Chin ups
Split squats each leg
Push ups
Pistol squats
Plank up downs
Dead bugs
Hollow rocks
Hollow arch

**chapter ref= penultimate chapter of Sapiens - A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. A very slow but interesting and thought provoking read. Its taken me a few goes and simply ages to get through it.

A more urban sunrise running


2021
35/2,600 miles (56/4,200 km)
336/10,000 press ups
195/2,000 pull ups
24/1,000 km rowing
6/6 days active

shotgunmcos

Jan 7
8.15k snowy trail run @5:08 | HRR avg 65% max HRR 77%

Heavy day at work today and knew I wouldn't have the energy nor the will later in the evening. We all had to go for Covid Tests during the day too which added business. Delighted I got out as it was a winter wonderland. I'm lucky living in Limerick City outskirts that I have a short trail loop behind my house. Perfect for a snowy trail loop to avoid icy paths. Over 75m elevation on a short lapped run had me breathing a little heavy. Had the trail to myself for half an hour until some dog walkers and photographers emerged. Legs a little tender so nothing more today.

Well apart from 5x10 push ups and 5x5 pull ups

No sunrise reveal and the only shot I got before my phone died.



2021
40/2,600 miles (64/4,200 km)
386/10,000 press ups
220/2,000 pull ups
24/1,000 km rowing
7/7 days active