Easy 1 Mile Jog + 2 Miles Run

Despite my cold, I couldn't contain yesterday's run to just one mile with young nephew, 10:53....

Instead I also decided to go a wee two miler on my own, which on a mostly uphill course I managed to keep an 8.15min/mile pace, which though not that fast, still pleased me.

My wife is out on a works night out tonight, so I plan to do my first 10K training run tonight and see how I feel.

Hill Training Roundup

Yesterday's hill session was a bit of a wash out. Mainly on account of me being up all night with a bad cough and blocked nose.
Yesterday I gave the office a miss, the gym a miss, but not the hill session!
I souldn't have bothered.... I managed 4 reps in total, the last two involved me swapping insoles with my nephew on account of his shin splints!
Feeling slightly better today, but I will limit my activity to 1 mile with my younger nephew.

Body Mass Index - BMI Calculator

Here is a simple BMI claculator, which may be of use..

I suppose i should have called this blog the obese runner!

Speed Session + Lactic Acid (C3H6O3) = Empty Legs!

Yesterday's tack session was a good laugh. The team consisted of me, nephew age 19 and nephew age 11. The wife was doing a yoga session in our house with my mother in law, so a hard track session didn't seem like that much of a chore!

The session

1 mile - (with little nephew) - 9.46

1 mile - 6.51

800 m - (with little nephew) - 5.07

800 m - 3.17

400 m - (with little nephew) - 2.44

400 m - 1.27

200 m - (with little nephew) - 1.12

200 m - 37s

So with this being my fist speed session, there were a few interesting findings. With my weight at 4 stone 8pounds, and me 5ft 8, here are the results ;)...

1. My lactate turnpoint is probably around 7.30min/mile
2. My maximum sprint is 4.10min/mile over 200m

3. My physical maximum HR is 192 bpm

4. My "full out" sprint lasts for 20-23 seconds before ATP+Creatine stores are wiped out!

All rather uninteresting I suppose!

But on the plus point, this morning's gym session felt ok, though I will be doing an easy 5K tonight! As tomorrow is a Gym + Hill Sessions day!

Back on the roads & track

After the rest period I was desperate to get back out running; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were necessary but unwelcome recovery days.

My Saturday run was a joy! Nice steady 5K with the wife and 18 year old nephew. Then me and nephew broke off and extended it out to 5miles, at an improved pace. The last mile in sub 8 min pace. I enjoyed it so much, i finished with the "sprint then vomit" combination. Fantastic!

Sunday, was the easy day. A steady 4 miles and my heart rate at even 165 for the duration. And as an added bonus my weight was new low of 14 stone 8 pounds!

And for today, i'm shortly off to the gym for a weights session, then this evening, a speed session on the track to help blow off the cobwebs. 1 mile time trial, then 1 x 800m, 1 x 400, 2 x 200, and finally 2 x 100.

Easy 5K run tomorrow, then the hills on Wednesday! I'm looking forward to it!

Few of my chums are mulling about the "first monster" biathlon. http://www.firstmonster.co.uk/challenge.php

It is a week after my half, but i'm swithering, but i don't like having to rely on other people staying un"injured"..Aye

The PB Blues - Dreams of Past Glories

"To boast of a performance which I cannot beat is merely stupid vanity. And if I can beat it that means there is nothing special about it. What has passed is already finished with. What I find more interesting is what is still to come." Emil Zatopek

For the umpteenth time I am again trying to get back into shape, and sitting here typing with my sore aching limbs, the thoughts of past times and glories are never far from mind. Unfortunately the medals hanging behind my computer desk act a constant reminder, especially now that some are beginning to rust!

The "What's the point even trying?" philosophy never far away from my mind. How can I ever compete with the 9 1/2 stone 19 year old me, who would run 10K in the morning and then another 10K in the evening? The same person who would go out four a 4 hour run, just because!

Then I have a good dose of perspective, my goal is to improve tomorrow on where I am today.
The times themselves are irrelevant and more a symptom of my continual improvement. I will set my self challanging but realistic goals such as my sub 2 hr half, which I will then reassess as my training continues.

Either that or take up "egg and spoon" racing witht he view of getting some new PB's!

(Up) Hill Sessions = Speed Work

With me currently in rest mode and already feeling a bit twitchy, I thought i'd cast my mind to next week's planned hill session.



Before Rep 1





After Rep 8







Why hills you may add? Well running uphill recruits more muscle fibers due to the concentric action of your leg muscles, i.e. your leg is not fully extended when you have to "toe off" so the muscles have to work harder. It also works the quads, which get woefully underutilised when running on the flat. And finally it improves your general running economy by forcing you to drive with you arms and lift with your knees!

All this transposes to an improved speed when you drop back to running on the flat!

And to top it all off.... it may not seem like it but, you put around 1/3 less stress on your knees running up hill!

My hill sessions typically include 8 reps of 200m @ (20-30 degree slope) taking around 1 min -> 1.5mins

This means you can have a good hard training session in around 30-40mins!

However it is worth taking your time and walking down the slope after each rep and resisting the temptation to run down. Walking allows you to regain your breath clear some of the lactic acid in your legs and avoid the nasty eccentric contractions of downhill running which often lead to knee pain and DOMS.