3Days4Cure
I'll be logging here daily so my coach can keep abreast of my progress and the rest of you can mock me.
On the docket: 3 mile run plus strength train.
Did 3.15 on the treadmill at a 2% incline. I like the work treadmill a LOT more than the home treadmill, much less effort to cover the same distance. Varies between 4.0 and 4.5, with 4.5 pushing a bit outside easy, so I backed off. Good energy throughout. Didn't quite go slow enough since I didn't feel fresh, which is what I am aiming for, but still easier than other runs.
Minor calf cramp in first .25 again. Need to watch hydration. Did skip the free ice cream bar at lunch at work, so diet is going well.
Strength training was brief, but focused on abs and legs. Reverse crunches (which SUCK), lunges with a twist (gotta work those obliques) and squats holding 30lbs.
Day 1: Check.
Chris PRs: 27:26 5k/ 49:52 5mi/ 58:17 10k/ 2:09:24 half/ 5:13:17 Full
Post-Bipolar PRs: 38:35 5k/ 1:09:34 8k/ 1:09:39 5mi/ 1:33:03 10k/ 3:20:40 Half
2022 Goals
Back to 10k
Hill Repeats
w/u .15 mi at 4.2 mph 8% incline
6x Hill repeats at 4.2 mph .15 mi at 8% incline .15 mi at 2% incline
Last .15 (+.05) at 4.0 mph
Felt great, albeit challenging. Held onto TM a bit too much during hills, but got through ok. Didn't feel impossible.
Knee was a bit twingy at end of workout, not pain, just a bit sore.
Stomach was crappy after lunch, so happy I got this workout in.
3 miles "easy", 2% incline, ranging from 4.2 to 4.5 mph.
Slightly better effort than Easy in the interest of time, but I wanted to go running after marching band in lieu of dinner, so I wasn't beat up at all.
My left leg cramped pretty badly from 0.25 to 1.2, and then loosened up. I'm getting used to starting runs with cramps, although I hope this is a short term thing. Trying bananas in the next grocery run (adding to my breakfast).
2 hours on treadmill, 2% incline. Serious HTFU run, not for leg issues, but for the alien trying to tear apart my insides.
Was supposed to do last 1/4 as a speed up to race pace. Did 15 mins, getting to just shy at 10:30mm (sustained for 5 mins) and decided finishing the run was more important than race pace training. Most of the run averaged 4.2 mph, with me adjusting by a notch or two every few minutes. Last 5 minutes was a cool down, with three being walked at a brisk pace.
Legs crampy first mile, after restroom break my ITB on both legs got a bit tense.
Professional Noob
Hey, Chris.
Is your log here right - off for about 2 months straight and now jumping right into 20 mpw? You may be overdoing it a bit with the miles, considering that your IT bands are "tense", you've been feeling "Shin Splint action," leg cramps, twingy knee, and a calf cramp. How about giving yourself a day or two off and a more gradual ramp back up in the miles? I'm not the most experienced coach, (ha! I'm not a coach at all!) but it looks like your body is not liking what you're doing to it and you're at a pretty high risk of getting injured to the point of not being able to run. Soon.
Roads were made for journeys...
Wingz-- unfortunately, you are correct. I had a bad ankle injury and some false starts (I would try to run, next day I couldn't walk, take a week off). Last week I eased back in and things seem to be going well, so I jumped right back into training.
You are probably correct that I'm pushing things a bit, and I am backing off some, replacing my 3 tomorrow with a gentle 1-2 (to keep the streak alive) and then will look hard at Sunday's runs.
The only reason I stayed pushing hard this week is these issues are happening only during running, and aren't anything new (my knee has been bad since a fall during a half, my cramping has haunted me since my marathon, and I've had shin splints since before a runner).
Very good thoughts, I will definitely take them and re-adjust the rest of this week and see how things go from there. Thanks you for reading and commenting!
Ok, I had a few more thoughts for you. Take 'em or leave 'em...
Running doesn't have to hurt any more than you make it hurt. It's a personal preference.
My best advice for you would be to ditch the streak counter, and hunt for a quantity of miles that your body can currently take without anything hurting. You "eased back in and things seemed to be going well" last week. Your ideal training load for starting back is probably somewhere between 6 and 20. It's also probably closer to 6 than 20. 3 miles on the TM at a 15 minute mile was working for you. Why not do that every other day for a few weeks, and then GRADUALLY start increasing from there?
Running's a long term proposition. Or at least it can be. When something starts to hurt, fix the problem. If lots of things are hurting, FIX THE PROBLEM OR ELSE!
Good luck!
Chris - I admire the dedication. Might I suggest looking into the LHR?maffetone group here at RA. It has worked wonders for me to avoid going too hard and injuries.
"He conquers who endures" - Persius "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel
http://ncstake.blogspot.com/
I'll check it out. I am trying to go much slower than in the past, so LHR probably makes a ton of sense. Thanks!
Per the suggestions made, I am trying Low HR training. Easiest 3 miles from an energy standpoint, hard to keep my HR in zone, especially at the end. Aimed for 65% to 75% of max, which was 124-144, ended up averaging on the high side of that scale. Running three miles took FOREVER at that pace-- am I really that out of shape after two years of running?
TM was at 2% incline. Training for a HM will be agonizing at this pace, but I do feel like I could just get back on and do another 3 right now, if I had time.
I did get in 4.85 mi of cycling this morning before work. 86-92 RPM. Need to start tracking HR there as well.
Be patient. LHR will drive you nutty at first until you build up your aerobic base. Once you do, you will start to really fly. Make sure you do MAF tests so you can create a baseline to see if you are progressing. Full explanation in the LHR sticky area - cliff's notes - run 15 minutes of warm up, then run at least 2 (4 is better) miles at your MAF HR (180-age) and do a cool down. The two mile time is your per mile baseline. Repeat this once a month.
Here is my example - when I started MAF my tests were in the 11 minute per mile range. My last test a couple of weeks ago was 8:07 per mile. It took me about 18 months. My results are consistent with others on the board and I would call my results average.
Keep on rolling.
Had an unplanned week off from running due to crises at work-- gotta love finance.
Yesterday: Time to HTFU and get over how out of shape MAF training is proving I am. 93 minute run, MAF HR is 145, aimed to stay below 140. After mile 1 my speed at that heart rate quickly dropped off.
Ended up doing 4.0 miles in 93 minutes. Very slow.
I did finish the run feeling like I could have gone another 90 minutes, so that is good, right?
Doing 13.1 seems like an impossibility at this pace, much less 26.2 or 50. Argh! I did take some time to focus on my form, which sucks. I actually strike with different parts of the foot on each foot and my posture is all bad. Extrapolating from my teaching days, slow may be good, if for nothing else, but to fix my form. Lots of reps doing the correct thing will likely mean muscle memory will help me maintain good technique when I get faster.
Today:
Easy run, treadmill, 2% incline. Body seemed more able to move faster then yesterday at the same heart rate, albeit at a death march pace still.
2.55 miles in 50 minutes.
7 miles easy. Was intended to be a 2 hour run, but went for 2:10 to get to an even seven miles.
Today, for a strange reason, I could go faster and maintain that pace within my MAF heartrate. I'm blaming (crediting) Pei Wei.
I did have to back off a bit after mile 4, but otherwise a good run.