A Real Run

It's been a week of building. I can still feel the achilles when I run but it's not painful, just sort of a little tight. I've stuck to the treadmill (interspersed with bike sessions) but increased the intensity bit by bit with a couple of interval sessions. Friday's session saw me almost back to pre-injury speeds and it felt almost easy so I'm happy I've managed to retain fitness through the last few weeks. Today I braved a real run and that too was decent. I took it easy but still managed a time equalling my recent efforts on the loop. Very nearly normal service resumed....

The Aches are Easing

It has been a frustrating few weeks. I've been itching to get back out there but my left achilles is only now just about ready. I've consigned myself to the treadmill, so I don't get caught miles from home, and have to limp back. It's been gentle. No real interval sessions. Just steady, easy pace.

After today's 12½km I think I'm ready to resume full training - although I will ease back into it just to be on the safe side. I'd rather complete a week of slightly lesser training and be 100% next week, than jump right back in, guns blazing, and put myself back to square one.

Oh, the joys of managing injury while hopefully not losing too much fitness or speed...

Marshalling Duties

So, the weekend before last I was on duty at the Fan Brycheiniog race and today I was marshalling Bal Bach in the Black Mountains race. Weather today was at best unpleasant. I was off for almost a month after Fan B last year, so I was pleased to get up and down safely and in a good time, somewhere in the region of 20 minutes quicker up and 15 down. Happy with the progress. Today was meant to be up to the summit and along the ridge for a bit of a run before the marshalling, but it was wet and horrible, so I only did 5k before calling it quits. 

In between the two marshalling, it's not been great running training as I injured my left achilles last Friday. It was hot in the forest and my right foot blistered midway through a 10k solid pootle, subconsciously leading me to alter my gait and then knacker my achilles. It wasn't proper knackered, just sore. Luckily, it was okay for the Zwifting but that's not the same as running and I felt things ebbing away. Except I had some really good hard efforts of the ol' Zwift, including a few virtual hill-climbs. I like a good grind - ooh matron. Any there's nothing gindier than several k's out of the saddle at 11% in a 10k climb averaging 6%. When I'm on the climb portal I can't help but push it to the limit. Can't wait for the virtual Tourmalet to come around again, to have another crack at that bad boy, having watched the pros go at it on the real thing in the La Vuelta.

Another Year, Another Fan Brycheiniog

Yes, it was that time of year again (yesterday) where I marshal the summit for the fell race of the same name. Maybe next year I'll find a stand in for my marshalling spot so I can take a crack at the race itself. I don't mind the marshalling though as it's a good training. I 'time trialled' it both up to the summit and back down again to compare my times a year on. 19 minutes quicker up and 17 minutes quicker down. I'll take that. My legs do feel a bit sore today, hence a gentle bike session but it's a vast improvement from last year, where I was on light training duties for three weeks in the aftermath.

Other than the marshalling, it's been a typical week of training. The bike reps have slipped a bit over the last few weeks, so I need to plan in a few structured work outs to continue improvement there. It's also time for another parkrun next weekend to keep that momentum going and I really need to pencil in another race or two but overall, I'm pleased how things are going.

A Bit Up and Down

The week started okay with a good set of 800's on Tuesday and a solid Duathlon, which was somewhat spoilt by an intermittent drop-out during the run, which cost me a new best 20-minute distance (duathlon) effort. Need to get to the bottom of the interference, as it wasn't exactly intermittent. It was almost exactly every two minutes, which suggests interference from some other device, sending out a beacon or similar. Never had that before, so a bit odd.

Thursday's and Friday's training was a bit of a right off due to an emergency at work that I had to attend. After getting a good night's sleep last night, I was back on it properly today with my best Flaxley Long loop of the reboot. I got further up the long climb than I have before, and I closed in another few seconds on the east side climb segment, beating my best from 2016. Only another ten seconds to go and that one will be mine....

The First Pound is the Heaviest

Well, actually, the first kilogram. Which is even better. Yes, the first kilogram has left the building. A few more still required to exit stage left but it's a good start.

On to the training and it's been a good week. Speed reps Tuesday followed by the Zwift duathlon league race Wednesday, of which I managed to get transitioned to the treadmill in time this week. Still haven't quite got the running down but I know where I need to focus. The first five minutes I couldn't run for toffee, then I got going but didn't have the courage to increase the speed more rapidly and ended up having far too much left in the tank as the twenty minutes elapsed. I fractionally exceeded my best previous run, but there is much more to come. Next time I must be braver...

Thursday was treadmill tempo hill reps and Friday an easy-ish Zwift bike with a few hard efforts - to set some short climb PBs. Up today was a hilly road run. Not overly long and I'm glad of that. It was so humid, I was dripping. Still managed my best time round the loop and homing in on my best from pre-reboot.

Probably an easy something tomorrow...

Bit of a Recovery Week

It's been an easier week. It didn't start off that way as I put in a really good set of six 1-kilometre reps off a 200m recovery on Tuesday followed by the Not Zwift Duathlon on Wednesday. I say not Duathlon because after hammering out 35 minutes on the bike - and it was hard work - I didn't managed to get transitioned to the treadmill in time, I was so close but by the time it loaded in, it was past the start time and that was my race over. Was quite disappointed and didn't feel like doing a twenty-minute run to get no points. I'll try again this week. After that it's been a few easier sessions as to be honest I've been feeling a bit jaded. So, I've listened to my body and taken it easy. Full rest day tomorrow and then I'll be refreshed and back on it...

Top of Leaderboard...

I finally claimed my first Strava Segment of the Running Reboot 2.0 and in fact, my first for what must be over a decade. It was only a local one in Hope Wood, so unlikely to see any super athletes attempting it but you can only target what's been set and that's what I did. 

So, on the back of my Parkrun success Saturday my legs felt okay. It took me a few minutes to loosen up and I didn't set out to attempt it but by the time I got into the woods I thought, hell, let's do this. I learnt from my previous attempt - that and the fact I've worked out how to set up auto-segments on my watch - and started the effort from, well, the start this time. There wasn't much science to it. Just run at as fast a pace as you can that'll get you to the end. I was hurting as the final stretch came into view and emptied the tank, but it was worth it to get the record by 7s. The first of - I'd like to say many - but it'll be more like one or two...

Not Gonna Lie...

I went for it... but in a controlled manner. Based on my training. All very scientific...

Anyway, despite a strong week's training, I felt I had a decent shot at a new 5k Parkrun time this morning. I was meeting up with one of my running compadres from times gone by for the Monmouth one, which I've not run before. It was a course suited to fast times, with a short lap followed by three big ones and pancake flat. It's safe to say it wasn't the most pleasant conditions but at least I wasn't going to overheat!

I had my pace, locked and loaded,4:30/km, and off I set. I managed to not get carried away at the start (for once) and held a pace around the target. Up a bit here, down a bit there, up a bit, down a bit, everywhere and round a bit but that doesn't paint the true pacing picture as my three big laps (1.5km/lap) were all within 5s of each other, so I'll take that as consistent.

Crossed the line in 22:29. A thirty second improvement on my Mallards Pike time from a couple of months back and a good steppingstone towards a time starting with 21...

It was good to catch up with my old buddy and his wife and hopefully I'll get out and about to do a few more Parkruns further afield. Oh, and I should say it was nice to see the Ashton's. Sue's encouragement at the switchback was most welcome.

Early Days in the Zwift Duathlon Series but....

...the signs are promising.

Last season I was sitting somewhere in the top 50 to 55% (age cat) for the Zwift Duathlon races. Can it really be the 'top' so many percent, when you're actually in the bottom half? Anyway, I digress. They've tweaked it a little this season, adding an extra five minutes to the run and taking five minutes from the transition. So now you it's a 35-minute ride, 5 minutes transition and then a 20-minute run. I hammered the bike, claiming a new 35minute power best and then wobble legged my way to my best 20-minute treadmill effort (in the Duathlon series).

Now it is very early days and with just one race out of the six complete (wall almost complete, as there are a few time zones still to complete) but the early, non-statistically important, results are in... I am sitting in the top 22% by age category. I'm confident, even if I drop a little, as the rest of the results come in, that it'll still be a huge improvement on last season. Looking forward to next week's race already...

Bottled It

So last week ended up being my highest mileage run week so far (read, 'of the comeback') and I almost made the month's 7500m ascent (bike) Strava challenge (virtually). I am loving the new Zwift climb portals and thought I might achieve it but fitting that around my primary focus didn't quite pan out, as it turns out.

I was looking to virtually ride the Tourmalet yesterday, to complete the challenge but it's been a heavy week of training and having watched the pro woman climb it in the Tour de France Femme on Saturday, I knew I wasn't man enough for it! and sensibly deferred it for another day.... (Hopefully soon though). So, Sunday ended up being a very tired run and gentle 30minute Zwift. Today has been a rest day, before it all starts again tomorrow, and then up Wednesday is the return of the Zwift Duathlon series where I'm looking to smash some records...

Moving on Up...

... The Zwift categories. So, I didn't realise I've moved up a Zwift power category. Last year I was down to a D (lowest) from C, where I'd been since I started Zwifting. In all my time as a C, I didn't see any possibility of making it into the B cat. Obviously, I'm scrapping the bottom of the B barrel so guaranteed to be battling it out at the back if I do any races, but do I care? Just getting into the B cat is an achievement I didn't see coming.

The week has been a mix of Zwifting and treadmill intervals followed by a run in the woods today and obviously a Zwift after that, of course. Although I wasn't exactly rested after a solid Zwift Volcano climb PB and a set of intervals on the treadmill yesterday, I decided to have a crack at the hope wood Central Climb Strava segment this morning and took it easy to the start of the segment before hitting the accelerator.

I didn't quite manage the KOM but did at least come away with a PB, beating my time from seven years ago and moved up to equal 4th on the leaderboard, only nine seconds from the top spot. And I slightly ballsed the start, as I didn't quite get where the start of segment was so lost a few seconds there before I increased my effort.

Another run ride day tomorrow to round out the week...

Time to Drop Some Pounds...

...and I'm not talking cash. Since last year I have had my appetite back and I've eaten well. Too well and now I am packing... packing way too many extra kilograms. Kilograms that I don't want to be carrying with me when I race. I am (at least) five kilograms over my racing weight. And now I am back out of retirement and racing, that has simply got to go. Operation Portion Control and Operation Stop Snacking are commencing forth-with....

That aside, it has been a surprisingly good week and a bit of training. My legs were shot after the race last Sunday (not the one just gone) and didn't feel too special last Monday (a rest day) but by Tuesday they were only slightly sore, so I cracked on with a semi-gentle Zwift climb portal ride - I say semi-gentle, who am I kidding, I went at the virtual Cote de Domancy hard after watching the pros go at it in the Tour de France. Wednesday, I put in a decent treadmill interval session and Thursday was another virtual climb, the Col du Platzerwasel. I went at that overly ambitious at the bottom but held on over the 7.8km, 600m climb to set a good time but even better, it was long enough a ride to trigger an FTP increase. I knew I was in condition to set new figures; it was just a matter of when. 

Friday was an interval session on the mill, dialled slightly back as my legs were feeling it a tad. It was a semi easy weekend, and I was looking forward to a good run out yesterday, but it rained terrible here and I did a combo steady treadmill and Zwift climb portal and aqueduct KOM, were I set a couple more PBs. Today I decided to have a crack at the local A40 KOM. My legs were not feeling fresh, but I still thought I had a chance. I fell tantalisingly short by just 3seconds, so it is definitely going to be mine. It's a case of when not if. It ended up being a pretty solid 9¹/₂k tempo/threshold run (I never know the difference between those two). Rest day tomorrow.

I Am Officially Out of Retirement...

Fell running retirement, with the completion of my first fell race since my return. The Waun Fach fell race, 10.6km with in the region of 650m of ascent. I sort of enjoyed it in a suffering sort of way and I was able to run more of it than I thought I would. The steep bits defeated me, but wherever it flattened a little I got running again. I swear I could hear the haunting words, "come on, you can run this bit", drifting in the air... 

I started at the back of the field to prevent me getting carried away on the downhill first kilometre. After that it was into the main climb, probably two thirds of the total ascent is over and done with in the first three and a half kilometres. After that, I tried to push on and during the next section across and up to the Waun Fach summit, I closed in on several runners before picking them off on the flatter section after the summit.

I started the descent down the dragons back almost like my old self but after a kilometre my legs were f*(%ed and I had to steady the reckless descending over the rugged rocks as this ragged rascal ran out of steam. I got down safely though, picked up another couple of places and made it over the line in a time I'm happy with, and a little quicker than I'd targeted.

My legs are proper sore now so it might be a couple of rest days coming up. It'll give me time to plan the next couple of races in my come back...