Saturday, May 27, 2023

About Average

It was a couple of solid sessions at the front end of the week. Minute reps on the treadmill, fastest pace I've managed so far, towards 3:30min/km pace followed by the final Zwift spring group session on the bike on Wednesday. Yesterday I ran the short Flaxley loop in a new fastest time followed by a twenty-minute Zwift recovery - although I did set a pb on the Leg Snapper climb segment. Couldn't help myself. Today I went for the long Flaxley loop. I felt tired but still had a solid run. I was a few seconds down on my fastest time, but happy with the result under the circumstances. It'll be a gentle Zwift tomorrow - no segment PBs... and then hopefully all fresh for a longer run Monday.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

One Year On...

It seemed only right to mark one year since I was able to start running again with a celebratory outing to the Mallards Pike Parkrun. In my training notes for the session on this day last year, I noted it as being "the first 'run' for a very long time that was faster than walking pace"... Although looking at the stats, it wasn't faster by much...

Back then, I covered some 3km in just under 28 minutes. Roll it on one year and I can cover that same 3km in under half the time! And I've clocked up over 400 training sessions. That's averaging more than one a day. What a difference a year makes - and some vitamin D3. I have not felt so energised, so well for a decade....

Bringing things forward to today and I nearly decided not to run. My legs are still a bit achy here and there from that night out at Skirrid. I've put in a couple of decent training sessions, but everything aches a little. In the end, I gave myself a quick slap and got on with it. You can't run fast every time.

Turned out not to be as slow as I was expecting though. I ran hard but knowing I couldn't pb this time, I didn't really push. Turns out that was a schoolboy error as I was actually a few seconds up on pb pace to halfway, but it felt slow. Now I didn't exactly jog the downhill, but I didn't push into the hurt zone, like I have the previous times. In the end I was only 7s back. Now I'm not saying I could have made all that up, because 7s is more than it sounds in a 5k, but if I'd realised there was any chance, I'd have absolutely pushed into the hurt...

So, it's one year complete for Running Reboot 2.0 and I'm pleased with how far I've come. I've exceeded my expectations so now it's onwards into year two... Oh yeah, and while I remember, I've now handed in my entry for my first actual, real fell race. It's in July.

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Almost Felt Like Fell Running...

It's been both a good week and a bad week of training. The week started on track with a solid Zwift and treadmill session, shorter reps on both fronts. Thursday was the highlight though. I marshalled the summit of Skirrid in the night race of same name. I had a good bit of kit in my rucksack weighing me down but decided to run the route out and up to the summit.

As the racers approached up the steep climb the mist descended, reducing the visibility still further with the sun now descended below the horizon. I was pleased with my run as I wouldn't have been last if I'd been racing. Once the runners went through, I packed up my kit and ran the descent. I couldn't see much in the mist, my glasses almost totally fogged but after descending a bit, it cleared, and I picked up the pace. I started to push, and it felt good. I was bloody roasting by the end, mind, because I hadn't taken off enough layers.

Anyway, that was where the week's training turned bad. Who'd have thought just over 2km of running could pound your legs so badly? It's Sunday now, and my quads are still sore. I managed a very gentle hour on the bike yesterday and a gentle 5k on the treadmill today but I'm hoping my legs feel better tomorrow. Thursday's pounding was worth it. It was good prep for what's to come in the summer.

Monday, May 08, 2023

I've Only Gone and Done It!...

... Entered a proper race wot you have to pay to enter with real money! None of this freebie 'not really a race but it is kind of' Parkrun - and I'm not knocking Parkrun because Parkrun is possibly the greatest invention to have ever happened to running. It's somehow different when you have to hand over hard cash though!

I've got 40 days to hone my 10k pace. It won't quite be back to the fells, but I'll at least be able to see the mountains not far distant... 


Saturday, May 06, 2023

An Average Week

It has been a decidedly indoorsy week of training. Just when you think we're heading towards summer, the gods of the seasons kicks you squarely in the nuts. It has been decent training though. I added on an extra kilometre to my race prep reps on Tuesday and a fraction more speed. That was after a double header recovery day Monday. Wednesday was an easy bike session with a couple of efforts. Thursday, I felt a bit tired, so I gave it a miss and Friday was another double header. A solid workout on the bike, third of the Zwift Spring training sessions and an easy 5k on the treadmill. Finally, up today, sub-optimal weather led me to stay indoors for 6.5k on the treadmill followed by a 30minute session on the bike, medium-to-high effort. Going to have to do that long run tomorrow...