My Last Run

Cal Jones

Not much to report - 4 miles today. Tapering, kinda. Legs still feel a bit rubbish.

dangeroushamster

Hope everyone is doing well ! Good to see you are still rapid John ! 

Completed hardest run of training block yesterday with 6/5/4k reps all getting faster with 1k recoveries - problem now is I've tested positive for covid... Target Cardiff Half a week away

Last time I got this it ruined my fitness so no idea what's going to happen. Worse case 4 months training down the tube 😭

Had a great start to the year but the remainder of this year all races have been awful even if training has been good

Cal Jones

Man, I feel for you. You might remember I got shingles three weeks out from Manchester, after running well in a 16 mile race the week before. Wasn't a bad bout but I got pretty fatigued with it and even though I felt OK on race day, damage was done and I had one of my slowest ever runs. Let's hope that's not the same for you.

Cal Jones

Another parkrun trip with Paulette, this time to Markshall Estate in Essex, a private country park/arboretum which is impossible on public transport. We had an early start so she wanted me to walk up to meet her in Streatham on the main road there. Despite having walked along there a couple of times recently with no issue, I managed to have a panic attack this morning and found myself clinging to the door handles of a closed Starbucks like a life raft. Thankfully a man came passed and I got him to help me walk along a bit further (he was nice, thinking I was having a dizzy spell), where upon I was suddenly fine as if nothing had happened. Got to say I am getting tired of this. I think the thing is when I've walked there recently it's been around rush hour with lots of people around, whereas this morning at 5:45am it was very quiet. Unlike agoraphobics, I feel more secure in open space when there are people around. So different for when I was out running in the middle of town during lockdown when it was like 28 Day Later and I loved every minute of it.
Anyway, the parkrun was fine - it's a 1 and two third lapper, mostly flat with one incline at the end of the first lap, but with path was pretty rough underfoot and required some caution. I came in at 29:13 and I admit I was hoping for better after last week but I've been tired this week and the early start (and maybe the panic attack) took its toll. Hopefully I'll be a bit more lively tomorrow.

Cal Jones

Ealing was...well...not quite the race I wanted but it was very nearly the race that never was. I knew I was a bit underprepared after being injured most of the summer so not like I was expecting a good time, but I thought I'd be under 2:10. 
However, I managed to tweak my back (lower right side) getting out of bed,which was terrible timing. I gave it a good stretch and roll but it was still niggling when I got to Ealing so I decided to start slowly.
I was a mile or so in when my clubmate Jasmine caught up to me - she's mostly a trail/ultra girl but I did the Mince Pi with her last year and really enjoy her company. I decided to run with her and had a good natter/therapy session which made the miles go quickly (even if the pace was slow). She was targetting 2:30 though, so she sent me on my way around 7 miles in as I was going a little quicker than she wanted to go. 
At this point I tried to catch up to the 2:10 pacer who'd gone past me (the 2:15 was on my tail after I left Jasmine) but I never quite managed it. I was doing alright but I started to struggle in the last couple of miles - legs felt rubbery. I finished a shade under 2:12 so while it wasn't what I'd originally envisaged, it was OK given the circumstances. The tweaked back didn't really bother me after the first mile but it feels a bit tight and sore now. 
On the plus side, HR wasn't ridiculous and (due to running 10+ when chatting to Jas) I did a big neg split.

dangeroushamster

I've done the tweaky back thing sleeping badly or getting up quickly having been sat down for a long time. It can be painful but with warming goes away. Hope that is nothing major Cal..

As for the half a progressive half is nothing to be sniffed at - well done. Like the holy grail a progressive run that everyone knows they need to run and everybody fails at !! 

Despite Covid I've carried on training, none of the runs are taxing at this point anyway with the HM next week but I've no doubt it's going to effect me. My last set of VO2 max scores have been lower than last few weeks, gutted as I know I was in shape. You could feel it during the runs, recovery and data. Will make a decision on how to run it Saturday.

Faint Covid line still on the test and nose congestion present so hopefully a few days will allow me to shake it fully.

Cal Jones

Glad you are feeling a bit better, DH. Yeah my back was fine the next day. I've done that before - got out of my chair when I was literally going to leave the house for an evening race (think it was the last 10K I did before lockdown). Could hardly walk to the tube but somehow managed to run and not have a sucky time. It was way more sore than it was this weekend, though - took a couple of days to go back to normal so I think I got away with it this time. 
Not much this week as I've not been feeling all that good. 4 miles Wednesday and 4 today. Today was a bit better but my legs have been curiously wobbly all week. Not sure if that was fatigue or actually caused by the back thing. 

Cal Jones

Today I went with a friend to The Leas (Minster) parkrun in Kent - a mostly flat double out and back along the prom. Felt better than I had midweek but while I felt I was going quickly, I could only manage 29:03 which is pretty poor on a fast course like that. When I ran just over 26 at Worthing early in the year I thought great, this is the start of my comeback, I can get back under 26 this year, but I've never got even remotely close to that again. It's pretty frustrating.

Cal Jones

10 miles yesterday - easy start but pushed on a little later on (when I say pushed, I mean to under 11 minute pace). Got a bit puffed going up the hill on the way back, though.
Very annoyed, therefore, when my Garmin had a meltdown and would not sync. I had a problem with it on Saturday not syncing to my laptop (I generally use that for uploading as I don't always have my big PC on until later in the day) but it did sync with the PC when I tried it. But yesterday, it wouldn't work at all. After a bit I powered the watch off and on again and that did the trick but it lost all data. Thankfully it's working properly today so I guess there was a corrupt file on there messing things up.

dangeroushamster

Cal you aren't the only ones, I know many many people who struggled with Garmin yesterday ! Seems Garmin had some sort of major issue most of the day...

I need to get my tourism going again...

I had a shocker yesterday at the Cardiff Half. 4 month of training and ended up really struggling, I've has training runs quicker 6 weeks earlier. My heart rate just became high and couldn't keep up pace after 7/8k. Tried a recovery pace for a while which hardly impacted me at all - I almost gave up I struggled so much

I can only blame the Covid a week before, at least I hope so because I have no other excuses 

Cal Jones

DH, definitely Covid. I know people who have had it and all struggled with high HR afterwards. Take it easy for a bit.
My Garmin wasn't just a connectivity issue. It's had a few funny moments recently so I guess a reboot was needed.

Cal Jones

Five miles today. Legs felt like they had a bit more pop today despite not having had the best sleep - the weak and wobbly feeling seems to have gone, for now anyway. Right glute achy but not too bad.

I need to work on getting my cadence back up - stride length has never been great but my cadence was much better before so I think that is the missing link between how I used to run and my woeful lack of pace now.

Cal Jones

Something slightly different today. I did three miles warm-up around the common before going into the track and doing two miles of 300m fast(ish) and 100m recovery. I think my legs have forgotten how to move fast so I need to remind them.
Then into the gym for some upper body stuff.

dangeroushamster

I'm gutted with it tbh, I really hope it is Covid and not anything else. I hit all my training but it juts felt hard, really freaking hard...

Going to take a few weeks as usual and see where I am. I've considered then doing another in November. Maybe Thames HM or Battersea... Anyone done either ?

Not run since but will try do something later, leave the sulking behind...

I love running on the track Cal, nice and spongy underneath as well so legs like the recovery ! Incorporating some shorter speedier work I find breaks everything up and is fun

MrC

DH I reckon it’s definitely the Covid, I caught the bugger about 3 weeks ago and noticed even today doing a threshold workout that my HR was about 4-5 beats higher for the same intensity workouts pre Covid.
Inflammation obviously takes time to dampen down.

You will be back to normal soon 👍

Cal Jones

Yeah it's a new track too, DH - it got resurfaced recently so it's lovely and bouncy.
Battersea HM is a lot of laps of half of the park - very boring, but flat. If you can stand the monotony, it's PB potential. Personally, I wouldn't do it.
River Thames I did in 2015 and 2016. Fast flat course along the river and more interesting than Battersea. Only issue I had with it is that it starts quite early (8:30 when I did it) and is a good way from the station, and the first train to arrive there was a bit later than it is now (7:45 from London). Given you had to get to the race venue, pick up number and pee, it was a very tight turnaround. I got a lift the second time.

Cal Jones

Just an easy 4 miler this morning - feeling quite tired despite having more than 8 hours last night. I must've been tired because I was in bed by 9 and spark out shortly after.

dangeroushamster

Thanks both good to see you MrC as well...

I went out yesterday with a decent 16k'er, paces planned were much slower but I needed to get that 'faster' session out of my system ! 

Thanks for the info' Cal, think it'll all depend on how I'm feeling but good to know Thames is flat ! Not too worried about start times London is easy to get around and easy to find a cheap hotel, Used to live Purley way so I know my way around. New track would be great for some 400 or 800 intervals

Cal Jones

DH I'd be tempted myself but I'm doing Great Yarmouth parkrun the day before, which is not only an early start (being a good distance away) but also the hardest parkrun in Britain and therefore my calves will likely be screaming on the Sunday. 
Today's run was Dover Waterfront - clubmate chose it as it is his 400th parkrun. Nice and flat although I still seem unable to run below a 9 minute mile. 28:22.

Cal Jones

I had a decent run today - 10 miles and much better than last weeks. My Garmin even managed to record it this time.  Most miles under 11 and I felt like I had more energy. Low back/ham/bum still grumpy but can't have everything.

dangeroushamster

I have Woolacombe on my list for that reason, one of the hardest around. It's also much closer than Great Yarmouth for me  400 is some achievement...

Had my 'long' run yesterday, same loop as 2 weeks ago to see where I am - data measured up the same really but I am aching today ! It was a late run for me and boyos birthday all weekend so didn't eat until very late either, bad night sleep so poor recovery... 

Cal Jones

I'd like to do that one too, DH, but it's a bit of a trek and I'd need a friend with a car and probably an overnight stay.
My sleep is pretty awful - I do find I sleep worse after tough runs. Marathons are the worst! 


I've got Cabbage Patch 10 on Sunday so this week's going to be a bit easier. First time I've done this race in a long while - it's a nice one but usually clashes with the Autumn marathons. So today was just 4 miles. I was aiming for two warm-up miles and then two tempo miles on the track but first of those was a bit slow, so really it was more of a progressive run. I am still learning to judge how my paces feel (my slow post-pandemic paces that is) as I always think I'm going faster than I actually am.

Cal Jones

And another 4 today with some strides. Snore.

dangeroushamster

I generally do PR with 4 guys so planning an overnighter with potentially some beverages for Woolacombe

My sleep is bad as well after a really hard run. Same time a run that empties the tank a little allows me to sleep better - fine line

12k tempo yesterday after travelling for work. Generally makes those sessions harder but felt ok... 

Enjoy Cabbage Patch Cal, I shall be helping out all weekend at a Beavers camp for my boy... Fun (at times) but tiring !

Cal Jones

A solo parkrun today which meant either doing a local one or going somewhere on the train. I settled on Wycombe Rye as it's not too far from High Wycombe train station and course description seemed to hint that it was mostly on hard path. As it turns out there was quite a lot of grass which was very wet after the last couple of days, so I ended up with soggy feet. With the race tomorrow, I wasn't going to risk slipping on the muddy bits or soggy leaf mulch, plus there was a flight of steps partway through the course, so it wasn't fast. Finished in 29:17 and was just happy to be under half an hour.

Cal Jones

Cabbage Patch 10, then. I had to walk to Clapham Junction (just over 2 miles) to get the train as there was no connecting train from Balham until much later (there was an earlier one that would've meant 35 minutes freezing my buns at Clapham Junction, so I figured I'd rather just walk). Met some Chasers there and we travelled to Twickenham together. It was definitely chilly but perfect conditions for me, even if I'm not in perfect condition. Glad I remember my bin bag - it did keep the cold off at the start.
Given I'm far from race fit and still have some niggles, so figured I'd try and shoot for around 1:35 (9:30 pace) but at least less than 1:40. I managed that for the mostpart and felt relatively strong though I did start to slow a little after 6 miles (I was running 9:20s before then and 9:30s after, with one mile around 10 pace but it had a water station, a steep ramp up to Richmond Bridge and a couple of tight turns). That tells me 9:25 is my LT pace, so need to figure out how to improve that. However, I am pleased I managed to push on for the last mile, which was just sub-9, so perhaps getting my paces back up is more a matter of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable again.
Another positive was that I was OK on the two bridges we did. 

Minus points were achy right leg - it went all the way down from my bum to my calf and even my foot a bit so I'm thinking it may be sciatica rather than hamstring tendinopathy. The other thing I'm kicking myself about is that I'd forgotten the race shirt was a nice long sleeved top and I'd gone for the plant a tree option instead. They were very strict about seeing what was written on your race number so I couldn't sneak one, unfortunately. The medal really is rather crap, sadly, so no compensation there. I understand races going for the wooden medals for eco reasons but at least make them colourful. This one was the medal equivalent of a Rich Tea biscuit.

Cal Jones

Hello? Anyone around?


While I don't usually run the day after a race, I did go out for a horrible 3 mile shuffle yesterday purely because it seemed like less effort than going to the gym (I am a stickler for doing my 10K steps a day so it's always gym plus a walk or gym plus the Helliptical, which takes a good chunk of time). Today was 5 miles which started quite slowly but got better by the end. Both hamstrings are a bit sore after the race - more so the left one, which is the non-grumpy one. Perhaps it was compensating for its ill-behaved twin. Low back was also really tight yesterday. Better stay on top of that core work.

dangeroushamster

Well done on Cabbage Patch Cal ! Weather has certainly taken a turn now, , proper little chill in the air which is actually welcome for the minute. Good news on the old bridges too  

I can't run in long sleeve tops, they just irritate me too much. Always take the t-shirt although I appreciate that some people prefer different options. I've got one wooden medal and that t is crappy, annoyingly it was a PB too

Had a few runs, some 4min goal pace reps, easy 10k yesterday in the belting down rain and looking at 6x1k goal pace reps later on, hoping it's going to be dry ! 

Cal Jones

Well done for that, DH. I did 8 today but managed to dodge the showers aside from a short burst of drizzle.

dangeroushamster

Parkrun done plus a little bit extra. Was supposed to be easy but ran with someone and could tell by the first 2k that a PB was on for her so paced a little. Ended up with a 1min+ PB

Another friend had her 50th and a PB as well so all around a good Parkrun for all !