The Middle Ground

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  • Followed that up with 7 today in 62:56. Felt a bit heavy legged by the end, but it is the furthest I’ve done in a few weeks, so maybe to be expected. Hoping to get 4 or 5 in tomorrow morning before the rain comes.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    you definitely need to parkrun, Andrew.

    hoped to parkrun Saturday but every event in region was cancelled so want to gym instead. Easy but hilly 15 this morning. Going to try to have a week of faster sessions this week before Xmas week where I'll just slip in some easy runs and finish with a 10 miler in New year's eve. Mara schedule starts 2nd Jan. 18 weeks today for London. 
  • Got 4 miles in last night, to hit 21 for the week, which is the highest for about 6/7 weeks.

    That 10 miler is a race I assume DT? Pb challenge?

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    Run mileage right down as I am going to be swimming and biking over winter.  Going to try keep up 3 x  3 milers a week to keep the run fitness.

    Well done @AndrewD on the mile PB
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    yes that's an actual race. Not sure it'll be spectacular as I think my Autumn peak has passed now and I need to start building back up. 

    jgav, odd time of year to decide to hit the bike work, unless you mean static bike stuff?
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    DT19 said:
    yes that's an actual race. Not sure it'll be spectacular as I think my Autumn peak has passed now and I need to start building back up. 

    jgav, odd time of year to decide to hit the bike work, unless you mean static bike stuff?
    Yes, yes.  Pretty much all on Zwift.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    I see loads of people on the zwift app now via my strava. Excuse the stupidity but is it just a phone app or something?

    5 x 800m session over lunch. No particular agenda, just realised I have not run faster than 7.45mm for over 2 weeks now so wanted to run fast.

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    DT19 said:

    I see loads of people on the zwift app now via my strava. Excuse the stupidity but is it just a phone app or something?

    5 x 800m session over lunch. No particular agenda, just realised I have not run faster than 7.45mm for over 2 weeks now so wanted to run fast.

    Zwift is on iOS, Mac and PC.  What it does it take data from a bike powermeter or smart trainer or speed sensor (and guesses power based on your turbo trainer) then it combines that with your weight to allow you to cycle round a virtual island.

    I have a Wahoo Kickr, so when going up a hill/ramp/mountain in the virtual island, my Kickr increases resistance and the opposite happens when going downhill.  

    It also does ERG mode, so it will control the trainer to get the resistance to predefined levels for a defined period of time. E.g. it can run an intervals session, you just keep the pedals turning.

    Got out and did 6k in 30 mins this lunch, nice and relaxed.
  • Bikes (and apps for that matter) are a mystery to me!

    6k in 30 minutes I can understand though!

    No running the past couple of days here, planning a few miles tonight.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    I get on well with running apps but some of these cycling apps do baffle me. The explanation above went largely over my head.

    I did 5 x 800 yesterday over lunch and then a 4 mile recovery in the evening.

    I was hoping to get out over lunchtime but its the usual final dash in work. Much like anything else in life, having things done before Christmas is as valid in law as it is with furniture delivery! I cant get out tonight so todays opportunity has passed by.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Ticking along, did 5 miles at long tempo yesterday at 6.28 average. Became a progression run with last mile at 6.21 so plenty more to have given if I needed to. 

    planning something like 3 x 1 mile at threshold today.

    Came across this which was intetesting- https://www.runbritain.com/news/parkrun-rankings--is-your-event-the-toughest-or-easiest-?page=1&pagesize=7&from=&to=&range=Latest
  • Interesting DT. Sheffield Castle was one of the ones of my list of possibles for 30 December, but I might give it a swerve now based on that link!

    My runs over the past couple of days have felt awful, think I must be suffering with some kind of lurgy. Will try again this evening, but happy to keep the effort very low-level in order to just get the miles in.


  • Didn’t run last night in the end - case of the CBAs! Just back from 7 miles this evening though, which felt much better. Might try and squeeze a few in tomorrow if I can get permission to be relieved from Xmas prep for a bit!
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Merry Christmas....finally having an hour to myself.  8 miles easy Friday before my 1 big Xmas night of the year. Saturday was an obscene hangover but my wife took kids out out all day. Managed 5 miles early afterfoon at recovery. Planned a run yesterday but time beat me and then of course no plans today. Hoping for 5 in morning before a longish journey to Wales to see my family. I've a 10 miler new years eve plus I need 40 miles this week to get my highest December mileage so lots of easy running to come. 
     
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Anyone about?

    Managed my 40 miles and yesterday's 10 miler. Unfortunately I fell 17 seconds short of a pb in 63.43, despite the 9 mile market telling me I was 25 seconds in. A 1.1 mile last mile out paid to it. Conditions were tough and looking at strava plenty of good runners crashed and burned. I also consider new years eve to probably be the least sharpest I could be on my fitness at that time with a month of easy running and all the Xmas over indulgence. I have another go at the distance in 2 weeks, being the race that was cancelled early December. 

    Rest day today as some stiffness in left hip. Mara schedule begins tomorrow. 
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    I'm back online, been enjoying a digital detox.  Not much running recently for me with all the swimming and cycling and xmas partying.  Back out there at lunchtime for the first of 2018, set myself a target of 800km for this year.
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭

    Happy New Year all! Hope everyone had good Christmases.

    Sounds like a tough one DT, so a good time in the circumstances. Good luck with the start of marathon training!

    Bit like you JGav, I ended up doing very little over the last week or so, and intend to start afresh tomorrow evening with my usual Wednesday night run.

    Need to do some actual training planning soon, as my 10k schedule is due to start next week!

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    edited January 2018
    So did the 30 min run, legs just didn't want to play.  Felt heavy and like I have no base fitness.  I hope this is just a new year lull and it comes back to me.
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    First run of the year complete - 4 miles including 2 in the middle at short tempo pace (7:03; 7:01). Felt good to be back out there. 
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    Did a track sesson last night, 6x600m with 200m walk between reps.  All run between 5.55mm and 6mm.  Pretty pleased with that and shows I am on to crack the 20min 5k this year.  Need a bit more base fitness which will come.
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    Good session JGav. I am also looking to get sub20 for 5k this year, so hopefully we can both achieve that goal!
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    well done both.

    I managed an easy 10 miler on Tuesday and 6.5 yesterday. However I think I need a few days off as hip/ITB/upper quad feel a bit damaged. Feels like a strain so hopefully be ok after a few days.

  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭

    Take it easy DT, better to start a slightly shorter mara plan fully fit than plough on and risk the whole campaign!

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    Easy 4 miles this lunch time, tomorrow is definitely a day off the feet.  Calves feeling tired and don't want any more calf issues.

    Good luck on the sub20 @AndrewD in my experience these things come when you least expect it.  I remember breaking 25 for the first time and then after that it became easy, dropped down to 22.30 about 3 months later; having been stuck at 26 for ages.

    Hope you keep injury free @DT19

  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭

    Thanks Gav. I think I could probably run something around 21 minutes for a 5k at the present time, so I just need to keep fit (easier said than done) and put a good few weeks of training in and see where that leads.

    Speaking of which, the rest of this week is easy running before next week sees the start of my 17(!) week 10k plan before my target 10k in May. The intention is to do 4 cycles of 3 weeks hard, 1 week cutback, and then a final taper in race week.

    I am planning a couple of 5ks along the way and a warm up 10k at the end of the third cycle of the training plan.

    It is a shame that this thread now appears to have reduced down to 3 or 4 of us - perhaps we should amalgamate with the Overdone It thread and join DT over there!

    Any lurkers, do come out and let us know how you are getting on!

  • alehousealehouse ✭✭✭
    edited January 2018
    I'm still around! 

    Just about running again after six months of Achilles trouble in which I only covered about 200k. Have put on a stone in that time! I reckon I was in sub 21 shape in June; now I am in sub 25 shape! Hopefully with a bit of consistent consistency, and progressive consistency at that, another six months should see me close to where I was. That's the plan anyway! And if I don't it isn't the end of the world! Would be happy enough in a way to just be able to jog around parkruns, which is what I have been doing recently (less of a jog, more of a struggle, usually around 25 minutes depending on the course. Not completely over the injury but now at the stage where I seem to be able to "manage" it by being sensible. Mind you tomorrow the physio will tell me I'm dreaming!

    DT: as you kept your long runs going you are well ahead of schedule, so don't worry too much about the present niggle. Foam roller? And do you do any glute stretches?

    All sounds good with you two, AD/JGav, and no reason you youngsters can't go sub 20!

    PS: ran 5.2 miles in under 30 minutes yesterday! Unfortunately it was cheating though as it was on the anti-gravitational treadmill at 90% bodyweight.
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Alehouse, good to hear from you (I see your name popping up on other threads but don't read any others beyond this and overdone it). A sub 30, 5 miler is one of my longer term and more ambitious targets.

    I think the problem has been that in December I had what was essentially a base month and as I wasn't challenging myself I neglected my usual stretch and maintenance work. A 10 mile race was enough to pop something. It appears now that the point of soreness is my hip flexor. I have roam rolled quite a bit this week. My ITB is obscenely sore and tight. I've also booked a physio session Saturday. since the Birmingham marathon mid October I've run 6-7 times, between 15-17 milers and maintained myself at 40 plus miles a week so am not too concerned just yet.

    That's longer than my Mara schedule, Andrew!

    Yes, it's a shame we can't just merge threads as both are just surviving at present. 
  • WJHWJH ✭✭✭
    edited January 2018
    I still read from time to time but not really in decent shape to be worthy of posting currently!

    Good stuff DT - Hopefully the niggle will clear up and the base mileage will be a big advantage.

    Looks like you are ticking over nicely Andrew.

    Sub 25 for 5k would be a realistic target for me too Alehouse.

    Following my last post a few months back, I’ve hardly ran probably averaging no more than 10 miles a week. I ran Tuesday for the first time also in two weeks and a 3 miler that evening was torture on the legs! Reason being more weight gain (I won’t comment on that but am sure to lose a bit just by running more miles again), work and family commitments plus we will be moving soon and searching for a house taken up many a weekend and week night up to early December. However, I am a good example that a lack of miles and 3 stone gained make a huge difference to performance (it’s the legs rather than lungs that suffer). I’ve also seen first hand what dedication to training, eating and drinking habits get you.

    All this has meant my steady running is between 9 to 10 minute miling (sometimes at the slower end). Sub 39 10k etc as per my level of PBs appears to be a distant pipe dream at the moment but never say never. Hopefully moving will provide a new enthusiasm as there are some lovely running routes in the area and a county park almost on the doorstep. Even if I never get my old form back, it will be good to get some consistency back again.
  • Good to see you, WJH! Stick around and it will help the weight drop! It may well become easier when you move...not least because we will soon get more daylight! What area of the country will you be in next?

    DT: I am on the daily thread most days, occasionally contribute to SG's thread, and read the over 60, sub 3 and overdone it threads but rarely write anything on these.


    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭

    Alehouse - it does sound like you have had a tough 6 months, but hopefully you are coming through the other side of it! I wouldn't class myself as a youngster any more, but I agree there is no reason why with a bit of consistent training I couldn't go sub20!

    WJH - good to hear from you. Hope the family are well and the impending moves goes smoothly. We moved last year and it can certainly be a stressful time! Get back into the running, you'll feel better :-)

    DT - yes, it is a long plan but I have structured it that way so that I can build up through the plan slowly, rather than doing a 6 week cram like I usually do. Also, if I perform well and pb in the 'warm up' 10k, but am feeling a bit drained after it then I can just bin the final 4 week cycle and the later 10k.

    4 nice easy miles last night at 8.40 pace. Same planned for this afternoon, and then 6 on Sunday.

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