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ASICS Super Six: Alex (Sub-4:00)
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Hi there all, especially Alex - Congratulations in getting through.
I am also aiming for a sub 4 - even if it is just seconds!! Completed London Marathon in 2009 in 4:13 so sub 4 hopefully is realistic?? Completed last HM in Bham in October 2010 in 1:47, so according to all the information I have read - I should be running a sub 4 marathon.
Cakes sound great - don't really get the time to bake but I think I will have to make more of an effort!
Will now be following this link ....... even if it just for the cakes!!
Alex, I reckon you should use those as loyalty points....those who follow you consistently enough get sent one when they post 10 times/20 times/30 times......!
Anyway, this running lark....have got some speedy stuff this evening, have to check but think it's some 800m repeats. Am going to a wedding this w/end which scuppers my long run plans so am going to have to break with good practice and bunk off work tomorrow afternoon..well, work from home or something and do it - think it's 17m, errgh....this FIRST programme is brutal. And I've not even started the cross traning bits! Am waiting til my post Christmas ballast stabilises and returns to pre-Christmas levels - normally by third week in Jan!
So then...loyalty cookies - how about it? Feel some repeat posting coming on....
Pah - just realised next weekend am at stag weekend...am going to have to get creative with work schedule again...
Hahah loyalty cookies - I like it!
After two days off running and a bit of gentle cycling thrown in, my knee is (touch wood!) feeling completely normal again. Despite a long, long night at work ahead of me, I'm heading down to the gym this evening to break up the tedium for a run and can not wait.
Steve has also been in touch with some knee-strengthening tips:
"knee raises with something akin to a pound of sugar on foot (do same exercise for both) moving knee up straight and back 20 times each leg plus also strengthening quads – squat with hands on hips with one knee out in front ahead and other slightly behind bent and and hold positon for 15 seconds on each leg." (thanks Steve!)
Hope the rain's not holding anyone back (I love it)!
Well there is plenty of sugar in my cupboards with which to try!
I consulted my trusty physio this afternoon and was told that my knee niggle was probably related to my ITB band, a very common runners' complaint. I think mine in particular had probably been upset by increased mileage and speed over the Christmas period, coinciding with the sudden absence of any strength training at all.
I'm back on my bike now though, with some strength training planned for Saturday, a spin class on Monday, and lots of foam rolling.
Will let you know how I go tonight!
Hope session went well - presume you know some good ITB stretches - the one where you put one leg ahead of the other and stretch the outside of the leg
Thanks Steve - just back from this week's speed session on the treadmill and the knees feel great!
I made a proper effort to run at exactly the right speed this time - and although the two minute 'jog' intervals felt super slow (10:32 miles), the 8 minute 'run' intervals were really hard (8:25 miles) - largely because they were so long! Made it through to the end though and now feel awesome.
ITB rolling in front of the tv tonight if I ever manage to leave work...
Oh yes, loyalty cookies - love it.
Alex have you seen us in the new RW mag? I feel slightly famous.
Recipe for this week is lemon muffins for the club 10K and Presentation on Sunday.
Ooh no! I subscribe - so presumably it should be on my doorstep when I get home tonight. We're not on the cover are we? Running powerfully through snow?
Lemon muffins sounds delish. I hope you've thought about adding white chocolate chunks.
I'm looking suitably tired and bedraggled, no wonder I didn't get selected
Supersix Selection Day
All this talk of food and I'm getting very hungry
Just back from an epic Saturday morning of exercise. 5 miles on the treadmill last night due to rain (thankfully I managed to tune out for most of the distance), then 4 miles slow this morning, then a powerplate class and an hour of ballet. I'm feeling stretched, toned and vibed, but mainly hungry.
The 'massage' bit at the end of the powerplate class was wonderful on my hamstrings and IT band. Steve, do you think powerplate is a good thing for runner's muscles? Or could I surreptitiously be stressing them out more than I think?
Time to make a shopping list - this afternoon will be spent in the kitchen concocting sticky toffee pudding for a friend's roast lunch party tomorrow, and ANZAC biscuits to cheer up a best but recently-burgled friend.
Hi Alex- I tried the Power plate a year or so ago, and had trouble with soreknees after spending about 10minutes doing various excercises standing on it. I now just use it for a calf stretch for45 seconds, and then lie down with my calves on it for a masage, but I'm not sure what settings to use- do you know what is recommended for massge settings?
I tried to do a max HR measurement today on tready, to work off my frustration at YET ANOTHER snow fall herer in Glasgow- far too treacherous to run out doors. My max HR has fallen from about 183 8 years ago, to a max of 173, which was all I could achivev today- so I 'spose I'm getting older!
Not far off 220-my age! ( not giving away too many secrets), but if I was to use HR training, I think I'd be walking all the time.
Steve- is there any point in using HR to determine LSR pace?- my FIRST plan has me doing them crazy fast compared to the numbers I've seen on here ( paces like 10.8kph, instead of about 9kph according to most other plans)
Hi Alex
well done on the busy saturday am training - hope you are now on mend. The Powerplate should be ok but affects people in different ways - keep it quite short and on low power settings until you are sure you don't get a reaction the next day. A heavy massage can do wonders or could you leave you sorer the next day.
Tri
There is a point in using HR to determine paces but again not everyone's the same and if after a few runs you feel you are working too hard or too easily, then adjust and go more by feel and the watch.
Re: heart rate- I forgot my monitor today, but using the heart rate measure via the "handles" on the treadmill, my HR was at about 154, after 1hr, 45 minutes of my LSR. It felt very comfortable, and my recollection from previous long runs is that mid- 150's feels about right, I slow down or take a walk break if heart rate goes over 160, as it sometimes does when I'm at death's door near the end of a long one.
So today's LSR was 19km in 2hr on tready, felt good, I feel I'm slowly getting there, unfortunately, I've a ski trip next week,with no gym in the hotel, and guaranteed icy conditions under foot.................
This morning's 18km run was great - I mapped a route down to the Thames, across Tower Bridge, back across at Big Ben and then home again. I started to feel my ITB around 14km, but my physio said you could run through ITB pain, so I kept going and lo and behold it went away about a kilometre later. My cardio level felt fine, so I probably could have pushed the speed a little more at times, wavering as I did between 5:20 and 6:15 kilometres (should have been 5:45 the whole way). The perils of traffic lights and pedestrians!
I also had my first experience of a dog leaping at my feet as I ran past. Luckily its owner had fast reflexes and pulled him away before he could snap at my ankles!
ANZAC biscuits and sticky date pudding with caramel sauce both went down a treat afterwards - chocolate cookies with coloured smarties are going into the oven tonight for a friend's birthday.
Hope you've all enjoyed your weekend!
Excellent run Alex - very encouraging - the pace was good and great that you can run through ITB. In most cases you can run through - but I think you have to be cautious as while the ITB may not get worse, the knee itself can get tighter and if you run slightly awkwardly, it can lead to problems elsewhere.
After a rest day (including 45 minutes of spinning) yesterday I am back outside this evening for a track session with my running club. Hopefully the rain will hold off!
The knee is feeling better and my physio has suggested new shoes, new insoles and 10 minutes of rolling every evening.
Ok, training schedule planning question (probably for Steve). I am registered for the Paris half on 6 March, the week I'm scheduled to run 20 miles.
1. I assume I can't do 13 miles (of the half marathon) + another 7 miles later on that day (unlikely to happen anyway given I'll be travelling to and from Paris)?
2. We also have training in Birmingham that weekend - do you know whether training will include that long run? Same for training on 29 January - will training day include that week's 13 miles? It would be good to run a half that Sunday (30 January) - but the only one I've been able to find so far is in Barcelona!
Banana cake today...
Enjoy the cake and the session - start gently and build up pace rather than the other way around.
Re training day, I need to go through with Rw and Bud what is planned that day. Possible it would be speed based with the long run on the Sunday.
If you do Paris Half, then just focus on that and you can do the 20 the next week. Also not a problem in changing weeks around ie there are more halfs in early weeks of Feb
Tonight's track session turned into a run from Mile End Stadium to Tower Bridge and back via Wapping, all at a cracking pace. We ran just over 6 miles at an average pace of 5:25/km. Fast!
(Am now eager to get new shoes and insoles as soon as possible).