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TT - dont beat yourself up, we're not robot's, just try to make the right choices most of the time......Abo is about 100 miles from here, so you'll be ok if the bad weather is localised, it'll be here.........I've entered Battersea HM in Sept and GSR as they could both be quick.......although if i do a mara early Oct it'll screw up GSR.
Joe - sounds like a positive physio visit, obviously you're able to keep at it, the rehab should help.
OO - mobility is the key, keep at the exercises etc maybe some strides and drills too, they helped me last year.
Wardi - nice to be out in the sun
I intended weights and bike commute this morning and a minimal 5m run home tonight, after ydays 17m. Couldn't face getting soaked for 5m, so biked home instead (and still copped a soaking), my knees will be grateful though.
OO - lol @ the localised GSR flooding. Hopefully it'll be an ideal day all around. Nice with the 5m, even if with a restricted stride.
Wardi - it was after being out for a Greek meal so I felt it was allowable
TR - I must look at Battersea. I'm looking for a HM around there. I've got a freebie to the NF trail one from last year that I'm sure they'd let me drop to the HM from the full on, but it's not a quick course. Sounds like you're managing your knee well - are you seeing improvement overall?
Ended up with a 45min jog yesterday am, and then 6m averaging 6:43 in the torrential rain in the pm, which felt like a significant step forward from last Thursday's similar, but slightly longer run.
I've used the time off to sit down and look at Canova's principles in more detail and the intention is to follow them going forward and rebuild slowly but with a definite focus along those lines.
I've always been a Lydiard fan (hence the coaching qualification), but always felt there was a bit missing in the marathon approach (he pretty much admitted himself that he never got the marathon quite right), and when I followed Bill Squires' approach after a Lydiard type base, was when I ran my pb, but again, felt it was lacking in more specific work (only MP run was 6m in a 10m run, 9 days out).
Canova follows similar principles to both, but with bigger specific workouts. However to achieve those bigger specific workouts there is a much larger focus on a) recovery, and b) flexibility as the workouts are only done when you are ready to do them. Squires approach was similar in that there were two workouts per week with the instruction to add in other elements on days you felt good, and that worked really well for me, and with managing fibro seems like a no brainer.
I've tweaked elements of it (mainly that his paces are %-age based, but that doesn't hold up as well when you are not an elite level marathoner), but without contravening the principles, so it's going to be an interesting experiment.
12 and 5 today, legs were tired after ydays weights. (Another!) Named storm forecast for tomorrow!
TR.. that's another great double, not surprised you're looking forward to the taper.
Looks a rough day up here tomorrow but without the storm warnings.
10.7m today, a bit windy but otherwise ok. After a sunny start an unexpected black cloud appeared towards the end. A modest pace increase over the last mile got me home 30 seconds before a 5 minute deluge.
Wardi - excellent timing on the run finish, and good volume.
Weather here is in line with what TR has said for his area. Rain started a while ago and is already brutally heavy with the winds picking up. I believe they're forecast to break 50mph.
Yesterday I managed a 7m easy/4m jog double, after the jog/6m steady the day before, which although very tired in both cases, was a sizeable step up from being completely wiped out after an hour steady last week. Got out this morning for a 4m jog and an hour's dog walk before the weather broke.
Possibly something on the treadmill later, or resistance work against the wind
TT - easy does it, don't do doubles every day, maybe a single every day?
5m and 5m, run home was wild, 60ish mph gusts, reminded me of November's Gosport half marathon as i was getting thrown about.
Another chiro session today, I do seem to be making progress. Acupuncture included this time and a couple more exercises to do.
5m easy this afternoon, windy & showers here but not as wild as down south by the sound of it.
10m today, easy pace, pretty tired and the wind was still howling. Hopefullly a long run tomorrow.
A steady 5m again here, managed to get it done in blue sky rather than one of the intermittent heavy downpours. I fancy a blast at Parkrun tomorrow on fresh legs as conditions look good.
Wardi - Re training with young kids, I do have a very understanding and supportive wife. But equally i've had to let other things fall by the wayside to focus on the running. Can't spin too many plates. Good luck at parkrun. You're right that the morning looks very pleasant. I can't remember a few days like the last few where the weathers changed so dramatically so quickly.
TR- Good miles again this week, and battling tough conditions. Hopefully the wind settles for you tomorrow. Looks a lot stiller here on the forecast.
TT - Have to credit your work ethic. Sounds like a solid week without taking too many risks. Is it Canova who prescribes days where some athletes do close to or more than marathon miles at a few % below marathon pace across a couple of sessions? Presumably preceded by and followed by some very easy days.
5 miles easy Wednesday. 12 miles today. Started out sunny, copped a face and body full of wind and rain for 20 mins (a sad day for my nipples, when will I learn?) and then closed in lovely sunshine. My body definitely knows a certain pace (it was 7:13/mile for 16 miles sunday, 7:12/mile for 14 miles tuesday and 7:12 again today for 12. This is a little over 10% slower than goal pace so actually fine as per P&D so just feels odd because they've been crammed into a week. Parkrun tomorrow, possibly with buggy, and then an hour sunday hopefully.
Joe - good week there, lots of steady medium long runs. You'll be well set if you do train for that mara.
The weather wouldn't stop me from doing a long run, the "hopefully" is that the body allows it.
RJR.. hope the Parkrun buggy pushing went well. Looks like you've put in a good week of miles. I use the 'rub on' Bodyglide stuff for nipple protection, it's seen me through a few marathons on hot/wet days. Much better than plasters etc which tend to fall off eventually.
After my last Parkrun outing (23.20) I decided to have a crack at sub 23 today as conditions were good. Hanging on a bit in the last k but got over the line in 22 55. July last year when I last broke 23 so pleased with some progress. No speed or tempo work recently so must be down to moving more freely after the chiro stuff. Rounded it up to 7m this morning and got out for another 4.4m in the afternoon sun.
TR - well done on the 21 and 80. Smart decision not to force the Mara section.
rjr - that's right with Canova. Lots more on top of that, but that is a large chunk of it. I've actually started writing a piece on applying his methods to non-elites. I'll post it when I finish it (may take some time as hitting a very busy work period).
Friday was a 5.4m jog, dog walk, 6m 'brisk' day. Saturday a 4m dog welly walk through a very flooded country park, plus a few hours of heavy lifting (dozens of paving slabs to move from one house to another), before a 6m+ easy this morning (and more lifting to come).
Ended up with a 50m running week (longest run of only 55 minutes and nothing quicker than steady), 12m of (recorded) dog walks, a weights session, a yoga/mobility session, and some manual labour.
It's still too early to even think about any kind of session yet so will just carry on in the same vein next week at least, with possibly a single steady run, or maybe a few strides if I feel up to it, and again, volume to be determined as I feel.
Right now I'm genuinely happy just to be moving and to be seeing some signs of improvement from the treatment I'm getting whilst still under investigation - HR is back inside 10bpm of normal and I'm feeling a little stronger, and even had 3 nights of more reasonable sleep volume (still less than 6 hours a night, but that's a big improvement on what I was getting).
TT - good signs of recovery. Take it easy.
10m today.
OO I hope the hip flexor issue has abated during the week. Annoying when one niggle eases only to be replaced by something else. Hopefully the sunshine in the Canary Islands helps.
SteveMac That's an impressive 20 with 14 at MP last week. Nicely backed up too with other double digit runs. Glad the shin pain was something and nothing.
TT Good to read some more positivity from you reference the diet changes. I think its ok to fall-off the horse now and again otherwise whats the point. However, I get it that in your case that can have serious consequences. My Achilles heel is chocolate. Interested to see how you adopt the Canova principles into your training. Extra sleep will help too. I've been more mindful of that over past few months. It makes such a difference to everything.
Jooligan Nicely done at last weekends FOD Trails half. Sounded proper tough end to the race that. Good to see you are on the mend post covid.
RJR Good to read the physio appointment was a revelation and you feel its going to be something you take forwards. I have incorporated some stuff I've been advised over the years. It clearly works but we prefer to run instead I guess. I train at Sportcity on Saturdays and all the young elites spend more time stretching than running. Funny that.
Wardi Lovely feeling getting home and then watching the rain start to lash down. Moving in the right direction at parkrun yesterday too which is good to see. The body moving more freely will help when you begin to add some faster work as you mentioned. Onward and upwards.
Another week in the bag at this end if pretty tiring I have to admit. I think the half last week took more out of me than I expected. With that said I took two rest days (Mon and Thu), ran easy Tue, Wed and steady out-and-back Fri before getting down to the track yesterday and long run today for 51 miles total.
Track session was 2 x (8 x 400m / 1 min 200m jog recovery with 3 mins between sets). I ran these at 10k pace so hit them all between 86-88 secs. All felt good but the second set was a bit tougher.
Today's long run as 22 miles at 8min/mile pace on my hilly route out to Saddleworth. I really think running all my long runs on my hilly routes is paying dividends as I felt comfy today despite feeling pretty tired.
A bit of a sore ankle still but It doesn't cause me any issues whilst running bar the odd twinge. It's probably something I have to contend with as its always been weak since damaging ligaments when I was 16. Other than that, feeling good to go.
SJ.. another good week, great long run on a hilly route after the Saturday session. Good luck with the ankle twinge.
TT.. You've been through a topsy turvy time, good luck with the recovery and I don't envy you lifting those paving slabs!
5m yesterday before family visits and 6.5m today. Nice afternoon here after a wet morning.
TT - A good return, a 50m week is not to be sniffed at.
Joe - Were in Los Cristianos, so you must have run the runs I am doing at the moment, along the beaches with the odd stop for a swim. Love a P&D +10% run.
TR - 80m & 21m, great numbers. A good taper and your all set.
Wardi - Nice PR. Good progress.
Loving the sun, hopefully it will work its magic. Some so so runs, a decent 10k last week @ 6.35 but since then 6-8m @ 8.40 - 9.10 mm, the piriformis I think, back with a vengeance. Must stretch more.
SJ - Nice track session.
RJR - Nice pace on the 10% runs!
OO - Nice 10k.
Did 23 miles on Saturday and 8 miles on Sunday to finish off a 69 mile week, my legs were tired after the last 3 weeks, got 290 miles in March, which I think is my highest ever. Will cut back now to try to get fresh legs for the half.
Steve - good miles. You have Shakespeare soon too? How close is your HM to that?
Super wet 5m commute run home, tedious!
OO - I'm awful on holiday when it comes to running. I struggle without some routine and with the heat as well. Know I need to get up early for it to work but then just favour the lie ins instead. I have to show some discipline on the cruise! Plenty of time for some beach or poolside stretching?
TR - 21 with 10 at marathon pace very much feels like that final confidence booster before the marathon. Not surprised you swapped for steady. I sometimes feel like those sessions need a taper. Knowing I have a few like it coming up i've looked around for half marathons as I feel that's the only way I'd be able to do myself real justice for those miles but there's nothing much good about at the moment.
Wardi - good work on the sub 23. Some satisfaction i'm sure in being so close. Interesting re bodyglide. I've always felt silly with plasters but they've done the trick for me (so far).
SJ - I can believe it. Stretching and activations are all the rage. Oh to the have the time. All sounds pretty positive up there. Hills, like cross country, are bound to good things for your strength, it's just painful in the process. Good work.
Mixed bag for me. Parkrun without buggy Saturday. Legs were tired and I really didn't want to push it but it ended up as a 95% effort 18:17. I had 8 miles planned Sunday but only managed 4 as I was up in the North-East visiting family. Then a 5 miler yesterday didn't materialise either for same reason. Probably for the best as a lack of sleep really caught up with me over the weekend. Felt better today but again couldn't do the planned 17 miles and settled for 7. I have control over my schedule tomorrow though so it will be 17 (probably very wet) miles.
SteveMac.. that's a hefty weekend and a good month of miles. Enjoy the taper for the half.
OO.. what I thought was piriformis turned out to be tendinopathy. Worth getting a proper diagnosis when you get home. Good to see you're enjoying the sun, not jealous at all.
RJR.. it is hard planning longer runs in between family stuff. Sounds like you were in a bit of sleep debt anyway. Hope your 17m isn't too soggy tomorrow.
Mostly sunny this morning so 10m done in t-shirt, shorts and sunglasses. Another chiro session later which sorted out a couple of stiff points in my shoulder & arm.
TR - a great mixture of mileage, sessions and extra work as ever. Great stuff!!
TT - pleased to read that things seem to be on the up a bit. Fingers crossed you can continue to just get some miles in, things settle down and you can back to it soon. Seems positive though!!
rjr - glad to read that the achilles issue seemed non-serious. A good set of MLRs too (last week?) and a tidy parkrun. Always tough juggling family time and running, but it sounds like you're doing what you can. Good work!
OO - hope you're enjoying your hol!! Currently absolutely banging it down here!! For a change.... Hope you're able to sort the piriformis thing out and you're good to go when you get back.
wardi - excellent that the chiro stuff seems to be helping!! Well done on the sub-23 parkrun too. Great stuff!!
SJ - another belting week and you seem to be good to go. Fingers crossed mate!!
Things going a bit tits up here sadly. I continue to struggle (badly) with my hammy. It just feels so delicate/precarious, and I've had it properly go bang before in a half so there's fairly recent history there. I'm genuinely not sure I'll even get round at London.
I've tried to drop my mileage a fair bit, have a few zero days etc but I went out this morn after 3 days of very little and it was as bad as ever. It all seems to be unravelling a bit sadly. Quite a few missed long runs in particular. Trying to manage it as best I can, massage, stretching, s+c but when I run it soon flares back up. Hey ho. Will muddle my way through the next 2 and a bit weeks as best I can and hopefully make the start. I wouldn't be lumping much money on me making the finish though sadly.
RJR - Nice parkrun! Yeah I think once you have the miles in the legs it does boost confidence!
Easy 12 miles yesterday and 6 with strides this morning. 4 miles after work planned.
LS21 - sorry to hear about the hammy troubles. You've banked some really good training so if you can make the start line you can probably still run well. Hopefully something you can get to the bottom of quickly.
TT - realised I forgot to say well done on the running you've managed since you've been back in the game. Only 6m of marathon pace seems crazy in the build up. I will probably play around with training methods if I go through marathon training again. Using P&D because it got me into real good shape 3 years ago but that doesn't mean it's the best plan for me.
Weather pretty much held out. I was conscious that the 55 mpw 12 week plan only had 2 runs over 17 miles which worried me so figured if I felt ok I'd try to run 1 or 2 extra miles. In the end 19 miles @ avg 7:06/mile. Put a real focus into carbs today. Ran the first hour with bottle of SIS beta fuel, then had 2 precision chews @ 1 hr 20 and a maurten gel slowly from 1 hr 45. It all went down well and definitely had me feeling better mentally (without fuel the head starts to go) but naturally the legs did struggle in the last few miles especially when i was into a strong head wind. Longest run in almost 3 years.
LS - I feel for you, I've had a few recent campaigns affected by issues. You probably need some work on it as Wardi says.
Steve - i see, don't cut back too much for the HM then.
Joe - strong long run, great confidence booster. You look good to be able to train for a mara now........I havnt done any mp runs this time, I'd usually do some 10m blocks in a long run, and even done 13m at 3 weeks out........I've done lots of approx an hour at steady av 7:0X, which I've found a tough effort early doors so hope it equates when tapered etc......Good to try other ideas as you say.
10m as 2m easy, 8m stdy and 5m today. The 10m was very wet, the 5m windy.
GFA has been tightened by 5mins, still a decent buffer for us oldies though. Start info is apparently out by Friday.