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Monday 29th April 2019 - You pretend you're high
in Training
Morning.
Lyrics - You pretend you're high
Well done chicksta - I didn't realise you were racing yesterday, older and faster!
Were you happy with your race OH?
Hope you are home safe Daisy.
As you all know not the day I was hoping for. The short version is that at eight miles I started to have stomach issues, by 12 miles my legs started to feel heavy and i knew I should take on some fuel but couldn't. At a bit over 14 miles I made a pit stop which I thought would solve the problem and as I rejoined the race I realised that I could bimble in at 7 min/miles and still sub 3 so i decided as a PB was no longer on the cards that was what i would do but my left calf started to fill with concrete. Took a gel, felt sick, right calf started to fill with concrete too, stomach started playing up again and I realised I was going to have to stop again which I did somewhere around mile 18 (I think - haven't downloaded and checked splits). Both of my calf's were solid and it was all I could do to keep running but I couldn't bring myself to walk - not sure if it was stubborn pride or because I just wanted it to be over with. No surrender eh? Despite a post race massage and compression tights my calf's are still both solid - never had it before and don't know what to do. I'm assuming it was the inability to take any fuel and limited fluid on as I was dehydrated at the finish. As to the stomach issues, well they just seem to be getting worse...................
What: nothing
Why: can't
Last hard: not having a nice day yesterday
Last rest: 27/1
Yesterday's lyrics - No Surrender - Bruce Springsteen.
Lyrics - You pretend you're high
Well done chicksta - I didn't realise you were racing yesterday, older and faster!
Were you happy with your race OH?
Hope you are home safe Daisy.
As you all know not the day I was hoping for. The short version is that at eight miles I started to have stomach issues, by 12 miles my legs started to feel heavy and i knew I should take on some fuel but couldn't. At a bit over 14 miles I made a pit stop which I thought would solve the problem and as I rejoined the race I realised that I could bimble in at 7 min/miles and still sub 3 so i decided as a PB was no longer on the cards that was what i would do but my left calf started to fill with concrete. Took a gel, felt sick, right calf started to fill with concrete too, stomach started playing up again and I realised I was going to have to stop again which I did somewhere around mile 18 (I think - haven't downloaded and checked splits). Both of my calf's were solid and it was all I could do to keep running but I couldn't bring myself to walk - not sure if it was stubborn pride or because I just wanted it to be over with. No surrender eh? Despite a post race massage and compression tights my calf's are still both solid - never had it before and don't know what to do. I'm assuming it was the inability to take any fuel and limited fluid on as I was dehydrated at the finish. As to the stomach issues, well they just seem to be getting worse...................
What: nothing
Why: can't
Last hard: not having a nice day yesterday
Last rest: 27/1
Yesterday's lyrics - No Surrender - Bruce Springsteen.
If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
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Comments
Lyrics: would have known the ones I was going to set!
Sounds like a particularly uncomfortable day at the office, LMH! Hot baths, lots of fluids, gentle walk are all I can suggest.
What: may well do what I did last Monday which was catch a bus and run back.
Why: forced me to run longer last week so the same again plus a bit further perhaps.
Sorry to hear you didn't have the race you'd hoped for LMH. Hope you have a restful day and feel better v soon.
Ale....enjoy your run!
What....finding a house under the mess!
Why....been away
Last hard....shattered nerves during rugby matches
Last rest....28/4
Lyrics...nope
LmH - I guessed it wasn't the best day in the office, but a time many of us would love to post.
Above all you battled through, completed it and for that you should be proud of the run.
As to what , where and why, well save those for another day. You have had a lot - and I mean a lot - on your plate mentally and emotionally of late and despite some solid mileage, that's never going to be ideal prep and we shouldn't underestimate where our heads are at.
I know it's hard but take a few days off, and when you do run, keep it short, keep it easy and keep it fun, at least for a couple of weeks. As Ale says , stay hydrated too.
You will bounce back, put this one in the drawer marked "meh!" and move on. You still inspire many of us.
What - Vets league tonight, looks like the 2k walk (scoring) and possibly the 1500 (non scoring)
Why - track season already...
last rest - Friday
last hard - all of them currently
lyric - not sure
LMH Sounds like good advice from Alehouse and I hope it all feels better soon!
Ale:That sounds a good plan how far are you planning? I hope it stays dry!
Daisy:I hope you find your house soon;-)
What: 7 miles
Why: Because I can and I did
Last hard: The rain
Lyrics: No
Another good run and yesterday's was a PB for course by 10 minutes so all going well for a change:-)
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
This is the first time I specially trained for a half. All my previous ones were done in the middle of marathon training. I haven't run particularly well since 2013 when I set all my PBs. Suffered from a slipped disc in the autumn of that year and training/racing had been hit and miss. The back kept causing nerve issues (try running with no feeling in your left foot) and I suffered from stress fractures for a while due to a rubbish gait and lack of hip stability. A blessing in disguise as it made me discover yoga which led to a whole new level of body awareness and strength. Those nerve issues were now a thing of the past. My comeback started last year at the ripe old age of 50 with a solid 3:35 marathon in Berlin run in the comfort zone. Yeah, I'm a bit of a tree hugger these days
Decided I didn't want to do a spring marathon as I really couldn't bear the thought of those awful long runs in the cold. So having delusions of grandeur I bought the P&L book in the hope of defying age and setting age-graded rather than absolute PBs. Training went rather well until the end of January when a virus knocked me for six. Couldn't get near any of my previous training paces for weeks. Leading up to the Vienna half marathon things started to look up and my Garmin told me I was peaking predicting a 1:24 half marathon
Did my best on the day without ruining myself but it was only good enough for 1:41:56 and I was sure I had a sub 1:40 in me.
What to do? Back home I started looking for a plan B. But apart from the Hamburg half (a new race that is the same day as the main event but starts an hour earlier at 8:25h) there was nothing that appealed. And it was sold out. But they allow number swaps against an extra fee. So I trawled eBay small ads and managed to secure a place at the last minute.
Today started in stark contrast to yesterday's beautiful sunshine with torrential rain that wasn't forecast when I checked before I went to bed. And the temperature read 8 degrees ❄️
Had to get up bloody early because of the number faff hoping against hope the rain would stop for the race. It didn't. Fast forward to race start: Lined up next to the 1:40 pacers running the first 500m with them before it really felt too slow. Settled into a good rhythm that felt natural and sustainable. I had two women in sight who were marginally quicker but didn't fancy a surge so early. First 5k has a gradual incline between 2 and 4k plus about 300m of cobbles in it - split was 23:07. Bang on the money. The next 5k is my favourite bit with a lovely long downhill section and lots of noise running along the harbour with various tourist hot spots: 22:15 for that. Feeling totally in the zone today. Don't even notice the rain and how cold it is. I've passed girl number 2 now and gotten closer to girl number 1. 10-15k has is largely flat but you pass through a tunnel which always stinks of exhaust fumes even though it's closed for traffic on the day. 22:46 for that. Girl number 2 is coming up by my right side. She's breathing hard whereas I'm ok now I'm out of the tunnel. We run together for a while. I'm on my usual pre-work running route around Hamburg's inner city lake Alster. You have to cross a number of bridges and I can feel that a bit but mercifully not red lining. My running buddy has vanished. But girl number 1 is still in sight. At the 18k mark I spot hubby for a sweaty hug and a kiss, passing our parkrun course. The route then turns right, away from the lake, going uphill for a bit before a downward stretch underneath a railway bride at the 20k mark. 23:06 which is fine given the lumps and the hug stop. Ok, now it's going to get painful. Paying for the lovely downhill earlier the final bit is going up again and into the wind. I'm searching hard for a kitchen sink that I can throw but my legs have turned into mush. Girl number 1 and I have a bit of a surreal battle, at times feeling like I'm going backwards but not letting her get away. Eek, suddenly my right calf is cramping. WTF?? That's never happened to me in a half. I can see the finish now but my usual sprint finish is impossible. Instead I'm hobbling like a demented rabbit unable to read my Garmin but the finish clock displays 1:37:01 as I dive over the line neck and neck with girl number 1. We high five and hug thanking each other for a fun race. Blurry vision clears and I'm ecstatic to see 1:36:48 on my Garmin which just happens to be my second fastest half ever. Spot girl number 2 and thank her as well. Post race beer was nice but a Glühwein would have been even better. Took me ages to warm up again but it was well worth it. Getting changed created another couple of comedy moments as both calves kept cramping and then the toes joined the party as well 🙄
Well raced chicksta and good timing on the norovirus! My GI issues started a couple of years ago but seem to be getting worse.
Sounds as though you are enjoying your running Poppy.
Hope it doesn't take you too long to get straight Daisy.
They aren't easing much with walking Alehouse and I'm well hydrated so I guess I'll just have to hope they give up soon.
LMH, wow, you battled through so much bless ya. Agree with dustin, plenty of us have not even started races when too much is going on, well me anyway! SO you are one amazing tough cookie.
CHick, wow great report! Glad you had such a good run and troubles were mainly near the end. Great race. Sorry you are ill now though!
Daisy has the house turned up yet?
dustin, you coach you run you walk as well!!
Pops glad you getting back
what: run after work
why: not in the mood this morning
last hard: yesterday am
last rest: 31/12/16
Entered the ballot, I can't help myself...
Have a nice bus / run outing Ale.
That must be a small house or a lot of mess Daisy
Good luck tonight Dustin.
A 10 min PB is great WP.
Get well soon Chicksta - not nice! Will read the report in a bit (nice distraction from work...).
What: recovery run later (maybe accompanied by OH)
Why: deal with calf DOMS
Last hard: not turning on the afterburners when it started to hail at mile 10 of my longish run yesterday - bloody cold!
Last rest: 27.04.
Lyrics: no
And well done Poppy.
Ebjoy vets tonight Dustin.
LMH....take it easy hun x
Now going on an unexpected romp round Stanmer Park with a friend who's coming back from hip surgery. Looking forward to a spring walk and further avoidance of housework 😂
Hope you feel more up for your run this afternoon Wabo. The worst bit about yesterday was not being able to enjoy the day, after all that the year has thrown at me so far I really just wanted to go and have a nice day out.
Enjoy your walk Daisy - housework will wait.
Have managed to get an appointment with my physio Wednesday afternoon so hoping she can work out what's going on and sort the legs out for me. I fear it may be no running until after that though - haven't had three days off in a long time but that might not be a bad thing.
Daisy - Stanmer Park ? they have held the SEAA XC there a couple of times, horrific course when it's churned up. Last year I don't think it stopped chucking it down. Loved it!
Great report, Chick: I was virtually with you all the way! And get well!
I would say (and teach) calves, LMH! Are you up to some gentle stretching?
Wabo: I won't mention Spurs.
What: 67 minutes
Why: caught the bus again and ran back, adding a little on to last week's run in the early to middle stages (if I plan to add it on at the end I might not do it!). 11.45k, which is the longest run of the year, and longer than anything last year! The downside was that the Achilles was a pain the whole way round.
Enjoy this evening, Dustin!
Alehouse, Oh well they deserved it to be fair and we look shattered
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
Was wondering how NZC is during my run!
lsr intended tomorrow
last hard 10k race yesterday
lyrics no
Very happy with race LMH, by no means my fastest time on that course but pleased to get under the hour, given recent back issues (still not 100%)
Don't be too hard on yourself re ysesterday, maybe not the most enjoyable but still a great time.
cracking report Chick, again well done
LMH i think we have all had that bad run, you did so well to battle through where many would have canned it well done for the mental toughness. (I still swear by a week a pack of S&V crisps each day before a mara and coke straight afterwards.....
a fast progressive short run for me, and felt good and strong, a rarity for me, so happy.
Lyrics No
Take care