Managed a full week's running last week, first time since early December. No long one on Saturday (legs too tired), but an enjoyable first off-road outing of the year up over Clougha Pike. Hoping for similar this week.
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Managed a full week's running last week, first time since early December. No long one on Saturday (legs too tired), but an enjoyable first off-road outing of the year up over Clougha Pike. Hoping for similar this week.
Nice oneQuote:
Originally Posted by Hank
Thanks! Trying to balance exuberance with not doing too much too soon (feeling knackered is helping).Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
It would seem that even top international coaches have trouble assessing running economy/efficiency by observation. Cochrum et al (2020) Visual classification of running economy. Tom Goom, Running-physio.com, discusses this in an interesting 10 minute video.
Club session today and 8 x 800mtr reps.
All reps were 2:40-2:42, but i could only manage 6.... a look back at this thread and i did an identical session about a fortnight ago and was running the reps in 2:44-2:46, which probably explains why it felt so tough today!
In hindsight i should possibly have taken another easy day today, after working relatively hard over the weekend, but woke up feeling good so went for it, and leaves me with a few days to recover for another tough session on friday or saturday.
6 x 500m reps in the Outwoods, each one taking longer than Travs's 800m reps -- but I don't think his had 45 metres of climbing. Quite a satisfying session; the third quarter of the route is the steep section, so usually in the fourth quarter I find myself just grimly holding on as the gradient decreases; but today I actually felt that I was making a decent effort to accelerate to the finish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
An eventful session in terms of human contact. As I was running up the bridleway to the woods I passed two friends from church. A bit further up I started hearing running footsteps behind me; my brain said, "This is only the warm-up jog", but there seemed to be a direct line from my ears to my legs, bypassing my brain, and I inevitably sped up. I managed to stay ahead of the bloke until I arrived at the entrance to the woods, where my reps start.
As I finished the first rep, I turned round and saw a young lady a little way down the path -- -- she was bent over, looking at her electronic gizmo. I didn't say anything as I passed on my jog back down. Back at the bottom of the hill, during my recovery before the next rep, a dog-walker, whom I had passed on the way up and again coming back down, stopped for a brief chat: "You are putting the rest of us to shame, etc." Then at the same location during my recovery after the second rep, another friend from church ran past, coming into the woods from the bridleway.
Not much excitement after that, although on the fourth rep a dog-walker ahead of me stepped aside, almost into my path as I veered aside to pass her.
No, I doubt my entire run including warmup and run home contained more than 45mtrs of climb. .
Redressed the issue of ascent this morning with 6 miles up 15% gradient on the treadmill, taking 1hr10. Mainly power-walking but with seven or eight bursts of around 3mins running.
Weight good again, 79.5kg... my tighter scrutiny of diet seems to be paying off, as seem to now be consistently walking round below 80kg.
My pal and I chickened out of tonight's planned 8 mile run due to hailstones and gale force winds and went for a flattish sheltered option instead.
From the western end of the Monsal Trail at Topley Pike quarry we dropped down to the muddy, flooded in places, riverside path along Wye and Chee Dales. Not very good for running on and many of the two sets of stepping stones were covered in muddy floodwater which made them a bit tricky to see! We eventually re-joined the trail at the limekilns near Millers Dale and returned to Topley Pike on the comfort of the old railway bed.
Just 5 miles and 251 feet in a sloth like 51 minutes. Still trying to shake off a bit of lethargy after Mondays jab and I certainly felt better after the run than I did before it.
After having one or two niggles midweek, its been easy running for the remainder of the week. Although turned it up a little today with an hour hard uphill 15% on the treadmill, followed straight off by 4 miles hard flat.
Brings the weekly total to 68.5 miles.
Weight continuing to fall... down to 79.1kg
Next week.... well i don't want to make too many predictions in case the niggles return... but have been planning for a couple of weeks to do a decent tempo run... perhaps 10/15/20km at or just under 20min/5km pace. Then hopefully the club-scheduled weekly session as well.
Got my eye on a 1500mtr track race 4 weeks today, and of course the return of club group training in a couple of weeks. Not to mention getting my entry in for Ennerdale tomorrow... got unfinished business there after my 2018 debacle.
Having seemed to have shaken off my post jab lethargy I went out this afternoon on my todd. With cold wind and rain on my back it was a waterproof top from the doorstep down the fields to Conksbury and into Lathkill Dale. Halfway to Alport and in the shelter of the dale the top came off and went into my backpack.
Up Bradford Dale past Youlgreave turning right before Middleton and steeply up past Lomberdale Hall and then further uphill to Moor Lane. Now I was exposed head on to the gale with its accompanying rain and hail so the top went back on for the battle across fields to Calling Low and the descent into Cales Dale. The 160 odd limestone steps down into the dale were very slippery, as was the rough rocky path up the other side to One Ash Grange.
Back into the storm over the fields to the top end of Lathkill Dale and then, skirting Monyash via Bagshaw Dale, on to Horse Lane. Around 500 yards of tarmac before a left over a series of fields towards Sheldon. The weather now was coming from my left until I reached Magpie Mine from where I had a nice tailie most of the last 2 miles home.
A total of 13.25 miles and 1,447 feet in 2hrs 3mins. About half a mile on tarmac, 2 miles on hard packed trail and the rest on fields whose surfaces varied from quagmire to lovely firm grass and everything in between. Quite pleased with my fitness especially having been under the weather all week. Only half a dozen walkers seen.
Unfortunately I am having shoulder surgery on the 24th just when the running is starting to pick up so it will probably be back to square one.:mad: However, I have got myself a turbo trainer to keep the legs and lungs going and have negotiated a four week period to have it in the house.:)
Thanks for the advice Marco, a couple of things in there that I had not thought about.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
What I have thought about, and am still pondering, is pedals. Whether to keep my SPD-SL clipless pedals (always confusing as you are clipped in) and cycling shoes to start with or fit some flat pedals for the first week or so until I have some idea of my shoulders limitations.
Club session this morning, and a threshold run.
I extended the distance up to 10km, in a time of 39.01.... have since received a ticking off, as threshold pace efforts shouldn't really be over 20mins in duration.
But still a good run out in the wind and rain.
9.5 miles in total.
A lovely run with a pal this evening. We started from the layby just up from the Crag Inn, Wildboarclough and followed Peak and Northern Footpaths Society path No 379 which traverses the hillside over farmland to Oakenclough. Up the delightful Oakenclough and over to the Hanging Gate pub where the landlord told us he was looking forward to the 12th April, aren't we all!
Along the road towards Ridgegate and Trentabank Resevoirs but before reaching them, a right turn into Macclesfield Forest. By now it was getting dark as we headed uphill on the forestry track but still without headtorches unlike the Mountain Bikers flying downhill towards us ruining our night vision. We continued on the track and met two pairs of other runners and some more MBers all lit up like landing aircraft!
We then turned right, and turned our headtorches on, near Highmoor Brook onto the paved footpath which leads up to the summit TP of Shutlingsloe. It was claggy by now and the old problem of our lights reflecting off it slowed progress. Once at the summit it was straight off the other side, down the race up route, steeply back down to the Crag Inn.
A total of 6.68 miles and 1,394 feet in 1hr 9mins. Drier than expected underfoot and more people about than expected, but none of them aboard a tandem!
I know those tracks well LB. We were on the first bit of them earlier in the day (but on foot, not on a tandem!).
I'd forgotten how long the drag up through the forestry from the road to the start of the slabs was!Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Noel, when we hit the road just above Lower Nabbs Farm I noticed a stile and sign leading onto the OA land to the right. When we reached the TP on Shutlingsloe I was tempted to return via the ridge over Mount Pleasant and Piggford Moor down to that stile and then have a lovely finish back across those fields to the Crag Inn. Due to it being dark and claggy and not knowing the terrain we decided against it.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Is there a path/sheep trod there?
A few years ago I walked down from Shutlingsloe over Piggford Moor to the road above Lower Nabbs Farm. From what I remember, there was a path, but not the sort of path you would want to negotiate in the dark! Anyway, Noel will be able to give you a much more accurate answer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
With a track race looming in three weeks, i'm turning my rep sessions more towards turning up the speed, rather than endurance (i'm fairly happy i've got the endurance to manage 3 and three-quarter laps of the track, its doing it at sufficient speed).
So just went out this morning to run some 400mtr reps.
Did 5 in the end.... 74, 74, 72, 72, 71
Very quick for me... on a typical 10/12/16 x 400mtr rep session i'd be looking more like 80secs/rep, but was having a nice easy jog back rest period between each one.
But a nice confidence booster that i can hopefully have a good bash at getting under 4:55 in the 1500mtrs.
6.5 miles
This is quite interesting - on the age related decline in performance in a group of marathon runners:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...0210311_arts_A
I think my age related decline is well underway...
I've had few injuries over the winter which have now turned to persistent niggles - runnable but annoying. Lockdown has meant no trips to any of the big hills I frequent so had to make do with local footpaths, bridalways and the odd trip to North Worcestershire hills. I think a combination of the injuries and lack of any really challenging terrain in what feels like an eternity have knocked my running mojo for 6 and I've struggled of late particularly on the climbs. In an attempt to offset this, I set off up the Clent Hills this morning with 2 ideas in mind. One to avoid the main paths - even the smaller, less well known ones are busy at the moment - and secondly to notch up a decent amount of ascent at whatever pace I could manage.
So, in what turned out to be a largely off-piste affair involving far more brambles than I would have liked, I clocked up 630m in about 9.5km. Had to round it up to 10km of course but felt much better for it. Onwards and upwards.
A lovely morning run with a pal and his fox terrier from outside the Cock and Pullet in Sheldon. Over to Magpie Mine where my first Lapwings of the year were spotted and down through fields to Horse Lane, via a short detour to the TP at High Low, and along to Monyash.
We then picked up the Limestone Way and followed it to Flagg before a trudge over fields rutted with cattle hoof marks to the top of Taddington. Past the mere and along the bridleway to Wheal Lane. Down into the top of Deep Dale and up the other side and back over the fields to Sheldon.
A circular route of 8.5 miles and 730 feet in 1hr 14 min. Not a soul seen!
I repeated my cross-country exploits of a fortnight ago, heading out westwards parallel with the M6 towards Birmingham, then a loop back clockwise home.
11.5 miles and around 800ft. Was about 25mins quicker this time (around 1hr45 compared to 2hr10 last time).... mainly due to knowing where i was going and not having to constantly refer to the map, or taking dead ends/rights of way which didn't exist on the ground/etc.... and of course it was generally much better underfoot.
Warm and sunny enough that i was able to cool off afterwards topless, whilst cleaning my shoes in the garden.
Brings the week to a total of exactly 80 miles. Fairly encouraging in terms of quantity and quality. I think my 10km run in the midweek session was actually a pb, without actually going out with a race head on (which does highlight how little i race those kind of road distances).
Yes, there's a good path. It leads up to a gate on the SW side of Shutlingsloe. It's relatively easy to follow and has stile's/gates at the walls. They don't allow dogs on Pigford Moor, but if you're without hound it's a very pleasant run up or down.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
Lovely Noel, thanks. I'll give it a whirl next time I'm over that way.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Club session this morning. Felt a little heavy-legged so opted for the treadmill instead.
4 x (3mins, 2mins, 1min)
8.5 miles in total.
Looking forward to resuming club training a week tonight.
Back on the treadmill for an hour uphill this morning. Consisting of 5mins power-walk 10mins run (x4).
Weight continuing to fall very slowly, now 78.7kg which is now less than a kg from my "fight weight".... it's little wonder that i feel like i'm running well at the moment (by my own meagre standards), having lost around 2kg since xmas.
Repeated my recent cross-country runs round the loop by the M6 and surrounding farmland.
Having done it in 1hr45 last weekend, it was time to put some effort in today and aimed for 1hr30...
It certainly wasn't a full effort, starting with no warmup and building into it, but fell 45secs short of my 1hr 30 target.
Strong wind, against me for 55mins. Did feel a little heavy legged... perhaps a hangover from thursday's uphill work, perhaps the diet going a little astray yesterday, or perhaps even a bit of accumulated fatigue after last week's 80 miles. Still ran strongly, especially up the 800ft of climb... just didn't have the inclination to turn on the burners at any point...
A very lethargic 7.5 miles this morning brings the week to a conclusion. 69.5 miles.
A solid week, but unspectacular.
Next week sees the resuming of club sessions on tuesday. and i've got a track session booked for saturday morning... will just be aiming to keep as sharp as possible with a track race now only a fortnight away.
Having lost 20 days with my right calf towards the end of November, I then did my left calf and it was a nasty one, went without warning on a shorty 21st January.
I could still feel it walking after a couple of weeks, so I took until end of Feb off from running and just walked and did a bit on the exercise bike.
Set a modest target of 40 miles running in March.
I completed that today with a 30 minute 3.25 mile loop around Witton.
I've been doing 2-3 x 3-4 milers a week at just over 9 minute mile pace. Done quite a bit of walking still, having walked over 100 mile with about 10,000ft.
April is about getting some recce paced longer efforts in on the hills. So 50 ish miles and around 5000ft and if I feel Ok at the end of it I'll crack on through May.
I certainly need some fitness back, but strangely it's mostly confidence at the moment. I'm always thinking a calf or ankle is going to go on me.
Hopefully April will be the start of some meaningful entries on here.
Resumption of club training tonight.
7.5 mile steady run, with 4 hard intervals of varying distance 400-800mtrs, and varying inclines.
Fairly easy-going for a club session... but i have to appreciate that not everyone has been training as regularly as everybody else... but a decent turnout, and even a new face.
Thursday should be harder work, with a 25 minute hill session planned on the grass.
Good to see you getting back into it WP. A few quality weeks and your confidence should come back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Hopefully you are strengthening those calfs - heel drops in other words. I do them most days of the week, on a horizontal surface, going up and down on the same leg until the calf starts to tighten, 1 second up, 1 second down, twice each side. Usually 25-30 first time, 20 or so second time. So a little bit different from heel drops on the stairs, which can stress the tendon's insertion into the heel excessively. The Australian Ballet Company have been doing this for years, as opposed to their previous dedication to stretching, and have seen a dramatic reduction in calf injuries.Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Skipping (with a rope) is fantastic for calves.
I find I get tangled in the rope too frequently to make it useful. So instead I skip as if I am using a rope. I agree it is a great strengthener for the calves.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
From a distance it will look like you're using a thin rope. Maybe you should build in some tricks, seeing as there's no chance of tripping up. Here's some inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J077NL55p5cQuote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
Amaze your (middle distance) neighbours.
I'll give those heel drops a go Mike.
Slow trot around the nursery slopes of Witton this morning, finishing off with the Saucer, the main climb on the cross country course for those who know the park.
3.5 miles, 440ft, 39 minutes
Club training again last night, and a 25 minute Kenyan Hill session on the grass.
(Kenyan Hills being a constant hard effort up and down, as opposed to uphill or downhill reps).
Decided to run this fairly hard, hoping to pass through the 5km mark in under 20mins or so, and was just about spot on with 19:40
Good to run a hard session with a group, although i'd have preferred a steeper hill!
No rest for the wicked... tomorrow morning got an hour booked at the track, which will be third harder session of the week, not something i usually go for.
First track session of the year.
400mtr reps with 90secs rest. Only did 7, at 74-75secs, but with a short track race next week i was aiming for quality over quantity.
A look back shows that my final track session before the lockdown was 8 x 400mtr with 2 mins rest, and i was doing them in 78-81secs.... so a very pleasing improvement, and hopefully it comes together with a fair time next weekend.
Another week comes to an end, and it's been another positive one.
Resumption of club training, so two good group sessions, and a further track session yesterday. The track session was very encouraging and shows a substantial improvement.
But can't deny i've felt the strain of three sessions, and would not be able to sustain it. I'll put it down to over-enthusiasm at the re-opening of training and the track.
Managed 66 miles. Weight crept back up just over 79kg again, but still better than it was at xmas and i'm not overly alarmed.
Next week, hopefully just the one club session as have a track race next sunday. Will try to keep everything else consistent and easy. Not sure what mileage will end up with, as quite possibly heading up to the Lakes on moving duties.
How dare you?Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
:D
Managed my first hill run this morning. Very steady 5.08 miles, 827ft, 60:56 but a nice easy target to try and take a few minutes off by the end of April.
Beautiful morning, with the sun just coming up over the trees to the East of Witton as I set off up Billinge Woods and some great views at the top.