Two Days Later...

Well, not quite the film title, and I'd be no good if it was cos the zombies would outrun me by a long shot.


Anyway, I did another run tonight, for 10 minutes (split 6 and a bit mins and 4 ish) of what has now become a 30 mins 34 sec (from 38 or so) exercise with the average speed now up to 4.46 mph - ooo! I could probably have done a bit longer on the first section.


Shins are quite sore, but I'm going to a running shop on Saturday to try and get some decent shoes. Even though physio suggested running off tarmac/pavement, it's a bit difficult given how wet the ground is, so shoes will have to be a compromise.


Once I break the 30 minutes for the route I take, I'm going to add another mile and a quarter to the route which will take me up the Tri distance. My target will be to run the whole distance perhaps by the end of April (around 10 weeks - 105 miles of training), then I have 4 weeks to get the time down and cram in some proper brick sessions with the pool and cycling.


Got to admit that even though my legs are aching I'm starting to feel quite good, especially when you think that 7 weeks ago I could barely run a hundred yards and tonight I ran 2/3 mile, followed by another 1/2 4 mins later :)


Anyway, got to go, need to try and plot out my 3.5 mile loop as I should be starting it on Tuesday :D

Getting Better

Okay, okay. It's been a week or so since I last ran. The reason is quite simple, my shins were quite painful. Despite that, I had managed quite a good average speed so I was happy.


So, tonight I thought it might be time to get back out and try for 9 minutes out of the 35. Naturally, this total time is a bit of a misnomer as the more I run the less it becomes, and at some point I have to start increasing the distance, but we'll worry about that when I can run the whole of my current 2.3 mile loop.


Anyway, back to tonight, I did 9 minutes and felt great - I suspect because I had a week long rest.


Also had a visit to the physio today as getting grief from shoulder - he told me what it was but I forgot. Anyway, while I was there I mentioned the tri and the sore legs and he suggested I a) try running on something other than tarmac (difficult at the mo, he acknowledged given that I might as well try running in a river as the grass is so wet) and b) I get some proper shoes rather than the shite trainers I'm using - which I'll do this weekend.


I broke the run into three parts tonight - they weren't particularly well spaced but I only set the timer on my watch to the total so I don't lose count overall. May have to rethink or check timer more frequently. Something else the physio mentioned was that he didn't think the Couch to 5k programme was that sympathetic to proper couch potatoes like me with the 3 minutes increases each week, so I have amended it to basically increase my running by one minute every time I go out. So tonight was 9, Thursday will be 11. Nah, 10 :D etc


The pool probably won't open for another month so until then, I'm going to concentrate on running and cycling as the swim, if I'm slow will be 10 minutes; quick 7 minutes so only 3 minutes out of the total. The run,  if I get reasonable will be 30 mins; slow an hour, likewise the bike could be between 40 mins to an hour - so more important that I get these two nailed really.


All of this means that I now really do have to lose weight, so as of tomorrow (Wed 12/2/14), I'm cutting out chocolate, sugar and basically all the crap I enjoy till after the Tri. I need to lose at least four stone (64 lb or 29 kgs). This might help my knees too.


Hopefully, by getting the weight down, I'll be able to increase the training which will help with the weight etc etc and we'll get a nice weight/training spiral going to my benefit.


Final point for the day, my speed tonight was 4.27 mph which is by far the fastest.


Well chuffed!


Cheers

Another couple done

I ran/walked last Thursday and was quite pleased that I averaged bang on 4 mph which was quickest yet. But my legs were very sore while walking.


Following that run, I then left it until Sunday before I tried again.


Now, bear in mind that on Sunday morning I went for a bike ride with some chums over at the forest where we did around 10 miles in really soft boggy mud (the best mtb conditions:) ), I was expecting trouble with the evening run.


Anyway, whaddya know - averaged 4.11 mph - and felt great apart from shins and right knee. I actually did an extra tenth of a mile as I needed to detour to garage to get some stuff.


So, things seemed to be going well, but I'm still having probs with knee, so I going to the doc's on Friday about a trapped nerve and I'll bring up the tri and issues I'm having - he may suggest a knee brace or something - or just stop running. Which of course, I'll politely decline.


Anyway, may try and run Thursday, and am supposed to be doing 9 mins or running in the half hour now !!


Back soon!

Slowly but surely. Something like that anyway!

Well, it's been a few days since I last posted!


I thought it would be a laugh on Sunday (26/1/14) to try a brick session ie a bike ride followed by a run. Ha bloodin ha ha is all I can say


The ride was to be around an hour and 16 miles but because I hadn't plotted a route, I could only guess a time and distance. Anyway, I knew the route I was doing so set off at a reasonable rate (turned out to be 14.4 mph (on a mtb!!) but it was only 12 miles, so it was done in 50 minutes or so.


Following one of the slowest transition times of around 15 minutes, I set off on the run, sorry it's mostly walking at the moment), with the hope of doing around 6 to 8 minutes of running in the 35 minutes I'd be out.


This is where the ha ha comes in. Despite the fact that I was very hot still from the bike ride, and was feeling really good, the legs really weren't interested in running whatsoever. So, my 6 - 8 was more like 3 - 4 :D


I'm not complaining as this I think is the sort of thing I need to know. As mentioned variously on these pages, I do a lot of mtb'ing so of course I was going to feel good following the ride - it's what I do.


Unfortunately this means I am going to have to curtail the mtb rides when they are likely to clash with my runs (walks) as I think I need all the recovery time I can get. I'm going to restrict myself to time on the rollers on a Wednesday eve for half an hour or so and do a decent ride on Sunday mornings - around 8 hours before the Sunday runs (done in the evening). Or I'll do the run first. Hmm


Anyway, that was then and this is now ie about an hour after my last run which was the proper first of the 6/24 run/walks. Felt quite good and did 8 minutes of running which I guess must be just under a mile or so. Should be doing a night ride (mtb) in the local forest tomorrow but will concentrate on recovery for Thursday as want to try and do two 4 - 5 minute runs within the run/walk 35 minute session.


I'll only cut down on the cycling for two or three weeks to get the legs stronger for the running then get the two disciplines going together.


Anyway, time for a recovery sleep:)


Cheers