A couple of years ago ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
isis helped me develop a training plan for my running. I switched to a dedicated half marathon plan in about February last year, but switched back to this one as soon as it was over. The training plan consists of two weekly 10km runs, a 15km run and then the Park Run (if I can make it) and/or an additional 10km run if I'm feeling keen. The two 10km runs are split between one where I run 4km at an easy pace, then 4km at a fast pace and then 2km at an easy pace, and one where I attempt all 10km at a fast steady pace. Over time I've gradually pushed at what counted as "fast" and "fast steady" and just before Christmas I was working at getting fast to 4:35min/km and fast steady to 5:05min/km. During the half marathon training I added a half hour session at the gym to the training plan doing some exercises one of their trainers recommended for running and I've kept that up as well.
I have a dedicated marathon training program to hand but in its early weeks it is covering less distance than my existing plan so I haven't really seen the point of switching to it.
Anyway, I missed Park Run and my long run this week thanks to chaos at JFK.
On Tuesday I went to the gym. This was actually my first gym visit in at least three weeks thanks to Christmas and then being the US. I dialled back the weights I was using the exercises a bit as a result.
Even so I woke up stiff on Wednesday. I struggled out for the first 10km run of the week. This wasn't quite the first run in three weeks, but I'd definitely run less over the Christmas period and then not at all while in the US. I didn't even manage a full km at 4:35min/km. Over the whole run I managed just under 2km at that pace in intervals of between 250m and 750m. I was horribly, horribly stiff by the time I finished. I was a little discouraged by this which was much worse than I had been managing, even though when I thought to weigh myself I realised I was carrying a good 2-2.5kg extra weight thanks to Christmas and the US (which, I realised, neatly offset the weight I'd dialled back in my gym session so for some of those exercises I was carrying exactly the same amount of weight I had been before the break - I will have to dial back more next week). I told myself that the combination of stiff legs, a week off and extra weight accounted for the drop in performance.
However the second run, this morning went much better. I didn't manage the full 10km at 5:05min/km but it was still my fastest 10km since mid-November and the average pace was 5:12min/km including two stops to re-tie shoe laces. I've been running in Ravenna Brooks shoes for the past 9 months which have superb laces that never come untied, but recently had to switch and these new shoes clearly have inferior laces. I will have to dig out my triathlon laces. Once the run was over I waddled back home. I'm still a bit stiff and while I can apparently run just fine, I start waddling again as soon as I slow to a walk. This stiffness isn't entirely out of the blue, something similar happened when I first started gym sessions last year, so hopefully it will be better after my gym session next week and stop being a problem thereafter.
Next week I hope to be back on the plan proper...
KM run this week: 20km
KM run in 2018: 20km
While raising money for charity is not my motivation for participation, it is a big part of the London Marathon. Shelter have bribed me with a T-shirt and the promise of a post-race massage. Lovely people donating last week have, I'm sure, already covered the costs of these, but should anyone else feel so inclined you can donate here.
isis helped me develop a training plan for my running. I switched to a dedicated half marathon plan in about February last year, but switched back to this one as soon as it was over. The training plan consists of two weekly 10km runs, a 15km run and then the Park Run (if I can make it) and/or an additional 10km run if I'm feeling keen. The two 10km runs are split between one where I run 4km at an easy pace, then 4km at a fast pace and then 2km at an easy pace, and one where I attempt all 10km at a fast steady pace. Over time I've gradually pushed at what counted as "fast" and "fast steady" and just before Christmas I was working at getting fast to 4:35min/km and fast steady to 5:05min/km. During the half marathon training I added a half hour session at the gym to the training plan doing some exercises one of their trainers recommended for running and I've kept that up as well.I have a dedicated marathon training program to hand but in its early weeks it is covering less distance than my existing plan so I haven't really seen the point of switching to it.
Anyway, I missed Park Run and my long run this week thanks to chaos at JFK.
On Tuesday I went to the gym. This was actually my first gym visit in at least three weeks thanks to Christmas and then being the US. I dialled back the weights I was using the exercises a bit as a result.
Even so I woke up stiff on Wednesday. I struggled out for the first 10km run of the week. This wasn't quite the first run in three weeks, but I'd definitely run less over the Christmas period and then not at all while in the US. I didn't even manage a full km at 4:35min/km. Over the whole run I managed just under 2km at that pace in intervals of between 250m and 750m. I was horribly, horribly stiff by the time I finished. I was a little discouraged by this which was much worse than I had been managing, even though when I thought to weigh myself I realised I was carrying a good 2-2.5kg extra weight thanks to Christmas and the US (which, I realised, neatly offset the weight I'd dialled back in my gym session so for some of those exercises I was carrying exactly the same amount of weight I had been before the break - I will have to dial back more next week). I told myself that the combination of stiff legs, a week off and extra weight accounted for the drop in performance.
However the second run, this morning went much better. I didn't manage the full 10km at 5:05min/km but it was still my fastest 10km since mid-November and the average pace was 5:12min/km including two stops to re-tie shoe laces. I've been running in Ravenna Brooks shoes for the past 9 months which have superb laces that never come untied, but recently had to switch and these new shoes clearly have inferior laces. I will have to dig out my triathlon laces. Once the run was over I waddled back home. I'm still a bit stiff and while I can apparently run just fine, I start waddling again as soon as I slow to a walk. This stiffness isn't entirely out of the blue, something similar happened when I first started gym sessions last year, so hopefully it will be better after my gym session next week and stop being a problem thereafter.
Next week I hope to be back on the plan proper...
KM run this week: 20km
KM run in 2018: 20km
While raising money for charity is not my motivation for participation, it is a big part of the London Marathon. Shelter have bribed me with a T-shirt and the promise of a post-race massage. Lovely people donating last week have, I'm sure, already covered the costs of these, but should anyone else feel so inclined you can donate here.