To the needleman again

If it aint right fix it

After my track work last week it was 2 days before the soreness and stiffness seemed to get out of my legs. On Friday I did a 5 mile tempo run @ 8 min Mile pace with one mile warm up and down. This is normally on the easier end of my tempo runs but the last mile was anything but. My Left hamstring/glutes where not willing to work with me at all. Clearly they had not recovered fully from the exertions of the track work. A couple of days easy running/swimming and plenty of cold and hot baths for the next few days.
This seemed to work wonders and by Tuesday evening I decided to try a long easy run of 15 miles. Run went without indecent until about 12 miles when again the left hamstring/glutes decide we are going no further. Luckily I had planned a 3 mile loop for this run and was able to bale out shortly afterwards. Clearly this niggle was not going to go away to easy so a trip to Leon and his needles.

Dry Needling

Third time getting this done and it does not get any easier or less painful  One of the advantages of this treatment is that for the next two days your muscles will be that sore it prevents one from doing anything that will stress them. This obviously improves or aids greatly in the recovery process. I have a return visit for a revaluation next Monday.

Taking the plunge

After many years of solo running I have finally decided to take the plunge and join a club. Yesterday evening I joined B.M.O.H. Even though there are 2 clubs in Ennis and I will have a 30 minute spin to any training sessions or activities, I still fell that there are a better fit for me. Hopefully it will be a mutually beneficial arrangement.


January 18th  
          7 Miles 5 Miles Tempo 40:08 @ 8:02 pace, HR 160 with 1 Mile WU/WD

January 22nd
         12.1 Miles Long Run 1:45:53 @ 8:45 pace, HR 149 (cut short 15 Miles Planned) 

Glad to be back

There is nothing like running

After some easy runs over the early days of the month I decided to add some stress. Started with a 2 Mile Tempo Run @ 7:14 pace. I initially thought this should not be too taxing as I had ran one of these in early November where I just about got up to threshold. After a couple of weeks off running its surprising how quick you lose the ability to cruise. I struggled for the first mile and I was 7:25 at the turnabout. It was slightly uphill so I upped the pace to try and peg back some time for the second mile. It really felt like 5K pace and the average HR reading of 177 had me well above the 163 averaged last November. The one positive I got was that I got into a rhythm for the last half mile and it felt easier even though I was touching 6:50 pace at times.

Perfect Day

My first long run in ages and I turned out to the best run ever. I decided to do 13 mile with a bit of extra speed rather then plod along for 16-18 miles. Went for 8:30 pace as I reckon my MP is around 3:30 mark at the moment. Saturday afternoon was an ideal day for it, dry no breeze and a little nip in the air. I really enjoyed every step of it and upped the pace to 8 min miles for the last 2 miles.

What a plonker

Intervals penciled in for last night. Plan was 3*1600 @ 6:40-6:50 pace. Miserable evening to be doing these, cold wet and windy a completely different day to Saturday, and a complete balls up of a session. Basically I went out way too fast on the first one that by the time I passed 400M mark I was inside the pace for 400M intervals. I decided there and then to hit the lap button and switch to 12*400 with 75 second recovery. The next 2 followed the same pattern going out too quick for the early part and dying for the last 100M. After this Ennis track where also doing their interval session and I found it much easier to slot in behind the guys doing 90 sec laps and just let them slowly drift away. They where doing 1600 reps so if I had stuck to my original plan I would have made life a lot easier for myself. Running intervals in a group is a hell of a lot easier then doing it solo but as I will be doing a 9 day cycle the times that they will coincide will be few and far apart.
Even though I made a complete hash of the session, I was well stiff and sore this morning. I have not done any track work in over a year and it showed with my waddle like a duck walk as I went about my daily chores today. Anyway 2 days of recovery and Cross train should allow my body to recover for the next session a Tempo run of some description.



January 8th
          8.25 Miles Easy Run 1:12:53 @ 8:51 pace, HR 142 

January 10th  
          6 Miles 2 Miles Fast Tempo 14:25 @ 7:13 pace, HR 177 with 2 Mile WU/WD

January 13th
         13 Miles Long Run 1:49:41 @ 8:25 pace, HR 151 

January 16th
         4.4 Miles 12*400M of 75 sec Recovery @ 1:34 (1:30 to 1:36) with  WU/WD

Fish a not am I

If you cant run,you bike or row, otherwise you swim like a brick

After my little run in with stupid driver I knew straight away that running was out of the question for the foreseeable. Christmas eve was the first day that I did not notice any tenderness in the Achilles when walking so I decided a trip to the gym too see if it could hold up to some spinning. Five minutes in and it was starting to ache. Switched to the rower ditto. So shortest gym session ever (15 minutes). Left Gym into the pool did 20 lengths pain free. Rest of the holidays where daily trips to the pool where I have eventually got up to 50 to 60 lengths. If you think my run times are slow well swim pace is worse. Overheard some Tri heads talking about a girl who was lapping me with easy saying "She would be brilliant if she could only improve her swim". With my 2:20 100's there is really no chance of me turning to the dark side.

Goal for 2013

There is only one goal and it is the same as it was in 2011 & 2012 a Boston Qualifying time of sub 3:25 for the marathon. I am more confident that this will be got this year on the third attempt. I am smarter then I was in 2011 and know now that the body needs time to recover between sessions, and does not always follow a 7 Day training plan. I am physically in better shape this year off a smaller but smarter mileage in 2012.

Rest does work

By new years eve I felt a whole lot better so I again tried another Gym session. This time got through a 20 minute bike and 20 minute rower session without any aggravation on the Achilles.
New years day decide to chance a easy run on grass, 4 miles no problem. Yesterday went for 6 miles on grass again okay. I will chance 8 miles easy on the road on Tuesday evening and if that goes well I will go back to regular training again.