snippets of everything » Running

Chorlton-cum-Hardy

ames — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:29:39 +0000

Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a suburb about 10-15 minutes out of Manchester’s central city. It has this amazing park called Chorlton (or Ivy) Green which links Chorlton to Didsbury and Sale. There are loads of waterways, and paths to run, cycle or walk around. I explored a little of it last weekend with KC but can’t wait to don my running shoes and explore more. It’s a massive area, so will take a few runs or rides!

The compulsory bicycle shot

Back on two wheels

ames — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:22:28 +0000

Since I have been focusing on running I’ve barely ridden my bike. Often only once a week for the last two months, aside from fixie commuting. Each week I’ve noticed a gradual reduction in cycling fitness, and my average heart rate steadily climbed. Since the Onehunga run, I haven’t run – in fact I can’t! My physio banned me from running as I have peroneal tendonitis which is going to take at least 4-weeks to heal. I can’t stand the thought of getting unfit so this week I threw myself back on the road in the rain and hail. I don’t mind winter riding too much. It used to bug me racing in the rain, wet and cold. In fact it turned out to be the reason I flagged winter club racing. That was when I had to train in the rain. Now there is more choice in it. I want to train in the rain because I want to ride my bike. Same weather, different attitude.

Mission accomplished

ames — Sun, 10 May 2009 00:37:17 +0000

For 4-months I’ve been pounding the pavement training for the Onehunga Half Marathon. Injury put woe to the Half, but I continued on training for the 10k event instead. My goal was 55:00 or an average of 5:30min/km. It was going to be tough, especially given I injured my foot last weekend. The physio said that I could run if it didn’t hurt on a little 3k jog the day before, and it didn’t so I lined up. About 3-4km into it I could feel my foot welling up (bugger it), but carried on anyway as I was running to schedule.

The physio might be a little annoyed, but hey, I’m giving them work to do! The last 3-km was particularly hard but I knew that a couple of people I wanted to beat were only 50-100 metres behind me so it was game on, finishing ahead of them and in 54:23 – ahead of my goal. Woohoo!

I can barely walk now but hey Sunday afternoons are for relaxing, right?

Woe to Gazelle – Running Theory

ames — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:00:21 +0000

In two weeks time I am finally at my goal; Onehunga half marathon. While I am not actually doing the half marathon, but doing the 10k, I’m still aiming for a good day out, which for me is a 55min 10k (or less). Ultimately I want to do a full marathon, and that is definitely a long term project. I’ve only been working at running for four years, so hey, what’s another 2-3 to get there?! While the journey has been frustrating, it has by default identified every imbalance in my body which I have slowly gone about correcting. That has to be a good thing in my mind, despite the frustration.

I don’t want to slog my way through a 5-hour marathon. No way – I want to do it, at least quicker than Oprah (4:30!). In fact somewhere between 3:00 and 4:00 would satisfy my marathon ambition. At the moment I suppose I am working at about the 3:49 marathon pace – for quarter of the distance.

There are a few running training theories out there. The first being the traditional view of building endurance, then speed. The second is build speed, with endurance. I’m going for the second one, and thus far it’s worked well, as my volume has increased, my pace has improved 2-2.5 kph in the past four months. I like the second theory, as I don’t see the point in being an endurance monster and doing 5-6-hour marathons. You may as well walk. And, following the traditional view in marathon training, you barely do any speed work at all, in fact it’s 99% about volume. I like the new view because you build speed, and aim to hold it. Plus your body then gets used to the extra pounding that speed entails. You can’t turn a donkey into a race horse, but I think you can make race horse run for longer.

While Onehunga is nearly here, it’s just the beginning, especially since I still haven’t got the half under my belt.

Woe to Gazelle week 9

ames — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:54:38 +0000

Forcing my body into awkward positions and re-training my posture like a kid about to be smacked has paid dividends. No more calf pain, and I’m back into my stride with 3 runs a week. Phew. I have only 6 weeks until the Half so I’m still not sure if I can in fact do the Half. Nonetheless worst case scenario I will do the 10k.

The mighty Waikato river

This week was an adventure. We went down to Hamilton for a wedding and I did my favourite type of running: point to point. Even on my bicycle I liked the idea of setting off from point A to point B. I don’t really know why, but I like it. Hamilton presented me with a misty morning thick enough to give a teenager an awful fright as I huffed and puffed through the mist behind her. She suddenly cowered, looking behind to see if she was about to be run over by a truck, or attacked by a dog. No, it was just me puffing.

Hamilton is great for running because it is so incredibly flat, allowing confidence to grow as 30 minutes feels easy and the endorphins are filling the veins. Loved it.

Woe to Gazelle week 7

ames — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:21:47 +0000

My woe to gazelle is going well, yet at the same time not so well. A new PB last night, floating around a 5.5km loop b

ut to the detriment of my calf which still isn’t right. So this week I really need to shorten volume, and take care of my tibialis anterior & stride through which is causing the problem. This doesn’t bode well for the half as I’m at crucial volume times, bu

t I’m ok with that. I’d rather get rid of this problem – or in other words fix yet another muscle imbalance, and do the 10k, instead of wrecking myself completely to run the 21k. A sharp 10k would still be satisfying. In fact, just being able to run, and improve is satisfying.

Every run is like meditation. It empties my head as I can’t think of anything else except my breathing, and one step at a time. If I think of something else I have to to stop, as I get the stitch or my heart rate climbs to max! It takes away all of my concerns, things to do, and worries. I can’t do that riding, unless I ride at max all the time. So running is relaxing in that way – returning to the simple thing in life of just breathing, and one step at a time.

Woe to Gazelle week 6

ames — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:45:08 +0000

A rather painful week, before recovering this week. A 9k run, a 5k run, and a 2.5k run coupled with a sore calf muscle and 90% humidity. The humidity did me in on the 9k run, well before the calf.

“You just learn to run through the niggles.” Aaron stated about my calf questioning. Problem being that a niggle to me is a massive oh no, not another injury! After 3 years of trying to run and constantly getting injured a niggle may as well be everest. So my recovery week is well timed to take care of my calf, IT band that is grumbling, and my technique that is irritating my calf. Don’t slap the foot down! Don’t slap the foot down!

Woe to gazelle week 4

ames — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 09:03:31 +0000

This week was a recovery week so I only ran twice, but still edged out my long run by a couple of minutes. Felt great, relaxed and ticked off 7kms sweet as. Feel like I could do it again.

The process of gradualism (POG) is highlighted so well in running. It is the most important training principle to make anyone faster, stronger, further. POG can never be understated, and I guess in life in general as well. A bit, here, a bit there. Just like compound interest, or the additive effect of things like the ten thousand hour rule. “Just remember Amy, when you are sipping your coffee, that is one day in Vietnam.” Joy’s reminder rings in my head often.

The pooch arrived today. We have her until June this time. A long time dog sitting.

Woe to gazelle week 3

ames — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:56:20 +0000

Done and dusted. 72mins, longest run 6.2 kilometres. Long way to go, but I have 15 weeks so I’m relaxed about that.

Woe to Gazelle week 2

ames — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:50:12 +0000

Week 2 was successful. My long run was 33.5mins, and the next day felt like I hadn’t done anything, instead of being a cripple like the previous week.

Total 65mins.

This morning I achieved a new maximum heart rate – just after I hit the wall up Richmond rd. I didn’t really need my HR monitor on to tell me that. The feeling of my heart, lungs, and stomach about to come out of mouth gave a pretty good indication…

16 weeks to go