Rolling back the year

-

  • 2007 - started running to loose weight for impending wedding. 13.5 stone
  • 2008 - ran first and second marathon. Joined a running club
  • 2009 - got more serious, just outside 3 hrs at London. Got injured
  • 2010 - properly serious. 75 min half, 2.50 at Amsterdam after injury
  • 2011 - loads of miles, terrible form. Cannot believe I kept running
  • 2012 - got serious, ran well. Got injured, bought a bike. 27.11 for 5 miles
  • 2013 - did an Ironman. Ran low 17 5k consistently
  • 2014 - age group triathlon. Chopper year
  • 2015 - cycling
  • 2016 - tried to do Ironman. Mum died. Marathon & cycling. Last half decent run form
  • 2017 - cycling
  • 2018 - bit of running. Injured. Cycling. Entered a marathon. Started running. Injured
  • 2019 - running


Jesus, I look back and my 2nd athletics career has been almost as long as my first. I've not got an awful lot to show for it in comparison to the first but there are a few decent performances in there.

 The running progress got fucked when I bought a bike. Apart from a few OK 5kms (17:07 - 17:30) the running has been a shocker since 2012 (pre bike). I've had a couple of years where I've almost exclusively biked apart from the odd run. I've had a go at triathlon (2 x 21st ETU & 3rd National Middle Distance) but hardly anything to shout about.

 This year, I have decided to put the (fucking expensive) bike on the back burner and concentrate on the running again.

 I'm currently nursing a really sore achilles tendon from doing a track session in sprint spikes and shin splints that seem like they may be something more sinister. So obviously a wise decision !!

 I have to say after 3 years since I did *anything* remotely half decent run wise I do fancy having a crack again. Looking at results, even sub 17 for 5k would be half competitive especially in the old farts age group. And since I have been training Jacob to run track, I even fancy a go at that again to relive the glory years.

 The recent injury came from doing some 400s in 74 secs in spikes. Not the best idea.

 I'm going to back to some training I did pre-marathon in 2010. Basically some easy - steady running and building tempo work in.  Lets face it the next blog post is probably going to be - so, I'm injured again and I've dusted the bike off.  But at the minute I fancy going back to my roots.

 I'm a couple of days in to the plan.  The idea is to basically just follow it day to day and try and match the improvement.  In my head I can't believe I can't run under 18 mins for 5km.  That's pony, however just like Potch says - that's my reality !

 So the idea for this week is around 40 miles of running with a 15 min tempo which I'll use a park run for.  I'll need to eat well and focus on stretching and recovery.  In 2010 I did this half pissed stinking of kebabs.  9 years - what a difference !!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Canyon Speedmax CF 9.0 Ltd Review

-
Image
Last year was my first season in Tri and it went pretty well. Swim went from armbands to a 26.25 1500m open tri, my run stayed in pretty good shape and I went from a truly shocking cyclist to a fairly competent club rider. I decided I wanted to have a proper go next season and first step was to upgrade my bike. Realistic choices were between Cervelo P5, Trek Speed Concept, Felt IA & Canyon Speedmax. I was going large!! After spending hours of looking over data, yaw angles & wind performance I ordered the Canyon as it's the best looking one :)
Read more

Reboot - It's all about 2024

-
Image
Wow, after what feels like months of doing bits and bobs with no structure and no motivation the time has come to start cracking back into a training plan. Obviously the only thing that's been consistent in the past month has been weight training, and away on holiday doing some hills I really found the benefit of the little I have done thus far. So here is the master plan for 2024. Big, BIG changes lined up. If you want to make extraordinary progress you have to make extraordinary changes. Motivation This was my biggest concern at the end of track season. I had no mojo. I could run quick but I couldn't be arsed to flog myself. Now I have had a break, the glass is full and brimming at the top.  Keeping on top of motivation is critical, this shit is hard . I have to check in with myself and life outside running needs to be sound otherwise it'll all cave in. The game has moved on Wow, when I returned to just running as a V40 moving to V45 age group 17 mins was quick enough to
Read more

Progressive Tempo

-
Image
Todays easy run with DC turned into a progressive tempo for DP !! Had the day off work as Ange had her medical and bummed around all day.  Ready for the run at 6pm - DC was coming here on his way home.  Also have Ian D coming to mine tomorrow so a double home run for me ! Pretty much looked at bike porn all day.  Cannondale Slice tri-bike is favourite with a Di2 gearset so far but a Cervello P3 framset with Ultegra looks nice.  I have fuck all idea what all that means, I just look at whatever bike is - a) Jazziest looking b) got funky sheels, and c) been reduced most Kind of like the wine menu in a restaurant where you ignore all the words and look at the price !!  Light + aero = free speed and I will be needing plenty of that !! Also read some ironman blogs and reviews of Switzerland.  I am in for a good ride by the looks of things.  I need to be 5 hours something on that ride so 18.5 mph and above on the bike which is what I am riding for an hour and 10 right now. Am
Read more