Daz Does Tri

Just under 10 last night at #chubclub with Rich & Dan.  Did a couple at 6.50 pace feeling crazy easy before meeting and then averaged just under 7.30's for the rest. Stopped for a Coke at the Coop then jogged back.  Foot was hurting like hell which is a shitter, think it was the trainers as no pain whatsoever beforehand.

Since Saturday I've sacked off meat.  There's no way I could go full vegan just yet, there's also no way I could completely commit  to giving up meat, it's just a short check to see how it affects performance. I know a lot of the plant based shit is propaganda but I want to check for myself if there's any performance benefits to removing meat from the diet. Diet wise, we've had vegan replacements for both breaded chicken and donner kebab meat.  Got to say, they were both bang on !  They tasted very similar - about 95%, texture was about 80% for both but if you do mix with other food it's hard to tell.  Obviously no greasy aftertaste so all good there.

Well, got the run banked.  Just under 5 miles @ 6.15/mm avge.  HR was high for this but was well over dressed (leggins, long sleeve & body warmer).  Splits 6.34, 6.18, 6.05, 6.01 and 6.19 for last bit. Pace was pretty relaxed but felt like I was moving well.  Over the next 2-3 months this needs to become easier and more regular if mileage stays around 40 per week.  I think it's bang on the sweet spot in terms of quality and mileage for me.

Week away with the family in the Cotswolds, usually my absolute favourite training base but this time the back trails were too waterlogged. Part of the charm of the Cotswolds water park I suppose! Stuck mainly to the roads but it wasn't too bad. Foot is still not 100% but it's much better.

So yesterday - spent most of the day rehabbing. Basically - Foot massage machine

When is a niggle not a niggle?  When it's an injury. Fucked off today, heel pain probably full blown Plantar Fasciitis. Very sore last night and this morning.  Has been more than manageable recently but today was a wake up.  Lots of ice, stretching, rolling, pilates, glute work, calf stretching & hill walking on treadmill.  Finished off by shaving half my lower leg and wrapping in KT tape.

Mon - REST - well needed! Tue - Track - 6 x 400, 4 x 200 Wed - 8.3 easy Thu - Track - 10 x 200, 2 x 400 Fri - 8 easy

Session again tonight, wasn't really up for it. Felt a bit shit during warm up and session was pretty bleugh. 10 x 200 (walked 200m after 8) and 2 x 400.

Sacked of the Garmin for today's run.  First time in a week I've gone free of it and have to say it was refreshing. Pace probably quicker than normal recovery so happy days.  Feeling pretty good at the minute. Do enjoy running on perceived effort.  Takes some confidence to know you can run at a decent clip without the watch.  If all goes well, I'll be ditching it on easy runs too and know they are comfortably around 7 - 7.15/mm.  Need to start thinking about getting on the treddy.  Today was nice, even with the wind but staying indoors on good surface is only going to help.  Will sack the bounding off until the heel's better I reckon.  If the track sesh goes well in the 4% I may have to bite the bullet and do EVERYTHING in them!

Yesterdays rest day paid off handsomly today.  Decent track session bagged, new plan for the next few months to see if it helps.  Ultimately I want to see 400m intervals being knocked out in sub 70 secs and 200m in 30 secs.  So, I'll try anything to see how it helps out. Warmed up well, about 6.50 for the mile then did drills and stretching.

Kitted up tonight, ready to run. Didn't. I'm bordering on being very fit at the minute, it's so easy to get carried away and start burying yourself BUT the focus this week is on the speed sessions and with the first tomorrow it's pointless going into the red for an easy run. In terms of numbers, my CTL is 52, my ATL is 56 and Freshness -12. Yesterday my ATL was 65. Resting today, even though I am feeling good is the right call, there's every possibility I'll be fucked by the time I get up the track.

Couple of easy runs last couple of days. HR low and pace strong. Really strange week.  Monday - Wednesday pretty dog shit and just couldn't recover.  Few more miles than normal but no reason to feel so pony.

Bit of a heel niggle after Wednesday's run, so rested up yesterday. Got the dreaded Uh oh! Strava email to inform me someone local had nicked one of my near 2 mile KOM's by 1 second.  Bit of fuel for the fire.  The segment actually fiishes the end of my 6 mile tempo route luckily enough so fitted in nicely with today's plans. The biggest suspect on the heel niggle is pace - lots of plodding since Saturday with shuffle form TM so really needed to put some effort in today and let the form and 4%'s see if that helps any.

Plan this week was to hit the miles - nice and easy and plenty of them.  Build some conditioning, it's been missed! After Saturdays 5k, managed to get an easy evening run in, plus a nice long (for me) run on Sunday, easy double on Monday, 6 easy in the rain Tuesday & easy shakeout 3 plus 8 last night.  46 miles in 5 days - very decent return for me recently. Got back from last nights run but had a nagging heel pain.  Maybe plantar, but to be safe completely sacked off today's run(s). I am taking no chances from here!  Fuck needing 3 weeks off again because I couldn't sacrifice a few 8/mm shuffles.