V50 Comeback - Week 1

Don't call it a comeback ...

Played this tune straight after hitting 16.59 at Peterborough 5k series on my first half decent race after giving up triathlon and cycling in 2019. My first race as a runner again since 2013. 6 years later and the gap is the same. This song is going straight on my ride home once I get half decent fitness again!

Monday 14th July 2025

Rest day. Ease the legs. Massage with Jenny - tight hammys still and back is shredded. Calfs easing. Area around achillies tight. Still need some focus on loosening these things off before I get bouncy but lets face it. I'm not going to build back without getting some soreness.

Hyperbaric chamber in the afternoon. Bit weird and lets face it, a single session won't save much.

Ate shit all day - not great.

Tuesday

Weight in 67.2 kg which is great considering. Back on tracking - food and running.

Keen to jog this morning but need to keep my ammo dry whilst I rebuild. Patience.

Leg feels OK. Nothing major just usual work and back on rehab. Track tonight and back finally on 2 sessions per week.

No mad rush to get fast, just going to enjoy the journey. Last week paces from training were - 1500 pace - 74s, 3k pace - 79s, 5k pace - 82s. Target this week is to go a second quicker and see how body responds. Fasters I have moved is 72 for 400 and held up so will be interesting this week.

Track. Session was broken kms. 700 @ cv [60] 300 @ 1500 [lap jog]. Aim at 6-8 sets. Started with Ian and Gabi. First couple of sets absolutely fine and then ankle started to ache. Got through 3 sets then added an insole. Was pretty painful tbf but after insole much much better. Got 2 sets in but was pretty done. Lot of volume and didn't want to push it too hard.

2.32 / 55 - 2.28 / 54 - 2.25 / 55 - 2.25 / 53 - 2.23 / 53

No idea on 700s but 2.20 is 2.40 pace so 2.25 is around 5.35/mm ?? 54 for the 300s is 72 lap pace for 4.30 / 4.50 at 1500 and mile so moving well.

Actually felt decent, would say very realistic 5k pace on the 700s and 1500 pace felt quick but realistic (I know I am not in that shape yet). Just the ankle issue that fucked me off and made it tough.

Still, 5k of work and 8.5 miles of volume.

Wednesday

Weight same after yesterday. 67.3 kg. Ankle very low ache and able to walk fine but just a little tight in the calf. Work this morning to mobilise and plan is to run 8 easy. Last week was a big fail but lets see how today goes.

Mentally struggling with the ache today. Frustrating. I think if I had worn the extra insert from the start it would have helped. Can't do anything now though but it really feels like this will never end.

Decided to do a shoe test. See which ones are ok and which ones are a pain.

Started with Superblast 2. 1.6 miles loop @ 8:07/mm for 132bpm. Nice and easy. Ankle a little sore as expected after a session. 2/10 pain.

Next up changed into Vaporfly. With the insert. 1.6 miles @ 7:49/mm for 138 bpm. Noticably better 1/10 pain. Felt almost nothing. Slightly higher beats per mile but had the first run in my lungs so as expected. Felt like I was moving better.

Changed into the Puma DNE2. Expected big things. Plate was very firm and if anything felt like foot was pronating rather than usual supernate. Speed picked up naturally. Stopped a little early as foot started to ache more. 1.39 miles @ 7:26/mm for 141 bpm. 4/10 pain.

Decided to finish with the Saucony EE2. Big shoe. No insert. Just testing for fun but actually was pretty much fine (similar to Superblast). 1.36 miles @ 7:06/mm for 144 bpm. Big improvement on beats per mile (1024). 2/10 pain.

Easy way to get 6 miles in.

Vaporfly are clear winner for easy runs. They were almost pain free and better than I expected. Superblast felt much worse in comparison. Sauconys are a good option for road sessions.

The Puma next to go away for a bit, just too harsh. Superblast will be back just not right now.

Lots of rehab today. 2 x 3 sets of 15 heel drops (straight) band work x 2. 500 jumps and calf raises with trap bar. 

Giving the gym a miss to focus on this while I journey to pain free.

Not 100% on track Tomorrow. Will see how ankle is. If it's Ok I'll go but if not I'll do something on roads. Got to go low risk now!

Thursday

Wake up and feeling best yet. Fingers crossed now that we are on the home stretch of this. Good morning routine and definitely hitting track tonight.

Not getting ahead of myself just yet but preying that things are coming good. Planning next week, whilst away, to work on conditioning and threshold work to build some strength. Lets see how tonight goes though!

Track. Warm up in Vapes is hmm. Not amazing to be honest can def feel more than I would like.

Session. (edited for me as only did 4 and not 5 x 400m as fitness is not there)

4 x 200 [200] 4 x 400 [200] 4 x 200 [200] off lap jog bt sets. All at 1500 pace.

[36,35,35,34] - [74,74,75,75] - [33,33,32,32]

Feels really nice to be moving better again. Pretty realistic at 800 pace, mile pace, 400 pace! Quickest I have moved for some time and nice to be back training with the boss!

The 4 x 400 were tough for me. 200 jog is hard work and paces got quicker as session went along the recoveries grew!

Really pleased with it. Ankle was fine running but a little achy on the recoveries. Cool down was OK, same as warm up so even though I am not clear by any means I still got it done without any major issue. Not exactly limping just feeling the tightness and some of that is calf so trending correctly!

The 4 x 400 indicates I'll be close to a sub 5 mile and that is the big target for August 8th. It will be really nice to get close to sub 4.50 as that's 4.30 1500m shape and from there I am pretty damn close to goals. 

Friday

Rest day. Wake up feeling again improved just very tight. Do my morning rehab and it's loosening. We are definately getting closer. Next week I am away so I'll stick to thresholdy style workouts to build strength but on my return I hope to be down closer to target training paces (72 / 76 / 80) as that is the key to the door of good form.

Saturday

Feel pretty good waking up. Ankle not 100% but feel relaxed and recovered.

Hit PR for number 94. Wear the Saucony EE2. It's wet but they def don't give me much gip so worth a trial today.

Rainy one so not many people out but start further up front today. Once we're off I settle in and meet Matt and roll with him for the first mile. Pace low 5.50s. Not million miles behind Gabi and Richard Z. Just keep rolling on that pace avge around 5.53 for the run and HR about 163 end of first mile. Moving well and through 2nd mile around the same. HR rises to 166 bpm by end of mile 2 and holds there to the finish.

Through the line in 18.01 official. Garmin had it way short but that's 5.48 per mile at 162 bpm (167 max) which is a big step up from last week. Obviously shoes are a big help but that was a much much better run - more relaxed and off a full training week.

Ankle - about 98% - not quite there but happy enough with that. Still work to be done but I am able to run and get sessions in and fitness is improving. Need to find a more stable shoe for easy miles still but on the whole this is the first time I have green shoots of some kind of form coming in.

Comparatively - last year I ran Buggys at similar pace and HR and was a week off rolling really well in training. Tracking well. Indicated 17 flat and 5 flat fitness fresh and race ready - maybe !!

Sunday

At lower mill. Get a 12 in, not too sure how because I felt pretty knackered but get it done! 12 miles @ 8:09/mm for 136 bpm mainly trails. Ankle best yet, really positive run.

Another step in the right direction. Miles up to 40, 2 decent sessions and a solid 18.01 at Parkrun without breaking the bank.