Monday May 18th to Sunday May 24th
Despite ocean walking, ice and heat treatments I didn't pull up that well from Sundays run. My walking was still restricted during the day on Monday. I had my bike tyre repaired and went for a short sharp cycle after work. My ankle was starting to feel much better after the ride. I have no pain whatsoever when I cycle - not in the lower legs anyway. I iced up after my shower and then had some more heat and ice treatment after tea. I used the roller before bed.
I felt better on Tuesday morning so I stretched and used the roller, stretched some more and then set off on a slow paced run. I covered 8.3 km, averaging 5:18 pace, dropping to the low 5s (briefly) at my quickest. At the end my warm ankle felt good. Now this is where I varied the treatment. I rubbed, quite intensely, some deep heat into the achilles and then a second lot into the calf. I let it settle and then rubbed it again while in the shower - as I always do. It felt good. There was a slight pulling sensation (tightness) when walking today but I wasn't restricted so it was better than on Monday. My plan was to wait and see how I pulled up before planning the rest of the week. If not ok then I planned to have a three day break. I will run again (slowly) tomorrow and either get in a 2 day break or run three days in a row with a break on Friday. Tonight I have iced it after work and will continue the heat / roller / ice treatment.
I was out running again on Wednesday morning after heat treatment and stretching again. As it warmed up it was feeling reasonably comfortable but not so much that I was confident to go with any pace. I spent most of the run between 5:15 and 5:05 pace, averaging 5:14 for the 9.9 km run. After the run I stretched down and rubbed in deep heat before my shower. As it cooled down I was a little limited with my walking but not too badly. I made the decision to have the two days away from running and see how it comes up on Saturday. I need to get on top of it soon.
Lying in bed on Thursday morning I decided to fit in a pre-dawn cycle. When I stepped outside there it was drizzling and quite wet but I went out anyway. It limited my speed though. I cycled about 13 km and then rolled and heat treated my leg - with both the heat bag and deep heat. I was walking much more freely at work during the day.
Friday was an early start to go to an Education conference and a late return - so it was always going to be a rest day. No ankle pain all day.
I decided to get up a bit earlier and cycle out to Inverloch for parkrun. The 15 km ride took me 32 minutes. I ran for 15 minutes or so before parkrun, covering over 3 km in the warm up - mostly run at around 5 minute pace. I stretched while waiting for the start. I was blocked in at the start and when I got free felt a little pain in the ankle so slowed immediately - later I found that I was running at 3:40 pace. My pace settled at about 4:10 pace and I settled in about 8th position. I was running slightly quicker than most in front of me so I spent the run hauling them in one by one. At the last turn I was in 3rd place and stayed there with the top two runners running sub 19 minutes. My parkrun time was 20:47 - the quickest I have run for a while. I ran another mile or so with a junior runner to get over the 9 km. In all I ran 9.3 km, averaging 4:34. I pulled up well immediately after the run. As it cooled my ankle tightened a little, but not as much as it has in the past. I cycled home from parkrun, around the coast, getting in another hour plus ride and over 26 km. I was on my feet later at home, working outside. Later I went out to Shack Bay and did some work on the steps and cooled my ankles in the ocean. I did the steps in the middle of "icing" the ankle. It felt pretty good when I finished. The heat and ice treatment continues.
With Sunday upon us again I wasn't too sure how far I'd get so I set up a run that kept returning to the Guide Park. The soreness is at the top of the achilles (or bottom of the calf) and there was some soreness right from the start - left over from yesterdays run. It was well stretched when I started. I intended to run at or above 5 minute pace and, when my second kilometre was below, I slowed up immediately. The first loop was almost 10 km and the second just 5 km. I thought about stopping or going to the smallest loop but persisted and ran through the wetlands. The leg was sore right through the run but didn't get worse. I pushed through the last loop and finished the 19.5 km run in right on 100 minutes. My average pace was 5:08. While running I was thinking about my options. With 4 weeks to Traralgon I can afford to take a week off but I'm not convinced the breaks are helping. The other option is to put in a steady week of running. My leg has been sore this afternoon but not too bad. Was much better after an ocean and steps session at Shack Bay. I am tending to lean towards having a 4 or 5 day break with a visitor to my body guru some time in the week. I really want to be in a position to up the running again this time next week.
Monday May 25th to Sunday May 31st No running at all Monday through to Thursday - which means that I missed the school cross country run. I have continued the ice and heat treatments and intermittent stretching. The soreness has reduced through the week but there is still a small level of discomfort. I visited my chiropractor on Wednesday just to get everything checked out structurally. All was ok. I feel that the days off have not achieved a lot and that I need to be jogging to get the stretch back into the area - but the break won't do any harm. About 6 weeks ago my 4 week average was up near 100 km per week. Today it dropped below 40 km per week. Unless I get a new injury in the area I plan to build up to a solid period of running. I have just over 3 weeks to the Traralgon Half Marathon. I did have a goal of running an 84 minute half but will just have to see whether my body will let me get to that level. There is some work to do.
On Thursday I had received my new Garmin Forerunner 220 and heart monitor. I used it for the first time on my Friday morning. I stretched and massaged my leg - there is still a sore spot - before setting off. I also rubbed liniment into it before the stretching. I set off at a sluggish pace to get it warmed. I didn't have any real pain while running but I was aware of the presence of any injury. I was down to 5 minute pace by the third kilometre and held iy mostly just faster than 5 minute pace for most of the run. I was tempted at times to push faster but held back. I never really broke into a sweat until well into the second half of the run. My heart rate was around the 150 mark for most of the race too. I picked up the pace a little in the seventh kilometre and then averaged 4:46 pace for the eighth kilometre. My maximum heart rate was 159 right at the end of the eighth kilometre. My average heart rate for the 8.4 km run was 143 and my average pace was 5:02. I iced the leg as soon as I got back and stretched down. That caused it to stiffen up but the soreness had moved up into the calf. There was a stiffness all day when walking, but again it was more in the calf and the achilles area felt great.
Saturday morning was parkrun and I was there early to get in some ks beforehand. I ran a 5.4 km warm-up getting down to better than 4:40 pace. At the start of parkrun I let all the sprint starters go and just built up the pace comfortably. I then set about working my way through the field at sub 4:20 pace. I got into third place at the last turn and hit sub 4:10 pace on the run to the finish, claiming second place in the last 500m. In all I ran 10.4 km at an average of 434 pace. My suffer score - not quite sure what this is yet - was 195 and I had a maximum heart rate of 181.
We stayed in Melbourne on Saturday night so Heather and I ran down to the Tan on Sunday morning. I ran two laps of the Tan after a warm-up of almost 2 km. I got around in 17:48 for the first lap (4:46 average pace) and in 16:31 (4:31 average) on the second lap. I finished the run by crossing the Morell Bridge and running along the north side of the Yarra. I met up with Heather at Fed Square and we slowly jogged back to our hotel. I ran for just over an hour, averaging 4:44 pace over 12.8 km.
Monday June 1st to Sunday June 7th
My calf had been sore during Sunday, mainly due to the fact that I didn't rest it after the run and did lots of walking. It settled while I was sitting at the footy late in the afternoon. I ran on Monday morning though. I ran 11.1 km and my fitness is down a little from peak fitness. I was determined to have a slow run after a few quicker ones. Again I was aware of the stretching feeling in my leg while running but it generally felt good and was pain free when I stopped. I completed the run in 57 minutes, averaging 5:08 pace. I forgot to ice it after the run. It was a little sore all day at work and very tight when cold.
Tuesday's run was my fifth in a row. I felt good at the start and decided to try some fartlek if it was good when warmed up. It was very ad-hoc but I got in 12 faster sections and ran faster than 4 minute pace at times (briefly). My leg felt ok, although it is still a little restrictive. My fitness is another matter and needs some work. I did run faster towards the end though - but it was a relative short run. I covered 8.4 km in just under 41 minutes, averaging 4:51 pace. I pulled up very well from the run. I iced immediately after stretching and then massaged it while showering. I applied heat before heading off to work. I was able to walk pain-free at work all day. I continued with the ice - heat - ice treatment tonight, as I have been doing most nights. I'm also doing calf raises now as I have found that I was restricted when running up hill and couldn't run up the hill on the ball of my right foot. Things seem to be heading in the right direction though.
It was an early start on Wednesday as I set myself for the 13 km course. I was running quite comfortably and was under 5 minute pace by the end of the 2nd kilometre. I was around 4:50 pace for most of the run. My leg felt good but my fitness is down. My running is a little restricted as the whole lower right leg feels quite tight. I ran the 13.3 km in 1:04:40, averaging 4:51 pace. I did finish quite strongly.
Another run on Thursday morning made it 7 straight days of running. I had planned an interval run - to try and generate some speed - but forgot to set my watch. It was far too dark to read it! Instead I ran a fartlek but never got any great speed anyway. My best was in the low 4 minutes. I averaged 4:52 pace, running on a 9.7 km course. I did run up the Bilson Street hill and that got my heart pumping.
So Friday morning was the interval session, my first in a while. My lower leg was feeling good but there was just no speed in my first interval, 9 minutes into the run. I peaked at 4:16 pace! The second interval was worse and I got down to 4:02 pace in the third. At around this point the tightness in my calf started to intensify and moved to a hotspot right at the top of the right calf, behind the knee. I pushed in my fourth interval and peaked at 4:11 pace but the best I could manage was 4:21 pace, running down Storey street, for the fifth and final interval. I got home and iced the leg, as I have been doing every day this week, and went through the routine. It didn't feel that bad as I went to work and I wasn't restricted on it during the day, but I was aware that it was there. I completed an 11.4 km run, averaging 4:54 pace.
I was the Run Director at parkrun on Saturday so I had planned for that to be my day off. I wouldn't have been able to run anyway as the was a sore spot behind the right knee and it was painful to land. I spent the day stretching it and then gave it the full treatment at night, including rubbing deep heat into it before my shower.
I got up on Sunday morning and all felt ok. There was definitely a sore spot but it wasn't too bad. I went to the Guide Park, warmed up, rubbed liniment into the calf and set off to see what would happen. I found that it wasn't too bad and I wasn't restricted so I kept going on the 5 km loop. Towards the end of that I was running a comfortable sub 5 pace so I decided to keep going on the bigger loop. I ran out to the Dalyston rail bridge and it was a real hard push into the strong wind. It was a relief to hit the bridge and turn back - my pace had slipped to 5:15 pace into the wind. There was a natural quickening of pace on the return. I passed 10 km just after the turn and then hit 4:50 pace in the 14th km. I finished strongly with a 4:49 16th km and my leg held up well during the run. I took my weekly tally up to 70.4 km with the 16.4 km run. I ran for 82 and a half minutes, averaging 5:02 pace. I have iced up after the run and my leg hasn't really stiffened up at all.
Monday June 8th to Sunday June 14th
I can't take a trick at the moment with a head cold that has gotten into my chest. I did get my run in on Monday morning, the Queens Birthday holiday, but it took its toll on me. I met up with Bill Barry and we set off on a long run around town. We are both recovering from lower leg injuries and aiming for the Traralgon Half marathon. As such we started off quite slowly and eased into the run, getting down to the low 5 minutes in the fourth kilometre. We ran out to Lower Powlett road and back into town, throught South Wonthaggi and then onto North Wonthaggi with the pace no quicker than the low 5s. Bill left me after 14 and a half kilometres and I kept pushing into the wing towards Lower Powlett road. I pushed reasonable hard in the last six kilometres dipping into the sub 5 region, barely. My 21st kilometre was my fastest at 4:52 but there was nothing left in the tank when I stopped. This was my longest run in quite some time but it was, by far, my slowest half marathon. I covered the 21.1 km in 1:47:59 and hope to run the distance 20 minutes quicker in 2 weeks time. I was really hit hard when I got home with absolutely no energy. I slept for two hours in the afternoon. I wont run on Tuesday to try and get past the illness. Hopefully I can put it behind me quickly.
After a day off running on Tuesday my body was feeling great and I was keen for a sold run on Wednesday morning. I took a couple of kilometres to warm up and hit 4:40 pace in the third kilometre. I was running well. I kept my pace around the 4:30 mark for most of the run and then amped it up for the last bit, averaging around 4:13 pace for the last two kilometres. I finished in great shape, completing 11 km in just over 50 minutes, averaging 4:36 pace. It had been my best run for some time.
I set myself for an interval run on Thursday morning. My intervals last week weren't too successful but my legs were feeling much better this week. I was running easily for 9 minutes with a short 1 minute interval. I was still warming up when the first one came around and my top speed was 4:12. I ran much better for the second interval, peaking at 3:48 pace. I peaked at 3:45 pace in the third and held it there for a while. In the fourth I peaked at 3:31 pace and my max pace in the last was 3:47. I eased up between the intervals and averaged 4:47 pace for the 11 km run.
On Friday I was feeling good again and looking for a longer interval run. I set off on the 15 km course, running 8:2 intervals. I ran a good warm up interval and then hit 3:54 pace in the second. My third interval was up hill and a bit slower. I was a bit worried that I was putting too much strain on the sore leg so eased up for the fourth interval. All was feeling ok so I pushed again for the fifth and sixth intervals, breaking 4 minute pace on each. I eased up after the sixth and then picked up the pace to put in a solid last two kilometres. My average pace for the 15 km run was 4:54. Interestingly it was my lowest average heart rate (145 bpm) for the most recent runs. I pulled up ok. My fitness is not fully where it was yet but now I'm getting good kilometres under my belt. After my 4 week average dropped below 40 km a couple of weeks ago it is now back over 60 km.
I went into Saturday's parkrun without a sub 20 minute run since April 18th. I was keen to get in a sub 20 but unsure of whether my body would let me. It was freezing when I got to Inverloch. I went for a long warm up, covering 4.6 km. I started slowly but got my pace to the 4:40s without breaking into a sweat. My gloved hands were freezing. I stretched well at the start line. At the start I pushed a bit, felt a pain in the calf so pulled it back and let a few run off in front. As I picked up pace I reeled in two with the leader now almost 100m ahead. As I approached the first kilometre I was relieved to see a sub 4 minute come up. I was on target, now to hold it. I had a runner to chase down too and that helped. I slowly reeled him in and kept up the pace. I hit the front with about one and a half to go. Now the challenge to keep up the pace with nobody out front. I did though, running the parkrun in 19:37. It was a pretty comfortable run too so I will look forward to a sub 19 in coming weeks. (Next week the plan will be to run just under 20 minutes to get the pace for the Traralgon half marathon though). I got up to 10km with a short cool down.
We stayed in Docklands, after the footy, on Saturday night. Matt had an event at Altona on Sunday morning so Heather drove and I ran the 17 km. I started cold and my pace was up and down as I worked out where I had to go. Some of the paths were rough and I had a bt of ankle pain from bad landings. I ran around the high 4:50s for the first 7 km and then increased pace a little after that, running in the mid 4:40s. I picked it up a little more after 12 km, holding it at 4:40 pace and then finished with a 4:33. I averaged 4:51 pace for the 17.5 km run, covering the distance in 85 minutes. I pulled up well, feeling quite fresh.
Monday June 15th to Saturday June 20th - Taper week
I wanted to follow the longer Sunday run with a nice solid start to the new week so I set out on an 8:2 interval run on Monday morning. It was a very slow start (5:42 first kilometre) but picked up from there. The first interval, near the end of the warm-up was solid but not overly fast - dropping to a peak of 4:09 pace. I found a bit more speed for the second interval, hitting 3:53 pace, then 3:48 pace in the third. My fourth interval was either side of the turn into Korumburra Road and had 2 peaks, 3:56 before and 3:53 after. I really pushed out on the final interval and hit 3:32 pace. I held the pace longer in this one too. My average pace for the run was 3:56 for the 11 km run. I'm not quite where I wanted to be going into Traralgon but I'm much further along than I feared a few weeks ago.
Tuesday and Wednesday were rest days.
I went out for a steady easier run on Thursday morning, covering 10.6km in 53 minutes. My pace hovered around the 5 minute mark with a couple of quicker kilometres. I finished off with a 4:36 to get my average pace just under the 5 minutes.
On Friday morning I wanted to have a nice hitout before the Traralgon run. I started off at just over 5 minute pace for the warm-up and quickly increased my pace. I was faster than 4:30 pace in the third kilometre and stayed there. I hit 4:10 pace in the sixth kilometre and held it. It dropped back to 4:15 pace for the 8th and 9th kilometres and then I really pushed in the tenth, running it in 4:01 to complete the 10 km in 42:56. I eased up for the last 2 and completed the 12.1 km in 53:38. I pulled up from the run very well. The injury is now behind me and my fitness is at a good level.
Going to parkrun on Saturday morning my plan was to run at 4 minute pace. That is the goal for the half marathon. I went for a 2 and a half kilometre warm-up at just under 5 minute pace. When parkrun started I ran with the pace settings showing on the watch and tried to manage it at 4 minutes. In the end I was just a little under 20 minutes for the parkrun. For the second week in a row I was able to help another runner break the 20 minutes for their first time. My body feels good. My legs feel great - actually they are just telling me to run after the light workload this week - so we'll find out where I'm at tomorrow at Traralgon.
Sunday June 21st - Traralgon Half Marathon
We had perfect conditions for the Traralgon Marathon series - sunny, cool - but not too cold. My body felt good and I ran beautifully at the start, starting with a 3:44 even though I was conscious of not going too fast. I got on pace in the second but started losing pace in the 6th. I held it at 4:05 for a bit but lost a little more in the 9th when I had my gel. At about that point I had a small group join me and got a kick along. My 11th kilometre was run at 4:04 and my 12th at 3:57. I ran through the 15 km mark in 1:00:38, only 38 seconds behind my goal of four minute pace. The hill kicked in just before the 17 km mark and I really struggled. My 18th kilometre was a 4:25 and I never really got back from there.
My official time was 1:27:36 - a new PB. (The course measured a bit long with my Strava PB was 1:26:48). I finished 20th overall and received a bronze medal for running in 3rd place for the 40 to 49 years age group. Overall I was happy with the run. I have pulled up well with just minor stuff - chaffing and an almost blister on the ball of my left foot.
I felt that I was restricted by my fitness in the latter stages of the run and look forward to getting it back to where it was. Also I haven't got my pace back yet so I need to start working on that. It's great to have the injury behind me though and I can't complain about a PB in a half marathon.
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