I have decided that something MUST change. My running is going nowhere and my body feels tired. I can use excuses that I don't get the adreniline rush of running with the group. I could even use my age - but I don't accept that. I am just worn out from too much "trying" to run hard. I decided that the choice was between a complete break and then a re-start - a choice that I am not keen on on many levels - or just jogging for a period of time and letting the body re-build. It is an experiment - but then isn't life just the one big experiment?
Tuesday morning was my first low stress run. It follows a weekend where I ran two sub 4 minute 5 km runs and then a difficult recovery run on the Monday. I ran at an easy jog pace running in the 5:30s early and then finishing at sub 5:18 pace. I avoided looking at the watch and the slow acceleration was totally natural. I was feeling the sore spots in my body - left quad, right hamstring & hip, both calfs - near the end of the run.
For the Tuesday run I was just following my nose, making up the route as I went along. Given my new game plan it was quite ironic when I got back and checked out my GPS map and saw that I drew an image of "flipping the bird"
Wed 6/5 am: 8.29 km - 5:40 average pace - 5:15 fastest km - Ave HR 134
It was a nice mild run on Thursday morning (17 degrees at 6am) so I headed out to the Desal for a nice easy run out there. The sunrise was not as bright as yesterday but still worth being up for. After only a few low stress / low heartrate runs I can already feel my body healing. I am much more mobile during the day after my heels cool.
Thu 7/5 am: 8.69 km - 5:37 average pace - 5:22 fastest km - Ave HR (approx) 140
Fri 8/5 am: 8.74 km - 5:34 average pace - 5:17 fastest km - Ave HR 134
The rain was just starting as I got up on Saturday morning. It was light and there was no wind so I decided to run then rather than risk the wind picking up later. So it was 12 km in the rain and I was saturated at the end. It was my 4th low stress run. Interestingly I was running comfortably at sub 5:20 pace in the first half and decided to monitor my heart rate in the second half so slowed myself down significantly. As it turns out I was getting false HR readings at the time. From now on there will be no looking at the watch whatsoever - I have been avoiding looking at the kilometre times all week.
Sat 9/5 am: 12.08 km - 5:24 average pace - 5:13 fastest km - Ave HR 139 (approx)
Sun 10/5 am: 5.02 km - 5:11 average pace - 4:58 fatsest km - Ave HR 147
Sun 10/5 am: 7.45 km - 5:19 average pace - 5:16 fastest km - Ave HR 140 (approx)
On Sunday I split my run into a 5 (for a Running Heroes Race / Challenge) and the rest.
Monday May 11th to Sunday May 17th
I am still grappling with this idea of low stress jogging. This morning it was a real easy jog with the heart rate staying right down all through. The pace was pretty slow though. My legs felt good while running. My right ankle pulled up a bit sore after yesterdays run and is stiffening up quite a bit still (when I stop).
Mon 11/5 am: 8,24 km - 5:37 average pace - 5:23 fastest km - Ave HR 129
Tue 12/5 am: 9.49 km - 5:28 average pace - 5:11 fastest km - Ave HR 132
This week I am running with a lot more control and the heart rate is staying nice and low. There was no looking at the watch on the Tuesday morning run. My pace was not too bad for a low heart rate run, getting under 5:15 pace for a few kilometres.
There is improvement. My first kilometres are still incredibly slow. On Monday there was stiffness in the ankles and they were warming up. On Tuesday the ankles felt good right from the time I got up. The slow first kilometre was probably more to do with the spectacular sun rise. After the runs I put my feet up for ten or fifteen minutes and when I get up they have tightened incredibly - as they have for 18 months now. But now they are loosening again just about right away. When I get out of the shower they feel quite good and I am pain free pretty for the rest of the day.
I rode my bike after knocking off work on Tuesday, as I had on Monday night too.
On Wednesday I woke to the sound of rain on the roof. I checked the radar and then dozed for a little bit before checking the radar again. We were about to have a spell from the showers so I headed out for an easy 6 km. In the 5th kilometre I found myself ho humming about the pace, sort of missing running fast. Temptation was put aside though because this is for the long game. As I stepped onto the verandah, back home at the end of the run the rain started falling again. My ankles have pulled up from this run better than any time I can remember. So there is some reward for the low stress runs.
Wed 13/5 am: 6.02 km - 5:28 average pace - 5:16 fastest km - Ave HR 132
Thu 14/5 am: 10.49 km - 5:26 average pace - 5:15 fastest km - Ave HR 135
I weighed in first ting on Thursday morning at 85.7 kg. After the run I weighed in again - this time at 85.0 kg.
Fri 15/5 am: 9.08 km - 5:19 average pace - 5:09 fastest km - Ave HR 134
Sat 16/5 am: 13.53km - 5:11 average pace - 4:53 fastest km - Ave HR 143 (approx)
My body was feeling pretty good in my longer Saturday run, particularly in the first rate where I ran three sub 5 minute kilometres with my heart rate under about 145 bpm. The deconstruction phase is well under way now. My "fitness and freshness" graph in Strava shows where I am quite well. According to the graph, even though I was sore and struggling to find top pace, I was on the rise - as I have been at this time of year the past two. Last year my "fitness" peaked at 116 in September after a climb through winter. This year I was up to the high 90s before I started the deconstruct. There has been a quick drop off with the new strategy.
Sun 17/5 am: 5.01 km - 4:58 average pace - 4:42 fastest km - Ave HR 148 (approx)
Sun 17/5 am: 3.03 km - 5:29 average pace - 5:27 fastest km - Ave HR 142 (approx)
Sunday was the fourth race of the current WRR Handicap series (actually runners had all weekend to run and I chose Sunday). I didn't run hard, just trying to keep the heartrate down. In the third kilometre I had a runner just ahead of me and I was gradually closing the gap. Not knowing my pace, and suspecting that I may slow down if I sat in behind, I overtook. This turned out to be my fastest km in a fortnight (4:42). I did settle into a comfortable 4:50 pace for most of the second half of the run and the body wasn't stressed at all. I followed up with a really easy short run on the beach to check out the coastal erosion works.
The Road Runners handicap races are becomming very popular, particularly the past two races where runners can choose their own course - owing to the social restrictions. This week I have over 75 registered. I have a generally good handicapping system but some runners do surprise every now and then. They get a significant handicap penalty though so the success is shared around. After being competitive in the first three races i was way off the pace this week - due to my current training plan. The hope is that I can bounce back and put in some fast runs later in the season. I do feel that I am getting more bounce back and that my natural speed is starting to return. Possibly today was the start of the reconstruction phase - but I won't be rushing things.
Monday 18th May to Sunday 24th May
The working week started with the sun rising into a clear sky and the temperature down near zero. I put on the gloves and jacket and set off with the eastern horizon glowing red. The run was easy and comfortable. I haven't fely this good on a Monday morning - before, during and after the run - for as long as I can remember. Even the post run stiffening of the ankle has abated. I have run / jogged for the past 18 days straight. The plan is for another solid week and then for a really light week with running only every second day. Then I hope to move into reconstruction.
Mon 18/5 am: 8.10 km - 5:26 average pace - 5:14 fastest km - Ave HR 140 (approx)
Tue 19/5 am: 10.17 km - 5:25 average pace - 5:13 fasest km - Ave HR 134
The weather turned on Tuesday with a massive storm coming across over night. When I woke on Wednesday it had passed and was reasonably calm, although with a bit of a northerly breeze. I ran out at the Desal with frogs croaking all the way around.
Wed 20/5 am: 8.09 km - 5:30 average pace - 5:11 fastest km - Ave HR 135 (approx)
Thu 21/5 am: 9.42 km - 5:27 average pace - 5:12 fastest km - Ave HR 140 (approx)
Fri 22/5 am: 6.10 km - 5:32 average pace - 5:18 fastest km - Ave HR 132
I weighed in at 86.1 kg first thing on Saturday morning. I have put on about 2 to 3 kg since we have been in "lockdown". I went out for a 10ish km run before breakfast, running to the wetlands and back through the town. My pace was surprisingly quicker than expected today as it was a real easy pace. The temptation to push for a bit is always there but I have been disciplined and hope to get a reward. At this time on a Saturday morning I am usually siezing up in the ankles and find it hard to get walking. Now - I feel great. The ankles are not siezing up at all. I can also start my runs without the stiff ankled gait at the start.
Sat 23/5 am: 10.79 km - 5:14 average pace - 5:03 fastest km - Ave HR 138 (approx)
Sun 24/5 am: 10.40 km - 5:21 average pace - 5:08 fastest km - Ave HR 140 (approx)
Monday May 25th to Sunday May 31st
This is my light week. It will mark the boundary between my deconstruction and the start of the reconstruction - which will be slow. I took Monday off running, with a short cycle after work, and will also rest on Wednesday and Friday.
Tuesday's run was slow and easy - all the way. I can still feel the right ankle but the spot seems to have moved up from the heel. It is not so much pain - rather feels like it is strengthening. The left is feeling great. The rest of the body feels real fresh now. I do feel a little overweight though.
Tue 26/5 am: 9.76 km - 5:34 average pace - 5:24 fastest km - Ave HR 138
Wednesday was the second day off. I didn't even cycle - as I was a bit late home from work. I was so tired on Wednesday night. I woke up fresh on Thursday morning and weighed in at 85.8 kg before heading off on my last slow run.
Thu 28/5 am: 9.58 km - 5:46 average pace - 5:21 fastest km - Ave HR 135 (approx)
Friday was another day off, my third for the week. Early in the week I developed a sore spot on my left shin, near where I have some calcification. As the week has progressed it has moved and spread and it appears to be a thrombosis. The lower left leg is a bit swollen at the moment - and a bit sore. I ran with it though without any pain. I'll keep an eye on it over the weekend.
Saturday was an exciting day - our first Road Runners GROUP handicap race - a series of them. We are allowed to gather in groups of up to ten now so we started the weekend off with nine runners (and me timing) at Newhaven at 8am, and another group at Inverloch at 11am. I ran my race (at a slower pace) earlier and got to see the sun rise over the water. It really is a great running course.
Sat 30/5 am: 5.01 km - 24:12 - 5:18, 4:46, 4:50, 4:35, 4:28 - average pace 4:50
Sat 30/5 am: 2.58 km - 4:50 average pace - 4:45 fastest km
Sat 30/5 am: 2.64 km - 4:48 average pace - 4:41 fastest km
I pulled up well from the Saturday running with only a sore spot in the middle of my right buttock - something I can deal with. I rane a warm up while timing the 9am race on Sunday and then went for a 10 km run after it finished. I had some good pace early but it became hard work in the middle - I have lost a lot of fitness. I finished strongly to get a sub 50 ten under my belt.
Sun 30/5 am: 2.40 km - 5:15 average pace - 5:13 fastest km
Sun 30/5 am: 10.01 km - 4:56 average pace - 4:37 fastest km
In the past 2 weeks I have run 240 km, but at a slow and easy pace, running for 24 dats straight and then with the three rest days last week. In the same period I have cycled 167 km to get in some exertion. My fitness has dropped off but my body feels really strong. There were signs on Saturday that the natural pace will return. I guess only time will tell. In two weeks time I intend to be in a position to have a bit of a go at the next Handicap Race and then to be going full pace after the next fortnight.
Monday June 1st to Sunday June 7th
I was woken by the alarm on Monday morning and with rain falling on the roof. Upon checking the radar I decided to cut my losses and stay in bed. Another day off wouldn't hurt.
On Tuesday morning I set off in the darkness. I ran my 8km course with no looking at the watch at all. My whole run was by feel. As it turned out it appears that I am a long way back. I felt that I was running much faster than I actually was. I have also replaced the battery in my chest strap heart rate monitor - so will get much better readings now.
Tue 2/6 am: 8.33 km - 5:09 average pace - 4:48 fastest km - Ave HR 143
Wed 3/6 am: 7.27 km - 4:51 average pace - 4:19 fastest km - Ave HR 145
DO NOT EAT KFC!!!!! In the past six months Heather has suggested KFC and I have reluctantly agreed. Both times my weight has ballooned in the following week! Really ballooned - this morning I weighed in at 89.2 kg, kilograms over weight! Now this is no scientific study and the sample is pretty small but the anecdotal evidence is good enough for me.
On Wednesday afternoon I visited the doctor to have my swollen left shin & calf looked at. It appears that I have a skin infection. I am now on antibiotics and also have two days off work to keep me off my feet. Standing and having my leg vertical all day means it really swells up by the end of the day.
I am terribly frustrated. I have rested up and got the body ready to re-build but I had to have another day off running on Thursday. I have been able to run with the leg as it is but, given that I was off work, it wouldn't have been wise to run on it when I am meant to be resting. So I took Thurday off to let the antibiotics get started on mending the leg. Staying at home with the leg up means that it is not as swollen and hot as it was yesterday. The infection has not spread which is a positive. I am hoping that I will be able to get a run in tomorrow.
I woke up feeling good on Friday and just went out into the frost for a run. It appears that the skin infection will take time to heal so it is going to have to cope with short bursts of activity. I was on my feet for less than an hour and iced the leg after the run (with it up).
Fri 4/6 am: 8.71 km - 4:56 average pace - 4:39 fastest km
TOP 5 parkruns - #5 Kununurra parkrun
In my three runs there I ran my PB of 18:43, following the tail of local young gun Sebastian Pufke. With the Kununurra half marathon being run on the Sunday of my second week there I had a free reign with Seb resting so I cruised around in 20:48 to collect the number one token. The following day Seb and I battled it out in the first half of the half marathon before the teenager pulled away for his win. We were both back at parkrun the following Saturday, still in recovery mode from the half. We cruised around the course together and crossed the line together in 19:46. They gave me the number one token. I will be back at Kununurra to run their parkrun course some time in the future.
Saturday was grey and drizzly. I set off on a longer run going pretty easy early. Right now I feel heavy and slow and that was the tone of the run. I am refusing to look at the watch to get pace after each kilometre so the pace I run at is a surprise when I get back. And I was surprised to see that there were TEN clear kilometres (3rd to 12th) all under 5 minute pace. It was a hard run though and there is a LOT of work to do to build my fitness again.
Sat 6/6 am: 13.34 km - 4:59 average pace - 4:47 fastest km - 159 Max HR
RUN DOWN UNDER
Since the start of March 2016 I have been running in a virtual run around Australia - Run Down Under. I am now inside the last 2 months of completing the run. The run started in Canberra, out to Sydney and then onto the loop. In that time I have run 13,586 km (4 years and 3 months). After having been the whole way around plus a loop of Tassie, I am now in the south east of NSW and headed for Sydney. At the moment my arrival date is for the 1st August so it is time to start thinking about the finish line.
With the sun in the sky I drove to Venus Bay on Sunday morning for a trail run out to Point Smythe and back - plus a bit more.
Sun 7/6 am: 9.51 km - 5:11 average pace - 4:49 fastest km - 158 Max HR
Monday 8th June to Sunday 14th June
FITNESS - it is amazing how much fitness that I have lost over the past month, all while I was still jogging every day. On Monday - a public holiday - I ran a longer run at the Desal and it was quite hard work. I put in a couple of efforts, one out to the bird hide and the other up the hill on the short loop, getting to sub 4 minute pace at times in them. I followed up with a 25 km hard cycle in the afternoon.
Mon 8/6 am: 10.29 km - 4:59 average pace - 4:32 fastest km
Tue 9/6 am: 8.23 km - 5:06 average pace - 4:29 fastest km - 158 Max HR
.... 3x 500m intervals (ave pace): 4:12, 4:10, 3:46
TOP 5 parkruns - #4 Echuca Moama parkrun
Between October 2017 to October 2019 I ran the Echuca Moama parkrun course on eight occasions, mainly du to the fact that my son was living and working in Moama. This is a great out and back course. It runs along the Campaspe river with the golf course on the other side in the early stages of the run. There are a few undulations and a u-turn at the half-way mark but you then get to see every other runner out face-to-face out on the course - a chance to say "g'day". The scenery is the great feature of this parkrun, and the fact that you can go reasonably fast on the course.
In February 2018 I was in Echuca for the Riverboats music festival. In between the Friday night and Saturday sessions with Brian Nankervis and some great Aussie musicians, we had a trot on the parkrun course. I must have been in form because that was my PB on the Echuca Moama course, a 18:18. In my eight runs there I have been a first finisher twice, run in second another two times and all eight runs were in the top 6. It is just a really nice course for a bit of a fly with three of my times there sub 19. So if you are looking for a nice weekend away and a really nice course the Echuca Moama is well worth the visit.
It was COLD on Wednesday morning! Something like 2 degrees and feels like minus something! The plan was for a short run with a 400m interval at the end of every 2 kms. I put on the leggings, jacket and gloves so that only my face was exposed and set off. My leg is on the improve but I am still on the antibiotics. The imflamation appears to be on the way out but now there is a vein running up the inside of my leg that appears infected and is quite sore. It doesn't affect my running but the leg will swell up after a day on my feet at work.
Intervals - for the second day in a row I ran short intervals. Yesterday I ran a 500m interval at the end of each 2.5 km and, while i was happy with the speed - particularly in the last one - it was just a bit too far. So today, on the shorter run, I shortened them to fit three into 6km. The purpose of the intervals are to slowly get my body used to running at pace again, and to build my fitness with repeats. At the moment there is a big recovery at the end. What I have learnt in the Deconstruction period is to jog/run for recovery. I am not interested in times while I run and don't look at the watch until after I finish so I no longer get hung up on running too slow. I was really happy with the speed of today's intervals.
Wed 10/6 am: 6.11 km - 5:02 average pace - 4:25 fastest km - Max HR 160
.... 3x 400m intervals (ave pace & seconds): 3:58 (95), 3:58 (95), 3:47 (91)
Thu 11/6 am: 10.23 km - 5:10 average pace - 4:44 fastest km - Max HR
Interesting run on Thursday. I am still running blind (to pace on watch) and felt that I was running faster than I actually was. I was under 5:10 pace after the thrid kilometre - but it had been a real slow start in the cold. I didn't drop to sub 5 pace until the last 2 km. It felt like a hard push all the way. My fitness levels are really down right now. I did run in tights though and they do make you feel more slugish.
Friday was a rest day. I weighed in at 86.5 kg first ting in the morning. The leg appears to have mostly healed (skin infection) but there is still some infection around a vein on the inside of my leg almost behind the left knee.
Y E S :)
I raced again on Saturday morning - actually raced. It felt great. I actually caught people towards the end of the handicap race. Matt gave me a 2 minute head start and he caught me just inside the last kilometre. I had alread decided to go hard in the last kilometre and pushed to stay with him for as long as I could. My pace was in the 3:30s for a bit in the middle as I tried to stay with him. He broke the invisible rope in the last few hundred metres and I slowed but at 3:51 that last kilometre was my fastest in a LONG time. I was thrilled with the time but even more with how I feel after the race. No stiffness in those ankles. The right ankle made me aware that it was there early in the race but the body was generally pretty good. It is only my fitness that needs work and that I know I can achieve.
Sat 13/6 am: 3.05 km - 5:11 average pace - 4:37 fastest km
Sat 13/6 am: 5 km WRR race: 20:35 - 4:10, 4:09, 4:13, 4:08, 3:51
I ran on Sunday morning out at Inverlocah, between starting WRR Handicap races. I ran a 10 km, had a short break, and then ran a 5 km. That was to get into two virtual races - not that I ran fast. I was a little sore in the first run - faint soreness in the right hamstring and just general soreness.
Sun 14/6 am: 10.01 km - 5:16 average pace - 4:59 fastest km - Max HR 151
Sun 14/6 am: 5.01 km - 4:54 average pace - 4:48 fastest km - Max HR 154
Monday June 15th to Sunday June 21st
I started the week with one of those slow - one foot in front of the other - jogs around town. The temptation was there to step it up in the second half but I am still in the reconstruct phase so I will drop one of these runs in every now and then. The average heart rate of 128 is probably more indicative of what was happening in the Deconstruct phase. Then I was using the wrist based monitor and since I have started using the chest strap again.
Mon 15/6 am: 8.33 km - 5:49 average pace - 5:29 fastest km - Max HR 140 (ave 128)
TOP 5 parkruns - #3 Canning River parkrun
My run at Canning River was at their 9th parkrun on August 3rd, 2013. I had been running by myself as we travelled around the country and my speed was picking up. I had only recently hit sub 4 minute pace (very briefly) and my top pace was around 4:20 at the time. This was my first run in company. As we started the run I ran with the front group and found that my heart was absolutely pounding. My body felt strange and I couldn't work out what the problem was. Then the first kilometre clicked over and I had run a 3:50 - that was the problem! I eased up a little and ran out the rest of the parkrun to record a 20:34 - well and truly my fastest run to that point. I was seventh overall in my very first parkrun.
Tue 16/6 am: 10.03 km - 5:14 average pace - 4:41 fastest km - Max HR 154 (138 ave)
I had a rest day on Wednesday where my only active time was mowing some of the grass at home. I weighed in at 86.5 kg first thing in the morning. On Thursday morning I had a run where I tried to force it a little but was unsuccessful for much of it. The first half was quite slow but I did pick up the pace in the second half. My body is feeling fine right now, it just feels limited while I run.
Thu 18/6 am: 9.06 km - 5:04 average pace - 4:38 fastest km - Max HR 157 (139 ave)
Fri 19/6 am: 8.32 km - 5:05 average pace - 4:32 fastest km - Max HR 169 (141 ave)
.... 400m intervals (ave pace): 4:08. 3:55, 4:03, 4:03
I stayed in bed on Saturday morning, weighed in (86.2 kg) when I did get up and then had a late breakfast. Then I went out for my run(s). Plural because i was on the saturday 13 km course but Running Heroes have a 10 km race - so i ran a 3 km warm up with stretches and then ran a sold 10 km. After an indifferent week i was really happy with the quality of the 10 km run - finishing in around 47 minutes. It was my fastest 10 km run since March! I weighed in again after the run and was down to 85.0 kg.
Sat 20/6 am:3.06 km - 5:08 average pace - 4:47 fastest km - Max HR 150 (138)
Sat 20/6 am: 10.02 km - 4:43 average pace - 4:32 fastest km - Max HR 167 (157)
The pace graph tells an interesting story. Much more consistent in the first third and then later in the run the pace is very much up and down. My fitness is down and that plays a part but it is alos a fact that my mind was drifting in that second half and I did find my pace drop off at times and have to push again at times.
Sunday was another Running Heroes "race" - this time the 5 km. I drove out to Koonwarra and ran back towards Leongatha for most of 4 km for the warm up with a fair bit of stretching along the way as my body warmed up. Then I had a real solid push coming back with efforts at 1, 2 and 3 km plus another inside the last kilometre. I was really happy with the sub 22 run. I hit sub 4 pace in each of the last 4 km with a peak pace of 3:35.
Sun 21/6 am: 4.86 km - 5:09 average pace - 4:56 fastest km - Max HR 159 (142)
Sun 21/6 am: 5.02 km - 4:22 average pace - 4:14 fastest km - Max HR 168 (155)
Monday June 22nd to Sunday June 28th
The week started off wet with 38 mm of rain overnight into Monday morning. I woke and checked the radar to see a brief break in the rain so got out on my 8km course for an easy run.
Mon 22/6 am: 8.29 km - 5:15 average pace - 5:05 fastest km - Max HR 148 (136)
Tue 23/6 am: 9.22 km - 5:18 average pace - 4:41 fastest km - Max HR 158 (136)
TOP 5 parkruns - #2 Inverloch parkrun
I love Inverloch parkrun. I helped to set up the event, way back in 2014 and I have run the course as an official parkrun well over 200 times now. It is my home, where I get to run with family and the views are spectacular. The people there are so friendly and keen to help out. The volunteer roster is filled six months ahead - even though we have been out of action for months now there would still be peoples names on the roster!
We started in September 2014. A group of us scoped out the course and TOC and I went to council and got the parkrun going. The popularity grew slowly and steadily. On big days now we get well over 200 runners. The course is out and back with two trips to the yacht club. There are three u-turns so it is not a particularly fast course. Then parkrun is all about social running & walking, so this course is ideal. You get to see most people three times through the 5km.
My fastest time there is an 18:06, on a day in 2016 when Bill Barry and I just clicked. There are a lot of sun 19s, including a run of ten in a row some time back. I have run the course fast, paced others and walked the course. I cannot wait to get back there :)
Im at a low point at the moment. It's week three of a cery long, hard term at school so I am just generally exhausted. Added to that my left leg condition has not fully gone away yet. It has been sitting in a vein just below the knee - red and bulging - but yesterday moved up above the knee during the day. Looks like another trip to the doctors. On top of that I wake most mornings at 4-something am and do not get back to sleep. Wednesday's run was reflective of how I feel - low on energy with not a great deal to give. Four quite slow intervals that were just a struggle the whole way.
Wed 24/6 am: 8.33 km - 5:11 average pace - 4:32 fastest km - Max HR 161 (137)
WOW - what a week!!! I went to the doctor after work on Wednesday to get the leg looked at. He suspected a clot and put me on medication to break it up and sent me to get an ultrasound to confirm. Then on Wednesday night a pain shot up to behind my right ribs, then followed an ache in the chest. A phone appointment with another doctor who sent me to Emergency at the hospital. I spent 6 hours there while they scanned my chest and ultrasounded my leg and gave me all sorts of blood tests. They confirmed the blood clot in the leg - a superficial vein thrombosis - and that there was clot gragments in the lungs. Reading between the lines it appears that I dodged a bullet. Seemingly some of the clot broke off on Wednesday night and made it to my lungs. Fortunately it didn't block the main aorta and I get to live another day.
Friday was another day off work and a day off running. It is a waiting game now for the clot to just break up. I spent time organising the Road Runners handicap race seven for this weekend. My plan was to still head out to Newhaven, have a warm up and then decide what would happen from there.
The best made plans ........ I was up early on Saturday morning, ate breakfast and was in the car nice an early - then nothing. The battery was flat! I called the RACV and let runners know I would miss the start. The RACV arrived just in time so I made it to Newhaven just after 8am. I ran a short warm up and missed my start. Starting late I was only a short distance ahead of Matt. Without having time to think too much about it I just ran. I was feeling good and started with a 3:46, trying to keep ahead of Matt - but he just flew past. I was under 4 minutes for the second, just over for the third, well over for the fourth after a menta and physical lapse, then back under 4 for the last. My official run time was 19:54 on the segment. BACK UNDER 20 MINUTES!!!!! For the first time in months. It was a hard run but it felt a lot better than a fortnight ago.
Sat 27/6 am: 5 km - 19:54 - 3:46, 3:55, 4:03, 4:17, 3:56 - Ave pace 3:59
Sat 27/6 am: 6.06 km - 5:15 average pace - 5:04 fastest km
I felt good on Sunday morning - despite the cold (I stayed in bed until 10am) - and was running well from the start. I am still running blind, refusing to look at the watch, and I was pleasantly surprised by the sub-5 average time when I finished the run.
Sun 28/6 am: 10.02 km - 4:59 average pace - 4:47 fastest km.
While there is still a superficial clot (thrombosis) above the knee it does appear to be breaking up now. Lets hope that this time next week it is gone!
Monday June 29th to Sunday June 5th
It was freezing on Monday morning - actually ZERO - so I stayed in bed. I eventually got up, ate breakfast and drove under perfectly clear and sunny skies to Venus Bay Beach number 5. Then I ran out to Point Smythe, explored for a bit and then ran back.
Mon 29/6 am: 5.12 km - 5:15 average pace - 4:55 fastest km
Mon 29/6 am: 4.48 km - 5:16 average pace - 5:05 fastest km
Tue 30/6 am: 8.62 km - 4:49 average pace - 4:32 fastest km
The blood clot in my lung was not as painful as it has been on Tuesday night and there are some obvious improvements in the upper leg clot. I visited the doctor on Wednesday morning and he has reduced the dosage of the blood thinner. Now we need to find out why it happened and he has referred me to a specialist. I also have to have some more blood tests. After the doctors I drove to Venus Bay for another run there. It was 18 degrees and sunny today - a really nice day. The weather will turn overnight and winter is here for the end of the week.
Given the school holidays I have been on the bike at the start of the week with 30km on Monday, 20km on Tuesday and another 17 km on Wednesday afternoon.
Wed 1/7 am: 9.17 km - 4:58 average pace - 4:49 fastest km (x2)
Thu 2/7 am: 7.01 km - 4:53 average pace - 4:30 fastest km
.... 3x 400m intervals (ave pace): 3:55, 3:53, 4:00
Friday was a disaster. I didn't run in the morning as I was meant to have some fasting blood tests - so I went down, lined up and got in only to find I need to have the tests at a lab. When I got home and ate breakfast the weather had really turned so I chose not to run at all.
Saturday was much better. I ran a warmup for 3km (on the 13 km course) and then ran a "Running Heroes" 10 km race with good effort. I was pretty happy with the pace, running well under 47 minutes. My first 5km was a 23:19 and my second 5km was 23:18.
Sat 4/7 am: 3.01 km - 5:08 average pace - 4:49 fastest km - Max HR 152 (Ave 141)
Sat 4/7 am: 10.01 km - 4:39 average pace - 4:26 fastest km - Max HR 166 (Ave 155)
TOP 5 parkruns - #1 Torrens parkrun
The Torrens course runs along the north side of the spectacular Torrens river for 2.5 km and then u-turns back to the finish. It is reasonably flat and properly paved - a really nice running surface and, I am sure, quite fast. Olympian Jess Trengrove has run there and was in fact there two weeks before me. The numbers were down the day I was there because of the City to the Bay run the next day. One of the regular runners there that day was a bare foot runner.
This was my FIRST run under 20 minutes! I was fourth across the line and so happy with my sub-4 minute pace that I stopped the watch immediately and saved it and then found that it was recorded as a 4.99 km run. I loved this course and I would happily get out there every week but for the tyranny of distance. I will get back there again some day.
Sunday would have been Gold Coast marathon day and a work colleague and friend, Jo Taylor, was due to run her first marathon there. She decided to go ahead with running her first marathon and plotted a local course. I met her early in the run and ran just over 10 km with her in support. After parting ways I had a break and then ran a hard 5km back to my car. The 5km run was slower than I had hoped but the slow 10km was probably not the best warm up and it was at the end of a 28km weekend.
This is the end of my Reconstruction period. I have a few solid runs behind me now and the one sub 20 minute 5 km (last weekend). I will have a better idea in a few weeks time but I feel that I am in a much better place than when I started to Deconstruct several months ago. My Strava "Fitness & Freshness" chart tells the story of my past few months. I was flat-lining in February and was on the rise at the end of the VAL season but my body was sore and fy fastest was getting slower. The sudden drop is the deconstruct stage. The start of the reconstruct stage is where it levels off and then there has been a sudden rise again in the past couple of weeks. I'm feeling pretty positive but, until I run another sub 19 minute 5 km I have achieved nothing.
Sun 5/7 am: 10.71 km - 6:34 average pace - 6:06 fastest km - Max HR 135 (Ave 126)
Sun 5/7 am: 5.01 km - 4:28 average pace - 4:25 fastest km - Max HR 166 (Ave 150)
I finished off with a 16 km bike ride. I find that a bike ride after the run really helps with the recovery of the ankles.
