Each journey begins with a step forward with a purpose and a goal.
This journey is taking me from chubby plodder to Athlete!
My tools to guide me and help me on my way are a fantastic coach in Spans, great supportive friends in you lot and a stubborn character.
My map shows few waymarkers just now so I can't see the hills and valleys which lay ahead! Like the Roman roads that were built 2000 years ago I have my beacons shinning but need to clarify the route between each beacon. The path is supposed to be straight and clear but if there are hurdles I'll just have to work round them then get back onto the straight and narrow as quickly as possible with no turning back. Straight ahead lies victory.
To represent this "one day at a time" attitude and the desire to not linger on the past and dwell on what could have been I've started to archive daily. When today is done it's gone. I can't repeat the day so I will put it behind me, take forward the positives and leave behind the negatives.
Positives create faith, negatives destroy it.
So I'll be looking at the positives and learning from them, anything bad that needs to be learnt from will be taken on board but as a positive learning experience.
So down to business:
Tuesday 27Th September
Plan:
50 mins run as to 2 x 5:1 + 1 x 25:1 + 2 x 5:1
Actual:
2 x 5:1 + 5mins + stretch (2mins) + 10 mins + stretch (3mins) + 5 mins + 15mins walk.
Review:
Well I know what went wrong! Firstly I didn't warm up at all it was a lunchtime run that was straight out of the door, set GPS and run. Secondly I went off far to fast. Yes I was watching the pace on my GPS but mainly because I was surprised at how natural it felt when it was much faster than I am used to running. As such I was encouraged to see I could maintain the pace which was not far off 10mm. The 1st mile was done in 11:42 and included 1:42 of walking which shows I was going faster than normal and too fast. Going off so fast (for me!) meant I then suffered from tight calves hence I needed to stop and stretch.
When the calf tightens the tendons down to the foot tighten which reduces the flexibilty and makes you go very heavy footed. So when I hear and feel the change in stride I know my calves are tightening and now know to stop and stretch sooner rather than later.
Sensible head (my new training partner) said that given this was a lunchtime run and restricted timewise I was better to abort the run than get frustrated and try to push on and risk injury. On reflection I remember many runs with club where I went heavy footed (the lady who ran with me commented on this on a few occasions) and the last time I really noticed this was the last club run before I admitted I was injured. So I know what the cause is and I know how to spot the problem now.
Learning Points:
Warm up, stretch and don't run out too fast/clock watch.
Finally: In addition to todays run I also had another massage. The lady was very pleased saying that the back muscles were visably better which shows how tight they must have been! It was uncomfortable at times but never painful which again highlights the improvment.
Tomorrow is a new day, this run has been and gone and the leasons noted!
This journey is taking me from chubby plodder to Athlete!
My tools to guide me and help me on my way are a fantastic coach in Spans, great supportive friends in you lot and a stubborn character.
My map shows few waymarkers just now so I can't see the hills and valleys which lay ahead! Like the Roman roads that were built 2000 years ago I have my beacons shinning but need to clarify the route between each beacon. The path is supposed to be straight and clear but if there are hurdles I'll just have to work round them then get back onto the straight and narrow as quickly as possible with no turning back. Straight ahead lies victory.
To represent this "one day at a time" attitude and the desire to not linger on the past and dwell on what could have been I've started to archive daily. When today is done it's gone. I can't repeat the day so I will put it behind me, take forward the positives and leave behind the negatives.
Positives create faith, negatives destroy it.
So I'll be looking at the positives and learning from them, anything bad that needs to be learnt from will be taken on board but as a positive learning experience.
So down to business:
Tuesday 27Th September
Plan:
50 mins run as to 2 x 5:1 + 1 x 25:1 + 2 x 5:1
Actual:
2 x 5:1 + 5mins + stretch (2mins) + 10 mins + stretch (3mins) + 5 mins + 15mins walk.
Review:
Well I know what went wrong! Firstly I didn't warm up at all it was a lunchtime run that was straight out of the door, set GPS and run. Secondly I went off far to fast. Yes I was watching the pace on my GPS but mainly because I was surprised at how natural it felt when it was much faster than I am used to running. As such I was encouraged to see I could maintain the pace which was not far off 10mm. The 1st mile was done in 11:42 and included 1:42 of walking which shows I was going faster than normal and too fast. Going off so fast (for me!) meant I then suffered from tight calves hence I needed to stop and stretch.
When the calf tightens the tendons down to the foot tighten which reduces the flexibilty and makes you go very heavy footed. So when I hear and feel the change in stride I know my calves are tightening and now know to stop and stretch sooner rather than later.
Sensible head (my new training partner) said that given this was a lunchtime run and restricted timewise I was better to abort the run than get frustrated and try to push on and risk injury. On reflection I remember many runs with club where I went heavy footed (the lady who ran with me commented on this on a few occasions) and the last time I really noticed this was the last club run before I admitted I was injured. So I know what the cause is and I know how to spot the problem now.
Learning Points:
Warm up, stretch and don't run out too fast/clock watch.
Finally: In addition to todays run I also had another massage. The lady was very pleased saying that the back muscles were visably better which shows how tight they must have been! It was uncomfortable at times but never painful which again highlights the improvment.
Tomorrow is a new day, this run has been and gone and the leasons noted!
Comments
it was YOU that told me about stretching after warm up - and very grateful I have been too