Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Running Log - Week Ending May 28

Hello Fellow Runners.

Back at this week, after cutting back last week.  Doing the "normal" week of Tuesday workout and Saturday long run, while running 6 days.

I usually mention only my workout and long on here, but for those more interested in details...here are the "Dailies" of a usual week.

  • Monday - 50' (E)asy on soft surfaces whenever possible. Hip mobility
  • Tuesday - Workout - 60' with some kind of faster running.  Hip / core / upper body strength
  • Wednesday - 60' E (when the mileage picks up some, this becomes a MLR in the Pfitz plans)
  • Thursday - 30' Recovery.  Moving the legs.  Could cross-train here if I'm feeling run down.
  • Friday - 50' E with Strides. Hip mobility
  • Saturday - Long Run.  SLR / Faster finish alternating. Hip / core / upper body strength.
  • Sunday - off or walk.
  • Everyday:  Mobility, foam rolling, stretching.
Mileage:  43
Workout: 8 x (3' Fast / 2' Steady)
Long Run: 11
Weight: 143

Workout - Oooofffffahhh.  Haven't tried to actually run "Fast" in a LONG time.  This week's workout of 8 x (3' Fast / 2' Easy) was a little humbling, not nearly as fast as I thought it would go, but I got the heart rate up and practiced trying to get the pace up.  When I was in shape last year, this would have translated to an 800m / 400m workout.  The distances were not there this week.  But, I'm building back, so "I'll take it in stride" as they say.

Long Run - on the C&O to get more time on a softer surface.  First time I really felt "over heated" this year.  So, the heat acclimation begins!

Trails - I spent more time on trails this week for my easy runs.  Grass / dirt / mud.  Nice change of pace, and let's me completely forget about pace and just go run for a specific amount of time.  I should do this for all my easy days, but sometimes I'll check the watch when it beeps every mile....

Injuries - all my old injuries are staying at bay.  I'm keeping up with the exercises / stretches I've been assigned by the PT.  My right calf is still "tight", but extra attention to rolling and stretching seems to be working.  The miles on "softer surfaces" is probably helping as well.


Okay, that's all for this week.  Happy trails.





Monday, May 21, 2018

Running Log - "Calf Sleeves" Any Good?

Hello again fellow runners.

Well, this week was my "planned" cut-back week on mileage and intensity.  I think it was a good idea.  As I build my mileage back up to what it was last year "pre-injury" I'm being super vigilant about how I'm feeling.

So, for a cut-back week - I run 5 days instead of 6; no workout, and no long run.  The last 3 weeks have been around 40 mpw.  This week totaled 28.

On the injury front - another reason this was a good week for cutting back - I've developed a "tightness" in my right calf (outside of calf, 4" down from the back of my knee joint).  Left calf is also sensitive, but not nearly as bad.  I can still run without much discomfort, but it's still "there".

I think part of this is due to ramping my mileage / intensity up too fast and / or my new(er) running posture.  I've found that with my new posture (feet landing more underneath me, more upright torso) that I'm using more calves/glutes and less quads/hamstrings.  I think the new posture overall is better, I just need to build up the strength / stamina.

I've been doing trigger point / rolling / stretching twice a day on the calf and it's starting to calm down.

Question to anyone reading this:  Have you ever tried calf sleeves or compression socks while running?  Did it help with the calf strain I've noted above? I'm thinking about getting a pair, but any feedback would be great.

Overall, the week went well and it ended with me feeling refreshed and ready to get at again next week.

Mileage:  28
Workout:  N/A
Long Run: N/A (longest run was 7.5 miles on Saturday)
Weight:  Dunno

 Carry on fellow Runners.  Carry on.

Monday, May 14, 2018

Running Log - Week Ending May 13

Hello Fellow Runners,

Another week down, another small step back to fitness.

As I build back fitness, I'm pretty much doing some kind of workout on Tuesday and LR on Saturday.  Add in easy mileage four other days of the week, and do LOTS of strength and mobility work and that's pretty much it.

I'm not concerned about paces, more focused on how each run feels - being super vigilant about taking the progress slowly and scaling back on mileage as needed.  Every little tiny niggle gets immediate attention.

Sunday is usually my "off" day - I normally just of a 2-3 mile walk just so my legs get moving and help recovery from Saturday's LR.  The last couple weeks I've added a few drills at the end of the walk (A and B skips, high knees, karaoke, etc.  Then, I finish by putting in a few minutes on TM barefoot.  I figure this will help with form and foot strength.

Mileage:          42
Tue Workout:  2 x 20' Tempo (Tempo pace around 6:57 - 7:00 / 1' standing recovery)
Sat LR:           11 (no speeding up....legs are more fatigued than they should be)
Weight:          143 (holding at this weight for a few weeks now).


Tuesday's workout - was supposed to be a Progression run (20' steady / 10' faster / 10' faster / 5' fastest).  The idea is to learn how to pace myself based on feel since I'm not yet back into shape and I don't know what my "paces" should be.  Well, I took it out too fast.  After the first 20' section, I had to give myself a quick "breather" and stood on the side of the trail for about a minute.  So, I changed the workout to 2 sets of 20' tempo work.  I ended up running all 40' just under 7:00 pace, so that's good (for reference 6:50 was my MP last Summer) - I am getting back into shape.  I still need realize where my fitness is, and reacquaint myself with the "feeling" of how hard I'm working.  Last year, 7:00 pace would have been about right for the first 20' of this progression....but not early May 2018.  Live and learn.

Also - my left ITB got "tight" at the end of the workout.  I had trouble with the left ITB a few years ago, so this is the "check engine" light coming on.  Time to back off some / do some extra ancillary work to make sure it doesn't actually become something.  No reason to push it.

For Saturday's Long Run - my legs were tired right from the beginning.  The run went fine.  No major issues, but it took more effort than it should have.  So...I would consider this the second "warning light".  

The two "warning lights" are enough for me to take a step back and plan lower mileage next week along with no workouts.  Once I made this decision Saturday night, I felt a little "relief" come over me, which also tells me it's time to take a "cut back" week.

Looking back - I've made significant progress in my fitness.  Last 3 weeks have been about 40 mpw.  Just 6 weeks ago, I was having trouble running 30 minutes without pain.  Good progress.  Time for a "breather".

 Onward....


Sunday, May 6, 2018

Running Log - Week Ending May 6

Hello Fellow Runners.

Breaking News:  Today Rupp ran the Prague marathon in 2:06, and I gotta admit I'm a little excited about it.  It's fun to have an American mixing it up with the East Africans.  He's done well in Championship type races - now he has a fast time to go with the medals.


Now on to less exciting things, like my weekly running....

____________

Well....so far, so good this week.... I'm still on the "getting fitness back" train.  This week I extended my Tuesday workout and was able to pick up the pace at the end of my 10 mi. Long Run.

I'm trying to "let the fitness come to me", or "sneak up on me", or whatever the saying is.  I'm already starting to feel the tug of doing LESS prehab work (strength and mobility) as the miles pile up, only because of time/sleep constraints.  So far, I'm sticking to it, but it's a "re-commitment" almost daily.

Mileage:     40 (highest mpw so far....)
Long Run:  10 (Last 2 @ 7:15 and 6:40)
Workout:    6 x (5' tempo by feel / 2' E)  Tempo pace turned out to 6:50 - 7:05
Weight:      143 (avg for the week - first thing in the morning)

Tuesday's Workout:  was good.  Way back, before I got hurt, the workout tempo pace I did this week was my MP.  I held back some to make sure I was able to keep the effort on the last rep the same as the first rep.  Feel good about it.  I "feel" the fitness coming back.

Saturday's Long Run:  10 miles didn't feel as far this week as it did last week - so, that's good.  I was huffing and puffing pretty good to get the last mile around 6:40.  The first 8 miles was around 7:50 pace, which is about right for the shape I'm in right now.

Weight:  is more something I notice than trying to get to a specific number.  Last year, when I ran consistently my weight was about 140.  My diet is much better now than it was last year.  Not sure yet if that will affect my weight - it's more about "healthy food" than "calorie restriction".  But, I have noticed I've dropped a few lbs since my weekly mileage has gotten above 35 for a few weeks in a row now.

Nothing else too exciting to report....

Carry on fellow runners......