Tuesday 28 June 2011

Race, rest, race

Monday morning I felt surprisingly good, despite Sundays race lasting almost 3 hrs. With that said I made the mistake of running my 4 mile route Monday morning pretty hard instead of taking the wise option of resting and doing that session today. As well as that I got a weekly plyometric session in. With the combination of pushing it out Monday and possibly DOMS kicking in today it's left me pretty saw today. Shit!

Despite that it was still the fastest time I'd clocked on the 4 mile for ages and it was ran more at temp pace (uncomfortable but not balls out, going sick pace) than flat out so again progress. Considering racing a multi terrain 6/7 miles Thursday evening again so the track is going to have a rest until then and I'll prob rest up until Thursday to try and run half decent. Last few weeks certainly trying to change the mentality to quality rather than quantity as the long hard training has been done now for a bit, may aswell find some speed over next few weeks.

Having said all that there is talk of 25-30 miles on the coastal path Saturday. I might do that even though it will do nothing for my speed. If you love it though, you love it I guess.

As for today I did a 5 mile recovery run and some pull ups. Just fancied the pull ups to be honest :)

This week -
Monday - 4mile Tempo + Plyometrics
Tuesday - 5 Recovery

Sunday 26 June 2011

Adventure Race

What a great event, It's one of the most enjoyable events I've done for a while. It was about 10k on the run (but reckon it was nearer 8) then 30km on the mountain bike followed by about 3k on the kayak. All done as a team of two and a self navigation event which made it more of an adventure!! Much thanks to Jonathan Jones my team mate who sorted out the bikes and was definitely the navigator!!

Left bright an early this morning 6.20am from the house, it was foggy and overcast at that point. Registered about 8am, got the bikes ready and made a few decisions about kit. In the end decided to just take the water bottle full of lucozade and a cliff shots bar which I ended up not using. Got a bit of a race briefing and the sheet said there was about 60 teams there. We got told on that on the mountain bike stage we had to self navigate and find 4 checkpoints, grab a band and then make are way down either the safer route but slightly longer or the direct downhill which for mountain bikers was apparently classed as a 'black' which means it's challenging so I wasn't taht up for that route if I'm honest. Most had very nice looking bikes which made me slightly nervous as I was expecting the worse on the bike stage which was the bulk really.

10am race started - Running down to the beach out and back more or less. We took an early lead along with 3 or 4 other teams. I felt great - by far the best since the ultra and I think the speed works already started to sharpen me up. Half way and we were pulling away, ended the run in 1st and was leaving transition as the 2nd team came in. Good stage but now was the bike.

Headed off got to traffic lights, which we got told about at the start. They said to make are way to the mountain bike stage we had to do a few miles through the city which ment strict highway code rules or in the organisers words 'this will piss you off but neads to be followed, really'. First set of lights so we waited 3 other teams met us there. Seven of us guys in total and one woman. We all waited except for the woman who said 'F**k this' and literally weaved her way through, jumping off curbs and around cars!! From then on we broke an endless amount of highway code rules and didnt stop on any lights!! This was bonkers!

Kept going and found we were with a couple other teams but leading and we felt good until we got lost big time in the mountains and just couldn't find the final checkpoint. Then navigation was part of the race so tough luck! Got there finally we must have been about 10th then so decided to hit the direct down hill route which was pretty exciting and got to the kayak in about 6th. The sun was beaming by now and to be honest found the kayaking tough work but stayed in it. Ended the whole event in 5th which we were more than happy with but deep down we could ave come close to winning today. Never mind, next time!!

5th place but on the plus side felt good today and enjoyed the event immensly, so roll on the next adventure I say!

Friday 24 June 2011

Progressive week

Felt ready to go Wednesday morning so decided to run my 4mile time trial as such. I'm still struggling with the speed but it's coming. Eased in to it, steady for mile 2 and 3 then a bit of a push for the last mile. Any how a time of 24.53 is a 37 second improvement so it's coming. I'd like to be getting under 24 mins for this run. Second session was a 5.5mile recovery run.

As for Yesterday I planned on taking the day off but after playing tennis for a couple hours I felt like trying the 400 session, and I'm glad I did as the times are shifting down within just a week. There still not 100% but it's coming faster than I thought. After a 2mile warm up I did only 5 400s. They were all in the low 70s this time and one was at 67seconds! I'll take that, about 10 days a go I was doing them so much slower. This week has been good it's been a change to, quality very much over quantity but I think I need it for a few weeks.

Today was easy, legs are a little heavy didnt run but did a 30min plyometric session. It lacked the quality of the early week session so maybe I would have been better off not doing it, but there we are. Resting Saturday as I'm in this adventure race Sunday which will be a laugh. For once I pretty much planned out the whole week!!

This weeks -

Monday - 4mile timed and 6mile recovery
Tuesday - 6 mile steady and Plyometrics
Wednesday - 4mile Time trial and 5.5mile recovery
Thursday - 2m w/up 5x400s at 67, 71, 72, 73, 73 2m Cool down
Friday - Plyometrics
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Team adventure race!

Been a good week as I've seen progress so hoping to continue this for a few more weeks as I'm sure it will help me in future.

Thursday 23 June 2011

Is Protein Overrated?

Feel free to disagree but I'm starting to think protein is overrated. Don't get me wrong I eat lots of the stuff just because I really enjoy fish, meats, eggs and the usual veggie option quorn to name a few and protein is essential for growth and repair but all this stuff about 1-1.5 grams of protein for every lbs of bodyweight to put on muscle is over hyped. In addition to cutting carbohydrates in conjunction with a high protein diet leaves us with no energy what so ever. This might be ok if 'muscles' is your full time life but let's be honest everyone else works, and let's face it having no energy in work can only be a bad thing as without work there's nothing really, unless you'r lucky enough to not need to work! This is why I try to make sure that I eat enough to fuel me for the day as well as cover whatever training I've done that day so that I'm not lethargic, grumpy, sluggish and bascially useless because of too much protein and not enough carbs.

Secondly, I'll use myself as an example, I'm 72kgs at the moment - Thats about 100g of protein to put on some muscle, I'll say 120 even 150g to be safe which can easily be achieved by eating enough food without having to do all the high protein low carb stuff. Most gym guys eat way too much and could substitute some of the protein for carbs which would leave them mentally and physically in much better shape. Granted you will lose weight on the high protein diet because you generally eat less calories so lose weight leaving you very lean if you do a reasonable amount of training but lean doesn't always mean best possible shape!!

Here's an example of what I mean - 75g of dry pasta would give someone about 8-10g of protein, that's without say some tuna which would pump it up a lot. Another is bread - 1 slice of wholemeal toast has about 4g of protein. If you have a sandwich thats 8g for two slices, let's face it we sometimes have 4 so that would be 16g without the filling. Milk - A pint has not far off 20g of protein. So say your average bowl of cereal is also full of protein. Same in other foods such as vegitables, which don't have much but all adds up. Basically protein isn't only in animal products which people seem to have a perception of. Looking at that a 100g a day, even 150g is easily achievable so long as we eat enough without leaving us low on energy from some carb cut.

On top of this the extra carbs in you'r diet will take there fitness to the next level - end of story, so don't get SPORTS training confused with the bodybuilding mindset thast going around!

Eat healthy, eat enough and train hard then the so called 'look' will take care of itself.

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Second day back to running and Plyometrics

Second day back on the run and feels pretty good. Slowly slowly the I'm going to build back up but in the mean time I just want to get my sharpness back so concentrating on speed. 6mile this morning comfortable since yesterday doing a faster session. Following that I did a plyometrics session, something I'm going to maintain for a while as I could just feel the legs getting more explosive which felt great. I totally forgot how hard jumping is!!

For those interested the plyometric session consisted is written below:

6 Split Jumps
6 Bunny hopes
8 Explosive chest presses
5 Death Jumps
8 Step hopes
10 boundes (running motion but emphasis on exploding in the stride with more time in the air)

4 minutes inbetween the whole circuit but about 1min between exercises, 3 circuits with total focus on being explosive which means rest and total commitment to quality over quantity. This is going to be another aspect I'm going to include in my speed work training. One month approx with each week having a 4mile time trial, a 400m session and two plyometric sessions. The rest will just be steady and recovery sessions with no run longer than about 10 miles for a month. This week will come to no more than 40miles probably nearer 30.

Next quality session I have will be the 400s so aiming to do them at 77seconds a lap at least!

Monday 20 June 2011

20th June return to running

I know I wrote before about how I thought a big part of fitness improvement is mental improvement as much as physical. The other night be it only 35mins in total but a good session, I went out to do some 400m reps. Again on the undulating grass track but instead of about 80-81 second laps like a few days a go, they were run at between 77 and 79 seconds. The last 3 at 77 seconds which is ok. An improvement considering I was doing them 4-5 seconds slower just 3 days a go!
Let's face it I havn't become that much fitter over night but my brain has got familiar with running a bit faster recently so that could be the difference. Also it's only the second ever 'track' session I've done so I'd hope to get these down to about 70seconds in a few weeks. It does seem like a big jump but mentaly I'm almost out of practice with running fast so it will take some adjustments and trials before consistently doing them fast.
As I need a rest from all the distance I may as well get faster by sticking to the short and sharp attitude for a while.

Saturday saw me try my first mountain bike experiance before next week. Let's be honest I was like a little baby decending on the bikes but it was a hell of a rush in the mud and rain so loved it really, a little more practice and I'd have the gutts to let go a bit more....but not yet!

After doing nothing Sunday I got up this morning and ran 4miles, started steady and pushed on towards the end. It's a hilly course but it's always the same 4mile I do when checking out times so it's consistent. Anywey it was 25.29 which isn't that bad actually, I was fearing for the worst after very little running and way too much eating of crap since the ultra. I think when I ran a 35min 10k in training once (a while back) my 4mile route was only done then at about 24.30s so a little bit of work and I'll get stronger hopefully. Slowly going to start building the running again now, gradual milage build up but for a while I'm going to do the 400 session and the 4mile session weekly to see if times come down.

For today:
Morning - 4miles tempo (in future this is going to me flat out time trial)
Afternoon - 3miles to my circuit training class then 3 miles home.
= 10miles for today

Friday 17 June 2011

Could injury be a blessing in disguise?

I dont wish injury on anyone and in an ideal world I and everyone else would go through there whole life with no injury and no problems, we could go on for ever just being active, training and only stopping because you had a choice or simply had one of those days where you couldn't be bothered!

However we cant avoid it and at times we all get niggly injuries or at worst long persistent ones where we dread the thought of losing condition and think that all our hard work has gone down the pan. Firstly it could be our mind playing games, as we wont lose anything drastic for a few weeks, secondly if you have been training non stop for months even years with no injury could it be that the break in habit is what drives people crazy and not so much the fact that there is a stop in activity or training? What if the injury can make a regular trainer fitter or in better words, more hungry?

The old school saying of the person that 'wants it more' will win is true to a point, obviously fitness levels play a part. However someone returning from injury is likely to 'want it' more than anyone and by the return of this hunger can take a huge leap forward. As if it's a one step back two steps forward attitude. It's as if an athlete that has been injured understands that 'it' can be taken from you at any time thus makes them appreciate it much more.

Sometimes I wonder when people say: 'I wonder how far X could have gone if it wasn't for injury?'

Could it be that X has got as far as they have because of the hunger that came with the forced time off? Maybe not but it's definitely a thought and all I think is that people need not panic when injured because the future can still be good!

Again im not wishing injury on anyone and I would absolutely hate a long stretch off but I think there could be a link with muscle memory from previous training and the combination of the brains hunger bigger than it's been for months!

Who knows really. but I think there's a link at times.

Thursday 16 June 2011

Speed Work

Not ideal but yesterday and today I've done two speed work sessions. It was a little sluggish today but it feels good to change my training up by only running short and sharp sessions and X training. Infact I think I've done around 17 miles on the rowing machine this week, which is more than I've done before.

Yesterday I did a fartlek session with about ten intervals of various distances and intensity then followed it up with some fartlek intervals on the concept 2. Following that this morning I used a grass track which is not flat at all and full of holes but it is what it is so I just got on with it. Also, really it makes no difference because if I consistently used it then it's the same conditions underfoot each time so I could compare the times against my older ones' on that track. After a 2mile warm up, I did 6 x 400m with about 45secs recovery. These were steady at about 80secs before a 2mile cool down jog. Not very fast to be honest but hopefully with the emphasis on speed for the next few weeks I can get these down to about 75 a lap.

On to other things I'm having a first ever attempt at mountain biking on the weekend so that should be good. Ideally I'll get on the bike and feel like I belong on a mountain bike but I dought that will happen at all, I'll probably over cautious and slow!

Tuesday 14 June 2011

canoe?

Since my recovery seems to be taking pretty long, I actually feel like my cycling is making slightly forward (still rubbish tho) and yesterday I did 10miles on the concept 2! Be it slow. At the moment I'm just frustrated by how slow my recovery is. I just want to go out and run, and run flat out with no discomfort!

More resting and X training for me for a bit longer. I've just got my hands on an old canoe! This should sort me out over the summer. As well I'll try and get a couple practice sessions in before I take part in this adventure race on the 26th. Even though I've never mountain biked and have nly limited experiance in kayaking I'm well up for that event.

With the beach just a stones throw away and the river closer X training for a while could be good but it's always more of a casual thing with me when I cant run. To me proper training is running. Thats what I prefer but got to be sensible i suppose! With the main target being fit for the coastal challenge at the end of Novemeber it's not an issue at the moment.

Having done all that moaning about my recovery, before I took on the 22miles Saturday my recovery was getting better. I'm just going to have to concentrate on shorter sharper stuff as I gradually build back up I think. Again I need the speed as I've gone really sluggish since focusing my training on ultra distance. So short and sharp before far and plenty of X training for now.

I wonder if I can find anyone with a roof rack to help me get this canoe?!

Saturday 11 June 2011

Man vs Horse

My first attempt at any sort of distance since the 50 mile today. Entered the Man vs horse marathon (22miles actually). It's one of the hardest courses I've done and was really hard. Infact soon after about 14miles my hamstring pain came back. It was hurting exactly the same way as the second half of the ultra, early! So deep down it was too soon but never mind. I just ran the whole thing with no kind of knowledge of time or any meaning to race so when it started hurting I just held back slightly before finishing a bit faster. It took 3hrs of running through the wind and rain which resulted in parts of the course being ridiculosly deep in mud! Toughy

First 8 miles I felt good except I missed the start as I was standing by the pub door from the rain so had to chase past a lot which took a while. There we are my own fault for not being man enough to stand in the rain! I then heard the first cry of 'horses' which was when a couple came racing past close - experiance! By the way if a runner beats the horse they get a £1,000!!! No one did beat one but I know last year the runner was less than a minute behind!! Felt ok up until the second checkpoint at about 14/15 but then my hamstrings started really hurting and I was getting a bit grumpy with the tough running under foot ha ha. Hit a bit of a bad patch for a couple miles before finding a rythum and speeding up to the river crossing at the end!! Thats pretty interesting after 22 miles. Anywey great laugh but the weather ruined the end and put a dampner on the run for me but never mind. That to the side it's well worth doing, even as a team of 3 which is very popular.

With about 10 runners from Cardigan RC taking part it was a good trip but weather definetly spoilt it. The event brings out the whole village and were usually greated at the end with all the local grannies making all the runners sandwiches which is great but today they looked as fed up as a runner who had run the whole thing!

Jason from the running club gave the whole thing (I say whole thing because running it as a team of 3 realy members is very popular) a go this year and did great so well done to him, I don't think he'd ever gone further than a half marathon except for the od training run. great effort!

Hamstrings are good tonight, I'll arrange another massage and dig in to a chicken chow main and I'll be good to fight another day but it did show today, I'm still not recovered fully, so I'll keep cycling for a little I think.

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Adventure race

Got my first proper days running in today - felt decent to, infact my second session included 5km pretty much flat out and got a 16.31 which im more than happy with, it's one of the faster times I've done actually so happy days. Combined this with a small resistance circuit and 4km on the concept 2 to warm down.

My first session of the day was a pre breakfast 8mile which I started very slow but then gradually increased the pace to finish at a decent pace. All an all im happy with today and it's the first steps on the come back. Hopefully Saturdays run will be a great laugh and it will just be more miles on the return.

Looks like I'm about to enter a different sort of event in a couple weeks, more of adventure race which I'm well excited for. Not sure of the details but a team of two take on 10km run, 30km mountain bike (which I'm slightly nervous about having never tried mountain biking) and a 3km kayak with the team mate. I'm not sure if we have to find some checkpoints from a map to - which will be interesting! I've never done something like this before and will again be a nice change until I get near my 40 mile in August. I actually cant wait for this and can't wait for Saturday - so the hungers back!!

Also preparation for the 2km concept to race on 9th July is looking good - for entries please email where I can send on an entry form.

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Cycling easier than running? Just messing cyclists :)

Only 4 miles of running but it's a start. The healing is slow but I'm finally starting to feal lighter on my feet again.I've noticed a sign that I'm running lighter and easier is when I accidentally scare walkers when I pass them because they havn't heard me coming. Unlike when I need a rest, I'm all heavy on my feet and walkers turn to see what the racket is!!

All the cycling I've done in the last week has been really enjoyable and a nice change. This may enrage cyclists but is it me or is cycling easier than running? :) The low impact nature of it has certainly eased my recovery but kept me moderately active. Thank god as I'm sure there's been little change in my appetite since hardly running in the last few weeks. I'm sure I'd be huge if it wasn't for me training so much. Then I guess everyone active says similar because the appetite gets huge! I noticed on T.V the other day there was a programe about a woman needing the gastric band (the lazy option) becasue she was eating 4,000 calories a day. Granted it was pure rubbish food but I've been known to eat that much! Ha ha - joys of training, I love it.

I'm going to stick mainly to the road bike and concept 2 this week again with the od circuit and just the occasional run just to ease myself back. On Saturday I'm contemplating running the Man vs Horse marathon, which is infact 22 miles but over mountains and through streams aswell as racing people on horses. It's a truely great run! I won't be racing it at all but may use it as my first training run and just see how I feel as I go. I'm just going to run by feel, no watch, no pressure, no race just enjoy the day and have a laugh. As well as this it can act as my first training run as I very gradually get back on the horse.

Interesting times have come up recently to with the prospect of a big charity event in 2012 moving forward so hopefully I'll be able to update in the next few weeks.

Monday 6 June 2011

Slowly Slowly

Finally I saw some light when I ran today. Infact I hadn't planned on running but towards the end of my 40mile cycle I thought bugger it lets try and run. It was always going to be 3miles but how I felt I didn't know. Even though I wasn't a 100% at all I definitely felt like there was an improvement. Slowly now I can start building again - very gradual and I'm imagining it will be the end of the month before I'll be back to full training. However at least I'm starting to feel better so hopefully can start running again. I have cycled a fair bit in the last week tho, well a fair bit for me at close to 170miles this week but all really relaxed - it wasn't training at all just casual but it's still more cycling than I've done before.

Im aiming for two more events this year - 13th August - 40miles and I'm going to enter the coastal challenge (3 marathons in 3 days) on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path just to see how much my endurance has come on in comparison to last year. Will be interesting to see if there is an improvement.

By the time I'm back running I'll imagine I'll have 4-5 weeks of hard training before a taper and the next event in August, and after two weekends of heavy drinking I'm gasping to get back to it and get to feel fit again.

Sunday 5 June 2011

2k Rowing Competition

I've been playing with the idea of organising a rowing competition at Cardigan Leisure Centre for a while, I've finally worked some logistics out and have decided to hold a 2k indoor rowing competition on the 9th July.

For further details email me on harries_rhys87@hotmail.com where I can send you an entry form. Another option is to pick up the entry forms at Cardigan Leisure Centre from Monday 6th June.

First prize will be two free Personal Training sessions, one with myself and one with Sheila Williams (M.I.Trainer). There will be to categories which Iv'e kept basic by doing it around age and not weight - Open and a 40+ for men and women.

I know it's more normal to categorise rowing events through weight but as I want to maximise entries and base the event on friendly competition, I've decided against getting the scales out on the morning of the event and let's face it not everyone wants to weigh them selves they just want to 'have a go'. However fierce competitiveness is very welcome ;)


Again for entry forms - email me and I will send you the entry forms or pick up at the Leisure Centre.

Friday 3 June 2011

Time out!

Definitely not running the marathon this weekend - my hamstrings are still so damaged! Every time I run I can just feel it almost as soon as I start. I reckon it could take me a month before I get back to training properly again then another week or two to get back to fitness. Today I ran for the first time since Monday, I did 7miles but it was so uncomfortable and I couldn't get any speed in to it - the only reason I didnt do less was because I'd run out a few miles before the uncomfort started so had to run back more than wanted to!

Luckly when I cycle or use the concept 2 it doesn't hurt at all, infact with these I feel pretty good. It was just the fact that it was the first time I'd run so far so my 'running' muscles as such are damaged and just need to heal! With that said I've covered a fair bit of cycling this week, not training just purely going out at a really casual pace and it's been great. Plans for the weekend is a cycle, about 60 miles to watch and support the cycling event down at Tenby. It's a long corse weekend as part of the preparation for the Ironman being held in September. (Doing one of these has been an ambition for years but not yet) That should take all morning then back for the rugby, and to see what sort of impact Gavin Henson does ha ha.

As it's a none training month for me, I'll more than likely join in on some alcohol fuelled antics that goes on and just catch up with friends.

Enjoy the sun :)