Been feeling a bit tired since the Park Run episode on Saturday (not least because I was up a lot earlier than usual for me!!)
So, went for a nice gentle paced recovery run, and it felt a bit tough after a few k – but that was to be expected as it was afterall the definition of a recovery run is to recover from something, I think – and it seemed to help.
This wouldn’t be a running blog without a catalogue of injuries – or it sometimes feels that way. Late last evening, I started to get a bit of intermittent pain in my right calf – sometimes when I was walking, sometimes at rest, and that persisted this morning. It was kind of weird as it just kept cropping up without warning.
So I opted for a 5k easy run, and ran at slower than 6mins/k all the way, finding that the running didn’t really make the calf twinge, except maybe when I tried to speed up and forefoot strike… Could well be something to do with running faster with the interval training session yesterday, so I will take it easy for now, with a few rest days and some jogs, rather than do any out and out speedwork – think I will leave that until next week, but hope to fit in a long slow run on Saturday – possibly keep it to 6 or 7 miles if the calf is still playing up.
This was a bit of a tough run. This time my lower leg held up with no twinges, but it was very cold. Felt a bit of a groin niggle. Plodded round 5k in over 31 minutes and didn’t feel all that comfortable. Just not such a good run, but felt pleased to have run without the leg playing up! But it was a bit of a struggle!
Very slow run, but fulfilled the purpose of longest run again so far, and in general was nice to be on my feet and jogging along for over 40 mins, slowly getting my legs used to doing more work for longer, and allowing my CV system to just tick over. I recovered very quickly, and find I enjoy these slower runs, so will keep doing them, build the distance slowly, and keep doing faster bursts in between, until I feel ready for some intervals and speed work and time trials 
My longest run for quite some time, and my slowest paced! Decided I needed a slow run, with just a little bit of extra difference, to get my legs used to ticking over for a bit longer.
Ran a steady pace of around 6:22 a k and always felt comfortable, not breathing hard, and could have kept going – but still need to be careful with the legs. But signs are good, that I could jog round a 10k at least, and could start thinking about doing the Woodbank Parkrun and getting some decent 5k times under my belt, and would be good to do some runs with other people to get back into the swing and spirit of things as spring, thank god, approaches.
Well, am slowly getting back to actually being a road runner of sorts! After much time spent swimming or snowed in, and all that palaver, the sun was out today and I managed a 4k trot around the block.
I have been building up with a few very short runs – starting out with a couple of one milers, and slowly increasing the distance until I am running positively long distances at 4k. But it is still an important milestone, as my shins seem to be appreciating the gradual buildup, even though my lungs and heart are hungry for more.
Soon I will be able to think about running more than 5k, and will start to think about upping the pace and meeting challenges, but first things first – get myself back into the running habit, and make sure I don’t do too much too soon and end up laid up again because of it.
Cold but sunny today, felt good to be out running, and just enough to not have to supplement it with a swim. Maintained a fairly steady pace at 5:44/k and that is faster than the 6:17 I was running about 10 days ago, so the pace is naturally coming back.
Thought it was about time I dusted off my running blog again
What with sore shins, swine flu, Christmas and then the snow, my running plans have been somewhat scuppered. I did try a 3 mile comeback run when it was freezing, but the cold, coupled with the lack of running, annihilated my poor shins which went very sore.
So on the advice of a running pal, I am now trying to get going again with a few gentle one mile trots. So far so good today – did a 10 minute mile, was barely breathing hard, legs seem ok so far – despite following the run with a 1750 metre swim. I am a duathlete
Will see how legs are tomorrow, and slowly up things if ok – the trouble is, I have been keeping my CV fitness going with the swimming, while my legs have got used to not running – so I have probably ran a bit too far for my legs, together with the cold, in previous attempts.
Onwards and upwards, although my beloved Trafford 10k has been moved to February, and I fear I will not be ready, but need to look at the race calendar soon.
Am entered for the Great Manchester Run, at least
Easy recovery run after 2 harder longer runs. Ran at a fairly decent medium pace.
Garmin went totally screwball on me at 4k though – started reading 3.22k, then 4.49 and kept jumping all over the place, don’t know if it’s knackered or the satellites were just jumping around? Got to 4.99k then it jumped back to 4.8 but given the time and pace I think I did about 5.5!
Nice gentle paced 8 miler – got a bit puffy in the first place but first 2k were a bit quick. Kept the pace down to 6 mins+ per k, and mixed in a few faster bursts up hills then just coasted the last few miles with a few race pace strides in the last K. Bit slower than my last 8 miler but slightly different route anyway, but felt like a good aerobic workout and recovered nice and quickly.
Am not really sure what’s up with me at the moment – have not slept well for over a week now – even when I do drop off, something wakes me within minutes, or I wake at 5 am, a few hours after nodding off, and can’t even catch up by lying in. Last night I was up at 2.15 am eating toast and ice cream (not at the same time!)
So I am a bit concerned about my back to back race week if I still haven’t slept by Weds 
Will just have to take it as it comes with the insomnia – I have periods like this and then it goes OK again.
As I was feeling very tired, decided to just do a nice slow run through the woods in the evening sunshine and take in some of the sights and sounds of the area.
Managed to keep a nice slow (over 6:00/k) pace all the way, and only got puffed coming up the Stockport Road hill, but felt good apart from groin chafing badly with new shorts, slowed right down at end and resisted temptation throughout to throw in some speed, making it a proper slow run although it was quick enough to end up with flies splattered all over my face, as I discovered when I looked in the mirror!!
