Lucozade Sport Super Six: keep going lass

It’s amazing what couple of days rest can do for you…… I feel as though I’ve had a bit of “normal life” the last couple of days so I’m not going to talk about running at all cos I haven’t done any!   I decided to pass on Steve’s 20 minutes easy – apart from anything else, it’s been chucking it down!  

I went to a wedding reception last night - an opportunity to wear my “I feel thinner in this” dress, which has always been my benchmark for my weight loss since I shrunk it 2 sizes in the wash after the first time I had worn it, about 6 years ago.  The first time I was able to get into it since then was in March this year for my mum’s birthday  (hello mum!)   

Dug the dress out of my wardrobe, ironed it, nice soak in the bath, eye makeup to match the dress etc …..   Put dress on……………… take it off again – it’s miles to big for me – hangs off me like a tent…….   Now what do I do???  

Ended up wearing plain boring black trousers and a “going out top” on which the straps kept falling down ……. because that’s also too big for me! 

Nice problem to have I suppose and the charity bags are doing really well out of me at the moment but it’s costing me a fortune having to keep buying new clothes, so off to the shops this afternoon, tried on half of Principles and came away with more than I should have done ……but not before my PT session ……….

Sorry boys - that was a bit girlie wasn't it --- here's the technical bit ....

At the end of last week’s fast, furious and knackering half hour, some of which is illustrated in the video, Andy (my trainer) said,  “we’ll have an hour next week so we can do more”…..    Arrived for my session with a mixture of excited anticipation and dread – how can I possibly do more… and for an hour?? 

I’ve had a bit of an achy hip the last few days and had assumed it was a “lying in a funny position in bed achy hip”  but as both Jason and Guy also have achy hips I thought perhaps there might be another connection…. unless of course they also lie in bed in strange positions….. or maybe it’s sitting glued to computer screens for hours on end that does it as that’s something else we have in common! 

Back to the training …. first question every session ….. “any niggles?” so I mentioned my achy hip but no mercy shown whatsoever ………. Power, balance, core work and lots of hip action…. came away with video footage, including my attempt at being a ballerina …………think Dawn French in Vicar of Dibley and you’re somewhere close.

Result?  I am completely knackered but feel great,  achy hip – gone - for now anyway.     The man is a genius!   I suspect however than in exchange I will have achy arms, back, shoulders, chest, glutes, hamstrings ……..when I wake in the morning…..  

Long slow run tomorrow – very slow, I have to do two hours at 12-13 minute miles – sounds easy but I think I will struggle to keep the speed down with all the faster work I have done over the last couple of weeks that has obviously made me stronger (and thinner!) . 

Have to rethink my route as the one I did last week will be really wet in the puddly bit after today’s torrential rain but I’ll worry about that in the morning …….

Time I had something else to eat!

Well done on your session KGL, and hope you have a good run tomorrow!

I have a similar 'feel thinner dress' I bought when I just started to lose weight.  It was a size 16 & I bought it when I was a 22.  By the time I could get into it, I wore it once for about 25 mins for a New Years party I ended up not going to, then it hung in my wardrobe for ages.  By the time I had the chance to wear it again it was enormous on me (I had gone down to a size 8), so it's still in my wardrobe.

I should prolly get rid, but its a gorgeous floor length black sequined gown and I really like it.  I'll never wear it again, as I'm never going to let myself get that big...so I guess it's just going to stay there  

Today, I ran 11 miles in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 12 seconds…….

Average Heart Rate – 155

Max Heart Rate  - 178 (mile 6)

Maximum Pace: 8:56

Calories burned - 1535

I had found the first 5 miles quite hard, mainly because of pacing I think.   Miles 6-9 were the opposite – probably the most comfortable and enjoyable run I have done so far.

The uneven mileage splits are indicative of forcing myself to slow down rather than naturally slowing because of fatigue, with the exception of mile 10 when I was tired!

Here’s the story:

  Mile 1 – 10:43, avge hr 151

As predicted, I struggled to keep to the 12-13 mile pace that Steve had called for.  Running at that pace now feels unnaturally slow  - my legs are much happier with a pace of around 10:30:11:00 minute miles. 

Mile 2 – 11:20  (split time 22:03)  avg hr 152

Managed to pull this back to a more realistic pace.

The start of this mile marked a fairly steep canal bridge and  I was suffering from my usual pre 3 miles unoiled ankles syndrome, .so I walked up the bridge and stopped at the top for a few seconds to give my lower calves and ankles a stretch, probably about 30 seconds in total?  

Uneventful except I finished my body fuel sachet.

Mile 5 –  11:37  (split 57:15) Avge hr 156

Uneventful except that just before the end of this mile, I walked for a little while to take a carbo gel and plenty of water.  

next post - 2nd hour ....

 2nd hour .....

Mile 6 – 10:52  (split 1:08:08) avge hr 160

Carbo gel did its work here.   This is also the bit of the run that goes through the “populated” bit of the route so for some reason I always seem to speed up when there are people about!  No idea why – it just happens!!

Mile 7 – 10-:55  (split 1:19:03) avge hr 158

My favourite bit of the route – down the nature trail, zig zagging along dodging the puddles, no aches, no pains, no awareness of how fast I was running – just enjoying it.

.

Mile 8 – 11:32  (split 1:30:35)   avge hr 153

An hour and a half into the run so as I left the muddy bit of the nature trail, walked again for a few seconds to take another gel.

Mile 9 – 10:16  (split 1:40:52)  avge hr 158

Along the road and a slight incline – it felt steady so I’ve no idea how it ended up being my best mile!!!

Mile 10: 11:24 (1:52:16) avge hr 155

Another poke in the ribs to remind myself to slow down when I realised how fast I had run the last mile.     My music had died by this point so this is where I started to find it harder.

Mile 11: 10:56  (split: 2:03:12) avge hr 160

Once the beep had gone to indicate the end of mile 10, I was in the “anything after this is a bonus” mile.   I had only 8 minutes to run to achieve Steve’s target and this spurred me on.   The time included a few seconds walk over a really steep bridge that it really hard at the best of times.    I decided there was no benefit in trying to run over it, particularly as I had run out of water.  This mile therefore includes a 20 second walk. 

Post mile 11 – 12 seconds…

Topped up on water, some serious stretches and  10 minutes in the steam room was followed by Lucozade recovery drink post run plus cheese and ham sandwich on seeded bread and an hour sleep…………..best sleep I’ve had it weeks!!

I’ve passed the 10 mile mark so now I know I can run 13 miles …….and I’ve 7 weeks left to improve wherever I need to.    In the last 3 weeks, I have doubled my mileage both on my long run and my overall mileage during the week.    I don’t want to get complacent though, avoiding injury is essential so I will continue with preventative  achy hip, tight calves and sore ankles exercises on a daily basis.

Next run Tuesday ……….

If you run faster when there are people around, just wait till you get to the GNR! 50000 people enough for you?! You're going to fly!

On the day probably only 36000 or so will turn up to run, but there'll be spectators lining the route as well.

Another excellent run despite the "bowel of porridge," from your post at 19:41!

It's clear that I need to adjust the speed of the training as you are now much fitter than you were a month ago and a faster pace will be more natural to you and more useful to what you will ultimately achieve over the half marathon.

ie it won't seem now that anything over 11 minute miles is now a recovery pace for you rather than a steady pace. I am absolutely sure you will be well under 2:15 for a half and probably closer to 2:00, if you carry on with this sort of running and training and stay on top of your niggles.

a well deserved day of rest from running tomorrow.

How do you know it wasn't a "bowel" of porridge Steve?    And anyway, that's how we say it in these parts "bow-ell"

 I can cope with getting my spelling wrong as long as I don't get my running wrong!   I'm off to eat some chocklit  

Based on your comments last post - how do you want me to approach Tuesday's speed session --- assuming I can walk??

CC2 took the words right out of my mouth! 50,000 other people will make you fly to South Shields!!

Great run there KGL. If you an do 11 you can definitely do 13.1 

Look after yourself, you are doing brilliantly!! 

So glad you clarified " bowel of porridge"  was  a spelling mistake, was worried for you sis, with your achy hips and then your bowels!    Keep up the good work!! X

re Tuesday session.

It is one you could easily do outdoors and programme. presume it may be difficult using on a treadmill as its such a short distance and you would have to keep the treadmill pace constant and jump on and off.?

I've specified doing 12 x 200m in two sets.

You could either Garmin measure a straight 200m and then use the same course or alternatively just programme by time - ie run 60 seconds fast and have 30 secs recovery, and while you would only cover 200m if you ran 8 minute miles, it wouldn't matter if you only say covered 176m in that minute.

Judging by your recent runs, I'm fairly sure you would be able to easily manage sub 10s as it is such a short distance, but be aware that because the receovery is short, it's important not to run too fast too early in the set as you won't recover if you overeach yourself on the first three.

Is that any help or has that made it clear as mud?

Ok - I'll give it a go....... inclined to go for the 200 metre distance, use the first 3 as a benchmark and then build on it to improve the speed over the same distance as any impovement will be more meaningful to me in time for distance terms.

Sub 10's? ....... walk in the park!    

Catching up this morning with everyone. Some great running for 2hrs. I know what you mean about keeping the pace slow, it feels harder to monitor and I failed with my 11min/mile last night.

Sorry to hear you have caught the achey hip problem, I would say mine was due to newby niggles and nothing to do with the bedroom .

DT. 

No running for me today - it's my day off!    

But if anyone else has an achy hip - here's an exercise for it that I did on Saturday .... does your bum aswell........   If you can't balance on one leg, hold onto a wall!

 achy hip exercise

Tracy,

You have amazing balance, that would be me flat on my face I can't stand on one leg for toffee.

Enjoy your rest day