Over 60s training.

The weather's made running a bit tricky in the last week - not impossible, just needed a little more thought than usual. Early in the week heavy rain had left floods on a couple of my normal routes so that meant finding alternatives. No problem of course and a change to run somewhere a little different.

A hard overnight frost on Tuesday was a little more difficult to work round as it left lots of black ice. I returned home after a mile one morning as it was just too dangerous. Normal frost or snow, hard-packed or not, are one thing, ice you can hardly see is another. Luckily the worst of it had gone by late afternoon and I managed to get a few miles in.

Then I did a 10 x 400 track session on Thursday. The first bend was completely iced over so that meant running off the track for a bit. Yesterday I thought a country-lane route I sometimes do would be OK after maybe a melt in the sun but ended up running on a main road. A quiet one though so not too bad.

We had snow overnight but that's mostly gone so the club run this evening should be fine hopefully.

Apologies for not responding to anything - there's just been so much.

No run today. Tight adductor but nothing serious.

Ceal
I've cut back on carb intake by tight portion control rather than giving them up.
Clean shoes for running off road look all wrong.
JJ

Cycled 21.19 miles today just because though return journed of about 7 miles into headwind (wasn't a straightforward out and  back

Great stuff by all of you getting out in such nasty conditions.

I'm still having trouble sorting out my new expensive toy.

I don't even use a mobile phone, except in emergency, and definitely don't text! So this swiping of the face of the watch is really frustrating me.

I wanted to do 3 x 1km and programmed the watch to do so, but when I got to the point where I wanted to do the first one, I couldn't swipe the watch to move to the point where I wanted to go. It seems so easy when you are sitting at home playing with it, but when you want it to do what you want it to do, I can not make it play.

So I gave up and just waited for the preset km beep and ran to that, but that meant I couldn't start where I wanted to. I am determined to get on top of this. I have yet to try the virtual pacer!

All I've managed to do is get very sore, my neck and back are out, think I just need some easy running, without looking at the watch!

Been swimming.

K2 - yes, post your goals on here, - might inspire the rest of us or anyway me. I have a goal (or resolution?) for 2013, - to learn to swim the front crawl. Have been working at it, and getting a little nearer, but think I shall have to find someone to give me a few private lessons. No official lessons available here, but the staff at the Leisure Centre may know someone.

One thing I have noticed is that I am swimming faster than I used to. This wasn't a goal, it just seems to have happened.

Columba
I bought that book you entioned. I haven't triedit out for a swim yet but should do later this week.

First goals
Get back to some regular training. I've decided to only do gym/swim sessions on my work days. "Off" days will be core/flexi/etc at home. Runs will happen as and when (not a non-specific goal but just me cba-ing to go down and fetch my diary). My main focus will be setting up a complete beginners group at the beginning of January and I'll have that as my base.

Tomorrow - Running School visit, plus warm-up/cool-down walks. The RS thing won't be a full-on session, just a short one for assessment.

Great goals Columba and K2.

I tried the swimming thing last year I think it was. Didn't get very far with it.

K2 - impressed that you are going to try the Running School - should be interesting.

My husband joined the gym yesterday - I thought about it, but I always get uptight inside gyms - I am definitely an outside person.

NZC
I'm lucky in that it's connected with work. We get the visit(s) so that we can have better info for our customers.

Tracey
Me too.

Good Morning,

K2
I trust that you will have an informative and interesting experience with the RS assessment.

Columba
Definitely try and get a lesson or three with someone to get vital tips of how to do front crawl.

NZC
do you have a Chiro/Osteo appointment lined up to help with your neck? I admire your dedication to get to grips with your Garmin.

Graham
You most certainly have been experiencing many difficult running conditions over the last week or so. I recently bought some cleats for my running shoes, so that when it snows, I can, hopefully, still be able to run. I think I maybe have guaranteed that it won't snow this year down here in the South.  

Good morning

5.10M; 1:06:49.5; 13:06/M; 2°C

Rubbish. I'm not getting slower -  I've got!! And I haven't time to hang around for the rude remarks. TTFN

al

It was pretty cold out today, despite the yellow thing in the sky, the wind had a chill to it and there were icy patches on the ground. I fact I found it down right cold. But not really complaining, just grumbling!!

I ran easy for 5 miles, 47 mins, av pace 9.16 mm, av HR 120, MHR 136. Nothing spectacular but miles under my belt.

Good Morning,
Well, it is going up to +15c today, so shorts for me.

NZC,
Your touch screen may be sensitive to sweaty hands, try making sure that your hands are dry before you touch the screen.
I am not sure how old you are but I have been a gym member for the last 3 years and have felt an enormous benefit from it. I have restored my physical tone and strength to my 40s. I have been going 4 or 5 times a week so higher than most. 
It has come with a down side as I am 10lbs heavier and run slower but feel better.

ceal,
Running on ice and packed snow requires developing a new skill but you definitely will if you keep trying. You become much more sensitive to the camber of the surface and even slight turns.
I instinctively reduce my stride length and run more flat footed than normal.
I do not use my Yaktraxs that often, only when there is a lot of ice around. I use my spikes when I run on the frozen canal.

Graham,
Well done on your intervals. I am always very nervous about doing fast running on icy surfaces. The tracks here are buried for most of the winter so any winter intervals are usually done on the road which is usually clear of snow and straight.

I ran a 5.5 miles yesterday, not quite warm enough for shorts but very comfortable.
I ran along the river trail and the river is covered in geese and ducks preparing to leave.
The sky has long Vs of geese heading for Florida and they are honking at the ones on the river to join them. This route is normally very quiet but not yesterday.

My friend is off work today so I will be meeting him for a longer run today.

RS session was very interesting and informative. The original video showed I was surprisingly ok - posture is ok (woohoo!), heel lift ok, right leg comes in with weight on it, etc. I then went back on the treadmill and did a few intervals concentrating on lifting my heels higher then watched that on video. I was surprised what a difference it made - and it was feeling as though I wanted to go faster. Next a few more intervals working on arms, particularly getting the left hand to shoulder level.

Surprising how much that makes glutes and hamstrings work. 

ceal
Oh yes! The treadmill exercises should only take about 10 - 15 mins every other day so I can fit that in with gym sessions. At present Chris has said to just do that for about 3 weeks before I go outside. The new absolute beginners group wll be a good start.

I'm only looking at 5k distance at the moment but have a bigger target if things go well.

PTOTY's "Make 2013 brilliant!" course started yesterday.  Hmm............ a lot of that is "dream big". This could be fun. 

K2 - sounds great - good to have such positive feedback.

Mick - that must have been beautiful seeing the geese in formation.

I don't think it is a sweaty thing, as I don't sweat very much. My son is away at the moment, but I'm sure it is just a simple thing to sort, which I am sure he will be able to help me with next time I see him. Actually I probably should just ask my 13yr old gdaughter - she has an ipad so I'm sure she is up with the swiping thing!

The visit to the chiro went well, but I think there is still a bit of adjusting to do. I ran 4.94km afterwards and tried out my virtual pacer. It beat me!

today's effort was 4.7 miles off road at a bit under 12 minute miling. It was a hard workout.

K2
You seem to have ;picked up quite a lot of useful info and a good confidence booster.

Ceal
I've never yet come across anything other than deep snow that has stopped me running. Trail shoes are fine.
Thanks for organising no snow anyway.

JJ

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