On the search for more positives

Its hard enough to run around Welling & Bexleyheath, an area I've known for the best part of 36 of my 38 years but tonight it was time to be brave and head out on a slightly longer loop around Petts Wood, rather than just a couple of local roads and the straight out and back route to Chislehurst that I've been doing recently.

I went out with Petts Wood Runners a few weeks back and they'd taken me out to Locksbottom and Bickley, so I thought that would be a good starting point, especially as I'd have a comparable metric to see how I was fairing, fitness-wise.

Its a fairly basic route as you can see.

Segment courtesy of Strava

I ran a warm up of Grosvenor Road, Perry Hall Road and Petts Wood Road to get to the route, picking it up at Tudor Way, following Crofton Lane then Crofton Road up to Chapter One at Locksbottom/Farnborough Common, then Croydon Road, before turning right into Oakley Road (couldnt not remember that name!) and then back to Southborough Lane and Petts Wood via Magpie Hall Lane.

No particularly steeps hills, although a couple of drags involved, mainly coming up to Chapter One and at the end of Southborough Lane.

Elevation data courtesy of Strava

Halfway down the first road, Tudor Way, my Garmin bleeped the first mile split of 9:17 with an average HR of 142.  Conservative to say the least.  

It was at that point, I decided to give the 3:2 breathing technique another try.  I'd read about it a few days before and had run with it on my previous training run.  The theory is that you inhale for 3 steps and then exhale for 2 steps.  The idea is that you inhale and exhale on alternating feet, so you dont always strike and breathe, what I've always tended to do.  It takes some getting used to.  I struggled on my first attempt but I seemed to grasp it this time around.  However, as soon as my thoughts wandered, I felt as though breathing wandered too.  I go to run to destress and think about things, then throwing this into the mix makes it even more complex.  However, more practiced required for sure but first impressions, it seems to work.

Anyhow, the run was good.  I knew that the first part of the run up to Locksbottom was generally a tedious drag so it made sense to work in the first half and then take the foot off the gas in the second recovery part before hitting the last climb.  Well it didnt go to plan.  I stayed steady in the first part and felt good up to Chapter One, although both Achilles are still nagging me on every run at the moment and then just kept going.  Why take your foot off the gas when you're feeling good, eh?  Even up through the Magpie Hall Lane drag and onto Southborough Lane, I was still feeling good, banging out a good rhythm and focusing on the 3:2 technique.

So in terms of times, it looked like this...

Segment times courtesy of Strava via Garmin Connect

Two things we have to take into account for the run on Oct 28 is that (i) it was a group run at a measured pace of between 9:15-9:20ish min/mile pace so it was never going to be quicker than that; and (ii) it was 8 days after the Amsterdam Marathon, so my average HR was always going to be higher than it should be for a run of that distance (based on previous experience!)

So as you can see, last night's run was 2:50 quicker and with a significantly lower average HR, which is to be expected for that pace/distance combination with (i) the beginnings of a small cold and (ii) with the little extra timber I'm carrying at the moment.

Very pleasing indeed.  It was also helpful that I remembered to have my 4pm pre-run porridge as I'm finding it awfully difficult these days to put off the hunger pangs of a late 8:30-9:00pm dinner now.

The full garmin data which takes into account the full run can be found below...

Cause for optimism

As I write this blog post tonight, I'm in a great place.  There's certainly cause for optimism.

Regular readers will know I've struggled fitness-wise since Paris.  I still dont know the reasons why but my fitness has dropped off and I've put on a little weight.  Not a huge amount but enough to make more than a difference.

So as a result of that, I've had my head down back into some cross training.  I've been back on the bike, I've been back in the Gym and I've been counting the calories again.  Not religiously counting but ensuring I'm running a calorie deficit over a 7 day period and we're now coming up to a month of doing that again.

5lb down and the legs are coming back.

Since Paris, the longest I had run was 10 miles, which was with the Plums on a Sunday morning, 2 weeks afer the marathon.  So a good 2.5 months ago now.  What with my next "race", the Ranscombe Challenge ahead of me this coming Saturday, I know I needed to start upping the mileage, starting last week.

I ran 10 miles on Wednesday night...

I struggled massively. My legs ached, I knew I wasnt going to be quick but I tried to hold 9:30 min/mile pace but it was hard. No gels, just one bottle of High 5 4:1 but I was gone after 7 miles and the last 3 miles were hell on earth.

I was a bit despondant after that. Ok, the plan was to run it reasonably slowly to ensure I could complete it without issue but the last couple of miles really did bug me. 3 months ago, that run wouldnt even have touched the sides at that pace and here I am now struggling.

Thursday,  I went to the Gym.  I forced myself to run the 2 miles there and back, for a warm up and cool down which gave me another 4 miles in the legs.  The legs were stiff, no denying that but just under 9 min/mile pace there and a fraction over 9:30 min/mile pace on the way back after a heavy TRX session and smashing the abs was just what the doctored ordered.

Friday and Saturday I had Izzy, so it was a well earned 2 day rest.

Then on to Sunday.  The plan was to run another 10 miler, in preparation for Ranscombe.  This time around, it was an early start so should be to my advantage.  I was well hydrated from the day before, I'd had my porridge an hour before the run and I felt reasonably comfortable.  This time around, I was taking 2 gels with me for the ride as I knew my legs have been feeling it around Mile 4 and then I needed to start thinking about the end of the run too...

Wow. Hello. Where the hell did that come from? I've just rolled the clock back six months to before marathon training.

My first 10 mile run in less than 90 minutes for well over 6 months, certainly the quickest this year by a considerable margin and not too far off my half marathon PB pace.  I'll take that with open arms.

The first mile was slow.  The legs felt a little stiff but I didnt push and I just let the legs try and flow and keep a steady rhythmn and a nice constant cadence.

Miles 2-3 were quicker.  As I hit Danson Park at 4, I took my first gel as the legs were just beginning to tighten a little.  I have to say I dont particularly like the loop of the park which follows the Park Run route, so I dropped down by the church and back along Danson Lane before cutting back in again.  Always good to overtake a plodder on the upward drag, run past, drop down them and when you come back in the park at the gate, you can see them about 300 yards ahead and you then use that motivation to drag them back in again.  It must be soul destroying for them once they realise you're passing them for the second time in a matter of minutes despite running half a mile further.

After one lap of the park, I dropped back down to Crook Log and hit the back roads but I was beginning to fly.  I was upping the tempo and I felt reasonably good.  The twinge in the legs had gone and I was loving my running again.

Something that should be noted is his was the first time I'd run without music in my ears since the marathon.  Perhaps thats exactly what I needed.  Just to focus on my breathing and not on the music.  Concentrate on keeping a rhythmn. It clearly worked.

Crook Log, Brampton Road, Barrington Road, passing the old family home in Northdown Road and along Wickham Street back to Welling Station where I finally clocked 10 miles but the last 3 miles was quick.  Seriously quick.

8:48, 8:38, 8:20.   Wow, last mile at 8:20.  Is this some kind of joke?  No, the legs were back.  I hadnt felt this good in at least 2.5 months since Paris.  Check out the pace analysis from Strava...

First mile slowest, last mile quickest.  Thats a sure sign that the legs are definitely coming back.  Happy?  You bet I bloody am.

If thats not an advert for ensuring you're hydrated properly pre-run and the need for on-the-run fueling then I dont know what is.

What a difference 3 days can make...

Yesterday's run is quite possibly the icing on the cake at the moment.

I'm in a great place mentally at the moment, life is pretty good and I havent got much to moan about, believe it or not.  Long may this positivity continue!

Looking back in time

In life, you get watershed moments. Those moments that live with you forever, for good reasons and bad. The data below is from a ride I had with Seeds Cycling Club in October 2010...

Dare I say it, I felt ill on that ride. It was my first time out with Seeds' Saturday group and I was almost left for dead. I couldnt keep up on the flat, I was getting dropped...badly...on the hills. Never have I hated a ride more.

However, that ride motivated me more than anything to get myself in shape. I enjoyed cycling but I never wanted to be humiliated like that again. From a ride point of view, a length of 30 miles and only 1,400ft of climbing doesnt even touch the sides these days. An average speed of 11.5mph too. Embarrassing doesnt even come close. Just goes to show how far I've come in a very short space of time.

Similarly, check out the data on the run below...

I couldnt even manage to run 5 miles in an hour. The HR data is significant. The troughs in the graph indicate I was slowing to either a stop or walking pace. Can I ever imagine myself being as unfit as that now? No chance...

Onwards and upwards!