Well, I did manage to get my longer runs in - but I managed to get shin splints in the process! Very frustrating - did two 16km long runs, with a row in between, and was feeling very pleased with myself. A few twinges in the week meant I kept off the treadmill and did CV work on the cross-trainer and ergs. I managed a fast 5k without too much damage, but three miles into a planned 15 miler felt the shin splints come on... The two miles home were unpleasant :(
I took a week off training to try and heal myself. My left leg seems normal now, but I still have pain on impact in my right leg. SO, still off the roads and the treadmill :( I miss running terribly, but have rowed Women's Head of the River (this Saturday) and started a new training regime while I recover. I do a morning swim and an evening CV/strength session in the gym to try and keep things ticking over until I can start putting down the mileage.
Did 40 minutes swimming Monday and Tuesday morning (reckon that's about 60 lengths), and put in 45 on the cross trainer yesterday; hoping to up it slightly for today's session...
Fingers cross this will keep my CV fitness up, and help build up my calf muscles to stop me having another shinjury!
Tuesday 6 March 2012
Friday 17 February 2012
It's been a difficult week this one. Work is very hectic, and some other personal issues have impinged on my training somewhat. I managed a 10km on Sunday, and have done my obligatory rowing outings, but haven't found any time to do running on top. As it's coming up to the 2 months to go mark, I really can't afford another week like this :(
Today, my aim is to run for at least an hour and a half. Let's see how it goes...
Today, my aim is to run for at least an hour and a half. Let's see how it goes...
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Didn't manage an hour and a half run yesterday as I was so late finishing work :( Did an hour at a steady 11km/hr pace; it felt comfortable as I finished, like it could be sustained for much longer, but I was dreadfully bored and quite glad of an excuse to stop which makes me sad ;(
Running outdoors still seems dangerous; I slipped on my way into the gym last night and skidded along quite a way (though thankfully I kept on my feet!). I've never been very good at staying upright at the best of times - I remember my cross-country coach telling me I needed to 'trust my feet' more on a particularly muddy run. I nodded, set off, and promptly fell flat on my face. It wasn't the last time I did that either. I don't think my feet can be trusted, which means I need to stay indoors, and thus need to find a way of amusing myself when I'm on the treadmill. Will go again later today, and try and push out the mileage a bit more.
Running outdoors still seems dangerous; I slipped on my way into the gym last night and skidded along quite a way (though thankfully I kept on my feet!). I've never been very good at staying upright at the best of times - I remember my cross-country coach telling me I needed to 'trust my feet' more on a particularly muddy run. I nodded, set off, and promptly fell flat on my face. It wasn't the last time I did that either. I don't think my feet can be trusted, which means I need to stay indoors, and thus need to find a way of amusing myself when I'm on the treadmill. Will go again later today, and try and push out the mileage a bit more.
Tuesday 7 February 2012
Yesterday was a good training day, rowing-wise. Although the river was pretty impassable past the railway bridge, we did a double run from Jesus lock and back to get some mileage down. I felt like I was beginning to get the sustained power I'm looking for, though still finding the blade is washing out a bit at the end.
Did a 3x 1km for the evening erg session at rates 26, 28, and 30. Pleased to find myself a good five seconds faster than when I last did this; average split now sitting at 1.50 (.1/.9/.1). Hopefully I can break the 1.50 boundary next week!
I do feel my running mileage has slipped slightly, so I'm going to try and do an hour and half on the treadmill at the gym tonight and see how far that gets me. Hoping to come out around 17km, but we'll see.
Did a 3x 1km for the evening erg session at rates 26, 28, and 30. Pleased to find myself a good five seconds faster than when I last did this; average split now sitting at 1.50 (.1/.9/.1). Hopefully I can break the 1.50 boundary next week!
I do feel my running mileage has slipped slightly, so I'm going to try and do an hour and half on the treadmill at the gym tonight and see how far that gets me. Hoping to come out around 17km, but we'll see.
Sunday 5 February 2012
Neglected this blog slightly in the last week, but not my training, I hasten to add!
Wednesday I put in another 7km at the gym. Thursday was meant to start with rowing, but the river was so icy, it was a sprint erg instead. Finding it very difficult to get above rate 30 with any meaningful decrease in my split! Another thing to work on.
I went back to the Midlands Thursday afternoon, but went to the local gym with my Mom to put in fifty minutes of swimming in the evening (plus some time in the steam room and sauna, where I met some other first time London Marathoners. Glad it's not just me whose already feeling nervous about it all!).
Friday I did 5km on the erg, and then a forty minute steady run on the machines. Saturday was meant to be Newnham Short course, but the weather saw it called off. I put in a technical erg instead, and called it my rest day.
Today was therefore meant to be another long run, but I'm not keen to go out in the snow in case I fall over! I'm definitely being a wuss here, as I've seen other runners out, but I don't want to turn an ankle or something right now (and the gym is shut as the staff haven't been able to get it, so can't treadmill either...). Instead, here's a picture of what I have achieved today!
Tomorrow I'm mean to have an outing and an erg; will definitely do the latter, might try and do a long run at the gym if the former is cancelled due to the weather.
Wednesday I put in another 7km at the gym. Thursday was meant to start with rowing, but the river was so icy, it was a sprint erg instead. Finding it very difficult to get above rate 30 with any meaningful decrease in my split! Another thing to work on.
I went back to the Midlands Thursday afternoon, but went to the local gym with my Mom to put in fifty minutes of swimming in the evening (plus some time in the steam room and sauna, where I met some other first time London Marathoners. Glad it's not just me whose already feeling nervous about it all!).
Friday I did 5km on the erg, and then a forty minute steady run on the machines. Saturday was meant to be Newnham Short course, but the weather saw it called off. I put in a technical erg instead, and called it my rest day.
Today was therefore meant to be another long run, but I'm not keen to go out in the snow in case I fall over! I'm definitely being a wuss here, as I've seen other runners out, but I don't want to turn an ankle or something right now (and the gym is shut as the staff haven't been able to get it, so can't treadmill either...). Instead, here's a picture of what I have achieved today!
Tomorrow I'm mean to have an outing and an erg; will definitely do the latter, might try and do a long run at the gym if the former is cancelled due to the weather.
Tuesday 31 January 2012
Went for a 15km long run today. Initially I was only going to do 10km, but it felt nice and easy, so I kept on it. Managed to keep myself under the 5min/km average pace too, so very pleased.
It's been just under a month since I started tracking my mileage, and I find it's really encouraging to see my progress. I think I'd be tempted to slack off if it wasn't so easy to see the results of my efforts, laid bare on the GPS screen! It also helps to know when training isn't working; seeing my performance drop means I can swap and change around my plans with more confidence. I've found that sometimes when I think I'm moving at my slowest because things seem really hard, I'm actually running faster (which is probably the reason it hurts more!).
I've been worrying that rowing training won't help increase my fitness levels as much as extra running would, but today's run has helped reassure me it's still useful training. In fact, I think it probably helps me do more on the whole, as I don't get bored with doing the same thing all the time.
I'm worried that I'll hit a training wall soon, and that it's going to get harder and harder to keep upping the mileage. I'd like to hit 20km next week for my longer runs. I've got just under three months to go, so I know I need to break that half-marathon boundary and get my body used to running for more than an hour. This Sunday I think I'll try and run for an hour and half, and see where that takes me.
In other news, I had a bit of a rowing epiphany the other day that I forgot to mention. Or maybe I just omitted it because it's pretty embarrassing I didn't realise it about... mmm... SIX YEARS AGO when I first started the sport! It sounds odd, but I've always been thinking about my blade in terms of its lateral movement past the gate, when suddenly, in the middle of yesterday morning's outing, I realised that it was all about the movement of the blade back and forward in the water.
I realise that probably doesn't make sense to a lot of people... Before I was thinking about the blade making a C shape past my rigger, now I realise it should be more of an I. Not sure that makes it any clearer!
Anyway, apparently it noticeably improved my finish when I suddenly switched on to that; at least that was the opinion within the boat. So, I'm looking forward to the next coached outing to see if someone from the bank picks up on the change! It's be awesome if it helps sort out my long standing problem of sustaining power through the stroke. But what an idiot for not realising sooner!! :p
It's been just under a month since I started tracking my mileage, and I find it's really encouraging to see my progress. I think I'd be tempted to slack off if it wasn't so easy to see the results of my efforts, laid bare on the GPS screen! It also helps to know when training isn't working; seeing my performance drop means I can swap and change around my plans with more confidence. I've found that sometimes when I think I'm moving at my slowest because things seem really hard, I'm actually running faster (which is probably the reason it hurts more!).
I've been worrying that rowing training won't help increase my fitness levels as much as extra running would, but today's run has helped reassure me it's still useful training. In fact, I think it probably helps me do more on the whole, as I don't get bored with doing the same thing all the time.
I'm worried that I'll hit a training wall soon, and that it's going to get harder and harder to keep upping the mileage. I'd like to hit 20km next week for my longer runs. I've got just under three months to go, so I know I need to break that half-marathon boundary and get my body used to running for more than an hour. This Sunday I think I'll try and run for an hour and half, and see where that takes me.
In other news, I had a bit of a rowing epiphany the other day that I forgot to mention. Or maybe I just omitted it because it's pretty embarrassing I didn't realise it about... mmm... SIX YEARS AGO when I first started the sport! It sounds odd, but I've always been thinking about my blade in terms of its lateral movement past the gate, when suddenly, in the middle of yesterday morning's outing, I realised that it was all about the movement of the blade back and forward in the water.
I realise that probably doesn't make sense to a lot of people... Before I was thinking about the blade making a C shape past my rigger, now I realise it should be more of an I. Not sure that makes it any clearer!
Anyway, apparently it noticeably improved my finish when I suddenly switched on to that; at least that was the opinion within the boat. So, I'm looking forward to the next coached outing to see if someone from the bank picks up on the change! It's be awesome if it helps sort out my long standing problem of sustaining power through the stroke. But what an idiot for not realising sooner!! :p
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