It's my second run and I'm already breaking one of my when-to-run-rules. There will be people about as I'm running around 11am. I know this one is going to be difficult as after the first run, both of my calf muscles have been aching and this hasn't diminished much in 2 days.
I put this down to improper preparation for the first run.
The second run is again 2km, over the same circuit and expected to be 15 minutes. I remember to do some warm ups before going out, legs, arms and upper body. Temperature is 8.5 Celsius (about 47.5 F in old money) but it does feel colder so I add a fleece jacket to my T-shirt and shorts.
All goes well for the first 500 meters and then my left calf suddenly starts to ache, like someone has pushed a small pebble into the middle of the muscle. I decide to try to run through it. By the kilometre stage its bothering me a lot so I decide to stop for a moment and rub/stretch the leg and then carry on. It's not going away.
I pass several lazy cats who all watch me gasping past them, each with that cat look of "are you mad?". I try to ignore them.
Soon afterwards, I'm more concerned with breathing anyway. The fleece was a bad idea as I can feel that I'm overheating, even over this short distance. Arrive back in 14 minutes, stretch down and drink. The calf ache is probably a pull of some sort, so I stick a bag of frozen peas on it for 10 minutes to see if I can help reduce the damage.
I've been limping around for the rest of the day, hopefully a bit of rest will improve things before I go out again.
Mr. Stumble
Sunday, April 30, 2006
The Training Plan.
Training Schedule for Stourbridge Stumble.
Having picked a random event that's not far from where I live and appears to be a reasonable time away, I thought a bit of planning might be helpful so I know what I need to do between now and then. It turns out that I've got about 7 weeks from start till the 10K run, and based on the shape I think I'm in, I might have set myself a fairly tough target.
I'm planning 3 runs per week on set days and means that I haven't got long before I'm adding 50% to my run distance, and continuing to increase distance every 3rd run. This is more than the recommended 10% increase per week.
I guess I may be adjusting this schedule over time, but at least I have a structure to base my running programme around, and I'll know if I am ahead or behind target.
Mr. Stumble
Friday, April 28, 2006
Run #1
My first run. This took a bit of planning as, with no experience in running aside from those long cross-country torture sessions in secondary school where the PE staff kick back and play cards while they wait for you to crawl back in, I haven't really picked up any more than a short light jog for 10 years.
When I bought my running shoes, I asked about this and it really seems like there is no rule for anyone starting out as to how far to go and how long to run for. It's down to your own condition. So I worked it out like this:
I know I'm an optimist so I know I'll be disappointed when I fail to hit an optimistic goal. I also know my wife is a pessimist, so anything I achieve is likely to be beyond her expectations. So if I put a distance to her that she thinks is about twice as far as how far I can go, and is about half of what I think I can do, then it's probably right.
Now, I'm thinking about distance mainly because I'm trying to plan a route. And I'm planning metric at the moment as you get bigger numbers for the same distance. And I think I'll do about 1km in just over 7 minutes.
15 minutes seems to me to be a reasonable starting point for an unfit late 30's person. I know I need to get beyond 20 minutes for any real benefit, but I'm starting out and I don't want to ruin everything in the first week.
So, I arrive at a 2km run which is handily about the distance round a few local roads.
When do I run? As in what time of day? Well, various factors play into this. I don't want to run at a time when I'm full of food, it's dark, there's people around or I'll inconvenience my better half. She's not a morning person, so running before 7am on a weekday is a good bet. And it fits nicely with some other schedules.
I set the day for Friday (today!), set the alarm for 6:30, get my gear ready and try to get to bed early. This is early for me - I'm kind of a mid-morning person
I can't sleep. For some reason this whole thing is whizzing round my head. The obligatory "your being stupid", "you'll never get up", "why have I wasted so much money on those shoes" self doubt ...... I eventually sleep fitfully.
I wake with an elbow in my back and the alarm sounding. I *am* going to do this. I'm out the door in 15 minutes hoping that shorts and a T shirt are OK for 7 Celsius. I wear my sailing gloves to stop my fingers from bugging me and MP3 player for company. My sailing gloves have the end of the first finger and thumb cut out, so they're great when I need to adjust the MP3 player!
No one around - good - I'm off.
The first 300 meters goes well, but then there is the unusual feeling of being out of breath. Now I've read about walk-run-walk pacing as a means of gradually introducing the body to this new exercise, so I walk. Then I think about some other advice - the benefits come from pushing through the feeling of being out of breath and keeping going. I'm not going to wimp out now!
So it's back to the steady beat keeping the pace easy and just aiming to get round. If I feel like being optimistic, I can always run the circuit twice.
My time estimates aren't at all bad and I'm round the circuit in 15 minutes with no further walking, waving to my neighbour (damn) as I run onto my drive.
Lungs feel full of pond weed, head pounding, brain addled, I'm back home drinking fruit juice and trying to warm down with stretching - having forgotten to warm up.
So the ice is broken. Another plunge on Sunday I think.
When I bought my running shoes, I asked about this and it really seems like there is no rule for anyone starting out as to how far to go and how long to run for. It's down to your own condition. So I worked it out like this:
I know I'm an optimist so I know I'll be disappointed when I fail to hit an optimistic goal. I also know my wife is a pessimist, so anything I achieve is likely to be beyond her expectations. So if I put a distance to her that she thinks is about twice as far as how far I can go, and is about half of what I think I can do, then it's probably right.
Now, I'm thinking about distance mainly because I'm trying to plan a route. And I'm planning metric at the moment as you get bigger numbers for the same distance. And I think I'll do about 1km in just over 7 minutes.
15 minutes seems to me to be a reasonable starting point for an unfit late 30's person. I know I need to get beyond 20 minutes for any real benefit, but I'm starting out and I don't want to ruin everything in the first week.
So, I arrive at a 2km run which is handily about the distance round a few local roads.
When do I run? As in what time of day? Well, various factors play into this. I don't want to run at a time when I'm full of food, it's dark, there's people around or I'll inconvenience my better half. She's not a morning person, so running before 7am on a weekday is a good bet. And it fits nicely with some other schedules.
I set the day for Friday (today!), set the alarm for 6:30, get my gear ready and try to get to bed early. This is early for me - I'm kind of a mid-morning person
I can't sleep. For some reason this whole thing is whizzing round my head. The obligatory "your being stupid", "you'll never get up", "why have I wasted so much money on those shoes" self doubt ...... I eventually sleep fitfully.
I wake with an elbow in my back and the alarm sounding. I *am* going to do this. I'm out the door in 15 minutes hoping that shorts and a T shirt are OK for 7 Celsius. I wear my sailing gloves to stop my fingers from bugging me and MP3 player for company. My sailing gloves have the end of the first finger and thumb cut out, so they're great when I need to adjust the MP3 player!
No one around - good - I'm off.
The first 300 meters goes well, but then there is the unusual feeling of being out of breath. Now I've read about walk-run-walk pacing as a means of gradually introducing the body to this new exercise, so I walk. Then I think about some other advice - the benefits come from pushing through the feeling of being out of breath and keeping going. I'm not going to wimp out now!
So it's back to the steady beat keeping the pace easy and just aiming to get round. If I feel like being optimistic, I can always run the circuit twice.
My time estimates aren't at all bad and I'm round the circuit in 15 minutes with no further walking, waving to my neighbour (damn) as I run onto my drive.
Lungs feel full of pond weed, head pounding, brain addled, I'm back home drinking fruit juice and trying to warm down with stretching - having forgotten to warm up.
So the ice is broken. Another plunge on Sunday I think.
AIM POINT 1: Stourbridge Stumble
Steve Runner has been very kind in words of encouragement by email over the past day or two. I thought I'd let him know how his self styled "goofy little podcast" was having effects far and wide, one of these effects being this goofy little guy.
I think Steve has great advice in saying that (b)logging things publicly really helps push you to work harder at it. I suppose it's like making a promise. And a blog means your making a promise in public view, no matter how many or few actually see it.
So here's my promise. Barring accident or injury (I'm sure my achilles and knee will feature in future entries) I'm going to run the Stourbridge Stumble 10K on 17th June this year.
I've gone and done it now....
I think Steve has great advice in saying that (b)logging things publicly really helps push you to work harder at it. I suppose it's like making a promise. And a blog means your making a promise in public view, no matter how many or few actually see it.
So here's my promise. Barring accident or injury (I'm sure my achilles and knee will feature in future entries) I'm going to run the Stourbridge Stumble 10K on 17th June this year.
I've gone and done it now....
PURCHASE: Running Shoes
After some hunting around the net for information on how to get started, it became really clear that a good pair of properly fitted running shoes is essential. I'm in the Midlands, UK and my closest running shop (that I can find online anyway) is near Solihull, a good 20-30 miles away (I wasn't planning to run there!) called Birmingham Runner, and as I had by chance a meeting set up in Solihull on this Wednesday I managed to get across to them late afternoon.
The experience went kind of like this:
Shop bell: Ding
Me: Hi, I've decided to start running and I need a pair of shoes.
Owner: Yer man over here will help you get some fitted.
Yer Man: What can I help you with?
Me: I need some running shoes, but I know I've got really flat feet
YM: OK, lets hop onto the treadmill and video you running
{note to self. start remembering peoples names}
So, I went straight onto the machine with a pair of borrowed neutral trainers and got my jogging gait videoed. Analysis was pretty easy - pretty strong pronation (a word I've only known about for 3 days) needing support, but not a motion control shoe.
YM brings out a selection of shoes which I try on. I'm encouraged to leave the shop and run up and down in them to get the feel of the shoe. Wow. I keep waving at the ladies in the hairdressers 3 doors down every time I go past in a new pair of shoes.
After 4 pairs, I'm settled on Pearl Izumi SynchroGuide shoes. Nice narrow fit, plenty of impact cushioning and well supportive.
Altogether a really good purchase experience - thanks Birmingham Runner !
[Posted for 26th April]
INSPIRATION: Phedippidations Boston 110 Marathon Podcast
Just to set the record straight, I'm not doing this because I watched the London Marathon the other week! It's because of an entirely different marathon race taking place on another continent.
It's because I listened to Steve Runner's podcast of the 110th Boston Marathon...... and because I'm unfit ..... and because I've been promising myself I'd do this for a year .... and because the clocks went forward making it easier to run before anyone gets up and sees me.
Steve Runner's trial-by-herring-bagel over 26.2 miles was an inspiration as, well, I want to be able to talk sentiently even though I've been running for 5 hours. I listened to this in the car on the way home from work. http://www.steverunner.com and you just can't help admire a man who keeps going even though he's got all the right reasons to stop.
So this is it. I'm going to run.
[posted for April 24th]
It's because I listened to Steve Runner's podcast of the 110th Boston Marathon...... and because I'm unfit ..... and because I've been promising myself I'd do this for a year .... and because the clocks went forward making it easier to run before anyone gets up and sees me.
Steve Runner's trial-by-herring-bagel over 26.2 miles was an inspiration as, well, I want to be able to talk sentiently even though I've been running for 5 hours. I listened to this in the car on the way home from work. http://www.steverunner.com and you just can't help admire a man who keeps going even though he's got all the right reasons to stop.
So this is it. I'm going to run.
[posted for April 24th]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
