3rd blast at The Running School

What a day! I reckon I cycled about 15 miles yesterday (12 minutes from Easton to Henleaze yesterday evening), and on top of that I was put through my paces by Amy, with the help of her large-mirrored room and treadmill.

There was a bit of a gap between this session and the last thanks to a rib injury caused by over-zealous middle-aged basketball playing in the local park. My, that tarmac is hard. Consequently I had not run at all in the intervening period, and also not done enough of the balancing exercises Amy has given me.

I was pretty tired on arrival and I struggled a bit more than normal during the hour with Amy. But the running does feel more “naturally different”. It’s hard to put one’s finger on it, but it kinda feels like my feet are shooting off behind me more easily. These are all the different things I was trying to be aware of as I was running on the treadmill, staring at my gaunt, pensive face in the mirror ahead:

• Stop legs swinging sideways and feet from crossing over on landing
• Keep feet on ground for as short a period as possible - left them up asap
• Keep feet going in cycling motion
• Lift heels high as a part of said cycling motion
• Drive knees forward
• Keep elbows at about 90 degrees
• Drive arms forward and back with plenty of swing - bring hands higher in front
• Keep arms from flapping sideways (not much of an issue for me)
• Don’t lean forward so much from the hips
• Relax shoulders
• Head up
• Just relax generally.

How one is supposed to relax when thinking of all that is a mystery. As soon as my attention drifted down my body, something would go awry up top. And, of course, vice-versa.

I feel my balance is problem, and the exrecises Amy gives me that work on this, mostly involving standing on one leg, I find really hard. So, the feet swinging laterally when I run are perhaps a part of this.

I really enjoy the intervals of running. Amy rarely asks me to run for more that 30 secs but it is at a fair pace, on an incline, and the rests are not that long. So I get pretty hot and tired, it gets harder to control my movement, and I feel like I’m getting a good workout.

I hate the balancing exercises.

Overall it’s great. A good workout, some learning, and a bit of challenge from a coach who is giving you their undivided attention for an hour.

Who knows - it may even be helping my running!

Enjoying it again

That’s another week of training done, two weeks in a row, this must be a record for me!!!

The cycle into work today means that I have done 7 consecutive days of training, and if I knew how much the bike work is helping I would have done it years ago and as the week progressed I found something that I had totally forgot about, that being the joy of running. I have decided to stay away from any form of speed training this week in an attempt to build up my base fitness, my week panned out as follows

Tuesday - 20 miles cycle

Wednesday - 20 mile cycle + 4.5 mile easy run

Thursday - 20 mile cycle = 5 mile steady run

Friday - 20 mile cycle

Saturday - 6.5 mile steady run

Sunday - 6 mile steady run

Today - 20 mile cycle.

I am hoping that with a bit of caution over the next week, I might be able to compete (ok run in…. ok turn and do) the Bridge Inn 5k.

Mike's Session Number 2!

Mike came into The Running School last week for session number two! It was a very good session with Mike remembering all he had been taught in his first session, just a few bits that needed tweaking. 

One main thing for Mike is relaxing and this is not uncommon in most runners. Runners will hitch up their shoulders and stay very tense through their upper back and neck. This will eventually result in tightness and pain. It is very important that you stay relaxed when running as to prevent any upper body tension or pain. 

We will not be seeing Mike today due to injury (not running related I am pleased to say). Look after yourself Mike and see you soon.

Amy

Cross Training

That’s my New years resolution (although I did start it before Xmas)

What’s he talking about?

Over the past two years I have been struggling with numerous injuries, including acute tendonitis in my left achillies, and I have basically pushed myself too much on each of my come backs and aggravated the injuries, I took a couple of months off to totally rest my body, I have used this time to think about why I keep on failing at comeback into running and came to the conclusion that constant pounding would expose the weaknesses in my ankle. So I looked into different forms of cross training and there are numerous areas of cross training that can compliment a runners training schedule. But for me its all about fitting in another activity into my already hectic day to day life. SO for Xmas my wife didn’t know what to get me so I suggest she bought me a bike. That’s exactly what she did. I used to race road and mountain bikes so getting back in the saddle was not an issue although I did forget about the joys of breaking in a new saddle!!!

I have done a few weeks of just cycling in and out of work, mainly to get used to it again, now that I am content that my fitness has gone up a couple of extra notches last week I decided to add in my lunch running sessions.

Monday - I drove to work but this enabled me to just go for a run and test my running, and managed a sub 20 min 5k.

Tuesday - I cycled in, then joined Phil Parry for a speed session (2 x 6 mins, 2 x 4 mins and finally 2 x 2 mins with 2 mins recovery between each effort) then a cycle home.

Wednesday - was a cycle in, 3 mile run and cycle home.

Thursday - was a cycle in and out no running

Friday - was a day of rest

Although they say it takes time to feel the benefits but I already feel so much fitter, and best of all no twinges in my ankle. So now for the push towards the Bristol 10k in May and some other races in between!!!

Essay on "barefoot"

A well written and credible view on the whole barefoot thing, including good references, healthy cynicism, and good prose.

This was sent to me by my nephew in the USA, who follows the hairy author - can you name him?