Ok, first of all I don’t live in Cali or wherever this picture is from. As a new blog writer I don’t have access to many pictures or archives like some of the pros out there. Get over it already!
I haven’t been having the best running sessions of late. The weather here has been brutal with ice, snow, and storms. This mixed with Christmas parties, my running has taken a knock and I only got out twice this week. Both were relatively short 7ks and the pace wasn’t great either. Thankfully injury free though, so I have accepted my “maintain” stance of late, and just get through this period with no injuries, no major loading to the belly, and semi regular 7- 8ks.
Maybe everyone is in the same boat?
Tomorrow I plan on doing another 7k, followed hopefully on Wednesday by an 8k. My family is visiting this weekend so my Saturday long-run may just have to wait until Sunday. If I can keep this up over the next few weeks I will be delighted.
The weather can create step-backs of course. You cant run in a storm, and I personally don’t like running when its remotely icy (not worth the risk).
Over Christmas I do have some time off work however. I plan on buying some trail shoes and get out there with my dog. Christmas eve, My wife and I also have a run planned, but I hope to get in at least 7k the evening before.
This leaves St. Stephens day where I hope to burn off some of the Christmas excess. Another run on the 28th before my in-laws arrive for a few days will hopefully see me get through the period running my best.
Sorry for the boring posts of late. I have some additional plans for next year, so stay tuned!
It was another tough week of running where momentum was cut short early in the week due to icy conditions. I just don’t particularly like running on the paths in those conditions, and after my foot injury from the previous week, the last thing I needed was a fall or possibly worse.
It was Thursday before I got out again, and I did a steady 6.5k. There was no aches or pains, and it was a nice steady run at a comfortable pace.
On Saturday I got out again for a 7.85k run, where I finally felt like I got my stride back. Towards the end of this run I was pushing 4.35pkm and I was really happy with the efforts.
The weather is back to normal for the coming week, so I am going to get back out there on Monday. Lets get this week started strong with a nice 8k.
I will try to get 9k on Thursday, with a smooth and easy 12k on Saturday morning.
So between having the flu, then a couple of nights out, my running this week was pretty poor.
You may have read in my last post if you should run with the flu or a cold. My advice was of course not to, and only when I started feeling better did I manage to lace up the shoes and go for a run.
When I did get back out there I did a pretty solid 8k, which I was happy with. I felt I could have done more, but as I had not ran in about 5 days I decided to take it easy.
Then a few very cold icy nights hit my area, so this delayed me getting out for a few days. I may do a post about running in icy conditions, but my short term advice is to limit it to grass or trails, wear appropriate shoes, and stick to day time excursions.
This meant I did not get out again until Wednesday, so in 8 days I only managed 2 runs…
Not at all at my previous standards and I could feel it too. I just wasn’t at my preferred pace, but not to worry. No point in dwelling on it, ill just keep it to shorter more consistent runs until I reach my pace and distance goals again.
By Thursday I had a party to go to, so I was a bit worse for wear on the Friday (My own doing :() . Neither my running or my wife were too pleased with the results of this calamity. Saturday was postponed as my wife asked me for a favour, so Sunday was the next run. I was not feeling it. Ireland was hit by storm “bert”, and I got to say, my legs were stiff, Bert was blowing cold wind in my eyes and I was just not at the races. A pretty poor 6k was all I could muster today.
I am confident for the week ahead though. I have a clear straight of running days ahead of me and I plan on making the most of it.
I will start tomorrow with a very easy 7k, followed by a gentle run with my dog on Wednesday. On Thursday I will go to my running club to do some interval sessions, and Saturday I plan on heading out for a 12k.
So I was travelling last week in Denmark with my wife. It was just a little pre winter break before the holiday period to celebrate her birthday. I of course did not bring the running shoes with me as it is generally impractical for a short city break as a couple. Some nice days were spent touring the city, tasting their beer and wine. On the Monday morning I awoke with a bad sore throat just before our journey home.
I was quite infuriated because my running routine was now broken. I was asking myself should I just go out for a run, “it will probably make me feel better , right?” WRONG! . No it doesn’t make you feel better and you should take the time to take the rest. Your body will thank you for it later, and running will only hamper your recovery process.
The key is to listen to your body. If it is only mild symptoms running could be possible, but as was the case for me on a previous occasion, it actually made my mild symptoms more severe.
If you have the worst of the cold over and done with, and are still experiencing mild-ish symptoms, then a light jog wont do you any harm. Keep it light though, no sprinting, and even try a running slash walking routine. I brought my dog along with me. Whilst he stopped, it gave me a minute just to relax also.
The next run I went for a consistent slow paced 5k. I still had a slight sniffle, but no sore chest or throat.
After a week, my symptoms were as good as gone. I treated my runs like a recovery run and my first real run was today. I kept it to a mild pace 7k. I think sweating the remaining symptoms that were lagging was just those lethargic toxins leaving my body for the final time.
Im looking forward to getting out there again tomorrow. Treat the runs like you would after an injury, until you have done three consecutive runs.
So, for those who may follow the blog (not many) will know that I was training for a half marathon and also a sub 50min 10k. I’m happy to say I have completed the half marathon distance just last week. I have not completed the sub 50min 10k as of yet, but this is a work in progress over the next couple of months.
I successfully ran it in2hours, 12 minutes and three seconds. I know, not exactly ground breaking speed, but my goal here was to simply run the distance and not obsess over the time too much.
I did the run on a cool Saturday morning along my local canal. I had done long runs previously with my furthest being 19km. I never thought that just an additional 2.1km would be so difficult. I mean, by the end of it my legs were burning and I actually felt dizzy. It started well and I kept my pace above 6min per km for nearly the entire session. I knew it was going to get tough so I just concentrated on maintaining a slow pace and ease my way through it.
By 10km I was building up a bit of a sweat and the phycological barrier of knowing that I was not even half way through was playing on my mind. I changed the music to try and rezone my thoughts and hope that a few km would just fly past before I broke out of my trance. This did not really happen however, as I had a turning point in a nearby town. I mean a literal turning point where I physically turn my body the opposite direction and start running back. I’m not sure I like this type of track, and I think I prefer loops or even just one direction that loops me back to my starting point.
Although I had run long distances before I mostly feel it was phycological battles in my head I was having trouble with. I just could not enjoy the run, and even started to imagine pains and injuries. Work was playing on my mind also as I battled through it, and I wasn’t even enjoying the music. In hindsight I’m sorry I did not choose a nice podcast to listen to.
There is a lot to be said for events or running in groups or races. Sometimes you need other people to just get you through these hard sessions.
By kilometre 20 I was constantly looking at the watch. My calves were on fire and I just could not wait to stop. My pace was a crawling 7km per minute at this stage and I was struggling like I had just started running for the first time ever again.
Overall, I am pleased with my accomplishment and I actually look forward to doing it again in a couple of weeks. More rest on the build up and hopefully a better week at work will combine to provide better results. I am not aiming to do it much quicker, but I definitely want to do it more gracefully in the last two km. I will be happy with that achievement and will post it afterwards to let you all know 🙂
So, I was walking my dog this morning and introduced myself to micro learning books, and in particular the short summary of books it recommends to take you off social media. You know what I am talking about right?
Anyway, within one of these books gave me the inspiration for my next blog title. It wasn’t specifically talking about running of course, but it mentioned how the first part of achieving personal success and motivation to succeed comes from the body. I agreed with it, and I do think that my own personal health and wellbeing has improved greatly since I started running. My general motivation improved, my work improved, and my general ability to focus has improved.
It got me thinking, what happens when you lose motivation to run? What do we do then. Well, we are all only human, and its perfectly normal not to feel like going for a run, but what should you do when it happens? I can give you some tips 🙂
So, normally I am of course very eager to run, but on Tuesday just gone I was in the office all day. It wasn’t a particularly nice day weather wise and by the time I got home it was already dark and wet. I had scheduled my easy run for that evening as I had some other commitments to look after on Monday. I was completely not in the mood and it was a scheduled 9k run also just to make the dread even worse.
Luckily, I am an experienced enough runner to know that the endorphin release I would get from doing the run would kill all the negative energy I had built up beforehand. I had to visualize that feeling however, and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I focused on the aspect of unwinding and listening to my music. I put on my gear and just left the house, simple as that. I didn’t sit, I tried not to dwell too much and I just got out there. I made myself feel guilty for even contemplating not going and knew that if I didn’t go I would feel even more guilty. I just treated it like having a shower, or a shave, it just had to be done.
The key thing to remember on evenings like this is to take it very slow at the start of the run. You don’t want to burn out quickly when you are already not feeling up to it. Its ok to go slower than your normal pace, and the idea is to make sure you don’t pull a muscle or injure yourself. Nice and calm, nice and slow. Ease your way into the run with some nice relaxing music or a podcast. Think about different things, it might something you need to do tomorrow or at the weekend. Before you know it you will be a few kilometres in and you will be heading towards the home stretch. You might even feel like getting that heart rate up and moving faster.
The feeling you get from completing these runs are up there with my personal best to be honest. The feeling that you accomplished something when you were not in the mood, tired, hungry, and just feeling a little negative. The extra push for motivation shows real character and mental strength. This is the motivation and drive you can take with you elsewhere. You can use it in other areas of your life to help motivate you to do something. Its the same principle and process.
Finding the time is a big commitment, not just for you but also to your family.
I work in a busy 9 to 5 job in finance, and whilst juggling commitments of a business degree, we also have a male Labrador that requires exercise (a lot of it). Waking at 7am, studying, then working all day is hectic. The truth is, without my wife I probably would not have had the time to do either the study or my running. Luckily I do have her, so finding that time is a lot easier.
Commitment and discipline is the key. How much do you want something in life, and what are you willing to do to get it. Another lucky aspect is working from home three times per week, but it is possible to juggle all three. You need to plan your day though very carefully. Let me go through my week to give you an idea:
Mondays: wake at 7am and get 1hr 45 min of study done. Quick 10 minute workout, shave and help my wife to make breakfast. Whilst I am studying, she gets the dog out for his first walk of the day. I read through my morning emails when I eat my breakfast. Then my morning consists of work, calls, emails and a bunch of boring stuff that is not for my blog :). At lunch we go to the park where I walk the dog, and my wife goes for her run. Then a quick lunch that I usually eat while working , and continue working up to 5pm. My wife then takes the dog for his final walk with her friend, and this leaves me time to do my easy run session (ranging from 7 to 9k). When I get home, I shower, study for another 40minutes, eat dinner , watch tv for an hour and go to bed. I should mention that my wife also cooks dinner most evenings 🙂
Tuesday: wake at 6am as we both work from the office. No running on Tuesdays generally so I wont bore you too much. However, sometimes it does happen where I come home from work and do my Monday easy session on a Tuesday. Study takes place on the train, and in the evening before dinner.
Thursday: I skipped Wednesday as I generally don’t run that day. We wake at 6:30 as it is only me who goes to the office. Work all day, study on the train. That evening I do my interval sessions. This can be a long run, as there is walking in between sprints which increases the time you are out. I return home, shower, eat and go to bed.
Saturday: Wake at 7:30, do two hours study and go for my long run session. This week it was 19k but it varies depending on my plan. This is followed by lunch and getting the dog out for his walk. We go together and generally we go straight to the park. Luckily Saturday is cheat meal night so we enjoy an unhealthy snack. Its also movie night, and I get a chance to have a glass of wine or a beer 🙂
The point of this is to reflect personally on my week, but also for you to hopefully understand that with careful planning you can get things done. Working does not need to mean you sacrifice other commitments. It sometimes happens where I need to travel for work so I bring my running shoes with me. It can be a great stress reliever.
Keep busy, keep active, keep learning, and keep running 🙂
A runners diet is very important, and this goes for all levels of runners.
I would consider myself an intermediate runner. I of course do not have incredible ability but I am comfortable at running up to half marathon distances (well nearly half marathon 😉 )
A good diet will help you to sleep better, run better and most importantly recover better. My diet changes throughout the year, but generally I like to keep to the following list as much as possible.
I have read various suggestions when it comes to carbohydrates. Some say stick to fats and protein whilst other say that carbs are a runners requirement. I personally think everything in moderation is the key.
Here is what a usual week looks like for me (an intermediate runner)
Breakfast
The most important meal of the day, and I usually eat this at 8.30/9am. It consists of Greek yogurt, berries, some granola and honey. Sometime I have overnight oats, with chia seeds, Greek yogurt and protein milk. Then I add the usual fruit mixture the next morning. I used to add a spoon of protein powder, but I stopped doing this as I felt that I wasn’t burning off enough calories to justify it. Since I stopped taking it, my bloated belly has disappeared.
Lunch
Lunch can vary of course and it depends whether I’m working from home or in the office. Luckily I only work in the office a couple of times a week, as I normally buy a roll out with chicken, lettuce, cheese and a small bit of butter. Not bad, but I can do better.
At home my choices are endless. In the summer months I like to eat salads with avocado, egg, chicken, mix it up a bit for some variety. I also like scrambled eggs with some toast and cheese.
Dinner
My wife is Italian and she loves her pasta! I do too. Its a runners delight, full of carbs and you can mix it with nice vegetables and different proteins. Other go to meals include, rice, pork, broccoli and soy sauce. Simple and quick to make.
At the weekend, we do a cheat meal. It can consist of a burger or pizza. We also follow this up with some ice-cream and a movie 🙂
The idea is balance. Try not to eat the same thing all the time. Mix those carbs with proteins and get plenty of vegetables. Try not to eat meat every day too. For longer runs, make sure to increase your portion sizes.
You might wonder is my running shoe be suitable for all surfaces?
The answer is no, and you should be careful to choose the correct running shoe for different surfaces.
Whilst most running shoes are ok for tarmac, not all are ok for grass or cross country for instance. Also, some running shoes are not ok on rocky or gravel surfaces. Depending on the type of runs you prefer, you should be careful to choose the correct shoe. This article will help you with this:
Tarmac/Road
There really is an unlimited amount of shoes that fall in to this category. You can even sub-categorize it in to different types of Tarmac running, such as interval training, 5k , half marathon, or full marathon. For the purpose of this article, I am going to just recommend shoes for 5/10k distances. For my slower easier runs, I choose the Nike Pegasus 40. They tend to bring a new version of the Pegasus out each year and most of them have very little difference. By the time you read this it may well be the Pegasus 41 or 42, I’m sure they are both good options too. At least if future me was to waiver a guess 🙂
This is by no means an exhaustive list you may have gathered. Brooks, Hokas, Saucony, all have very good everyday, easy run, running shoes.
Trail Running
Trail running for those who don’t know, involves running on uneven surfaces, dirt paths, grass, natural terrains and forest paths. I would not venture off on this type of adventure with a pair of Nike Pegasus. Choosing a shoe for this type of run can be difficult and it depends on personal preferences. You should take into consideration the surface type, and you may well require specific shoes for each. My next paragraph will explain more, but if you are looking for a generic trail running shoe look no further than the Hokas. I personally think Hokas work best for this type of excursion. With good traction, cushioning, support and stability you really cannot go far wrong. Right now, I would look at the Hoka One One Speedgoat 5. Overall, this is a very versatile trail shoe. It has excellent cushioning, especially for longer distances which most trails tend to be.
Cross Training/ Grass Running
If you want a versatile cross training shoe that is suitable for shorter distance grass running you will require a shoe similar to the trail running. Other features to consider including would be water resistance, breathability, support and traction. Some spikes or lugs give good grip on soft surfaces. One version I would recommend is the Nike Air Zoom Terra Kiger 8. Its pretty lightweight but has enough cushioning. Its good grip on grass and it has a good breathable mesh on top that provides additional comfort.
Mixed Running
My final shoe is designed for a bit of mixed running. Somewhere with a bit of everything really. From tarmac, grass, trail and stones. For these type of runs, you need something that combines all of the elements I mentioned above. You may need good cushioning for the trails, mixed with some good grip for grass. Keep in mind that for grass running you are best to have a grass running shoe with lugs or spikes. Especially if its wet. However, there are good shoes that you can pick for a wider more hybrid experience. All brands have different versions, the one I have tried is the Nike React Infinity. Its good for versatile runs. It is lightweight , breathable, but has enough support for the pavement running. Its decent on grass and trails also.
Choosing the right shoe can take time. Go speak to an expert in stores specifically for running is another piece of advice. Try on the shoe, and see if it feels right. Different people have different requirements.
Runners Knee or Patellofemoral pain syndrome as its technically known by, is something I have been battling with for about six months now on and off. I’m not a doctor, so I cannot go into the specifics on what causes it other than a variety of reasons like running form, overuse or bad shoes. I’m fairly well kitted out with my running gear and I’ve put a lot of work into my running form, so I think its either bad knee alignment or general overuse.
Its not bad on every run, and I notice it more on colder days where my muscles may not have been fully warmed up, or a couple of days after a particularly hard run. Some runs are worse than others. For example my run on Thursday night consisted of a fast 5k. It couldnt have gone any better and I glided around the park like a springer spaniel. My Sunday morning easy run on the other hand, couldnt have gone worse. I felt stiff and sore, and my knee was aching throughout. My feet felt heavy and overall it was a terrible run. Thankfully it was my deload week on my way to half marathon.
Here is what I have been doing to try and fix the issue, and here is what I will start doing:
I have been regularly doing strength training to build some extra muscle around the knee and in particular the quads. This is proving to be challenging but I’m just trying to be as consistent as I can be. 5 mornings a week I do my squats, and my lunges. I started on quite a low rep set of 10. For the squats I am holding two dumbbells just for extra gain. The lunges I am doing free style and I might be ready to push up the number of reps. Strengthening the core muscles is also important, so standing bicep curls, planks and press-ups are also been done five mornings a week. I have noticed a gradual improvement but I need to keep going.
Second of all is to keep working on my running form. Keep lifting those knees and gently putting them back down is not so easy. Trying to stay upright with the correct arm movement and most importantly not taking too long of a stride. I have quiet long legs so this is something I have been guilty of in the past. Shortening those strides and increasing that cadence is key to good form.
Next on my list and something I am not currently doing is mixing up my type of runs, and trying to incorporate some trail or cross country running into my weekly schedule. This is not a tried and tested method yet, but it is something I have heard is good for strengthening that pesky knee.
