Struggling to get meaningful training in at the moment.
This is particularly frustrating at the moment as I feel pretty fit at the moment.
Long runs that I have done recently are pretty quick and, more to the point I feel good, not really struggling at all.
I'm still spending a fair amount of time hospital visiting!
I'm hoping that the opportunity to rest a bit more than usual has a positive effect, rather than a negative effect.
Still managing to 'turbo' pretty regularly, but at this time of year, with the clocks going forward I was planning on running much more at nights. This isn't yet happening, and is really frustrating.
The plan is to run / exercise when possible and at weekends get at least a longish run in (minimum 10 miles)
Try to run the other day, when not possible, turbo.
I think the weekend run will be a run from Clough Head Car park out towards Hog Lowe Pike and then over the road and out towards Edgeworth and to the reservoirs there. Works out at over 10 miles for a run and is a route I've never taken before. Either that or the run I planned on doing last weekend, Great Hameldon twice about 12 miles.
Monday - Turbo - Fantastic session. 55 minutes. First 5 minutes at 80 revs with the tension at 30 out of 50, then upped the pace to a minimum of 90 revs, then upped the tension, keeping the revs up. All this done as and when I felt the urge to up the anti. Pushed it quite a lot and felt good. Could have done more.
Gone back to body weight exercises - squats, initially a set of 100, then 4 sets of 50. Sit ups a set of 100, then 4 sets of 50.
Tuesday - Hospital visits.
Wednesday - 5 a side football. 3 touch at the moment = lots of running! - Still feeling good!
Thursday - Badminton for an hour. Lots of quick running, really good, sharp! - Struggling a bit at the moment with hip and abductor soreness. Rest day Friday and a steady run Saturday will hopefully see that off.
Wednesday 30 March 2011
Wednesday 23 March 2011
WB - 21st March
Monday - Turbo - Used to be terrible turbo, now I quite enjoy it! Someone asked me the other day does it not get boring. My answer was no, it hurts too much to get boring. Quite a tough session, starting with the tension set at 30 out of 50, 80revs at the beginning, soon climbing to 90+. Then at 5 minute intervals upping the tension to 40, then back to 30 repeating this for 45 minutes in total. Tough, but good.
Tuesday - Badminton for an hour, lots of quick fast running. Feeling strong at the moment.
Wednesday - 5 a side football. Great workout. 3 touch for an hour! Non stop running - really hard and tiring, still feeling strong.
Thursday - Badminton 1hr. Great! Loads of quick running.
Friday - Turbo!
Saturday - I'm planning on doing the Great Hameldon Hill race route and then adding on another section to climb Hameldon 2 or 3 times with a run of about 13 miles. That's the plan, now watch the space.
The run wasn't as anticipated, however still enjoyable! - I took the route from Clough Head Car Park out towards Hog Lowe Pike, but rather than take the track there I followed it out towards Darwen, along tracks, through fields, moorland etc. Totalled around 6.5 miles.
Sunday - Turbo for 45 minutes.
Tuesday - Badminton for an hour, lots of quick fast running. Feeling strong at the moment.
Wednesday - 5 a side football. Great workout. 3 touch for an hour! Non stop running - really hard and tiring, still feeling strong.
Thursday - Badminton 1hr. Great! Loads of quick running.
Friday - Turbo!
Saturday - I'm planning on doing the Great Hameldon Hill race route and then adding on another section to climb Hameldon 2 or 3 times with a run of about 13 miles. That's the plan, now watch the space.
The run wasn't as anticipated, however still enjoyable! - I took the route from Clough Head Car Park out towards Hog Lowe Pike, but rather than take the track there I followed it out towards Darwen, along tracks, through fields, moorland etc. Totalled around 6.5 miles.
Sunday - Turbo for 45 minutes.
Saturday 19 March 2011
Pilgrims cross run - Saturday 18th March
A 10 mile run to try and generate a few more miles this week.
After a hectic week I wasn't really looking forward to a big run today, but forced myself out of the door anyway.
When I arrived at the start point, the weather was supposed to be bright and verging upon the warm. However in reality was cold and overcast.
The initial mile felt steady, taking me to the bottom of Musberry Heights.
The climb felt quite tough and I wondered how the rest of the run would go.
The run through the valley was good and at 2 miles, the clouds disappeared and the sun came out!
I passed a couple of walkers, scaring them half to death on a narrow track - made me giggle!
The run up to the bottom of Tor Hill was good, felt easy.
I got to the bottom of Bull HIll in 40 minutes which for this run was pretty quick.
From this point it's a long drag up hill to Pilgrims cross.
I took a wrong turn at one point which left me with a steep climb.
I got to Pilgrims cross in 55 minutes, this is at the 5 mile point.
My best time to Bull hill, 4.5 miles is 57 minutes, so I was going pretty well.
A minutes rest here and the return leg.
I decided to push hard at some points to see how quick a time I could do.
On the run into the valley I took a wrong turn again and it took me a while to get my bearings again, maybe lost a couple of minutes here.
When back on track the rest of the run was good.
I had in my mind that my best time was 1 hr 53 minutes, so went hard to get under this.
The very last climb was very tough.
I got back to the car, stopping the clock in 1hr 46 minutes.
On checking past data, my best time for this run was 2 hrs 6 minutes on a 'social' run with Nick and Dave.
That works out at 2 minutes a mile quicker over 10 miles!
WB 14th March - A strange week for running
It's been a difficult week for running.
Work is busy with some long hours this week and with family members in hospital it's beed difficult to get quality time to exercise, but, I did manage some.
Monday - 51 minutes of tough turbo. 5 minutes with the tension at 30 out of 50 with revs at 80+, then upped the tension to 40 out of 50 for 5 minutes with the revs still at 80 +, then back down to tension 30 and continued, all the time gradually increasing the revs until I was at 100+. A really good session.
Tuesday - Work = Rest day
Wednesday - 5 a side football, lots of quick running.
Thursday - Badminton for 1 hr. Pretty quick sharp running.
Friday - Rest day
Saturday - Long ish run (10 miles) to Pilgrims cross and back. Felt quite good for most of the run. Felt like I was going pretty well, but still within myself. Completed 10 miles in 1hr 46 mins using 1200 cals and climbing 1,300ft. When I checked this against a previous run to Pilgrims Cross it turns out I was 20 minutes quicker today! That is a massive increase in time. But lets not get too carried away. Last time I ran this I was with Nick and Dave and it was a lot more of a social run. However 20 minutes!
PM - Turbo
Sunday - Try to get a run in, but hospital visiting. No run managed but 40 minutes turbo.
Work is busy with some long hours this week and with family members in hospital it's beed difficult to get quality time to exercise, but, I did manage some.
Monday - 51 minutes of tough turbo. 5 minutes with the tension at 30 out of 50 with revs at 80+, then upped the tension to 40 out of 50 for 5 minutes with the revs still at 80 +, then back down to tension 30 and continued, all the time gradually increasing the revs until I was at 100+. A really good session.
Tuesday - Work = Rest day
Wednesday - 5 a side football, lots of quick running.
Thursday - Badminton for 1 hr. Pretty quick sharp running.
Friday - Rest day
Saturday - Long ish run (10 miles) to Pilgrims cross and back. Felt quite good for most of the run. Felt like I was going pretty well, but still within myself. Completed 10 miles in 1hr 46 mins using 1200 cals and climbing 1,300ft. When I checked this against a previous run to Pilgrims Cross it turns out I was 20 minutes quicker today! That is a massive increase in time. But lets not get too carried away. Last time I ran this I was with Nick and Dave and it was a lot more of a social run. However 20 minutes!
PM - Turbo
Sunday - Try to get a run in, but hospital visiting. No run managed but 40 minutes turbo.
Sunday 13 March 2011
Sunday 13th March - Turbo time
51 minutes of turbo time!
A few months ago I was struggling to get the turn over speed with the tension set at 30 out of 50.
Now, at times I'm flying.
Always a steady start, turn over speed about 80 revs a minute for the first few minutes, then steadily up the tempo.
There is no real plan, I just go with the flow.
Tonight after 5 minutes I was up to 90+, this stayed around this point for the next 10 minutes, then up again, approaching the 100 rev barrier.
At 40 minutes I was at 102 revs a minute.
At 45 I was at 106, finishing at 51 minutes at revs of 116.
For the week: 6.6 hours of exercise covering about 32 miles for the week.
Overall a steady week.
Will now be pushing on to up the miles covered.
The goal is a 30 ish mile run in 4 weeks.
A few months ago I was struggling to get the turn over speed with the tension set at 30 out of 50.
Now, at times I'm flying.
Always a steady start, turn over speed about 80 revs a minute for the first few minutes, then steadily up the tempo.
There is no real plan, I just go with the flow.
Tonight after 5 minutes I was up to 90+, this stayed around this point for the next 10 minutes, then up again, approaching the 100 rev barrier.
At 40 minutes I was at 102 revs a minute.
At 45 I was at 106, finishing at 51 minutes at revs of 116.
For the week: 6.6 hours of exercise covering about 32 miles for the week.
Overall a steady week.
Will now be pushing on to up the miles covered.
The goal is a 30 ish mile run in 4 weeks.
Saturday 12 March 2011
Saturday 12th March - 10 miler
Been a busy couple of weeks at work and home, so I've found it difficult to get out and run, hence the recent high number of turbo sessions. In a strange kind of way I've quite enjoyed these, but it's nothing like getting out and running the hills!
Set off at around 1.30pm. Thought I would run out to either Peel Tower or Pilgrims cross.
That was the plan. So the route took me out past Calf Hay reservoir, then up and over Musberry Heights.
I recently started with a bit of a cold, this combined with asthma meant I spent the first 5 miles of the run coughing! Literally a 'chuffin' pain!
Even with the problem of constant coughing I managed to get into a pretty good rhythm.
Made my way around the valley and up towards the top of the valley, in line with the Tor.
Followed the path out towards the next valley.
At this point, the clouds closed in and the rain came down.
I decided to head back the way I came rather than run further from home into the rain.
The run back through the valley still had me coughing.
Got back to Musberry Heights and continued along the footpath, rather than head home.
I took the route upwards.
It's a tough little climb that brings you out looking at Hog Lowe Pike.
At this point I'd stopped coughing (hurrahhh) but my hamstrings were quite tight and getting tighter.
This was probably through so much turbo, shortening the hamstrings.
I decided to head up towards Hog Lowe Pike, the run up was good.
The run off however was incredibly wet, thoroughly boggy!
After the boggy run I headed off the hill and back towards civilization.
I took the long way round to get back to the car, to add in the extra miles.
10 miles of running over, up and down very boggy ground, 5 of which were coughing miles, 5 of which were tight hamstrings, 1300 ft of climbing in 107 minutes having used 1100 calories.
It was good to be out running again.
The big thing for me today was, I need to stretch more!
Set off at around 1.30pm. Thought I would run out to either Peel Tower or Pilgrims cross.
That was the plan. So the route took me out past Calf Hay reservoir, then up and over Musberry Heights.
I recently started with a bit of a cold, this combined with asthma meant I spent the first 5 miles of the run coughing! Literally a 'chuffin' pain!
Even with the problem of constant coughing I managed to get into a pretty good rhythm.
Made my way around the valley and up towards the top of the valley, in line with the Tor.
At this point, the clouds closed in and the rain came down.
I decided to head back the way I came rather than run further from home into the rain.
The run back through the valley still had me coughing.
Got back to Musberry Heights and continued along the footpath, rather than head home.
I took the route upwards.
It's a tough little climb that brings you out looking at Hog Lowe Pike.
At this point I'd stopped coughing (hurrahhh) but my hamstrings were quite tight and getting tighter.
This was probably through so much turbo, shortening the hamstrings.
I decided to head up towards Hog Lowe Pike, the run up was good.
After the boggy run I headed off the hill and back towards civilization.
I took the long way round to get back to the car, to add in the extra miles.
10 miles of running over, up and down very boggy ground, 5 of which were coughing miles, 5 of which were tight hamstrings, 1300 ft of climbing in 107 minutes having used 1100 calories.
It was good to be out running again.
The big thing for me today was, I need to stretch more!
Friday 11 March 2011
Friday 11th March - Turbo benefits
Due to work being hectic at the moment and taking up a lot of spare time, the opportunities I have to run mid week are becoming more and more minimal, hence the increased turbo sessions. A number of people do ask can you supplement cycling for running? Well ...
Benefits of cycling?
In simplistic terms it all boils down to the one of the three basic rules of training:
1) Progression
2) Overload
3) Specificity
(some folks also like to add recovery)
This states the very obvious fact that the best training for a particular activity is doing that activity. Therefore, for a healthy runner, cycling can never be a 100% satisfactory substitute. Muscle recruitment, impact etc are all very different. However, for an injured runner (especially an impact related injury) cycling can be ideal for keeping the CV system working effectively and maintaining muscular strength/endurance.
Where cycling can also be useful is to supplement running training. it is possible to add cycling training to increase training volume but without the associated risk of injury of ramping up the running mileage. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of it being very effective for improving climbing strength in particular. Personally, I often use tough turbo sessions when I can't run and always find it to be beneficial.
Any form of cross-training (including weights etc) therefore will not have as much direct benefit to your chosen activity as actually doing it. However, and this is the best reason for including a variety of cross training activities, they will make you more robust. Because of the very specific demands of any sport, your body become very strong through the required range of movements of it.
Triathletes and Duathletes will always tend to bias their training to favour cycling volume. Long course triathletes (Ironman) will often ride longer in training than the 4-6 hours required in a race but will very rarely run for any longer than 2-2.5 hours (a sub 3 hour marathon at the end of an Ironman is pretty tasty). The main reasons for this are not that cycling is the best all round training or that cycling transfers to running but not vice versa. It's simply that 1) the bike leg is the longest and so will yield the greatest potential time gains. 2) The stronger you can get off the bike the better you will run. 3) Longs runs of more than 2-2.5 hours will not give you satisfactory fitness returns relative to the increased risk of injury.
OK... hypothetical time. Take an elite road cyclist and an elite road/track runner (as opposed to fell) and get them to swap disciplines. Who would perform better assuming neither had any previous experience/training in the others sport. We'd get the runner to do a flat 40km time-trial on the bike and the cyclist to run a flat 10km road run (although the run time would be shorter both events require working at a similar CV intensity). We'd then swap them back to their specialist sport and make comparisons. Well, this has been done a few times, and the consistent result is that the cyclist comes out on top. The usual reports back from the athletes are that the runner on the bike felt his heart/lungs were absolutely fine but he lacked the leg strength and that, although the cyclist running felt fine during, he was in tatters the next day. The runner lacked the muscular strength to push the big gear required for a fast 40km and the cyclist's muscles had never been exposed to repetitive impact before.... specificity.
What hasn't been tested, as far as I'm aware, is the same protocol but with a fell runner rather than a road runner. My prediction is that it'd be a much closer run thing because of the greater leg strength required for fell running. Again fell running has very specific demands. So a trained road runner wouldn't necessarily perform on the fells and vice versa.
Finally, don't ignore or discount personal experience. if it works for you stick with it.
1) Progression
2) Overload
3) Specificity
(some folks also like to add recovery)
This states the very obvious fact that the best training for a particular activity is doing that activity. Therefore, for a healthy runner, cycling can never be a 100% satisfactory substitute. Muscle recruitment, impact etc are all very different. However, for an injured runner (especially an impact related injury) cycling can be ideal for keeping the CV system working effectively and maintaining muscular strength/endurance.
Where cycling can also be useful is to supplement running training. it is possible to add cycling training to increase training volume but without the associated risk of injury of ramping up the running mileage. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of it being very effective for improving climbing strength in particular. Personally, I often use tough turbo sessions when I can't run and always find it to be beneficial.
Any form of cross-training (including weights etc) therefore will not have as much direct benefit to your chosen activity as actually doing it. However, and this is the best reason for including a variety of cross training activities, they will make you more robust. Because of the very specific demands of any sport, your body become very strong through the required range of movements of it.
Triathletes and Duathletes will always tend to bias their training to favour cycling volume. Long course triathletes (Ironman) will often ride longer in training than the 4-6 hours required in a race but will very rarely run for any longer than 2-2.5 hours (a sub 3 hour marathon at the end of an Ironman is pretty tasty). The main reasons for this are not that cycling is the best all round training or that cycling transfers to running but not vice versa. It's simply that 1) the bike leg is the longest and so will yield the greatest potential time gains. 2) The stronger you can get off the bike the better you will run. 3) Longs runs of more than 2-2.5 hours will not give you satisfactory fitness returns relative to the increased risk of injury.
OK... hypothetical time. Take an elite road cyclist and an elite road/track runner (as opposed to fell) and get them to swap disciplines. Who would perform better assuming neither had any previous experience/training in the others sport. We'd get the runner to do a flat 40km time-trial on the bike and the cyclist to run a flat 10km road run (although the run time would be shorter both events require working at a similar CV intensity). We'd then swap them back to their specialist sport and make comparisons. Well, this has been done a few times, and the consistent result is that the cyclist comes out on top. The usual reports back from the athletes are that the runner on the bike felt his heart/lungs were absolutely fine but he lacked the leg strength and that, although the cyclist running felt fine during, he was in tatters the next day. The runner lacked the muscular strength to push the big gear required for a fast 40km and the cyclist's muscles had never been exposed to repetitive impact before.... specificity.
What hasn't been tested, as far as I'm aware, is the same protocol but with a fell runner rather than a road runner. My prediction is that it'd be a much closer run thing because of the greater leg strength required for fell running. Again fell running has very specific demands. So a trained road runner wouldn't necessarily perform on the fells and vice versa.
Finally, don't ignore or discount personal experience. if it works for you stick with it.
FRA Forums - Training
WB 7th March 2011
Monday 7th - Turbo for 50 minutes. Started off, first 5 minutes with the tempo at 80+, next 30 minutes with the tempo at 90+, next 5 minutes with the tempo ay 100+ and back to 90+ for the last 5 minutes. Tiring, but feeling good.
Tuesday 8th - Badminton for 1 hr.
Wednesday 9th - Turbo for 50 minutes, same routine as Monday. Legs were feeling tired today.
Thursday 10th - Badminton 1 hr. Fats and furious. Lots of quick sharp running.
Friday 11th - Turbo 50 minutes.
Saturday / Sunday 12th / 13th - At least one long (ish) run this weekend, 12 miles +. Probably second run somewhere between 6 and 10 miles. Have no idea where or when yet. However will definitely be taking my camera with me so watch this space for updates.
Tuesday 8th - Badminton for 1 hr.
Wednesday 9th - Turbo for 50 minutes, same routine as Monday. Legs were feeling tired today.
Thursday 10th - Badminton 1 hr. Fats and furious. Lots of quick sharp running.
Friday 11th - Turbo 50 minutes.
Saturday / Sunday 12th / 13th - At least one long (ish) run this weekend, 12 miles +. Probably second run somewhere between 6 and 10 miles. Have no idea where or when yet. However will definitely be taking my camera with me so watch this space for updates.
Friday 4 March 2011
Home made sports drinks
During a few recent workouts, in particular runs, I've had a few sensations of light headedness.
Looking back I know I didn't hydrate enough before, during and after the runs.
I've looked a few times at making my own sports drinks.
There are a few out there on the web, but it's taken me a while to find drinks where you add salt.
I am prone to muscle cramps, (after exercise) so salt is a necessity for me.
Anyway, this week I made my own sports drink and suffered no ill effects at all and actually felt good during and after exercise. The recipe for the drink is:
Looking back I know I didn't hydrate enough before, during and after the runs.
I've looked a few times at making my own sports drinks.
There are a few out there on the web, but it's taken me a while to find drinks where you add salt.
I am prone to muscle cramps, (after exercise) so salt is a necessity for me.
Anyway, this week I made my own sports drink and suffered no ill effects at all and actually felt good during and after exercise. The recipe for the drink is:
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 9 tbs. Sugar
- 3/8 tsp Salt
- Water to 2 litres
- 14.4 grams carb (6.1%)
- 104 mg sodium
- 28.4 mg Potassium
28th Feb - 6th March updated
After about 45 ish miles last week, this week started slower, and you don't get much slower than a rest day on Monday! Really thought about running a hill rep session, but legs were tired and tight, thought I'd do more damage than good, so settled for a day off. Since then the training has returned and I'm looking forward to a long ish run probably Saturday. I'm thinking of tagging together two 6 milers. If that's successful then I can tag that on to the 10 mile run to Pilgrims Cross. That should make it approximately a 20 mile round trip to try in a few weeks.
The week up to now:
Monday - Rest day
Tuesday - Badminton, 1 hr fast and furious. A good session. Concentrated on being on my toes, quick speed session. It's easy to become flat footed (on your heels) as my PE teacher used to yell.
Wednesday - 5 a side football. Again another quick session for an hour. Turbo session in the evening. 45 minute session. Tough. Tension set at 30 out of 50. First 5 minutes with revs at 80. Next 20 minutes with revs at 80 - 90. Next 20 minutes with revs at 90 - 100.
Thursday - Badminton for 1 hour. Tough, fast, quick session.
Friday - Turbo time!
Saturday - Long run (12 miles ish) The plan is to join a coupleof 6 milers together. Do the 'bog standard' Ossy moor run, then tag on the run out to Hog Lowe Pike, round to the 'chimney', maybe out into Arden valley and back. That's the plan - we'll see what happens come Saturday. PM Turbo 45 mins
Sunday - Great Hameldon Hill run - 6 miles. PM Turbo 45 mins
The week up to now:
Monday - Rest day
Tuesday - Badminton, 1 hr fast and furious. A good session. Concentrated on being on my toes, quick speed session. It's easy to become flat footed (on your heels) as my PE teacher used to yell.
Wednesday - 5 a side football. Again another quick session for an hour. Turbo session in the evening. 45 minute session. Tough. Tension set at 30 out of 50. First 5 minutes with revs at 80. Next 20 minutes with revs at 80 - 90. Next 20 minutes with revs at 90 - 100.
Thursday - Badminton for 1 hour. Tough, fast, quick session.
Friday - Turbo time!
Saturday - Long run (12 miles ish) The plan is to join a coupleof 6 milers together. Do the 'bog standard' Ossy moor run, then tag on the run out to Hog Lowe Pike, round to the 'chimney', maybe out into Arden valley and back. That's the plan - we'll see what happens come Saturday. PM Turbo 45 mins
Sunday - Great Hameldon Hill run - 6 miles. PM Turbo 45 mins
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