Sunday, January 29, 2012

Hot week

Distance 44.4km [total: minimalist 256.3km: Barefoot 2123.9km] Week 4
 
Monday, 23-Jan. 10km
The summer heat is here now, a week of above 30C temperatures. I went for a run later in the evening when it had cooled of to around 30C. This was a road training run, the ground was warm but not blisteringly hot although by the end I found I had produced some more blisters on my big toe and one on my forefoot pad. It is the calluses that are causing the problem, they are painful to put weight on so I avoid landing in that spot and so put pressure on another area. It all still stems from the ankle tendon injury and how I have been favoring the other leg. The run started off well but got more painful on the way back as my form started to suffer.

Thursday, 26-Jan. 15km
Ah a perfect morning, it cooled off overnight to around 20C or below. I woke up at 7am, that was the time for the start of the Australia day run from Brighton to Hallet Cove that I ran last year. My subconscious mind must have decided I was not up for it this year. So instead of getting up really early and running 16km, up and down steps I did a much flatter 15km along the beach. Being Australia Day the beach was a popular destination and many families were out walking and swimming by the time I got for my run at 8.30am. I had in the back of my mind that I might run up to 18km if the blister on my foot didn't give me any indication it would get worse. I had the wind at my back on the way out so felt like I was sweating far more than running against the wind. The feet held up well on the way out, it was only at the 15km mark I was feeling a little tired and the blister complained a bit. I ended my run there. I bought a scrubber the other day to file away the callus buildup on the outer edge of the small toe on the left foot and also on the big toe on the right foot. I used it last night and took away a lot of the skin that had built up during my ankle injury, it felt much better. I need to do it again to get back to pre-injury level. My time for the run was 1hr 36m 15s (that included a bit of walking too) I need to bring it back to around 1hr 20m for the distance.
I've done no speed training since my injury so I think even the short Beach Bash will not see me beat last years time.
Saturday, 28-Jan. 13.4km
Not much of a cool down over night, it was 29C when I got to the beach this morning. I didn't feel all that energetic after a late night, a few beers and an Indian meal. The tide was just off hits high mark and there was a thin band of wet squidgy sand to run on which was occupied by all the beach walkers and numerous dogs. I ran north but felt tired and hot. I find running in hot weather in the evening easier than first thing in the morning, I'll put this down to the body clock. After watching a TV programs on the body's 24 hour cycle apparently exercising in the early morning is not the best time, in fact it can be more dangerous for the health, the optimum time is the late afternoon which is when I do a majority of my running. I had intended to run up to Semaphore but got halfway and thought 'this is too hard' so decided to head back and try to extend the run in the other direction depending on how I felt by the time I hit my start point. It was a better idea. I had a good burst of speed on the back end of the run. I came off the beach at Henley and ran back along the pavement  for the last 1.5km.
I put in another 3.4km just before dusk when a brief shower cooled off the pavement, I ran 4 pavement laps on the street that surrounds the sports field where I live, 0.85km per lap
Sunday, 29-Jan. 6km
The humidity caused me a sleepless night, the temperature didn't drop much and the fan didn't really cool me of.
I had a early breakfast and headed off to West Lakes to do a lap of the lake before heading to the gym. This was a no pressure run, just taking it nice and easy with running form taking precedent over speed. I was quite pleased with the run, I felt more balanced, I wasn't running on the edge of my foot and irritating the callus and the old blister was not getting any extra pressure.
I did some leg exercises at the gym, mainly weighted lunges and some Leg pushes and calf work. My right calf seems more defined than the left which is odd as the right leg was that one with the ankle problem.


Neil

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