Sunday, November 25, 2012

Coming back

Distance 35.2km [total: minimalist 285.6km: Barefoot 3965.4km] Week46

Saturday, 17-Nov. 7km

I'm writing this a week late after resting for most of last week and only venturing out for a run on the Saturday. I ran 7km along the beach at an easy pace to see if my calf would behave itself. The tide was low and the weather perfect for running. Plenty of people walking along the beach. It is tough getting the distance into the legs back again. A 7km run feels like a 15km run, hopefully my fitness should return quickly.
I made the distance without any soreness which was a good sign.

Sunday, 18-Nov. 3.5km

Just an easy run at around 1pm with a friend from jetty to jetty, once again no problems to report.

Wednesday, 21-Nov. 3.5km

A short run after work on the soft sand, the calf was fine on this low stress run. THe beaches are starting to gain the summer populations of sun bathers an swimmers and also lots more runners than I will see in the winter

Saturday, 24-Nov. 13km

A warm weekend was forecast so I used this as an opportunity to see how an early morning dawn breaking run would go. I decided to give this a trial in case I get the hot days during high summer when it is far too hot to run in the afternoon. I got up at the usual time I would for work 5.45am. I wouldn't be able to have any breakfast as that would stop me running so I had a carb energy drink, some Vitargo, a non sugar based drink.
I got to the beach just before 6am, the sun would have risen 5 minutes earlier, the houses by the beach would block the sun for another 30 minutes. The temperature was around 20C but would climb rapidly as the sun rose.
My body started running slowly, I think it was a bit shellshocked to be doing exercise at that time of the morning. After around 3km I started to feel a bit better, it was just the distance I had to contend with now. I limited the run to 13km. At the halfway point the sun had risen above the houses but there was enough cloud cover to keep the temperature down. It wasn't a fast run, around 37m in both directions. When I got back to the start I soaked the calves in the seawater to cool them off. I was home and showered by 7.30am then relaxed and had some breakfast.

Sunday, 25th-Nov 8.2km

Two days in a row when I get out of bed at 5.45am to go for a run. This was my standard 8.2km lake run, I ran it a couple of weeks ago with John but rested mainly since then. At this time of the morning the lake was dead calm, the sun was just rising and most of the households around the lake were still asleep as I padded silently past. It is a very appealing time of day to run.... if you can get up. Next week most of the days are above 30C so morning running may be the best option.

Neil

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Slight improvement

Distance 11.7km [total: minimalist 285.6km: Barefoot 3930.2km] Week44

Saturday, 10-Nov. 3.5km

A tryout day on my calf to see if it is progressing. I've not run all week and I was still getting some soreness during the week, Friday felt ok though. I headed to the beach, no heart rate monitor or worrying about time, just see what distance I can cover without the pain returning. I ran at a slow relaxed pace and the calf was fine the knot didn't rear its head. This has been the second week of layoff and calf injuries usually take 2-3 weeks to fix. I expect next week to be a low distance week as well.

Sunday, 11-Nov. 8.2km

John arranged to meet up for a run on the Sunday and as he was keep to go I ran a bit further than I should have. It was a warm and windy day, the strong north wind signalling that a change was on the way. We were running into the wind on the way out and with it behind us on the way back, the best way to do it. I was running at a faster pace than yesterday and this brought the calf knot out from its slumber to complain. I stayed as relaxed as I could and it didn't get any worse, in fact it almost felt better, but that was my warmed up state. We ran the 8.2km route John had a GPS and that confirmed that it was in fact 8.2km, my Google distance measurement was accurate. We covered the distance in 48 minutes, I am usually 5 minutes faster. My calf stiffened up after the short drive to the gym where I had a rather lackluster workout.
So, another week of resting before trying again.

Neil

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Nearly a Zero Week

Distance 6km [total: minimalist 285.6km: Barefoot 3918.5km] Week43

Sunday, 4th-Nov. 6km

I had some enforced rest this week while my calf or maybe achilles tendon sorts itself out. I had a meeting of the Barefoot Running group today but the numbers were reduced due to some competing events today.
I met John in the car park at the south end of West Lakes. It was a warm day, already in the high 20's. I took it nice and easy but I could still feel a slight pain from my leg. I was glad I took the shortened route, John was happy with the shorter course as well.
I'm beginning to think that the problem may be more with the tendon rather than the calf so that calls for some reverse calf dips for a while until it sorts itself out.

Neil