Feb update
18 runs (21 hrs)
197km with 3250m ascent.
Still no weeks below 30km.
So far a fairly consistent start to the year for me.
Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running
- Thread starter platypus
- Start date
Feb update
18 runs (21 hrs)
197km with 3250m ascent.
Still no weeks below 30km.
So far a fairly consistent start to the year for me.
Had an MRI on my foot last week which confirmed bursitis, so they suggested a cortisone injection. Was booked in for this morning at the GP, only for the doctor to say he's not trained for feet injections and needs to refer me elsewhere.
Given that i'm off on Wednesday it led to a mad scramble to find someone to do it privately. Seems it's hard to do short notice as they need to get the steroid injection on prescription. Managed to get a very dodgy sounding guy who's got someone booked in on Thursday so is going to use their prescription so me and then re-apply for them!
Ok so injection done, he's hopeful. Said it would've been better to do it guided via ultrasound to ensure it's hitting the exact spot as it's a ~3mm sack of fluid, but he does it often enough to be fairly confident and obviously time pressure. Said next steps would be the guided injection and following that surgery to remove to bursa.
Fingers crossed though that it resolves itself and he suggested i could be back running in 2 weeks, but stressed to start off slow, like couch 2 5k kind of slow. We'll have to see about that!
Fingers crossed though that it resolves itself and he suggested i could be back running in 2 weeks, but stressed to start off slow, like couch 2 5k kind of slow. We'll have to see about that!
Really hoping surgery isn't required @Martynt74 and the injection sorts it. I know it can be so frustrating having issues affecting running.
Trail Marathon didn't go well last weekend. It was nice and cool with full cloud coverage (so not the sun/heat problem), but I still felt like I bonked at a mega early distance of about 8 miles. Things just got worse from then on, to the point of walking on the flat in the last quarter of a mile! I think I'm going to have to fork out to see a private specialist (Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency) to see if it's that causing the problems. I'm with an NHS specialist, but they're useless, unfortunately.
I was feeling really positive about Manchester but this has put a dampener on things.
Think positive thoughts!
Trail Marathon didn't go well last weekend. It was nice and cool with full cloud coverage (so not the sun/heat problem), but I still felt like I bonked at a mega early distance of about 8 miles. Things just got worse from then on, to the point of walking on the flat in the last quarter of a mile! I think I'm going to have to fork out to see a private specialist (Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency) to see if it's that causing the problems. I'm with an NHS specialist, but they're useless, unfortunately.
I was feeling really positive about Manchester but this has put a dampener on things.
Think positive thoughts!
Cheers, it's been weird since i've had it done. Still sore but a "different" sore. Hopeing it's just the normal steroid reaction and it'll be better from tomorrow onwards.
Sorry to hear about your struggles. Not something i've heard of before, hows energy levels outside of running?
Sorry to hear about your struggles. Not something i've heard of before, hows energy levels outside of running?
Do most of you do the 80/20 split between 'easy' runs and higher tempo runs? It sounds silly but I really struggle to run slowly.
Doing some reading around easy runs, it seems I should be trying to keep my heart rate between 130-140bpm. This equates to around 9m/km for me and is an absolute snails pace.
If I don't think about pace and heart rate and just run at a pace that I feel is relatively comfy, it's around 6:30m/km but my heart rate is up between 160-170, which is clearly not easy!
Doing some reading around easy runs, it seems I should be trying to keep my heart rate between 130-140bpm. This equates to around 9m/km for me and is an absolute snails pace.
If I don't think about pace and heart rate and just run at a pace that I feel is relatively comfy, it's around 6:30m/km but my heart rate is up between 160-170, which is clearly not easy!
There's clearly some balancing act there! I do find that my runs can be 160-165 when i've had a while off and fitness is low, but i kind of push through that because i know it'll drop quick. A better indication is how quickly it comes down when you take a breather. If it's hanging around those levels after stopping/walking then certainly you're overdoing it.
I struggle with it too, and don't get too stressed if my HR is higher than "easy" is meant to be but still try and keep it around the 150-155 point. Running purely in zone 2 is especially tricky in the hills as at 100kg there's no such thing as easy when you're going up hill!
If you've got a watch just try and set pace/HR alerts. It'll be annoying for the first week or so, but you'll slowly adjust to what you need to do and it'll start to feel more normal. The other option would be to run, then slow to a walk to bring HR down once it hits a certain point. Again it'll be annoying but eventually the HR will come down and you'll be able to run continuously. The books do seem to suggest it can take 3-6 months for it to really have an impact.
I struggle with it too, and don't get too stressed if my HR is higher than "easy" is meant to be but still try and keep it around the 150-155 point. Running purely in zone 2 is especially tricky in the hills as at 100kg there's no such thing as easy when you're going up hill!
If you've got a watch just try and set pace/HR alerts. It'll be annoying for the first week or so, but you'll slowly adjust to what you need to do and it'll start to feel more normal. The other option would be to run, then slow to a walk to bring HR down once it hits a certain point. Again it'll be annoying but eventually the HR will come down and you'll be able to run continuously. The books do seem to suggest it can take 3-6 months for it to really have an impact.
Went out for a lunchtime 5k and really concentrated on keeping my HR below 150. Managed to average 8:13m/km for the 5km with HR below 150 and it felt really quite easy, so I'm relatively happy.
Heart rate is probably higher than I'd expect as I haven't done any real running for a year or so, and my body is probably not used to it.
Heart rate is probably higher than I'd expect as I haven't done any real running for a year or so, and my body is probably not used to it.
Resting HR is 54bpm according to the Garmin watch that I wear 24/7.
Using the various formulas for calculating max HR, it falls between 185-190bpm depending on the formula used.
I should really try and reach max HR through exercise. I've had it at 180bpm when running around 85-90% effort.
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Not sure I fancy the idea of a harming watch! Does it stick pins into you 
My Avg resting is shown as 55 currently, and I never wear mine to bed. Peak this morning was 165, but avg of 155. I think at this stage (Just running around for the sake of it, not training for anything) I will just try and make sure I dont feel like I am about to die.
My Avg resting is shown as 55 currently, and I never wear mine to bed. Peak this morning was 165, but avg of 155. I think at this stage (Just running around for the sake of it, not training for anything) I will just try and make sure I dont feel like I am about to die.
It is a tricky one to deal with and I've only really started on the whole 80/20 thing seriously over the past couple of years.
I did find it mentally very difficult to run at a much slower pace to what I had been used to and my heart rate still being 'higher' to what I expected it to be. It took me about 3 months for my heart rate to come down a lower level. My 'easy' pace is around 8:30-9.00min/mile and when I first started my heart rate would be up at around 150-155bpm but now it's down around 135-144.
I would suggest focusing on pace zones rather than heart rate zones, I don't know about you but my HR can be all over the place day to day. If I've had a terrible nights sleep, had a coffee and then run before having lunch my heart rate will always be higher than it would be if I've slept well and go for a run immediately after waking up. Your pace is at least consistent and easily controllable (assuming you don't live on a huge mountain), it might make sense just to have pace zone information on your watch to look at and then review your HR data when you finish your run. Again I found constantly looking at my HR and seeing it was higher than I thought it should be was just annoying, I would get frustrated and then my HR would inevitly end up climbing anyway
I did find it mentally very difficult to run at a much slower pace to what I had been used to and my heart rate still being 'higher' to what I expected it to be. It took me about 3 months for my heart rate to come down a lower level. My 'easy' pace is around 8:30-9.00min/mile and when I first started my heart rate would be up at around 150-155bpm but now it's down around 135-144.
I would suggest focusing on pace zones rather than heart rate zones, I don't know about you but my HR can be all over the place day to day. If I've had a terrible nights sleep, had a coffee and then run before having lunch my heart rate will always be higher than it would be if I've slept well and go for a run immediately after waking up. Your pace is at least consistent and easily controllable (assuming you don't live on a huge mountain), it might make sense just to have pace zone information on your watch to look at and then review your HR data when you finish your run. Again I found constantly looking at my HR and seeing it was higher than I thought it should be was just annoying, I would get frustrated and then my HR would inevitly end up climbing anyway
Managed to get out the other night, and again at lunch today. I had told myself after the cortisone injection that i wouldn't run until i could walk around barefoot without discomfort. That's not quite gone to plan!
Found some lovely local trails <2 mins from the accommodation. Today was a little exploratory as everywhere i went ended in a dead end, but looking at some maps, there are some proper routes. Might try and create some loops and build from there.
On the nervy side, one dead end resulted in loads of shotgun shells on the floor. That's not ideal
Found some lovely local trails <2 mins from the accommodation. Today was a little exploratory as everywhere i went ended in a dead end, but looking at some maps, there are some proper routes. Might try and create some loops and build from there.
On the nervy side, one dead end resulted in loads of shotgun shells on the floor. That's not ideal
Absolutely fine after the injection, i'd got myself worried following some things i'd read online, but genuinely barely felt anything during the injection and then afterwards the worst i'd describe it as would be a dull throb.
There's still a little discomfort around the foot/plantar, but i'm not sure if this is now due to my foot having adjusted to insoles/changed form for so long and then now trying to reverse that. I'd also bought some new Hokas which i've brought and left the others at home but unsure if they're as good a fit. I was limited as my wife called me the woman in the relationship since i have packed around 9 pairs of shoes (2x slides, 1x trail shoes, 2x road shoes, 1x "recovery/house" shoe, 2x barefoot shoes for pottering and then my bike shoes) - Given i'm a size 11/12 they take up a lot of space!
I've tried to sit down more during the day rather than standing at my desk too to minimise how much weight i put on it.
Out here for 3 months this time, then the plan is to head home in June, do a few jobs around the house and stick it on the market in August/September time with a hope of being back out here permanently in Q4. June is going to be tough, we're both already absolutely loving the lifestyle of being able to sit out/walk after work rather than hide from the cold/rain.
There's still a little discomfort around the foot/plantar, but i'm not sure if this is now due to my foot having adjusted to insoles/changed form for so long and then now trying to reverse that. I'd also bought some new Hokas which i've brought and left the others at home but unsure if they're as good a fit. I was limited as my wife called me the woman in the relationship since i have packed around 9 pairs of shoes (2x slides, 1x trail shoes, 2x road shoes, 1x "recovery/house" shoe, 2x barefoot shoes for pottering and then my bike shoes) - Given i'm a size 11/12 they take up a lot of space!
I've tried to sit down more during the day rather than standing at my desk too to minimise how much weight i put on it.
Out here for 3 months this time, then the plan is to head home in June, do a few jobs around the house and stick it on the market in August/September time with a hope of being back out here permanently in Q4. June is going to be tough, we're both already absolutely loving the lifestyle of being able to sit out/walk after work rather than hide from the cold/rain.
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