This coming back business is a slow process! I ran the Lake Stakes 6k
today — really it was a 5k run as the first kilometre was my
warm-up walk. 5k in 31:45 with an average heart rate of 137 (well over
MAF HR) for 870 heart beats per kilometre. My calf was good, but I'm still being ever so careful, shuffling along, with very little force being
applied to the ground. I felt a twinge in the upper calf (not the
original injury area) last Thursday and had three days rest from
running.
I've run 76 kilometres over the past 4 weeks, most of that being gentle
treadmill running, accustoming the legs to the running movement and
gradually building up some leg strength. It's been going well until that
twinge last week. I raced a 5k cross country event at Stromlo on 25
June finishing 3rd last in 28:21. Average heart rate for that race was
138 for 782 heart beats per kilometre, so today's race was a small slip
on the game of snakes and ladders.
The plan for the next couple of months is to continue building the
mileage and run Parkrun 5ks and races at racing HR effort (145ish) for
my only hard weekly session. My eventual goal for weekly running volume
is 6 hours per week, supplemented by cycling mileage. If I was a fast
runner I'd be covering over 90k in 6 hours, which is sufficient volume
to run well. For me it will be around 60k, so all I've got to do is get
from 20 to 60! Phew!
Organiser Peter with his '300 runs' shirt at the Lake Stakes today. [P Thommo photo]
13 comments:
You know, running a little and running relatively slowly is still worlds better than not running at all. Mind that calf, especially when you're racing.
But you've been back for a few weeks now and, fingers crossed, the worst is behind you!
Hey mate ... have you ever thought the injury took longer to heal because you persisted with the cycling during recovery? I've found that being on a bike for long periods can expose weaknesses without me even recognising it. Wrapped that you're making progress though ... have a great week.
Slow and steady does it.
I'm so glad you can run again, well done!!!
Thanks Thomas. I'll certainly be taking it carefully when racing. This has been the most frustrating injury I've dealt with in 35 years of running.
Mark, that could be possible! I've cut the cycling right back while I'm learning to run again. In doing so I'm learning how to become a slow cyclist, LOL.
Very slow and very steady Bob.
Thanks Anna. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.
I just had a look back at my running for the last 26 weeks - I'm averaging 55.3k/4:53 per week...ranging from 42.2/3:38-65.6/5:50...that approximates what you are aiming for...
Interesting Bron. I think that's a volume at which one can make small adjustments either way, improve performance and have adequate recovery. Getting there will be the tricky bit!
I hope you have more success than me! As others say, slow and steady :-)
Same here J. Your injury problems are the definition of where I don't want to be ;-)
This will be a big rebuild! That's more Ks than I am running right now, and I am not cycling at all! You have the history and can do it safely, I am sure. Keep at it, Ewen!
Thanks Raina. I'll have to double-check your Strava totals ;-) I see plenty of Instagram pics of you running, so you're doing something!
That is good news. I hope the slow but steady progress continues
Thanks Canute. It does continue: another slow and steady 6k today. Life is good :-)
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