As much as I am usually motivated and positive towards my running, there are days (or even weeks, sometimes!) when I just don't feel like I am getting anywhere - in fact, some days (like last Sunday's long run!) I almost feel like I'm going backwards! Each run will feel just as hard, my speed will feel slow.. and upping the distance just seems unnecessarily torturous! It's at times like these when I find the need to start checking - and recording - my fitness. Yes, the last run may have felt just as excruciatingly painful as the first time I ran the same route, but does that really mean that I am just as unfit as I was a month ago? Well, no. It doesn't. The last time I ran, its more than possible that the wind was behind me, pushing me along rather than battling against me as it did this week. Or I could have been running across dry, firm ground rather than a treacherous bog - there are many factors influencing each run, and without an accurate, repeatable measurement to use to track my progress, it's impossible to truely see how far I have come.
Of course, if I was more organised (or just slightly more inclined to...), I would keep an accurate record of each run - time, distance, route, pace, weather and ground conditions - all very valid and useful factors which would allow me to compare the terrible run to the great. Now, I can truely see the benefit of this, and when I first started running I had every intention of doing just that - I even brought a brand new, smart notebook to record it all in (inner geek emerging again...!). Trouble is, when it comes to it... I can always think of better more interesting other things to do!! And if you don't record ALL of the runs, somehow it all seems a little pointless. And then I find that none of the training gets recorded.. and I have no comparisons to make!
Not feeling inclined to carry on with a 'training diary', despite its obvious benefits, I turned instead to fitness testing. Now, early on, this 'fitness test' was such a vague indication of how I was doing that I didn't really even acknowledge that that was what I was doing! The basis of this 'indicator' was a long hill which, when first attempted, I couldn't run up. At all! I would literally get about 3 strides in and just have to give up (Like I said in my previous post, hills were never my favourite...!!). So, each week as I re-attempted the hill, I would make a vague note of how much further I could run. Them, when I could run the whole way, how long it would take me (the first time was nearly 13 minutes...!!). Seeing the steady progress as I reached the top in less and less time was great motivation and a good feeling of satisfaction! All well and good, but these days I can get up the hill in my average running pace, without too much difficulty - great to compare to the early days, but look at the more recent weeks and they are all they same, simply as that is the pace I want to be going at!
So, having 'lost' my usual indicator of fitness, I needed to think of some others. The first, and easiest one to go for was my resting heart rate. Easy to take, and no need for any equipment - simply count your pulse for 30 seconds before you get up in the morning (lie resting for 5 - 10 mins first), multiply it by 2, and write it down. Quite simply, as your cardiovascular system gets fitter, your resting pulse will get slower, as your heart is more efficient at pumping blood around your body (and therefore needs to pump less often). Do this everyday, and as an added bonus you can detect early signs of overtraining - if your resting heart rate increases, it can be a sign you are over doing it, and you need to decrease the workload for a few days.
Still using heart rate, you can also measure your recovery rate - simply do a set amount of exercise, and then time how long it takes your heart rate to drop back to a pre-decided level (e.g reduce by 50%). Again, the fitter you are, the quicker the recovery time!
The above 2 methods are quick and easy, and will show you an improvement in general fitness. I, however, wanted more detail! Specifically, I like to know that I am getting faster, stronger, and that I can go further... so, more tests needed! these are the ones I now use on a monthly basis:
1. Measuring speed - For this, I use the Coopers 12 minute test. Again, straight forward - warm up with a gentle jog, then run as far as you can in 12 minutes! You need to be able to accurately measure the distance, and you need a stop watch... and thats it! Obviously, as you run faster, you will go further :-)
This test has the added bonus of also allowing you to work out your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen you can uptake and use - so important for runners!). The formula for this is:
VO2 max = (22.351 x km) - 11.288
or VO2 max = (35.97 x miles) - 11.29
You can compare both your distance covered and VO2 max score with published data on athletes... I don't, simply as I find I am better when just concentrating on improving myself - but simple to find on Google if you want!
2. Timed lap - Again, measuring speed. Simply mark out the distance you want to use (400m, 800m or 1 mile - anything is fine as long as you keep it the same each time!), warm up with a 10 minute jog again, then run the distance as fast as you can!
3. Core Strength - Good core strength is essential to keep running without injury. For this, use the 'dreaded' (I hate it!) plank. Just time how long you you can maintain it for - the longer the better!!
4. Distance - This is one that I use the treadmill for. I start with a 10 minute jog, the reset the treadmill and start the test by running at an easy pace (I start at 8.5km/hr). Increase gradient and speed every minute by a set amount (you choose but keep it the same for each time you repeat the test!) - until you can't keep up! (take care here and don't overdo it - don't go falling off the back!!!). I then note down distance covered, and use this as a guide to my fitness levels and endurance!
So, all tests which I can do easily and without any additional cost (if you don't have a stopwatch, you may find one on your phone!). Obviously, if you can do these on a treadmill, you eliminate weather and ground conditions which can influence results - but do them outside and it more closely resembles your race. So, choose either - but make sure if you do one test one month on the road outside, don't then compare to the treadmill the following month - consistency will make each test more accurate!
During my previous attempts at following training plans, I tended to be a little 'lazy' about doing anything other than the actual running. Yes, I was well aware that cross training and targeted conditioning work could help prevent the muscular imbalances which can arise when you do nothing but pound the pavements everyday.. but, I liked to run. Sitting pedalling on a bike or pulling myself lap - by - lap around a swimming pool just seemed, well, a bit boring really! And as for the squats, lunges and complicated movements involving gym balls, kettlebells or some other equally ominous-sounding piece of equipment - well that was just hard! And not in the painful-but-weirdly-fun kind of way that running was... it was just hard, painful... and if I'm honest, simply left me feeling annoyed and more than a little grumpy! Not pleasant for anyone.
My opinion on this cross-training was however rather forcibly changed when, having ignored all sensible advice being thrown at me, I both upped my training rather quickly and replaced cross training with... well, running! I couldn't get enough of it - or the 'runners high' that it gave me each night. My body, however, disagreed and after a few warning grumbles - and, to be fair to my legs, quite a lot of shouting - I was signed off from running with very painful shin splints. Any kind of weight bearing exercise felt like agony - even walking - and sudden drop in exercise made me a pretty grumpy person to be around!
After a couple of weeks sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I gradually came to accept that I was going to have to find some other form of exercise and so, with a slightly grumpy attitude and the phrase 'I'd rather be running' practically tattooed across my forehead, I started experimenting. Any activity which didn't hurt, I tried - and, to my surprise, I started to find I enjoyed it! OK, maybe not all of it... but using my body in lots of different ways was both challenging and made me much more aware of my strengths and weaknesses - something which, when I returned to running, I was very grateful for!
All the cross training I had done meant that I returned to running a stronger person than when I had been forced to stop - both physically (I now had strong everything, rather than just strong legs!) and mentally (doing and hour and a half of swimming when you find even 5 minutes excruciatingly boring is most definitely mentally challenging!!) - and, at the start of marathon training, I vowed to keep it up!
Given that I do the majority of my running alone, I have now opted for group classes for my non-running days - working out with other is a massive motivation boost and keeps me looking forward to going. Plus, there's the added bonus that, if your not feeling enthusiastic one day, chances are any friends you have made will drag you along anyway! Most gyms these days offer a huge range of classes - many of which can have benefits for runners. The ones I have been going to, and the ones I credit with keeping me injury free (so far...!), faster in speed work and stronger up hills are:
Body Pump
This is a non-impact resistance training class which works every major muscle group in your body. Using barbells and adjustable weights, you squat, press, lift and curl for up to 800 reps - and you feel it! The class is done to energising music and you have control over just how much weight you are using - so start low and increase every 6 weeks or so as you get stronger! I found this class brilliant for helping me with both speed and hill work, finding the hills now that I am stronger. The fact that it works all muscles evenly is good as well, helping to prevent imbalances, and keeping the arms looking as toned as the legs!
Body Conditioning
This class is very similar to body pump, only using handheld weights, or simply your own bodyweight. Again, lots of lunges, squats, press ups and sit-ups - and lots of sore muscles the next day! A great class for toning and a good introduction before body pump if you haven't done any strength work before.
Spin
I love this class! Its a brilliant cardiovascular workout and, being non-impact, is good to give your joints a break from all the running. It will strengthen your legs as well - so a good running alternative. Be warned though - its hard! The bonus is that you choose just how hard, as you control the resistance on the pedals (how hard you have to push...!) and the speed - although the instructor is very motivating and will encourage you to give it your all. The workout is again done to loud, upbeat music, and the setting is a bit like going to a night club (very odd when you go at 9am...) - but that all helps to keep you going! Also a great calorie burner, which never hurts ;-)
Circuits
This is a class which again works all of your body, but in short, intensive bursts. You will get your heart pumping as you run, skip or jump, and your muscles burning as you alternate sets of press ups, sit ups, squats, lunges and more. Because you constantly swop activity, the class never gets boring - and it never hurts for too long!! A good, fun class for both strengthening and cardio work.
Yoga and Pilates
I have grouped these together as I use them for a similar reason - to strengthen my core (I find pilates best for this but yoga is also good) and to stretch out my hard-working muscles - both essential factors in keeping injury free! I have to admit, it took me a while to appreciate the classes as I enjoy high-impact, high-energy exercise - but when you get into to 'zone', these are relaxing and a lovely class to do on a rest day, or after a stressful day at work. I like to follow with a sauna and steam room session when I have time!
So with all those classes, I keep pretty busy! Anyone else use other gym classes to boost their running?
This week marked the start of my 'serious' training - seen as such simply because the rest of my training plan is now all on the same page! Looking at what I am doing each day, I can now clearly see the words 'Race Day' written in bold, a mere 9 weeks of training away (Gulp!). Only the week before, I could put all the technical details on pace, carbohydrate consumption and recovery details to one side, to be 'looked at later'... now, it is later... and it's time to start thinking! And, as my plan smugly reminded me, time to up the effort...
And so, armed with my trusty calculator and the stores of articles I have been putting off reading for the last 10 weeks, I started on the task of 'getting serious'. First thing was the pace - this week marked the start of sessions which included the words 'faster than race pace', 'at race pace' and 'slower than race pace', so now was the time to finally decide on what that race pace was going to be! Since my last blog about pace, I have been giving a lot more thought on the speed I want to/ will be physically capable of running at for a full 26.2 miles, and I had vaguely decided to settle for 10 min/ miles until at least the halfway point - then if I feel good, I can go a bit faster. This would mean I complete the marathon in around 4.30 hours, a time that seems more realistic for my first marathon.
Now, given that my average pace for each run was 8.30 min/ miles (yes I'm not good at varying it!!), the 'faster than race pace' parts don't seem to be a problem. This covered all of the sessions from Monday - Saturday, so I happily did:
Monday: Rest (I am very good at this....!!)
Tuesday: 40 mins steady followed by 4 x 100m strides (got my maths wrong, so this was actually 40mins steady, 4 x 161m strides.. oops). Loved the strides as like ending a session feeling like I have really pushed myself!
Wednesday: Body conditioning class - full of squats, lunges and sit-ups which made me suitable sore the next day!
Thursday: This was meant to be a 50min steady run, however I have just joined a running club (more on that later..), so did the club session which was half an hour of Paarlauf (basically like a relay, so speed work with a short recovery in between).
Friday: 30 minutes of squats, lunges, sit ups, push ups and the plank (ugh) - at home as couldn't make it to the gym, so all without weights this time.
Saturday: 40 minute hill run. This was tough (still not liking those hills!) but again, really makes me feel like I have achieved something at the end so secretly do enjoy it! Was very, very muddy though (as you can see from my shoes!) - I was covered in mud from head to toe by the end!
So, that was all the 'fast' sessions done.. and then there was Sunday - the day of the long run! After last weeks attempt, I was feeling a little nervous about this. I was scheduled to run 12 miles - and last time I had failed to do 9! So, wanting to make it a little easier on myself (I figured it was important to get the miles in and have a good run than massively push myself and potentially not make it!), I chose to go along the Cuckoo Trail - a nice, flat, tarmac (mud free!) path. Now, according to all the information I had read, I needed to be doing the long run at about 30 - 45 seconds slower than my marathon pace, so for me, that would be between 10.30 and 10.45 min/ miles. So, I plugged all the distance/ pace details into my garmin, filled up my water bottle, and off I went... at 8.30 min/miles!
Quickly realising my error, after the first mile I forced myself to slow to an easy jog (weird how hard it is to go slow! Or, slower than I am used to anyway..). Even a slow jog however only got me to 9.20 min/ miles - and I simply couldn't make myself go any slower! Giving up on the 10.30 min/mile plan, I decided to go for consistency - and this, I found, I could do! Every mile from then on was between 9.20 and 9.24 - and it all felt comfortable! All giving me confidence in my training plan - I had just completed the longest run I have ever done (only ever run 10 miles before, and that was in a race. Longest training run was 8 miles...) and I felt... fine!
Well, I say fine... my water ran out at mile 9 (need a bigger bottle!), and by mile 10 I felt STARVING! So, next time... more water, and something to snack on or give me a bit on energy - I am tempted to start trying out the gels, but I have to admit, I am putting it off as I just can't imagine them tasting very nice! But, in term of my legs coping... I was feeling great :-) All in all... a good week of running!
Before I started running, I was a huge fan of snow. Seeing even the slightest speck of a possible snowflake would instantly revert me to a state of complete overstated excitement as I rushed to find my sledge (often followed by acute disappointment as I realised that what I thought was snow was actually turning out to be nothing more than slushy rain, but that never deterred me..!). To me, snow was full of potential 'snow days' from work (I work in a rural area so get enough of the stuff and we get sent home before being stuck there for the week). Not being able to drive my car anywhere (it seems to enjoy snow as much as me and will take any opportunity to go 'skiing' - sideways, backwards, through the neighbours gardens - rather than just driving in a straight line) was the perfect excuse to wrap up, spend a happy few hours on the sledge followed by crunching down the lane to the local pub while something delicious and, most importantly, HOT cooked away in the slow cooker. Yes, snow made it a pain to get to my horse, or do anything with it for that matter, but the positives definitely outweighed this!
So, when the snow started to fall - and actually settle - this year, I was just as over-excited as ever. And this time I had an even better excuse to get out and play - I had running to do! As I already had the perfect winter running gear, the cold and icy conditions didn't faze me and I happily spent the first few days crunching along the trails, enjoying finding routes that hadn't yet been used by others - the satisfaction of being able to leave the first footprints in an untouched, perfect layer of fresh snow is addictive even now!
However, by the end of the week, the novelty of Lapland-style running conditions began to fade. Yes, the snow was very pretty and it still sounded lovely underfoot, but in the interests of staying upright, my pace had slowed considerably. Now, running through snow is hard work, so yes I was still feeling it a little in my legs, and the ice-dodging was great for my agility. All good for my easy and steady runs.. but attempting speed or hill work was impossible! Speed because of the slippery conditions and the need to be more observant about where I was placing my feet (i.e. not on an unexpected sheet of ice!) and hills because, once at the top, the only way down appeared to be sliding on various parts of my anatomy (usually my bum, which is the most dignified methods of descent..). I was therefore starting to feel a bit conscious that my running was deviating somewhat from my running schedule, and have never been so pleased to see the back of snow as I was this weekend! Never has a bit of rain made me smile quite so much!
And so, back on schedule, I was ready to up the speed and get back on track with the marathon training. Saturday was marked as a 5 mile hill run. Never a big fan of hills, this is one of the sessions that I have been finding the toughest - give me speed work any day! The idea of this hill run is to keep the same pace up and down the hills as I do on the flat - completely contradictory to my bodies preference of going fast on the flat, slowing down to practically a walk as I struggle up the hill, followed by a try-and-keep-up-with-my-limbs free-fall down the other side!
For the hill run this weekend, I had chosen a route which I have done, in parts, before - giving me a bit of confidence that I knew just how long and steep each hill was! The route includes one mile-long hill which has more gradual gradient (climbing from Jevington to Willingdon hill, if anyone knows the East Sussex area!), a short but ridiculously steep hill that leaves me gasping for breath as I just about make it to the top, a more gentle slope which is a bit easier on me in between - and a few flat sections linking the 3. Now, the first thing I noticed as I set off up the first hill, was how much easier I was finding it on my legs! Normally they are screaming at me to top before I'm even halfway up the first hill, and despite my best intentions, I usually end up slowing down a little. This time, I was almost heading down the other side before I had even noticed! Considering the lack of hill practise during the 'snow season', I am putting this down to the body pump classes I have started doing on my non-running days. All those agonising squats have definitely had an impact on my leg strength - and it was showing!
The second thing I noticed about my run was my speed. Normally, my legs would automatically settle into a pace of about 8.30 min/ mile - other than a quick check of the Garmin as I headed up a hill, I could be reasonably confident that my speed was pretty much dead on this. Saturday however, a glance at my watch as I finished the first mile shocked me with a time of nearly 9.15 minutes! Clearly my body had gotten a little too used to running at 'snow speed' - and I had to make a concerted effort to get back to the pace I wanted. Still, I got there, and stayed there, for the remaining 4 miles and felt pretty satisfied with my run- it helped that it had been an absolutely gorgeous sunny day as well, perfect running weather for me! Crisp, clear and sunny and just the right amount of exertion to give me my runners high - bliss!
And then came Sunday. The day of my long run, which is steadily creeping up each week. This time my schedule said to complete 8-10 miles - so I had decided to go for 9, with the option of adding in an extra mile if I felt good at the end (haha..). Now, the day was promising to be as good for running as yesterday - yes, it had rained overnight (quite heavily..), but the sky was now clear, the sun was shining.. what could go wrong!?
Everything, apparently! Full of love for the South Downs from yesterdays glorious run, I took the car and headed off up Butts Brow, one of my favourite running spots. Getting out of the car, I did slightly question my decision on the route - it was blowing a gale up there! - but I was well wrapped up and figured that even if its hard work against the wind on the way out, on the way back it would practically push me home, minimal running effort required! The weather, however, was clearly having a bit of a laugh at me. Every time I changed direction, so did the wind. Meaning I ended up battling against what basically felt like a hurricane the whole way around - it was tough, both physically and, more surprisingly, mentally!
And then there was the matter of the rain. Yes, it was now brilliant sunshine, but last nights downpour had turned the ground underfoot into a quagmire - so much so that, as I battled through some particularly deep mud, it managed to suck my trainer right off my foot! Unfortunately, the momentum I was having to use to power through the field meant I kept on full-flow for a good few strides before being able to slow down, stop, and retrace my steps to find the now sunken shoe. Even more unfortunately, this was only 4 miles in, leaving me another 5 to squelch through with one very soggy and uncomfortable sock!
Between the cold and wet foot - which by mile 6 had started to rub more than a little - and the constant battling against the wind, I was not entirely enjoying my run! This was combined with the fact that the ground, in the areas it wasn't knee-deep mud, was so slippery with surface water that for every stride forward, I was sliding 2 strides back. By mile 7 I was knackered, grumpy and seriously wanting to stop. My legs had also started to remember they had done a hill run yesterday (up to this week, Saturdays had been for cross training, so this was the first week they had to cope with a long run after being properly used the day before!). And. as much as I hate to admit it, at mile 8 I did actually stop.. mile 9 involved running past the car and back around another short loop and, with the '8 to 10' option in my head, I decided that reaching the minimum requirement for the day was quite enough!!
So, what have I learnt from this run? Well:
Number one - check the full weather report before going out - and choosing an appropriate route for the conditions! I'm sure, had I picked a flatter route out of the wind, I could have done the 9 miles much more comfortably!
Number two - Put a spare change of clothes in the car, if running away from home. My cold feet were begging for a dry pair of socks to drive back in!! And an extra jumper would have been good, as once I stopped it felt cold pretty quickly!
Number three - Leave some food in the car! I was starving when I finished, and would have been hugely appreciative of a quick snack rather than having to wait to get home. Something other than water to drink could be useful as well - I need to start trying out the sports drinks now I'm approaching the hour long runs as I'm sure I could they would help with recovery, as well as performance on the actual run.
Number four - Don't beat yourself up if your run doesn't go to plan! Yes, I stopped earlier than intended, but then, I had a great run yesterday, I did the basic amount I needed to... and its only one run! and therefore isn't going to completely derail my marathon aims! learn what you can from it, forget the rest of it and get on with enjoying the rest of the running - it can only go better!!
