Week 6

In a fleeting moment of optimism I Googled the weather forecast for this week, see left. Running today seemed like a good idea.

Today I started my Week 6 training with the following:

Run 8 walk 3 x3

Running for 8 minutes doesn't sound very impressive at first, but the DCCT plan points out that when starting from just 1 minute of running, running for 8 minutes is an 800% improvement, which sounds pretty good! I must say, I was worried when I set out that I wouldn't be able to run for 8 minutes. I was having flashbacks to how my lungs struggled to manage 5 minutes and thought this might be their breaking point. I ran. I didn't break. Even better, I quite enjoyed myself. This seems bonkers given how challenging the past few weeks have been, but it seems I'm finally noticing some improvements in my fitness. The day I thought would never arrive is here!

My training plan suggested I'd notice the iomprovements in my fitness arouund week 4. For me it took until week 6, so I guess the lesson is to keep at it, trust the plan, and stay positive.

Some Encouragement from the DCCT

It's Week 5, which I am relieved to discover is an "easy" week in my training plan. This means a couple of sessions of running just for 3 minutes at a time again. The week looks like this:

Run 3 walk 2 x 6
Run 3 walk 2 x 5
Run 5 walk 3 x 4

Apparently its good to have a few "easy" weeks of training here and there because it allows further recovery whilst keeping to a consistent routine. This is a better approach than just increasing the training each week as it reduces the likelihood of injury.

I was also pleasantly surprised to receive a training plan yesterday from the Derby 10k organisers, which I wasn't expecting. This is a lot more detailed than the plan I'm currently following (it's 46 pages long!), but it makes for some very interesting reading. At present, I'm nearly half way through a 12 week couch to 10k running plan that I found online, which I'm managing ok with so far. The DCCT training plan is a 24 week plan that takes me from this week right up to race day. According to this plan, 24 weeks is the optimal training time for racing, particularly if you're new to running or are a couch potato embarking on a new exercise programme (which is good because I won't feel so bad if I don't manage it in 12 then!) 

Week 4 Done

Photo by Nandhu Kumar from Pexels

I completed Week 4 today. The fact I'm able to write that demonstrates that I'm a fitter person than I was 3 weeks ago, when running for 5 uninterrupted minutes would have been impossible. Week 4's requirements were:

Run 5 walk 3 x 4
Run 5 walk 3 x 3
Run 5 walk 3 x 5

I wasn't all that enthusiastic about running today. For a start I was running into quite a strong headwind, which impedes progress and can be quite demoralising. It also makes it harder to breathe, so my first couple of intervals were very challenging. However, once my body got accustomed to the idea of running, and I reached a more sheltered bit of road, things became a bit easier. My right leg was feeling it by the end of the run though. After more research I found that runners actively encourage training in headwinds as 'resistance training' to make you a stronger runner, so maybe it did me good after all?

While I'm seeing some positive results from my training, I'm also seeing how dreadfully unbalanced I am, in terms of the impact running is having on my body.

It was clear from my treadmill running (see video below) that my right leg is doing a lot more work than my left. My right shin was in agony whilst my left was fine.

Even more to work on

Photo by Joshua Rodriguez on Unsplash

After my second run of Week 4 I have concluded that run 2 is the "short" run because run 2 is the hardest.  I've found this every week since I started training. Run 1 and 3 are ok, and run 2 is a slog and usually touch and go whether I'll finish.

I had absolutely nothing in the tank for run 2, which was a shame as it was a really nice day for it.  Sadly this wasn't enough to motivate me and I definitely felt I was doing more of a slow shuffle than a run. I completed the intervals but I certainly didn't enjoy it. 

Sadly I've added to my list of body parts that need work this week, as I've learned that my ankle dorsiflexion is extremely limited. This happened entirely by accident as I was watching some strength training exercises for runners on YouTube, and one suggested getting into a very low squat, basically sitting on your heels, which should be planted firmly on the ground. This, for me, is impossible. My ankles have to raise off the ground for me to get even close, but even then my balance is rubbish and I can't hold it for long before falling backwards. 

Rain

I've tried so hard to do my third training of week 3. As we speak it is thumping down outside, to the point that running would simply be foolhardy.  What's annoying is I genuinely tried to solve this problem by driving to the gym yesterday so I could attempt to run on the treadmill. I had a feeling it wouldn't end well as my last session on the treadmill left me very sore. I managed 5 intervals of running on the treadmill a couple of days ago.  Yesterday I managed one. The searing shin pain just made training out of the question.  Now obviously this was frustrating as I'd just ventured out to the gym to complete week 3. It clearly wasn't going to happen though, so I made run number 3 into a cross-training session instead. It'll be fine, I thought, I can run on the road tomorrow instead. Well...the picture above shows how that plan turned out. Tomorrow doesn't look good either. So I'm going to have to admit defeat on this one and just owe Nottingham Forest Community Trust £2. Not for lack of trying though!

Shin splints

Photo by Justyn Warner on Unsplash

 The second day of training is meant to be the "easy" day. It has the shortest number of running intervals each week.  Yesterday I was at my local leisure centre so I decided to train indoors on the treadmill. I instantly remembered why I don't like doing this.  For a start it feels very different to the road. It's also harder to fire certain muscles because you're not pushing off from the ground in the same way, so for people like me trying activate glute muscles this isn't as effective a training method as hitting the tarmac. This article explains why.

Week 3

Photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash

The first run of Week 3 marks a landmark for me, as today was the first run where I did more running than walking.  Am I happy? Yes. Do I feel good? No. My calves are on fire. Never have I wanted a foam roller so much.  Sadly as my run finished at my place of work I shall have to wait until I get home to foam roll my sore legs. The moment I got here I did some quite urgent post-run stretches, but my legs know they've done something today. That's the first time the discomfort in my legs has outweighed the discomfort in my lungs. In a weird way it served as a useful distraction from my breathing, which usually gets my full attention. I'm looking forward to the moment where I can redirect my focus to the beautiful landscape around me, but I reckon I have a few weeks of training ahead of me before 'enjoying my run' will become a thing. As an added bonus today...no rain!!!