Sunday 1 August 2010

Down but far from out

Well that foot injury I picked up has gradually got better as the week went on and I think I am now at the point where I can introduce some light running as it is pain free now.

Has that stopped me? Well it stopped me running but that gym membership I got last month suddenly came in extremely useful! So I have been walking to the gym and back some nights and driving others. My foot was totally pain free when no pressure was put on it so here was my week:

Monday: 60 mins cross trainer - easy
16 minutes rowing - too long ago!

Tuesday: 30 minutes cross trainer - hard
18 minutes rowing - 3800 metres

Wednesday: 60 minutes cross trainer - hard

Thursday: 60 minutes cross trainer - hard
20 minutes rowing - highest strength - 4200 metres

Friday: Decided to rest just in case I was doing Helensburgh on Sunday - I so nearly went to the gym again though as my recoverys from each session have been literally overnight.

Saturday: I went down to park run, helped marshal the start then did registration with David and Hamish. Then had drinks in the Burrell with the gang and sorted the numbers. I then went for my test run to see what my foot was like and from that would decide whether to do Helensburgh. I was a lot better but when I went up to half marathon pace I did feel it a wee bit (maybe just my mind) so decided it wasn't worth it and when I look back it was a good decision anyway not to do Helensburgh this year. I was looking forward to Helensburgh as I knew a lot of folk from park run and my club doing it but at the same time though it would have been daft to do a race when I'm literally on the brink of returning from injury.

Sunday: I headed straight for the gym and did possibly the longest gym session I have ever done:

2 hours on the cross trainer - gradually increasing intensity throughout
1500 metres on the rower - I was planning on more but set off far too fast.
Some weights and small circuit session ( I did this on all my sessions through the week)

So overall a great week considering and its made me think about a lot of things too. Like I haven't really tested myself, road race wise since Troon 10k in early May. So I do wonder what all this different stuff I am doing including all the ultra stuff will affect my road race times. So I have decided as long as my injury is cleared up completely, I'll do a parkrun as my race for August. For this reason too, although I want to go more into ultra and hill running, I could never completely let go of road running. I have also been thinking about Loch Ness in October and I was hoping to get my tempo runs and longer runs in (no walking) but this hasn't happened for various reasons so I may just go up to Loch Ness for an easier run than planned (if there is such a thing in a marathon!). Instead of going for 8 min/ miles. Maybe start off 8.30 - 9 minute miles and because I blew up in Lochaber, I could even get a PB! But will just have to see how training goes.

In other news it has been great watching the European Athletics championships with all the British success, it is inspirational. A few things though have as always gone under the radar, not because of this, just because it is a minority sport. The Snowden hill race was on last weekend which is one of the biggest/famous hill races in Britain. The most amazing thing about this race this year was that not only did Scots win the male and female race. But the winners, Robbie Simpson and Catriona Buchanan are both 18! What amazing prospects for Scottish hill running. If you want to see a programme about it (click on English subtitles) follow this link:

Also further a field and I know she is not Scottish but Jamie Donaldson was first female and 3rd overall in Badwater 135 mile race for the 3rd year in a row breaking her own course record by half an hour! Zach Gingerich won the race, in just over 24 hours!

Next weekend it is the Devil O'highands race which is a 42 mile ultra from Tyndrum to Fort William. Looking forward to hearing how Sue from my club gets on. And looking at the line up I think the women's course record could go. Jez's men's record should be safe but who knows!

Anyway I'll be out for an easy jog tomorrow night and hopefully will be back training again proper by the end of the week.

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