I don't know if you have ever noticed, but at the bottom right had corner of my blog there is a little app called feedjit which maps where visitors to my blog come from. I am a bit of a web geek after all so I find this kind of thing interesting.
Last week I noticed quite a few visitors from Seattle, WA, USA appeared which is a bit of a coincidence as I often go to Seattle with work. On further investigation, it appeared they found my blog in google when searching for "light at the end of the tunnel marathon". (My blog turned up as that was one of my postings earlier on this year.
So, what were they searching for? Well, there is a marathon in Seattle called The light at the end of the tunnel marathon which takes place in August. It's ao off road trail marathon which decends 2050 feet in 26.2 miles and is possibly the fatest Boston qualifier marathon. Sounds good doesn't it? Apparently there are 2 1/4 miles in a tunnel (15' wide and 30 ' tall) though, not sure I really like the sound of that! Have a look at it, it looks lovely!
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Monday, 25 August 2008
All dressed up and nowhere to go
I am currently sitting here in my running kit after haivng to abort my efforts at a long run this morning after approximately 400m. I felt a bit sick, my head is all a bit woolly and my legs were completely empty. Not good.
It all started on Friday evening. Gary and I lounged at home, ate the leftovers from the Olympic themed handicap we had at the club on Thursday night and had a wee glass of wine (or 3 in my case...). I spent the rest of the night feeling very ill indeed and being sick and despite the fact I had some wine I am pretty sure that this was not alchohol related, I am currently blaming either dodgy chicken at Nandos, dodgy gelato at the local ice cream shop or my morning coffee (and Friday almond croissant treat bought for me by a colleague at Monmouth coffee (this all says very bad things about my daily food intake, this isn't usual but point taken).
Anyway, I woke up on Saturday morning feeling terible and spent all day in a heap on the sofa not moving and watching the penultimate day of the Olympics. To illustrate my bleughness I even chose not to go for lunch at my favorite restaurant, Just 32. I also didn't do the tidying up that Gary is so keen that I do! Given I had hardly eaten all day I thought running on Sunday would not be a good idea (although I felt loads better) so I decided today was the day. But it turned out not to be the case, ho hum.
It's worrying when you miss out on a few days training in a row. You start to become a bit manic and neurotic, worrying about how this will affect your big race in a couple of months time. I am trying not to worry and attempting not to fall into the trap of forcing yourself to run when you really don't feel up to it.
Apart from this recent disaster, how's has the rest of my training been going then? Well, not too bad really, a bit up and down but generally ok.
Week two
Sunday: post wedding recovery...
Monday: 11.5 miles in total (see also my comments on this)
Tuesday: 0 (cooking at the club!)
Wednesday: 7.5 miles
Thursday: Circuits in the morning, 0 miles running, travelling to my sister's wedding
Friday: 0, having my hair done for my sister's wedding
Saturday: 0, post wedding recovery
Total: 19 plus one circuits class
Verdict: erm, not good
Week three
Sunday: 15 miles in Preston
Monday: 0
Tuesday: Circuits in the morning, 6 miles at the club in the evening
Wednesday: 0 (went to Dublin for the day and had to cook on thursday so no time for running :-()
Thursday: 3.5 miles Olympic handicap race
Friday: 0
Saturday: 0
Total: 24.5
Verdict: Good long run but generally disappointing
It all started on Friday evening. Gary and I lounged at home, ate the leftovers from the Olympic themed handicap we had at the club on Thursday night and had a wee glass of wine (or 3 in my case...). I spent the rest of the night feeling very ill indeed and being sick and despite the fact I had some wine I am pretty sure that this was not alchohol related, I am currently blaming either dodgy chicken at Nandos, dodgy gelato at the local ice cream shop or my morning coffee (and Friday almond croissant treat bought for me by a colleague at Monmouth coffee (this all says very bad things about my daily food intake, this isn't usual but point taken).
Anyway, I woke up on Saturday morning feeling terible and spent all day in a heap on the sofa not moving and watching the penultimate day of the Olympics. To illustrate my bleughness I even chose not to go for lunch at my favorite restaurant, Just 32. I also didn't do the tidying up that Gary is so keen that I do! Given I had hardly eaten all day I thought running on Sunday would not be a good idea (although I felt loads better) so I decided today was the day. But it turned out not to be the case, ho hum.
It's worrying when you miss out on a few days training in a row. You start to become a bit manic and neurotic, worrying about how this will affect your big race in a couple of months time. I am trying not to worry and attempting not to fall into the trap of forcing yourself to run when you really don't feel up to it.
Apart from this recent disaster, how's has the rest of my training been going then? Well, not too bad really, a bit up and down but generally ok.
Week two
Sunday: post wedding recovery...
Monday: 11.5 miles in total (see also my comments on this)
Tuesday: 0 (cooking at the club!)
Wednesday: 7.5 miles
Thursday: Circuits in the morning, 0 miles running, travelling to my sister's wedding
Friday: 0, having my hair done for my sister's wedding
Saturday: 0, post wedding recovery
Total: 19 plus one circuits class
Verdict: erm, not good
Week three
Sunday: 15 miles in Preston
Monday: 0
Tuesday: Circuits in the morning, 6 miles at the club in the evening
Wednesday: 0 (went to Dublin for the day and had to cook on thursday so no time for running :-()
Thursday: 3.5 miles Olympic handicap race
Friday: 0
Saturday: 0
Total: 24.5
Verdict: Good long run but generally disappointing
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Week two, how are you?
Not too bad thank you!
First update of week two (NYCM - 12 weeks) is that Gary and I spent the weekend in France at a wedding. We were in the south of France inland from Cannes near Grasse in a village called Mouans Sartoux which given the weather (hot), the terrain (hilly) and the amount of alcohol (loads) was not conducive to a long run. We did manage a mini run on the Saturday with some plan or not of some more running.
Sunday was out (wedding recovery!) and Monday was the day we were coming back. Was it better to do a long run in France or a long run in England on our return. In the end we decided to do a bit of both. We started with around 5 miles in the morning. Look at the elevation, it was hilly! Then we trekked home and both finished off (in a very tired fashion!) in the evening. I managed 11.5 miles in total, Gary went a bit further.
So, what training benefit is there from running twice a day? Is it worth it? Is it a waste of time? Unsurprisingly I decided to google this.
So, according to google, this is called doing "doubles" and is not usually for the faint hearted. Pete Pfitzinger has written an interesting article on this. He writes "Staying with longer single runs builds endurance, while shorter doubles allow you to train at a faster pace". He also writes "if you are preparing for a marathon and are running less than 75 miles per week, then you should not be running doubles.". Oops, well, this wasn't exactly why we doubled up actually...Finally he states that "an easy 30 minute run on the same day as your medium long run will provide an incremental training stimulus by depleting your carbohydrate stores and training your muscles to rely more on fat at a given speed. It is preferable to add 30 minutes in the evening after a medium long run in the morning. Only do a morning run before an evening medium long run if it will not tire you out for the evening run. A better quality medium long run is preferable to a double in which your medium long run is a slog."
Ah, maybe it wasn't such a silly idea after all?
Of course, Runners World forum members have debated this (and everything else it appears...).
It does sound like convenience sometimes dictates one run or two in a day. I tend to think that something is better than nothing and that was why we ended up doing what we did (and debating it at great length too!).
First update of week two (NYCM - 12 weeks) is that Gary and I spent the weekend in France at a wedding. We were in the south of France inland from Cannes near Grasse in a village called Mouans Sartoux which given the weather (hot), the terrain (hilly) and the amount of alcohol (loads) was not conducive to a long run. We did manage a mini run on the Saturday with some plan or not of some more running.
Sunday was out (wedding recovery!) and Monday was the day we were coming back. Was it better to do a long run in France or a long run in England on our return. In the end we decided to do a bit of both. We started with around 5 miles in the morning. Look at the elevation, it was hilly! Then we trekked home and both finished off (in a very tired fashion!) in the evening. I managed 11.5 miles in total, Gary went a bit further.
So, what training benefit is there from running twice a day? Is it worth it? Is it a waste of time? Unsurprisingly I decided to google this.
So, according to google, this is called doing "doubles" and is not usually for the faint hearted. Pete Pfitzinger has written an interesting article on this. He writes "Staying with longer single runs builds endurance, while shorter doubles allow you to train at a faster pace". He also writes "if you are preparing for a marathon and are running less than 75 miles per week, then you should not be running doubles.". Oops, well, this wasn't exactly why we doubled up actually...Finally he states that "an easy 30 minute run on the same day as your medium long run will provide an incremental training stimulus by depleting your carbohydrate stores and training your muscles to rely more on fat at a given speed. It is preferable to add 30 minutes in the evening after a medium long run in the morning. Only do a morning run before an evening medium long run if it will not tire you out for the evening run. A better quality medium long run is preferable to a double in which your medium long run is a slog."
Ah, maybe it wasn't such a silly idea after all?
Of course, Runners World forum members have debated this (and everything else it appears...).
It does sound like convenience sometimes dictates one run or two in a day. I tend to think that something is better than nothing and that was why we ended up doing what we did (and debating it at great length too!).
Week one training update
So, how was week 1 then? Week one was NYCM - 13 weeks and was the first week where I really started to concentrate on training for this darn marathon.
One of my main aims of training this time round is to get regular long runs (half the distance of the longest run) in on a Wednesday and sadly I didn't make that in week one. Instead I went to see Mamma Mia with some work colleagues (the stage show, not the film)...not a bad excuse really.
I am keeping track of my training (and Gary's) in an excel spreadsheet on my work laptop so if you ever see me on the train tapping away I an probably trying to find ways to make my mileage look like more than it actually is!
Anyway, back to week one:
Sunday: 12.5 miles long run(ish), tool me ages (I think around 2 and a half hours) and there was loads of walking
Tuesday: Circuits (am), 6 miles off road at the running club (pm)
Saturday: 3 miles in Mouans Sartoux, France
Total: 1 gym session, 21.5 miles.
Verdict: OK start but could do better
Oh, and as i am using a american book for guidance this time round, all the weeks start on Sundays not Mondays, they do say a change is as good as a rest!
One of my main aims of training this time round is to get regular long runs (half the distance of the longest run) in on a Wednesday and sadly I didn't make that in week one. Instead I went to see Mamma Mia with some work colleagues (the stage show, not the film)...not a bad excuse really.
I am keeping track of my training (and Gary's) in an excel spreadsheet on my work laptop so if you ever see me on the train tapping away I an probably trying to find ways to make my mileage look like more than it actually is!
Anyway, back to week one:
Sunday: 12.5 miles long run(ish), tool me ages (I think around 2 and a half hours) and there was loads of walking
Tuesday: Circuits (am), 6 miles off road at the running club (pm)
Saturday: 3 miles in Mouans Sartoux, France
Total: 1 gym session, 21.5 miles.
Verdict: OK start but could do better
Oh, and as i am using a american book for guidance this time round, all the weeks start on Sundays not Mondays, they do say a change is as good as a rest!
Sunday, 3 August 2008
And so it begins...
Today was my first official run (or in my current state of fitness run/walk) in my New York Marathon training...12.2 miles...
Long time no blog...
Too many hen dos, trips to Seattle, coughs, colds, work and holidays have meant I haven't blogged for ages. And the lack of blogging is reflected in the amount of running I've been doing. Anyway, I'm back now with renewed enthusiasm (if not fitness)...
So, what's been happening recently? Well, we did brilliantly at our fourth midweek league race and almost (but not quite) won the league and got promoted (that was quite exciting). Sadly I missed the Mob Match due to hot date with Christine Sharp at the exciting AGM at the Letchworth Corner Sports and Social Club. Probably the less said about this the better but I've had more interesting evenings!
I spent a week in Seattle with work, the expedia website was had a succesful (more or less) upgrade and I had a week on holiday in Somerset which was fun despite the nasty cough I took with me.
All in all, this does add up to not a lot of training. So, in true Lindsay style I decided to find out how quickly you loose your fitness.
According to this Runners World Article "Most runners can be completely sedentary for a week without losing much fitness. After two weeks, you’ll notice a change, and after three weeks of complete rest, you’ll experience a significant loss of fitness, leaving you feeling ‘untrained’. Five weeks with no training will cause a loss of race-readiness."
Time to run state that "After a long layoff you're bound to lose at least some fitness. A general rule of thumb is that it takes about two weeks of "retraining" to come back from every week in which you do no exercise."
Brian Mac confirm that "When training ceases the training effect will also stop. It gradually reduces at approximately one third of the rate of acquisition."
Eek, this doesn't look good for me does it? So why is this and what is it called?
I found an interesting post on another blog (I must try harder) where the blogger talks in more detail about this:
Reversibility
One of the core concepts of training is reversibility, which simply details that when a training stimulus is inadequate or absent then the physiological aspect it relates to begins to decline. Or even more simply, use it or lose it. As a rule of thumb it is thought to take between 2 and 6 weeks to lose a "significant level of conditioning".
Maximal oxygen uptake (V02 max) declines by 4-20% in 2 weeks
Endurance athletes have a 5-12% decline in blood volume in 2 DAYS.
In eight weeks the dimensions of the heart decrease in parallel with stroke volume. The left ventricle can decrease by up to 20% in 3 weeks
Maximal voluntary ventilation (breathing rate) can decrease by 10-14% within a month.
Oxygen uptake by muscles can decrease by 8-12% in 3 weeks
There are other stats from a variety of studies, but the main point is that 3-8 weeks of complete inactivity can have an immense affect on your level of conditioning. Even 2 weeks complete rest can diminish your hard earned conditioning by a significant degree.
Oh, and before I forget, here's a running and beer article from
Runners world which is somewhat related to my last blog post about beer and running.
So, what's been happening recently? Well, we did brilliantly at our fourth midweek league race and almost (but not quite) won the league and got promoted (that was quite exciting). Sadly I missed the Mob Match due to hot date with Christine Sharp at the exciting AGM at the Letchworth Corner Sports and Social Club. Probably the less said about this the better but I've had more interesting evenings!
I spent a week in Seattle with work, the expedia website was had a succesful (more or less) upgrade and I had a week on holiday in Somerset which was fun despite the nasty cough I took with me.
All in all, this does add up to not a lot of training. So, in true Lindsay style I decided to find out how quickly you loose your fitness.
According to this Runners World Article "Most runners can be completely sedentary for a week without losing much fitness. After two weeks, you’ll notice a change, and after three weeks of complete rest, you’ll experience a significant loss of fitness, leaving you feeling ‘untrained’. Five weeks with no training will cause a loss of race-readiness."
Time to run state that "After a long layoff you're bound to lose at least some fitness. A general rule of thumb is that it takes about two weeks of "retraining" to come back from every week in which you do no exercise."
Brian Mac confirm that "When training ceases the training effect will also stop. It gradually reduces at approximately one third of the rate of acquisition."
Eek, this doesn't look good for me does it? So why is this and what is it called?
I found an interesting post on another blog (I must try harder) where the blogger talks in more detail about this:
Reversibility
One of the core concepts of training is reversibility, which simply details that when a training stimulus is inadequate or absent then the physiological aspect it relates to begins to decline. Or even more simply, use it or lose it. As a rule of thumb it is thought to take between 2 and 6 weeks to lose a "significant level of conditioning".
There are other stats from a variety of studies, but the main point is that 3-8 weeks of complete inactivity can have an immense affect on your level of conditioning. Even 2 weeks complete rest can diminish your hard earned conditioning by a significant degree.
Oh, and before I forget, here's a running and beer article from
Runners world which is somewhat related to my last blog post about beer and running.
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