Category Archives: Exercise

Silverstone Half Marathon – Last Training Run

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I'd very much hoped that by the time the Silverstone Half Marathon came along running 13.1 miles would be 'just another training run' but with the issues I've had with my knee it clearly isn't. I think to be honest that running 13.1 miles will always be a big day out for me it'll never be 'just another training run' but so long as I can fit in enough 'big days out' between now and May then I'm happy with that. One thing I do need to learn now is how to pace myself. I've been finding I am now running at between 9 and 10 minute miles where before I was running between 10 and 12 minute miles. The increase in speed is good … it shows that the training is paying off even though I've had to scale it back a bit. The problem is I cannot run 26.2 miles at that pace so I need to slow myself down at the start. I use a GPS but even with it I find I am going faster than I want to. Today I'd aimed for 10 minute miles but landed up at 9:23. It's not a huge difference but I'll be kicking myself I I go off too fast in Edinburgh and then flake out at 18 miles. More training required I think! 

I did my last training run today and now will be giving myself a rest before the big day on Sunday. I managed 8.03 miles on 1:15:13 giving an average pace of 9:23 minute miles. If I can keep that up for another 5.1 miles I'll come on just over 2 hours but just under my Brass Monkey time of 2:07:18. So wish me luck (and sponsor me, links are below) and I'll report back from the finish line, or the nearest Wifi enabled place after the finish line! 

Charity Sites

Yorkshire Air Ambulance

Round Table Children's Wish

Help For Heroes

Just Giving Sites

Just Giving – Yorkshire Air Ambulance

Just Giving – Round Table Children's Wish

Just Giving – Help for Heroes

To run or not to run … that is the question

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This Sunday (11th March) is the Silverstone Half Marathon. It is the 4th event in my year of running. Unfortunately I have been having a little trouble with my right knee and haven't been getting in as much running as my training plan would like. Last week I managed 4 miles without too much trouble but this is far off doing the 10 – 12 I should be doing before a half marathon and nowhere near where I should be on in the run up to the Edinburgh Marathon on May. I was therefore starting to seriously consider whether I should go through with the Silverstone Half as it may put the more important runs (Edinburgh and Liverpool Marathons) in jeopardy. 

As I have said in previous posts I've been hitting the bike quite hard trying to strengthen the knee up again so it can handle the running but I wasn't sure whether a) it was working or b) whether I'd be ready for the Silverstone Half. Today I went out for a run from work and can very happily say that my knee held up fine and my pace was plenty fast enough still. 5.96 Miles on 55.48 giving an average pace of 9:22 minute miles which would put me just over the 2 hour mark on Sunday which I'd be quite happy with at this point. 

So the verdict is … I'll be going to Silverstone on Sunday and aiming for a sub 2:10 finish. However I'm fully prepared to slow up and if need be stop if the knee is being a problem. At the end of the day this is just a training run for Edinburgh and I want to make sure I am fighting fit for the end of May. 

February Exercise Totals

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So having been injured my running has been somewhat less that intended this month but I've been putting the miles in on the bike (both outside and on the rollers) to try and strengthen the knee up and get back out running. Not long to go until Silverstone so have some work to do. 

Walking: 13.47 Miles

Running: 25.35 Miles

Riding: 142.28 Miles

Total: 181.10 Miles

Injury

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So I suppose it was bound to happen at some point given the amount of training I am trying to do. I'm injured. At first I had hoped it was just a little niggle and would go away but it doesn't seem to be at the moment. Seems to be centering around my right knee although mostly muscular around it. Stared off in my calf but now seem to be the bottom of my thigh. I'll be of to see Aiden at ITRM Chiropractic Clinic at some point soon to see what he can do but am now looking at a second week of not really running. Need to get it sorted soon as it's not long to go till the next event and I need to be upping the mileage ready for the marathons. 

Janathon – 31st, The last day

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So I'm quite pleased with myself today. Yesterday I had tried to run faster than my usual plodding pace and although I had managed a little faster it was nothing to write home about. I'd been aiming for 9:30 average pace over 4 miles and got 9:43 average pace over just short of 4 miles. Today I went out with the aim of doing 9:30 average pace over 4 miles again but a strange thing happened. I felt quite good and was going quite fast. In fact I was just under 9 minute miles for the first few miles. As I was feeling good I kept going and ended up doing 5.75 miles and the average pace at the end of this … wait for it … 9:10 which I am quite pleased with. I was out for a total of 52:45 but then stopped to pick up supplies and sort out some bank stuff in Heslington and walked the 0.5 miles back to the office. This seemed to make stretching a whole lot easier, maybe this is that warming down thing people talk about!

So that's Janathon over and done with as Sarah is going out tonight so I won't get any more done. The final totals are not as big as in November but I had other things on my mind for the best part of January and running was by far the biggest part of the totals this time rather than riding. I had 7 days off during January which is 7 more than I did in November. It should be noted though that this morning I weighed myself and was 13 stone 12 pounds so it has had some effect! The final totals are:

Running: 86.29 Miles (812 Minutes) – 163% of November (52.77 Miles)

Riding: 21.65 Miles (111 Minutes) - 15% of November (152.47 Miles)

Swimming: 2.86 Miles (85 Minutes) – ∞% of November (0 Miles)

Other: 5.13 Miles (98 Minutes) - 43% of November (12.01  Miles)

Total: 115.93 Miles (1106 Minutes) - 53% of November (217.25 Miles)

Janathon – 30th, Just a short one … but faster than usual

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So Sarah keeps telling me I need to mix up my training and do some short fast runs as well as trying to do distance. Today I went out for a short run around new campus with the aim of and average pace of 9:30. I did 3.88 miles in 37:39 giving an average pace of 9:43 so didn't quite make my target. It's quite hard trying to run at any other pace than plodding! Apparently I need to do some interval sessions … I don't even know what they are but I've seen what they do to Sarah so they can't be very pleasant!

Last day of January and therefore last day of Janathon tomorrow. I've not managed to do as much as I had hoped this time round, but my running distances are well up on November. The main difference is having not been out on the bike very much. That's partly due to some icy weather early in the month but also due to trying to cram in the running. I've certainly not managed every day as I did in November so that's hurt the numbers. Although if I can carry on trying to get out 4 – 5 times a week I'll be quite happy. The effects of trying to exercise every day, and succeeding in exercising most days, have been pretty impressive so far. Since September I have lost about 11 pounds and since February last year I have lost nearly 25 pounds! I am no longer 'Obese' and now just 'Overweight' but am hoping to get towards the 'Normal' range before this year … if I manage that I'll have lost nearly 4 stone!

Janathon – 29th, A Day in Nottingham

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Didn't do any exercise today as we were in Nottingham to catch up with friends. I did however order a new boat (Stomper 80, hopefully in PINK) from Desperate Measures which should lead to more time in a boat. Didn't decide on a playboat but a new one of those will be coming and them some days at Nottingham with Dennis getting back into Freestyle.  

Janathon – 28th, A bit of offroad

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I went out for a run with Kelly and Sarah today. We built in a shorter loop for Kelly and then headed out to the beach aiming for around 10 miles. At about 3 miles I didn't think there was any way I was going to make it to 10, especially not with Sarah running 2 paces in front of me all the time. I don't know why but it really winds me up. Sarah definitely has a very different running style to me … I'm very much a plodder whereas she likes to push it as hard as possible all the time. I had planned a route in advance to try and take in some of the trails in the woods around Formby that we used to mountain bike on when we were kids. I figured Sarah would really like them as she is much happier off road than on. In the end we managed 9.81 miles of which around  5 miles was offroad with that being a mix between the beach, sand dunes and pine woods. I think we both could have gone a little further but we were starting to run out of time and light! Average pace was 10:56 and we were out for 1:47:17. 

A result of all the offroad is that the tops of my feet hurt now. I think I curl my big toes up when I am coming down steep uneven terrain which pushes the top of my feet against my trainers. Hopefully it will subside soon. Then I need to stop myself doing weird things with my feet when offroad!