Pennine Bridleway Relay - first trail run

Well I did my first trail run on Sunday - helping out the Chester Tri with leg 3 of the Pennine Bridleway Relay near Hebden Bridge. The run wasnt too bad - as the pace wasnt lung busting, but a couple of nice long climbs that certainly got the system going. Although I felt fine at the end - the legs were certainly stiff today - so have just completed a 45 minute spin on the indoor turbo to try and loosen up a bit :0)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/66011225

Short run along the Dee to stretch the legs

Short run along the Dee and back along the canal - felt stiff when set off, but gradually loosened off - did feel the knee slightly so going to concentrate on stretching the IT Band over the next couple of days to make sure its better for Sunday. Just looked and the quickest Ive done that run in a while too :0)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/65384958

Busy few days

Well I've had a busy few days with work and exercise - as well as being roped into a run at the weekend.

Since Tuesday morning I was able to do an indoor turbo session on Tuesday night - kept the HR in Zone 2 until final 5 mins. Good session as pushed it. Did the sessions after doing sets on the dumb bells as well as situps and planks for the core.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/65377293


I followed this up on Wednesday morning with an early morning Spinning session at Total Fitness - which gave me another 45 minutes session. Wednesday also saw me offer myself as a team relay member for the Pennine Bridleway Relay on Sunday morning - at the time I didnt realise it was for the hilliest leg, but now actually looking forward to do something a little different from the normal exercise.


Well I'd better get out for a shorter run this evening to keep things ticking over - as I havent ran since Monday :0(

Monday - two sessions

Following a rest day on Sunday - I decided to do two sessions on Monday. The first was the early morning spin class at Total Fitness which went well (I know Ive got toput some swimming in  :0( but my neck isnt good at the moment following being knocked over by the car last Monday night).

After work I went out again for a six mile steady run around Chester by myself - which went ok, the legs and lungs are both definitely getting stronger - but I'm going to aim to pull myself back a little bit more to keep my HR under 154 at the weekend to aid recovery and fat burning. But certainly appear to be getting over my flu and back to a better form of fitness.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/65055690

Run along the River Dee towards Queensferry

Run along the River Dee towards Queensferry and back - stopped a few times to help Lydia who was cycling alongside us on her new bike. Felt pretty good, so certainly feel the fitness is getting better and didnt really feel any of the injuries from the accident.  My running partner, Keats, is now away to Aus for three weeks,  so thats not going to help me - but will test my motivation a bit more with distances and speed.


 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64541769

Wednesday night run - Wrexham Rd to the River Dee

Well following the car incident and being a little stiff all over I thought it would be better to get out there - both physically and mentally, so I met Chris at Bank of America for a 5 mile run (along with the new Brooks trainers).

It was colder than I though but decided to do about 5 miles - and the new trainers felt great and I could instantly tell the difference and the support (although not as comfy/spongy as the Asics these trainers do want they should and keep the foot in the right position and mean my knee isnt being stretched). We ended up running into Chester and along the river - and to be honest, its the best run of the year yet - with an avg speed of 7:30 min/miles I felt great - but maybe not good enough to complete the Four Villages Half Marathon at the weekend (as my leg, hand and neck still aren't 100% following the accident).

Here is the garmin of Wednesday's run - going to rest for a couple of days now because of work - but planning on doing a decent run on Saturday morning, so get in some miles
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64318411

Gait Analysis

Well getting knocked over certainly made me think a bit more and has actually given me extra focus (especially at junctions). So on Wednesday, after giving myself a rest day on Tuesday, I decided to go for a Gait Analysis, at www.triactive.co.uk in Chester. I've realised for a while that my pronation seemed to be impacting me - but I diidnt think this was a major issue, until I saw the video of my running in the existing Asics Nimbus trainers (of which I've now had 3 pairs). The over pronation was pretty substantially - actually quite scary to be honest - and definitely one of the causes of my IT band issues.

So Graeme from Triactive helped my try a number of shoes with more support, be none seemed to support adequately until we tried the Brooks Trance 10. This shoe had all the support I needed - especially in the heal, which should save a lot of extra energy. Although they cost me another £100 its going to save on the sports massage and should help speed me up over the next few months.

After the gait analysis, I think its probably time to get a proper bike fit and video swim appraisal - as both may save me a lot of pain and money down the line from sports massage, physio, etc.  So thats next, just need to get them booked now :0)

Run, car accident, ambulance, hospital - thats not Ironman training!!!!

Well this Ironman training lark is harder than I thought - after feeling good following the early morning Spinning class I decided to double it up with a 5 mile run in the evening. Unfortunately the run ended pretty quickly - probably about 200yards - and another 25 more if you add the additional where I was carried forward by the car impact :0(

After turning the first corner from my house, Keats and I were crossing a junction - safely or so we thought, as a car had to stop as cars were coming along the main Sealand Road!!! The woman driver had other ideas and accelerated as she hadnt seen me in my luminous running jacket :0( BANG - luckily I saw her coming because I heard the acceleration from the engine - which meant I was able to jump onto the bonnet and then flung forward into the middle of the road once she had stopped doing her make up - and braked. OUCH I thought - that did hurt and a bit down the road in the only f****** puddle I lay :0(   i waited for a bit as I lay in shock - the driver came out and apologised - she said she didnt see me - thank f*** for that at least she wasnt aiming at me anyway (could have being a bitter mackem or the ex-wife). In the meantime the guy coming along Sealand Road had phoned for an ambulance - and reported that I was in my mid-twenties - RESULT you've got to accept these compliments whenever they come - even if you are lying in the middle of the road feeling like sh**

So one ambulance and two police cars later - in a bit of pain and blood pressure sky high - I'm whisked off to the Countess of Chester Hospital strapped up so that I cant move with neck brace etc for X rays!!!. got to say they were really good in there and after about 90 minutes I was checked over - a little bruised and battered - but ok !!!

So this morning after my brekkie - I decided to upload the Garmin from last night  - take a look - at least I know the heart rate can go low now - seems it was down to 40bpm at one point - and pretty low for a good period last night!!! And there's me thinking it would sky rocket!!!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/63931685

Ironman training must continue - but might have a day off today!!! Back on it tomorrow though!!!

Turbo session while listening to North East derby

Weather outside is shocking so decided to put in another turbo session whilst listening to the North East Derby. Definitely feeling like Im over the flu illness I had over the holidays - so can now build the fitness without worrying about the Heart Rate being sky high.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/63659476

Saturday run - Chester ring road, zoo and canal run - 10 miles

Tried a longer run today to see if I could do the Four Villages next Sunday. On the positive the HR was down nearly 20bpm from recent runs - now just need to get the fitness back. A pretty slow pace - but considering the past two months was happy to get a 10 mile+ run in. Did feel my knee slightly near the end - the runners knee injury I had following the Amsterdam marathon.  I think its time to do another Gait analysis to see whether I the trainers need more support in the right front to help the injury - and also not to myself to do more stretching on the IT Band.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/63497874 

Thursday run - Chester loop run - slightly better

Slightly better run - as HR seems to be going the right way. Fitness not there - but at least I can see a positive from the run. 
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/63214755

Indoor turbo session - still a struggle

Turbo indoors to keep ticking over - planned to do 45 minutes but really struggling after a number of sessions already this week. Was already feeling stiff from yesterdays session, and struggled to continue so decided to put in hard final 10 mins with steady 30 minutes. Seems the HR came down again from the turbo at the end of last week, so there are a couple of positives out of this session - so I guess they all add up.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/63089331

Still struggling - but slight improvement in running

Well I did a morning and evening session to day - to try and get back into the rhythm. Went to the gym and did warm up on the bike then 40 minutes of weights followed by another 30 minutes on the bike which blew a few cobwebs away :0)

That was followed by an evening run around Chester - still struggling since flu - but run the third run is certainly the best yet - so hopefully just a matter of putting in a few more runs and the heart will get back into a rhythm, although feel like I'm back to square one.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/62997486

Another run - slightly better - but HR still went really high :0(

Run with Keats & Titley - startedoff ok but HR again went really high (upto 176bpm) when not going a fast pace at all. Now wondering how long it'll take to get back to pre-flu (1min mile slower at the moment at a higher HR :0( Guess I've just got to keep going and hopefully clear the lungs and the chest - which isnt 100%. As worried about the HR up 20bpm+ at a not so fast pace
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/62870436

Spin class

Well after feeling stiff on Sunday and using it as a rest day, I decided to get to the early Spinning class at the gym this morning which made me feel a bit better.

Tried to keep the HR just in Zone 2 - but because of the setup of the bikes I really dont know what my power output for the session was like - but at least it give me a good workout for this morning. Will double this up with a short run this evening.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/62809316

Second dreadful run of the year

Second run following the flu and still really struggling - never had the heart rate that high for a year or so, and certainly not for that long - and for such a slow pace - bit gutted and scared now :0(  rest day required now

See the poor performance figures on the Garmin stats
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/62453557

First indoor spin of the year

First spin of the year following illness and Xmas. Provided an absolute nightmare and very very hard work - HR was right up even at low power output, so emphasized how my fitness has been impacted by the flu and the Xmas alcohol :0(  give me even more reason to have at least one dry month :0)

Here;s the garmin results on the spin - really disappointed :0(
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/62329154

First run of the year

Well after the flu and excesses of Xmas this run was REALLY painful. Couldnt keep the Heart Rate down even at a very slow pace - scary how quickly you can let it go. So I'm definitely off the alcohol for at LEAST January now - lets see how that ones goes :0)

Here is the first and worst run of the year hopefully.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/62227361

Training nightmare - Ironman training begins

Well leading up to Xmas the flu set in and the alcohol over Xmas probably didnt help at all - so its now been over two of doing absolutely nothing.

The only productive thing I seem to have done over the Xmas is somehow spend a small fortune on a nice new Cannondale Slice for 2011 :0)  oh yes it is my baby :0)

Well Keats has just brought to my attention that the Four Villages Half Marathon is now only two weeks away so I'd better get out there tonight to put just a few miles in to see how it goes :0(

But today is the start of training for Ironman Wales 2011