At the physiotherapist again

Another session after a 2 week gap but things actually going well. A bit of tension in the left calf but nothing extreme (last week a similar know went with copious use of the roller) and not much else. I'm starting to believe that I am getting strength in the flexors of my left leg and they are up to the demands currently placed upon them - that is less than 30km.

We also discussed potential coaches and there's a list of 3 to try, including the circuits coach so that's something to follow-up in 2014 if I'm serious about the 100km.

50 mile training plan

I found this whilst googling. In theory quite doable but is a lot of time, whatever they say!

Round walk (3rd attempt)

Today was my third attempt at the Round Walk route and my third saturday run over 20km in a row. I feel if I want to achieve an ultramarathon distance reliably I have to make my long runs more regular and with a more gradual increase in difficulty. Last spring I went form 20km to 30km to 40km in rapid succession and that didn't work out well. Likewise in September I achieved an over 30km distance but it was very hard going and I can still feel the consequences now. My plan is to do at least 4 weeks for each stage before going up; even if, as this month I approach the next block.

The Christmas tree in Porter Valley

The Round Walk today was much harder than last week's Blacka Moor run. I thought that it might be due to a greater elevation component but on Strava there is basically no difference in total height gain. It might be that the ascent occurs throughout the run whilst moor runs tend to be up outbound and down on the return. This could show that I'm struggling with lactate buildup; do we believe it this theory?

Overall though I'm happy with the pace as it seems to be my fastest attempt:

• April 2013; gaining lots of speed and strength, 2:25
• September 2013; not as strong as I thought I was, 2:34
• December 2013; improving again, 2:22

Stretch & swim

The tender calf has been responding well to the roller in that the spasmed zone has relaxed; or maybe time would have healed it whatever. The important thing is that it's recovering.

Today's swim was no great advance. Three consecutive lengths with bilateral breathing are still a struggle but can be done with careful pacing. When my stroke is at its best I can feel how I'm pulling against the water at the deepest reach but maintaining form is a challenge. In general though it seems I am able to keep form more than I was a few weeks ago.

This is an interesting blog entry about how inefficient human swimmers are. So now I know why I can run so much further than I can swim. It looks as though I'm around the 3% mark.

Cramp!

I woke in the middle of the night with cramp in my calf muscles. This isn't all that unusual and seems to have as much to do with genes as running as my mother suffers from leg cramps and I don't think she has ever run 10km, and certainly not in the last 30 years. This time the pain was a little higher than usual and the muscles were reluctant to relax. I had to get the roller on them for 10 minutes before I dared do much stretching.

During the day I've used the roller and stretched a few times and now it's only mildly irritating. Hamstring and behind the knee seems OK. All the same chain of muscles though. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with wearing my more worn (>500km) shoes. I don't know, but it's logged here now.

I'd best go and do more rolling.

Half marathon PB set

I've not done much distance this week for a variety of reasons but that meant that I felt able to achieve something this morning. I decided to aim for a good time on my Blacka Moor half marathon. I set off in drizzle and as that eased and the sun rose I became a little warm. On the uphill section the pace was looking good and I arrived at Oxstones only a little behind 6min/km. During the descent to home it occurred to me that a sub-2 hour time might be achievable, I estimated that I needed a pace of 5:40 (having calculated it at home I have found it's nearer 5:38). Of course, to pull down to that I'd have to be going close to a 5 minute pace for the last third.

An atmospheric sky

I made a real effort; the descents I kept steady but I tried hard to keep going on the few gentle and not-so-gentle rises close to home. Anyway, I achieved it just, with a time of 1:58:48. That was very close!

Pace (lower) and grade adjusted pace (upper) show very good consistency during the run

Hard work on the circuits

Observations from the last 2 weeks lead me to believe that the circuit class is hard on the delicate hamstring. Of course, they are supposed to be strengthening sessions and that requires an element of overload. During Monday and Tuesday the irritation eases but then exercises such as single leg squats (using TRX for balance) reactivate it. When you're doing day-to-day activities and exercises there is usually some compensation between legs but in this sort of isolation exercise the weaker one can't be helped out. Hopefully as it strengthens the problem will fade...