I notice a few of you have indicated "avoiding injury" as part of your Quest. Have a think about how you are going to action this goal achievably and measurably. For example, your plan might be (perhaps based upon your experience of a recent injury) to listen to your body and ease back on your running schedule if you feel a niggle (credit to Nowster for this idea). To measure your progress with this you could keep a diary of all your runs and use it to compare the circumstances that lead to your injury.
I found a great idea for a strategy in the book I'm reading at the moment - Out of Thin Air by Michael Crawley - I got it for Christmas from my Mum! π Mike is an anthropologist and 2:20 marathoner, who went out to Ethiopia to study the runners there. It is fascinating to read about Ethiopia and what it's like to run there (serious altitude!), the Ethiopian runners' unique perspectives, and also just generally about the world of elite runners (HOW fast???? The mind boggles!!).
The runners often train in forests, and some have naturally developed a technique of zigzagging back and forth amongst the trees:
"By constantly changing direction and avoiding firmly packed even ground, we avoid the repetitive strain on the muscles incurred by running in a straight line on the road. [...] When I ask Tsedat about the zigzag style of the run, he grins and says, 'This is Ethiopian doping! If you run like this you can do more without getting injured.'"
I'm not sure about actual zigzagging, but I do know that I frequently run the same route. It's convenient, having no roads to cross, and it's nice and flat for speed intervals. But I'd say the majority of running injuries are of the repetitive strain variety. I think it's about time I started mixing things up!
Anyway, happy running everyone!
roseabi and the Bridge to 10K Team xxx
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What is the Quest?
The aim of the Quest is to help you find a focus or goal that you would like to achieve by the end of the Quest period.
The Quest takes one calendar month. You can join at any point during that time.
Some popular goals are:
β To run three times a week
β To slowly increase distance
β To train for a specific race
β To add Stretch and Strength exercises to your weekly routine
This is a personal challenge, so it's completely up to you! If you want to join, all you have to do is COMMENT BELOW with something like:
I would like to join the Quest, or, count me in! I want to ..............
Every week I will put up a new post and we can all chat about how we are doing.
NEED SOME INSPIRATION?
β Here's Iannodatruffe's post about what to do next after graduating Couch to 5K:
Distance is on track. 39k done so far out of my monthly target of 100k
All last weekday runs were at my MAF number of 134 as an average so happy with that. I struggled today with keeping my longer run at 134 as I ran along the coastline with a headwind on the way back but finished up at 137 as an average so still not too bad. Super slow still at my MAF number and still run walk to manage it π€£
Altra Paradigm 5βs have arrived and they fit perfectly π Still canβt believe Altra were so kind to upgrade me to the new model at the same price. Will report back next week how my test run goes ππ»
Altra Paradigm had a run today. I love them. You wouldnβt want to be chasing a PB in Park Run but for long slower big mileage runs, they will be perfect. My only criticism would be the heel felt a little sloppy and the tongue slipped to the side. Think I need to work out lacing.
So........I committed to getting back to 10k distance and I can report that........Iβve not done it yet. I came close though with a 9.3km run last week. Decided to finish early as I felt a βtwingeβ which Iβm happy to report came to nothing. Hoping to get the first 10k of the month in this week. Fingers crossed π€πΌ
Gosh that makes lots of sense with the zigzagging doesnβt it? Lucky really, as thatβs what Iβve been doing a lot recently. π My Quest is still on track, to run 2 x HMs this month whilst logging running and walking miles towards LEJOG4, Route 66 and COGH as well as my daily yoga.
I finished LEJOG4 this morning with a 7k slow run! ππ΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ In a perfect world Iβd have ended it with the HUHM on the 28th, or even the virtual Bath Half next Sunday, but I couldnβt hang fire and not count my runs and walks this week could I? That wouldnβt agree with my slightly obsessive personality of having to be consistent with logging every walk and run! π€£ Anyway, itβs done and Iβm currently in John OβGroats wondering how to get home! π
The weather later this week is going to cause a problem for the conditions on the common next Sunday. Not much I can do about it, so Iβm expecting a claggy run with no expectations - but run the HM I will! Thereβs bling to be had and thatβs very important! πββοΈπΎπ
Congratulations π₯³ A really great achievement but yes, I guess you are now stranded at John OβGroats.......I guess you could always just start running home π
The zig zag approach is definitely why I prefer trails; I can feel RSI setting in if I have to settle into a road or too flat surface for too long whereas trails force me to continuously change camber, direction, cadence and stride to cope with the terrain ππ»π even on short road stretches I often use the verge if I can or even hop on and off it just to mix it up.
I did a run on muddy grass last week and, although I felt it slowed me down, it wasn't bad and I thought it was definitely good to have a change (and get some practice with mud!) πππ
Good afternoon fellow questers! All going well here so far. I managed my three runs last week and today I did my first 5k since December and achieved a 5k PB! Yay! Foot still holding up. I'm being quite disciplined about stretching and ankle and calf exercises. Fingers crossed π€
Interesting to read about the zigzagging, I have to do a lot of it to avoid people where I run and I find it quite annoying! Good to know at least it's probably doing some good to my running ππ’πββοΈ
I had put as a quest to keep running every other day (if life permits) and to slowly increase my time to reach 60 minutes. I am happy to report I am still nicely on my way to reach the 60 minutes and I hope to do this end of this month. I keep running 30 minutes on weekdays (every other day) and a long run on weekends where I slowly increase the time. I only have a serious problem with pace, I run either too fast or too slow and yes you CAN run too slow (look up my 1 to last topic). So that's definitely a working point. If I can't get my pace under control, I won't be able to reach the times and distances that I long to do. Body, learn to feel your pace!!
Iβm suffering my first proper running injury and yes, itβs a repetitive strain one π π¬ My fault entirely and I ought to know better at my age π Chasing a sub 21 5k using a plan that was undoubtedly designed for much younger folk. I wonβt do that again without making some allowances for my tender old age π π
I think I am late signing up so instead of all the add-ons I was dithering about, I'm going to stick with a simple daily walk or run as my Quest for March.
Checking in on the first week, I am pleased to say it is going well. Some wonderful new local walks, a funny old bit of a walk, bit of a run session, and a very therapeutic run after spending a few hours supporting women who have experienced the appalling trauma that is giving birth in pandemic England without being able to hand over the tissues or cake or give a hug (there is the virologically necessary though sad and then there's the probably burned out beyond redemption cruelty...)
The book sounds really interesting - I remember my Dad passing on stuff about how Kenyan runners train which, bizarrely, was very useful to me. I don't deliberately zigzag but such is my obsession with hard surfaces (or rather avoiding them) if I am on a track I often am zigzagging from side to side to be on the kindest bits at the edges. I have clocked up nine years so far without a running injury (apart from a scar on my arm due to a trip and fall on rhododendron brashings last year)
I have not often needed a run as much as I did that day. I don't have much idea of how these women are going to be able to process their first hand experiences (other than telling me over and over and over... which will keep me running, every cloud!)
* Run every other day (where possible), even if it's just a short easy jog.
Yes, I've kept this up.
* Walk on rest days.
Almost. I took off Tuesday the 2nd. I was feeling a bit yuk that day.
* Avoid injury. I got some superficial bruises, scrapes and scratches in February. I'm fine with those.
So far so good! I get little niggles at a start of a run and occasionally during a run. As long as they disappear within a minute or so, I'm happy.
* Run a total of 100km in the month again. I did about 110km in February.
I'm currently on track to smash through that, probably reaching about 120km.
* Increase distance gradually. I'm currently at 13.2km (8.2 mile).
I deliberately backed off the distance last week. My longest run was 8km. I'm looking towards doing 14+km on Saturday.
* Achieve a 10 mile run near the end of the month.
This still looks achievable, with caution.
I suspect I might have been fighting some bug last week. I had bunged up sinuses which then triggered a "silent migraine" with visual aura, the first time I'd had an occurrence in about 3 years. (Thankfully, I wasn't running at the time.)
Zigzagging π€. I love trail running because your mind and body are fully engaged dodging puddles and obstacles and ... zigzagging. Never thought about it avoiding injury but it makes sense. Week 1 has gone well ππ»ππ»ππ»
Iβve reached 80% along Hadrianβs Wall and Iβve logged 14k of my 50k during March. Iβm enjoying checking in on the COGH too to check where we are π.
Iβm up to running 4.5k after Covid so Iβm hoping to get to 5k by the end of next week. Returning to school is tiring though and last nights run was hard but I can do this πββοΈ ππ»
First marginal gain achieved with a (not) parkrun in 26'40" against the week's 27'00" target. So looking for 26'30" for 5k this week, with maybe an extra k on the end to get up to 6k at 5'30" pace. Weather not looking exactly helpful, though π.
That was very interesting to read. Thanks. Loved visualising zigzagging - whenever are wherever! Seems like a metaphor for life philosophy, too.
Iβm very late posting week 2. Anyway, it looks like this:
ππΌββοΈππΌββοΈRan twice, including a 9k (my very first) and a 5k. I replaced my usual third run with a long walk (to a vaccination centre).πΆββοΈπ All counted towards COGH journey through north-eastern Siberia.βοΈThis walk triggered shin splints, however (spoiler: messed up week 3!)ππOn the plus, it explored potential new running routes.βοΈπ
Continued with qigong course and regular homework practice, plus a session of deliciously relaxing yoga.π§ββοΈ
Kept up a daily meditation and am practising more as self-guided.π§πΌββοΈOne of my cats thinks that meditation means play-time, which makes for some interesting interventions.
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Sassy for September Quest - week 2 π₯
January Quest Week 2
