I reply with mixed emotions - your posts always exude energy and are very motivational but I'm currently sidelined so can't follow the quest in a meaningful way. What's worse is that my sidelining is by my own hand (I took brand new trail shoes out for a road run - mistake 1 - and then did not compensate for their zero drop π₯Ώ* versus my usual 8-10 degrees π * - mistake 2). This flared up a recurring Achilles problem and since then I've struggled: go for a short gentle run and it's very sore for 2 or 3 days afterwards and it remains as tight as a tick. However - I've just taken delivery of a foam roller so will give my calves a good rolling this weekπ± with a view to softening them up and getting running again really soon - I miss it.π
*Emojis for illustrative purposes only - I do NOT own any high heeled shoes... honest!
Ditto! Calf lift then SLOWLY down into a heel drop, going up and down as far as you can safely go You can do both feet at the same time to start with as just one leg at a time can too hard. Google for the proper way to do Footlifts Forward lunges done slowly are good too
Donβt roll if youβre still in pain! Let any inflammation subside first
Thanks for the advice and the cautionary note - the run that did the damage was in early February, so weeks ago. Stretching alone isn't doing it, hence the roller.
Thanks Dexy5 - I'm doing stretches but probably insufficiently assiduously, so need to stick at it. TBH, it's the tight calf I think so finger's crossed for the roller!
My achillies is playing up too, but I think that I am getting on top of it. Single leg heel raises off the floor (drops off a step seem to irritate it at present), working the ankle with an exercise band, plus 20 minute icing sessions and temporarily reverting to my 10mm drop hill run shoes have helped. I managed 5k on Saturday without a problem. Hope you sort it quickly π
Thanks for the advice. Re: shoe drop, I'm not going to even try to transition to zero - I don't need to and it might cause injury so I'll leave that alone.
Ow ow ow - did exactly the same a couple of years back, ran a parkrun in new trail shoes minus the support insoles which I had bought already (!) Result, a fortnight of IC and heel lifts. Best wishes ....
Thanks - it's so easily done isn't it?! I'll not go down the zero drop/minimalist/barefoot route myself - I'll leave that to the purists and young bucks and stick to what I know works for me.
Sorry to see this, Captain! Hope you can get it sorted. Eccentric heel dips are great for this, do them every day! Below is the video I always share, but I also suggest that you do something like:
Each leg, three times a day:
10 x straight leg
10 x bent knee
The reason for this is that the straight-legged version targets mainly the gastrocnemius calf muscle (that is the large bulbous muscle nearer your knee), whereas the bent-legged movement hits the soleus muscle, which runs under the gastrocnemius and down the lower leg. These exercises strengthen your calves, mobilise your Achilles tendons, and strengthen the feet too, so they are awesome!!
Use pain as your guide, do not lower the heels very much at first, lower them more as you start to feel better.
It takes time to recover, and you have to keep at it!
Achilles tendons tend to feel worse first thing in the morning, because of the lack of mobility for 8-odd hours, and the tendency to point the toes during sleep. Don't let that put you off - do a few ankle circles before getting out of bed, and get those Achilleses moving!
Thanks for composing such a comprehensive reply. The message I receive very strongly from the community here is to stretch, stretch, stretch and now, with your official endorsement, there can be no escape for me!π
100k target - Iβm just under 99k so think I will make itππ»
All weekday runs at my maf number of 134 - it has been a mix bag overall but today I ran walk 10k at 127 so very happy with that.
Moving to Zero Drop - Iβm loving my Altraβs but taking it slow and only doing one run per week as I transition . Iβve been wearing a zero drop minimalist shoe for day to day life stuff. Itβs a good reminder that my Altraβs are still pretty cushioned and would be considered max on the barefoot scene π€£
I've been in Vibram V-Run (AKA. Bikila Evo) since October. Last week I started alternating those with the KSO Evo (even more minimalist) pair that I graduated in. I should try another (short) truly barefoot run at some point now it's warmer outside.
* Run every other day (where possible), even if it's just a short easy jog.
Last week I was naughty. I was off work, so did four days (Tues-Fri) of running every day. I reckoned I'd been running for long enough by now to be able to pull it off safely. It worked out well.
I will be back to taking the normal quota of rest days this week.
* Walk on rest days.
Tick.
* Avoid injury.
Tick (so far). I'm mildly sore today after yesterday's long run, but not injured.
* Run a total of 100km in the month again. I did about 110km in February.
Definitely on track for that one.
* Increase distance gradually. I'm currently at 13.2km (8.2 mile).
* Achieve a 10 mile run near the end of the month.
Tick and tick. Ten miles achieved yesterday afternoon.
* Don't overdo it. Know my limits. All targets are secondary.
Doing that! This week will be easier and shorter runs with rest days in between.
In other news, my waistline appears to have decreased another belt notch. There's no sign any more of the slight paunch I had been developing this time last year.
I've not changed what I eat by much. But the long runs certainly burn up the calories. If you believe the watch, the ten mile run was about 1200 kcal. That's the equivalent of nearly two full bags (190g each) of jelly babies. The eight I took with me totalled about 175 kcal. The difference has to come from somewhere.
I find my weight has stabilised at a couple of kilos less than it was before I took up endurance running - and same, no change in diet really. Good, innit! xx
Don't underestimate the jab. I've been floored for 24hrs following mine. Foolishly went for a bike ride, don't think that helped with the killer hangover feeling. Hope you are a non-reactor, fingers crossed.
I had my jab last Tuesday and ever since havenβt felt quite right. Very achy with joint and muscle pains on Wednesday, then like a damp a dishcloth (as my mum used to say!) for a few days. I ran on Saturday and it was very hard work. A better today run but still not 100%. For the record, I had mild covid back in November.
A bit lastminute.com this week, but this morning achieved my week 3 sub-26 (not) parkrun target with a (not) wind-assisted 25'49" β . Didn't look good after 2k, but my second wind (the kind you get via your lungs π) turned up at that point and saw me home. Curiously, despite the pace trace for those last 3k looking like a cross-section of the Lake District, the watch gave the split times as 5'10.3", 5'10.3", 5'10.4" (damn, a positive split again! π)
In other news, as reported elsewhere, I stuck in a first 10k for many weeks in just under the hour π, thanks to sensible pacing by Dexy5 for the first 3k.
So happier than last week π, but not at all sure I can lose another 30 secs off my (not) parkrun time to meet my week 4 target, and damn sure I wont be seeing my stretch target of 25 minutes for a while yet. But 8k in 44 minutes might be achievable ..... HU 10k, firm maybe.
Hello roseabi, Iβve checked with Mr Garmin and he says Iβve done 7 runs over 22 days, so just about the 3 runs a week I aimed for. That includes a 12k, an 11k and a 12.5k today. It also includes a wind-assisted 5k PB, so Iβve done better than I thought I had. Next week I will be taking part in the spring HU 10km, so that will round up the month nicely. So enjoying the warmer weather today.
Week 4 already! This month has zoomed by but Iβm still on track ππ»β I completed Hadrianβs Wall at the weekend. 90 miles. The bling is on itβs way
β Only 2k left of my 50k in March so I think thatβs in the bag. Iβm going to carry on to 75k as Iβve got lots of March left. Somehow it seemed so much harder in August 20 when I did it before, but I hadnβt been running for long.
β Still loving COGH
Despite work being flat out Iβve managed to squeeze in at least 2 runs a week and have well and truly left Covid behind me π
I had my vaccination π on Friday and didnβt have any side effects to speak of, just a tender spot on my arm where someone stabbed me with a needle π.
Hope everything goes well with your jab roseabi and have a great run on Sunday
Well....... I havenβt managed a full 10k yet as was my quest but........
Iβve been pretty close with a 9k and I also interrupted my personal goal to support a friend with theirs.
For comic relief my pal did the 4 x 4 x 48 challenge. I joined him on run number 2, again on run number 9 (8pm the following day) and finally also had the privilege to run his final run with him (number 12) at 8am the next morning. Completing his 48 miles in 48 hours running four miles every four hours.
Frankly Iβm in awe that he managed it, and I still had to ask him to slow down a little for me at the end of my last run with him!!
Running 6.5k three times in such close succession was hard enough for me - I find it amazing to see him do it 12 times in the same period. Amazing what can be done when we are determined enough!!
Anyway - I didnβt feel much like running today ha ha but back on it tomorrow and I will definitely run a 10k before the month is out, my small way of showing some determination!
This week was mega!! I did my planned 3 runs: 5 + 5 + 10k. The first 5k was my fastest to dateπ₯The next one was my second fastestπ₯That was already plenty to celebrate. The third was my *first 10k* πππΌ, so Iβm very pleased to have reached that, and have done so in March, especially after the minor setbacks a fortnight ago. Thankfully, I got myself back on track easily, and everything felt right. Iβd only set out intending to do βa longer runβ. At 5k, when running partner departed, I knew I was ready to go further. At 8.5k, I knew for sure this would be my first 10k. A nice big number (for me) to add to COGH! Iβm including zigzagging in my runs (love this, and think it gives me energy). Iβm still working with nasal breathing and thinking about form.
Now Iβm toying with joining the HU Spring 10k this coming weekend. I just canβt decide if Iβd be biting off more than I can chew too soon. (Perhaps I should just go for it, and if Iβm not up to it, then so what?)π€
Still doing my qigong course and homework; plus other movement classes and yoga.
Still keeping up a daily meditation session, sometimes making it the qigong standing version, sometimes a sitting one; sometimes guided, sometimes unguided.
Hi roseabi ! Iβm Questing away in a very haphazard fashion. Itβs a month I wonβt be doing again any time soon, but itβs working out fine. Itβll end up including 2 x HMs and a covid vaccination side effects week of running - like I said, nothing Iβll be repeating!
Iβm happy to say I feel much much better today, a week after the jab, and did a little 2k run this morning to test out that theory. My 5k on Saturday and 7k yesterday were definitely hard work. Today was more like it and Iβm hoping the weather cooperates for Sunday. If not, Iβll know what to expect and Iβll deal with it, but running a HM in friendly weather conditions would be sooo lovely!
Hi roseabi and fellow runnersI hope you're aren't too knocked out by your jab. I had mine 3 weeks ago I felt shattered the day after and felt I had a really bruised arm for a week.
Well I'm really pleased with my questing βΊοΈ
I did my 2 runs planned for getting me back to my 10k goal. On Sunday I did my longest run since early January 9.3k, so I should be OK for the HU 10k on Sunday πππI have to admit having a break mid run to chat to a friend it was such a long chat my watch autosave my run π so it was 10k in two parts.
I'm still keeping up with my early morning squats, planks and side planks I can feel an improvement in the side planks and I'm really enjoying them π
Best of all my knee doesn't seem to have had a problem with that longer run π€ππ
My Fitbit failed to acknowledge my rummaging about in a ruin on Sunday but I know better and have kept up with the daily walk or run... and I am sure I would not have without the stimulus of the Quest!
So since last check in...I did a long 6km mountain walk...which has annoyed my niggly knee βΉοΈ
Apart from that, logged 2-2.5km walks on my non run days...apart from Friday, where (other than work) I did no exercise at all...π¬π€
I did a 30 minute run after work, and then a 5km on Sunday...I stuck to a shorter run, ready for HU10K π
...and got a PB! π₯
Confess to falling off the wagon with daily yoga...a combination of tiredness (I have to fit it in after 10pm), and that niggly knee...have only done x2 sessions...
Oh and managed to get the 2nd jab for Mr. L and I π₯°
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May The Quest be with you - Week 1
πΈ February Quest Week 4 : sing for spring! πΈ
Iβm late, Iβm late The Quest week 4 snuck up on me 
