Just came back from another run, from a cold, wet and muddy route. But my motivation was as high as the number of layers I wore, as it was the first run of week 4 of my James Dunne return from injury plan, which uses the jeffing method to get back to regular running of 35min.
(Painterly pic is from Friday morning’s run, but today I wore the same thing: long sleeved T, on top of another T, sleeveless vest, gloves, woollen beanie, neck warmer, warm leggings.)
I always feel great afterwards, and that helps immensely with my motivation. Also I tend to look forward to just being by myself, my music, and my running route through woods and fields. Runkeeper’s friendly voices drop in here and there, keeping me going forward. Plentiful social encounters on route keep me connected to the neighbourhood.
Having said that, my BT headphones ran out of juice 5min into the run, so I had to put Runkeeper on speaker and some fellow walkers did look at me strangely when a French voice emanated from my tummy region (I’m currently wearing a running belt that holds my iPhone) telling me in heavy French accent: “You went fast!” This, whilst I - in my usual snail speed - only in slow motion overtook the same fellow walkers ! 😅😂
Back home, showered, watered and fed, I was looking at my annual running stats, and my reflections were as follows:
Last year I managed to run so much more than this year. In 2021 I was training to go up to 10k. Whereas this year was more mixed, a year that had started with a comeback from metatarsal strain, continued with 2 Covid illnesses and then followed it up with a calf strain injury.
Each of these injury couch stints I followed up with a 0 to 5k training period, reducing my overall km count substantially.
But no worries, I tell myself repeatedly, a run is a run, and whether I’m running a Sunday 10k, or a Sat morning Jeffing 3k, both give me the feel good factor. So I’m pretty happy as long as I’m running regularly.
But I do miss being able to run a 10k distance.
This plan will hopefully help get me there again!
So up and onwards!
My plan as programmed into Runkeeper:
✅ ★ Week 1: 3 sessions of: (Run 1min : Walk 1min) x 10
✅ ★ Week 2: 3 sessions of: (Run 1min 30sec : Walk 30sec) x 8
✅ ★ Week 3: 3 sessions of: (Run 2min : Walk 30sec) x 8
🔳 ★ Week 4: 3 sessions of: (Run 3min : Walk 1min) x 8
🔲 ★ Week 5: 3 sessions of: (Run 4min : Walk 1min) x 8
🔲 ★ Week 6: 3 sessions of: (Run 5min : Walk 1min) x 6
🔲 ★ Week 7: 3 sessions of: (Run 10min : Walk 1min) x 3
🔲 ★ Week 8: 3 sessions of: (Run 15min : Walk 1min) x 2
🔲 ★ Week 9: 3 sessions of: Run 20min non-stop
🔲 ★ Week 10: 3 sessions of: Run 25min non-stop
🔲 ★ Week 11: 3 sessions of: Run 30min non-stop
🔲 ★ Week 12: 3 sessions of: Run 35min non-stop
JD IMPORTANT RULES TO FOLLOW
1) All running to be completed at an easy pace.
2) No speed work until you complete this ‘return to running’ phase!
3) Don’t run on consecutive days – give your body time to recover.
4) Make sure you focus on form throughout each run, especially as the durations increase.
5) During each run, stop at the first sign of any discomfort.
6) CBDB’s additional rule: Run at least 3 times a week. If you do not manage 3 times per week, repeat the week. (If I don’t, it’s more likely I get injured)
7) CBDB’s additional rule: Stretch after every run and row
8) CBDB’s additional rule: Cross Train per Week at least 3 sessions of gentle yoga and at least 3 sessions of gentle rowing (or targeted workouts)
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THE WHOLE SERIES:
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How to return from a calf strain well?
- Part 1 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 2 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 3 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 4 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 5 Mulling over this year’s running stats healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 6 Ice Breaks healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 7 Reaching my fairy house on Christmas healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 8 running with a cold and … speaking of walking … healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 9 Familiar routes and new habits healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 10 By now, who’s counting? healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
- Part 11 I’ll call it a finish! healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
