HM training definitely making a difference!

[linda9389]

Another happy, smiley run day for me (with the remainder of the day to be spent, guilt free, on the couch with a good book).

Park run with pacers today, using it as my 5k race from cycle 6 of Abi's fabulous HM training plan (slightly out of order, as still some of C5 to complete).

Last parkrun I was thrilled with a 28m54s finish, so today I tried to stay with the 29m pacers right from the start. Got just ahead of them about midway and managed to gain slightly on the 28m pacers. Didn't want to get too close cos that makes the next PB much harder, but managed to hang in not too far behind them. Definitely felt it at 3.5k, but determined to believe in myself and stick with it. Approached the finish line too far back from anyone else to warrant a final sprint, but not too far back to be disheartened. Even Garmin isn't chastising me today - training effect score of 4.3 and max HR just within range for my age too!

Final time just in - 28m06s! A definite PB. Woohoo.

Two days ago I was really sad as a recurrent thigh strain reappeared, despite all the new (for me) crosstraining in the HM plan. Today I'm on top of the world again (painkillers are masking the underlying strain right now). Got home from parkrun to find my 75 mile December medal waiting for me - it's so pretty!

Until running I was never one to blow my own trumpet, but this feels too positive not to share with you lovely people So, yet again, thank you Abi, and thank you to everyone in the HUHM group - your company, support and encouragement is a wonderful thing and I very much appreciate it.

Happy running, and I hope you all have a lovely weekend x

[Teri73]

Wow! Well done Linda! I am still trying to achieve a sub 35 min Parkrun but you are smashing the 30 min goal post, I am in awe 😍😍😍

Well done on your 75 mile challenge too, I only just scraped 75 miles in December (75.8) so am sure you are ahead of me there too 😁

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Teri73]

I didn't have much to spare with the Dec mileage, but that did force me to stay on plan 😂 Your 75 miles is just as much of an achievement to be celebrated 🥉

My parkrun is pretty much flat so probably no real comparison with yours. I'm def seeing progress with my 'flat' time which is the only real comparison that should be made 🙂

[SaskAlliecat Half Marathon]

Whoohoo! Well done! This HM training really agrees with you! Take care of that thigh strain though, lots of stretching and foam rolling (or even rubbing a tennis ball over the sore bits) can help.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to SaskAlliecat]

I'm really enjoying the plan, much more interesting than what I was doing before. I'm stretching and rolling for England, I'm taped and wearing a compression sleeve! Two weeks and then I'm away for two weeks where I will swim as much as I can, but probably won't run, so it should get a good recovery then. Fingers crossed I can coax it into keeping going til then 😀

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon]

Absolutely fantastic Linda! Especially considering your thigh troubles. A new PB is a great feeling 😁

I seem to have lost my mojo for pushing myself at parkrun since my hamstring injury in October (my last PB was just before that). I think I've improved because I can run round comfortably in times that used to be a struggle but I can't seem to find the motivation to push hard. Need to think about why?! 🤔

Enjoy the rest of your day x

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to pianoteacher]

Thanks. It definitely feels good, although deep down I know your approach to parkrun with a muscle strain is the better one - I'm trying not to think about that too much

An injury like your hamstring one is bound to make you cautious. Are you increasing distance instead of speed at the moment? I find I flip flop between the two goals. Mentally I can't just keep improving in the same area run after run - it's not realistic. I'm sure you will find fresh motivation once your strain is healed - in whatever direction seems right to you at that time

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Definitely been concentrating on distance over speed and in a weird way I think I've got out of the habit of running at 5k pace. I find it very hard work to run that far that fast and to be honest I think I don't try 100% out of fear of failure! I've got some natural speed (I can run faster over shorter distances than most of the other women I run with even though their 5k PB's are much faster than mine) but I get the most awful gremlins telling me I have to stop when I push at 5k. One of the reasons I'm trying a half marathon is in the hope of improving my endurance. Think I've probably just got to try faster at some point and see what happens x

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to pianoteacher]

That sounds very familiar! The physical effects of pushing over a 5K distance are somehow bigger and scarier - allowing myself to get tired, but more scarily for me, out of breath. I hate it when my breathing feels out of control. Consequently I can't really push myself to those limits. But that's where the parkrun pacers come in for me; if I stick to them like glue, then I can know I'm at a similar speed to one I've managed before, and I only have to push a little bit towards a pacer, or just beyond a pacer ... small increments over a known base. Without any doubt at all, it's the pacers that have made it possible for me to run way beyond what I would risk on my own, they help me run to my limit. Thanks to all parkrun pacers everywhere (you've paced at parkrun haven't you? such a valuable role)

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Yep that all sounds very familiar!! 😂

My PB was run on a pacers week but the one I went with ran the first km way too fast for the target time. I ran a sub 5 min first km and I was miles behind him even at that point! I had to literally hang on for dear life for the whole of the rest of the run 🤢 think that put me off a bit.

Volunteering as a pacer is something I really enjoy so I might experiment with keeping some people I know are at the speed I want to be in my sights x

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to pianoteacher]

Crikey! that pacer needs a few lessons (or one less energy bar for breakfast).I put my watch away and all my faith in our pacers, that would finish me off! I was only 2 seconds behind our 28m pacer today - he was 4 seconds slow overall (although that was probably down to the funnel filling up to be fair)

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

We're told to aim to come in 15 secs faster than our bib number and run even splits - it's incredibly difficult to get right. The first time I did it there was a tailwind coming back and I ended up coming in 40 secs faster than my bib! I was barely running in the last 200m 😂

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to pianoteacher]

Haha. That reminds me how happy I was the day the pacers I had just managed to pass with difficulty were heard to say 'we better pull up a bit, we've 30 seconds to make up'

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon]

Fabulous! So lovely to hear! Well done to you! Congratulations!🍾🥂👏🏻😊🎉👍☀️ 💥⚡️ 🏃‍♀️🤸‍♀️🏃‍♀️🤸‍♀️🏃‍♀️🤸‍♀️ PBs are such fun, aren't they? An early New Year's gift indeed🎁. I now have running watch with heart rate data, but haven't much understanding about it yet. Something else to enjoy learning about! Was it a Runner's World article that helped you get to grips with it?

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

I have the garmin 235, so slightly different to yours maybe. I didn't find it in the least bit intuitive to set up, nor to interpret! I didn't find the Garmin help much help, and I don't think I found any particular article either. Mostly I have understood it bit by bit, often by reading something someone posted on here then googling a bit more.

I know I should try to improve my VO2 max score as that is one indication of fitness; I also know that garmin gives me an 'aerobic training effect score' each run (out of 5), and when that is high (5.0) garmin assumes I struggled and tends to drop my VO2max score, suggesting I am losing fitness. All to be taken with a pinch of salt, but it does give me something to aim for. If my training effect score is lower, it's because my heart rate was lower and I wasn't flat out in the red zone all run

As you can see, my understanding is pretty basic - I know which scores I want to increase, and which I want to decrease and that's about it! Oh, and importantly, if the scores don't go my way I tend to assume Garmin got it wrong

Others may be able to help you better ....

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Lol! 🤣 To, 'if the scores don't go my way I tend to assume Garmin got it wrong'!!

Thank you for your reply. I am really enjoying my Forerunner Garmin 35. Not sure that I have training effect score on mine. I have noticed that I have a maximum heart rate at more than 100% of maximum heart rate! And also that I am apparently in the top 5% of people of my gender and age for the VO2 max thingy which I find it very hard to believe. All fun and giving me loads to play with and learn about! I hadn't properly decided whether I wanted a watch, but realised that carrying my phone in my hand so that I can read, say my average speed, as I run along didn't seem quite the thing. Noticed the massive reductions in price on Black Friday and my husband's "Add to basket" habit was soon in action! And on Christmas Day I received my watch. 😊

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Wow. That's a fab VO2 max score then. I couldn't get mine out of the poor rating for ages, was most disappointed. Eventually spotted that my personal data had got wiped and it was full of defaults - garmin thought I was way younger than I am

My max heart rate tends to go way over what it should be. I suspect wearing the watch slightly looser helps keep it down (whether this makes it more accurate or less I don't want to know, but it's more reassuring ).

I picked my garmin up in an Amazon deals period during the summer and wouldn't be without it for running. So much easier to read on the run than my phone was. I'm sure you will love yours too.

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

As I said I am seriously not convinced about the VO2 thingy. It scores me at 43, whatever that means. I am 62 so at the younger end of the 60-69 category that it puts me in. Perhaps my personal data isn't right. My son input it all on Christmas Day. I'll have a look in due course.

The plan was to only wear my watch for running, but I have extended that a bit. I love it when I have been sitting still and it vibrates at me and shows me a message saying, 'Move!' Lol! 🤣

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Very nice

I'm scored at 38 (age 57) when it's feeling kind, but often get dropped to 37 or 36 after a few red-zone runs

Oh, and I switched off the 'move' alert. Garmin is not getting the upper hand here!

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

🤣 With your impressive HM training I am quite certain you move enough! But at the moment the vibrate and 'Move!' is a fun novelty! Perhaps such a watch would have helped prevent my husband getting DVT from sitting still for work far too long into the early hours. By the way, have you made friends with burpees?

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

I previously had a fitbit, and am well past the 'novelty' stage When I replaced it with the garmin I realised I had a choice!!!

Oh, your poor OH, hope he's OK now!

Burpees? friends? not a chance! I even have to modify the modified burpees (aka squat thrusts)

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

More lol! 🤣 I'm really sitting here making my yearly photo album using Bonusprint online thingy. Must stop getting distracted. Need to cook 12th night meal too, but chocolates have interfered with my appetite!

My hubby has various health issues to contend with, but presses on.

PS Might be that I am just a bit odd but I really like burpees. Have you ever looked at Joe Wicks HIIT for beginners video available courtesy of Mr Google. That's how got into them. Mind you all strength etc exercises have stopped for extended Christmas break. Will start again on Monday.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Crikey! That's more than a bit odd in my book

Would you be surprised to hear that the answer is no ... well not yet anyway, but I will do now (with no intention of trying anything out mind you, more to size up just how odd you might be )

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

More lol 🤣🤣🤣

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Thank you for being such an amazing part of the team!!! This is wonderful to read, I am super impressed 😍😍😍 Well done you xxx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Awwhh, thank you

[ju-ju- Marathon]

Wow that’s is a fantastic achievement, all the work from the plan is paying off.... well done 😎

[MutleyShuffle Half Marathon]

Lovely post Linda! What a great way to see the new year in - a fab PB and oh so pretty bling! Well done you! 🤗💪🎉 Hope your holiday sorts out the thigh strain once and for all, so you can pick up the plan again as fresh as a daisy 😊 🌼

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to MutleyShuffle]

Fingers crossed. I'm not sure I've ever felt fresh as a daisy though, so that would be quite the miracle

[MutleyShuffle Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

😂

[Katnap Marathon]

Excellent! You're doing great Linda 😸

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Haha. Thanks. Currently still in bed, wondering how the leg will feel when I try to stand on it 🙄 - it will be a moment of truth 😂

[Katnap Marathon in reply to linda9389]

LOL! My right knee complains going down stairs and left when I go up them! Grrr...

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Oh no! You have my sympathy!

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Super brilliant new PB Linda! 🙂👍That is definately something to be proud of and share! So glad your HM training is all going so well - you have worked so hard and it is great when we see the results, isn't it? Lovely December bling too!

I hope to be back out there by next weekend. Slightly anxious at how much fitness I will have lost but I know it will all come good again over time.

Take care🙂x

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandra. It is daunting coming back after time off, but you know you've done it before and very successfully too. Take it slowly and enjoy the journey back - the first runs back are often the best, reminding us why we love it so much 😀

[homlyme]

I'm with you all the way Linda just a little slower but that's OK🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to homlyme]

That's most certainly OK. It makes such a difference having the company 🙂

[Sqkr Half Marathon]

Excellent stuff! I was really surprised to find how much my shorter distances had improved when I'd really been focusing on getting my half distance nice and solid over the summer. Think how speedy you'll be when you've got your half comfortably in the bag! 😎

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Sqkr]

Nice! maybe yesterday wasn't all fluke then

My head needs no encouragement - it's currently whispering that taking just 7 seconds off 28m 06s would sound soooo much better. Stop! Just stop!