HM training week6 day5

85 minutes all in zones 1&2. Today was a bad day. I felt weary and lethargic and my legs are heavy, with stiff calves. I drank before the run but didn’t carry anything. I think that was a mistake. Also my chest was tight today: I had the windows shut last night because it was cold and windy, so that might be why. Whatever the cause, I felt a bit faint a few times on the run and faint and nauseous when I got back. It was a bit disheartening and knocked my confidence for getting round my half marathon. Weirdly I actually felt worse than on my 10.5 mile run a week ago. Even more weirdly, my Polar Flow app tells me I’m training less than usual, am maintaining and if I keep slacking I will start detraining!

Still very windy today in gusts that seemed to manage to push against me most of the time. Warm too. But there was a real feeling of autumn in the air. The roadside verges were alight with delicate yellow ladies slipper and frothy white yarrow, damson and sloe brushing the hedgerows with dusky shades of purple. I turned off the road and lost my way happily in the green network of paths and cycle tracks that seem to wind all over the place in Abingdon. I stopped at one point to get my hr down and chatted to a man with a terrier and an interesting lurcher that was a Jack Russell/collie/whippet mix; both rescue dogs. When I was within 15 minutes of home, a bloke stopped, wound his window down, waved and said hello. I was just about to give him an earful when I realised it was my son in law Alan. At the beginning of the run a different bloke told me I was looking good: must have been the bright orange shoes- I’m old enough to be his grandmother so I’m assuming he wasn’t overcome with lust at my youth and beauty 🤣🤣🤣

At the beginning of this run, I found it useful to maintain a steady 120 bpm, 121 up slopes . Unfortunately heart rate drift (that factor where your hr gradually increases over a run, even if you’re going at the same pace) put paid to that later in the run, and it was difficult to stay below zone3. The pace is getting faster overall on these low hr zone runs though, so the plan is working.

I wore the Cloudsurfers again today. They certainly have a lot of pep. It’s easier to spring forward with them. I’m experimenting with the lacing to get them tight enough without causing pain.

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

You say that today's run was bad, sorry about that Flick, but should you not take at least one day off running, even elete athletes take one day a week off training, I would not like you to get any injuries,take care of yourself.

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

I only run five days a week! 😊

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Excellent, that's nice to know, thanks for telling me, I just hope that your next run is better. 😊 🏃

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

I really appreciate you worrying about me xxx I don't think it's the running as such, but a side issue. i had this last year when i was only running 3/4 times a week. I had loads of tests and an ecg: all normal except the reading for oxygen uptake into the blood was a little low, and I'm guessing that's due to the dog allergy/ restricted chest - which goes away if I'm away from the dog. i didn't need my inhaler when i stayed with my sister.

[Clairecandothis Marathon Half Marathon]

Slow runs are tough Flick, and the wind is pretty rough to push through at the moment. Your running faster at a lower heartrate so it's all good for endurance training 😊 That long in zone 2 would drive me insane though! Odd it says your under training? And heartrate drift grrr! I don't think you will run in zone 2 for your half, maybe zone 2 to start and then zone 3. But most of what I'm reading is on race day the zones are just a guide as heartrate will be up due to all the other factors like fear/excitement lol! X

[Hidden in reply to Clairecandothis]

It's really tough! I set out fine, then gradually it creeps up and I'm having to stop or slow to ministry of silly walks pace. I figured on race day I would set out in zone 2, allow myself to cruise into zone 3 and then push for the last bit. but the best laid plans and all that! I do listen to the watch. It was completely right about overreaching last week. Haha, yes, fear, excitement and worrying about the loo. i queued twice at Blenheim, and so did everybody else! x

[Clairecandothis Marathon Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Oh god yes needing the toilet! I spend most of my pre race time going the toilet! 🤣🤣

I ran on the flat yesterday Flick for the first time in ages and you were right it made a huge difference to my zones. I stayed in zone 2 easier.... still tough with the wind and zone 3 was fun! Ironically though at times I was back in zone 2 because it was flat and I wasn't pushing enough! 😳 So I'm now doing my longer runs on the flat. I lose the beauty of Blenheim for runs towards Oxford!

Your race day plan sounds like mine too. That wind was tough yesterday though so to stay in zone 2 against all the elements is hard! Xx

[Hidden in reply to Clairecandothis]

Oh, that wonderful feeling of stretching out and going for it!!! xx

[Clairecandothis Marathon Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

It was quite nice to have the juxtaposition of countryside and sheep on one side of me and Saturday morning traffic on the other! Xx

[Hidden in reply to Clairecandothis]

All my road runs in Chippy were like that. In the spring, the cow parsley was so high that you couldn't see the traffic, but it was a constant roar beside me. xx

[Clairecandothis Marathon Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Yeah it used to get like that for me where I cycled, you had some sterp old hills in Chippy too though! It was odd to be running where I used to cycle but reassuring too. Ironically cycling to Summertown seemed a long way and now I'm probably going to end up running there! 🙈🤣 xx

[Hidden in reply to Clairecandothis]

Chippy was nothing but hills! My perception of their hugeness changed as I worked through c25k and then got fitter and did longer runs. I miss them now. Running to Summertown is my so far. I would hate to cross the bypass though. I would run via Boars Hill to Oxford, but the roadside path runs out and there is NO safe way of crossing the intersection where the A34 joins the bypass outside Oxford (not that I would be running along the A34!) xx

[Clairecandothis Marathon Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Yeah I'm lucky I think it's fairly flat and cycle paths towards summertown. I should take more notice when I'm on the bus. It's eirher to there or Long Harborough and back. I'm not tempted by Chippy at all lol! 🤣🤣 xx

[Hidden in reply to Clairecandothis]

Very wise! I’m glad to be away from Chippy. They’re unofficially fox hunting round there for starters, plus breeding pheasants for shooting, and people are incredibly narrow. And it was hard to do a run longer than 12k unless you wanted to do a marathon every day, as there was nowhere to go that went round in a loop and was a comfortable distance. Xx

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

You are working so hard Flick! Sorry you didn't feel too good on this run - could you drop a run? When I trained for my Half, I only ran three times a week - don't think I could have managed more as I felt I needed the recovery time! Just a thought. Take care.🙂

[Hidden in reply to Sandraj39]

I really don't think it's the running as such. See my reply to Almorr above. Don't forget i was running every day till I got injured earlier in the year. And don't forget I'm old so am not juggling work, family etc. The rest of my day after a run is spent reading and taking it easy, except for yoga in the afternoon, and i have two rest days a week xxx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

No way are you under training with the number of runs you are doing each week! It may simply be because of the extra long run you did last week - Strava tells me I'm over/under/maintaining to, but it seems to simply base it on what I did the previous week. Given the 10.5 miles was an 'extra' it has probably just temporarily skewed your Polar analysis.

[Hidden in reply to linda9389]

You’re probably right. It’s quite amusing as I’m following it’s plan which tells me when/how to run. It was spot on with my overreaching last week though. Only part of the 10.5 miles was an extra, btw; I saved the planned run then carried on.

[Sadie-runs Half Marathon]

Oh Flick, sorry you had a “bad” run; please don’t let that demoralise you or overthink it. We all have bad runs now and again; you are just in the unfortunate position of having a watch that critiques you at every flipping step! I could not cope with that kind of commentary! You are doing very well indeed, and at least you are able to pinpoint what could have caused it. I know, still doesn’t make it feel any better. Big hug from me, and wishing you a more enjoyable run next time. xxx

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Thank you lovely. I don’t have to have the watch critique me, but it’s useful at this point. The indications of over or under training are a useful guideline but not infallible. I think the problem I had on the run was a fuelling issue. I always underestimate how gruelling very slow running is. You’re in the maximum fat burn zone. I burned 440 calories today. On the over 10 mile run I burned over 1200 calories I think, but I took Tailwind and a naked bar and felt fine. I also felt fine today after I had eaten and taken in fluids. The lesson here is, as you mentioned on Strava, to take fuel and electrolytes for anything over 5k, at least while it’s still warm.

Than you so much for the hug! Tomorrow is a rest day, so only swimming, and that will be a leisurely 20 minutes in the outdoor pool, in the fresh air with hopefully sunshine and ducks xxx

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Btw, all running watches critique you, you just don’t know if you don’t dig deep into the stats on the app after 😊

[Sadie-runs Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Good point. I always look at my splits, but rarely dig any deeper. (Well, I looked at my VO2 Max after today’s run and howled when it had appeared to have dropped 2 points 😱). Enjoy your swim tomorrow. 👍😁 I am thinking of going swimming, but legs very hurty tonight - did 10k this morning and a 6km (at least) walk this afternoon and I am pooped! Might just lay on sofa and read ALL DAY. 😂 xxx

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

I do more reading than any other activity. There should be a Strava category for it! Xxx

[Sadie-runs Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Me too. 🤓😂 xxx

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

It amuses me, because people think I’m always on the go, but I’m actually pretty lazy most of the time and always have my nose in a book. Enjoy your read fest xxx

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Btw I find swimming unknots hurty legs 😊

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

Sorry to hear you didn’t feel good on your run yesterday. We all have off days so I’m sure the next one will be better! Enjoy your swim and having a day off xx

[Hidden in reply to Sandie1961]

Thanks Sandie. I only did 12 slow lengths, but it’s a lovely outdoor pool and was relaxing and refreshing, if a trifle nippy outside today! Got home, carrying loads of shopping, and tackled the hoovering. Wall to wall black dog hair from my nemesis Dennis, he who causes my breathing problems. Nothing else to do all day but sit around and read.

You’re doing so well btw. Xx