TailChaser’s HM Training Diary - Week 5

[TailChaser]

Happy New Year to all you fab runners!

Another week ticked off and it’s is the end of the first stage of my (cunning) plan. So far, so good: I have run much further than I ever expected and with much less problems than I have had before (*touch wood*).

- Run 1: 50 minutes with fartleks accompanied by Katnap . Legs are getting a bit tired after relatively long mileage these last few weeks but we gave it a good go, running between lamp posts down a long straight road. Managed to get 8km in and tailor it so we ended up at the supermarket to get some bread and olives in for lunch 😋

- Run 2: A sneaky little 2km run to get a New Years Eve Garmin badge! Really didn’t need to do this...

- Run(s) 3: Comprising run to pre-setup as we didn’t get up early enough, 1st parkrun, then run back to get into car as we were a bit late, then run to next parkrun from the car as we were a bit late for that too. Thankfully record numbers at both runs made them a bit late too! Very stressful these New Years Day Doubles, glad we get a good run to shake it off 😆 Definitely earned an extra mince pie for today, or, as it turned out, a G&T at the local 😋

- Run 4: Friday 20 minuter. I got to try out my Aftershokz present outside for the first time. They have to go up quite loud at the gym to block out the external noise but they’re different outside and I had to turn them back down. Wasn’t too sure to begin with but they are definitely growing on me now. This turned out to be a pretty fast run, partly thanks to The Lovely Eggs ‘Don’t Look at Me’ which always gets me going faster.

- Run 5: A case of deja vu as it was pre-setup and parkrun day again! I’m sure I’d only done that a couple of days earlier 🤔 And we ran there and back again 🙄 Back to my normal just under 28 minute parkrun today. I’m getting a bit frustrated with the riverside path as I’m getting a feeling of inertia and slight slippage on it all the way along that’s holding me back. Katnap thinks there may be a bit of a slimy coating on it from the damp (it’s a sort of concrete with small pebbles in it) but he’s not getting the slippage I get, so it’s something I’m doing. I usually wear my old Ghosts so I think I’ll do a test run in my new ones next week to see if makes a difference. May also be my high cadence cos I’m short, small feet, not enough weight to push my feet onto the ground hard enough 🤓 (ok, I’m clutching at straws here)...who knows but I’m getting very curious about it as it’s annoying me, I’m sure I could cut my time if it wasn’t for this.

So, how did it turn into a 5+ run week 🤪? Definitely time for a break methinks - sports massage awaits in Week 6. However, a combination of rest and all this running seems to finally be improving my heart rate and VO2 Max. I haven’t done any big runs but I’ve done a fair bit of mileage these last 5 weeks (just under 143km) which is far more than I’d have expected. These have been timed runs rather than distance and I’ve really enjoyed that. The next stage is the start of the distance runs but I may have to mix it up a bit as the ones I’ve got planned next don’t feel long enough now 😳!

Happy running everyone 😀

[Katnap Marathon]

Garmin badges and parkrun doubles.... But you didn't get a double G with your T 😮

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Next time then? 🥂

[Oldfloss Administrator]

All sounding fantastic!! You are really pretty well organised and fitting everything in.

I can empathise with slippage on the park run surfaces and I feel it might be to do with weight and size etc.....because I have been experiencing similar whilst doing the Marcothon on pavements etc.

You are getting the mileage in too..a lot of miles in a short running time.

I managed about 139 over the December...but I was running every day.

Hopefully you'll get the longer runs in...that is the bit that concerns me a tad..but at the coast later this week so hoping to get a couple in.

Huge well done you...and the park run times...just fabulous...you really did deserve that G and T...!!

Looking forward to your next post!x

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Floss, good to know I’m not the only one experiencing this. Maybe that is why my PB was in June? I’ve had 4 times of just under 28 minutes there in the last month and I just can’t push off enough on this part of the course to go faster.

That’s an impressive mileage, I don’t think I could run every day especially the way I’ve been running; wish I could but it takes a lot of dedication. My hat/buff goes off for you 😊 👏👏

Hope the weather is kind to you back on the coast, not sure which way it’s going to go at the moment but hopefully you don’t get as much frost and ice there. Have fun up there xx

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Thought this might be useful: my sports massage lady also seems to think it is lack of weight (she is tiny and runs marathons). She’s suggested leaning forward on these sections to change the centre of gravity. I’ll give it a go on Saturday 🤞

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to TailChaser]

Right! Thanks for that..I'll try it too!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Let me know if it works!

[Oldgirlruns 10 Miles]

I love reading your posts TailChaser - if I run until I’m 100 I’ll never catch you! Your training sounds as if it’s going really well - I’m still plodding along at snail pace; although a timing error at our Parkrun on Saturday (we think arising from a massive turn out and lack of tokens at the end!) gave me a new PB a whole 10 minutes less than the time I got when we came to S-o-A! Aagh! Happy running!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Don’t worry about pace. It matters little. What matters is that you’re running. The benefits are obvious. No hurry 😃🤷‍♀️👍🏃‍♀️ If you run slow you can run longer A long, slow run is lovely 😍. On a pleasant day it has to be said 😃

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Oh no OGR! I bet that was annoying! Still, you’re doing it, and you’re doing it regularly which is fabulous no matter what speed you go at.

I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but I would love to be able to run at your pace. I have no patience and I’m always in a hurry, so slowing it down for a half marathon pace is going to be really difficult for me. This is another reason why I have such a long training plan!!

You’re doing brilliantly OGR 👏👍😍

[Oldgirlruns 10 Miles in reply to TailChaser]

Thank you TC! Off out shortly for a slow seafront toddle and will take your words with me!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldgirlruns]

🤗 Have fun - I hope it’s not too windy!