Glorious rest day

Bay : 11.5k: 51.36

Injury still on the mend!! Ran with almost no discomfort and could stride out reasonably well. Pushed hard but slower than the effort felt - no doubt a little fatigued from 5 solid sessions in a row - time for a rest day.

Recovery around the Bay

A recovery run around the Bay with some hills and the canal. Ran the 5k challenge course firm in 22.11 - slower than Saturday but it was only to be firm not flat out. Calf still very much on the mend.

Bay : 11.5k: 51.49

Usual little testing run with some challenging small inclines and some rather long steep hills and some short sharp ones. It is a godd distance that helps endurance somewhat but not long enough to be really increasing endurance. In recovery mode it is just about right and by running the same course often I can guage any improvement in fitness. Friday was the first time under 52 and so to maintain that standard was fine. Injury certainly becoming less of a problem. I expect to maintain the time but the effort should become less as I become fitter.

5k Challenge

Was pacer for the 21 minute group of 1. My group struggled a bit and we came home in 21.22 which was very very easy for me.

Bay 11.5k : 51.18

After a day of recovery felt fresh - therefore pushed the usual course very hard all the way - rewarded with a minute faster than the latest PB run on Tuesday. It is not an absolute PB for the course but within 30 seconds or so. Recovery going well at the moment so keep it steady from now until the Sydney Marathon so that I get to the start line as recovered from the injury as much as possible any fitness after that is a bonus.

No run : recovery

Bay + 5k : 21.36

There is no overall structure to my training at the moment. It is really determined on how I feel the previous days session went in regard to aggravating the injury. So there is no weekly/monthly plan. However the main focus at the moment is to get to the start line of the Sydney Marathon with the injury as recovered as much as possible as well as being fit enough to run a respectable time. So the training , with just over two weeks out is now focused on some gradual increase in speed - no long runs will help me now.

So the runs will be up to 15/20k, slow and some faster shorter stuff.

Today it was around the Bay with the canal loop added so that the 5k challenge course could be run. Had no expectation except maybe to be around 23 minutes - so with running how I felt not to the watch I times the k splits but never looked at the watch until the end. Ran firm but not flat out but firm was fine. Surprised at the time and pleased with the k splits which I will bore you with : 4.28, 4.26, 4.14, 4.14 and 4.03. Clearly started off conservatory and then somehow got warmed up. Rest tomorrow.

Bay : 11.5k and 52.17

Ran the usual run that I have been doing for the last few weeks. I put in strong sessions on Sunday and Monday so I was not sure how today would go but I wanted to push it as hard as I could but without risking doing the injury any damage. Felt good to start with and the whole run flowed at the best pace that I run for weeks. The time was 4 minutes faster than I have run it over the last 3 weeks or so. Just need to be conservative in the next week and not to get too cocky.

Great day : Bay plusand no pain !!

Was not certain if I would run this moning - having decided I may run I was not sure what type of session to do. First step get out of bed and move around and see how the calf feels - felt good so decided a run was on. Next question what to do - decided that a good paced 5k would give me and idea if I was on the way to recovery (stretching out) and the time would guide me as to how much speed I had lost in this recovery period.

Ran the Bay with canal including the 5k course. Thought just below 25 would be fine. Surprised myself by running firm but comfortably for 23:36. Ran freely and no pain, discomfort or tightness - even more surprising becase yesterday was the longest run for three weeks.

I now feel as if the injury maybe on the mend but some more cautious training is needed to consolidate the present position.

Very happy

Felt okay so decided today had to be long as as serious test of whether I was recovering or whether I was standing still and needed to get some additional treatment. Ran the usual run in 56.49 was was the quickest for a while and felt no discomfort so pressed on with another loop of the Bay with the canal added. Finished the total run in 1.53 - all up about 22 k in avergae of just over 5 minutes per k.

In the middle was the 5k Challenge cours in 24:37 - not fast but firm. Overall the longest run in 3 weeks and felt very little discomfort. Does that mean I am getting over the injury?? The next few days training will tell. The most positive I have felt on a run for a long time.

No run - being conservative

Bay 11.5k : 57.32

Very much just a dull ache - about the same as it was last Friday - so it has taken a week to get back in feeling where I was last Friday. What occurred today gave me some heart that at least I ran without too much discomfort. Another week or so of consolidiation/recovery training before I expect/hope to run freely.

Clearly none of this running is doing the perparation for a respectable time at Sydney Marathon any good. This is not raining and no long runs etc have been run. At least I wont need to consider a taper. At this time what are my thoughts about Sydney - well I expect there is no doubt I will get to the start line, after that a conservative run with even splits all the way. Expected time - big question but 3.30 is still likely - maybe as good as 3.20 if all the recovery effort goes as best as could from now until to start and then a perfect run on the day according to my current fitness level.

Bay 11.5k : 58.52

All of yesterday it was difficult to walk without a slight limp. So when I got up this morning I was not sure what to do. Decided if you don't try you will never know theory so I went for a run. Really took it slow but was surprised that there was only a slight dull ache throughout most of the run and no intense pain as weas present on Tuesday. Is it getting better - I have no idea.

No run

Bay 11.5k : 57.38

Eased off the pace a bit but still in much more pain than late last week. No doubt pushing it on Friday was not smart. Back to the slow build up again and some intense treament.

No run

Bay 11.5k : 56.23

Same run again with a further improvement in time but pushed too hard and could feel the right calf was slightly stained. Will not to level off the intesity until the strength comes back. It is not boring doing the same run as I am not in a position to speed work or any other variation so short medium pace is what it must be. It is recovery focussed running not training.

Esay around the Bay

Joined up with some girls from Woodstock Runners for an easy run an chat about training for them.

No run

Bay 12k : 58.57 : Improvement

The theory for the recovery seems to be working well and faster than I thought. Today another improvement and this time by about 4 minutes over the same course. Almost all of the discomfort has gone and the stride length is slightly longer and I am running more freely and not tensed with the pain. I will not push for further improvement for a few days but will hold it at this pace so that I consolidate my gains achieved during the week.

My best time recently was on 21 July at 53.31 and I hope to get down to that or at least below 55 by mid next week

Bay 12k : 62.58

Still working on the theory for this injury and recovery I need to run it out despite the intense pain in running. It seems to be working as I am 3 1/2 minutes faster today than yesterday and the discomfort was very much less than earlier in the week. Not quite ready to stretch out or increase the stride length but if I continue to improve that is not far off. During the day some intense massaging.

Bay 12k : 66.21 : Getting better

The tightness is much less today as a result of some intensive massage over yesterday. No sharp pain although it is impossible to stretch out and the stride length is short. It is now improving significantly and each day should see progress.

Bay 12k : 68.00

The run each day this week will be over the same course. It is so that I can measure my inprovement on a daily basis. Today there was still the tighness of yesterday and agin the run was slow so that the tighness in the muscle was not pushed beyond it present capability. A minute improvement on yesterday but the discomfort level was not much below yesterday. Lets hope there is a repad improvement during the rest of the week or this is going to take longer than I expected.

Bay 12k : 69.00

Back to my reliable 12k loop around the Bay including some hills. The last time I ran this injurt free was on 21 July and di it in 53.31. I knew today would be a very big struggle - the injury is fixed but I know the muscle is very tight and has shortened when it has recovered. This will be the 3rd time since Canberra that I have had to train out this shortness in the muscle and the few few days are slow and very very painful. No different to day with 69 minutes and plenty of pain. But I know that each day will get better provided I run very much within the injury - that is not trying to push beyond what it is capable of doing on the day.

No run

Decided on one more day of rest and recovery - and it was too comfortable to get out of bed.

Enough is enough !!!

A few days off from running is enough!! Whether Iam recovered or not I am ready to run. Didn't realise how long a few days can be without some runs in them. Certainly back into it on the weekend.

No run : recovery

Easy around the Bay

No run : recovery

No run : recovery

I have decided that I will not run at all this week except once on Wednesady. I feel as if I need a few days recovery before pushing on with the next 5 planned marathons for the year. Have done 5 so far and I need a bit of a mid season breather. Almost week should so me take as much time off as I can before starting to prepare for the Mudgee Marathon.