It's been a little while now since I completed my second ultra event (Endure24). I sprained my ankle whilst running those very muddy 55 miles; and not only did that prevent me from running further in the event, it also meant I wasn't able to do any further running for a good couple of weeks' after the event. To be honest that was probably a good thing - one could argue I needed to take more time off, but with such great running weather it seems a shame to not to start running now. My foot seems 'okay' and so it's time to hit the road and tracks.
Now before anyone gets excited (if that's at all possible with my running blogs) I must stress now that I haven't decided what my next race will be. The honest truth is that I'm struggling to find one. Having conquered the 50 mile 'milestone' at Endure, I'm ideally looking for something along the same distance (or ideally slightly further). I'm therefore on the lookout for a 50+ miler sometime in Oct/Nov but I cannot find one within a reasonable commuting distance. There is a lovely 30 miler called the "Stort30" that takes place at the end of October and which Stouty and Jo (Amor) are running (it will be Jo's first ultra). I'm tempted but really want to bag something longer as it'll be my last ultra for a little while (my wife is expecting our second in December). I'll continue the search for another couple of weeks but if I can't find anything I may just plot a 50 mile route myself and run it! After all you don't run ultras for medals, times, photos or crowds - they tend to be lonely affairs as one battles ones own fitness and navigational demons. In that sense plotting my own run will be no different than running a formal event. I'm going to make a decision soon, so watch this space...but I already have an idea in my head (don't I Stouty!).
So now I'm back in the saddle and starting to run again. I've pumped in a few runs this past couple of weeks of varying distances and speeds and over different terrain. I've felt pretty good on all of them with the foot not giving me too many problems. I did have sore knees but thankfully that seems to have settled down.
I've also started to run a couple of times a week at lunchtime. I've plotted a nice little 5 mile (8km) route, which means I complete it and have a shower during my lunch break. I tend to use this as my more speedy fitness run, as it includes a good mixture of flat, steep ascents and gentle descents.
Since I started running again (11 July - 22 July) I've managed 10 runs with the following stats:
Coupled with running at lunch time, I've also started to get up early and get most of my runs out of the way early. My start time most mornings is around 5:15am, although occasionally they are earlier. I now run with the Newbury Runners on a Wednesday night (having avoided it for far too long) and also meet up with some Newbury Runners for a regular Monday Morning Breakfast Club run (a medium-paced 1 hour run at different locations). I'm also looking to build up my weekend long runs - mainly on a Sunday and starting at 5:15am.
I don't regard these as "training runs" but more fitness runs. Once I've got some of my base fitness back and finally chosen my next ultra, I will then start to see these runs as more training sessions (which means they'll become a little more structured in nature and planned more effectively). We're not talking the intensity of a marathon training structure here, but something more structured than what I'm currently doing.
So there we have it - I'm starting to get back into the running groove. Will be nice to go another 4 - 5 months without injury. Fingers crossed.....
I've also started to run a couple of times a week at lunchtime. I've plotted a nice little 5 mile (8km) route, which means I complete it and have a shower during my lunch break. I tend to use this as my more speedy fitness run, as it includes a good mixture of flat, steep ascents and gentle descents.
Since I started running again (11 July - 22 July) I've managed 10 runs with the following stats:
- 11 hours 26 mins of total running time
- Burnt 8,602 calories
- Ran for a total distance of 114 km (70 miles)
- Ran up 947m of hills
Coupled with running at lunch time, I've also started to get up early and get most of my runs out of the way early. My start time most mornings is around 5:15am, although occasionally they are earlier. I now run with the Newbury Runners on a Wednesday night (having avoided it for far too long) and also meet up with some Newbury Runners for a regular Monday Morning Breakfast Club run (a medium-paced 1 hour run at different locations). I'm also looking to build up my weekend long runs - mainly on a Sunday and starting at 5:15am.
I don't regard these as "training runs" but more fitness runs. Once I've got some of my base fitness back and finally chosen my next ultra, I will then start to see these runs as more training sessions (which means they'll become a little more structured in nature and planned more effectively). We're not talking the intensity of a marathon training structure here, but something more structured than what I'm currently doing.
So there we have it - I'm starting to get back into the running groove. Will be nice to go another 4 - 5 months without injury. Fingers crossed.....
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