It's the third week of the challenge and as the running starts to settle into the daily routine, I thought it about time that I recorded the current state of play, discuss the pros and cons of running every day and the specific issues that come into play as the weeks pass.
I have just ran the daily minimum of 5k so far. Over stretching myself in distance terms is potentially the biggest threat to completing the challenge. There will be plenty of time in the coming months to increase the mileage with possibly a longer weekend run if the local trails dry out. That does not mean to say that I've been taking it easy as I did my second fastest ever 5k at the Peterborough Parkrun last Saturday at 23:17. Considering that I did not go 100% as I was mindful of the challenge and got held up in traffic due to not starting near enough to the front, I'm very happy with that.
I don't recall ever being able to run more than 20 miles in a week. When I tried it in the 80s, I always ended up with an injury that meant I didn't run the next week. So it was with some trepidation that I started off the first week. I was still suffering from a minor niggle or two so it was a case of "gently does it" for the first few days. As the days and weeks have passed the concern has lifted although niggles come and go, there are no major issues to report.
Apart from the Parkrun and a Frosty 5k event at Wicksteeds Park, all my runs have been on the same route, out and back on a bridleway off the village green. This is mainly due to the fact that my best running routes are at Stanwick Lakes but the route there and back is currently very muddy due to the recent regular rainfall. The shortest loop through the lakes is around 7k so going that way will involve some higher mileages.
I have, more or less, kept to my own advice with regard to pacing myself, taking each run as it comes and not trying to do a particular pace or run to a schedule. If I've ran faster it's because my legs said they were happy with it. Apart from the Parkrun when it all gets a bit competitive but that's all part of the fun.
Tanya has ran with me on a couple of days. It's been great to have some company and I don't mind slowing a little to her pace as I will have plenty of opportunities for faster runs in the coming months. Tanya seems to have benefited from the runs as she managed a PB at the Peterborough Parkrun.
I'm still trying to keep up with riding the bike on the turbo-trainer. I'm still doing 4-5 hours a week on Zwift, usually in the afternoons. I find that the spinning of the legs is great at loosening up any tight muscles. I've had to ease up a bit in the races though as a full bore effort of an hour or so can leave me feeling very tired.
I'm still feeling motivated to get this done. I actually look forward to my runs first thing in the morning. I've integrated them into my daily routine: Cup of tea, running kit on, warm-up, out the door, run, shower, breakfast and into the day as normal if not a bit later. It helps being between jobs at the moment.
Pros:
I am getting fitter. Not necessarily faster but I am getting the same pace at a lower heart rate than I was at the start. That should translate into a faster pace at some time.
It's good for my state of mind. Winter is always a bad time for my head, particularly if work is light. If I wasn't doing this then things would be pretty bleak.
My weight is coming down. After bringing my weight down with a very active summer, it had started to creep back up a little. Since the start of the challenge that has now reversed and I'm back at my target weight.
Cons:
My left calf/ankle is still not right. No worse but no better. It is something that I can live with as it does not hurt during running, just evenings after sitting for a while and first thing in the morning. I say it does not hurt during running but I can feel it at times and it may be holding back the effort.
I am tired most of the time. Not really surprising on approx. 8 hours a week of hard exercise but that goes with the territory.
Issues:
I wrote this heading when I started writing this blog. Now I've got to it, I can't think of anything to write. That must be good?
UPDATE
It's now week 4 and I am unable to continue the challenge. Jumped over a puddle on the 22nd and minutes later, at the end of the run, my right calf started to tighten up. Next morning the calf felt tight at the start of the run and got worse for a mile or so and then the usual sudden sharp pain as though I had been stabbed in the calf. I had to stop running and limped back home.
So that's the end of that. Interesting challenge but not one that I can do with my running legs in their current condition. The value of rest days cannot be overstated.
Wednesday 18 December 2019
Tuesday 3 December 2019
RED Winter 2019-20 Challenge - Run at least 5k every day, December-February - Week 1
At the start of 2019, I set myself a challenge to do a physical activity every day. This came about due to the inspirational efforts of all-round good egg Steve Burton who ran every day throughout 2018. At the start of the year, I had only just completed Couch to 5k so just running was not an option. So it is a case of cycling, running, swimming or occasionally walking every day.
11 months completed successfully and I'm already onto the next challenge which is to run at least 5k every day, December-February, as a consequence of an invite from Steve to join him on his latest escapade.
I started building up the running miles and running consecutive days over the last few weeks in preparation and on Sunday 1st December started off with a moderately paced (for me) 5k run on a farm track out of the village and back. On Monday the 2nd, same again but at an easy pace which gave me time to think about how I was going to keep motivated and injury free over the next 3 months. I was happy with my fitness to handle a 1/2 hour run every day but not mentally prepared for 90 consecutive days of doing the same thing. Also injury avoidance will be crucial to complete the challenge. So I had a long think during the run and most the rest of the day about how I'm going to try to get through it and, if possible, improve my running pace along the way.
I'm writing this down for my benefit but also hope that it may benefit others undertaking the challenge. So here goes:
Fitness
I'm quite fit for a 62 year old and have been doing over an hour a day of moderate exercise all year, so fitness is not an issue for me. If I was not in this situation I probably would not undertake such a challenge but for anyone crazy enough I can only advise them to take it very easy at first, run-walk to start with, running further and walking less as you get fitter and then eventually running the full distance. Avoiding injury could be your biggest challenge. If you feel a muscle tightening up the slow down or even stop. Trying to run through pain could mean you may not be able to run the next day. You will get some niggles along the way, that's inevitable. Ibruprofen gels and Dr Google are my best friends.
Pace
Don't try to run too fast too early. When I used to run in the 80s, I was disappointed if I did not PB or extend my longest run. Every run was judged on distance and pace. These days I judge my runs on time and effort, I still time the runs and analyse the results, but I am as happy if I can get round the 5k in half an hour with a max heart-rate of 130bpm as doing it in 25 minutes and hitting 150 bpm. Every run, irrespective of pace, is a building block to your objective whether that be a race or just finding it easier and more enjoyable.
I try not to pre-plan my runs apart from the route. I do a simple set of dynamic exercises before each run, go out the house, start the watch and set off on the run. Within a few strides my legs give me feedback on what I can expect from them and I settle into a steady, comfortable pace. My usual run is uphill for a bit and that then gives me feedback on my current fitness level and how I should run on the day. It's probably not until I've ran the first mile and I'm on the second hill that I decide how I'm going to run the rest of it. The point I'm trying to make is that you should let your body tell you what it can do rather than you trying to force it to do something it's not ready for. That way you should avoid fatigue and get the most out of your runs. I do not agree with training plans that say you should do this and that on certain days. They are generally counter-productive unless you are a competing athlete. I find that a single hard, fast paced run once a week is enough to bring about an improvement but just let it happen, don't force it.
Motivation
OK, so we can handle the physical side of things, what about the mental aspects? Running 5k every day for 3 months is a mental challenge, particularly if it is on the same route every day. How do we keep motivated?
On my 2019 challenge, I've written a short report on Facebook at the end of each month. Initially lots of positive comments and feedback that provided some motivation. As the months have gone on, the comments have stopped and I'm now getting just likes. If we rely on our peers to motivate us then my experience is that they get bored and from the initial "Well done, keep it up" you end up with "You still doing that?".
My motivation now comes from self imposed targets. I initially took up running in order to do a Triathlon, unfinished business from the 80s. See my last blog for more details. My latest target that provides the current motivation is to do a half-marathon in 1:34 which was my previous PB. That works out at about a 22 minute 5k pace but for 21k. I've got a long way to go but as long as I see improvements it may still be within reach.
The other way to keep it interesting is to mix it up a bit. I've got 2 possible 5k routes from the house although one of them is rather soggy at the moment. I've also got a number of longer routes if my legs are up to it. I also plan to do Parkruns on a Saturday and I've got a number of 5k and 10k events planned. With the events every couple of weeks or so, I can break the 3 months down into chunks of training finishing in a race. I use the word "training" but I don't mean in a structured way, similarly I view a "race" as an opportunity to go for a PB if your body is willing. A number on your chest and running with other people, (racing-if you like) is the best way to run faster.
Enjoyment
Lastly, just try and enjoy the runs. You rarely see a runner smile because it is not easy. So, on the easier runs just enjoy being outdoors. Its all too easy to just look at the path in front. Make an effort to look about you. I run in open countryside and love to spot wildlife. I have regular one-way conversations with Red-Kites that circle above me waiting for me to collapse so they can pick at my corpse. I see squirrels, hares, pheasants and the occasional deer.
I even talk to trees. Not just any tree but special ones. I might just be mad, but then would a sane person take up this challenge :)
11 months completed successfully and I'm already onto the next challenge which is to run at least 5k every day, December-February, as a consequence of an invite from Steve to join him on his latest escapade.
I started building up the running miles and running consecutive days over the last few weeks in preparation and on Sunday 1st December started off with a moderately paced (for me) 5k run on a farm track out of the village and back. On Monday the 2nd, same again but at an easy pace which gave me time to think about how I was going to keep motivated and injury free over the next 3 months. I was happy with my fitness to handle a 1/2 hour run every day but not mentally prepared for 90 consecutive days of doing the same thing. Also injury avoidance will be crucial to complete the challenge. So I had a long think during the run and most the rest of the day about how I'm going to try to get through it and, if possible, improve my running pace along the way.
I'm writing this down for my benefit but also hope that it may benefit others undertaking the challenge. So here goes:
Fitness
I'm quite fit for a 62 year old and have been doing over an hour a day of moderate exercise all year, so fitness is not an issue for me. If I was not in this situation I probably would not undertake such a challenge but for anyone crazy enough I can only advise them to take it very easy at first, run-walk to start with, running further and walking less as you get fitter and then eventually running the full distance. Avoiding injury could be your biggest challenge. If you feel a muscle tightening up the slow down or even stop. Trying to run through pain could mean you may not be able to run the next day. You will get some niggles along the way, that's inevitable. Ibruprofen gels and Dr Google are my best friends.
Pace
Don't try to run too fast too early. When I used to run in the 80s, I was disappointed if I did not PB or extend my longest run. Every run was judged on distance and pace. These days I judge my runs on time and effort, I still time the runs and analyse the results, but I am as happy if I can get round the 5k in half an hour with a max heart-rate of 130bpm as doing it in 25 minutes and hitting 150 bpm. Every run, irrespective of pace, is a building block to your objective whether that be a race or just finding it easier and more enjoyable.
I try not to pre-plan my runs apart from the route. I do a simple set of dynamic exercises before each run, go out the house, start the watch and set off on the run. Within a few strides my legs give me feedback on what I can expect from them and I settle into a steady, comfortable pace. My usual run is uphill for a bit and that then gives me feedback on my current fitness level and how I should run on the day. It's probably not until I've ran the first mile and I'm on the second hill that I decide how I'm going to run the rest of it. The point I'm trying to make is that you should let your body tell you what it can do rather than you trying to force it to do something it's not ready for. That way you should avoid fatigue and get the most out of your runs. I do not agree with training plans that say you should do this and that on certain days. They are generally counter-productive unless you are a competing athlete. I find that a single hard, fast paced run once a week is enough to bring about an improvement but just let it happen, don't force it.
Motivation
OK, so we can handle the physical side of things, what about the mental aspects? Running 5k every day for 3 months is a mental challenge, particularly if it is on the same route every day. How do we keep motivated?
On my 2019 challenge, I've written a short report on Facebook at the end of each month. Initially lots of positive comments and feedback that provided some motivation. As the months have gone on, the comments have stopped and I'm now getting just likes. If we rely on our peers to motivate us then my experience is that they get bored and from the initial "Well done, keep it up" you end up with "You still doing that?".
My motivation now comes from self imposed targets. I initially took up running in order to do a Triathlon, unfinished business from the 80s. See my last blog for more details. My latest target that provides the current motivation is to do a half-marathon in 1:34 which was my previous PB. That works out at about a 22 minute 5k pace but for 21k. I've got a long way to go but as long as I see improvements it may still be within reach.
The other way to keep it interesting is to mix it up a bit. I've got 2 possible 5k routes from the house although one of them is rather soggy at the moment. I've also got a number of longer routes if my legs are up to it. I also plan to do Parkruns on a Saturday and I've got a number of 5k and 10k events planned. With the events every couple of weeks or so, I can break the 3 months down into chunks of training finishing in a race. I use the word "training" but I don't mean in a structured way, similarly I view a "race" as an opportunity to go for a PB if your body is willing. A number on your chest and running with other people, (racing-if you like) is the best way to run faster.
Enjoyment
Lastly, just try and enjoy the runs. You rarely see a runner smile because it is not easy. So, on the easier runs just enjoy being outdoors. Its all too easy to just look at the path in front. Make an effort to look about you. I run in open countryside and love to spot wildlife. I have regular one-way conversations with Red-Kites that circle above me waiting for me to collapse so they can pick at my corpse. I see squirrels, hares, pheasants and the occasional deer.
I even talk to trees. Not just any tree but special ones. I might just be mad, but then would a sane person take up this challenge :)
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