RED Winter 2019-20 Challenge - Run at least 5k every day, December-February - Week 3

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.