Run to death

Catching up

Charlie — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:29:10 +0000

I ran 5 times while visiting my father. The first time was at Duke University. It was my first run after Across The Years. I ran for an hour and a half. I felt light on my feet, but very awkward. My muscles and bones just didn’t seem to be working like they usually do. It was cold and rainy and despite the awkwardness, I felt like I could run forever. It was a joy to be running again.

The other runs where all on a treadmill at the nice community gym in the Kentucky town where my father lives. Two of the treadmill runs were 72 minute 10 milers, one was a 70 minute 10 miler and the other run was one where I stopped after 5 miles because the damn treadmill started to smoke.

I also did a canal run on Sunday. It was 78 degrees with blasting sunshine. It was nice. I took it really easy and finished in 76 minutes. I’ll pick it up on my next run and see were I stand as far as the possibility of doing a marathon at the end of the month. Right now I would say chances are very slim.

Short run in 37-Nik

nickybower — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:09:28 +0000

I actually felt unwell for the last day after completing my sub 34 short run. I can’t figure out whether it is physiological or psychological, but the symptoms are the same: pressure building in my chest, nervousness, fear, tension, then release. It wasn’t particularly bad this time, and I haven’t felt that for a while. Best not to push too hard…

17 mins out and 18 mins return. No planks etc as I had an appointment to get to.

Short hard run: Re-thinking my record breaking run-Nik

nickybower — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:59:40 +0000

I did 2 sets of planks, but dropped the dips and push-ups, as they are aggravating my RSI injury of the elbow from last years gardening.

Went out the door running hard, as it is cold and wet, really pushing it. Double, double-checked my timing at the start. Made it to Nimmo’s Pier bang on 17 minutes, and I was struggling to hold that pace. Ran back in 16:50, REALLY struggling. I kept the ‘inner whiner’ lock away in the back of my head, where he continued to tell me to ease up, walk, flag a taxi.

Averaged 7:12 per mile and that hurt to do it. I am wondering now whether I mis-read my watch on my superfast short run. There is no way that I could make the Pier in 14 minutes…

A good, hard run, but not a PB-Nik

nickybower — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:42:11 +0000

3 sets of planks, dips and push-ups.

6.5 miles/ 10.36km in 49:45

Turns out that this isn’t a PB. I looked up the PB I set last Summer, just before the family came over fromAz, I had done a 10.8km i n 49:15, but nonetheless, a good run considering how sloppy I felt.

Did the first half down to Nimmo’s pier, but I ran around Lough Attalia and around the dock. Mid point bang on 25 minutes. Pushed hard on the way back on tired legs and made it back in 24:45 for a total run time of 49:45. I can’t really do the planks after the run, as I use them to warm up, otherwise I could be a little faster.

Noticed about an hour after the run that I have pulled a load of muscles in my butt and also down my right leg, including the hamstring. Bummer.

Just worked out that to put in a ’4 run’ week this week (my week presently starts Sundays) I will have to run on my beat up right leg tomorrow. I’ll see how stiff it is in the morning. Definitely no records…

Short run, lightening fast pace-Nik

nickybower — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:59:40 +0000

2 sets of planks, dips and push-ups.

6 miles in 40 minutes.

The Story:

Had intended to do a longish (60 mins) run, but seemed to set off at a fairly cracking pace and couldn’t really decide what route to take. Took my shortest route and decided that I would add miles on at the end, if I wanted too. Got to the mid-point on Nimmo’s Pier in a frightening 14 minutes = 6m miles. Turned around, no wind and headed back. Definitely slower on the way back, but still managed to get home in 17 minutes, for a total of 31 minutes for 4.7 miles, which is bang on 7 m miles (technically 6:595 :-) ). Then did a slower run around the block to cool off. Turned out that my ‘slow run’ was at a 6:55 pace for the final 1.3 miles. Go figure.

That’s an average pace of 6:40! I’m gob-smacked…

I’m going to get a cheap watch with a stopwatch on it, as my watch is not great for recording the time. It has no timer on it and sometimes if I am tired mid-run, I forget my start time.

I reiterate, I don’t want to do really fast runs, I just want to stay fit.

Feelin’ good. The short run-Nik

nickybower — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:45:54 +0000

Planks, dips and push-ups,

Run 35 min= 4.7 miles,

Planks, dips and push-ups.

Felt light heading out and realised after a few minutes that my feet were setting the pace. I put my head down and concentrated on the run, arms pumping, strong legs, controlled movement. Thought I was running at least 7:30′s on a still day. Got to the mid point on Nimmo’s Pier in a disappointing 18 minutes (good runs in the past got me here in 16:30-17:30), turned around and ran straight back into a 25mph wind. Must have been pushing me directly on the way out, but I didn’t feel it at all. Decided that I felt good enough to insist on a negative split, pushed harder and came in around 16:45, which is pretty damned good as that equates to 7 minute miles on the way back. Animal.

I took yesterday off as I was feeling the toll of 4 runs in 7 days. I did do 2 sets of planks etc though.

Hill walking this afternoon, hence the short run.

A beautiful day to be alive.

A light run with my friend Alan-Nik

nickybower — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:35:44 +0000

Awoke from unconscious sleep to my alarm, rolled out of bed after 5 hours sleep straight onto rubbery legs. Did this run with Alan, a retired army man. For a 60 year old, with asthma, he is still pretty fit. We did my short run in 45, I usually do it in 36-38 mins, and he walked a little too. I ran on for a little longer. Total run of 52 minutes.

A longer set of planks, dips and press-ups at the end.

Thoughts:

I’m doing pretty well at the moment. Running helps keep me connected to my Bro at this difficult time. Positive thoughts, happy memories.

A pre-dawn run: Insomnia Returns-Nik

nickybower — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:59:59 +0000

Really struggled to do anything meaningful the last 2 days as a result of my 70 minute run. Tired, mentally and physically, it felt like the second day after a marathon: the elation has gone, exhaustion sets in for the recovery period. The elevation of my metabolism brought on by the run has resulted in the return of insomnia, resulting in a pointless 5am wakeup, I finally dragged my ass out of bed at 6:30. As both Charlie and I discovered, more training means less sleep, not more.

The Workout:

2 sets of planks, push-ups and dips. Run 38 mins. 1 set of planks, push-ups and dips.

I set out in complete darkness at 7:40am, with, for the first time a viz-vest, having just heard a runner on the radio describe his life-long recovery after being hit in the back by a car at 55mph. Despite being almost 8am the darkness keeps everyone sleeping, Galway isn’t a happy place in the early morning. Street pizza keeps me on my toes. As I am approaching the midpoint on this short, short run, I am greeted by this sight:

Galway early morning.

The moon and the lights on the water put a spring in my step, despite awkwardly carrying my camera, I stay strong all the way home.

8.5 miles along the Prom plus planks-Nik

nickybower — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:27:49 +0000

A windy day, but dry. My body and mind was really tired yesterday, couldn’t figure out if it was from last week’s running schedule, readjusting to grey Ireland or a combination of both. I went to bed early and got up late. Figured that I would run for 50-60 mins today.

Did 2 sets of planks, push-ups and dips then set off. Decided that I would run along the prom for a bit, first time since getting back, so I took the shortest route in to town. Felt really slow. Picked up speed a little despite the persistent strong wind, nudging 40-50mph I reckon. I hoped that it would give me a kick on the way back, so I decided on a negative split. Ran on for 35 mins and hoped to come back in 30. Turning around at the mid point at 4.25 miles, the wind seemed to be side-on and didn’t really help a great deal. I told myself that the side-on wind was helping lift my knees for the next step and positively pushed on. Despite feeling that I was pushing quite hard and had a strong finish, the clock told me that I really wasn’t gaining anything. I ran back in 34:45, so technically a negative split.

I had planned to do another plank set when I got home, but my body told me that I had done enough. My pores were wide open and sweating 10 mins after I got home. I haven’t had that sensation from a run for a long time. I guess 70 minutes is just entering my ‘running’ territory.

Disappointed to realize that I was running 8:15′s, but maybe I expect too much?

4.6 miles in 35 mins: A quickie-Nik

nickybower — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:02:42 +0000

I had planned to do a run yesterday-Saturday, to make it 4 runs for the week, but a number of things conspired against the run. My ankles were tired from the pounding they had already had, after a prolonged absence from running, I had just had 2 vaccination shots, one in each shoulder, my left shoulder had gone so stiff I needed help taking my sweater off, AND Jo and I were due to do a 4km ‘fun walk’ along the promenade in Salthill on Saturday.

The funwalk was a surprisingly good workout, don’t knock it! We walked flat out for fifty minutes passing as many of the other walkers as possible to get our free coffee and fruit at the end. I did the whole thing in my hiking boots…

Today’s run was of necessity a short one, my legs have done enough for this week, though technically Sunday is the start of my next running week. Really cold and sunny, near to freezing, under-dressed, but I think I got away with it. I ran fairly hard as I was cold. That works out as 7:45 per mile. Not bad….

I’ll try to fit in three runs Mon, Wed and Fri, so that will be four runs for my second week back.