December 2013
Monthly total (rounded down to the nearest half): 59km over 8 runs
Yearly total:799 km
December the 30th
And another 9km (actually 9.38) run bites the dust. Ran it in, according to Runkeeper I ran it in 59, 28 so that gets rounded up to the one hour mark. Pretty much the same time as my last two runs, a few seconds quicker maybe. I'm pretty happy with it (the time) as I only had one rest day so, in theory at least, my legs were still tired from Saturday. Next run, New Years Day.
December the 28th, 2013 (Saturday)
Well, ran the 9km canal route again and it turned out that my guess from Christmas Day was about right. It took almost exactly 1 hour to run the 9.5km (both GPS programs worked this time). I'm going to keep running this until I can work my pace up to about equivalent to 10.5km per hour (that's about 5.45 min per KM). Means I need to knock off about a minute per KM for this course, or, in other words, bring the course time down to about 51 minutes. So that's my target :)
The 25th of December, 2013
Another 5 day break and also my first timed run to Gunoldstrassebrucke and back. Of course the GPS went screwy so I have no timings or accurate distance (Mapsource tells me 9km). I suspect Endo/Runkeeper can't cope with me listening to the Beeb at the same time so, from now on and as long as I remember, it's music only.
Anyway, a sort of new route - from home, along the canal to Gunoldstrassebrucke and back. It's adding 2km to my run so, in the spirit of keeping progress slow but steady, things are on track. After the run I could definitely feel my metatarsals aching and can't curl my toes properly but I reckon that's just part and parcel of the recovery process now - no doubt it'd heal a lot quicker if I just didn't run for the next 6 months but bugger that!..
Anyway, it was also rather warm for the time of year - knocking on 6 degrees (above) and dry.
So, without further ado..
My 89th run 25th December 1 hour (I had to guess at the time as, as mentioned above, the GPS went mad). I hope it was closer to 55 minutes, or quicker. I think I was running about a 6,30 min per KM pace so that'd work out to about 58,30 minutes for the course but I did have to walk a bit to slow my heart rate down so...maybe the 1 hour's overly optimistic,
Oh, and as I was running a new target jumped into my head - I'd like to be able to run a consistent 11km per hour pace (which is 5,27 per KM) over at least 2 hours so, once I can run this course in 50 minutes or less I'll extend the distance.
9km in 1 hour (probably) - that's about a 6,40 per KM pace - lots of work to do.
For what it's worth, in order to run a 4 and a 1/2 hour marathon, which is my target, I'd need to run a 6,26 pace (over the 42km) hence a quicker pace target during training.
Oh, and Merry Christmas :)
20th December
Wow! a 5 day break! It didn't feel like that.
Was hovering around zero degrees and dark but out I went. Threw on a compression layer, a standard
base layer, a thick t-shirt and a pair of gloves, oh and I wore my do-rag underneath my baseball cap. Felt pretty comfortable. Also, pretty happy at the pace, nothing record breaking but it was just over the 6 minute mark bringing my time for the course to (rounded up) 45 minutes. This was my target so, now it's been hit, I'm going to extend my runs to the next bridge (which adds about another KM I think).
My foot's still there although I can "feel" it, so am aware of the potential for injury. Right foot's feeling better, although I do need to do some more regular stretching, especially of the hamstring and Achilles tendon.
7km in 45 minutes
15th December, 2013
This blog is all a bit dry isn't it? :) Ces't la vie. I'm not gonna get personal, reveal my inner most thoughts or anything like that (at least I hope not). It's about running, and my work towards my goals...so, on that note - I went out again yesterday. Ran real slow as I'm still (paranoid?) concerned about my left foot. I'm writing this on the following day and I can still feel some aches in my left foot and right ankle and shin but I hope that this is just old age
So I ran 7 km in 1 hour.
What I'd like to be able to do is comfortably run a 10km/hour pace for 4 and a half hours. If you were wondering.
12th December, 2013
After minor motivational issues I finally hauled myself out and ran 7km (Endo measured 6.91) along the canal. As I was alone the pace was slightly quicker than I'd been used to and I had a stich (lower left) for quite a while. Still, a good work out. Right foot felt a wee bit "twingey" and I can feel a dull ache in my left. Will probably take at least a 2 day break now. Am rather worried about injury re-occurrence.
The time was just over 45 minutes - my PB for this course is 41 minutes and I'd like to get closer to that pace again before I start to run longer distances on a regular basis. Ideally I'd like to be running 15 to 20km runs by March so I feel that I can go easy right now.
8th of December, 2013
Took a wee "stroll" along the Donau Canal - according to both Runkeeper and Endomondo I ran 10.3km but I have my doubts (for some reason I'm prone to disbelieving my GPS - it's caused me all sorts of problems). I ran with Lila, which works well as it keeps my speed in rein and limits the distance - something my metatarsals are glad about). I did notice my big toe unable to curl completely, a symptom I've associated with metatarsal bruising but (and I'm writing this on the following day) 24 hours later it'd cleared up so...fingers crossed..again.
10.32km in 1 hour 18.44.
5th December
For the first time in years I went to Schonbrunn. For those of you in the dark it's a big building in Vienna and, apparently, famous for some reason. Nice place to run in though and it's got this god-aweful, but voluntary, hill smack back in the middle of it which makes a pretty good challenge. Rather like the Duke of Wellington I went up it but, rather shockingly, I found myself having to stop and rest for a few seconds to let the lactic acid (that's a guess based on nothing) that had built up in my legs clear....and then stop again...and again. It's not like it's amazingly steep or even that far but, on the plus side, I got a nice view of Vienna when I got the top.
4.87km in 45.42.
3rd December, 2013.
Well, I just got back from my first run in about 6 weeks. So far my metatarsals feel OK, although it's not always immediately apparent.
Here's a tree I saw...
My plan, assuming the injury doesn't re-occur, is to run a maximum of 7km every other day all month. No long runs, I'll, and bear in mind this is written on a post-run high, probably alternate between the canal, around the ring and maybe a wee bit in other places like Schonbrunn etc.
Anyway..
5.77km (according to Runkeeper) in 35.39.
Oh, and I entered the VCM (Vienna City Marathon). It's in April.
