Keeping bad company

On Saturday I went out for my planned 30 mile run with a couple of my experienced ultra running pals.  I have only ran more than 30 miles twice before so I knew it was going to be both physically and mentally tough.  Tougher still it was going to be mainly on tarmac.
As soon as we headed off I realised the pace was too quick for me to keep my heart rate in the low 150's.  But I can't expect my training partners to run for me when they both have races coming up so it was a question of hanging on in there.  With the exception of any hills this worked for the first 15 miles then it really started to get tough.
I fuelled as much as I could to make sure I wouldn't hit the wall but around 20 miles it was starting to become obvious I was struggling to keep up - the early pace was catching up with me.  So without any word of criticism or signs of frustration, when they got more than 250 metres in front they would turn round, run back and when they got level with me they turn and run with me.  This lasted for about 10 metres before they began to peal away again and there was nothing I could do.  I was hurting, every step was sore and  my hips were protesting.  I was doing the ironman shuffle and trying not to think about the biting wind and how cold it was if I began walking.
But mentally I knew that this was exactly what I needed.  I needed to dig deep, feel crap, feel sorry for myself and wishing that my running partners weren't so bloody good!  I felt I was holding them back which annoyed me but they are experienced enough to know that they were getting in a good training session and some extra distance constantly coming back for me!
I suppose if I keep such "bad company" then I need to be prepared for the outcome.  They will push my to higher limits and make me better.  A perfect training run with 4 weeks to go.  I took today off to allow my body to recover although I did get a green HRV reading this morning.  Rest is an important part of training and one that the youngsters aren't so good at!

Light mornings

Following the disaster on Sunday I was pleased to get a green light this morning although the score was borderline. Green means go so that's what I had to do. I did consider staying under the covers as it was -2degrees at 6am. I even tried to justify it on the basis I could run in the evening when my son was at athletics but in the past this hasn't always worked out so I told the "chimp" to shut up and swung my legs out of bed. That motion means there is no going back as the momentum carries me out of the bed, gives my wife a cold blast of air which causes her to grab all the available covers so there is no way back!
I covered every part of skin I can including pulling my buff up the back of my head so it goes over my base ball cap and covers my ears.  I know what you're thinking, great look (not), but running in these temperatures is not for the fashion conscious - they are still in their warm beds!
The sky was blue, there was a beautiful sun splitting the sky but the pond in the garden was covered in ice and the trees looked like they'd been painted white.  Within a few hundred metres the tears were rolling down my cheeks as the cold bit. How lucky am I was the thought going through my head. 55 minutes of fantastic running and I felt amazing. Time for a quick breakfast and then off to the office. I aim to have two more early morning runs to up my weekly mileage and remind my legs that we've go a big event coming up and they need to be ready.

Frustration

I'm often asked how I fit family, work and training in especially as my training sessions are getting longer. An understanding family, planning and flexibility with work allows me to squeeze in the training but this week was difficult. I managed my 2 swim sessions but wasn't able to get some extra running sessions in as I was in London on Thursday and Friday. This was relevant to what happened at the weekend.
The experts say that travelling is not a rest day. After a hard couple of days my flight home was delayed and when I got home at 10pm I had to head out at 11pm for dad's taxi duties. So I wasn't surprised when I had an amber HRV reading on Saturday morning. As a result I limited my run to 15 miles and did a bit more walking to keep my heart rate down - it was obvious though the the amber light happened for a reason as my heart rate was higher than normal.
After the run I followed my recovery routine of food and rest but in the evening it went pear shaped. Teenagers can sometimes throw a curve ball and we got one of mega proportions which involved an unexpected 2.5 hour car journey and getting to bed just before midnight. So no surprise when you add the last few days together that my planned 25 mile run didn't start because of a red light!
So I settled for a light yoga session and will be eating plenty of good food today as I rest. I'll swap today for tomorrow's rest session but I won't have time for 25 miles. More regular mid week runs are now manditory as the race approaches. I've also been having a "word with my inner chimp" which is working overtime telling me I'm not prepared enough. I've got the miles in my legs, although want a 30 mile run next weekend, and the experience in my head and that's what counts. I'm training smarter rather than harder but it can be frustrating, especially as it's a beautiful day with the sun splitting the sky. But I'm sticking to my plan.

Training on heart rate

When I first started training for Ironman in 2010 I relied heavily on my heart rate monitor.  Every bike and run session was based on my heart rate.  However by 2012 I had moved away from heart rate and went to time based targets.  After all I could tell what my heart rate was without the monitor.  Last year I was using it again but the readings from the garmin were so erratic it was a waste of time.  But recently I've been struggling controlling my heart rate so I bought a new heart rate strap and it's solved the problem.  Now I've got accurate results although I don't use it in the pool.
After 2 weeks out of the pool, for various reasons, I went back this week and had two good sessions. Swimming provides me with a number of benefits; it eases my legs after big miles at the weekend, it's good for my breathing, it's a good workout and, as I have a 10km swim In September - it's necessary.
On Saturday I went out for 15 miles (3 laps) trail running on my own.  My max heart rate based on age is 168 (I know this isn't accurate but it's a starting point).  The previous weekend I was constantly at 170 and eventually hit the wall.  So I thought I'd try and stay between 135-150 and if I got to 158 I'd walk until it reduced.  The undulating terrain at Chatelherault (425 ft of assent in every lap) means your heart rate will vary but the longer you run, the more your heart rate increases.  So by lap 3 I was doing a bit more walking on the hills.  My average km per min time was 6.29.  In reality this meant I was 2 mins per lap slower than normal but I could live with that.
Today I had company and the guys stayed at my pace. 4 laps meant the average time slipped to 6.38 per km however I need to remind myself that completing 53 miles across tougher terrain will be at a slower pace.  3hrs 25 mins won't compare to 12-13 hours.  All I am doing is building the miles and doing back to back long sessions.  I won't be going over 30 miles before April 26th in one go, it's more about preparing my legs and my mind.  Again my nutrition was right but I need more fluids onboard as I am dehydrated after 20 miles. 
For me the training on heart rate is working for me.  It's slowing me down and making sure I am not exhausting myself.  It's fantastic having a stretching goal to aim at - I'm loving the miles!

Leaving the Wall behind!

Saturday's hitting the wall experience wasn't nice but I've been reflecting on why it happened and how to recover from it.  I'm putting the why down to a head cold and poor nutrition on the day.  The HRV results may have been green on Saturday morning but the score was low.  My nutrition was rubbish in that I should have been taking regular gels or food to keep my blood sugar level up so I'm not making that mistake again.
Obviously I was a wreck on Sunday and took the Monday off as I usually do.  I decided to ease myself back into training rather than make up for the lost miles at the weekend.  Last night I did my weekly group swim session and that always pushes me as I want to stay up with the other swimmers in my lane.  It had been 2 weeks since I swam so I knew I'd have to dig in to stay with them but I managed it - just!
This morning the alarm went off at 5.45am as I was due to swim again but as I looked at the frost outside I was sorely tempted to stay under the warm covers.  But what would I have said in my blog and after all I've had a couple of easy weeks training so I threw my legs out of bed and followed them.
I knew I'd be the only one at the pool this morning but that meant I had the lane to myself and could do what I wanted.  I quickly pulled a session together and completed it.  I felt good but in truth knew if someone else had been in the lane with me I may have pushed it a wee bit harder.  Don't get me wrong, I was breathing hard with the intervals and sprints but the stop watch doesn't lie.  My times were getting slower during the session.  But at least I wasn't lying in my bed.
The temperature outside was -0.5 degrees but the sum was blazing in the blue sky so down with the roof on the car and enjoy the fresh air which tells me - I am alive and kicking!

Hitting the wall

Does technology make me a hypochondriac or give me a more scientific approach to my training? After last weekends back to back 20 mile trail runs I was knackered.  As always I took the Monday off training and got an amber light on my heart rate variance (HRV) app which meant I would need to have taken any training easy anyway. But on Tuesday the HRV was red so definitely no training.  The same was repeated on Wednesday and I certainly was suffering from a head cold so I though better take the rest. Sports massage on Thursday so I didn't want to do any training although I had a green light and I had a funeral on Friday so wasn't really up for it.
On Saturday I went out with two experienced ultra runners to run probably the toughest section of the Highland Fling from Rowardennan up the east side of the loch. I had purchased a new heart rate strap for my garmin as I wanted to see how high my heart rate was when running.  This stretch of the run involves clambering over rocks and it's easy to see where time is lost. It's hard to average walking pace at times with all the ups, down, tree routes, bog and a new hazard - the waves crashing against the path. The white horses were riding high and at one stage actually came onto the path. You can't really enjoy the spectacular scenery while moving or else you'll fall. I managed that twice; once straining my hamstring as I tried to stop my fall and the other time going down full length. I was attempting this 9.5 mile out and back with fresh legs so I hate to think what it will be like with 30 miles in them on the day.
We set off too fast, when will I learn, and it's a hard uphill start. When my heart rate reached 170 I walked but was it because I was tired from last weekend, was it the head cold, or were we just going too fast.  In the end I think the technology was telling me to back off and I didn't listen.  I struggled to eat and this eventually caught up on me when I "hit the wall".  I had started to get thirsty and then got to a point where walking up hill was almost impossible. Rosie and Craig force fed me jelly babies and got some fuel into my body.  Then they persuaded the chimp in my head that I could make it to the end so we ran/walked the last 4 miles.  I can't tell you how many times I had "retired from running" during the four miles but it was plenty.  Golf seemed like a fantastic alternative.  However it's normal to feel this way if you haven't taken on enough fuel especially with what I am attempting to do. So it was a big learning day for me and I am so glad I have seen this part of the race before race day.  The race plan is formulating in my head now, I can see it.  But between now and the 'fling I need to get my nutrition nailed as I do not want to experience that feeling of the wall - ever again!

True grit

It's been a good week from a training point of view. 2 great swimming sessions where it looks like I'm getting faster in the water.  I even learned to tumble turn although I'll wait till I perfect it before trying it in a busy lane.  I think my fellow swimmers will be appreciative of that as I can turn and fire off like a torpedo, into the next lane!
This weekend I had set myself a target. 20 miles of trail running on the Saturday and repeat the same on the Sunday.  I went out with two friends on Saturday but one of them is fast.  He tried to slow down but after four tough laps he had improved my speed over 20 miles by 9 minutes from the previous week.  I was completely shattered.  After a protein drink, tea and a caramel wafer I tried to get up from the table - I could hardly walk.  Not a good condition to be in for Sunday.  I went through my recovery routine of food, hydration and compression clothing while resting all afternoon.
Today I got up with a few wee messages coming from my muscles but nothing too bad.  I thought my heart rate variance monitor may have suggested I didn't train but it gave me the all clear.  So I headed off for the trails.
I knew this session was going to hurt, there was no escaping it.  But it was mentally an important session to have this box ticked with only 7 weeks to go.  The first lap was fine, the second was starting to get tough.  The thought going through my head on the third was that I had another lap to go when I was finished that one.  I'd been at the front of the pack and my fellow runners were happy to run at my pace but on the forth lap two of them went ahead and the other two were slightly in front of me but helped get me across the line.  My legs were shredded.  It's important to train tired as that allows you to try and replicate what it will feel like running 53 miles without covering the distance.
Sitting in the café afterwards I looked like shit, according to my pals.  But a protein drink, cup of tea and a caramel wafer and I started to feel better.  Walking to the car was hard but betting out of it even harder - I was walking like a 90 year old!  When I got home I was greeted with the news we were going out for lunch as a family.  So my recovery was slightly different and apparently I was a bit grumpy but I managed through it.
Back to back long runs help build your physical and mental stamina.  Setting tough targets and completing them are important so I feel I have achieved what I set out to do.  One of the runners said I had "true grit" - either that or just mental! Now for a couple of days rest and a sports massage.