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Legs and Lungs

A theme I have picked up is ‘legs holding out’. When I started running my main worry was my breathing. I just did not have enough ‘puff’ and would have to stop each time I felt breathless. Up till recently I would still stop in the middle of a run because I thought I had to breathe. This became a habit, till I overcame it by running longer distances, so that the shorter distances felt easy.

But now, as I increase my distance, my legs start aching and my leg and stomach muscles are sore after that run. At each increase I am not sure if I am going to be able to run further. So I have decided to do a flat, slow 10 mile run along the esplanade from Folkestone to Hythe and back to check out my endurance. Here goes!

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Training plan

Courtesy of Dr Vijay Vad, and his new rules of running, I have now worked out a training schedule.  Having completed it, i wonder if it is not over the top.  Adding up the runs per week, I find that two weeks before the run i will be running 34 miles. that week.  Is that really necessary and, at my age, will I be able to do it.  Irrespective of the training, and before the training starts, I am going to go out on a 10 mile run, to see how my legs hold out.  I am not worried about the breathing, because you can run at a really slow rate, but I find my legs start to freeze up after 8 miles.  I know that I have to increase  the mileage gradually. 

A 'friend' on Saturday said to me that I am at the age when I should be thinking about a rest home rather than a marathon.  Thanks!

 

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Need my hoodie

Need my hoodie in this weather to keep me warm. This is a Contra hoodie, promoted by Paul Sinton-Hewitt of parkrum fame. All the items in his range of running clothes have a large variety of sizes to clothe a variety of body sizes. The hoodie is warm and wicking. The only thing it lacks is a pocket. I ran 6.8 miles that day. I am working up to a 10 mile run to test my legs for the half marathon.

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MK half marathon

I now seem to be committed to the Milton Keynes half marathon.  On Saturday I spoke to Jae and asked  her if she was going,  She said she would if I did.  So we both agreed to enrol.

What made me think I could do it.  I started with the parkrun 5k, which I have now run over 100 times.  Two years ago I decded to run the Worcester 10k with my son, and have now run it twice.  It didn’t seem such a big step forward,  just twice what I was used to running: six miles instead of 3.  I ran a couple of six miles routes to train.  What I did find is that my legs were incredibly stiff after the run.

A half marathon,  13.1 miles. is a long step further and I am not sure if my legs will hold out.  But I have started a more methodical preparation.  I no longer think of a run in terms of miles, but in terms of time spent: half an hour for 5k, an hour for 10k and 2 plus hours for 21k.  It makes it easier to judge how I will hold out.

My second element of preparation was to buy a book on running: ‘Five New rules of Running,’ by Vijay Vad. More of that later.

My third element is to measure out the mileage of particular training routes.  I have a 9 mile route planned, which I walked out last week, and which I am going to run this coming week.  If I can complete that, I should be able to complete the course on the day.

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NYD Canterbury Parkrun

This is a triple first for me: first parkrun of the year on NYD; first Tourist run of the year; first 5km of the 1000km challenge I have entered.

Here I am in a sheltered, sunny spot before the start. As my fellow shelteree said: 'parkrun is a family, isn't it?'

Canterbury parkrun has its challenges: a steep muddy bank to start and an downhill/uphill valley,  run twice.