Training Log Archive: markg

Had to force myself to have a rest - wanted to get out and try funny arm swings - but I skipped the usual rehab rest day yesterday so knew I had to have one. Achilles felt good this morning which is awesome but some of that lateral tightness is back.

Event: ACT Middle Distance Championships: ACT League #6 & NSW League #6, Orroral C
 

ACT Middle Champs. 7th, 8:14 behind Doyley. Legs tired today, no strength on the hills and my navigation was rusty, I think I've got out of the habit of reading contours. Lost small amounts of time through the first half (3, 4, 6, 7, 8) allowing Jarrah to catch me 2 minutes by the time we hit the gunge. Managed to keep Jarrah in site, lost more time at 14, and then caught him mid-way to 16. Unfortunately I wasn't where I thought I was was and we were running in slightly different directions and I completely lost confidence. Saw Jarrah and Lazydave shooting out from where I thought the control would be but couldn't read the rock (and the veg mapping was pretty awful) and took another minute to find it. To add insult to injury I stuffed the last control. Was probably on for high 42 without errors. Has made me consider how much of a physical and technical challenge next weekend is going to be.

Had a gait analysis by Lex Anderson from The Balanced Runner. This was really interesting and I'm looking forward to working through the issues he found. Lex basically destroyed my running form (nicely though). Apparently, my running form is a testament to the body's ability to find ways to make things work when some part isn't doing its job properly. I run really lopsidedly: pelvis rotated anti-clockwise, left shoulder back, right shoulder forward, legs not moving through in line, weight distribution bad, etc. First task is to take control of my arm swing and upper body movement. The corrected movement feels slightly odd, almost stiff through my body with the elbows swinging out to the sides more. I imagine that I look like Mat McGuire when I'm doing it.

Event: ACT Sprint Distance Championships: ACT League #5 & NSW League #5, Canberra
 

Warm up and then short cool down with Marty. Cool down averaged 4.45/km pace :)

ACT Sprint Champs at Canberra Grammar School. 4th, 1:24 behind Craney. Had a pretty good run; had a number of small losses, nothing that winsplits could pick up, but an accumulated loss of about 30s. Pretty pleased to be that close to the front given how little running I've done of late. At the previous sprint here, the 2013 Aus Sprint Champs, I was 1:45 behind Craney, I suspect that says more about his family developments than any improvement I've made. Achilles was good, even with lots of bounding up stairs, and heel nerve pain seems to be settling. Overall I really enjoyed this.

To the gym and back. Calves plus rolling today. Glutes pretty sore from weights yesterday. In hindsight increasing squat weight after a week off was not the smartest idea.

Isometrics 4 x 40s @ 52.5kg

Easy loop on Stromlo fire trails plus uphill bounding, new plyo exercise. Heel better than Tue but still did a fair bit of walking in the first 10min. Achilles a bit sore to begin.

3 x 10 steps uphill bounding

Feeling smashed again after this. Found it particularly difficult to balance during the single leg RDLs which I do last in conjunction with the lunges. Squats are nearly at body weight.

Squats 4 x 5 @ 65kg ↑
Chinups 3 x 5
Deadlift 4 x 5 @ 50kg
Pushups 3 x 12
Low row 3 x 8 @ 33kg
Reverse lunges 4 x 5 @ 18kg
Single leg RDL 4 x 5 @ 18kg ↑

Visit to the physio today. Heel pain is from the calcaneal nerve related to my back and shoulder. Nothing boney or tendony which is good but have to deal with sitting posture which will be a challenge. Good news for running the NOL in a couple of weeks.