Back running after achilles heel injury!

After eleven and a half weeks away from pain free running, today (29/12/10) marked my return - yipee! I can't wait to get back to serious training once more. My focus is the 2011 London Marathon in 17/4/11. My heart rate is all over the place - unsurprisingly!

Stationary Cycling - December 2010

My PB for my 42Km (26.2 miles) stationary cycle was set yesterday (Christmas Day 2010), but I wasn't wearing my Garmin Watch so I can't upload the data. The time, nevertheless, was 1hr 1min 25secs. The average heart rate was approxiamately 140bpm. The paths are still covered with snow and ice, so I can't even pop out for a training run and check out the progress on my achilles heel.

Stationary Cycling - December 11th 2010

Happy with that performance today, since it was another PB! I think I am ready to run again, but the pavements are still covered in snow and ice.

Stationary Cycling - December 5th 2010

I am showing real signs of improvement in my stationary cycling sessions. That was was yet another PB today for the 42km (26miles) indoor cycle. My achilles I think is fine again, but I haven't been able to run injury free for nine weeks now. I tried twice in recent weeks, but it back fired on me. I would have gone out running today, but the paths are covered with snow and ice. It has been like that for 5 days now. I hope we are not in for yet another big freeze, as last year was a runner's nightmare.

Stationary Cycling - November 20/21 2010

That was yet another PB! I did a daft thing today - overstretched my achilles again. This will delay my return to running )-:

Stationary Cycling - Mid-November 2010

My achilles heel injury is improving, so I just keep persevering with stationary indoor cycling to maintain my fitness levels. It is tough mentally. I am desperate to return to running and particularly the weekly races such as the 5K Parkruns.

Stationary Cycling - November 13th 2010

Time = 1hr 2mins 20secs. A massive PB!
I really went for it today as I had rested for the last three days. The time is decent, but my heart rate average (152 bpm) was much higher than in recent days. Still satisfied with that nonetheless. My achilles is improving. That is now 6 weeks with only two days of running (with injury).

Stationary Cycling - October/November 2010

My achilles heel is still a bit sore, but improving a bit now that I have stopped running on it. I had to skip the race 'Run With The Wind 10K in Strathaven' and it depressed me somewhat, so I took my frustration out on my stationary bike and clocked a massive PB for the 42km (26 miles) indoor cycle that I do regularly when I'm injured. Impressively my heart rate average was only 121bpm and I even knocked 1min 30secs off my previous record to clock 1hr 04mins 46secs. Well happy! :-)

Stationary Cycling - 23/10/10

After completing the Hamilton Harriers Half Marathon on October 10th 2010 I picked up an achilles heel injury. It is still sore, so I have switched from running to indoor cycling and I cycle 42km indoors on my stationary bike(26 miles) and wear my heart rate monitor to maintain my fitness level. It is tough going both physically and mentally, but I still enjoy it nonetheless.

Hamilton Harriers Half Marathon Championships - 10th October 2010

Time - 1hr 23mins 53secs. Average heart rate - 164bpm. Conditions - very windy in some exposed stretches. The two club training sessions (Tues - 100m X 10 & 200m X 10) and (Thurs - 3 X 10mins at 10K pace with 2mins slower run recovery) seemed to sap my legs going into this race. I simply could not raise my average heart rate above 164bpm no matter how hard I tried. My achilles tendon was sore prior to this race and I will need to rest it now :-(

2010 St Andrew's Hospice 10K - 3/10/10

Time - 37mins 55secs.

Conditions - a slight drizzle with no wind (ideal running conditions). Two hills which caused my pace to deviate away from the 6 min/mile pace. Course splits are in statute units i.e. miles instead of kilometres.
Average Heart Rate - 170bpm.

St Andrew's Hospice 6K Schools Challenge - 2010

My time today was 21mins 52secs - A PB! I finished 3rd in the teacher category behind Steven Allan and winner David Gardiner. David and I trained together from 87-91 in Moray House College of Physical Education. Dave has always been a class athlete and evidently still is. He won today in around 19mins 20secs or thereabouts.

Cumbernauld 10K - Sunday 12/9/10

Chip time today was 37mins 33secs. Noticeable head wind in certain sections, but not too bad. I wore my heart rate monitor, which is the first time I've worn one in a 10K race for ages. My heart rate (HR) average was 169bpm, which felt reasonably comfortable. I ran at about 172 HR for large sections of this race. At one stage my HR reached 180bpm, but only for a brief period. I think only one or two people passed me in the race. I even caught one of them again in the last 200m. I had the benefit of wearing a HR monitor and it helped me to pace my race properly. My Garmin measured this a tiny bit short (that makes for a pleasant change). Splits are measured in miles, not kilometres.

2010 Great Scottish Run - Glasgow Half Marathon

My Garmin recorded the race distance as 13.25 miles, instead of 13.1 miles. Chip time was 1hr 23mins 36secs (PB!). I must not have 'run the line' or maybe my watch is rubbish at picking up the satellites. It was nonetheless a PB today, although I will always contest that my unofficial PB was clocked last November (2009) at the Hamilton Harriers Half Marathon Championship, where Neil Robbins and I clocked 1.22.00, but since that was an unofficial race it does not count, so my time today I suppose consitutes an official PB. I was happy with my race strategy, since I followed my heart rate throughout and that acted as a good guide for me, as I was able to pace the race properly. My average heart rate (HR) was 168pm, which I knew was my lactate threshold HR anyway. The weather was quite hot and a touch windy in places. No complaints today however!

Paisley Vision 10K - 29/8/10

My time today was 37mins 42secs. It was very windy (20mph), especially for the first 5K. I ran behind Brian Douglas (Bellahouston Harriers) for a large section of the race. Brian's club mate Mark Paterson ran a stormer and passed me at the 8K mark. He clocked a PB today! I dropped off the 6 minute per mile pace at around the 6K mark and faded by about 4 secs per km till the finish. I now have a really sore set of ribs, which I picked up on the judo mat on Friday. My small toe is also badly bruised. I really should be sensible and stick only to running. Judo, however, is a massive buzz and my first love as a sport.

Marymass 10K - Irvine 2010

I was going really well till 7K, then I slowed considerably. I was on for a 37.17 finish until 7K, then the lactic kicked in again. I need to pace these 10K's more sensibly. I am racing them as if they're 5K's and thereby fading badly in the last few kilometres.

My splits are listed above. I also need to calibrate my Garmin.

Glasgow Parkrun #85 - 14/8/10

My time today was 18mins 23secs. This was my 3rd race in seven days. I was going well till 4K, then I slowed a lot going up the hill for the last kilometre. A few runners caught me in the last kilometre, which is always disappointing, but Thursday's 5K was still in my legs and my four beers last night may not have helped - who knows? Is this course a bit short?

Broadwood 5K Race - Cumbernauld (12/8/10)

My time tonight was 18mins 18secs. My Garmin 305 GPS watch clocked the distance as 5.04km, so 40m longer than a 5K. My 5K split was 18mins 09secs, but I may have run a longer distance by 'not running the line'. I really enjoyed the race and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys racing. The organisation and the low entry price make this race a must do event.

Strathclyde Parkrun Event #18 - 7/8/10

Time today was 18mins 19secs. My Garmin again measured the course as 5.05km and I purposefully ran along the inside track today. I was 4th in the race however. Not bad since I raced a 10K a mere 13 hours ago in 37mins 31secs.

Bellahouston Harriers 10K - 6th August 2010

My time tonight was 37mins 31secs. My splits were as follows: 1st half - 18mins 29secs. Second half - 19mins 01secs. I was on for a PB until the lactic again kicked in at 8K. At 8K I clocked 29mins 52secs. I ran for a good bit of the race with Chris Upson and Brian Douglas, but both these lads stretched away from me at the 6.5K mark.
Overall quite happy with my race tonight - a season's best.

Scottish Gas 10K - Edinburgh (1/8/10)

The race today was performed in windy conditions. I again ran 10.11km. I need to learn to 'run the line' more efficiently. My time was 38.00 mins.

Hamilton Harriers 5K Monthly Handicap Race - 27 July 2010

Very happy with the time I clocked last night (17mins 51secs). That was a personal record for me on that hilly Bothwell Loop. I 'hoofed it round' this 5K course in my new Nike Lunar Racers and they felt very comfortable throughout. My 4K split was exactly 14mins 30secs, so I ran the last kilometre in 3mins 21secs. There was a light wind last night, but neverthetheless, I still managed to win my first ever race, so overall I'm absolutely delighted.

2010 Healthy Working Lives 5K Challenge - Edinburgh 29/6/10

As predicted last week I succumbed to my addiction and decided to race the 2010 Healthy Working Lives 5K Challenge at Inverleith Park/Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh on 29/6/10. The weather was nice. The breeze helped cool the runners down a bit. The course is very picturesque as you weave your way through the Botanic Gardens. Lots and lots of twists and turns and a few uphill/downhill stretches as well. I think it would be unlikely to record a PB on this course, but the hospitality and goody bag make this race one to add to the annual calendar. My time tonight was 18mins 35secs (chip).

2010 Healthy Working Lives 5K Challenge - Glasgow 23/6/10

My time (chip) tonight was 18mins 10secs. I was runnng really well till 4K (14.22), then the lactic acid kicked in during the final kilometre where about five or six runners past me. I was feeeling physically sick after this race. It was my 4th race in 10 days - too much!!!

I really should rest now, but I find racing very addictive and may now run the Edinburgh version of this race next week.

Strathclyde Parkrun Event #11 - 19/6/10

Finished in 3rd place and clocked a time of 18mins 17secs. Quite windy in the first section of this exposed out and back course. That was my 3rd race in 6 days.

2010 Kirkintilloch Olympians 10K

My time tonight on this course was 38mins 33secs. Very warm evening (25 degrees celsius). I had a good first half of the race with my 5K split recorded as 18mins 06secs. The hill at 5.5km really finished me off. It seemed to sap me and I was off the 3.43km/min pace thereafter to a slightly disappointing final time. My Garmin recorded my 10Km time tonight as 37mins 57secs, but I never ran the 'line' and ended up running 10.15km.

2010 Vale of Leven 10K

My time today was 38mins 23secs. Quite happy since it is a very hilly course. The last time I raced on this course I was 42mins something, so five years later on I am quite happy. I'll be 45 years old in 3 weeks time, so to be getting faster and suffering a degenerative neck injury, then on balance I must be happy. Some younger runners flew by me in the last 100m, but there was nothing I could do about their superior speed.

2010 Polaroid Dumbarton 10K

Remarkably hot evening - 23 degrees celsius!

My time was 37mins 45secs - the exact same time that I clocked at last week's Clydebank 10K. It was, however, 30secs slower than I was on this course in 2009. Maybe I can blame the heat. I am happy enough with the time nonetheless. That's the first time I've clocked back-to-back sub-38 minute 10K's.

2010 Polaroid Clydebank 10K

Time recorded (chip) was 37mins 45secs. I was on course for a 37.17 (6 min per mile) until 8K, then the lactic kicked in and I slowed by around 15secs per mile. Still it was 30secs faster than last year's (2009) 38.15. Quite happy since it was better than last week's 38.21 at Helensburgh 10K.