Spate of difficult training up until now. Outside of an incessant stress I mentioned from life I’m pretty sure I had some underlying illness sapping me of energy. Recently got quite a bit more ”go” back so I’ve gotten significantly more excited about running. Not that I had stopped, it was just not that enjoyable. It’s definitely a depressing time of the year for me, it’s always tough mentally on me for many reasons so I need to keep on top of how I’m feeling. Running definitely helps but seemingly only if I’m feeling good.
Lots of flooding and storms recently so photos highlight that, the winds were insane blowing down trees everywhere!
During flood
After flood
This is a main road! No idea how those cars got like that! I climbed from one side to the other.
Wyre Forest
Ribbesford Wood
Post storm cleaned up, todays run!
Severn Way
Top of Stagborough Hill
During flood
After flood
This is a main road! No idea how those cars got like that! I climbed from one side to the other.
The Arc of Attrition looms the end of January and I’ve escalated my training to being more specific and more speedwork. It’s been good. Running fast is fun and I think necessary for success in ultras. It’s a different approach and seemingly counter intuitive but I’m going for it. If you want to race fast you need to run fast. Arc will be very different this year, 10 aid stations, versus 4, and much less crew access. Also the required kit list is ridiculously excessive. I guess I’ll adapt.
Wyre Forest
Ribbesford Wood
Last week I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to get a lactate threshold test and VO2 max test. The local university needed someone to be a test subject for some grad students and I was asked to help! I knew what to expect but had never had this done before. The lactate test checks at what heart rate your body is producing an overload of lactate and you are forced to stop. Up until that point your body is able to use lactate for fuel. I started easy, at 10 kilometers per hour and every three minutes they’d take a blood sample checking the level of lactates in my blood. The harder you work the higher this number will be. Then they increase the speed to 11 kph, run for three minutes, blood sample, increase to 12kph, blood sample…….until your blood lactate level is too high to process showing you’ve breached the top of your lactate threshold. What you get from this test are very specific heart rate zones.I have yet to get my results but am excited!
The VO2 test finds out how much oxygen you are able to absorb and this test is pretty much run until you can’t run anymore, ie failure. They had me continue running once they got the lactate test results and pretty much just kept increasing the speed until I either gave up of fell, ie run til failure! I gave in after stumbling a couple times, just didn’t see the point in crashing and being caught by a harness! I believe my VO2 was 64, which isn’t too bad for a 48 year old, so I was happy.
Shit storm from the wind!
Daughter had a tooth pulled today so since I couldn’t go in to work I took advantage and got in a nice 10 miler! Had good weather, warm but windy, and nice to see the sun!
Post storm cleaned up, todays run!
Severn Way
Top of Stagborough Hill
This week in training is looking really positive! Solid long run Monday, snuck outside today for 10, and hopefully Sunday I’m planning to run with a coworker of mine who is a 2:43 marathoner. We’ve got 15 miles planned at a quicker pace. Looking forward to that. I always run alone so should be good! I’ve been stuck on the treadmill a lot this year, yes, it ticks the box, but it’s just not the same.
