OHR week 7 and trips to the physio

haven't done too badly this week, have run twice, and done two more days of the 100/200/200.  Total rest day today :)  Mainly due to a physio appointment this morning, I find it's best to let my muscles and ligaments settle down after my hips and back (and neck today) have been cracked back into place.

My workplace asked for a full physio assessment this time, so I saw the big boss - who actually specialises in sports therapy.  It was a good opportunity to check out a few things about the running.  He was adament that is was important to take things slow.  I suppose he sees lots of people who've pushed to far too fast.  I've also been instructed that the most important thing for me and my physiology is to make sure I take short strides - don't stretch out too far.  So it's something I'll have to watch out as I try and up the pace.
He approved of my choice of running shoes, checked my feet out (all good), leg length and ankle strength.  My left ankle is about 10% weaker than the right (the left one is the one I sprained two years back) - but that is too be expected due to all ligament damage.  But it's all good - the only issue is that my ligaments are a bit too flexible & loose, resulting in misaligned hips - which throws my back out.

I'm going back next week to get an exercise program to strengthen the glutes.  At least I've already started on squats!

I'm hoping to complete week 7 on Sunday and get a 45 minute run done.  The weather has packed up - it's not cold but it's pretty wet out there now.  But Sunday is supposed to be nice - cool and sunny.

Unfortunately I have to go in to work tomorrow - shut down a server and replace a fan.  Which is annoying, as it's a hot swappable part, but I can't pull it out of the rack without unplugging the short network cable.  So it means going into work out of hours on a Saturday and shutting it down :(

But in happier news, I'm also heading up to my hometown of Napier to pick up my new-to-me car.  Pity I don't have time to stay the weekend - it would be nice to run part of the coastal walkways. But I'll probably get the opportunity to do that when I'm back there over christmas (in summer!).  It looks like a great network of pathways now.

OHR week 6 down, 4 weeks to go

So I skipped 2 of the runs, but hey, I managed 41 minutes this morning so I'm counting it as done.

It wasn't a great run, it wasn't an awful run. It was just too humid outside, after about 10 minutes I was damp and uncomfortable. It's APRIL, in Palmy...it's not supposed to be 18C at 7.30am in the morning. The nike+ still needs a bit of calibration, it seems to be bang on for the first km, but by the end my stride had probably shortened and I was a few hundred metres out - it said 6km, I'd only run 5.3 according to the phone gps and Map my run  .  Still, I've shaved off a few minutes from my first 5k time.

The ankle didn't hurt at all through the run, possibly due to the brace I was wearing.  So that's good news.  I've noticed a bit of discomfort during the day, but nothing bad.  Maybe I'll get a two morning runs in this week before work.

I also did the end of week two progress tests for the 100pushups, 200situps & 200squats. 

Pushups - 16 - an improvement of 14 over the initial test
Situps - 21 - improvement of 13 (less than my max yesterday, but my abs hurt today!)
Squats - 45 - improved by 20

So that's a win on all all counts.  I started with the c25k on the 17th January and I couldn't run 100m, do more than 2 pushups or 5 situps.  Now I can run 5km and I'm sure give me another month or 6 weeks and I'll be doing 100 pushups.  Anything is possible if you give it a go.

Updates

Firstly, the Lemon Chicken and Rice experiment ended in a call for Pizza delivery.  If it hadn't been for the guests we would have just had vegemite on toast - but can't serve that to guests! The chicken = bland but cooked rather nicely, Lemon Rice = really not my thing, left a funny kinda off aftertaste. 

I only ran once this week - managed 10 minutes on Tuesday morning but my ankle started to hurt and my back cramped up a little so I stopped.  Took Thursday off in the hopes that the extra few days rest will let the ankle heal.  It's certainly improved over the past two weeks, so I'm not concerned, it will come right if I'm careful.  Will be strapping it up before going out tomorrow.  I'm hoping for a long run, and keep on schedule with the OHR program - supposed to be 40 minutes.

I haven't done nothing since Tuesday though, I've got on the exercise bike a couple of times, and kept on with the 200/200/100.

The results for week 2 day 3 -
Squats - max 45 (total 105)
Sit Ups - max 25 (total 61)
Push Ups - max 10 (total 32)

I'm really impressed with the total numbers I'm getting up to.  The programmes are working just like the c25k - I started off thinking it was near impossible to do 100 pushups, now after only two weeks I can see that I should be able to make it!

Really looking forward to test running the Sportsband tomorrow, and I've got about an hour or so of music cued up on the shuffle - the playlist looks a little like this...

Groovejet - Spiller
I'm an animal - Neko Case
Griselda - Natalie Merchant
Possum Kingdom - Toadies
The Hand that Feeds - Nine Inch Nails
Elephant Elephant - Evelyn Evelyn
Adventures of Isabel - Natalie Merchant
King of the Road - Roger Miller
Black horse and the cherry tree - KT Tunstall
Little Little Little - An Horse
Heimdalsgate like a Promethean Curse - Of Montreal
I'm still standing - Elton John
More than a woman - The Bee Gees
Poker Face - Lady Gaga
The Cure - Tegan and Sara
Hold On, Hold On - Neko Case
Maybe Sparrow - Neko Case

I've just received 2 new CDs in the mail this week - the soon to be classic " Evelyn Evelyn " CD and the new Natalie Merchant project "Leave Your Sleep". The Evelyn Evelyn CD is great - couldn't help but laugh at some of the tracks. And the Natalie Merchant discs are, well, interesting. I'd thought I'd probably listen once and then file away with the rest of my 10km/NM collection, since poetry isn't really my thing. But I'm really enjoying a number of tracks.

New Gadgets

my new gadget (or, if you prefer "running bling") turned up as I was leaving for work this morning.

Even though I work with tech, phones, computers etc all day (and have done for 8 years) I'm not jaded and get a little excited opening a new box...

Won't get to play with it till tonight unfortunately :(  And won't be able to take it for it's first outing till Sunday - I'm pain free today, but to stay that way I need another few days rest I think.

oh, pretty pink :)  It's a way brighter pink than the photo picks up.  Take with my phone, so not the best quality

and the following photo shows why I probably will never buy a Garmin - don't think my wrists can pull it off.  Look how big the Sportsband looks on me!

And it came with a shoe pouch to attach the sensor.  Even my Brooks will have new bling!

 Ah well, back to work for me.  Have put the slow cooker on - experimenting with a lemon chicken and rice recipe.  Probably not the best idea when guests are coming for dinner...at least they are bringing dessert and the fish & chip shop is only 5 minutes away!

a lazy Sunday morning

I'm back from my Sunday run.  It is such a nice day out today, so far Autumn has been almost nicer than Summer was.
My ankle gave me a bit of discomfort a few times, but nothing bad enough to stop, but it did slow me down.  I forgot to start the sportstracker on my phone until a few minutes into the run, so it isn't quite accurate, and I don't think it picked up on the few times where I doubled back a bit on the stopbanks.  I think I got near enough to 5km in 38 minutes though.  And it certainly wasn't as hard as the first time I ran 5km back in the last week of the c25k.

I've stretched and done a short yoga program.  Just have to ice my ankle a bit, then I can get on with my day.  I've planned chicken vegetable soup for lunch - from scratch, so I've got a chicken to dismember to start the stock!

With the intent of running 38 minutes

I thought I'd be optimistic and make a new playlist, 38 minutes long for tomorrows run.  Somewhere along the line it became a kiwi music playlist (I think when I stumbled on Poi-E, that 80s groove got me)

For Today - Netherworld Dancing Toys (warmup)
Slice of Heaven - Dave Dobbyn
Counting the beat - The Swingers
Jesus I was Evil - Darcy Clay
Poi E - Patea Maori Club
I got you - Split Enz
Fraction too much Friction - Tim Finn
Violent - Stellar
Forever Tuesday Morning - The Mockers
I'll Say goodbye - The Dance Exponents
Tears - The Crocodiles
In swings the tide - Anika Moa
Beside You - Dave Dobbyn

And the whole point of you tube.  The original 1984 music video for Poi E.  Don't think there would be a kiwi of my generation who didn't, at some point, attempt to breakdance at a school disco to this song.

200/2001/100 week 1 done

If I learnt anything from doing the c25k it's how quickly the body adjusts to exercise.  I still find push ups really difficult, but can manage them a little better now.  They really work the core strength, I always thought it was just an arm/shoulder thing.

Anyway, results after w1d3

Squats - max 35 (total 56) 
Sit ups - max 21 (total 46)
Push ups - max 6 (total 23)

I'm hoping to get out for a run tomorrow.  The ankle hasn't been too bad today, no pain while walking.  I've been icing it, and stretching my calves out and that is really helping.  So I've decided I'll go out intending to run, if there's no pain after the warm up walk, I'll run and see how it goes.  If I make half an hour, I'll be happy, but even 10 minutes will be fine, I'm not going to push it.

Push ups won't kill me

I've never heard of anyone dying from attempting to do 5 push ups in their lounge.  Not to say it hasn't happened, but I'm sure it won't happen to me.

The day started of reasonably badly.  I was up early, dressed for my run then headed out the door.  Half way through my 5 minute warm up walk my ankle started to hurt.  I attempted to jog, it didn't hurt so much but I realised it would probably be a really bad idea to keep going, so I jogged home, continuing to have to talk myself out of running past my house and on with the run. 

I could never have imagined that I'd have to talk myself OUT of running, rather than in to it.  But, better a few days off now than ending up with a major archilles injury.  I'm hoping to be able to run on Sunday, but I'm not going to push it - any pain or discomfort and I'm not going.  Instead I've decided that I'll get on the old exercise bike and keep the cardio fitness going.

But a sore ankle wasn't enough of an excuse to not do the squats/situps/pushups.  Week 1 day 2 today and I did slightly better than day 1.

Squats - 30
Sit ups - 20
Push ups - 5

Hurt, pain and agony (or the end result of trying to do situps)

okay, I exaggerate a little.  But I just completed the first day of the 200 Squats, 200 Situps(crunches) and 100 pushups.

I'm feeble and weak, so I put myself on the lowest level of each of them, except the squats.  I think the running has built my leg muscles up enough - well, enough so I can manage not to collapse after 5 squats.

But, oooooh, I thought I had no ab muscles, but I must have one.  Since it hurts a little now.  After doing the situps, I realised that holding the correct body shape in a pushup really uses the abs....

I'm just going to log the number of each I managed in the final 5th set.  Since that's the one where you do as many as you can.
Squats - 20
Situps - 15
Pushups - 4 (did I mention I was feeble?)

Also I had to spend a little time on ice today.  A lot of exercise in the past 4 days - can't remember the last time I did something 4 days in a row and I've tweaked my ankle a little. 

Personal Best Tuesday

I just got back from my best Tuesday morning run, and my overall personal best. I might have done even better if I hadn't been over dressed - it was the warmest morning for a week or so, and I had dressed for the 1 or 2C  that it's been in the early morning.  The distance I'm going in half an hour still isn't very flash, but hey, a PB is all that counts!

Distance 4.25km, Pace 7.07 min/km

OHR week 4 day 3 (was week 2 day 3)

It may look like I can't count, as I've jumped from OHR week 2 day 2 to w4d3.  I realised at the end of my run on Sunday that I wasn't ready to stop after 30 minutes, and ran for another 5.  So I've decided I don't need another two weeks of 30 minute runs and I'm moving on to week 5 of the OHR.

I drove out to the university campus on Sunday morning for my run.  It's on a hill while Palmerston North City is pretty much flat.  It was a bit of a chilly morning, but another sunny day so it wasn't too difficult to get out of bed.

I lived on campus for a year way back in the mid-ninties, so I'm pretty familiar with all the trails.  I think there was once an attempt by my friends and I to run around the ring road at some very late hour of the night - I wasn't unfit, as I didn't have a car and walked everywhere, but I certainly didn't manage to run much of it at all (that I remember anyway, it was just silly uni student antics).

I didn't want to either start the run on the steep section, or run down it - don't think my knees are ready for that yet, so I started up the gentle slope up University Ave.  It was really nice, the sun was warm but the air was crisp and cold.  I was glad for the $9 polyprop gloves I'd picked up the day before.  I ran right around till I got back to the steep hill, then turned back and ran the other way.
I didn't have anything left for a final sprint in the last minute or two, but feel like I got a very different workout than on my usual flat circuits.

It was about 4.5km, avg pace of 7.49 min/km and I ran for about 35min (the timer says 34.33 but I forgot to start it when I started running)

And today my butt hurts when I walk.  Well, really my upper thighs, but that's close enough to complain that my butt hurts.

New Half Hour Playlist for tomorrow

I'm getting a bit sick of the week 9 half hour playlists I made, so I've put together another 5 minute warmup, 30 minute run, 5 minute cooldown playlist for myself.  I've got so used to using one long track with cues that I've stuck to using audacity to put together one long mp3 with timing cues.  I've got rid of the "you've run 10 minutes" cue, as that is starting to bug me...I'd rather just have a "half way" one.  I've keep the 5, 3 and 1 minute to go countdown as then I know when I shouldn't hold back....SPRINT FOR THE END! I always think...at least if I go a bit faster near the end I won't have to walk quite so far home :)

I had to add some Duran Duran as I just caught the beginning of the James Bond film "View to a kill" earlier tonight.....

The new playlist for week 3 of the OHR is...

Luka - Suzanne Vega (warmup)
Real Late Starter - Nerina Pallot
Crash Years - The New Pornographers
Alligator (VHS or Beta remix) - Tegan and Sara
Holy Grail - Hunters and Collectors
The Reflex - Duran Duran
Barracuda - Heart
Behind these Hazel Eyes - Kelly Clarkson
Jump - Girls Aloud
Hobbit on the Rocks - Toad the Wet Sprocket (cool down)

Rest day Saturday

It was a brilliant autumn day in the Manawatu today.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Only a high of 20C, but it was still nice in the sun.

I've already got tomorrow run planned, I'm heading out to the university and going to tackle hills for the first time.  But today was too nice not to get out and do something, so we went out walking near the river.  There were a lot of people out running, walking and biking on the trail today.  I think everyone had the same idea - making the most of what might be one of the last nice days before the grey Palmy winter hits.

We both had the GPS sportstrackers going on our phones, so now I'm not quite sure how far we walked.  One came out at 6.08km, the other was just on 7km.  I don't think mapmyrun.com is quite accurate either at 6km, as it was hard to guess exactly where were walking, as the google map doesn't show the road and trails through the park.

The Manawatu river, this is where we started on the bridle track that runs along the river.  It was cool in the shade, with a suprisingly cold wind when we started.

We stopped only a few minutes later to get this photo looking back.  They only built these steps a year or two ago.  Before then it wasn't easy to get down to the water.  Looks like a few students from the uni were out studying and enjoying the sun.

We then walked away from the river and along the lagoon.  All the ducks...and a lot of duck poo to avoid!

Somewhere in the bushes next to the little black mother duck, is a baby.  It has a red beak if that helps.

 We then headed back to the river and back the way we came - I think it must have been about 3km along the river.

And then back the way we came.

It was nice to get out and walk in the sun.

Injury report

Went to the physio yesterday, as I thought, my back/side pain isn't anything to do with running. It's just a reoccurance of my usual back problem - now accompanied by my OOS (RSI) flaring up in my right wrist and arm. Hopefully I've caught it early enough, give it a few days and I should be right.

But it means I may have to hold off on starting the pushups/situps/squats plan. I'll give it until Saturday and have a go then.

OHR week 2 day 1

Another 30min run down, and a pretty good effort after a 6 day break (not to mention a heck of a lot of sugar). I thought I was going really slow but I still managed under 8 min/km. So sticking to the 30 minute runs for a few weeks seems to be the right thing for me. It's helping me speed up a little. Hopefully as I slowly increase the time, I'll be able to keep up the pace.

I'm considering running day 2 tomorrow, as I'll be out tomorrow night - it's dessert + Whedon night with my friends (we're watching Dollhouse at the moment). So I doubt I'll want to get up at 5am on Friday. If I do, it will be my first consecutive running days since starting. And I'm also supposed to go swimming with a workmate at lunchtime. That's a lot of exercise in one day for a couch potato on parole.

I've also been chatting with a friend, she's looking for something to motivate her to get out and run again, so we're thinking of making it a goal to take part in the Manawatu Striders winter series . There are 3 5km run/walks held in June and July. It's a 'sign up on the day' type deal, so we don't have to commit until the day. Their next event is actually next month, but it's a 13 or 21km run/walk, which would be a bit of a daunting prospect, even if I walked it. And it's on the weekend I get back from my Melbourne holiday, so I probably will be a little tired from all the travelling.

OHR w2d1 distance 3.89km pace 7:52 min/km

Real Late Starter

I have a theme tune this week. I'm a lazy late starter. But now I've started. So I won't be staying in bed, won't be living in my head - I'll be out there running. Making up for lost time!

OHR week 1 day 3 & Easter Break

Thursday's run was ok, better than Tuesday at least. My fastest so far at 7.14min/km, another 4km run. It was a slightly frosty 7C morning, and so far I seem to have my best runs in the cooler temperatures.

I thought I was getting a stitch for the first time while running, then it was accompanied by discomfort in my upper back/shoulder/neck just on the right side. Odd pains usually mean I've put my hips and lower back out of alignment. That could explain the funk I've been in this week, so I've got a physio appointment tomorrow afternoon.

My next run is planned for Wednesday morning. I've also taken a ww break and haven't been tracking my meals over the weekend, the only exercise I got was out doing some gardening on Friday. I have overindulged in the chocolate and coca-cola, gone out for three meals and am feeling a bit seedy now. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I'm really looking forward to my next run. I think the break has done me good.