Friday 28 February 2014

Running away from technology

Running away from technology 


Running is supposed to be the ultimate easy to access sport, no need for balls, pitches, equipment or even team mates. All you need is yourself, a half decent pair of trainers and somewhere to go. 

More and more runners seem to be getting caught up in all the technology that’s so readily available and even designed specifically for running. Whether it’s using a Garmin or another GPS device, heart rate monitors or not being able to start running unless your earphones are belting out the latest sound tracked with trackers tailored to the correct BPM to match your workout the majority of runners all seem to embrace technology in some way.


I’m not a massive one for keeping up with technology; I am currently resisting upgrading to the latest IOS on my iPhone as I like my old one just fine. In terms of running I would be more than happy going out in an old pair of trainers with just a Casio stop watch for company. But life isn’t that simple as I have realised I need to invest in new trainers more regularly than my bank balance would like to hold back against the onset of shin splints and a Casio watch doesn’t provide you with the wealth of data modern GPS enabled devices can.

Addicted to data

A few years ago I started mapping out my runs on a running mapping website just as a way of double checking I was running the right distances ahead of training for a 10K. Then over time I started monitoring my times and improvements, looking at my KM splits and looking to see how fast I started and finished runs and analysing all manner of different aspects of my training.




There are so many things you can look at for someone that loves a good statistic like myself! 

Then things got much more serious when I started taking my iPhone out running with me, now I could start really accurately recording how far and fast I was running. And this is what I have been doing very happily over the last year or so and I must say it was a great training aide while training for a marathon last year as I was able to track my weekly mileage and do some effective threshold and interval sessions as I knew what pace to aim for. 

When technology goes wrong

However things turned rather sour last week as I went for a run feeling very sluggish after a long weekend away (large amounts of cider do not make an effective racing fuel, see previous blog for details) and ended up breaking my 10K PB! 

Unfortunately cider does not have magical properties to turn me into Mo Farah! Disappointingly my tracking app on my phone had malfunctioned and had subsequently thought I had ran much further than I actually had. Frustratingly the same thing happened a few days later when a 6K fartlek run turned into an 11K run at a pace that would have seen me around a minute off the current 10K world record! Luckily I am well aware of my limitations and know what times to be expecting from my performance so I wasn't sucked into a false sense of euphoria for a second just frustrated that my workout had been spoiled and I had let down by technology.

When technology goes wrong

However things turned rather sour last week as I went for a run feeling very sluggish after a long weekend away (large amounts of cider do not make an effective racing fuel, see previous blog for details) and ended up breaking my 10K PB! 

Unfortunately cider does not have magical properties to turn me into Mo Farah! Disappointingly my tracking app on my phone had malfunctioned and had subsequently thought I had ran much further than I actually had. Frustratingly the same thing happened a few days later when a 6K fartlek run turned into an 11K run at a pace that would have seen me around a minute off the current 10K world record! Luckily I am well aware of my limitations and know what times to be expecting from my performance so I wasn't sucked into a false sense of euphoria for a second just frustrated that my workout had been spoiled and I had been let down by technology.

Undeterred I still went out running as planned a few days later but this time I wasn’t going to pay any attention to what technology was telling me. I realised that with all my interest in my stats and splits I had forgotten what running is all about: enjoyment, being free, the open road in front of you and being able to run wherever and however you want. 

So before you dismiss this as a load of glorified rubbish why not give it a go?! 

Maybe not today or not when it’s going to interfere with your training objectives but just Remember to once in a while just try running with the only the objective of running, no set pace, no specific distance or route, just run and remind yourself how enjoyable running can be....

Gareth
idratherbeoutrunning@blogspot.com


Wednesday 26 February 2014

A weekend of food and drink in Bristol



A massive salad packed falafel pitta from a street market, I am now a falafel convert!

A tasty cider selection, the stuff seems to almost flow from every tap in this part of the world.
A Hawaiian pizza with avocado? Never seen it done before but a definite winner
A lovely home cooked roast dinner to round off the weekend, a pieminster pie, loadsa veg, some awesome mash and thick gravy all washed down with a soothing cider.
Shakshouka! A middle eastern breakfast, poached eggs in a tomato sauce with peppers and onions? Slightly odd for brekkie but mega tasty!



Tuesday 25 February 2014

Injury strikes!

How do you cope when injury strikes days before an event?

I have been training for a half marathon for the last few months and am on course to smash my PB but this week I seem to have been struck by peroneal tendonitis, basically a sprain to the outside of my ankle. 

I have been taking it easy and haven't run since the weekend but it seems to be getting worse but annoyingly it looks fine and hasn't swollen at all!

So I am just treating with the trusted RICE principle in the hope it will be OK to run on come the weekend but I am not that confident.

Any advice on coping with this kind of injury either physically or mentally greatly received! 

Cheers,
Gareth
Gareth.davies31@hotmail.co.uk
http://idratherbeoutrunning.blogspot.co.uk




Am I really that fit and healthy?

Am I really that fit and healthy? 

That’s been the question on my mind quite a bit this week. I am currently training for a half marathon on 2nd March which is fast approaching. I am aiming to beat by PB of 1.46 and think I could even go as low as 1.41. I consider theses to be above average times but by no means special or anywhere near out of the ordinary for the average runner.

My training has gone pretty well but more than usual I have felt my training and fitness levels affected by work and social commitments and over indulging in alcohol and food on social occasions. 

 

You are what you eat....

My problem has always been my love of food, not just the bad stuff like chocolate and cake but my general eagerness to consume vast quantities of whatever food is on offer and always wanting to be eating something. Inevitably an increase in socialising in recent weeks has resulted in an increase in alcohol intake and the kind of foods consumed on evenings out such as burgers and pizzas.

I am becoming more and more conscious of how food affects my training and am becoming increasingly aware for the need to be more conscious of my food intake the older I get especially with my next birthday seeing me hit the 30 mark.

During the week I am have been trying to eat smaller amounts and stick to a wheat free diet with high volumes of fresh fruit and veg and I have found this to be very beneficial and have enjoyed some really good midweek runs where I have felt light and energised by what I have eaten during the day.

I guess it’s an on-going battle of trying to eat well and get enough training in around other commitments, no one wants to constantly decline nights out or meeting up with friends because 'I am running' although along with attending the gym it does almost seem to be a growing modern trend excuse to rival 'I am washing my hair'.

All in all eating junk food makes me realise I am not the super athlete I sometimes think I am just because I try and train at least once a day and my main hobby is entering running events. I think there are so many different levels of fitness and of 'eating well' and while I am definitely not near the bottom I realise more and more I am also nowhere near the top in terms of having the healthiest diet. I think it’s about trying to find a diet that you are happy with and that fits in with your schedule and lifestyle while contributing to your training as much as possible. 


Putting my fitness to the test…

The other thing that has made me question my fitness has been attending a boot camp with my friend recently. I always considered my fitness levels to be considerably above average especially when your ego is stoked by friends and colleagues being amazed at how I can go to the gym before work or run nonstop for 3 hours. However being taken out of my comfort zone of running on my own and being put through my paces in a boot camp I felt somewhat disheartened with where my fitness levels were as I didn’t seem to fare any better than the rest of the class who comprised of people who didn't exercise regularly and/or were forcing themselves to exercise for weight loss and/or fitness benefits rather than gaining any enjoyment from training which I really do.

The class was made up of the usual kind of exercises you would expect, star jumps, press ups, squats and burpees and really worked you hard; I was completely knackered after the first circuit.

Mixing up my training to do something completely different out of your comfort zone and away from my usual training regime was a real eye opener in terms of gauging my fitness and is something I would highly recommend to anyone as a great way of improving their own training.

I think all the clichés and inspirational messages about not comparing yourself to others and how the race is against yourself and not against others is all very true. The more time you spend looking at yourself and seeing how you can improve instead of comparing yourself to others and worrying how you fit in with social norms the more positive you will be and the more energy you will be able to dedicate to achieving your goals.



Running off my weekend excesses…

So my training plans for the week ahead will be going out for a 10K when I get home tonight to help me recover from a cider filled weekend in Bristol. Then I am planning to do some speed work and interval training to work on my speed ahead of my upcoming half marathon before aiming for a rehearsal on the weekend to see how I have progressed and to give me an idea of what time I can achieve on the actual day. Then there will be boot camp midweek where I hope I will see some progress in my personal performance as I have hopefully improved over the last few weeks. And if I can get a few gym sessions in as well I will be pleased with my efforts, I am sure I am not the only one who wished they could fit their work in around their training instead of the other way round!

gareth.davies31@hotmail.co.uk