Jumped the gun slightly

Ok so I went out for a short tester run today and my knee did niggle and twinge a bit, so I guess I did jump the gun a little bit in saying I am past my injury problems. But still, I am past the worst of it and I knew it would still be a while before I could get back to my previous ability.

I guess it was just that yesterday was completely pain free got me into a bit of a false sense of security. Caution is the key and I will be very careful. But onwards and upwards we go anyway.

Change of name

Decided to update the blog name to something a bit more 'normal'. As much as I liked my former blog title, 'Project Carpe Viam', it was a bit of a mouthful and sounded a bit snooty me thinks.

'Running Rabid' is a bit more down to Earth and describes me a bit better too.

Not sure if I'll blog again until January so until then, Happy New Year peeps!

2 weeks to go....

This time in 2 weeks I will have completed my first 10k. I have kind of mixed feelings about it actually - I went out for a run today and came in at 1 hour and 3 minutes. Overall its only 3 minutes more than my target time and 2 weeks should be enough time to push myself and get that down, but I don't think I have time to get in more than one 10k run before then, and maybe one or two 5k's.

So I might just need to give my all on the day and see where I get to. Its not my ideal by any means and I do want to get under 1 hour before the day itself. But I guess I just didn't put in enough effort or enough runs beforehand.

I will be going for my last training run next Sunday and a gentle run the day before. Will see how it goes!

Tabatas.....

If like me previously, you have not heard of tabata training before it is basically in a nutshell:

Total 4 minute workout - that's right, 4 minutes!

In those 4 minutes you have 8 'sets' of 30 seconds each, consisting of 20 seconds of your absolute maximum effort followed by 10 seconds of rest.

The mistake I made (and you may make while reading the above) is that it sounds pretty easy.

The key word there is 'sounds'. And I say that because when I actually got around to trying it today after about 3 'sets' I realised the complete inadequacy of both my mental and physical preparation for trying this out. I am sure someone watching me would have thought I was having an asthma attack at this point while I puffed and heaved my way through another 5 sets of absolute agony.

I also realised that this method of training can have an adverse effect on one's ability to control their own legs (and their ability to stand) - I just wish I had worked that out before I got off the machine and found myself in a heap on the floor.

On the plus side, my lungs have felt cleared out all day - its a pretty cool feeling, a bit of a burning sensation if you will. Not really sure how else to describe it, but you'll probably know what I'm talking about if you have felt it before.

My heart rate was definitely higher for a good few hours afterwards as well - which I think means I was doing it right.

I gather the purpose of tabata is to improve your aerobic and anaerobic capacity at the same time - and quickly. And I can definitely see how it works.

Hopefully next time I will be a bit better prepared so I don't end up needing to pick myself up off the floor afterwards.

Til next time...

Day 1 (Sort of...) - 16 August 2009

6 weeks until my first ever race - 10km for Cancer Research UK - 27 September 2009. First step on the way to my goal of the 2011 London Marathon.

I did consider 2010, but I figured I want to do it in a time which I wouldn't embarrass myself at - so under 4 hours - and at a fitness level which wouldn't require me to be carried home. So 2011 it is. I will be signing up for lots of other runs between now and then - 5km, 10km, half marathons. As well as my normal training and practice in between. Expect regular updates, mood swings, rants and so on.

I signed up back in April and the time is going by way too fast. On the bright side, I have managed to steadily improve my fitness levels over the last few months.

Back in January I could not run at all - on the treadmill in the gym, I considered brisk walking to be an achievement - and worked up quite a sweat!

By April I had managed to get together a bit of momentum and stamina and I signed up for this 10km. I decided to go out for a training run that weekend. I did manage to complete about 10km - took me about 90 minutes and I thought I had done well - until I got up the following morning and felt like someone had taken a hacksaw to my legs...

Anyways I think I have passed that stage - I managed to improve my times alot - second time I went out I got to 1hr 10min, then down to 1hr 6min and recently 1hr 3min!

I am getting closer and closer to that magical 1 hour mark - within touching distance - but there is still plenty of work to be done to get to that comfortably by the time race day rolls around.

Over the next few weeks I will be trying to get in 3 more 10km runs, a few interval runs and a few free sprints. Time to get a grip on the diet (woohoo!) and try to build some muscle as well.

To infinity and beyond..... well to 10km anyways.