Category: running

Runners: slow down every so often

Recently I have been focusing my running on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) thanks to one of Tim Ferriss‘ podcasts where he interviews Martin Gibala. I learned from the podcast and subsequent reading that my Interval sessions weren’t hard enough. To be more precise, my hill intervals were fine but many of my other sessions needed to be more intense.

Most of my runs for the past few weeks have either been 3 x 5 min with 2 min recoveries or 10 x 1 min with 1 min recoveries. It’s hard work but I think it’s paying dividends. It’s also an efficient use of the limited time I have for running. Most of the runs were on pavement so that I could focus on speed and effort. I much prefer running off road as it gets me away from cars and the views are nicer too.

I hadn’t just gone out for a run for a few weeks – a run with no goal apart from running itself. So the day after one of my HIIT runs I decided to go for a run through some local woods. 20 minutes into the run I reached a clearing where the sun was shining down on the green grass. I heard the birds chirping and singing and enjoyed the scenery.

I had missed it! I had been so focused on the HIIT training that I had forgotten one of the reasons I love to run: the joy of being outdoors, allowing my mind and body to wander wherever they wanted to go. I find that the mental benefits I get from running at least equal the physical ones.

So, if you find yourself focusing on training to the exclusion of anything else then try slowing down once in a while. Your immediate goal might be a 5k PB or completing a marathon but that shouldn’t detract entirely from the other reasons you run.

Avoiding the 10,000 step fallacy

In March 2016 I was given a Garmin Forerunner 225 watch. It’s a running watch that tracks where you are running and your pace using GPS. It also has a wrist-based heart-rate monitor. I wanted this watch because I find the chest-strap heart-rate sensors uncomfortable. My Garmin Forerunner 405 and Polar running watch both used chest straps. After over ten years of using this style I was pleased to see that Garmin had adopted optical technology, which I presume is similar to that used on the Apple Watch.

But this blog post isn’t about heart-rate monitors….

To facilitate distance tracking when running on a treadmill, the Garmin 225 also has a sensor that counts steps. I’ve used this feature a few times when running in hotel gyms and it appears to be quite accurate. So it’s not a big leap for Garmin to add a step counting feature to the watch to help people achieve the Utopian 10,000 steps per day.

I had previously flirted with a Soleus Go activity tracker, which I received as a gift. But after a few weeks I gave it up. I can’t remember exactly why but I do remember that Soleus didn’t have an equivalent web application to Garmin Connect, which I have been using since 2009. I does a good job of helping you visualise and understand your exercise patterns, what’s working, where to improve, etc.

As the Garmin 225 had a step counter I thought I’d turn it on, mostly out of curiosity. I don’t need a device to tell me how active I’ve been during the day. On a weekday I find I typically have three levels of activity: If I have a meeting in London then I’ll achieve 10k steps just by walking to & from the tube stations. If I’m working from home I will usually manage to get out for a short run at lunch time, which gets me most of the way to 10k steps. And If I’m driving to a meeting then I’ll probably only walk a few thousand steps – and most of them are getting the kids ready in the morning and bath & bed-time in the evening.

Many people are obsessed about counting their steps. My colleague Lisa Seacat DeLuca’s desire not to miss counting a single step led to us filing a patent that would address her angst! However a significant proportion of these people are not counting quality steps. Just ambling around the shops or between the kitchen and lounge does not count – particularly if it’s go get another cake or packet of crisps. You don’t need me to tell you that a healthy lifestyle has a combination of exercise, sleep, good nutrition and avoiding stress. But so many people appear to be deluding themselves that by achieving 10k steps per day they are being healthy. Of course it’s better to walk 10k steps than not, but if the steps are not raising your heart rate, getting you out in the fresh air and generally exercising your body I believe that the benefit is marginal.

There are a wide range of exercise philosophies, and it certainly depends on how fit you currently are. Most sports scientists and doctors would agree that for exercise to be effective you need to raise your heart rate. It doesn’t have to be High Intensity Training (see Dr Martin Gibala). Raising your heart rate above its normal resting level is a good start. And walking fast enough to get out of breath every so often is even better.

So imagine my surprise when I found myself missing my step counter! I had been having issues with the Bluetooth connection on the Garmin 225. It has a great feature where it will communicate with an app on your phone to upload details of your runs, sleep and steps to Garmin Connect. It saves having to connect the watch to your computer. I had returned the watch to Garmin as we weren’t able to fix the problem by performing all the usual resets. I received an email yesterday informing me that a replacement had been dispatched, which I should receive in a few days. I was looking forward to receiving it as I do make use of the heart-rate monitor. I had been using my Garmin 405 in the interim but couldn’t be bothered with the chest strap. So I had a fair idea of how intense my running intervals had been. The data just makes it a little more scientific – gives me the confidence to know I can push that bit harder.

I was walking to the station this morning, safe in the knowledge that I’d cover 10k steps despite not having time for a run. Ten minutes into the walk I started wondering how many steps I had walked so far. “What the ****?” I thought. How did this happen? How did I become a slave to the activity tracker? It’s probably just because the feature was there. It sucked me in – or, more accurately, I had subconsciously convinced myself that the step count was useful information, which I intellectually believed it wasn’t. Some people like to accumulate data, often just for the sake of it. They are data hoarders. This can be great if you’re a curious person as you might discover some interesting insights by looking for correlations between data sets. However I feel that much of the data that is collected is stored “just in case” or “because we can”.

When I graduated from university, my Dad bought me a lovely TAG watch. I really like the design – it has a metal strap and a granite watch face. I love watches and someday would appreciate a Rolex or Breitling – but even in those brands there are ony a few models that I favour above my TAG. Since receiving the Garmin 225, it had become my day-to-day watch. Meanwhile, the battery on the TAG has run out and I haven’t got around to replacing it.

Given that I’m not planning on making any lifestyle changes based on the number of steps I walk in a day. And I already know whether I have been active or not during any one day, I plan to keep the Garmin 225 in a drawer apart from when I’m going for a run. I’ll replace the battery on the Tag and resume getting pleasure from wearing it again.

Early morning runs are good for the soul

This morning  I went out for a run at 6am – a luxury that I can’t remember last time I enjoyed. To many people the idea of going out for a 6-mile run, let alone so early, might seem anywhere on a spectrum from foreign to extreme. However it’s something I enjoyed since I started running properly in 1995.

My 1-year old daughter has been teething for the last couple of weeks, so my wife and I haven’t had a solid night’s sleep for quite a while. This morning I awoke naturally at 5.:45 feeling relatively refreshed having slept through. So I thought I’d take the opportunity to go out for a run.

It was a great decision. There is a very calm feeling at that time of the morning. The world is slowly awakening  and everything is still quiet. For much of my run all I could hear was my feet on the ground, my breathing, and birds tweeting (not the 140-character type either!) I find early morning runs are a great time to let my mind wander and just relax. I guess it’s somewhat like meditation – but I’ve never done that so I can’t be sure.

If you haven’t tried it, make the time to get out for an early morning run. Especially on a day like today when there’s a lovely blue sky and the rising sun looks is a warm orange globe in the sky.

Running twice a day – is it sustainable?

I recently had the pleasure of a coaching day with Julian Goater, which a friend organised. He is a very successful runner and  who now shares his knowledge through coaching and writing (see The art of running faster) .

One of his recommendations for getting fitter and faster is to run twice a day. This is something I have had experience of when attending training camps by Mike Gratton but didn’t sustain it afterwards. Julian’s theory (which I paraphrase) is that it’s better to do two short, quality sessions a day rather than slog out one long run. The key being quality rather than just putting the miles in – to avoid getting in to bad running habits and getting injured.

So I thought I’d give it a go – the key challenge being making the time. Fortunately I have a flexible job, which really helps. The pattern is to go out for a short run in the morning – nothing taxing – just enough to get the metabolism going. The afternoon / evening session is more structured training: fartkek, intervals, etc.

Two days in and I’m already finding it challenging and rewarding. It’ll be interesting to see how I get on.

Running at night, in the woods, wearing a head-torch

This evening I thought I’d try running off-road wearing a head-torch. My experience was a little mixed …

I bought my Petzl Tikka a few years ago when I went travelling for a few months a couple of years ago. It was an invaluable bit of kit as you have both hands free when trying to get things done when there’s no lighting available. This evening I was going to give it a more significant challenge:

I had high hopes for running with a torch strapped to my head but found the results to be variable. The torch wasn’t uncomfortable to wear on my head and it certainly didn’t move around as a I ran. It was useful to see a little better when I was in a particularly dark area; but wearing the torch reinforced my view of how much ambient light is already out there. I live on the border between a town and the countryside, so there are lots of street lights making the cloudy sky orange. This helps to illuminate the otherwise dark fields and woods. And when the moon is  visible on a clear night, vision is even better. Wearing the head-torch actually reduced the effect of the ambient light – I presume that’s because my eyes had adjusted and reduced my light sensitivity.

The illumination from the head-torch cast shadows just below my eyes, which was a little distracting – not a deal-breaker but another torch with a wider angle mirror / reflector might be an improvement. The torch can be adjusted up and down (pitch) so you can control whether you want to illuminate the ground just in-front of you or further away – this is a useful feature, which I used a few times.

I fully intended to complete the entire run with the torch on, but given the available ambient light, even when quite a distance from buildings and roads, I found I could see better without the torch when in the open. The torch was most useful in denser woodland, when the ambient light couldn’t get through the trees.

Would I run with a head-torch again? I’m not sure – it would be interesting to try some others that might be better – mine is a few years old now.

I’d certainly be interested in comments from others who have run with head torches.

London Marathon 2010 – Completed it but disappointed

Six months of dedication, focus and training finally culminated at 09:45 yesterday morning when I stood at the blue start for the 30th London Marathon. I believed that I had done the best preparation I could – with a good mix of training, appropriate diet and a suitable taper. I had set a Personal Best of 2:34 for 20 miles at the Oakley 20 one month earlier. During my two-week taper I did feel quite tired and had a couple of small injuries, but by the time I reached the start line I felt good.

The start itself was frustrating as there were so many slow runners that I had to overtake for at least three miles until we settled into a pack running at a similar pace. The weather was OK – a little humid but not hot and there were some welcome cool breezes. After 12 miles I turned on to Tower Bridge and I was smiling. It’s an uplifting feeling running along Tower Bridge – it looks fabulous and the crowds lining the route are so supportive.

As we headed towards docklands my thighs started to ache – not cramp, just soreness. This really surprised me as I had taken on a large amount of carbohydrate during the preceding few days and had been drinking Lucozade and consumed my first SIS gel. So I took my second gel to see if it would help. I also ensured that I didn’t drink too much water as I didn’t want to over-hydrate and dilute the benefits of the Lucozade and SIS gels. Unfortunately there wasn’t any difference, and my feet were getting sore too.

My training was a mixture of road and trail running – I find off-road more enjoyable and it helps to avoid injuries and build strength. All of my races had been on road so I’m sure I’d done enough road running in my build up. I also thought I was slowing down after 15 miles, but according to my splits I managed to (just about) maintain my speed until 20 miles.

In an attempt to ward off the soreness in my thighs I walked for a minute. I wasn’t tired but I thought the rest might help. Unfortunately it didn’t. A little later I tried stretching my thighs but that didn’t help either. As the distance to the finish decreased I saw that my mile times were getting longer and longer. I resigned myself to not beating 3:30 and focused on just getting to the finish.

I was delighted to get over the finish line – but mainly because I knew it was over. Running a marathon is always an achievement, whatever time you complete it in. However this was my fourth marathon and I had something to prove. My third marathon was a disaster as I had cramp for the entire second half and finished in 4:15. So this marathon was to get past that. I did that but didn’t beat my 2006 time of 3:33 even though I was at a similar pace until 20 miles.

After I collected my medal and bag I headed over to the St John Ambulance tent in the meet and greet area. There I had three podiatrists and two physios sort out my feet and thighs. I, like all the runners, am indebted to these dedicated medical practitioners who help us complete and recover from the Marathon. They give of their time freely and willingly and I really appreciate it. Having two female physios massaging my thighs was definitely a highlight of my day 🙂

So what’s next? I’m wondering if all the effort is worth it given that the day is so unpredictable. Shorter distances such as 10K and half-marathons are a lot more accessible and you’re risking less if you don’t achieve your goals. Sure, some will say “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” but I know I can complete a marathon – it’s the speed that mattered. If I were to do another marathon I think I’d want some proper supervision. I surely made several mistakes – be they during my training, taper or on the day, so I’d want someone to spot them before they happen.

I’m not going to be running any marathons soon. More time on my mountain bike I feel – it’s certainly lovely weather for it!

Marathon training in Portugal with 2:09 Events

I spent the past week in Portugal doing Spring Training for the London Marathon with 2:09 Events. It’s a relatively intensive week (or 10 days or two weeks) of training with a great team of coaches and support team. If you need a kick-start to your training then I recommend this type of “holiday” as you are able to focus on running and benefit from the support of fellow runners and the experience of Olympic and World Champion athletes. This was the second time I had attended one of these camps – my first was in 2007.

We arrived last Thursday and started our training with a steady run over the cliffs, with a lovely view of the beach and sea. It gave us an opportunity to stretch our legs after our flights and meet our fellow runners. In the evening we met for drinks and nibbles before heading off for dinner.

Friday morning began with another steady run – nothing strenuous as that was left for the afternoon’s time trial. I ran out along a path and back along the beach – barefoot with Bruce Tulloh ! In the afternoon, after a core stability session, we all ran 1 mile on a 400m track; this was used as the basis of the groups we were assigned for the rest of the week. There are always people with a wide range of speeds and experiences. The training camp is sponsored by Science In Sport, which meant we all received a goodie bag with samples of their products.It’s a great marketing approach as we were able to try out all the products in the appropriate conditions. In the evening Mike Gratton gave a talk about marathon training, including part of his training plan for when he won the London Marathon.

On Saturday we had another steady run in the morning – this time out along a path and back along the cliffs. In the afternoon we had our first formal training session. My group was coached by Paul Evans. We ran 6 intervals of 400m fast and 200m really fast – followed by 200m jog recovery. It’s several years since I trained on a track so it took a little getting used to. We also had to establish each other’s pace so we knew who to run with, even in our small group. In the evening Paul gave us his perspective on running and training with a very personal story.

Sunday morning was set aside for a long run. We all set off together heading for Vilamoura where we ran as many loops of the golf course as we pleased. The coaching team were there to provide drinks and energy gels, as well as riding around on bikes to ensure we didn’t get lost. Unsurprisingly we spent the rest of the day relaxing and recovering. In the evening, Bruce talked about his experiences, much of which focused on the coaching he has done over the years.

On Monday morning we followed the standard routine of a steady run. We then headed off to Silves to look at the castle, narrow streets and eat cake 🙂 In the afternoon, after a warm up around the cross-country course, our training was to complete a set of 8 “strides” up and down a gentle hill. This was in preparation for a 5k race on Tuesday morning.

The Falesia 5k was organised by West Cheshire Athletic Club. Entrants were mostly from WCAC, the 2:09 Events participants and a German club who were also in the area. It was the first 5k I have ever run so whatever time I did it would be a Personal Best! According to my watch I completed it in 19:58 – I look forward to the results being posted on WCAC’s website to see the official time. The run was unrelenting as we were either running up-hill, down-hill or along a flat road in a cross-wind! After all that exertion I took Tuesday afternoon off – I certainly deserved it!

On Wednesday morning we went out for a medium long run through a nature reserve. It was a hard slog all the way but certainly rewarding when we reached the finish. Towards the end of the run I found out that my partner was a sub 3 hour marathon runner – no wonder I found it tough! In the afternoon we had a mixed relay; the teams were comprised of people from each group. It was good fun, running around the cross-country course with everyone cheering everyone else on.

Wednesday night marked the end of the week. We celebrated with an all-you-can eat buffet meal followed by karaoke in the bar next door. Most people who didn’t have an early flight made it out for an 8 AM run on Thursday morning too!

So now I’m back home reflecting on a good week’s training. I trained hard and met many people who I plan to keep in touch with.

If you want to give your running a boost then I recommend booking on one of 2:09 Events’ training camps. It’s rewarding hard work and good fun too.

Marathon training is 80% mental toughness and 20% physical fitness

This morning I went on an organised training run. Until today the only organised runs I have been on are races, so this was a slightly different experience. It was hosted by Gade Valley Harriers – they put on three runs during the build-up to the London Marathon: 12, 17 and 20 miles. I traveled up with a couple of other guys – Alan and Lawrence. Alan suggested we go so it’s all his fault!

The weather in the South East of England was yucky – that’s an official meteorological term. For those not in the know, this translates to cold, windy and rainy. Unperturbed (well maybe slightly) we parked the car and walked to the start. As it’s not a race you don’t get running numbers and there is no timing. However to make the start easier they created four starting pens based on estimated finish time. This was to avoid a crush at the entrance to the canal.

The run was excellently organised and marshaled. There were loads of marshals in yellow bibs and jackets all around the course telling us where to go and keeping us safe. All us runners are indebted to the people who give up their Sunday mornings to stand in the wind and rain. There were several water stops and even jelly babies being given out a few miles before the end. The route is lovely (or at least it would be in nice weather) – extremely scenic, most of it going through Ashridge Forest. When we reached the finish, the clubhouse had been transformed into an oasis with people providing tea and cake to all who needed it – and trust me we needed it. And it was appreciated!

So whilst the route was certainly pretty it was also a very hard run. I completed the 17 miles in 2:17. You can see the route and other details here. If the weather had been better then it would have been more enjoyable. I’m certainly glad I entered and completed it; I was also glad to get back to a warm house and a hot bath.

21 mile marathon training relay

I had a great training run yesterday morning, organised by Liz – a keen tennis player and runner. Back around Xmas time she suggested getting a bunch of people together to run stages of a long run with me. The idea is that I run the full distance and the other people run sections. It sounded like an interesting idea and certainly very sociable. So we set the date for Sunday 21st February and Liz went off to organise the runners.

Sunday morning arrived and I reported to Liz’s house for a 10 AM start. The first runner was Dave -a very keen and friendly guy who mostly runs 10Ks. He was a naturally fast runner but was kind enough to allow me to set the pace given the distance I was going to be running. We ran through some lovely woods for an hour and after a quick trip through the park, avoiding a herd of runners, we met up with Liz. Dave went off on his way and Liz and I started running along the canal.

Liz has identified a number of loops that she sent me off on so that I could add distance without her having to run as far. The first was the park, where I was ordered to run around the perimeter. Back to the canal we ran for a few miles until we arrived at the next meeting place. Liz sent me off on another loop whilst she ran off to get John.

I failed to understand Liz’s instructions so instead of running a loop I ran along the canal and back again. Liz and John were nowhere to be seen but I thought better of going to look for them. After a few minutes they turned up, having gone to look for me. By this point I had run 16 miles and was surprised to be feeling quite good. Off we went running back to Liz’s house parallel to the canal and through some fields – me being sent off on another loop every so often.

As we came to within a mile or so of Liz’s house John was getting a little tired. He had only been running for a couple of weeks – you wouldn’t have thought so to look at his relaxed style. So I headed off armed with Liz’s house keys as varying my pace at this stage would have been really hard work. The last mile was tough – I was certainly getting tired and Liz observed that I should have been lifting my knees more – if only I had the energy!

21 miles and 3 hours 10 minutes later I arrived back at Liz’s house tired and happy. It was a great way to run a long distance. The conversation was stimulating and interesting and the mix of company made the run even more pleasurable. Gingerbread eaten and showers taken, Liz, John and I headed off for a well deserved lunch – mostly carbohydrate 🙂

The morning after, I feel great. It’s an enforced rest day – I wanted to run this morning but I knew I should allow my body to rest.

If you are training for a long run and know other runners then I really recommend this style of training run. They don’t have to run as far as you, and they don’t need to be fast either. Running alone can be hard, regardless of how much self motivation you have. Having other people around takes your mind off the hard work and as sociable animals it’s fun too. And you might learn a thing or two during your conversations.