hr data is rubbish for first 13 miles

Home to work, around the bay, to (and end of) Crdiff junior park run (with Mike)

Home to work, around Cardiff Bay, then to the junior park run (+ a bit to make it 15 miles)

From home to work, then around Cardiff bay

From home to work, then around Cardiff bay

Home from Cardiff park run

Was going to run my usual 10k, but afer a couple of miles my hip was hurting so rather than make it worse I stopped and walked home

Wanted to get 18 miles in today. Was intending to maintain 3h marathon pace (6:51) all the way, though I knew it would be hard after barely managing that 3 weeks ago on a 15  mile run. That time my hr was 159 and it was the same today, so I worked just as hard, but after 10/11 miles I started slowing down.

I could see that my hr was dropping a bit (156 ish) but I just couldn't maintain sub 7 minute pace. I got slower and slower, and the last 2 or 3 miles were very hard - considered stopping early but knew that would be bad for the future. I had a decent breakky 1.5 hours before the run, and had 5 gels (Torq) befire and during the run so energy shouldn't have been a problem.

Left foot ball was pretty sore by the end, and toes were pretty sore too. The next day suffering bad doms, really quite sore, though did do a 24 mile bike ride this morning but 18.6 mph, not great. Strange as after the 15 mile run I felt fine.

Very very wet

 Easy run before Sunday's 10k mo run

Easy run after Sundays 10k pb

A long hard ruyn after a very long 100mile bike ride yesterday. I set off at my target marathon pace of 8min/mile, but also had it in my head to stay around the 150bpm hr rate. The first several miles were OK, not easy but OK, but after 8 or 9 I started slowing down even though my hr remained constant. Even from the start I wasn't sure I'd do the full 18 miles, and at 10 miles I started considering cutting it short, but I kept plodding on and the miles rolled by. The 9+ min/mile as 15 was caused by a busy road I had to stop for 30+ seonds for to get a across.

As soon as the 18 miles were done I stopped running and my legs were like jelly, but I had a good mile walk back to home to cool down, then drank a pint of chocolate milk and collapsed into the hammock. An hour or so later I moved - and was in agony! Sore doesnt describe the chaffing and sensitive parts, it was incredibly painful to move. Eventually I got goimng and we went swimming and was OK.

Other than that I got a blister on the side of my left foot big toe, but no other probs. My legs were tired but not sore.

Its a long way!

First run for nearly 3 weeks (had an oddly sore/achey right lower leg/ankle/foot for no reason!). Straight after an 11 mile raod cycle - didnt feel too bad really.

Very easy run to loosen up before tomorrow's 10k bath skyline trail run. It was dark so opportunity to wear my new Zebralight H52 headtorch, seems ideal - bright enough, very light, didnt bob too much (problem is there's too many street lights around here - need to run somewhere properly dark to really test it).

Run felt great, very easy, looking forward to tomorrow now

Felt like I needed to run something after Saturday's park run. Was working quite hard so surprised it was so slow, but I have done quite a bit of swimming and cycling recently.

Short easy run after 5 days off to check my left knee before Sundays Mo-vember 10k race - but its still sore. It was fine until about a mile in, then got sorer and sorer so I stopped a little early. Not sure about Sunday now...

A hilly 7 miles after 1.5 hours (easy) on the turbo. A bit slower than I expected really, it was quite a hard run. No probs with feet/legs though.

A short but hilly run in the pouring rain after an hours turbo (20 min ftp test!) - wore Sonic gloves and ran 'properly' but left foot got sore half way round. They're slippy on green wet tarmac too.

A quick run after cycling home from work; drizzly but otherwise fine. No probs. Happy with the speed - fastest 5k I've done outside of park runs and actual events

Didnt have time for a turbo+run brick before picking up Dan, so did a fast 5k (and did a turbo session later this evening). Hard run, but good pace. No probs. 153 average hr is 3 or 4 beats lower than I've ever run this distance @ this pace before, so thats got bto be good.

A short quick run straight after a 22 mile ride - no problems, good pace

Straight after a fast 50km bike ride. Legs didnt feel too bad, quite happy with the pace, and could have kept going but am planning a 40min 10km attempt in the next few days so want to be fresh for that, after yesterdays 5k park run too. All good.

First run after 6 full days with no running. Felt good initially but I've got quite a head cold (snotty, sneezing, funky voice due to sore throat) so breathing was laboured. Legs felt good though, and it wasnt diffiucult to maintain 7min/mile pace. Went a slightly different way to include an extra hill just for variety of training.

First run for 8 days! Didnt feel great when I started, only intended to do 5km, but felt better as I ran and got quicker too so carried on doing laps. After 5 miles progressively faster I didnt feel like trying to get the 6th even faster, so did a simple run to the roundabout and back just to get the 10k distance. 

Paths (and even some roads) were icey in places but probably didnt really slow me down. Wore hh leggings and shorts, and vaporrise top, thin gloves and wooly hat (quickly took that off).

Legs felt great, left foot didnt notice any pain from usual spot, so all good. Did have a blister on left foot after the run but thats because all the tough skin has been trimmed off last week so soft flesh was exposed.

Fastest long run yet. Was hoping to do 20 miles at or under 8min/mile and got it. 0 degrees (1 or 2 patches of ice but mainly dry roads), a little windy (though the wind was behind me for the first half so I didnt notice, felt it coming back though), blue skies. Wore HH freeze top and bottoms and normal cycle shorts. Also wore thin black cycle gloves and windproof skull cap (both all the way round). Was comfortable, never cold, but never hot either; no rubbage like last long run. Took running rucsac with 2l of water (drank half, should have drank more), packet of rolos (ate 3 in the last 3rd of the run) and a pack of 7 mini party rings (at 2 at 10 miles, 2 at 13 and 3 at maybe 16). Ate usual grapes yogurt and porridge about an hour before the run no probs.

Was a long run, never felt terribly hard, just long. Could have run further if had to but was begninning to get sore legs/feet and quite tired. Didnt hit any '20 mile wall', but did stumble on perfectly flat path at mile 15 and cut my knee and hand, but couldnt feel it after another mile of running. Sub 3:30 marathon is looking possible. Good avg hr compared to previous long runs.

Feet, ankles and legs are sore after the run. Can do stairs fine, went for a 2 mile walk with the boys in the afternoon no probs (just generally tired). Feet have the usual blisters, and left foot is sore in the usual spot, though I barely noticed that pain during the run, was expecting it to be much worse - perhaps thats only really bad when running faster?

Only goal was 18 miles @ 8min/mile. 6-8 degrees C, a bit windy, and sometimes rainy. I wore the Rab vapor rise top and normal running shorts. It wasnt raining when I set off so I was a bit warm, but after a few miles the wind picked up, it rained, and I felt very comfortable. My feet started hurting around mile 10, but nothing too bad. By mile 12 I was feeling quite tired and achey, not sure if I could maintain the pace.

I was wearing my running rucsac with 2l of water (only drank about half of it). I took two disco bars and a pack of rolos. I ate 1 disco bar at mile 6 ish, and a few rolos at miles 9, 12, 15 ish. I didnt run out of energy or feel hungry (despite again just having a banana and a glass of orange before the run).

Happy with the time, but again it was tougher than I'd expected. Can I maintain that pace for another 8 miles... not sure. Not impossible but its going to be tough to get a sub 3:30 marathon in April.

After the run my feet and ankles are quite sore, but I can walk fine if a bit gingerly up and down the stairs. My rucsac rubbed my runnin top against my back, at the bottom around the hips and though I didnt notice it during the run, in the shower the whole area is very stingy, and applying cream makes it sting like crazy, like bad sunburn. Couple of mini blisters on my toes but not as bad as previous runs.

Wanted to start upping the distance in prep for the Llaneli marathon in April and thought this route would be 15-17 miles. Took it easy but to be honest it was harder than I expected, just didnt feel fresh or energetic during the run. Pace is fastest yet for this distance, but would hope to get it closed to 7:30, 7:45 in future. (7:37 would get a 3:20:00 marathon).

0 to 2 degrees temp, no wind, frosty. I wore HH legs (old ones) and new HH Freeze zip top, with off-green fleece on top, thin black cycling gloves and cycling skull cap. Took the running rucsac with 1 litre of water and sipped all the way round, didnt drink it all. Stopped at mile 4-5 to take gloves, hat and fleece off as was dripping with sweat (though didnt feel hot). Was still comfortable (sweating) but never especially warm. 

Only ate a banana and had a small glass of ornage juice 10 mins or so before running, didnt eat anything on the run. Didnt run out of energy, could have run further but would have slowed down just due to being tired, sore.

One toe nail on right foot dug into another toe so my sock had some blood on it at the end.

Felt OK after the run, a bit sore and tired but nothing like as bad as after the recent half marathon. Could walk fine afterwards. Two days later went for a short run but could feel aches in legs and feet.

Just went for a run on Sunday morning. Only plan was 5km, beyond that just run... turned out pretty quick (4th quicket 5km yet)! A tough run but no problems.

Wore K2's

 Set off intending to try to run 7min/miles along the same route as last Tuesday, down along Roath lake and the parks beyond, but at the top of the first hill simply decided to go a different way, and ended up running to the first tunnel exhaust tower on the Llanishen Graig?. Ok running for the first 3 miles, the fourth was 80% singletrack and almost all up hill! Very tough at the top, very slow but high hr still - I really was trying. Coming back down wasnt much better, twighlight and under trees, I could barel see, and runnning downhill is not my favourite at any time. The rest of the run was good, OK pace if not super quick, but considering the elevation gain over the whole run I'm happy.

A nice route to run, very quiet roads. Trail running is good, you have to look 100% where you're going, so the distance goes by quick - will do some more of this!

Running off-road and steep uphill did seem to hurt my left foot a bit, nothing like it used to be but it is twinging now... Also have sore nipples for the first time in months (sweated a lot as its 14C outside.) I ran late in the evening, having given myself exactly 2 hours after finishing a big plate of spag bol and had no gut issues, never felt sick or gurgly burps etc.

Longest run since the marathon in April. Didnt really feel like going for a run but knew that I should so went straight after getting up (no brekky, just a glass of water)... tough start but not bad for the middle section. Route finding was interesting at the half way mark, a few dead-ends etc, but not bad. The run back along the lake was tough but do-able, good pace up the hill there. The last hill was always going to hurt but it wasnt as bad as in the past. 

A good pace for the distance (fastest pace so far for that distance) - a 7:15 min/mile half-marathon is looking very possible. Right knee slightly sore walking around after the run but no other probs.

A tough run. 20 seconds off my previous 10k best. Had some indigestion again, really think running after Monday evening meal isnt a good idea. No pain from anything, just slightly achy ankles afterwards.

(hr goes a bit funky at the end, not sure whats happening there, strap malfunction? - it was warm (about 20 C) so maybe I sweated too much??)

 After about half a mile I attempted to run a fast mile (clearly visible on the the graphs when the speed and hr both jump up) - but the fast mile was half uphill and half downhill, and the watch showed 6:13 which would have beaten my previous best mile, but Endomondo calculated it as 6:15 - equal to my previous best (which was on the flat, during a park run) - a 6:00 is in sight...

Wore K2's. Nothing hurt, at all. Can walk completely normally right after the run (maybe I need to step it up a gear now that I appear to be acclimatised to my current regime - going to aim for 10 miles per week).

A good run - fast!. No pain in feet during or after the run. Odd twinges in knees and ankles occassionaly but nothing to worry about I think. Good low hr for the pace.

 I ran two hours after eating tea (salmon, waffles, beans and cabbage) - think it wasnt long enough because around 3 miles in I felt terrible and had decided to finish the run after that lap (about 4 miles), but when I got to the end of that lap felt better to did the last lap as planned. Really tried hard for the 6th mile, quickest mile but barely quicker than mile two. Cold out (7c) so I wore the Rab vaporise top and leggings and shorts, but was too hot.the rab top chaffed a bit sorely.

 'Marathon pace' again - 9 degrees but constant rain made it quite cool. Wore rab vaporrise top and was comfortable after the first mile (cold hands) and though the top wetted out very quickly I didnt feel damp inside and at the end of the run the inside was dry (apart from the arm cuffs). Higher average hr than last night even though pretty much the same run (just longer)

'Marathon pace' - nice and easy

 Started off too fast! Covered a half marathon distance just 3 minutes slower than my best half marathon, but after 15 miles I started to struggle, and by mile 19 had slowed down so much I was barely faster than walking. I had intended to run 22 miles today, but after 20 I couldnt run anymore so gave up and walked home.

An easy paced 18 miler... I'd intended to go no faster than 8 min/mile but it turned out much slower than that. Heart rate hovered around 150 all the way round so pretty consistent. Not a hard run, just long! 3 degrees when I left so I wore shorts and the Rab vapor rise top. Didnt overheat too much as the day warmed up, but did get sweaty and after 10 miles or so started getting sore patches from the top rubbing below and behind my arm pits, just from swinging my arms I think. Nipples took a beating too.

I took 2 litres of water and drank it all by mile 17, and took 18 jelly babies and chomp or two, and ate all but two jelly babies and one chomp. Never felt like I was short of energy, never flet like stopping. Could easily have done more (have a 22 miler planned in two weeks).

Right foot was a bit sore all the way round. Knee pains came and went. My second biggest toe on my left foot started hurting after ten miles or so and kept hurting for the rest of the run - big blood blister under the nail now.

Could walk fine after the run, and the next morning have sore legs and feet but nothing too  bad, much less pain than after the half marathon 2 weeks ago.

A moderate 3 miles after being stuck in a car most of the day - first run since my half marathon 10 or so days ago - felt fine

First half-marathon! I'd planned a 12 mile route but near the end I thought I might as well get a half marathon time, so for the last mile or two I took the flat option of heading to and going round the Lake rather than up and over Cyncoed hill. A tough run, not helped by all the hills. I was expecting some of them but the first mile really hurt. Awkward route finding through underpasses and crossing roads multiple times too - it didnt allow for a comfortable pace.

I'd settled into the run after the first 3 or 4 miles, and I was expecting the hills down into Rumney and back out, but had underestimated the hill up to Pontprenau (even though we'd walked it with the boys the day before!). My kneeds started hurting due to the ups and downs, and the last 2-3 miles were a real slog, but I could have kept plodding along round the lake if I'd had too, so I wasnt worn out.

It was about 8 degrees, overcast with the odd drizzle, and a bit of a wind. I wore t-shirt and shorts and while I wasnt 'cold' I never overheated either. I took the camelback octane lr, with 1200mm water (100 for each planned mile) and ran out just as I finshed the run (could have done with more). I took my usual jelly baby per mile, and even had a mini chomp bar at mile 10. No stitches, cramps etc. No nipple pain during or after the run. I had energy at the end of the run, but my legs were worn out and both feet really quote sore. My blister on my middle toe of left foot was acutely sore, and my whole right foot was sore.

The following day I'm not limping as long as I walk carefully, so not as bad as its been before. Aching legs and feet though.

One week later I ran home from work (Tuesday evening), but after a little over a mile my right knee and foot were hurting so much I had to walk the rest of the way home! Not looking too good for Sundays Llanelli half marathon...

A good run. I'd taken nearly two weeks off since the last long/fast run (apart from a quick 2 miler on thursday to check my new shoes) so my feet were in good shape (no pain at all in right foot, a tiny odd twinge in my left foot). I felt a little discomfort in my right foot during the run but nothing like previously. I coul walk without limping straight after the run and have had little pain in either foot since (the right foot still isnt 100% but its getting there). I've done two fast 1.4 mile walks during this week and though I can feel something in my right foot its barely 'pain'. I think a new rule is to have one day off per mile run, and see how it goes.

The last hill on the run was a really killer, with a very high hr!

I hadn't run since a week last Saturday when I did the 5km Park run. My feet were just about fully healed (after limping for a week!). I went to Moti and they analysed my running gait which turned out to be neutral (same as Run & become said last year) and I asked for some more minimal shoes with less cushioning, perhaps less toe-to-heel drop. I ended up with a pair of Saucony Kinvara 2's (4mm  drop, I read somewhere that the Vomeros are 12mm) - so I went for a quick 2 miler straight from the shop (I also bought some cushioned socks). My left foot was certainly aware it was running, but after two miles it was OK to walk on, no limping, but certainly not pain-free either!

It was a fast run, but it wasnt easy! I slowed down after the first mile but then slowly sped up for the rest of the run... seems like 7min/mile is my limit at the moment, over this distance anyway (I did 6:55 ish over 5km in the last Park run but that really was tough)

All my runs up to today have been in the Nike Vomero 5's I bought last May, now I'll start marking each run as Vomero or Kinvara, so I can track the mileage I get from them.

(K2's)

I set off at a much slower speed today, aiming for a 8:30 pace / 150-155 hr. The first 7 miles were really quite consistent, and quite easy, so I sped up for the last three to see how much I had 'to spare'. I think my next long run (probably 12 miles) I'll aim for 8:00 pace and see if I can sustain that all the way.

Much warmer than last week (9c) though there was a cold wind blowing. I wore my old hh leggings, Nike shorts, and just the vapour rise top. Was comfortable for the first 7 miles, but got quite hot when I sped up for the last few miles. I wore my black and grey bridgedale thin socks and didnt suffer any blisters or discomfort from my foot skin. Sore nips afterwards.

I took 1 litre of water and drank it all during the run. I managed to eat all 10 jelly babies during the run too (one a mile) - it was easier to chew at the slower pace than last week.

My feet however... ruined! The right one was still quite sore even before the run (the left foot was just about pain free). They both hurt just about all the way roun,d getting worse and worse. Not bad enough to make me stop, but I wonder how many more miles they can take before that is the case. After the run I stayed on my feet for most of the day and they weren't too bad, but if I sat down for more than a few minutes when I stand up they are very sore.

Worringly my left knee is also quite sore the following day too, quite notable when cycling to work.

5 days later (friday): Left knee twinges come and go. Left foot is much better, can walk normally on it most of the time, just the occasional twinge. Right foot however is still very sore. I cant walk on it normally and limp every step.

 A tough run - I was aiming for 8 miles in 1 hour, and only just managed it! I did go the wrong way under the first underpass and had to turn around, and there were a couple of gates that I had to go through, so my true running pace was slightly quicker (probably only 2 or 3 seconds a mile). The air temperature was 0C, there was a hard frost on eveything and the odd puddle I came across was frozen. The first 4 miles were fine, the next two were hard (to keep the pace at 7:30), the last was very hard. I ran the extra half mile just to be sure I'd done a true 8 miles, but I honestly couldn't have run much more, at least not at that pace.

I wore mt HH Freeze leggings and Nike shorts, my blue Regatta running t-shirt and Rab Vaporise top, and thin cycling gloves and windproof under-helmet cycling skull cap. My legs were comfortable, but though I didnt feel hot during the run I sweated alot under the Rab top - when I got back my t-shirt was totally soaked through. The gloves and hat definately helped keep my head and hands warm. No sore nipples this time.

I wore my new Camelback Octane LR rucsac for the first time today. I took 1 litre of water, 8 jellybabies (1 per mile) and two Nakd choco bars. I had intended to eat a jellybaby a mile, with a nakd bar after 4 and 8 miles, drinking a little but often. In the end just eating the jellybabies was quite a struggle, I really had to concentrate on chewing as I was breathing so hard it was quite tricky and easy not to. I didnt eat the nakd bar until I'd finished the run and waks walking back. I did take a mouthful of water every half mile or so but even that was hard work. I drank alot when I was walking back but still brought home maybe half a litre. It really is hard to eat/drink when you're running hard. The rucsac itself was very comfortable, it didnt bounce arround and didnt rub anywhere. The hip belt pockets are a bit far back really, it'd be better if they were closer to the front.

When I set off my right foot was a bit sore, so I'd taken two ibuprofen earlier (my right foot had started to hurt after my short run down to the pool over a week ago, and if anything had been getting worse each day - an exact repeat of my left foot issues before and over christmas (my left foot was absolutely pain free during the run today, though now in the evening its started to hurt, but not as abd as my right foot.

After the run I noticed a big blood blister on the left foot, on the lumpy bit behind the big toe. I hadn't noticed any pain at all during the run, and have never had a hint of a blister before, but now its there and its a little sore when I walk on it. I suspect my sock had perhaps rucked up in that area?

As a note: the loop I was running was almost perfectly flat, but I could tell I was slowing down as I came to the end of the loop - and the gps track shows a very slight height gain, but nothing really.

Update: the next day both feet are sore, the right one very sore. My whole legs are quite sore too.

After my run on Sunday I had a sore left foot, and I knew it was still sore this evening before my run, but I thought I'd get away with just doing a short run - WRONG! Left foot is now very sore again, limping when I stand up out of a chair and walk... the pain from the ball of the foot has caused me to run wrong and now there is pain on the top of the foot and spreading up to the front of the lower leg... lesson: DONT RUN IF IN ANY DOUBT! I didnt mean to run fast (was aiming for 7:45 which is my target pace) but apart from my sore foot I felt really good and just wanted to run!

20111213 - A full week later with no running, and I've just been for a 1.4 mile walk around the park at work, in normal shoes. Left foot was fine when I set off, but after the walk the whole frontal area of my left foot, behind the toes, is aching, quite a lot! My walking pace was 14:37 (so just over 4 mph), average hr was 100... not good, not good at all! What have I dont to my left foot? An hour after my walk, when I stand up my left foot is very painful, limping while walking!!

20111219 - nearly another week gone by and still no running. Left foot is still sore, but not where it was sore last week... I walked home from a work night out on Friday night, so 4 miles, in big solid ksb walking shoes, and my left foot was sore again Saturday morning. It does seem better now (Monday) but if I sit and strain it left and right the whole ankle hurts. I think the ball of the foot (the original soreness two weeks ago) is getting better, but now all the other damage I've done while compensating for that pain is still reparing...

20111221 - Left foot is feeling much better; I do notice an ache and occasional twinge so its not fixed for sure, but better. I repeated my 1.4 mile walk around Bute park. A few seconds faster this time but pretty much comparable (notably higher average hr (111 vs 100) though?). My left foot had a dull ache occasionally during the walk. A bit sore after the walk, but an hour later I can walk around with no issue, certinaly no limping, but I can tell the foot's been used today. So an improvement, but not fixed yet.

3 miles... took a nakd bar and ate that after half a mile - took me nearly a mile to eat it! you cant breath and chew at the same time! Also found a little hill so did a couple of loops of that. Very slow run as my left foot is beginning to hurt again and I didnt want to make it worse befiore my run to work tomorrow... but it still hurts anyway

First 'Sunday' run  - I'll add a mile a week from now on... Started off fine, quite fast but manageable, but the hill near the end was tough!