Self Doubt is a Horrible Thing – Avoid it if You Can
If you’ve read any of my posts over the last few weeks, here or on Daily Mile, you may be aware that my training hasn’t been going too swimmingly. A few weeks ago my IT Band tightened up, which meant deviating from the marathon schedule and train less than planned. I’m supposed to be training for the Edinburgh Marathon and all the while, time kept ticking by when I knew I should have been doing more.
If I hadn’t run the Edinburgh Marathon last year I don’t think this minor blip would have phased me much. But it did. I knew that a lot of preparation is required to run a marathon and the injury I sustained during the race last year was all too clear in my mind. I had felt that knee pain before. Self doubt started to creep in. First, will I be able to run? My knee feels fine once a few days or a week has passed but then I feel a twinge after a few miles back. As they say, you’re only as strong as your weakest part so will my knee last for 26.2? Then, on the off chance it does hold out, have I been doing enough training? Will I make it round? Ok, I know I will make it round. The thought still crossed my mind though.
At the start of the week I saw my Physio, the same gent that helped me last year. He gave me a good telling off because of the damage I caused myself last time but helped me through it. I went in to the session with all of the above doubts in my mind, thinking the worst; that he’d tell me not to run for a few weeks and that I probably shouldn’t take part in the marathon.
But he didn’t.
He spent an hour loosening up my IT Band and we chatted about training (in which he advocated barefoot running, but that’s for another post). I asked him if I could still run. He told me not to be so daft and that i’d do it no problem. He gave me advice about training between now and my next appointment then waved me on my merry way.
I couldn’t believe it. I walked in his front door full of self doubt, expecting the worst and left feeling on top of the world.
I’ve had plenty of support from my better half and friends off and on line, however, it seemed to take one person to lift this cloud of self doubt away from me. All he did was tell me that, after the session, I can train as long as I take it easy for now and that I’ll be able to complete the marathon. Simple as that.
I think, as well as giving my ITB a good working over, I needed to hear that from my physio. It wasn’t till after the session I realised that I had compiled worst case scenario stories in the back of my mind, most of them hinging on him telling me it was bad news.
Next time a cloud appears, which it no doubt will – I’m only human – i’ll try and discover where the self doubt is focused. does it rely on someone or something? If I can do that, I can take action quickly and avoid unnecessary worst case scenario dreaming getting out of control by being more pro active and positive.
Anyway, I’m feeling positive about the Edinburgh Marathon now. I know I can do it. I can see myself doing it.
Happy Days.
On Yer Bike!
Reckon I’ve made progress with my ITBF issue. Last week I ran (almost) 20 pain free miles; the exception being my long run on Sunday when it started to feel a bit iffy in the last couple of miles – itchy under the skin, slight tenderness.
2 days ago, I ran 4 great miles. It felt really good but kept it at 4 since, again, a slight niggle started.
When you look at in the cold light of day, I have a simple problem.
- IT Band is still tender at the knee
- I’m overly keen on running or at least being active in some way
- I don’t have ready access to a gym
The solution? Get on my bike.
I didn’t run this morning. I thought that since I’m off work tomorrow, I’ll dust off the bike and head out on two wheels instead. It’s low impact and should at least help top up fitness levels.
I have an appointment with a physio on Monday too, so I’ll be sticking to the bike for now I reckon.
Feed Me! [Post Work Out Recovery Drinks]
A short while back when I did a post on my Edinburgh Marathon Training Plan, there was a short section called ‘Feed Me’ that briefly covered my fuel strategy. In trying to figure out what post run recovery route to take I asked on Twitter and received a few responses. Promax Recovery powder, Friji Milkshakes and Lucozade Sport Recovery Powder were the main suggestions.
I haven’t managed to get my hands on Promax Recovery yet, however I have tried the following after my workouts:
SIS REGO Lucozade Sport Frijj Milkshake
Firstly, I have to make it clear that I am not a nutritionist. Any comments I make I’m only going by info I’ve learned from reading up on the interwebs.
I’ll try and keep it all pretty concise. That way, if you need any more info you can search and read up further before making any decision for yourself. The review will be broken into 3 sections: Nutritional Value, Availability/Price, Taste then a round up.
Nutritional Value
I pulled together the table below which shows what’s going into your body (carbs & protein at least) when you take it:
Any cells highlighted green are where I’m estimating that it beats the other recovery drinks. I left the sodium cells with no fill as I’m not sure on this. I was under the impression that you lost Sodium when sweating (?). From the amount of green cells, you might want to assume that Lucozade Sport, in this instance comes out as best for you per serving. However, it doesn’t provide as much protein of carbs, per serving as the other two. This is no doubt down to the fact that Lucozade Recovery has the smallest serving amount out of the 3.
Personally, from the table above, I’d say the SIS REGO Recovery comes out pretty well. It has a low sugar count, which can only be good
If it’s protein & carbs in sheer brute force you’re after then the Frijj milkshake tops the lot with a massive 19.5g of protein and 63g of carbs per serving!
Word of warning however. The Frijj milkshake is made of just that, milk. After reading a few articles and forums on the web and the packaging on the SIS product, it became clear that milk based products are digested slower than those mixed with water and therefore you may not receive the maximum value from the product after your workout.
Both the SIS & Lucozade products recommend mixing their powders with water. SIS recommend drinking within 20minutes of finishing exercise for max benefit. Lucozade recommend drinking soon after exercise. Since Frijj isn’t actually a sports product, they just want you to enjoy it straight from the fridge.
Availability/Price
Lucozade
I could only find this to buy online and at my local Tesco. NO WHERE ELSE!! pretty shocking actually. In terms of cost, it’s £9.99 per small tub (380g) which provides 10 servings (99p per serving).
SIS REGO
Again, this is available online. The only ‘real’ location I could find this product was my local running shop. In terms of cost, it’s £9.99 for a 500g tub which provides 10 servings (99p per serving).
Frijj
You can get them almost everywhere. A 500ml bottle (1 serving) will cost anywhere between 49p – £1.05 dependant on where you buy and what deals are on at the time.
Taste
Lucozade
Tropical? Hmmm, that’s debatable. That said, it mixes relatively well and you get used to the taste. Just don’t shake it in a shaker to mix otherwise you’ll have a couple of litres of foam rather than a drink.
I’ll give it 3 out of 5 for taste.
SIS REGO
The only one I’ve tried here is strawberry flavour. Actually, it’s pretty nice. tasted kind of like Nesquick. It didn’t mix so well and at the end of the drink there were a few lumpy bits which wasn’t so pleasant.
I’ll give it 4 out of 5 for taste.
Frijj
Frijj come in a wide range of flavours but my favourite is chocolate. I love Frijj. But, they are very sweet.
I’ll give it 4 out of 5 for taste
Round Up
So, you’ve read my brief guide to 3 post run recovery drinks. They all have their pros & cons, like high protein & carb content but slow to digest, etc. It all depends on individual need and preference at the end of the day. But, I’m going to pick one as a favourite and one that I’ll continue to use for the foreseeable over the rest.
SIS REGO Recovery.
I think this provides a good balance of post run nutritional needs, good taste and it’s a little easier to get a hold of for me than the Lucozade product. Although, that’s not to say i wont have the odd Frijj now and again.
I’d love to hear any comments and suggestions you might have on recovery supplements, so please submit a comment!
Quarter 1 Training Review
At the start of the year I laid out the foundations for what was to be my first ever attempt at some running goals for the year. Before then I simply ran or just trained for a future race. Now it’s [pretty] serious.
How has it gone
All in all, the first quarter of 2010 has gone relatively well. Although the main focus has been on training for the Edinburgh Marathon in May, I managed to run the Balloch to Clydebank Half Marathon as part of my training and achieved a new PB (1:55:23)!
Targets for Q1 were pretty simple. A mileage target and an average pace target. Because of my attempt at an ambitious Marathon Training Plan, I managed to successfully achieve both targets as shown in the table below
All is not rosy though. In the last few weeks of the quarter I’ve been hit with some ITB issues. My stubbornness probably cost me an extra week or so of reduced training. But, I took last week off to give my knee time to heal from any inflammation, etc, and have since been out and all feels pretty good [fingers crossed!]. For the next few weeks i’ll be keeping a close eye on my knee and not pushing too hard. Obviously this will have an impact on my target time for the Edinburgh Marathon.
*note: original target was 650 miles for the year. I increased this to 700 after a week or so, just didn’t update the blog.
The Quarter Ahead
The next quarter sees my 2nd attempt at running the Edinburgh Marathon. Initially the target was sub 4hrs. An ambitious target. However, because of recent issues and the impact on my training I’ll increase the target time to sub 4hrs 30mins. I wont amend my annual mileage target so this remains at 175 for the quarter. I’ve adjusted my pace target to an average of 9.10. The theory behind that is if my average pace in Q1 – Q4 is 9.15, 9.05, 8.55, 8.40, it averages out to an even 9.00 for the year.
That, as they say, it all folks. I’ve charted Q2 targets below to make it even simpler to digest.
Targets:
If You Want to Run You Have to do the Right Thing
So the knee saga continues. I’ve taken the executive decision, even though it feels kind of alright, to wait till Tuesday before my next run.
Why? Because I’ve wasted the last couple of weeks of by training with this damn knee. Sure, it feels better after a couple of days. And yes, I can do a fair few miles before it feels uncomfortable. But that’s the thing, it still feels uncomfortable after a few miles. And that, my friends, is because I’m not giving myself time to heal.
You could have told me that ages ago I reckon, but I’m a stubborn b@st@rd at times and not always willing to accept defeat. Well, defeat is might not be the right word here i guess. I’ll use it anyway.
No run till Tuesday it is then. In the mean time I’m off think about how to adjust my training plan and to work out my new target for the Edinburgh Marathon.
Bleh.
The Knee(d) to Run
It’s been a frustrating few days not being able to run. Feels like I’ve not been out for weeks. For the best obviously.
So, the right knee is feeling a fair bit better now – even better than yesterday. No tightness at the knee and the knot in my thigh gone courtesy of the foam roller.
I’m very (and i mean very) tempted to go for a run tomorrow.
Should I though? Am I being too impatient? I only took a few days off when my left knee got tight. It’s more than fine now. It’s peachy.
Ok, I’ll set my alarm for 5am tomorrow, see how it feels and, if it’s ok, I’ll take my knee for a test run.
Sorted.
Thanks.
***UPDATE (Next Morning)***
Knee feels good today. Went for a walk yesterday lunchtime, no issues. Did some one leg squats, no issues. Alarm went off at 5am, no issues. A bit tired but no issue getting up.
However, it was tipping it down outside. I had an issue with that. I’ve run in ridiculous weather this winter but I was in no mood for the rain this morning.
Another rest day it is then.
ITB Stretching Exercises
I think my ITB is beginning to want to cause me trouble. Well, I’m not for it!
Ordered myself a foam roller (from physiosupplies.com) as suggested by @runningfairy & @aSingularGirl. If you’re even later to the foam roller party than I am and you’re wondering what I’ll do with it, I’ve linked to a video below that you should watch.
It shows a couple of ITB stretching exercises including the use of a foam roller.
I’ve started doing the other exercises (every little helps, right) and, now that my foam roller arrived today, I’ll start rubbing myself up and down it like a confused dog, as the video suggests.
No Run Run Run, Ah No Run Run
Missed my run this morning. Felt shattered when my alarm went off at 5.05am, so I decided to stay in bed for an extra hour.
Now at work and I’m starting to feel guilt boil up inside. Guilt for what though? I listened to my body and my body said “if you go out this morning, you won’t have a good run. You’re supposed to be running 5 miles in a target time of 43mins and that ain’t happening”. Reluctantly I agreed, wrapped the duvet tighter around my shoulders and fell soundly asleep.
One key point is missing here though. When I agreed, I promised myself I would make up for the run tomorrow morning. Which I will. No doubt about it.
So why do I still feel a little guilty for not running?
who knows.
Running in Barcelona
What can I say. It is such a beautiful city to run in, especially around the Marina and along the beach.
I logged all 3 of the Barcelona runs, including maps, at Dailymile.com: Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday.
On Sunday the 14th Feb I embarked on, what I hoped, would be an 8 mile long run. I’m glad to say I managed 7.5miles and only got lost once! That was the first time I had ever seen the beach front or the Marina. During the day it was full of life. Busy yet very tranquil at the same time.
Since I had a few more runs planned for the week, it was on the agenda to get back to the beach for a morning run. Myself and a work colleague aimed for the beach on the Wednesday (17th), however, we didn’t take the correct turning and ended up heading down a main road towards a housing area. Still a good run though.
The next day I headed out, this time taking care to think about which direction to go in. I had to stop a few times to get my bearings but it was worth the slight worry about getting lost on my own in the early hours.
After setting off from the apartment on Las Ramblas, my first port of call was the marina. In the picture below you can see (from left to right) the retractable bridge called Rambla del Mar, Hotel W and a large cruise ship. This picture was taken around 7.20am. The sun is only just beginning to bring an orangey glow to the horizon.
Around quarter of a mile up from where this picture was taken I took a right along the Marina next to the Palau De Mar. The right turn we should have taken the day before! Not long after, I reached the beach.
It was amazing!
The sun was rising. Hardly a soul around except for the occasional runner. In contrast to parts of the city less than a mile away, it was so quiet. Only the sound of the waves gentle crashing against the shore filled the air. I stopped for about a minute just to take it all in. I remembered to take some more pictures too, which I’ll finish the post on. The 3 images were taken from the same position; the first facing to my left, the second straight ahead, and the third facing right. Stunning.
When Was the Last Time You Felt Great Running?
It’s been a while since I even considered that question. Mostly because I haven’t felt great running for a couple of months. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve felt good but I haven’t felt great.
This morning was a different story though. My alarm went off at 5.20am. I woke up straight away (no snoozing for 5/10mins) and got out of bed. I got changed into my running gear. It looked cold outside so I put on and extra T on top of my base layer (as well as my long sleeve & jacket). I even had half a slice of toast with a lot of honey and a little water before heading out.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that waking up and getting ready went pretty smoothly.
The run itself was great. It was crisp outside (-4c according to Accuweather), quiet, moonlit and generally nicer than usual. I ran just over 5 miles. Felt like I could have run a few more to be honest.
All in all, it felt great this morning. Why though? There wasn’t much difference to my usual morning run. Maybe a little fresher when i woke up but i ran the same route and saw the same people. Wonder if waking up fresh is what made it.
When was the last time you had a great run? hopefully you have great runs a lot. Let me know though, would be nice to hear your stories.
DailyMile updates
- Paul posted a workout May 14, 2012
- Paul posted a workout April 28, 2012
- Paul posted a workout April 6, 2012
- Paul posted a workout April 4, 2012
- Paul posted a workout March 28, 2012
