Etikettarkiv: Ultra

#week 12

Rehab exercises that I will do this week

1. Squats from a chair

2. Lunges backwards

3. Gliding bridges with one leg

Monday

Gym before work where the focus was on biceps, triceps, back, legs, hips, calves.

Rehab exercises were done.

Tuesday

Swimming before work and it was no so crowded. Not crowded which works for me. Tuesday morning is a much better morning than Wednesday when it can be calm or some disorder.

Distance: 2325 m, pace: 2’28 /100m, time: 57’46.6 min

Was suppose to do a short hilly run but didn’t like the weather so I decided to skip the running.

Forgot to do my rehab exercises.

Wednesday

Swimming before work where I challenged myself with some new exercises that were good but slowed me down a bit. Also some disorder at the end when another swimmer got into the fast lanes and were all over the place.

Distance: 2075 m, pace: 2’40 /100m, time: 55’43.4 min

Totally forgot to do my rehab exercises so I just have to do them later this week.

Thursday

Drove to the gym early where the focus was on shoulders, legs, back, hip, calves and then some exercises for my swimming.

On Flyes there were no 6kg weights so I tested 7kg and that worked so I guess I will continue with that weight from now on.

Rehab exercises were also done.

Was suppose to run after work but needed to get my new passport and chose to rest my knee a bit longer

Friday

Started the morning with PowerYoga 2 where the focus was on rotation.

We were challenged with the pose the dog and twist around with our legs but I made it.

Rehab exercises after work just needed to be done.

Saturday

Finally it was time for the first run after Kullamannen, took some time off from running to rest my knee. This morning I also tested my new Altra Lone Peak 5.

When I drove to Frostavallen it started to rain, hoped it would stop before I arrived to the parking lot but no such luck, on the other hand runners should be able to handle all type of weather. So I just had to get out and do it, some drizzle but it did not bother me too much.

Definately the wettest and gooey run this Fall so far. Had planned to increase the distance but my knee protested a bit at the end so I hope I can do it next Saturday.

Still avoiding running on hard dirt roads and asphalt.

Heavy running so I could not run up on all hills.

But so nice to be back in the forest and enjoy the nature.

Distance: 15.30K, pace: 9’38/ km,time: 2:27’28 h

Foot exercises and foamrolling of feet and rehab exercises when I got back home.

Gym

Long time ago I was at the gym on a Saturday.

Before I became a regular runner I was as the gym Saturdays but usually I am out on my trail runs on Saturdays.

Today I could do my calves exercises but low weight.

Still needs to get more strength when it comes to my big back muscles and triceps.

Biceps I did double as much on the same weight as last week.

Today I did the following core exercises: Rolling toe plank 30, always tough, regular plank 30s, boat 2.5kgx20x3, pilates ball ”jackknife” 2×10, did just 1×10 last week.

Now when I have started with the hip strengthening and stability exercises I will get my hips under control, pain after my run yesterday.

Calf exercises: Toe lift exercises, 3 variations.

Just to keep going to the gym and get stronger every time

Weight report

-0.9 KG, one KG closer to my middle goal which is below 60 KG. And I have not even started running my longer runs. So this was good news. I will keep up the good work.

Hallands Ultra 50K

#24 – 50 runs in 100 days – Just run edition

Today I woke up at 3.30 am and WHY did I do that? Because it was time for Hallands ultra 50K in Halmstad and I would be picked up at 5.20 am

So breakfast and pack the last things and then it was time to get down to the ride

Mats Bergenhorn drove us to Ekeby where we switched car to Jim’s and then Thom Leiding was also in the car.

We got to the parking lot around 7 so we had time to stretch, get into the woods and pee and talk to some other ultra Runners and runners that would run their first ultra race today.

We started 10 min later so everybody could get to the toilet.

Today we had to wear a chip around our fingers. They had changed the route a bit so we ran in a loop and then got back to where we started and then continued on the regular route.

Perfect weather and what was different was that I was not one of the last persons, ahd company most of the way to Halmstad

The route was changed a couple of time more during the day.

My goal this year was to finish in 7h but to be honest I wanted to finish under 7h.

Someone had a peptalk with me yesterday and was sure that I would finish with 7h but felt that I am a much faster runner today and just ran faster this time. I guess I listened.

At around 25K I started to get tired in my right calf but ran til I coulnd’t run anymore and started Walking and wet my hair. Something I learned last year was to never stretch if you have tired legs, just start to walk for a short time and start running again and it works.

I got tricked, because before we got to the fuel station when it was 13K left we were rerouted due to the change this year, all of a sudden I felt familiar and realized that I was running the last 1K Before the finish line and started to wonder if I had run wrong (I knew that I had followed the route).

When it was 13K left the time was 5.22 and it felt that I could even finish under 7h even if I knew that it would be some walking but it couldn’t take 2h.

We have to ”run” up stairs and I walked backwards and then you have a nice view before you continue.

At the last fuel station the running coach that I ran with (she was suppose to be last) so I talked to her and she said that it goes much better this year 🙂

I had problems at the end running down with my tired calf walked and walked uphills and ran the rest and finally I knew that it wasn’t much left and told myself that I would run and not stop til I ran through the finish line.

This year I finished with 6.40.50, 40 min faster than last year. I am so proud of myself.

Changed and then had a hamburger, a non alcoholic beer and then got a ride down to the parking lot

This is how my feet was afterwards under my socks

Distance: 50K, time: 6.40.50h, average heart rate: 143, average pace: 7.21 min/k, max pace: 5.24 min/k, cadence: 164, VO2 Max: 28ml/kg/min

Tjörnarparen 50K Trail Ultra

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#24 – 50 runs in 100 days – Hardcore edition
#131 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

Woke up this morning at 4 am to eat breakfast and get ready for my last race and ultra race this year.

Decided to take the train and it turned out we were 4 who took the train together to Tjörnarp.

When we got off the train station Lars the guy who is behind this ultra race was at the start line and I brought to him running clothes to the refugees.

Then it was time to bring the rest to the school to change and get ready for the race. Turned out we couldn’t get in due to an alarm that would get off at 8 am but we could change at the parish house instead.

I streched and more and more runners showed up. It was time to get down to the start where a bunch of other enthusiastic runners came. This year it would be both a 50K and a 100K distance. 5 runners had decided to run 100K.

It had rained a lot so it was very gooey and wet. This time I was not alone and not last and it felt that I wouldn’t be last. Flew over the loop.

Turned out I had problems with the GPS, it worked when I started my pulse watch but somewhere it just gave up so I didn’t have any distance and time, only the route and pace so i had to guess the distance to know when I had to drink and eat.

It felt that I am going to have a good day. Skipped the second fuel station but somewhere between fuel station 2 and fuel station I first got very tired legs which I can handle but then I started to feel pain in my left knee when I ran, started to walk but the pain did not go away so I had to make a decision if I would continue or not.

When I got to fuel station I was asked how I was doing and I said that I right now have to make a decision if I am going to threw in the towel. Another runner Ola lended me his knee pad and I decided I would try to make it to the fourth fuel station. Got Tobbes mobile number if I had to quit before the fourth fuel station, turned out that Lars who wouldn’t race this year couldn’t help himself and had headed out on the route. When I was running on the dirt road which is a couple of k’s before you turn to the left up to the Djuralidsbacken (Djuralids hill) I was fine first but then the pain came back and decided not to continue.

Of course I was upset at that moment but I did not feel I made the wrong decision. Walk/run with pain in a knee for another 14K is not worth it. It can destroy a whole season.

I called Tobbe and told him I had thrown in the towel. Some runners passed me and asked me if I was fine and I told them I had thrown in the towel because of pain in my knee.

Got transport back to the Parish home and this was my very first DNF.

Ran 35K but do not have any time.

30K Hilly running with higher meters of altitude

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#17 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#78 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

End of October I am going to participate in my toughest ultra race and needed to have a hilly running with higher meters of altitude.

I went to Vallåsen with my running buddy Lars and we ran on a hill Halmstad which is 1260 m long. The plan was to run 30K but was not sure if I would do it, was also sure that it would be some walking. From the beginning I was not sure I would run on this hill but decided to join Lars.

Lars is preparing for another ultra race and I managed to keep up with him and not the other way around 🙂 This is big for me. This was a nasty hill.

The weather report did show rain but it turned out that it was not so bad. There were some rain and some upwind.

I forgot to choose the hilly mode from the beginning to be able to see the heart rate, it was important to not have a too high heart rate. It was a bit high in the beginning. So on the top I changed to the hilly mode.

It was raining when we started to run up the hill so I put on my rain coat but after some rounds it got too warm wearing it so I let it be at the top.

It was interesting because in the beginning we had pretty much the same heart rate and then when we started to get a bit tired in our legs my heart rate decreased and Lars heart rate was 6 heart beats higher than mine and we also increased the pace at the end.

We decided that we would run at least 20K and then we would see how we felt after each hill and then realized that we were not too far from 30K and would go for it. You can run on tired legs.

I did not walk one meter on this hill. I really surprised myself today.

We had to watch out because it was a mountain bike competition going on and they crossed our route at some places.

This was definately my toughest run I have ever done. We did 1810 m meters of altitude.

I thought that had run 30K when we got back to the car so I saved my training there but it turned out we were not really done so the last k has not been registered.

Liquid: 1 bottle of Tailwind Raspberry and 1 bottle of Redbull. Plus one energy bar.

Shoes: Altra Lone Peak 1.5 and it was a bit gooey and the trail shoes had good grip.

Altitude today:

Results:

Total distance: 30K, time: 4.55 h, 1810 meters of altitude 🙂

40K Trail Run

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#9 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#70- 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

Sometimes I wonder why I get up 5 am on a Saturday to take the train to Tjörnarp and get out on a trail run but on a day like this it is definately worth it.

It was with a little mixed feelings I started running this trail run. The whole spring has been issues issues and I was forced end of February to take time out from longer trail runs to get my gluteus issue under Control, when I did I ran into the next issue, lower leg issue and realized that Salomon Fellraiser needs to be replaced with a new trail shoe and after a discussion with a running buddie of mine I decided I would test Altra Lone Peak 1.5.

I have not been able to run all the way during any of my trail runs during the spring, the longest I got was in April when I ran 32K and then got tired legs.

Also the weather drastically changed after the heat last weekend so it was tough deciding what I would wear but I finally decided to have my CKR t-shirt, semi compression tights, regular socks. My pulse belt was also with me today. It was a bit chilly at the beginning 13oC (55F)

Checked my water bladder several times before I started that I got water, it has happened too many times in the past that after 15 min when I am going to drink water there is no water coming out 🙂 which makes me a bit frustrated.

It was nice hearing the birds singing at the start of my trail run.

At 12K is where my issues have started but I was just fine, in the forest I saw a tent and two girls camping and I said hi and all of a sudden a dog barked at me. Near there is a trail that was not so easy to follow today because of all the growth of bushes and grass and I also experienced getting my Altra wet, I had been told that Altra was staying wet because the fabric is very thick but it actually dried quite well and did not bother me after a while.

At around 17K I started to feel tired in my calves and I was hoping I wouldn’t run into issues later and chose to walk up on the tougher hills at Frostavallen, I also chose to run around the new trail alignment (green/orange), there has been a big puddle at one place and I have chosen to walk on a stone wall that has been a bit unstable, not very good when you have tired legs.

Today I also tested Redbull, some ultra runners drink this during ultra races and when one of my sport drinks bottle was empty I exchanged it with Redbull in the front. I am not a energy drink drinker and when I was shaken out the carbonic yesterday there was some left that I drank and didn’t like it then.

I passed 25K where I in the past had been forced to stop and stretch a longer time, did not happen 🙂

At 30K I didn’t have to start walking and not at 32K either. When I got to the loop I chose to walk because it is a tricky part and with tired legs it is better for me to walk, have done that in the past.

When I get tired in my legs I do not lift my feet and bump into stones with my front part of the shoe so there was some swearing.

As far as the temperature it was perfect, not too warm, not too cold

At the thicket I also chose to walk to rest my tired legs a bit.

Then it was only 6K left and I was using Robert’s tip to get the brain to focus on other things when you start to get really tired legs and drinking either sports drink or redbull helped.

Then it was only 3K and kept going and then I was done 🙂 And under 6h Tjohooooooooo!

First run where I have been running the whole time except at certain chosen places but not because of any issues or tired legs.

The train left 13.38 and I got to the train station at 13.43 so I had to wait til 14.38 for the next train. Unfortunately I did not have any cash with me but the small grocery store let me fill my water bladder.

Spent time stretching, oh boy was I stiff 🙂

Drank my protein drink and put news print in my trail shoes and walked in my socks til I got to the train station where I got off.

Distance: 24.85 miles (40.01K), time: 5.24.08 h,
average pace: 8.06 min/k, max pace: 5.57 min/k,
VO2 Max: 25 ml/kg/min, cadence: 170

When I got home I drank my smoothie and saw the last of Tour de France

Hallands Ultra 50K

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#25 – 50 runs in 100 days spring edition
#59- 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

Got up 4 am this morning to leave at 6.05 to my second ultra race (first this year) – Hallands Ultra 50K which is a new ultra race.

I had decided I would run in my regular running shoes since I had realized that Salomon Fellraiser does not work for me on longer dirt roads and we would be on some today. Hopes that I wouldn’t run into any major issues and hoped to finish around 7 h, knew that the last 13K would be tough.

Peter from Coach K Runners was the driver for the day and in the car was also me, Malin who was going to do her first ultra and Lisa.

On our way up we discussed the weather, it had been different reports changing during the week, in the beginning of the week it looked like it would be 15oC (59F) at 8 am and 23oC (73F) at 2 pm but a couple of days ago it looked like it would be around 17oC (63F) and rain urgggg

So I had a linen under my t-shirt and packed a long sleeve in my ultra backpack.

Here we are at the parking lot 2K from the finish line, waiting for the bus that would take us to the start (were we were not allowed to park) and we could also get our bib.

Before start it started to rain heavily and I thought oh no not a rainy day but it stopped 🙂

Off we go. Early we saw a guy taking the lead and a small group after him.

Before I left I checked that water came out of the hose and it did but when it was time for my first water zip after 15 min, no water. So typical so I had to stop and open the valve and there were two people behind Malin and me (who would stick together as a team during the day) who stopped and I thought why are they stopping? It turned out that one guy was not racing just joining us and Susanne was the ”collector”, she didn’t race but would be last and make sure that everyone were fine. It turned out later it was good to have her as company.

So what happened. At around 12K I started to feel issues with my lower right leg but could still run. Susanne turned out to be a running coach (did not know that at the time) and she asked me if it was the periosteum but I did not think so, could be electrolytes or tight knots. At the second fuel station I had my own little cheering squad. Friend’s sister and her husband lives in Halmstad and I meet them from time to time on social occasions and had informed them about the race and that they could come and cheer and they did, well appreciated 🙂 Had to stop and stretch and then we continued our journey. Susanne gave me a very good advice today. Do not stop and stretch because it won’t do you any good, better to just stop and walk and start run again after some time and we tried that. Very good advice. She also said she would show me some exercises that I could do, she suspected bone tissue issues.

Malin and I decided that if we would stick together we would run through the finish line hand in hand.

We were running in the woods, across a golf course, at the ocean on rocks, smaller portion in the city, Along the river Nissan. Very Beautiful run, very green.

At 29K there was a 2K hilly part where it was a sprint price for the fastest runner but Malin and I did not even try, no risk we would win 🙂

But the real challenge started when it was 13K left and the fuel station was between the finish line and where we would continue. Runners were finishing the race while we still had 13K left. Some narrow parts in the woods, very gooey because of the rain during the week where we tried to not run straight through it.

Because of my lower leg issue we ran during the flat parts and walked up the hills and down but when you have very tired legs which I got at the end, down hill can be a real pain so we walked down on some parts. At the end I didn’t care about the googey parts and ran through them. Might show how tired I was.

Really good cheering and super nice functionaries at the fuel stations.

When I thought it was 6K left the fuel station showed a sign with 43K (so we had probably circled a bit down hill and up hill (not run wrong though).

Before those 43K I had really tired legs and started to walk but Susanne really pepped me to continue and after that I got my energy back but Malin was getting a dip and I felt she needed Susanne more than me and I was running solo. So when my pulse watch showed 50K I thought it would be 1K left but that 1K felt VERY LONG. It turned out that when I had run for a while in the Woods after my pulse watch had showed 50K, two functionaries stood and cheered me on and from there it was 1K (which I did not know) but the last part felt like it never ended and I felt hot on my cheeks, I guess I was very tired 🙂

Here I am after the finish line

Finish time: 07:27:27 h

Results: (I thought that I had saved the run just after the finish line but turned out that I didn’t so the distance a bit longer and time too, also problems with finding the pulse belt so not all results)

Altitude:

29.03K Trail Run

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#21 – 50 runs in 100 days spring edition
#55 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

Did not get up 5 am this morning but 6 am. Looked at the weather report yesterday and it looked like it was going to be perfect temperature, 15oC (59F) at lunch time.

The last couple of runs I have checked the (water) blader at home and got water and then when it had been time to drink after 15 min running, no water 🙂 Decided to do a test on the train station before the run but did it actually on the train and got water 🙂

So the plan was to run 40K, the last long distance run before the resting weeks before the ultra June 6th, two weeks ago I ran into issues with my right under leg that forced me to turn back at 15K and ran a total of 30K with a lot of walking and stretching at the end.

I have had some discussions about why and there was talk about periosteum but I did not think that, I thought it would because I did not rest enough before the run Before.

My trail runs are not pure trail, it is longer dirt roads involved and the trail shoe I use is Salomon Fellraiser. Earlier this week we discussed if it could be the shoe and I was not sure it was.

It was a magical run

This was the start of the run and I realized it was so much greener now than two weeks ago, I also realized I forgot to take my spring allergy medicine

After around 4K there is this pig farm with these little cute piglets but they are afraid of me for some reason, just before I passed this farm I saw these beautiful fields

I was hoping I would have a good day, familiar now with the loop even if it is a challenge to find the streamers. During the run I saw one roe deer for the first time on this run. When I got to 12K I did not have any issues with my right under leg 🙂 there was hope. When I got to Frostavallen all of the sudden a dog came from the left, scared me a bit, I think I scared him too but he didn’t chase me or bit me (I am not afraid of dogs). Later on I also saw a squirrel.

I felt some pain in my under leg at some point but when I got to Frostavallen into the Woods it disappeared, which happens, you get some pain somewhere, it disappears and then you might get some pain somewhere else and it disappears. It is when the pain get worse and worse that you should be more worried and take a walk and stretching and then continue to see if the issue is still there or continues.

In Frostavallen I saw a new trail mark and was thinking if they had a new green and orange trail. There is is this place where there is a lot of water now so I walk on the stone wall and exercise balance :-), walked up some heavier hills but was fine at 20K and also at 23K but then the dirt road was there and the under leg issue came back. Decided to stretch at 24K. Continued to 27K and then I also had pain when I walked.

Now I was sure it is the trail shoes that cause this and made my first decision to run with my regular running shoes at the ultra run in June. Decided to shorten the run to 29K and got picked up at the 4th fuel station

So distance today 18.03 miles (29.03K), time: 4.36.27 h

Another decision that was made is that I am going to invest in another trail shoe that handles mixed trail running. You will find out more about this shoe later.

13.85K Hilly run

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#20 – 50 runs in 100 days spring edition
#54 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

Last weekend my run did not go so well and the reason for that I believe was because I have had only 2 weeks recovery after the last 40K run and I discussed this with another runner friend of mine who thought that it might be periosteum issues due to over training but I had much tougher training last Fall. This spring I have had glutues issues which had me reduced the distance and take it much easier.

So I decided I would run 4 laps on St Hans hills and see if my right under leg would complain again, this weekend it had rained a lot so I decided to use my fellraiser.

When I got up there it was such a joy because it felt that I was gliding over those hills. My running joy has come back and it feels great 🙂 This spring has not been so fun due to the glutues issue that took some time to get rid of.

Distance 8.60 miles (13.85K), time: 1.37.32 h
average pace: 7.02 min/k, max pace 5.12 min/k,
VO2 Max 29 ml/kg/min

30.01K Trail run

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#19 – 50 runs in 100 days spring edition
#53 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

Woke up this morning at 5 am to take the train to Tjörnarp and start the trail run before 8.30 am.

It feels so luxurious to just get off the train and then just start running into the woods. I decided I would wear my 2XU compression tights and no fleece jacket, just a long sleeve and a jacket. I also brought gloves and hat but got off quickly.

The plan was to run 40K.

It was a joy today because it was much greener than two weeks ago when I ran here the last time so I enjoyed the nature. At the loop I had some issues finding the yellow markers, on the other hand I have run here a couple of times and know where to go. Have learned now to run it right.

At 12K I started to feel pain in my right lower leg and foot and it got worse and worse and I decided it wouldn’t be smart to force me to run 40K when I need to run 40K middle of May, my last before my ultra June 6th. Decided I would turn around at 15K and get a distance of 30K total.

At 15K I walked 1K and then I stretched and could in the beginning run 2K before I had to walk again 1k and stretch. But when it was 6K left I felt pain when I was Walking, not a good sign and could only run 1K before I had to walk a bit longer and then stretch. This is very good therapy, this could happen. It felt like a re run of Tjörnarparen.

When it was 1K left I pepped myself to run 1K and then I would be at the train station but when it was 500m it was really tough and I couldn’t run anymore so I walked the last 300m.

Distance: 18.64 miles (30.01K), time: 4.58.14 h, average pace: 9.56 min/k, max pace: 6.16 min/k,
VO2 Max: 25 ml/kg/min

Even if I had to do a lot of walking today it was great coming and run a trail run. Need to rest my leg so I am ready to do this again middle of May.

Gabby's Challenges

Challenges that I am participating in

Etikettarkiv: Ultra

#week 12

Gym

Hallands Ultra 50K

Tjörnarparen 50K Trail Ultra

30K Hilly running with higher meters of altitude

40K Trail Run

Hallands Ultra 50K

29.03K Trail Run

13.85K Hilly run

30.01K Trail run