So my lazy glutes continue to plague my runs, and the last couple of days have seen some set backs and some progressions.
Yesterday’s morning run started as most of my morning runs do…barely awake. But things quickly warmed up and a mile in my calves were doing all the work as normal, and a bit further on they were showing their usual signs of unhappiness, with my right knee and ankle joining the party. Now rather than think “engage glutes to stop pain” my brain thought “well it IS early and you have only just discovered your glutes, you can’t expect them to be working at THIS time of the morning”!!! Really?!! I mean really, my brain thought that this was logical, that because I’d neglected to use the bloody things previously that I could just ‘let them off’ when they decided not to join in…NOT cool!
So, the lazy buggers were to join in on yesterday night’s club hill intervals session, AND THEY DID! They made a fantastic appearance. With my calves still screaming louder than Bon Jovi circa 1987, my glutes were rocking the show. The hill intervals were hard and long and hard, so I had to really think about it to get them to do the work. As instructed, strengthening my core and correcting my tilted hips slightly worked. And that, along with the inclines, fired up the ol’ butt muscles! And once they were going, and boy could I feel it, it was easy to keep them working.
Tonight’s run was very similar. I’d chosen a flattish route so that I could practice the technique and it seems to be working. And I even tagged on an extra couple of miles just to beast the lazy slabs of meat!
I think this is really going to be one of those ‘practice makes perfect’ jobs, but I just need to keep it at. The down sides are that a) I have to think about it (which interrupts my thinking about food) when running, and b) it changes my cadence and breathing pattern slightly as my posture is shifted…which isn’t proving too much of an issue so far, but might on longer runs, we’ll see.
In other news I’m smashing my marathon training plan and it must be time to watch Love Actually soon!
LRG x
Amazing commitment, Good work. I’m pleading ignorance to my running style as it doesn’t give me too much trouble. But post marathon I will give joining a running club some serious thought along with an assessment of my running style. Would love to know what your typical running reek is like for your marathon plan.
Thanks. Yeah I went for analysis after niggles started, and recruited a decent physio! If it doesn’t hurt I reckon you’re doing it right.
My typical week is currently looking like this:
Sun – Club XC – 5 mile
Mon – Rest
Tues – AM – Easy 3 mile, PM – Club intervals 5-6 miles
Weds – Progression 7-8 miles
Thurs – AM – Recovery 3 miles, PM – Club pace 6 miles
Fri – Tempo 5 miles
Sat – Long marathon pace 10+ miles (increasing weekly)
It seems to be working so far, but I don’t know if it’s ‘right’
I like it cos it fits in the club training too.
I’m going to have a look at the Full Potential info and see if there’s anything I can tweak.
I followed the New York Road Runners training plan for my last marathon and it looked very similar to this. It worked brilliantly while I followed it, just stick with it. I ended up getting a bit bored by week 8 or nine and I know I’d have been much happier with the result if I’d stuck with it.
That is amazing effort. Would love to run in the AM but just don’t have time! Do you have a time in mind for the marathon?
It’s been a struggle to get into the morning routine but 2 days a week the alarm is set half an hour earlier…baby steps!! Sub 4 I hope. My pace isn’t incredible but it’s getting better. Do you have a target in mind?
4hrs would be great. But I don’t know how to read my current pace (9min30sec) compared to where I will be nearer race day.
The training plan & club running have slashed my pace from 9:30 to around 8:40 so I reckon you’ll do similar following your structured plan. Do you include hills & intervals/fartlek sessions?
Yeah. Tues interval training Thursday hill Saturday long run Sunday Wednesday 5 a side football. That pace is amazing.
Thanks. I was shocked with how quickly it improved. With those sessions you must be feeling great!.I’m growing to love the hills…kinda!
Yeah. I know what you mean. I’m jus gutted that I can run trail hills on a Thursday cos it’s too dark!
Winter sucks for running. Much prefer trail to this road malarkey!