Archive for 2014
Cardiff Half Marathon
As Cardiff Marathon approaches I am getting a little annoyed that I have not been able to train properly since the marathon in April, while I loved doing the London Virgin Marathon and have applied again feel I will have to defer if I get a place.
This is the second Cardiff race in a row where I have not been fit and able to go for a good time but am trying to get over that and actually enjoy the event! It is a great day out, have a few friends running for the first time so excited to see them post race!
Really hoping I am mostly over this knee injury and will be back to full fitness for a half some time next year, blog will get updates ore frequently when I am training regular.
Injuries injuries injuries
I have not posted for some time, mostly due to having knee issues. I have been resting up and taking all the supplements I can just in case they do actually help.
Managed a few short runs, badminton and the odd 5-a-side football game and feel my knees and legs are getting better and most definitely stronger. I had planned out a rigorous training scheme to get my half marathon time down to 1:25:00 but that is now on hold.
Cardiff Half Marathon is just around the corner and while I have signed up and will run a PB is not a great idea so will just stick to enjoying it and aim for 1:35:00 sort of time.
I really hope to be back to running full time soon and will keep the blog up-to-date.
Safe running people x
Managed a few short runs, badminton and the odd 5-a-side football game and feel my knees and legs are getting better and most definitely stronger. I had planned out a rigorous training scheme to get my half marathon time down to 1:25:00 but that is now on hold.
Cardiff Half Marathon is just around the corner and while I have signed up and will run a PB is not a great idea so will just stick to enjoying it and aim for 1:35:00 sort of time.
I really hope to be back to running full time soon and will keep the blog up-to-date.
Safe running people x
Dodgy Knees
So I ran a marathon, got a PB at 5km and started training for a good half marathon time...
Then I had issues with my knees and have hardly ran since, its been tough after months of training to stop altogether but had no other choice. I have played the odd game of 5-a-side football and been out for slow 5km runs maybe twice in the last month.
A friend told me to take some supplements so I have been taking cod liver oil, clycosomine and a few others, while I do not expect this to heal me I am hoping long term when I get over the injuries this will help me avoid the issues again.
Really looking forward to getting over the aches and pains and finally setting up my half marathon training plan!
Watch this space.
Then I had issues with my knees and have hardly ran since, its been tough after months of training to stop altogether but had no other choice. I have played the odd game of 5-a-side football and been out for slow 5km runs maybe twice in the last month.
A friend told me to take some supplements so I have been taking cod liver oil, clycosomine and a few others, while I do not expect this to heal me I am hoping long term when I get over the injuries this will help me avoid the issues again.
Really looking forward to getting over the aches and pains and finally setting up my half marathon training plan!
Watch this space.
How I prepared for first Marathon
First Marathon
When my name came out of the hat and I won the club Virgin London Marathon spot I was so excited! Then I started to wonder how I might train for 26.2 miles, like most people I have a busy schedule and these perfect guides are almost impossible to follow. I am not saying this is how to train or that you should follow how I prepared but thought I would share my build up to my toughest challenge yet.
2013
Late 2013 I was still recovering from a 7 month knee injury and was running infrequently, September I only manged 16km, October 43km then roughly 80km in November and December, I was far from fit. I attempted a PB at Cardiff Half Marathon in September with no real training, managed a 10km in about 43 minutes then crashed and burned, I just had no strength in my legs.
2014
A new year, an almost new knee and what seems like a huge challenge, I wasn't going to make all my usual mistakes, I would stick to regular runs and really drop my pace down to get hours on my feet. I cannot tell you how important it is to be out running for longer and not worry about pace whatsoever.
January
20 Runs 142km
I stared on the 5th, Christmas food and New Years alcohol out of my system I went out for 5 to 10km runs, just took it easy, well the first run was 10km in 42 minutes so I was over doing it a little. Only managed two real long runs which was on the:
13/01 21km (1:44:44)
22/01 21km (2:02:30)
February
29 Runs 243km
This was the month where I put in the most long distance runs and even managed one track session. Again I went out through my lunch time and ran 5 to 10 km at a slower pace. My long runs were as follows:
01/02 - 22km (1:58:31)
02/02 - 32km (3:21:16)
16/02 - 35km (3:50:25)
23/02 - 21km (1:32:12)
March
25 Runs 209km
I was feeling pretty fit by this point, had not picked up any injuries and was eating well. On the 5th I ran our club first Wednesday of each month race which is 7.67km, its a tough run with hills and had 32 minutes, was a PB which showed my fitness was great.
08/03 38km (3:54:20)
12/03 14km (1:13:11)
23/03 21km (1:35:00)
31/03 13km 1:05:12
April
With less than two weeks to go I really cut down my mileage, you can expect to start feeling a but crappy at this stage of your training! One of the last runs was to go and run at race pace to get the feel for it, after 2 miles I felt heavy legged and was worn out, this is concerning when you think you have 26 miles to do in only a few days but don't panic, the hard work is done and your body is repairing itself, far too late to put any long runs in now.
So there you have it, a break down of all the miles I put in and when I did my long runs. I probably broke all the rules and ran at the wrong times but it suited me. I went out for the long distances when others were, I found it tough running alone for that length of time.
I finished the race in 3:28:44, very happy although with better conditioning could have finished in less pain.
All my activities are tracked here http://runkeeper.com/user/tyler6699/
Hill Training with RVR
Went out today with work running buddy and did a 10km, cannot sit at the desk all day without moving! I do get up to make the occasional cup of tea but not sure that counts for much. was a nice run, took about 60 minutes and had a good chat as always.
Wednesday is RVR club night (http://rhonddavalleyrunners.org.uk), they have set up some good training plans recently and tonight was another great workout, one thing we are not short of in Wales is sheep hills! So one of the coaches dragged us around the valleys and up all sorts of steepness and length of road.
Great run but didn't kill ourselves, one member did face-plant apparently but he was in another group, hope hes OK.
Still working on my plan and not announced my goals yet, I am still getting advice on how to best improve my speed at 10km and half marathon so will update you with that soon.
Welcome to my blog
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Welcome to "My Pace Or Yours", I am Ryan Tyler, a runner from South Wales.
Background
As a child I ran for Rhymney Valley Athletics Club and traveled to meets around Wales/England running mostly 800m on the track and cross country in the Winter months. I loved the training and going to meets in the mini bus with all the other runners. As I got older and my brother stopped going and it just phased out.
3 years, 1 month, 6 days ago (runners love precision) I decided to to start running again and I would track progress using Run Keeper (workout), mate had a mobile so I would manually enter them after. Instantly loved it and before I knew it was signed up to Cardiff Half Marathon!
First Half Marathon
I thought I was fit and could fly my first half with no trouble at all, I was mostly training lunch times and had no real plan at all, just ran what I felt like. A week before the event I pulled a hamstring in 5-a-side football and thought I should pull out, so decided the week before to test my leg, ran a full half in around 2 hours and realised I was ok to run (idiot). So the big day came and I ran 01:36:46.
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| First ever finish, looking tearful |
Second Half Marathon
My first half was a great feeling, the crowd, the runners the toilet queues! Anyway I really wanted to shave a few minutes off my time, I trained a little smarter, ate a little healthier (never giving up chips!) and managed to get sub 90 minures! 1:28:13.
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| Photo made it into local paper! (Echo) |
I got a bit obsessed with running half marathons, one week off work I ran 5 13 milers in 5 days including one sub 1:30. I decided it was time to find new events and meet some local runners so I then joined Rhondda Valley Runners:
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| RVR at Cardiff.. too early in the morning. |
I was planning all sorts of events and getting fitter than ever, then I screwed my knee and had to take 7 months of any real training, was so hard not to run and missed out on loads of club trips.
The one event I did manage in 2013 was Cardiff Half Marathon, I was determined to do it, did not get in any kind of shape for it but like a fool went for a PB. I did the first 10km in about 43 minutes, I was on target! Then I went through all sorts of pain and ended up finishing in 1 hour 38, learned some tough lessons that day.
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| In some pain Cardiff 2013 |
After getting all clear from the Dr I went back to full training, the first time back to club I entered the raffle and won a place in London Marathon, I was so excited and had no idea how tough it could be. The long training session were made easier by some great members of the club, I love running but 20 miles on your own is a little boring.
During my training I managed 4 long runs, two of which were 20+, a few halves and lots of 10kms. My training probably prepared me for 30 to 35 km, but nothing prepared me for the grueling last 3 miles, I cramped up pretty bad and struggled through the last few miles.
At the finish line I stopped, walked a bit, stopped, sat down, got up... I was a mess! Ended up laying down with legs up against a tree shouting in pain, if it was not for a member of the club picking me up and walking me about I would have just lay there and cried, was not pretty.. anyways I got 3:28:44, so proud to have done a sub 3:30 on first attempt.
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| VLM 2014 |
So there you have it, the events I have entered in recent years. I am currently working out a new running schedule, looking at which events to enter and looking to set a few goals/challenges. I hope you enjoyed my introduction and please come back soon !_!
