Went somewhere? Don’t know, but looks like it unfortunately. Not long ago I haven’t got a problem to run daily 30 km for 4 days and additional two half-marathons over the weekend. Actually, it was not even two months ago. And now? Now I’m struggling to run 23-25 km a day, morning exercise making my heart to run faster and demands from me more oxygen (that was never the case before) and last but not least getting big cramps at the end of marathon (last two)…
What has changed? Plenty. Since being ill, back in mid July, I wasn’t able to get back to my running regime. And even that I was still trying to keep my fitness level same by doing more core muscle exercise it wasn’t working. Whole week after being sick and just one run, just 8 km. Still not recovered from illness I have participated in the Roundwood marathon (wrote about that in post ‘Horror course…‘). That was not best idea. Anyway, one obstacle. But the next one made my belly ‘not flat’ again…
Holidays in France. I love that place, I really do. Views, weather, mountains… but food as well. You could think that hiking could be enough to keep you fitness ok but it’s not. Not when you are surrounded by such a tasty food. Just name it – bread, pastry, pizza, brushetta, goat cheese, regular cheese. I was trying to get up every day and run down to next village and back up again to do about 12-14 km a day. My idea was that total incline on that route would be about 400 meters, same decline (so nice exercise for running uphill and downhill) combine with other activities like hiking, via ferrata or swimming will be as good as running at home. Ohhh boy, how wrong I was. Now I can see that. My weight after holidays went up by at least 3 kg but worst is that I have lost abs muscle (core muscle). Where before illness were muscle now I have big ‘flubber’. And whoever know something about muscle knows that fat is much lighter than muscle. What does it mean? Simple, gaining 3 kg probably means I have lost about 1.5-2 kg of muscle and add to my weight about 5 kg of fat. And all of that explain why I have problem with fitness. Additional weight, less running…
Time for change again. Back to slow runs 8 km + 15 km a day and core muscle exercise and hopefully I will be ‘up and running’ for Dublin Marathon and Nice Marathon.
Hi Alan I read the blogs, hope your form comes back.You are on number 5 well done Donegal is a beautiful place but hilly.Well done on your time.It was nice to meet you in Ballina. This w/end is my 6th in Achill and number 7th in Craughwell the following w/end all going well.
Hope you get your mojo back soon and see you on the road, take care.
I’m introducing my Wife to marathons so we are doing walkers in LONGFORD MARATHON and then see you in Craughwell Ac
Very good enjoy Longford I believe it is a nice flat course, have heard good things about Craughwell, see you there.
Don’t forget that recovery is most important when running marathons, body needs a break, so running long miles during week and than racing marathon at weekend won’t work longterm. And running a lot of marathons in short period of time you should adjust your time expectations, they should b lot slower than PB, otherwise you r going to struggle physically and then mentally too 😉
Cezary Lubinski it has been working fine for me. Only (big though) change was illness and lack of running… 😉