Week 5 - Pushing Begins

S - 33K in 3:15
I started too fast and then I had problems with a stitch and then my abdominal muscles were cramping.
Note: Increase core exercises, start slowly and maintain an even pace and consider speed runs.
My Garmin lost GPS connection at 26.69Kms
M AM 8k - Garmin died at 4.5Kms PM: 10k slow-recovery
T AM 23K.PM 10k recovery with pickups
W AM 18K easy
T AM 6K (stop the scheduled 25K when knees threaten to blow up)

Total 107K

Week Four - StepDown Week

This has been a stepdown week. Low energy levels, crazy work schedule, muscular pains, screaming shins, strange and unexpected injuries, ravenous appetite, too much tarmac and concrete and no dusty trails and general fuckery that's not good for a runner preparing for a full.
God damn!
No matter. I will take it. Next week we start pushing.
S 30
M 8+12 (world of pain)
T 8+ strange injury walk 7k (hungry)
W 7k (tired and hungry)
T 22k
Total 94k
Onwards and upwards.
5 weeks of training remaining.

Cheers

Week 3 - Egerton

Done for the week
After the 31k on Sunday my left calf was acting up but with massage and foam roller (I improvised with a round water bottle) its now okay. I will give more attention to my knee because its also sending some signals. I have already started lunges, clam shells and side leg raises.
I pushed a little in the 17k on Tuesday but I still need one more easy week before I start upping the intensity. Slowly.
Without further ado, this was my week. Most of it around Egerton University.

SUN___AM__31__PM___Off_
MON___AM__15_PM__7__
TUE___AM__17__PM__8__
WED___AM__15_PM__10__
THU___AM__12__PM__Off_
FRI____Off
SAT___Off
Total__115k
115k for the week. I will take it. Onwards and upwards folks! Keep grinding. Every mile counts.

NOW, ABOUT THOSE FARTS...

When you run, you will fart, or toot, or pass gas - take your pick.
You will. It’s that simple. Just like when you are in love, you will get hurt. Not necessarily heartbreak hurt, but hurt nonetheless.
Farts, like other calls of nature, are a fact of life. Runners, especially, will fart even more. Hence this discussion.

Everybody farts. Ok? So let’s just get that out of the way. Even you, dear reader. Yes. You there.

Today we shall discuss the nature of farts, kinds of farts and how to handle farts.

Of course, if you eat foods that cause flatulence, you will fart even more. Some fart blasts last a full 15 seconds and can be heard from dozens of meters away. And their blast wave can envelop people within a 20 meters radius.

The sound of farts, though embarrassing, is often not the problem but the smell of farts. From boiled eggs to dead rabbits, the spectrum of fart smells is rich beyond imagination. Many farts have marked beginnings of lifelong friendships and no friendship has ever ended because of a fart. But I digress.

Farting can be embarrassing. Ever run into those silent but deadly fart clouds left by the runner ahead while running? And when you pass you assess their behinds then their faces in holier-than-thou disgust?

When you try to hold the fart in, due to the jarring nature of running, the fart may end up escaping as a SQUEAK - a squeak sounds like a door squeaking open. But the sound is still unmistakably farty.

Or sometimes it escapes as a BRRRR or VUVUZELA fart - a brr sounds like high pressure gas escaping from a narrow, vibrating space.

Now what can you do when you toot in a run?

1. Pretend it never happened. Feign ignorance like an ostrich with its head deep in the sand. Say hi to your victim(s), smile sweetly and remark about the great weather. It may distract them from the near death experience.
2. Make similar sounds like the fart sound with your mouth, armpits or feet or any available body part that can produce a similar sound. This can work very well when your gas is odorless.
3. Blame any rookie nearby, or the city council for not keeping the city clean.
4. Ask, "Is there a dead animal nearby?" and wear a mask of disgust and complete terror.
5. Own up, roll your eyes in exasperation and blame the cabbages and beans you ate. Call them terrible and apologize.
6. Own up and laugh uncontrollably at yourself in embarrassment. Chuckle, cover your eyes with your hands so that your victims feel you are the victim of huge embarrassment that you can’t hide from. They will reach out and tell you it’s okay, we all fart.

If you do have to fart, first assess the wind direction. If the wind is blowing towards a crowd, you may want to consider whether farting is a good idea, of whether you can hold it and wait for a better time.

1. If there is no wind that can give you away, check your left hand side and behind you
2. If the coast is clear, check your right hand side and behind you.
3. If the coast is clear again, prepare to let go. Ensure it’s not haja kubwa masquerading as a fart because if you make the mistake, even I can’t advise you out of that mess of mistaken identity.
4. Now,…ready?
5. Let go.
6. Enjoy the ensuing relief, quietly thank God for the genius of inventing farts and continue with your run.

We shall next talk about blocked noses while recovering from colds and how you can safely convert your nasal contents into projectiles that won’t hurt anyone as you run.
Happy running!

Week 2: Testing My Limits

This was an interesting week. I only had four days to log in the mileage of the week amidst a busy work schedule.
On Monday I had toilet drama and I had to go at 10K – and I used the roadside bushes to great relief - the person who invented roadside bushes is a mf genius!
And then I stumbled in the dark on a rocky, torturous route for 8K like a complete idiot. On Wednesday I bit more than I could chew, ended up with an empty tank and had to resort to run-walk in order to complete the workout.
Amateurish crap! Can you believe that shit? Dis-gusting. Nkt!

But like I keep saying, the beginning of wisdom is the ability to laugh at yourself.

The greatest thing is that I didn’t get an injury (and that’s my number one priority). And I am so glad the training days for the week are over! I can’t wait to sleep up to 6:20AM for the next two days! Yay! The other great thing is that I completed the workout as scheduled and I am also sure I am achieving my second goal of weight loss. I shall now begin my long slow runs next week while maintaining relatively the same weekly mileage. I only pray or patience to keep it slow and easy for the next three weeks then we can start injecting some speed once we know we have strong legs.

I need to remind myself about the basic principles: It ALL counts. Run the mile you are in. Long Slow Runs. Build Mileage First, speed later. 

Without further ado, here are the workouts.

Monday_____8+22

Tuesday_____16+14

Wednesday__22+5

Thursday____15+5

TOTAL_____107K

Next week, we start long runs. Onwards and Upwards!

Coming Back

This is my comeback week. I registered for 42K so there is no time for pussy footing and half assing. Of course, while observing reasonable care.
Because two of the injuries I got this year were both obtained when I was trying to produce fast tempo runs, I have decided to be humble and set speed aside.
I just want to run.
Because I know my cardio is fine, I also know I can cover long distances, the only problem is that my body is not ready so I have to take it slowly.
But I also learnt that I need to shed 12Kgs to get to my race weight.
To strengthen my legs while also burning lots of fat, what I need is high mileage. I started slowly but traveled to Kigali on Monday. Kigali is hilly and so my knees said No to going slowly on the downhills and so I increased speed a little and was running much faster from wednesday.
This week is 96K. Hell yeah. I will take it.
I now rest for two days and hope to hit 100K next week.
Keep rolling folks!
Sunday          15   
Monday        16   
Tuesday        12+6
Wednesday   16   
Thursday      18   
Friday          13   
TOTAL        96.3   

Training for the Full Begins NOW!!!!!

In Maanzoni. I am trying to neutralize tight hammies and a painful lower back and knee. So far so good. This week 58K. I aim for 65K next week with a 18K long run. Upwards and Onwards!
M - 4k
T - 11k
W - 15k
T - 11k
F - 16k

I am Back

Yeah.
I shouldo discovered the frog pose earlier.

I really think it is

1st - 17K. I have a cold. Cezet, PF and Antibiotics. Its cold as hell here. I like the way I can pick up.
2nd - 13K with floats.

3rd - 13K with floats. Pain in left hip makes me hold back. 95K total. Solid week overall.

 
PS Pics - suffering from a cold. The gloves and body suit didn't help though.

6th - 32K - still recovering from a cold so I take it easy.
7th - 21K moderate. Fail to carry water. Sabasaba day. Mats are scarce. Almost pass out in a mat due to dehydration. Ef man. Big mistake.
8th - 22K easy Feeling strong.
9th - 12K recovery
10th - 13K with ladders and strides. Develop an injury in my left groin. Limping. Weird shit. Now what?

Its About Time

1st June - 32K in 2:28:12 average of 3:38 min/km. I started off hard and cleared the first 7K in 30mins. By 12K, my quads were shot and the saying "speed that kills thrills" started playing in my mind. But I hoped I could somehow get my legs back. I got my second wave at about 18K. I improved by more than 4 mins from last Sundays time and I finished much stronger. I took water better - it still gave me problems though. Still huge room for improvement. I am learning and getting better. I think I have finally entered my training zone. Since I beat up my quads and survived, I am gonna beat them again next Sunday and see if I can transition from the first wave to the second one more seamlessly. Kms 12 to 17 I was gone. Then I need to improve my Kms 26 to 30 (the uphill) and I should be fine. My slowest 1K was 5:28 - the 29th K while last week it was 5:48 - same hill.

3rd June - 20k in 90mins. Tightness in right hamstring stops me.
4th - 13K easy
5th - Rains bigtyme. Go to field after Hosi. muddy, long walk to the field. 5K with strides. Hammie still painful. Only diehards turn up at the field.
6th-8th - OFF-INJURED
9th - Egerton. Do 13K. This is a real injury fellows. I cant run with it. Right lower hamstring. I have to take a break.
10th-12th - OFF-INJURED
13th-5K - Injury MF healed!
15th -32K. I am back. Blisters. Lets work back now.

16th-13k
17th-21K. Legs aching like fuck. I have an injury. Back of my right knee is painful.
18th - 5K easy. Back of my right knee still painful. RICE.
22nd - 32K. Stitch between 22K and 28K messes up my tempo but its alright. Onwards and Upwards. I need to work on my weight, endurance and speed. And of course them hip flexors.
23rd - 18K. With the new Saucony shoes. Too tight.
24th - 20K. I feel strong. All injuries seem to have cleared up.
25th - 12K easy.
26th - 9K with 4K ladders.
91k total. Solid week.

29th - 32K. On Sunday, I didn't run through the 32k as I had intended. But I mf killed it. Set some PRs. 10k in 41:50, 14k in 58:28mins n 21k in 1:28:44. Now, these are road PRs, and they surpass my PRs on the track. I was up at 5:35am. Stretched as I strategized and resolved to go out hard and stick with it or mf die. My quads can take the beating on the downhills, check. I am fast on the flat, check. I can roll with the terrain, check. comfortable on the tarmac check. and I am ready for the hills. check. For the adductor pain I took a painkiller. Black tights, white Nike cap and 200/= in my pocket. Check. I jogged soft-footed into the cold dawn. Nowadays while going past 20k I get the garmin from charging just b4 I start. I jogged to the start, about 500m assessing my body. Garmin struggled with locating the satellites but finally locked on. The first 2k are hilly then we go ape shit. Flatish past tmall. Climb to capital center, climb at GM then turn round and fight! For 16k.
Without further mf ado, here are the mf splits man.
1__4:26
2__4:36
3__4:09____langatta police station
4__3:59
5__3:53____rafikis
6__4:07
7__4:04____Tmall. 7k in 29:17
8__4:13
9__4:04____nyayo stadium
10_4:15.____10k in 41:50
11_3:59_____belle vue descent
12_4:14
13_4:13
14_4:09_____14k in 58:28
15_4:25_____general motors climb
16_4:19_____cabanas. Some guy joins me. He is lean. But he is now racing with vintage Jack. Lets mf go! 16k in 1:07:12
17_4:26
18_4:01_____18k in 1:15 we r pushing together now.
19_4:19_____the spitting guy drops. Pace too hot.
20_4:18
21_4:24____21k in 1:28:44
I started developing stomach cramps. I was still strong but the pain was too sharp. I had to stop at Nyayo at 23k in 1:38. I run_walked the rest of the distance just to ensure I logged 32k. Still strong. 

This route knows al be back. In six mf days. No shit. I now know I can do 28k in sub 2 hours. This means 32k in 1:15 is within reach. Then we start training for that 42k in earnest. This is good. Trust the mf process guys. Good things come to those who r patient. This week I already have a plan on what to work on: endurance, speed, strength, weight, core, hip flexors. I aim to do at least five sub 4min/km splits next Sunday. The ones in red are possible candidates. Its about mf time! 
Take home: I didn't feel sore after this run. Meaning I didn't push 100%. Also, the speedwork on Friday didn't get me sore. So I should keep using ladders followed by pickups for speed. I aim at doing sub 1:27 21K and sub 1:15 32K in July.
30th - 20th Easy. Black toe nails. I shouldnt have run in those Sauconies.

Challenging My Limits

3rd - 32K. It really bangs me up. Really. Go to Stadi and pick two caps and a short. I get Brao's number. Brooks are finished. Did I say the 32K fucked me up? I should have.
5th - 21k in 1:35
6th - 15k easy. Fartlekish.

7th - 12K. Tired.
8th - 8K. Started late. No floodlights. Recovery. Wasn't even supposed to run but had calories to burn.
9th - 18K with 1k on 1k off runs after 12k. Tricky, busy, tough week. Learning not to listen to my body while also not ignoring its messages completely.
106k total for the week.
Weekend completely off.Travel to Mbsa for Aleki's Ayie. Jambojet is not as bad as people were claiming it is. Kenyans!
12th - 18k with 17k in 1:15. Interrupted by stomach cramps. Break down kinda fast. Really painful him flexors. Waist area has issues.
13th - 16K. Feeling stronger. More collected.
14th - 22k. Stronger. Stronger hip flexors better leg raising and foot landing. Better aligned body. I suspect that my waist issues were caused by weak hip flexors. I was making up for weak HFs by swinging my shoulders in a wide arc to drag my feet forward to compensate for weak hip flexors failing to lift my feet up. Damn. Proper, better form. No, I am not a form guru. Just an old guy trying to train while keeping injuries at bay by maintaining proper form, strength and flexibility.
15th - 10K easy with strides.

18th - 32K. Not so hammered this time. I was slow though and didn't feel fast so I didn't even try. Whats interesting is that I finished. By 13th K I wasn't sure I should put myself through 32K of hell. But I did.
19th - 10k. Easy. Right pelvic socket painful. Very.
20th - 17K in 1:18 the pelvic joint was better. Wasn't sure I should run. Wanted to walk home and it threatened to rain. But it turned out alright.
22nd - Have some kind of flu coz my right anterior cervical lymph node is inflamed and painful. I do 7k but I am stopped short by painful adductors. The Flu amplifies the pain. First time this year injury stops me in the middle of a workout. Take antibiotics and painkiller. What a effing bummer man.
25th - 32k. Took ponsta forte though I still experienced pain at 7k and 9k. 100 shs in my pocket,job ID, and 100ml of water. I set off. By 1K, I knew that going by the way I was climbing the hill, I wasn't blah today. So I pushed while respecting the distance. I was strong and it went well. Covered it in 2:32:37 avg of 4:46min/Km. Let the training Beegin! I am pumped. Finally I am able to tackle this distance decently.
27th - 21K. Apparently the 32K is still in my legs. I walked home on Monday. Late evening meeting.
28th - 14K easy.
29th - 16K with strides.

Now Show Me

31 Mar - 22K in 1:38:50 Avg pace 4:29 Avg speed 13.4Km/hr
1 Apr - Egerton Uni. Its cold as ef. I cant move. I abandon workout after a 7k in 33mins.
4 Apr - Egerton Uni. 22K in 1:39:50 4:32 avg. Pretty evenly paced run but there is a problem. I don't know what it is. Yesterday I took water for dinner, I didn't feel weak during the workout. I wore socks for gloves so I was warm. I can see that its 2250 feet here while Nairobi its 1720 feet but that looks negligible. I don't feel fluid. I don't know whether I OTd or whether its just a slow recovery process from the huge mileage...Or maybe I am just impatient. I am puzzled. I think I dug myself into a hole. How long before I get out?
6 Apr - 30K in 2:22 avg speed 4:44min/Km  12.7Km/hr. Moderate speed. Strong. Controlled.

8 Apr - 22k in 1:37:05 avg 4:25 min/Km 13.6 Km/hr  
10 Apr - 22K in 1:36:34 avg 4:23 min/Km 13.7Km/hr. 
13 Apr - go for 32K with Mark and die after 16K. I stop the clock at 29K at 2:18
15 Apr 21k. Time taken: 1:29:57 (PR) Avg pace 4:17 min/km Avg speed 14 km/hr
1__4:13.5
2__4:11.3
3__4:08.2
4__4:11.6
5__4:14.2___20:58
6__4:22.1
7__4:21.0___29:41
8__4:11.9
9__4:11.8
10__4:16.8___42:22
11__4:16.6
12__4:22.8
13__4:17.8
14__4:12.3___59:31
15__4:19.4___1:03:51
16__4:16.2
17__4:23.5___1:12:30
18__4:23.1___1:16:53
19__4:20.9
20__4:25.1__1:25:40
21__4:12.9__1:29:52
22__:04.3 
Very pleased with the PR. Several things happened. I posted in letsrun.com seeking advice on how to go sub 1:30 and I shared my recent times. Someone suggested that based on my times, maybe I just need to race harder. So I went and raced hard. Borura helped to push me to 14K. The sun also wasn't that hot yesterday. I decided to go hard and try and maintain the pace. I really pushed in the last 400m. Wa!  Now I seek a repeat and particularly a repeat on the roads.
17th - 13K with 5k in 19:55 a PR my first sub 20mins 5k. This I have sought for six years. I am very pleased.
The splits:
1__3:55.0        
2__3:58.8        
3__4:02.0        
4__4:02.7        
5__3:54.4  
20th - 32K easy
22nd - Kigali evening 12k easy
23rd AM - Kigali 15k with 1km x 5. 4:02, 3:57, 3:56, 3:56, 4:00. PM 10k
24th AM 12K with short sprints. I am tired. Sorta.

Add caption

25th - Kigali. 4k shakeout with 3-4 short sprints and stretching. Total 85K for the week.
27th -  26K second Group Race.

If there is one thing I have learnt this year, its how to eat the day before a race. I learnt some of it from Mark.

One thing I have been struggling with is how to taper properly, especially after I had gone to join Mark for a 32K with absent legs two weeks ago. It was so disappointing - it was hell running without legs. Regardless, I did 85K last week so maybe I still have a lot to learn there as far as tapering but at least I ensured my legs were fresh.

So anyways, I learnt to stop taking solid foods at least (latest) by 6pm the previous day so that my stomach would be fine for the race the next morning.

So I did that on Sato and Sunday I was up at 5:10 am ready to battle.

Yes, I have also learnt the best time to wake up if I am to be ready to hit the tarmac at 5:50am. It takes several trials and error. Those who think its automatic are just not experienced (ask GK).

I took Ponstan Forte coz I expected my adductors to give me hell. And they did. And some little water. Hydration is for the previous evening and night, not in the morning. If you are gulping water in the morning you are already lost. Then I stretched a little - some routine stretching. Then I did some toilet work.

I wore tights without a truck and a jacket and a cap and sauntered into the cold dawn. I saw an overweight neighbour jogging in the driveway. Time, 5:35AM. Impressive. I was running late though.

I arrived in time - sorta - 5:55. GK had not arrived. I just removed my jacket and started warming up. My garmin was ready.

After stretching and warming up, and the time was 6:10AM, I decided if GK wasnt gonna show up in my next warm-up loop, I would proceed and run alone. I saw some car headlights heading my way.

He showed up. He was delayed by toilet work. See?

We were off at about 6:10 am. Almost 17 minutes later than earlier expected.

I was with GK for the first 200 or so metres. His feet sounded light and quick. His speed had improved.

I wanted to clear every KM in sub 4:20. Anything sub 4:20 would be good. That was my goal. I set it without thinking much. It just appeared from the sky like an alien craft and clamped on my head. It was both challenging and not unrealistic.

So off we went, after 200m, I felt GK's foot steps fade away.

4:13, 4:19, 4:21, 4:17, 4:17, 4:18, 4:24, 4:18 - 5k in 21:29 7k in 30:12

4:33 - Muthurwa. I also get sandwitched between two mats which also block my path. But my climb up the hill goes well. Adductors and glutes painful.

4:17 - I have recovered. Next is the kick-ass hill. Brace your ass for the kick.

5:27 - Yes, ass-kicking delivered, right on schedule.

4:49, 4:21 - I am recovering...

4:01, 4:09 - Recovered. Now hunting for a negative split...14k in 1:02:03 - 1:56 is out of reach already.

4:23 - A matatu blocks my path and I collide with flesh and bones of people on a mat stage. I don’t turn to look back at the pained expressions and dirty looks burning into my back.

4:25, 4:32, 4:18, 4:30, 4:25, 4:18, 4:30, 4:35 (21K in 1:32:58), 4:29, 4:34. I am all over the place and slowing down. Adductors and glutes giving me hell.

I start really fading at the 23rd Km.

4:36, 4:49, 4:47

26K in 1:56:12 average 4:28 min/Km. Disappointed but pleased at the same time. I knew I gave it my best. That is what matters, even if your best is less than what you expected. Of course if Mark had turned up and we pushed each other, I would have done much better. GK came later and he said he cleared in 2:19.

It's a PR on this route. I missed the target by far but its alright. I have improved. I have learnt. I was faster and stronger even my fading was not so atrocious.

I am just so glad that I managed to taper properly to put myself in a position to race. I was in control of my legs and I was able to run well.

Now the major change I want to introduce in my training is hard racing for speed-work. I want to be intimate with 15Km/hour pace.

My hip flexors, especially the right ones, are giving me hell right now but I know they will be alright soon. I am working on my tight and weak hips. Every day.

Onwards fellas. Keep rolling.

28th - 12K. Pain - hip flexors, hammies, knee and shins.
29th - 13K. Really, really tired. Started with 4:00 then 4:04 on the second split and eased off, realizing I am not yet back.
30th - 15K. End of April. 
Mileage progression from Jan:

I noticed some veins in my quads. I love veins. I never imagined one day I would be fit enough or have (low) enough body fat for veins in my quads to be visible. Bodybuilders, I am aware, work so hard for this kind of thing.