Andy Loughran

Category: Running

  • Upgrading My Recovery: From Thumper to Theragun Mini

    I’ve made and maintained a positive start to the year when it comes to running & exercise.

    I’ve managed to get to the gym – two or three times a week. The lovely team at Format Fitness have been putting me through my paces.

    I’ve also joined a new run club @ the Byrds in Leytonstone. It’s at 7pm on a Tuesday night for a 5k run up to Whipp’s Cross and around Leyton Flats.

    It’s pretty good to be running regularly again, and even the 1°C run this morning was enjoyable.

    I’m also saying goodbye to my massage wand; Thumper – having upgraded to the Theragun mini. It felt like it was a super-luxury purchase. However, after some Achilles problems last year, it’s already paying dividends on loosening up my calves and hips. The associated app also provides some neat stretching routines after my runs.

    I’m adding more races to my calendar this year. I am growing in confidence. I’m very much looking forward to joining my “littlest” brother Charlie. We will take on the Manchester Half in October.

  • From disappointment to a solid start.

    The year didn’t quite start as I’d hoped it would.

    Instead of being able to do the fourth seasonal parkrun on New Years day – I was in bed with a bit of a head cold.

    Having got my exercise plan all laid out in TrainingPeaks, it was a bit disappointing to have to start 2025 in bed, resting up. I had to convince myself to take a long-term perspective and make sure I got over this illness before I started training.

    Well a few days later, the illness passed, and I got out to do my runs. The second week in Jan allowed me to hit 7/7 active days – 3 runs, 3 weight training sessions and a wonderful 7k walk with my dog Django yesterday.

    I do have a Garmin training plan telling me I should run; but it’s -1*C here today; my weekly mileage needs building up slowly – and this morning on the dog walk I saw a runner stack it on some ice (on trail, rather than tarmac). Today’s going to be a rest day, a bit of reflection – and I’ll pick up my training tomorrow.

  • New Years Resolutions

    Well, it’s another year and this blog is still pretty empty.

    I’ve got some events planned this year, so got the data dialled into TrainingPeaks to try and get myself organised. Despite having completed the half-distance Ironman last year, I didn’t feel like I could give it my all due to an achilles problem I picked up in training.

    After 10 weeks of rest, I managed to successfully complete all the hikes we did on our Honeymoon to Peru/Colombia without any further achilles pain. I also managed 3 of the 4 seasonal parkruns, and only missed NYD due to a cold, rather than being the incredibly hungover Andy I was on the 1st Jan 2024.

    Last year I completed dry Jan, and spent the year with a significantly lower alcohol consumption rate than previous years – definitely a good thing.

    So this year, I’m already committed to a 25k Canal path run on the 29th March, and a Olympic Triathlon in Belvoir Castle on the 29th July. Between then we’re also looking at a 25k trail run in the Aosta valley, to fit in with a pre-summer holiday this year.

    I need to take more breaks, relax a little bit and get the balance right between work, rest, and exercise. I’m also going to focus on my nutrition; whilst I don’t intend to calorie count or track my regular meals (I’m terrible at monotony) – I will be doing weekly reflections on how I’m doing.

    Helping me with this, I’ve recently discovered #LogSeq – and after the nice people on their discord channel gave me some pointers, I’m finding it a great way to keep the million things in my head organised.

    Here’s to 2024 – Happy New Year!