Unexpected Benefits

Week Eight- 68 Days to Go

So another week down, and I feel surprisingly positive - and not just because I'm now off work for a whole week! My initial worries over foolishly having two races in a week have subsided, mainly because sensible scheduling meant I could put in two great performances. It was especially good considering that the first run of the week that was meant to be a recovery run turned out to be about thirty seconds a mile quicker than it should have been...

Wednesday was the second Worcestershire Midweek event - the 12k at Arrow Valley in darkest Redditch. With the weather having been very dry, the warnings that I'd been given about the muddy parts of the course didn't come into play. Instead the biggest issue was how pitted the off-road sections were - as the two people ahead of me who turned their ankles could attest. Luckily I missed the worst parts and managed to build a bit of a head of steam - so much so that I not only caught up with Andy Hall at the end of the first lap but managed to overtake him and keep ahead until the end of the race. Unexpected but really pleasing considering that generally he's a lot quicker than me.

On Thursday I was going to just go for a gentle run, but was persuaded to do my bit and take part in a  new rep session at the club that paired up quicker and slower runners for a joint run. It was really enjoyable - although foolishly I forgot to start the old Garmin so not exactly sure how far I ran. All I know is that it wasn't particularly quick after the previous days effort!

After a rest on Friday, I braved the torrential rain of Saturday morning for the Newport Carnival 10k, the penultimate Fourmidables event. It was the best race - probably due to the weather. The race coincided with the annual Carnival and the plan was for all the runners to head down Newport High Street to be cheered on by the assembled crowd. However, the rain seemed to understandably drive many away, so there was only a ripple of applause as we all passed. I didn't seem to check the time for the rest of the race, so it came as a bit of a shock when I stumbled over the line, feeling absolutely dreadful and having been comprehensively beaten on a sprint finish, to find that I'd run a PB. It was probably helped by the fact that the offroad element was minimal and the last mile was basically downhill - but nevertheless I'll take it.

Following that little fillip, Sunday's long run down the canal into town and back was no bother - if you discount the stiffness in the legs and the exhaustion after mile 15. Despite that, I managed a consistent pace and slightly longer than last week. I'm looking forward to a rest day tomorrow, and a proscribed recovery run on Tuesday (bizarrely schedule in two parts).

At least not having to go to work as well should make it slightly easier!

Ebb and Flow

96 Days to Go

I mentioned in the last post that this week would likely make or break me - the overall verdict appears to be somewhere inbetween.

My midweek long run went well, just shy of 14 miles and almost pleasant in the sun and with a slight breeze. Casting my mind back to my first marathon, and the training that appeared to take place entirely in driving wind and rain, I realise that so far I've been fortunate with the conditions that I've been running in. I also realise that by writing this I have cursed this for the next few months.

On Thursday I went down to the club and decided to take part in the rep session, but trying to maintain a slower pace. The session was one of the favourites - Kenyan Hills down at Cotteridge Park (the hilly part appeals to the sadist in me). I stuck with Simon Newman, who is running ridiculously well after all his training for the Manchester Marathon a few weeks back, it really helped and was a good steady session - although I have to take issue with Strava which claimed that he was faster than me despite us running side by side for the entire time!

Come Friday I was looking forward to a good run after work - if for no other reason that to work out the frustration over the latest high farce at work. Sadly, disaster struck - I noticed through the day that my foot was getting increasingly tight and by the time I drove home it was pretty noticeable. Cursing my luck, I knew a run was out of the question and sat inside to stew.

All kinds of thoughts run through my mind - injury? overtraining? I wasn't planning to run on Saturday anyway but a rational mind would just have a few days off and see how it went. However, as a runner I am anything but rational so I strapped the offending appendage for the rest of the day and resolved to test the waters on Sunday.

As it went, on Sunday morning I felt ok so gingerly set out for a long run. Things got better as they went on - for the first time I probably did the run as intended with a slow start and then speeding up as it went on. Several hours later, sat watching Match of the Day, I don't feel any ill effects so we will see what tomorrow brings.

Certainly the last few days leaves me in a bit of a quandary. Friday could be a bit of a blip or the start of something more serious. Consulting 'The Plan' it seems that currently I fall between two stools - quicker than one plan, but maybe not fit enough for the next step up. I may try sticking to the intensity of the current plan, but reduce the mileage slightly. This will require some mental effort on my part which I'm not happy about.

On an unrelated note, I went to see this on Saturday. It was bloody great.

On a second unrelated note, this much?! For a League Two Playoff?!

More Hills...

The weekend's festivities caught up with me quite severely after Monday's run so the next day any thoughts of running were ditched for an early night. The joys of growing old!

So tonight run was my first one out for a couple of days. It wasn't the greatest turnout, most of the Thursday regulars were deep into tapering for marathons over the next few weeks (good luck to everyone running Manchester this Sunday) so mostly I was on my own.

The session was continuous hills and, in a pleasant sign that summer is on the way, was held at Cotteridge Park. A short course, but consistent running up and down the hills. It was also a pleasant boost after recent weeks to overtake everyone (some more than once!) - in fact I was sufficiently emboldened to contemplate a trip to Cannon Hill on Saturday morning to try my hand at Parkrun.

Of course, they say that running helps to relieve stress. If this is true then my increased performance is probably due to recent events at work. The way things are going, I could be looking at a world record time at Reykjavik...

The Calm Before the Storm

Hit the club tonight (I must admit that I quite like the new beer garden set up at the Pavilion - not sure if it's very Bournville though) but chickened out of the rep session. It was a strength one, which usually involves shuttle runs interspersed with sit-ups. The last time I did them I ended up pulling something in my back, obviously this was my fault but it's still left me wary.

Instead I went out for a steady run with Stu and John, a nice pace and excellent timing down the canal to get to Bournville just as it was getting dark. To be honest, the long run was probably the better idea  as there won't be much activity this weekend due to heading to the Grand National for a Stag Do. The bets have been placed and the pink shirt is specially ironed.

I anticipate no more running until Monday. Just the the aftermath of a race, the recovery time from drinking is getting longer. 

Run to the Hills

A continuous hill rep session at the club tonight, again with a poor turnout. If I was a lesser man, I'd have developed a complex about people realising I was coming back...

One thing that it is very important to learn when running is that there is always someone quicker than you (with the possible exception of most Kenyan runners). A new chap came down tonight to try out the club. During he recovery after the first hill he mentioned that he was running the Stratford Marathon in a few weeks. After the second he told me that he ran the Birmingham Half in 1 hour 20. On the third he'd learnt the route to shot off.

I managed to just about hang on his coat tails for the final two. Admittedly he wasn't really trying, but I'll take it.

Parents tomorrow. Best get tidying.