I hope so - as when I said at the beginning of the year that I would run slower in training it would work out that way! Ok the tight achilles tendon has very much helped but I have (I think) shown more patience than normal.
So a bit of a round up since the Lakeside Canal Run.
Tendon wise - still tighter than normal so still doing the stretching exercises, self massage, wearing the big bouncy shoes, dropping the odd session here & there. Oddly enough the amount of miles is about the same, maybe 20 down in Jan but about right so far this month but much, much slower. I have been building the longer miles up - 11M, 15M, 20M - not ideal as most have been combined runs rather than one long run but quite pleasing - I would have liked to go into this weekend with a couple more longer runs logged but these things happen.
The weekend just gone was one of my favourite races - Wokingham Half - why I don`t know as it`s normally cold, wet & often wind swept but I like it. As I couldn`t really race it I made it the last part of a 20 miler with the other 7 going to & from Wokingham Train station - also meant I could have a beer or two afterwards - a travel plan for the future
The plan was 2:05 - 2:10. I wrapped up warmly - still had my bin bag at the 2 mile sign (Rant time - why do runners throw away bin bags & gel wrappers down unto the road or at the side rather than keeping hold of them till they see a marshals or at a water station or better still carry them with you - I guess it easy for me to tuck things inside my race number belt - anyway rant over - "Keep the countryside tide" - ok now the rant is over). During the run I kept the pace steady - slowing down a bit when passing through the drinks stations seeing as it wasn`t a half but a 20M. It was interesting seeing the course from a new perspective.............it was much longer & more open !!!
Splits 09:21, 09:15, 09:18, 09:19, 09:17, 09:27, 09:17, 09:23, 09:15, 09:10, 09:01, 08:53, 08:43, 0:54 (08:12 @ 0.11M) - Race clock time = 02:00:05 - Garmin time = 02:00:33
Not quite a 02:05 but close enough. Good to see loads of folks I know. My tendon that night was very tight but on Monday was a lot better, I mean a lot better. The local physio was pleased with progress anyway but still have a massage & zapped the tendon.
So to the weekend - a busy weekend ahead. Saturday morning a trip back to Basingstoke parkrun & then a drive to Kent for the `Moonlight Challenge` - a 32.75M event on a 6.55M course for more steady & patience miles. Yes I would like to a) finish, if I do then b) get a sub 6 but not at the expense of my tendon & more of a steadier run. As last year I completed 4 laps in just over 4 1/2 hrs and walked the last lap as a cool down and finished in a time of 06:04:56 - interesting enough looking back to last year I was doing similar length runs but less total mileage (was 180 in 2010 v 120 in Jan 2011 - 180 was my highest ever month). Then in the morning I`m rushing back to Bramley.......NOT TO RUN but to watch & support the 10 & 20 milers (Shame I not do this one again as I had a cracker of a race there last year).
Forthcoming event - the focus and the big timer is set for the SIS Lightning Run - as we write it`s 758 hrs 56 mins 36 secs to go - 6.00am 20th March). Before that I have Mad March 20 (a new event to me) and maybe the Surrey Spitfire - all steady running, however if tendon allows then I may sneak in a bit of an effort at the St Patrick 5M Scurry on the 12th March :-/
No comments:
Post a Comment