On Sunday I ran past the entrance to Alice Holt. Alice Holt is our local forestry commission woodland. A beautiful place that plays host to the annual Bolt Round The Holt, picnics with children, walks with dogs and where many a local child has learnt to cycle. As I plodded, painfully and slowly, towards Farnham I mused that Alice Holt could make a good parkrun venue. There are loads of paths through the woods, plenty of car parking but the requirement for a place to have coffee left me wondering if the rather basic 'Forest Centre' would be able to accommodate the needs of many ravenous runners. From looking at the website, it appears that the café has had a bit of a makeover recently, so maybe it would be just the ticket!
Yesterday evening I received my 'parkrun newsletter.' In it there was a call for people who might be interested in volunteering to set up a new parkrun at Alice Holt. A parkrun 4 miles away from me sounds ideal! And being involved in setting up a new parkrun would be very exciting. But Basingstoke parkrun feels like home to me! I've made so many new friends there and been made to feel part of a community in a way I never imagined possible. Of course the same thing might well happen at a new venue that I choose to attend on a regular basis, but I'd always wonder what was going on over in Basingstoke.
I think I've decided what I'll do. I will be enthusiastic about helping to get this parkrun off the ground. I will tell all my local running friends about it. I will most certainly run the first run. After that I will run at Alice Holt once a month, and volunteer there on occasion too (how else will I get to know people?) but keep Basingstoke as my home run.
All this presupposes that I can still run! After an 8.5 mile run on Sunday, which was painful for almost every step of the way, I didn't run again until this evening. I had a sports massage on Tuesday and felt really good afterwards. I was advised not to run on Wednesday (by the masseuse) which was fine as I was out for supper, so tonight was my first run in what seems like a long time.
It still hurts. In fact my legs seem to be developing more aches and pains than ever before. I managed 3.3miles - just! It seems I have made the right decision not to run the Bracknell Half Marathon on Sunday. In fact, I don't think I'll get a long run this weekend at all, as it is my youngest son's birthday on Sunday. I may manage parkrun on Saturday, but whatever happens this is going to be a very light mileage week for me.
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Not a happy (Easter) bunny
It is Easter Sunday, the weather is cool and dry if a little overcast. Perfect running weather. There are no shops open to distract me. The children are happily occupied with cramming as much chocolate into their faces as they can. Husbando is doing 'stuff' at the shop and I am free to do what I want.
Or I would be, if it wasn't for a wee bit of pain in my right leg. I want to go for a run. I need to go for a run. But I can't. I did parkrun yesterday morning and it hurt. I've not been 'right' since I fell over three weeks ago, and during the week I'd noticed some niggles in my right thigh, but nothing I couldn't 'run through' or so I thought. But yesterday was different. Not only did I get overtaken by a man pushing a three year old in a buggy, my leg hurt like hell all the way around. I should have stopped, but that doesn't seem to be in my nature. Not only did I finish (poor time of 24mins 57secs), go back to run with and encourage my youngest son to get a new PB, I also ran 2 miles from shop to home later in the day.
This was not the cleverest thing I have ever done! I've just terrified myself by reading about hamstring injuries on the internet. I don't want to think about how long it could take to get better. I have a half marathon booked at the end of this month that I really want to do, and instead of getting a 12 mile run done today I am in bed with an ice pack. It hurts to walk, it is more painful to run than to walk and I want to wave a magic wand and make it better now.
As I type this, part of me can't believe how upset I am about not being able to run. That's the part of me that had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the door when I started running 3 years ago. The part of me that hated PE at school and who would have sold her soul for a note that said I couldn't do PE for 3 weeks!
Or I would be, if it wasn't for a wee bit of pain in my right leg. I want to go for a run. I need to go for a run. But I can't. I did parkrun yesterday morning and it hurt. I've not been 'right' since I fell over three weeks ago, and during the week I'd noticed some niggles in my right thigh, but nothing I couldn't 'run through' or so I thought. But yesterday was different. Not only did I get overtaken by a man pushing a three year old in a buggy, my leg hurt like hell all the way around. I should have stopped, but that doesn't seem to be in my nature. Not only did I finish (poor time of 24mins 57secs), go back to run with and encourage my youngest son to get a new PB, I also ran 2 miles from shop to home later in the day.
This was not the cleverest thing I have ever done! I've just terrified myself by reading about hamstring injuries on the internet. I don't want to think about how long it could take to get better. I have a half marathon booked at the end of this month that I really want to do, and instead of getting a 12 mile run done today I am in bed with an ice pack. It hurts to walk, it is more painful to run than to walk and I want to wave a magic wand and make it better now.
As I type this, part of me can't believe how upset I am about not being able to run. That's the part of me that had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the door when I started running 3 years ago. The part of me that hated PE at school and who would have sold her soul for a note that said I couldn't do PE for 3 weeks!
Monday, 2 April 2012
Running rituals and other musings.
A while back I blogged about running superstitions. Mainly because Husbando has a habit of running in certain directions, touching various lamp posts etc. and I admitted to one of my own. I have since discovered another running ritual. While waiting for the Olympic Park Run to start on Saturday my friend, who used to compete as a show jumper at an international level, admitted that at many venues she had a 'lucky loo!' She'd wait ages for this loo - even if other loos were free! She was adamant that I must have some sort of ritual, and she was absolutely right - I just hadn't thought about it as a ritual.
After every race I put my used race number back into my box file of 'running stuff.' I leave the four safety pins attached to the number. I only take them off on the morning of the next race when I attach them to the new race number. I reckon these same four safety pins have been used on every race I have entered.
I'm still on a high after Saturday! I found some BBC video of the day here that gives a flavour of the event. My next challenge is the Bracknell Half Marathon. I had forgotten about this, or not so much forgotten, but put it to the back of my mind. I certainly haven't been training with it in mind - and have been beset with set backs over the last few weeks. I need to build my distance so that I can at least finish the 13.1 miles!
With this in mind I did 7.75miles on Sunday afternoon. Beautiful running weather, sunny but cool! It was a slow run, but everything seemed to be working and I really enjoyed my hour and a bit to myself in the early evening sunlight. Today has been action packed. I wonder how I manage to find time to go to work when there are so many other things that need doing. I've done loads of laundry, met a friend for coffee, done some food shopping, met up with Husbando and an associate of his for lunch, changed the sheets on the beds, taken a child to a birthday party, picked up Husbando from work, picked up a child from a birthday party, cooked supper for the children and then later for Husbando and me.
In there, somehow, I managed to shoe horn in a bit of exercise! I ran just over 2 miles to the gym, then did 3.3km of speed work on the treadmill (intervals 10kph/15kph) and then, as I was waiting for Husbando I did another 2.2km of hill work - just to try out the settings. Hill work on a treadmill is much easier than on the open road - mainly, I think, because you can't see the hill that faces you!
I've come home to relax in front of the TV and try to stretch out my ham string, which is tighter than a tight thing in a tight place! I have a sports massage booked on Wednesday - it can't come soon enough!
After every race I put my used race number back into my box file of 'running stuff.' I leave the four safety pins attached to the number. I only take them off on the morning of the next race when I attach them to the new race number. I reckon these same four safety pins have been used on every race I have entered.
I'm still on a high after Saturday! I found some BBC video of the day here that gives a flavour of the event. My next challenge is the Bracknell Half Marathon. I had forgotten about this, or not so much forgotten, but put it to the back of my mind. I certainly haven't been training with it in mind - and have been beset with set backs over the last few weeks. I need to build my distance so that I can at least finish the 13.1 miles!
With this in mind I did 7.75miles on Sunday afternoon. Beautiful running weather, sunny but cool! It was a slow run, but everything seemed to be working and I really enjoyed my hour and a bit to myself in the early evening sunlight. Today has been action packed. I wonder how I manage to find time to go to work when there are so many other things that need doing. I've done loads of laundry, met a friend for coffee, done some food shopping, met up with Husbando and an associate of his for lunch, changed the sheets on the beds, taken a child to a birthday party, picked up Husbando from work, picked up a child from a birthday party, cooked supper for the children and then later for Husbando and me.
In there, somehow, I managed to shoe horn in a bit of exercise! I ran just over 2 miles to the gym, then did 3.3km of speed work on the treadmill (intervals 10kph/15kph) and then, as I was waiting for Husbando I did another 2.2km of hill work - just to try out the settings. Hill work on a treadmill is much easier than on the open road - mainly, I think, because you can't see the hill that faces you!
I've come home to relax in front of the TV and try to stretch out my ham string, which is tighter than a tight thing in a tight place! I have a sports massage booked on Wednesday - it can't come soon enough!
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Olympic Park Run
What a day! Up early this morning to take Number One Son to the drop off point for his DofE practise expedition, and then back up the A3 to pick up a friend and catch the train to London. I have to admit that I probably drank rather more than I should have done on Friday evening, a combination of extreme tiredness and euphoria at surviving another term lowered my resistance to temptation and, it being a wee while since I have had a drink I think I felt the effects a bit more than usual. I was a little tired and emotional this morning, not actually hungover, but very tired!
A lovely late breakfast at Balans seemed to improve my mood, and we headed to the stadium. The queue to get through security was very long, but moved quickly and we were soon in the Olympic Park with thousands of other runners and spectators. I couldn't quite believe it.
The Stadium itself was impressive, but not as pretty as the Beijing Olympic Stadium. I think it suffers from the cloudy backdrop and would probably look better with a clear blue sky behind it! And the Orbit Tower is very strange! A sort of giant helter-skelter!
As we walked into the stadium I suddenly started to get really excited! We found great seats for Husbando and my friend in a position where I could easily spot them as I ran through the stadium. I couldn't believe I'd actually be running on that track! Then the nerves struck. Regular readers will know that I haven't had the best couple of weeks with respect to running. This is the first race I have ever started without being absolutely confident that I could actually run for the whole distance.
I sat and watched the entertainment for a while, trying to calm myself down, but eventually decided that I needed to get myself away and made my way to the start line. Via the loos of course! Whoever planned the Olympic Stadium definitely got the loos right, there are far more ladies' loos than men's loos. There were no queues for the ladies' which was a refreshing change.
The start was a sea of red shirts, with virtually all runners wearing the race tshirts. I was in the second starting wave, so had a long wait at the start. The race was started at 2pm by Princess Beatrice, but our wave didn't go off until 12 minutes later. Princess B sounded the starting horn for our wave then ran down from the podium to run the race. The race was congested at the start and, to be honest, the field never really thinned out, it was so strange to be running with everyone else wearing the same thing - that hasn't happened since PE lessons at school! It was very, very cool to run around the park. And a great relief to be moving so that I could warm up a bit!
Some of the Park was still under construction, but we ran past all the various arenas, including running right around the mirrored outside of the Velodrome - possibly my favourite of all the buildings. It was surprisingly hilly, with quite a few hairpin turns to negotiate. I set off at what I thought was a gentle pace, taking it easy as I wasn't sure how my knee was going to cope. It hurt, but adrenaline was keeping me going. I didn't want to run the race without seeing the sights and enjoying the atmosphere. Because all the spectators were being entertained in the stadium there was very little support on the course, a couple of African drum bands and bemused looking builders was about all! I did wonder why they didn't think of positioning speakers around the route to relay the events inside the stadium.
The mile markers were way off! I thought this might mean that the fifth 'mile' would be very short, but I suspect that this was quite a long five miles! The strange positioning of the markers meant that as we approached the stadium I thought that I was almost there, but no! If you look at the photo below you'll see that it appears that I ran directly across the stadium before running around the track. In reality we ran through a tunnel underneath all the stands, then into the stadium as 'Chariots of Fire' was playing (I was tempted to run in slow motion!)
The crowds cheered enthusiastically and the track was beautiful to run on. At 200m to go I looked up and saw Husbando and my friend waving and snapping away with cameras. I waved! Who wouldn't? I realised that I really wasn't tired at all, I felt great, albeit great with very sore knees! Crossing that finish line was amazing, my watch said I'd done it in 41min 32secs which was far better than I'd hoped for at the start of the day. My Garmin took the distance to be 5.1 miles, and watches of those around me said anything between 5.1 and 5.3 miles (depending I suppose on how they accounted for the indoor time). Those distances would give me a 5 mile time ranging between 39min 10secs and 40mins 40secs, which is where I shall be aiming for if I run this distance again!
We made a hasty exit from the Olympic Park after I'd finished as West Ham were playing Reading at home, we didn't want to get caught up in the mass exodus and resultant Tube chaos, that would have taken the gilt of the gingerbread of what was a really brilliant day out!
I think 5 miles is a fantastic distance to race over. Long enough to get into your stride, short enough (in future, when my knees are better) to really give it some welly. It is the sort of distance that you can run hard without feeling totally wrecked for the next day! I'll be looking for more 5 mile races in the future.
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Ups and downs!
I'm a bit ashamed of the gap between my last blog post and this one. I quite often think about what I want to write while I am running, but on arrival home I am met with a barrage of small children with homework/laundry/food issues that need dealing with, and the ideas just slip away, until I am out again. It is a vicious circle, and until I learn to blog on the run it is unlikely to be resolved!
I have been running. Quite a bit in fact. Parkrun's have been completed, some interval training has been done at my new gym, and shorts and running singlets have made a welcome return to my running attire! I still maintain that running is a great, effortless way to get a tan - no worrying about turning over, you just keep running and tan beautifully.
I had been gradually building up the distance of my Sunday run after having to cut back due to grotty colds, last Sunday should have seen me covering 10 miles, running from home to a neighbouring town to meet Husbando for breakfast. I do love eggs benedict! All was going really well. It was beautifully sunny, and I was regretting the decision to wear capri length running tights rather than shorts. There is a section of the route that is along the side of a fairly busy A road with no pavement. I don't like this bit as the cars travel so fast and don't seem to be aware that they can actually cross the central line so that they miss runners by more than a nanometer. I'd been running along the white line at the edge of the road, keeping my eyes on the traffic so that I could take evasive action if necessary. What I didn't notice was that there were cats' eyes up ahead at the entry to a lay-by. The toes of my left foot got caught under the lip of the cats' eye and I went flying. Even before I hit the ground I was thinking about the races I had coming up and whether this would put an end to them! Just as well I was thinking that then, because after I hit the road I was in too much pain to think! It took me a while to work out how to stand up. No one stopped. I eventually stood up, retrieved my water bottle from about 10 metres further up the road and made a hysterical call to Husbando. I then threw up! Help arrived about 10 minutes later, but it was a long 10 minutes! I still can't believe that no one thought that it might be nice to stop to help me!
I'm still a bit achey a week later, so have taken it easy. I didn't miss parkrun though! All things considered, I had a good run on Saturday, only 2 seconds slower than last week. The weather was lovely, such a change from the constant drizzle that marked our 200th Basingstoke parkrun.
Today I went out for a longish run. Only 6.3 miles, but plenty far enough considering all the aches and pains I am still suffering. It was beautiful. Sunny and warm, but with a fresh breeze that made running a pure joy, I took it very slowly. I don't want to risk not being able to do the Olympic Run next Saturday! I don't really care how slowly I do those 5 miles - it will be enough to have been part of it.
In other news, I have started contributing at the parkrunfan blog. Only one blog entry by me there so far, but there'll be more soon. I'm going to try hard not to duplicate things too much - but a little repetition is inevitable I suppose.
I have been running. Quite a bit in fact. Parkrun's have been completed, some interval training has been done at my new gym, and shorts and running singlets have made a welcome return to my running attire! I still maintain that running is a great, effortless way to get a tan - no worrying about turning over, you just keep running and tan beautifully.
I'm still a bit achey a week later, so have taken it easy. I didn't miss parkrun though! All things considered, I had a good run on Saturday, only 2 seconds slower than last week. The weather was lovely, such a change from the constant drizzle that marked our 200th Basingstoke parkrun.
Today I went out for a longish run. Only 6.3 miles, but plenty far enough considering all the aches and pains I am still suffering. It was beautiful. Sunny and warm, but with a fresh breeze that made running a pure joy, I took it very slowly. I don't want to risk not being able to do the Olympic Run next Saturday! I don't really care how slowly I do those 5 miles - it will be enough to have been part of it.
In other news, I have started contributing at the parkrunfan blog. Only one blog entry by me there so far, but there'll be more soon. I'm going to try hard not to duplicate things too much - but a little repetition is inevitable I suppose.
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Here comes the sun!
What glorious weather for running! First run of the year where I was glad I'd remembered my shades!
Ignoring the fact that all race organisers send out blurb saying 'At risk of death, excommunication and forfeiture of all Nectar points you have earned and will ever earn in the future do not run if you have had a cough, cold, renal failure, transplant surgery or amputation in the week prior to race day' I decided that having been given the number 69 I had to run this race! Who knows how long it will be before I ever get this number again?
The starting area for the Winchester 10k could hardly be more scenic, but the organisation was not great. There were 6 ladies' loos available - and these were in the Winchester Leisure Centre so I can't think that the regular Sunday morning gym users and swimmers were too pleased by the influx of lycra clad women all desperate to use the loos within a 10 minute window! You cannot have too many ladies' loos. Organisers would do well to think of a number and then double it!
The start line itself had the normal 'Start here if your finishing time will be....' These started at 30-32 minutes and finished at 40 minutes! Never in a million years will I finish a 10k in 40 minutes. Great way to make those of us who run primarily for health, fitness and enjoyment feel like we are part of the race! Still, it was pleasant to stand in the sun for a change, rather than shivering, as we waiting for the off. The race was advertised as being 'chip timed' so I wasn't too worried about where I stood at this point. I did that daft thing of looking at the people I was standing with and trying to gauge how fast they would be - was I in the right place, would they leave me standing?
I was vaguely aware that the race had started - a couple of whistles and a surge forwards. I shuffled with around 1000 other people over the line, and as I crossed it I realised that there was no timing mat at the starting line. Why hadn't I noticed this as I made my way to the start? Why hadn't I made sure I was nearer the front of the pack? Why do race organisers advertise a race as 'chip timed' when they don't have the facilities to record the starting time of each runner as they pass the start as well as the finish?
Crossing the start line was slow going, hampered by a 90º left turn over a narrow bridge. Those of you who were at school with me will remember the bridge over the Jordan - the bridge today was a similar width to that - tricky to get hundreds of runners over that at any more than a bimble! From there it seemed as though it was uphill most of the way!
The starting area for the Winchester 10k could hardly be more scenic, but the organisation was not great. There were 6 ladies' loos available - and these were in the Winchester Leisure Centre so I can't think that the regular Sunday morning gym users and swimmers were too pleased by the influx of lycra clad women all desperate to use the loos within a 10 minute window! You cannot have too many ladies' loos. Organisers would do well to think of a number and then double it!
The start line itself had the normal 'Start here if your finishing time will be....' These started at 30-32 minutes and finished at 40 minutes! Never in a million years will I finish a 10k in 40 minutes. Great way to make those of us who run primarily for health, fitness and enjoyment feel like we are part of the race! Still, it was pleasant to stand in the sun for a change, rather than shivering, as we waiting for the off. The race was advertised as being 'chip timed' so I wasn't too worried about where I stood at this point. I did that daft thing of looking at the people I was standing with and trying to gauge how fast they would be - was I in the right place, would they leave me standing?
I was vaguely aware that the race had started - a couple of whistles and a surge forwards. I shuffled with around 1000 other people over the line, and as I crossed it I realised that there was no timing mat at the starting line. Why hadn't I noticed this as I made my way to the start? Why hadn't I made sure I was nearer the front of the pack? Why do race organisers advertise a race as 'chip timed' when they don't have the facilities to record the starting time of each runner as they pass the start as well as the finish?
Crossing the start line was slow going, hampered by a 90º left turn over a narrow bridge. Those of you who were at school with me will remember the bridge over the Jordan - the bridge today was a similar width to that - tricky to get hundreds of runners over that at any more than a bimble! From there it seemed as though it was uphill most of the way!
I'd run a slow parkrun yesterday and am generally not running well due to poor health and too much food, so I wasn't holding out great hopes for today. Just as well really. The hill at about 2 miles in was tough - I saw a lot of walkers, but my downfall was at the bottom of the downhill afterwards. We'd been running down a residential street and all the runners were still quite closely bunched. I was following the runners in front of me, so when they veered left over a grassy verge so did I. What I didn't see, until too late, was the 4' drop! The guys in front of me leapt down it, I tumbled! No damage was done, except to my dignity! I didn't stop at the one water station, but do remember thinking that there weren't many people there to hand out water.
The roads we were running on weren't closed, and it did seem quite busy with traffic at times. I pulled out to overtake and heard the blast of a horn, so thought better of it! The 'incline' from 3 to 4.5 miles was interminable! Again, lots of walkers here, but I just plodded on, slowly but surely getting closer to the finish.
Finishing was great. I was so relieved to see the finish line and claim my medal! Great to meet up with fellow runners after the race and discuss war stories! Well done to those who managed a new personal best today. To say that I am envious is an understatement, but I am still pleased for you too!
My 'official' time is shown above. A bit naff, but I had said I'd be happy with anything under 54 minutes, and my watch (start pressed as I crossed the start line and again at the finish) shows a minute less than that. I am very happy with the positions (hmm, should I say that when my bib number was 69?) so all in all, it was worth getting out of bed for!
My intended diet, started after seeing photos of me at parkrun yesterday (and no, I will not provide a link to that) took an immediate hit when I met Husbando and friends for lunch! I think I can give myself a pat on the back for giving away about a third of my pizza, but I did make vast inroads into a bottle of Shiraz.
Ah well, diet starts tomorrow! Will be interesting to see if weight loss results in faster times. Physics says it should!
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Woe is me, I am so slow!
It seems to me that I am stuck in a bit of a cycle. I train, get a bit faster, up my mileage so that I can run a decent distance, fell happy and confident at that distance. And then I get a bug. I cut back on the miles, have some time off, get depressed about the fact that when I do run I can only do so slowly and everything hurts. This is where I am at the moment. And I'm fed up!
I went back to school on Monday, feeling as though I needed at least another week off to really get better. I've been taking it relatively easily, as far as one can in a school situation. I've been minimising the amount of talking I do, and so trying to promote independent learning. Even so, at the end of day three my voice is beginning to creak again! The independent learning thing should keep OfSTED happy when they decide to visit, and I am busy thinking of ways that I can provide evidence that my pupils are progressing. An impending visit from OfSTED seems to throw most schools into a frenzy. I am somewhat concerned as our department's results were not wonderful last summer, which means we will be scrutinised to within an inch of our lives.
I had a lovely experience today at school. While trying to bolt my lunch in the science staff room I heard a little voice at the door; "Is MrsBridgewater there please?" I was tempted to say no, as I'd already had a couple of interruptions (on both occasions pupils had come up to apologise for poor behaviour, which is nice), but I didn't. A couple of pupils wanted me to explain something to them. Nothing out of the ordinary in that is there? But when they showed me the work it was something they were doing with their other teacher. They wanted me to help them because apparently I explain things much better!! I'm filing that moment away for later in the week when I feel like bashing my head against a brick wall!
After Sunday's awful run, I took a couple of days off. Last night I had a sports massage and followed that with a visit to Pizza Express - I don't think you can get more of a rest day than that. It seems to me that when I am not running I see hundreds of runners out an about. It is almost as if they are taunting me. With a race imminent, I decided I could rest no more, and set out for a 4 mile run this evening. My rationale being that if I can run four miles today I should be able to manage 6.2 miles on Sunday. I am finding it really heavy going. I don't seem to be able to get enough oxygen to power my legs, and everything is more difficult than it should be! I did manage 4 miles. But I suspect that this 10k will be my slowest ever! The Runners' World reviews suggest that this race does not have good PB potential - so it could be a very slow time for me! On tonight's performance I would be lucky to finish in under an hour.
Just as well this is part of a cycle. That means there will be a period soon that sees me running faster and happier!
I went back to school on Monday, feeling as though I needed at least another week off to really get better. I've been taking it relatively easily, as far as one can in a school situation. I've been minimising the amount of talking I do, and so trying to promote independent learning. Even so, at the end of day three my voice is beginning to creak again! The independent learning thing should keep OfSTED happy when they decide to visit, and I am busy thinking of ways that I can provide evidence that my pupils are progressing. An impending visit from OfSTED seems to throw most schools into a frenzy. I am somewhat concerned as our department's results were not wonderful last summer, which means we will be scrutinised to within an inch of our lives.
I had a lovely experience today at school. While trying to bolt my lunch in the science staff room I heard a little voice at the door; "Is MrsBridgewater there please?" I was tempted to say no, as I'd already had a couple of interruptions (on both occasions pupils had come up to apologise for poor behaviour, which is nice), but I didn't. A couple of pupils wanted me to explain something to them. Nothing out of the ordinary in that is there? But when they showed me the work it was something they were doing with their other teacher. They wanted me to help them because apparently I explain things much better!! I'm filing that moment away for later in the week when I feel like bashing my head against a brick wall!
After Sunday's awful run, I took a couple of days off. Last night I had a sports massage and followed that with a visit to Pizza Express - I don't think you can get more of a rest day than that. It seems to me that when I am not running I see hundreds of runners out an about. It is almost as if they are taunting me. With a race imminent, I decided I could rest no more, and set out for a 4 mile run this evening. My rationale being that if I can run four miles today I should be able to manage 6.2 miles on Sunday. I am finding it really heavy going. I don't seem to be able to get enough oxygen to power my legs, and everything is more difficult than it should be! I did manage 4 miles. But I suspect that this 10k will be my slowest ever! The Runners' World reviews suggest that this race does not have good PB potential - so it could be a very slow time for me! On tonight's performance I would be lucky to finish in under an hour.
Just as well this is part of a cycle. That means there will be a period soon that sees me running faster and happier!
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