Today I had six miles down on the hastily constructed training plan. I decided once awake and being able to walk the kids to school without too much difficulty that I should aim to reacquaint myself with my Wednesday morning longer recovery run – a strategy I adopted in the autumn months of last year seemingly with no ill effects and presumably with some positive ones as my form was as good as its ever been.
I set off to do ten miles, which is handily exactly how far it is on a run I found last year, thanks to Grantham Running Club, that takes me out of Grantham to Little Ponton and back in a circular fashion. The legs were a little stiff and sore for the first two miles or so, but by no means was it impossible to run.
Before I came to live in Lincolnshire, I assumed that it was once vast flatland. Thankfully Grantham busts that myth with a myriad of lung-busting climbs. Today I tackled the climb on the A52 past RAF Spitalgate. I find that a tough old climb is a good way of telling the legs not to bother moaning on something as forgiving as flat ground – and so it proved today. Once the climb was done the legs felt fresher on the run of flat to gently undulating terrain that followed to Little Ponton. A reminder of the recent heavy rain was found at the bottom of a fairly steep hill where the road was entirely flooded with water – thankfully there was a small grass verge I could navigate across without fear of getting feet unnecessarily wet.
Leaving Little Ponton saw the last climb of the day successfully tackled. I put back on the headphones I’d removed whilst on the country lanes – not good etiquette in my book to wear them on the road – quietly cursing how twisted and tangled they could become in just the 20 minutes or so they’d been in my pocket. From then on it was a steady, but as it happened increasingly quick run down back into Grantham and home.
No real pains except the right groin I tweaked a little round a left hand turn yesterday was a little tighter than I’d anticipated. I’m sure I can dial that pain out with a little massage this evening. A protein shake and a good dose of sardines should mean the legs are ready for a long slow one tomorrow evening with the club.