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Day 73–Service Resumed

After the body’s capitulation during Tuesday evening’s intervals session, the effects of which rumbled on into the evening, Wednesday saw a well earned rest after two weeks of running without a day off. Thursday was an early start with the resumption of F1 testing in Bahrain, but during the day I could tell the legs, body, and mind were distinctly fresher than they were two days ago.

The day’s work was nearly done when I headed out for my pre-run at around 5:45pm – 3.4 miles or so up to Harrowby and back. The legs felt pretty good – the pain in the right shin from Tuesday night was gone, the right calf though was feeling tight. It was therefore a blessing that I had 20 minutes before heading off to the club, to massage the calf, finding some distinctly tender spots up near the knee.

Massage done, and new replacement Garmin 910XT on (Which may or may not be with me for much longer, depending on how rapidly the battery continues to drain…) I headed to the club. The route was the same as we’d done two weeks in a row a couple of weeks ago – heading to Belton House, before running along the road I now know to be Five Gates, into Londonthorpe and back to Grantham. I cannot wait until the clocks go forward and we can hopefully explore some other roads and paths in the area.

The first whole mile with the group will go down as one of the slowest I’ve done in many a year – 9:10. Thankfully I was not the only one who found this a touch too sedate and a group of three, with a further three not too far behind pushed on, albeit barely breaking eight minute miles. The pace slowly picked up over the course of the run, I even found two or three sections where I’d really pick up the pace, all in the name of chasing Strava segments, some of which were yet to be created. This new session is apparently called Stravalek – far more entertaining than Fartlek, which had you chasing lamp posts or something like that. The final Stravalek  was around two thirds of a mile at sub six minute per mile, which felt pleasantly easy – the body drain of Tuesday was seemingly an anomaly.

A couple of miles later and the run was done – tired after sixteen miles, but in a good state except the right hip, which was a bit achy after a slip early in the run. Hopefully a bit of TLC during Friday will see that right.

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Day 66–Long and Slow

Another early start and a full 12 hours sat mostly at the desk. I was finished though in time to do my regular long, slow, Thursday club run. I was though really tired after only around 4 hours sleep. Strangely though when I was running I didn’t feel too bad; it was when I stopped I felt insanely tired.

First off it was 3.5 pre miles before heading off to the club, rather tragically choosing a hill to run up purely to create a segment for Strava later in the evening. There was a good turnout at the club, many of whom had run at Stamford on Sunday. This meant that there were still plenty of tired legs and quick running was not on the agenda.

I was happy with that. Totalling 16 1/2 miles, nearly all ran at a really easy pace, save for one stretch where I just let the legs tick over for a bit. There was few problems, the right groin a bit sore late in the run, otherwise fine. Once I stopped though the legs certainly stiffened up. Hopefully there’ll be a good night’s sleep before another early start. Looking forward to Sunday and a lie-in!

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Day 38–Running Was The Easy Bit

The late morning massage was, as expected, very satisfying, but intensely painful. The sore spots included, but was not limited to: the right groin, hip, thigh and upper hamstring (Was expected); left lower hamstring – well spotted by Mr McKee as that only began to hurt yesterday; the left soleus and plantar on the foot – an excellent call there as I’ve had the odd twinge but forgot about it; and the left shoulder which was “really very tight”. The walking of kids to school using a buggy board and a ruddy big hill is to blame for that.

An hour and ten minutes of body pummelling agony later and I was free to go, feeling conversely somewhat freer and less stiff than I was before I left. Good massage that.

The evening run was to be a similar affair to previous Thursday evenings. Before joining the club run it is around 4.5 miles alone. The legs felt less tired than yesterday but the right groin was still a little troubling – this though was to be expected after some heavy massage on this and the hip.

The club run began as a very sedate affair as we headed on the A607 towards Denton. Out in the country the viciously cold headwind began to bite and for a mile or two it wasn’t much fun. I began to feel hungry, something that has been a bit of an issue in recent days. I think I may be needing to get a couple more hundred calories in me, especially in the form of some late afternoon snack.

Once off the main road there was the only real climb of the night, which felt easier in the dark than it would have been were it light (Still cannot work that one out). Once we made it onto the road to Sproxton I decided to stretch the legs a little and ease away from the group. At around 06:50 miling it was hardly sprinting but it was enough to get the legs working.

This continued on the main road into town, with Gerry easing up onto my shoulder and so ramping up the pace to an extent that before we knew it we were hurtling down the hill at something like five minute miling. We soon put that nonsense to bed as we jogged towards base – I said my farewells and ran onto home – tired but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. With around 16:25 miles covered in just over two hours it was another useful run.