Back to earth with a skid, crash, bump and bang

After my 'la le la. everything's going great' 10 miler on Saturday when I was hitting my HM PB pace without trying, I was slapped back down to earth in the strongest way possible yesterday. I ran 5 miles home from work. Exactly the same route as I did last week in 8.38's. Yesterday.... 9.23's!! EVERY. SINGLE. STEP. HURT. LIKE. HELL. Calves were sore, ankles not much better, bag was too heavy because I stupidly left things in there I should have left at work, pavement traffic seemed heavier, pedestrian crossing lights were against me but mainly, I think I've upped the mileage a little too quickly this week and should have left it another day. However, at least I did it and didn't just get on a bus. Yes I was tempted and I have to be honest, if the traffic had been moving and not stationary by the time I'd hit Fulham, I may just have jumped on!!

My legs were sore last night but after lying around in my compression socks in the evening, my legs feel pretty good again today. Good enough to get on the single speed beast and cycle into work today anyway. I'll call that the beginning of my training for London to Brighton. 5 miles. Only another 49 to go. It took me around 28 mins which is about 20 mins quicker than getting on the tube or bus! Now I've just got to get home again! It's nice to work in a new building though, they have clean and modern showers and everything!!!

The run tomorrow will be postponed by the fact the car is going into the garage to stop random warning lights flash at me while I'm on the motorway. This means I'll have to drop off and collect it. Maybe I'll do a few miles when I get home or on Thursday. In fact, Thursday's probably the better option after yesterday's attempt! Writing this blog really does help me make decisions sometimes!

The above was written earlier and I've managed to get my butt home on the bike too now. Things I've realised. The fastest way round Hammersmith one way system is on a bike. Also, if there's a police car with it's blues and twos going, slip stream it. There were loads of cyclists following this police car. It didn't take long to realise that this was the way forward! Over 10 miles on the bike today and it felt great although I'm going to need to practice Putney Hill a lot more if I'm going to have any luck come L2B time. Guns don't kill people.... hills do!

That wasn't as bad as expected

10.07 miles completed in 1:28:04 at 8:45's. (That's 16.21k at 5.25's in case you're that way inclined). That's the longest I've run since the 2nd of Jan and without knowing, it is actually slightly faster than my Half Marathon PB pace!! I only looked at the watch at the beginning and the end so it certainly wasn't planned but I'll take it with only 2 weeks to go til Lisbon.

The plan leading up to then is a home run from work on Mon and Tues and then a cycle home on the Tues and Thurs. This should keep the muscles ticking over for another 10 miler next Saturday. I'll then do the same during the week next week and then have a 2 day rest prior to the Half on the Sunday.

See all, planned!! I was never worried about my lack of training (LIES, LIES, LIES) but I do now have the additional worry of trying to get my legs in a state to cycle the 54 miles to Brighton and to train my backside to be able to be on a saddle for that amount of time! This, I certainly am worried about!

Time - It makes a great sound as it whizzes by

Where the hell has my week gone?!? I'm sure that since Wednesday morning, time has become this strange wavy, wiggling thing (and not in a scientific way) that has stolen hours from me at random. In fact, probably not that randomly. They seem to have been stolen from sleep and added to driving and other work things.

I didn't want to run on Monday but I did! Ran home from work and knocked off 30 seconds a mile from the
previous week. Happy but still not anywhere near my 10k time last weekend. Mind you, I can't expect it to be once I add the heavy rucksack, curbs, slow walking people, Hammersmith one way system, people getting off buses straight into your path and fumes. Add these to the Richmond Park 10k and my time may have suffered.

I haven't had a chance to run since with the working, driving and early morning starts this week (again mine and eatingtrees' life start to run in parallel!) but I have a 10 miler planned for the morning and then a drive to the airport to pick up LG depending on what the RAC man says about the car when he comes visit later on with his computer! (It broke. I didn't do nuffin'!)

Then it'll be 2 weeks until the Lisbon half which I can't wait for although let's be honest, the time definitely isn't going to be that great with this training schedule I've been working to of 'when I can, I will'.

Run Richmond Park 10k - Race Report

I generally struggle to think of good titles to the majority of my posts but today, I have a few so here are the others that were under consideration:

'Every little helps' and
'Tales of the Unexpected'.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I was a little apprehensive about this Richmond Park 10k today. It's not my favourite place to run and it was originally signed up for myself and LG to do. However, seeing as she didn't fancy running for 2, eatingtrees was bought in as a substitute and to give me someone to gossip with.

It was a small event and felt quite like a small town local event in some ways. The weather was pretty poor but at least the wind generally stayed away so it was just a cooling breeze and the odd torrential downpour to run through. If I'd taken notice of the KM markers then my pace would have been interesting to say the least. The first lap had splits of 4:11, 6:32, 11:15ish, 19:09 and 25:46. You're having a laugh. A 2:21 km. I wish!!!! However, the 5k lap distance seemed correct judging by my 5k time. Mind you, it seemed I was on for a PB!?!? Unexpected to say the least but I had a long way to go and more undulating terrain to deal with first. The second lap was as wet as the first and as I came into the finishing area, the PB was in sight but it would be damn close! I was pushing hard and my breathing was more like wheezing I think but as I crossed the line, it registered 51:37. A new PB by a mere 4 seconds!!! That'll do. I'm certainly not in the best shape but I have to be happy with that. It's like Prague when I only got it by 3 seconds but it all counts!

I didn't have (and still haven't had) any twinges, aches or pains so all in all, it was a success. The main downside seems to be wet running top onto nipples. I don't need to explain but showering is painful!

3 weeks til the Lisbon Half and I just have to double the distance and I'll be fine. Yeah right. I'm looking forward to it but something tells me it ain't gonna be quick!

Almost

I nearly went for a run last night. Honestly, it was so close. I had the route planned and everything. It was a 4.85 mile route that had a planned stop at 4.1 miles at the fish & chip shop to pick up dinner. OK, it wasn't going to be the healthiest route but it was going to have an enjoyable end to it! There was a bit of drizzle while I was coming home from work but by the time I'd said hello to LG, checked the post and taken off the grown-up shoes that were doing their best to blister my toes, the heavens had opened and at that point I knew in my heart of hearts, the only way I was getting to the chippy was in the car. And I did. And it was tasty. And it wasn't the best preparation for the Richmond Park 10k tomorrow.

I'm kind of looking forward to it and kind of not. See I don't enjoy running round Richmond Park. There are just too many people and cars to make it enjoyable and worthwhile. However, I'm hoping that as it's an event, it'll be slightly better! Here's hoping anyway. But what I do know is that it'll be good to run with eatingtrees again and basically have a bit of a gossip most of the way round, loyally supported by our number one supporter, my Lovely Girlfriend.

I also appeared to have said the final 'yes' to the London to Brighton bike ride sometime in June with eatingtrees, jogblog and iliketocount. 55 miles on a single speed that I built?!?! It's gonna hurt but the plan appears to be doing it for a bit of fun and not take it too seriously which interests me a lot more than cladding myself in lycra and trying to power my way there. Plus, for everyone else's benefit, I won't be wearing lycra. That's a win-win for everyone I reckon!!