| It's not been an especially remarkable week for running really; I've still been in semi recovery while continuing to experience some knee and shoulder pain as well as reduced mobility in my shoulder. It's been getting steadily and noticeably a little better every day though so I feel reasonably optimistic about the Thames Meander Half Marathon next Saturday. With this rapidly approaching, I have been following a basic training schedule this week despite the discomfort; a track session with Salford Harriers on Tuesday (16 x 200m), a little run out for fun on Thursday, a treadmill hill reps session on Friday... and lots of swimming and cross training. I've not even been able to do a lot of strength/core exercise or yoga because of my shoulder... at least I can run though! Here's a couple of screen shots just for illustration purposes really... The track session average pace looks rubbish but now I have finally discovered the lap button on the Garmin, I know my fastest 200 meter rep pace was of 5.49 (slowest was 6.04), which is surprising as I felt a lot slower and was firmly at the back of the pack! A boring heart rate chart for the treadmill hill session (6% inclines at 8mph) but it made me laugh... Can you spot the toilet break!? Ha ha. |  Tuesday Track  Hill Reps Heart Rate |
So, all in all a fairly standard week and not much to write home (or blog) about really, in fact well done if you stayed awake for that bit, you must be an even more obsessive runner than I am! Things, you'll be pleased to know if you are actually reading this, got a tickle more interesting today though... I wanted to do a 13.1 miler this weekend to feel prepared for next Saturday. As the weather looks horrible on the forecast for tomorrow, Saturday (also being a full week away from the event) was definitely the day of choice... BUT... as a Saturday when I am actually home and free... I also fancied ParkRun. Whattayagonnado!? Well. (5 miles from my house to Heaton Park) + (5k ParkRun [3.1 miles]) + (5 miles from Heaton Park to my house) = 13.1 miles. Bazinga. You do both. You have yourself a Saturday Morning Heaton ParkRun Sandwich!
 The (Somewhat Questionable) Stats | Now, I have no idea what Mr Garmino was playing at when we (you never run alone with a Garmin!) set off as I am sadly unable to claim that I ran my first mile in three minutes and forty four seconds (wtf!?), however it must have sorted itself out as I didn't slow to an almost 12 minute mile half way up Cheetham Hill either. I'm certainly confident it was doing the right thing by the time I got to the race as my official ParkRun time of 24.01 matches pretty closely with the 23.98 minutes you get if you add up the lap times for that chunk of the run, allowing too for a couple of seconds for me to remember to hit the lap (and pause!) buttons. Of course, nestling in between two 5 mile runs (and still feeling it in my knee) I wasn't exactly racing today and it made me laugh when I was overtaken by a guy pushing a buggy. 'That's the epitome of embarrassing!' I quipped and was kind of sad when I went past him again. 'Oh, you're trying now are you!?' I was asked; 'Nah, you're just getting tired!'. I love that about ParkRun. It really is about the community and the fun and the shared passion. Today I also wondered about the running-in-a-pack thing. I love running alone and never feel freer, though there's something kind of primordially instinctive about running in a group. It certainly supports the hypothesis that it's something we used to do when hunting; not outrunning quarry in terms of speed but through sheer stamina and there's nothing that keeps you going quite like the energy from the crowd. |
Well. That and the energy gels of course and today I tried out a High 5 gel from my first JoggBox. I don't use gels that often but I cracked this one open on my way out of the park as I figured I needed to use up some of my hoard and it might make the last chunk of the run a little more... zingy. I found it incredibly sweet but then I don't really 'do' much in the way of refined sugars (Even when indulging my cake habit I tend to rely on natural sweetness from fruit, etc.) so perhaps I am more likely to notice that. It did the job though; it was really windy for a lot of the way back and I'm sure I used up all that extra energy just battling into it pretty much all the way into city centre!
 The Sandwich Route! | I was home at about 20 past 10; just enough time for a stretch before Radio 4's Kitchen Cabinet (something I also enjoy when I am actually in on a Saturday to hear it!) and a cup of Moringa Tea, my favourite discovery so far from JoggBox. Apparently it's good for recovery as it has anti inflammatory properties. I just really like the flavour, it reminds me of some teas I had in China and Japan that I think were made from roasted barley.  Moringa Tea for Recovery! (No, I'd never heard of it either and yes, it does taste better out of a Moomin mug) |
So there you have it! A very satisfying start to a Saturday! At an hour and 45 mins total running time, it's not exactly my best for the distance but it's not bad for a training run, especially as I've been focusing on much shorter distances lately. A week of gentle tapering is now on the cards I think (though maybe I'll squeeze in one more track session before I start that too seriously!) and then a Meander down the Thames! We've been warned to kit out in rain wear and trail shoes and that some of the path gets muddy, so I'm not expecting a PB but I am expecting to enjoy a mosey down by my favourite river and I reckon by then I should be pretty much back to what passes for normal... watch this space!
