In imitation of last year, I have done my fun run then had a lull.
As promised, I did the fun run in my ancient tutu completing my childhood daydream. Despite my body's attempt at sabotage, the run went well. It was rather a cool soggy day, so I headed down the town sporting a fetching bin bag and wearing a cap instead of putting my hair into a bun. The uphill start got my body warm fairly quickly, and as I reached the top of the hill, my little people were there to cheer me on looking more enthused than last year.
One of the great things about this run is that its's a true community event with the town coming out to support despite inclement weather, and participants of all abilities. The logistical glitch is that in the early stages, it's hard to pick your way around people of a variety of paces. After a couple of miles as you enter the park, it spreads out and gets easier to pace. Much of the run is through the park; very scenic on the eyes. This time I had more sense of where I was going. Last year at 5 miles there was the thrill that this was already the furthest I'd run without resting or walking. This year was the confidence that I knew I could do it, with a tad of pressure of wanting to beat my time.
Mile 6... Cardiac Hill looms. It's late in the race, and people are flagging. The challenge is to keep running and get past the walkers without losing momentum. The hill was not creatively named, it has claimed its victims in the past, The water station at the top is well placed. From this point you know the main challenge has been passed. It's pretty much downhill from here, but it is still two miles. I reminded myself that this was just the walk home from school, and as I bonus, I'm not laden with A-level textbooks (David Waugh's Integrated Approach fed my mind and gave a good strength workout). I'm still smiling and enjoying it. At this point I register the difference a year makes. Last year, this point hurt, and mental steel got me to the end and the stunned realisation that I could actually run the whole thing. I now expect to run the whole thing, but how fast? The gentle downhill meant that some of my fastest kms were along this stretch. I began to hum "run for home" out loud. I approached my mums house... I spotted my children... I waved manically. My husband shouted something daft and insulting and I responded with a brief sprint before returning to my intended pace.
The last half mile. I'm beginning to feel it. It's a mental battle to keep it going that little bit longer. The town centre comes into sight, the final sprint- no need to reserve the energy to keep going. Past the finish line. Before deducting the two minutes on the clock from passing the start line, I have definitely been faster than last year. But how much faster? I have an estimate on my GPS, but there's a wait until the local paper is published before it's issued online. It's sweet to maintain the tradition of the paper declaring it first, but boy is is frustrating!
The recovery was astonishingly smooth. No additional aches or creaks the following day and a mild stiffness the day after, but that may have been more to do with Buggy Babes and an astute 4 year old claiming the shelter of the pram and ousting his brother to the carrier on my back!
Friday came... the target was to beat last year's 1:30:44. Hopefully down to 1:20:00, but I didn't know how realistic that could be. The official result was... 1:21:52, so I wasn't way off in my ambitions.Given the rain and my body not feeling it's greatest before starting, I'm happy with that. My training in recent months has been more about pace and speed rather than distance. I've done very little of an hour +, so to sustain that effort for that long is a pleasing result.
Typically, I've had a lull of life taking over again. My husband has been away a few times in the last couple of weeks, so I've been kept in from that. Guiding commitments and general work have also been getting in the way, I have ended my drought now. Yesterday with a soggy monsoon walk/ run effort with an obstructive stitch, but at least I made it out. This morning with a short interval session before my husband popped off to the airport. I got the best weather of the day, fresh sunshine before the cloud and drizzle returned. Yesterdays soaking was the refreshing type when it's quite enjoyable when you're prepared for it. Today was more of a mizzle.
So... What next? The calendar is empty of running events. I have something I'm considering, but it's the classic issue of time and building up the training runs over a busy summer. I need something on the agenda though...
