Exploring

I last posted just prior to the 10k, which went well, but turned out not to be a PB. 58 mins, so still respectable after last years 55 mins. I wanted under an hour which I achieved, but had got my hopes up slightly in the second half. My pace improved consistently through the race, with later kms around 5:30, 5:20. My start was too slow though, sabotaged by the queue for the ladies, which put me at the back of my wave. I suspect I was aiming for the faster end of my wave and found it hard to push through the field past big clumps of runners in formation with their friends. From km 3, my pace picked up as the crowds thinned.

I was then afflicted by a flare up of my shoulder which hadn't been great. A sharp rib pain joined the party, which fortunately passed quickly as it was making it rather painful to rant at disobedient teenagers! I ended up showing my face back at the osteopath... in fact my face was about the only bit that wasn't ripe for a mauling!

I've not been to circuits for about a month now, first the race, then the shoulder. The day of the osteopath appointment, I substituted circuits for parkrun. My home run has swapped location to a flatter park. I made up for my slight 10k disappointment with a PB there, 5k in 28 mins.

The osteopath appointment was an hour, but it wasn't enough! He started on my legs, identified that my glutes are pretty much comatose, then moved on to my back. Mobilising that sounded like gunfire! Oddly satisfying though. He ran out of time to attack the shoulder thoroughly. A return appointment looms.

The shoulder has improved, but is still being tempermental, so between that and other plans I've run more on a Saturday in recent weeks.

I've discovered an informal path that provides a useful shortcut to the greenway, extending the range I can get from home. That proved handy for a pre-work run, a rare treat! Further explorations were carried out this weekend under the glorious sunshine. I've been investigating the local public footpath network through the fields, and made a few new links to routes I've previously used.

So far, the hayfever season is going well. Last year, we bought some air filters which seem to help by giving our immune systems a rest each evening. I ended up running through a rapeseed field , and although a noticed a small effect at the time, I didn't end up with hours od thumping headaches.

So here's to warmer days, vest tops and skorts.
Happy running!