Nailsea 10km road race. DNF (injured) at 6km average pace 3:55/km til then; 19:20 at 5km marker.
Felt OK warming up.
Decided that any calf issues were "psychological". Calves felt acceptable in warm up including striding. It's all in your mind, Phil. All in your mind. (WRONG)
Start felt v easy - trundling along at 3:45 pace letting others steam off ahead. Felt light; fit; nimble. Calf's fine. I'm better at this than Finnish orienteering! Reeling people in who'd gone off too fast. I'm a master at this!
3km RH calf started hurting, but heh! it's only nerve pain, right? It'll pass.
Up hill to 4km-ish, pain eased off. Yeah! Passed leading woman, leading Vet50. All were dropped. Easily. This will be fine! (see the positive side here?)
flat/slight descent to 5km, in 19:20 (not a bad time in it's own right), pain was coming back. Can i hold on? Come on Phil! On descent to 6km, i wasn't myself, i was struggling, I was favouring other leg, nearly limping...... but I'll be fine... I'll be fine..... joggers ahead, they're crap, I can have them. ... I'd normally have them. Caught one. Passed him. Dropped him straight away - then, GAME OVER. Stopped. OUCH OUCH OUCH
Quick stretch of RH hip, and started again, but within 50m, all over. Game over. Walked back - misery; cold; defeated by my own frailty.
TBH, after the 2 weeks' hip pain, that was so horrible, and now this, I'm not sure i should even try to be a runner for while. No-one's "pleasurable" "sport" (for "fun") should cause this amount of misery, stress, and pain.
I boast that i switch between 3 hobbies / interests; when one goes tits up i just re-shuffle. Well, running, you've gone tits up. You're out. Time to practice what i preach.
Bye.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1050771439