Training Log Archive: Jon X

Staying at the Metropole so nice and handy for an out and back along the Grand Union Canal. Decided that 26.2km had a certain ring to it, it is also exactly 10miles short of the full distance.

Felt quite good once loosened off so ran a good pace, half-marathon from 3km to 24.1km in 97mins which is basically marathon pace +10% so okay given effort level and race yesterday.

Tightening up a bit at the end but still more encouraging than last Sunday! No more runs this far left to do, time to taper and try and get my dodgy muscles in as good shape as poss for the race...

Progress.

Event: City of London Race
 

City of London race, M40+

Started quite late with Martin W three mins behind and leading time just under 48mins. Kept it controlled through the Barbican early on and then tried to push on in the easier middle section. Got lucky at 17 when I was headed for wrong side of wall but found a way round that only lost me 30secs. Pushed it after that and quick through the first couple back in the Barbican, but leaving 21 and heading to the penultimate i hadn't seen Martin at all on the doglegs and thought I could run 47mins......so promptly rushed, got confused on the multi-level stuff, panicked and made it much worse, lost 90secs in the end and got there just behind Martin. He won by two mins and I went from 2nd to 5th on that penultimate leg. I should know better than that!

Was lacking confidence in my shape/pace beforehand so pretty pleased with how it went from that perspective, just wish I had kept my head a little better....

Fun.

Warmup jog etc with Martin including jog past entrance to penultimate control (if only I could have got to that point successfully..), warmdown trying and failing to spot MC finishing.

Token.

Too late. So dark by halfway that I had to pretty much walk down the hill. Which probably wasn't much slower than the riest of the run. Core more painful than for several weeks. Left leg, hip flexor, adductor all grumbling. Right achilles grumbling. Should have stayed at home.

Ugh.

Got back to Edinburgh airport just before 6pm and thought I really should go for a run. Tenderness in the quad gone but not quite sure how it would go - three days off should mean fresher legs but a bit short on sleep and good hydration over those days, and over stocked up on coffee and biscuits and sandwiches.

Parked up at work and headed to the Carse road, took a couple of km for my legs to get used to running at all but then started to get going. Felt okay so tried for 10km at marathon pace which I just about managed (42:02) - my quad is fine at a steady/good pace but definitely feeling the strain a bit when I stretch out further. Again I could run the pace but it was a bit tougher than it should be and I had to concentrate a bit too hard and keep looking at my watch so I didn't drift down to 10/15 secs/km slower.

Zzzzzz.

Up at 6am in Southampton. Meetings in Reading from 8.30am. Got to hotel in Bristol for 9pm.

Leg less sore so had thought of running but feeling pretty knackered from travel and lack of sleep. Luckily remembered the wise words of Marathon Talk "always give an injury another full 24 hours beyond the time when you think you are ready to run again", and went straight to the restaurant with a clear conscience!

Weary.

Down to Southampton to watch the one day international cricket. They did start eventually but that was a long time after we had tired of sitting in the wind and rain! On the wagon pre-Berlin so couldn't even pass the time with a few cheeky drinks :(

Quad still tender but seems to be settling down, happy to take a rest day instead of doing reps though. Even managed a much needed early evening nap when I got back to the hotel.

Holiday.

C • The wagon 4

Physio thinks quad problem is just a strain and not a big concern, hope she is right...
She followed up those positive words with the usual hip flexor/ITB stuff but also some seriously painful ironing out of both quads.
Needed a day off anyway.

Rest.

Some of them were easier than last week. Some weren't!

Late.

Still on one circuit which was fine by me.

Careful.