And Now I’m Ready…

Running 20 miles today was a big ask. I ran 22 miles 5 days ago, a 10k 3 days ago, had a hard speed session 2 days ago, and yesterday swam a PB over the mile distance.  But run 20 miles I did, and how well it went!

Before that though, about that swim. Regular readers will know that I have been desperate to get my time for the mile under 40 minutes. Well yesterday I finally managed it, completing the 64 lengths in 38:56.19. At half way I was about 20:30 so knew I had some work to do, and resorted to swimming every second length  doing front crawl, knowing that would speed things  up. I almost drowned having drunk too much urine/chlorine fueled water, but I survived and was over the moon when I finally got my breath back enough to look at my watch. Anyway, onto more important matters, and today’s run…

11:22 20 miles 2:32:45

1 7:28 2 7:45 3 7:46 4 7:49 5 7:47 6 7:39 7 7:49 8 7:58 9 7:54 10 7:45 11 7:49 12 7:41 13 7:38 14 7:39 15 7:35 16 7:38 17 7:26 18 7:18 19 7:17 20 7:06  Average 7:38 min/miles

This is undoubtedly my best 20 mile training run. I think it’s my fastest too, but that’s irrelevant. The way I ran this is what matters. I was steady and consistant throughout, and able to push the pace towards the end. I finished feeling good, rather than exhausted (OK so pretty shattered, but not as bad as other runs, I could have gone on) and was delighted with my final long run before the big day. I was taking the opportunity of a quiet day at work to do this run, and give me a longer taper, rather than waiting to run it on Saturday. So after a good run, a two and a half week taper begins…

So why so much better today from my last couple of runs? The pace was the same, if not faster early on. The answer, I believe, is in my pre run eating. Last night I was hungry, really hungry, but rather than just having a bowl of cereal, I went to the Chinese take-away (as recommended by all good sports nutritionists!) and had a big meal. This morning, due to the pacepusher’s work commitments (Mrs p’s involving alcohol?!?!), I was out of the house early, too early for a pre-run breakfast. So by way of a taxi fare, Mrs p gave me money to go out for breakfast. Again, as recommended by all good sports nutritionists, I had scrambled egg on toast, a bacon sandwich, a coffee and a pint of milk. After my pupil failed to get his irritating arse out of his house and into my car for his lesson (no he didn’t bother contacting me – he just seems to have changed his mind on having driving lessons – the joys of the job) I was back home to chill out for what was a good couple of hours before my stomach settled, consuming a bottle of sports drink whilst waiting. So I was well fueled.  So well fuelled that I actually felt a little sick in the first few miles!

My new ipod worked perfectly today, and that also helped. But I don’t believe that has any relevance on my performance. What did help though I think, is my new mantra. I quote JK, but I think Lance Armstrong may be the original quote master, “pain is temporary, success last forever”. It sounds crazy, but I really felt saying it to myself gave me a boost, especially if I was going through a low point. Anyway, whatever the reason for the good run, tonight I’m as happy as a farm yard animal in a particularly dirty and smelly area of the farm!

I have a ‘How Annoying?’ award to give out today though. Nothing to do with running, this occurred in the ASDA car park when I stopped to get some supplies to help my recovery after my run (chocolate milk, full fat coke, beer… ). I was getting back into the car, loaded with shopping, and failed to catch the door causing it to tap the car next to me. Alas the car owner was sitting in the car. He looked at me and I instantly held up my hand to apologise and started to get back out the car. He leapt out of his car like a boxer from his corner at the start of round one, saying “I don’t appreciate…”, and was clearly up for a fight. Now I had a long run to do so didn’t fancy 12 rounds with Tyson before hand, but you can only be so nice to someone who is over reacting so badly. “Listen mate, calm down, it was an accident”, add sarcasm, “I don’t go around deliberately smacking my door into peoples cars!”. Seeing that there was no damage, and perhaps sensing my irritation, he suddenly calmed down and let the matter rest. So Mr ‘I sit and read the paper whilst the wife does the shopping’, I have a certificate for you. It’ll be engraved into your car door in a redish colour just as soon as I can find a NED who is willing to  be paid in pence rather than pounds!

Finally, my Dad has managed to leave me a comment for the first time since I started this blog in January. It says, and I quote,“Well done on Sunday – you’ll be as fast as your dad soon!”. Now I accept that in his day, Dad was an exceptionally quick 100 meter runner, but by his own admission, the 200 meters was an endurance event. So Dad, let’s be honest, the only way you could beat my time over 10k is to be in your car… and to let Mum drive!

An Easy 5 Miles?

…reasonably!

18:54 5 miles 35:49

1 7:18 2 7:24 3 7:34 4 7:03 5 6:31  Average 7:10 min/miles

I decided to aim for a nice easy 5 miles tonight with a long run planned for tomorrow and a hard effort last night. I set off nice and steady and my legs felt a little worse for wear. I pulled myself back a few times, as ever, pushing the pace despite tiredness and a sore hip, and kept it steady until the last mile when I decided to stretch the legs a bit (largely as it started to throw it down!). The final mile felt quite comfortable which is good news given the pace was 6:31.

For the first time in a while I have a ‘How Annoying?’ award tonight. I set out across the road at a roundabout, all the cars were in the left hand lane which is for left hand turns only, and thus would not interfere with little old me. Of course one car decided he was going straight on, and as he passed (just) behind me, he felt the need to peep his horn and thus scare the poo out of me! So Mr car driver, if you would like to book a driving lesson on how to deal with roundabouts, and the correct use of the car horn, then please leave your details and I’ll contact you to slot you in my diary and present you with your certificate which will look strangely like a copy of the Highway Code!

I feel much better after the run than I did before, and after a good stretch the hip feels a bit better too. The pacepusher’s are planning a run on the WHW tomorrow to help us get the mileage up without the pressure of the miles at speed on the road (the theory being that time on feet is as important as anything else). The big questions as to whether we will make it out onto the Way though are; will my hip feel good enough? and, how much will Mrs pacepusher have to drink on her night out tonight with her new colleagues?

I watched the 10,000 meters in the Olympics today. Jo Pavey ran a PB (31:12.30) but was still lapped by the gold and silver medalists. Tirunesh Dibaba (29:54.68 – 2nd fastest time ever) was awesome as always. Having sat in second place from about 6 laps out, and despite a blistering pace throughout, she recorded a last lap of just over 60 seconds looking more like a 400 meter runner than a 10,000 meter one. Amazing stuff!

As for my hip, I spoke to the folks at Hampden Sports Medicine Centre today. One of the physios is going to call me back on Monday. I believe that I have a Bursitis in my right hip as I had in my left hip in 2005 leading up to the Berlin Marathon. It was only resolved when I had it injected by the doctor. I don’t want to waste money on physio if it’s not going to resolve the issue. In the meantime I’ll keep running and trying to manage it as best I can.