Fear of injury!

20 miler on Sunday, the big one: the Reading Half Marathon a week later.

Today wanted to get the legs moving but without risking injury. Ran down to the river at Blackfriars, along the riverside and back via Tower of London, Fenchurch Street, Liverpool Street. A few times I really let rip, other times I coasted.

Lots of stops with traffic lights and the chocolate shop (Mothers Day on 20 miler day oops!)

~6KM @ 4:50"/km - 6:30"km depending on how I felt

Cold and painful

Ran slowly in to work today in the freezing wind. Ran 9 minutes on, with one minute walking. Endured the cold, but it was worth it to feel great once I was in the warm.

18.2km @ 6.5 minujavascript:void(0)te/km

Cold

The sun today said spring, the temperature said otherwise. As a family we abandoned all outdoor activity. I went for a late evening run. Nothing too fast with the aim of running to work tomorrow and the 20 miles next Sunday looming. Home- to-Hayes-to-end of Spring park and back. It was cold, and as it was already dark, no sun to mitigate.

9.1km @ 5"45

Hair of the dog

The paradox of running is that after a couple of hard runs I do a "recovery run" to get over them. Nothing grand, just a gentle 5k South over London Bridge, North over Tower Bridge, along the Thameside path to level with Southwark bridge and back to the office.

A couple of times I find myself zipping away. I mentally scold myself and slow down. Strange days when I'm trying to stop myself running fast. Another paradox, trying not to try.

5k @ 6" / km

Rockett man

Back to the canal for intervals with the Rocketts Lockets today. 2 minutes full speed, with 1 minute rest. 4 out and 4 back. I slip further back each rep but remain in visual contact for all of the reps, soaking up the motivation you get from running with others. Pride (or shame) I believe it is called.

Along the canal tow path, under the low bridges I notice the stone worn away by what looks like generations of heads brushing past. Sometimes change is slow, consistent, inperceptible.

On the run back to the city, I slip off the back of the group. Slowly, inperceptibley at first, but consistently and the gap opens. I keep visual contact all the way back to the starting point. My measure of success and whether to keep this up is remaing part of the group. At the moment I am holding on.

9.4km intervals 2 min on, with 1 min recovery.

Riverside exploring

On Monday I was early for a meeting down by Tower Bridge. I stood on the Thames Path, taking-in the glorious sun-rays and observing the coming and going on the river.

Today, still inspired, I explored the Thames path between Blackfriars and the Tower. It was chilly. A few glimpses of the beautiful London greyness fleetingly lifted my spirit.

At the crane where they load the rubbish barges the automatic gate slammed shut in front of me. After 5 minutes I give up and run up round Lower Thames street.

The magic from Monday's moment in the sun was not recreated in any way. Spring's time will come.

After last night and cycling to work the pace should have been slow. It didn't feel like I was trying but the pace was more than satisfactory.

6.66km @ 5"30 / km

Pain, Suffering and Misery, but holding on at the back

Back to Petts Wood Runners tonight. Good to see the familiar faces of David and Liz. I knew Richard (My usual run leader) would not be running. James Wong stepped forward to lead the run. With glee he said the route would take in Summer Hill in Chislehurst. Everyone looks nervous.

I notice Liz and David slip off into the slower group but I decide to persist. The first 5km I hold the front. As we move towards Summer Hill I start to slip. Up the hill I slip further back. Half way up the hill I see David and Liz's group running down the hill and give them a cheery salute. Eventually I reach the top, second last. From here on I am struggling but I hold on. Around 9k I am still holding on to the back but am slipping. I wonder if I can keep going. I could quit and use the SatNav to find my way home but that would be embarrassing.

I suddenly see a sign saying "Petts Wood". I say out loud to myself,
"Well that's a good sign"
I laugh at my "humour". I still hurts badly. I feel as if someone has put a belt round my chest and are tightening it.

As we enter the suburbia of Petts Wood proper I start to reel in the back markers. The stronger runners at the front disappear off into the distance. In the last half mile I drop a couple of stragglers. It looks like the front runners had increased the pace, the stragglers had tried to keep up and blown up. My steady pace had saved me.

On getting back, I see a distance of 11.48km and a time of a few seconds over the hour. I do some mental calculations and reckon I have just run a 10km PB (but over Summer Hill)

Nights where you hold on at all cost are where you build character in your running and for life in general.

11.5km @ 5"15/km