Friday 3 July 2009

Back in to the training

Realising I have Thames Towpath HM 3 weeks on Sunday and have only run once in the last 4 weeks, I thought I better go for a bit of a run last night. As a bit of a non scientific experiment (and because it was too bloody hot to run any further), I thought I'd run exactly the same route as I'd run exactly one month a go when Juneathon went so well and compare where I am now, to where I was then........ Oh. The stats speak for themselves..

2nd June 2009

Distance: 4.57 miles
Time: 36:05
Pace: 7.54 m/m

2nd July 2009
Distance: 4.57 miles
Time: 39:52
Pace: 8.43 m/m

So that's 49 secs per mile longer then. Not quite the progression I was after really. Plus I looked even more of a state than I usually do after a run. I found it really, really tough. I think I'd deluded myself into thinking that having to take that injury time off, wouldn't affect me too much but I was wrong, wrong, wrong!

I can certainly argue that some of it was down to the heat but the Thames Towpath might be in this heat so I can't use that as an excuse. I can hardly stand up with my head held high and then make excuses about things that everyone else has to deal with too. Nope, I'm just going to have to suck it up, do my trainers back up and head out on Sunday and try for an 8 miler with the emphasis on completion rather than time!

3 comments:

  1. Don't worry too much, you can build fitness back up as quickly as you lose it and if it's any consolation, I did my last half marathon with only getting up to 7 miles in training and finished only 5 minutes slower than the half before that I'd trained properly for!

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  2. It is disheartening when you see that your performance has suffered but it has been a relatively short lay-off and it should be quite easy for you to get back to your usual pace. Don't go too mad too quickly with the training though - that way lies injury. Good luck.

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  3. Cheers guys. I'm not too disheartened. It was just good to be running again to be honest. My biggest scare is the fact that the tightness in my hip/back/hamstring has returned this morning.

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