First one of the year. Let's hope it gets easier

Welcome to 2010. The year of the average runner.

I got my Christmas Day run out of the way early enough and went on to complete 4.5 miles in 45:29 with LG and then spent the rest of the day eating and drinking. Just as it should be at Christmas I reckon.

However, due to all the usual excesses, I really should have done more running over this period but due to the man-flu pre and stomach bug post, well, I didn't. A plan was called for and after getting in touch with eatingtrees, a plan was formed. He was going to come and visit on Saturday and we we're going to get rid of the cobwebs.

With a night of -3 degrees and a running temp of 1-2 degrees, the tights were promptly added to shorts (no-one needs to see my arse in tights), one long and one short sleeve top, a woolly hat, a buff and a pair of gloves. I don't like being cold.

I found a course that looked good which I hadn't done before and we headed out on our arctic expedition run of 10.77 miles.




The following, are things I should have learnt by now. When you plan to run nearly 11 miles, at least one of the idiots doing it, should have some form of liquid with them. Neither idiot did! Secondly, I need to remember nipple tape when running further than a few miles and thirdly, check the elevation!! When you've hardly run over 5 miles since October, 816ft of elevation hurts when adding nearly 6 miles to your recent distances.

IT WAS TOUGH! The last 3 miles were run completely in the knowledge that it was quicker to get home running shuffling than to walk. Dehydration and absolutely zero energy do not encourage quick finishes.

A wonderful lunch had been cooked by LG of Gnocchi and Butternut Squash bake which was devoured very, very quickly. I could feel the energy seeping slowly back into my muscles. However, running that distance with a severe lack of training got me back big time. My hips, calfs, thighs and ankles were causing me more pain than a new inmate experiences after his first visit to the prison shower. I slept with a lot of ibuprofen last night.

Now we're in January, I need to up the mileage and pick up my speed in order to be ready for Half's in February and March. I can't have any more excuses really. Hopefully the new trainers should arrive within a few days which are badly needed because both the others are now dead. No bounce and no grip. Not a good combo.

Final note is an apology to the 2 cyclists in Richmond Park. Sorry, we weren't aware that you and your Lycra-clad arrogance had right of way around the entire of the park and we are mere mortals in your attempts to play 'Tour de France'. Here's hoping there are many punctures and buckled wheels in your futures.

My route hates me but my fish loves me

There is no other reason that I can think of about why I find the shortest, flattest, most simple and non-looped route, the hardest one I do! 2.93miles. No traffic or roads to cross. Scenic. No up and down curbs. Pretty flat. How is this not easy for me!! Why does it hurt so much???

I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact that it's under 3 miles. It means that by the time I get into my stride, I've almost finished. It means the run I do is the first 20mins of pain and then a few minutes of finishing. I had a target time of 8 m/m yesterday which would have been 23:26 and just couldn't do it. I finished in 24.31 which is 8.22 m/m. That's the pace I'd need to run the Royal Parks in to complete it under 1:50:00!! I struggled to do it for 3 miles!! Madness.

The evening continued with it's usual after run thing of Biofreeze gel and compression sleeve on my left calf and shin. Not sure what to do about this injury really. I go through the 10 miler fine wearing the beautiful compression sleeve I mentioned the other day. You remember the one right? Yes this one. It means I'm confident of doing the distance but could really do with the ability to walk after the shorter runs. Maybe I'll just have to wear it for every run I do. Have anyone tried running in compression socks? Do they work with regards to stopping the aches and pains arriving too early?

Got to see LG last night which was good though. She's very busy at work and is constantly being sent round the country at the moment and working 17 hr days! Hopefully it won't last much longer though as I tend to buy things and find new hobbies when I get bored and she's not there to keep an eye on me. Even more so after hearing that eatingtrees is building himself a fixie now. A building stuff project!! I'm very jealous.

To my new toy that arrived last week then. Well what can I say. It's bloody awesome and I love it. Review??? Well it's a bike. You pedal and move. It appears that I've already started the 'accessorising' of it though. Semi-slick road tyres (specialized nimbus), and an NC-17 single Speed Freewheel 13t sprocket on the way to make it a bit more of a challenge and to give me more speed! Eventually if my plans to do a triathlon next year continue, I'll need to sort myself a geared road bike but for now I couldn't be happier with this one!!

FISH UPDATE:
Anyone who knows me through facebook will have heard about mine and LG's forced adoption of a fish (as it was left in the flat when we moved in). Well we have now got rid of the horrible bowl he was in and got 'Flinty' (called because he's as black as flint and we moved in the weekend we won the ashes) a new tank, filter and gravel and this coming weekend, we will have a friend join him and a bit of greenery. I'm not sure how you tell what a happy fish is but he's certainly moving around a lot more and also quicker so we're taking it as a good sign!! 


Hauling My Carcass: Saving the planet one bike and fish at a time!