Well it has been a couple of weeks since my last blog so I thought an update was needed not least because yesterday was my third race since my comeback in September.
However before the race report a quick mention about the Run Streak. After 26 days I am pleased to say that it is still going! Against all expectations I have managed a run every day. Most days have been between 3-5 miles with a few 1 milers thrown in for good measure. My stats specific to the streak so far are:
85.2 Miles
4,538 ft of elevation
13 hrs
Not world breaking stats (just 3.3 miles per run) but I am really very aware that I do not want to screw this up by getting injured (yet again!) so will take it steady for now. Of course when the marathon training starts keeping this streak going may not be possible for me personally but we will see where this ends.
The next major mile-stone I guess will be in 5 days time when I reach the end of month 1. This is as far as I got last time I tried a run streak too so it will be nice to get past that for now.
MILTON KEYNES (Up and Running) 10K
So yesterday was another 10K race for me. The last 2 were very unusual in the sense that the Virgin Triathlon was a team event. I found that difficult because I had to wait around for my turn so I didn't feel too great when the race started and also I hadn't really trained due to injury.
The other was the Rugged Radnage which was pretty hardcore for me with over 500 ft of elevation in quite a short race.
Therefore the MK10K was my first real race that I felt I could gauge how the running was coming along. I had previously ear-marked this race as my attempt to break 50 minutes. However I started with that as a long shot because whilst I have been running a bit recently I have been just running rather than training.
The day was very similar to the RR with a beautiful crisp sunny and very cold morning. The race was very small (less than 200 runners) and the course had to be changed at the last minute because of flooding. However the new course proved a challenge because whilst it was a loop the first 6k of the race would essentially be all up hill with a run down through Campbell Park back to Willen Lake to the finish.
I had a couple of mates from London to stay so they ran too. It was good to have some fat dad company. After we started 2 of us got ahead of the other (in his own words he had a nightmare race) and after 4km the other got away from me. I used him as a marker for the rest of the race though as a bit of a pace maker although at points he was well over 200 yards in front. In the last 2 kms of the race I started to feel stronger and stronger and did all I could to get back on terms. I managed to make it alongside with 200 yards to go.
Then began the most competitive sprint finish (for what was ultimately 61st place!) between 2 over-weight 40 somethings. To say the pair of us are competitive is an understatement in the extreme. As a result 2 large men sweated and huffed and puffed their way down the finishing straight. I am pleased to say that LB triumphed by the narrowest of margins and to say my mate was pissed off was an understatement!
Finishing time was 52:04, which given pre race prep the night before included beer, wine, roast lamb and creamy pots, I was quite pleased with.
Next stop a January 10K when I will have a proper tilt at the 50 minute barrier!
LBx
