Monday 21 February 2011

It only took seven years

I arrived in Brighton having only run 10 miles that week and 3 miles in the previous 3 weeks due to my twisted ankle. I had sort of been given the all clear by the Physio. I had done the runs she had suggested and then had all gone well without and pain during or after. Then I tried a fast run on Saturday which also went OK so I gave myself the green light.

The plan was to run Brighton but only gently. Just get round, get the thirteen miles in my legs and test the ankle at the next level. Trouble was, running with my brother has many benefits but some drawbacks, some of which was the same. Namely competitiveness.

So it was on the start line that I thought I'd just run the first few miles with Phil. I thought that with the combination of my ankle, my 3 weeks out and a slight cough/cold I had, there was no way to run the 1:47 my brother was after but I'd do a few at 8 minute miles. The first three were 7:49, 7:47 and 7:45 which were fast. My heart rate was high and it felt hard. I stuck with it and it did get easier. The next three were 7:46, 7:44 and 7:29; pretty consistent.

What to do? Risk my ankle flaring up on me to get a good time or pull back and wonder what could have been? I knew 8 minute miles was a 1:45 time so I was under that. Four more miles and I'd reassess. 7:23 (oohh), 7:38 (good), 7:48 (on track) and 7:43 (blimey, that hurt).

The last mile was really tough. By the end of it I told my brother to go on as I could see he was starting to pull away. I didn't want him feeling he hadn't given his all due to me. Mentally, this allowed me to take my foot off the gas and I did an 8:35.

I was cross. I couldn't let this slip. I told myself that I had to endure 17 minutes of pain and made myself go faster. Mile 11 was 7:52. A PB was mine but by how much. I wanted to go faster to finish with a sprint but couldn't; my legs had nothing. 8:18 for mile 13 and the finish in sight. I lumbered towards the end and the last 0.1 mile in 1:05.

A PB and a good one. My previous PB was set on the 3rd August 2003 in Battersea Park. A run organised by the shop Run and Become; several laps of the park designed to be flat and fast. I had given it all and just failed to get under 1:45 but was delighted at the time. I'd run 21 half marathons since and the closest I had got was a 1:47 at Tunbridge Wells.

I could not have been happier with 1:42:40, over 3 minutes quicker than my previous PB. My brother got 1:40:18 which was incredible for his first ever half marathon (but he now has to do another to get under 1:40. Its going to bug him).

Thursday 10 February 2011

A whole 7 minutes of running

17 days of no running and I'm going nuts.  My training was going so well, probably the best a marathon build-up has ever gone for me.  Then a stupid tree root intervened and my ankle needed attention.

Since seeing the physio, I have been a good boy and done everything they have said.  I returned last night and went through many checks including some more aggressive movements like jumping.  All seemed good; I could still feel it a little but nothing like it was.

My physio was pleased enough with my recovery that she let me run on the G-Trainer. Its a treadmill where your legs are in a bag and you can reduce your body weight to let you run without the impact. I did 5 minutes at 80% body weight and then 2 mins at 90% with no reaction. I have to wait and see if there is any reaction tomorrow and then I can do some cycling at the weekend.

If that all goes well, I will do 30 minutes G-Trainer session on Monday and build up from there.  My goals are now to just get to the start of the Brighton half next week (50/50) and then do the Meon Valley Plod the week after (75/25).