If you'd told me then that a year on I'd be training for the Bideford 10K I'd have had you admitted to the asylum ....... me? in lycra? run in a race? Noooooooooo ......... you're joking!!!!
Well, as you read this in the asylum I'll update you on this weeks training!
On Tuesday despite the previous days cycling I was still hobbling around ( like a hobbling around person) so just pottered around the garden doing vegetable gardening type things!
I was still dot and carry one on Wednesday and was seriously pissed off of Shebbear ......... I needed to run but ........... Well just but! I have no idea whether I'm buggering myself up forever by continuing to run or whether it's the thing to do.
Anyway after cheesemaking we had to deliver to The Commodore at Instow.
Instow is the half way point of the Bideford 10k and around two and half miles of the return race is on the Tarka Trail so the OBOAB suggested that he drop me off and I run back to East the Water on the Tarka Trail.
So after taking the obligatory photo I set off .........
Having never set foot on here before and only by doing a rough calculation driving alongside it on the way I was sort of running blind but assumed it was just under three miles. Not that it mattered as yet again I couldn't get out of first gear, not helped by my very stiff calf. The knee was well strapped so only dared to be slightly niggly. Anyway I ended up in the old station (complete with train) but forgot to take a photo as was trying to find my way out ...... I now know I'd run too far for the exit. However it was 2.78 miles and my split pace was 10.14 min/mile.
Now for some reason I wanted to beat myself up about the time but actually after giving myself a good talking to and getting the calculator out I'm pretty consistent with my timings especially as I'm hobbling!!! (I have also reminded myself that this time last year I was running 3 min/mile slower. ........ Yes I know, I know, you don't need to put your two penny worth in either.........
Once I stopped running my calf seized up and I was back to hobbling ...... not a good look going past the queue of commuters in their cars as I made my way back to the OBOAB in the car park. Once home I literally hopped across the yard my calf was so stiff.
Yesterday was a date that has been in the diary for some weeks.
Really?
What's that then? I hear you ask.
A trip to Bideford with Coach Steph and the Bradworthy running group to familiarise ourselves with the start and finish of the Bideford 10K.
How was the knee and calf I hear you ask?
The knee, still strapped hardly niggled but the calf was really stiff.
So we had a lovely trot out to the Tarka Trail which included one of the two hills.........
Well it was nothing to worry about ........ compared to the hills we all have to endure during our training it was easy!!
Once on the Tarka Trail the beasting started after a gentle jog and a few exercises which showed I'm completely uncoordinated we did sprints!!
Sprinting 300 metres at 75% seemed a breeze initially but clearly I was doing 90% instead so when Coach Steph upped the ante to 90% I was wrecked.
My knee held up but every time we stopped my calf seized, so it was an incentive to keep going!!.
We then trotted back and did some warming down exercises, one of which helped my calf enormously. So much so that when I got home I could actually walk, as it wasn't so stiff.
Today my knee has felt almost normal and initially my calf was its usual stiff self but then, almost by magic after lunch I stood up from the table and realised that I was walking around pain free!
Long may it last .............
OBOAB = Old bloke on a bike
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