Of course I was due a fall .......

As I wrote about how well my training was going a few weeks ago and how much I was enjoying it I knew as I pressed send I was heading for a fall ....... the voice in my head was taunting me with it .......

So first the blisters .....

No problem I now have shares in Compeed plasters .......

Oh and new running shoes! Although I've only run in them once!

Apparently purple is the new pink!!!!

Then I struggled with my training  sessions, not helped by this continuous wet and windy weather .... horizontal rain and gale force winds really don't do it for me .......

No problem, there's always tomorrow ......

....... except of course there isn't when the day job and business get in the way .....

So I'm a bit behind.

'Well how far behind?' I hear you ask ...... errr
ummm sort of 2x interval training and a 5k run.

'So it's only Saturday surely you can fit two in (including Parkrun) before coach Steph sends the next training plan'

Ok, in theory no problem, but ........

I'll just rewind a bit though

Since my last blog post and the hill training involving angry chainsaw man I've managed a 5k run down the lane and back with the doggens which should have been easy peasey, unfortunately the whole way I felt like I was going to break down like an old nag!   Three days later a 6 mile session on the TT which should have involved a negative split but I just about managed to crawl around ........ my body seemed to be on a go slow! Not helped by the wind and horizontal rain or a dry/chesty cough that I've developed. (A contradiction I know)

On Wednesday it was windy but dry so when the OB asked my plans I announced that it was going to be an 8 miler from the Puffing Billy to the river bridge and back! I didn't mention that the tops of my legs ached and that really I wanted to stay at home, although he did say 'you're not looking forward to this'
'No I know it sounds silly but actually I'm getting nervous about it. I know I can do it but at the moment I feel like I'm going to break down like an old nag'

As I set off there was a shout of 'Hello Sarah' from the cycle hire place ....... so a lovely surprise and quick chat with Ali who was buying a bike there and off I went!

Of course I then wanted a wee ..... do you know I get so mad with this ......I always go (about 3 times before we leave the house) and still want to go at our destination. As you know this is the busy bit of the TT but in the end I nipped up some steps that lead to path alongside the river and had a squat! Relief ...

My legs ached, it was a struggle, the ache moved down my legs, more so in my left leg  ..... by mile 6 (bearing in mind I should be running faster than at the start)  I could hardly run. The worst pain ran down the front of my left leg and at the knee shot around the back and down it.

In the end I had to stop and tried stretching ......yay!
It worked ....  briefly

So it was stop, stretch, hobble, stop, stretch hobble to the end! I wasn't going to walk even if it killed me and despite the little voice in my head ' with your third wake-up call you may not be so lucky'

 Stubborn I know!

Then came the analysis ...... we decided I must be dehydrated ..... this conclusion was from the fact that I'd done three milk recordings back to back and so don't drink too much due to not being able to go to the loo (other than in with the cows or behind a hedge when noone is looking.

To make up for it I've now  been drinking gallons of water .........

The result?

Well apart from constantly having to wee, my legs don't ache so much but I still have a cough and this morning a sore throat and what felt like the beginnings of a cold .......

The thing is I don't suffer from colds!

OB - Old bloke
TT - Tarka Trail

Update ...... since the last post when the OB complained to DCC about angry chainsaw man, they completed their enquiries on 23rd December and apparently could find no record of contractors working on this part of the TT so closed the case! The OB has made a complaint about this so it's now going further up the line!

I was verbally abused by a workman on the Tarka Trail!

As you know I love the Tarka Trail and am so pleased that we've finally ventured onto it after all the years we've been here. Different parts of it suit my training sessions and with the cycling group we've had some lovely days out and gone further afield!

On Monday I went to Petrockstowe to do the previous weeks interval training. (As mentioned in the previous post I only had time to do two training sessions last week)

It was one of those after 10 minutes warm up, bloody strides jobs again ......
The usual 5x 20 secs strides with 40 secs easy......

.....Ok no problem that's 5 minutes

Then 10x 30secs easy ..20secs medium ... 10secs full out ...

Simples you'd think!

Nope!  this dozy mare who as some of you know is hopeless at maths calculated it as 50 minutes......

.......... look just don't ask ..... I was getting confused with the above 5 minutes and then multiplying! Just blame it on Miss. Young at Hurstbourne Tarrant, Primary School who put me in English classes when I couldn't grasp maths!

Anyway I set off, telling the OB, who was walking the dogs in the opposite direction that I'd be just over an hour! Ha ha what a silly arse I am?

On the 10 minute warm up I was reassured to hear the sound of chain sawing ..... my lumberjacks were on the trail!

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before but at times the TT can be very busy and on others very isolated so on the latter occasions thats why I like to see these guys!

Actually there was only one of them but as usual we exchanged pleasantries and I felt safe!

I did the first set of strides and then as I started the 30 secs easy I realised my maths error...........

Doh!

Ten minutes then!

Much cursing followed but I kept running ....

On my way back I waved at the lumberjack, stopped at the car for some water and then ran to meet the OB and the woofers.

Wednesday was a 6 mile run so I did the Puffing Billy to the tunnel and back.

After 5 minutes it was to build to race pace and then steady miles 2-6.

Looks like mile one was totally beyond  race pace ...... I've never run that fast and as usual I had a problem getting to steady Pace! I really wish I could run this fast at parkrun.

Friday was Yarde towards Watersmeet for hill training in the pouring rain with the OB and woofers coming the same way for a change.

After stretching I still hadn't got a gps signal which isn't unusual but as I was getting soaked and my run didn't need to rely on it I gave up and started on the 10 minute warm up, having to keep my head down due to the driving rain but I could see a red sign ahead. It crossed my mind that perhaps the Trail was closed but as I got closer saw that it was a Devon County Council keeping Devon safe emergency phone number. I assumed that it was due to the wet and windy weather and in case a tree came down as it's quite a regular occurrence.

Then I saw I was right ..... sawn up trees on either side.

A couple of minutes later there was a truck with a shredder blocking the path ....... there was no more than a foot of verge either side and logs to negotiate, as I walked past a truck in front that I hadn't seen started to pull away and then drove slower than I was running. I didn't know if the driver had seen me so I ran in view of his offside mirror. Whether he had or not it stopped and I walked past.

So back to the hill training ....... 5x 20 secs strides etc etc then before the 7x 2 min hard, I had to have a quick squat. ...... guess I'll just have to do a Paula on race day!!!

As soon as I started the first 2 mins hard I had the same feeling that I get at Parkrun on the hill to the finish, that of
wanting to be sick and losing my bowels simultaneously ...... so had to ease off ......
I also found I was running into the wind uphill and getting plastered in mud! (I know, I'm really selling this to you!!!!)
Anyway suffice to say I completed it, wishing that I'd got long sleeves as the cold rain stung my arms but knowing  that I'd regret it if I had as I'd be too hot!

Hooray!

I could now run back easy ......

Ok, so the two trucks were still blocking the trail and I could hear the chipper working and a chain saw, sawing.

I edged past the vehicle's and then was faced with a bloke feeding the chipper and another bloke with his back to me chain sawing the upper branches of some ash spread across the trail.

The bloke on chipper duty shouted something, the bloke on the chain saw stopped it and I picked my way through the ash tree .......

'WAIT! YOU SHOULD WAIT TO BE LET THROUGH'

'Ok' and I raised my arm in acknowledgement as I continued to pick my way through the tree and thought blimey he sounds angry!

'STOP! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS, YOU WAIT'

So I turned round to face angry chainsaw man, who according to his jacket was called David, and said 'ok' again and at the same time saw his mate behind him gobbing on the ground and edging away ...... lovely!

'IF YOU DON'T, WHAT WILL HAPPEN?' He continued to shout

By this time I wanted to laugh and shout fuck you but just turned round and said 'you'll get sued!' and started running ....

'YOU'LL BE DEAD'

Yeah whatever .........

He continued to shout after me but I didn't hear what it was, as by now I was running hard, intent on putting some distance between us.

Back at the car park I told the OB about my encounter, who offered to go and speak to him but as I thought he might punch Mr. Angry or worse still, end up with a chain saw wrapped around his head it was best to leave it. Anyway I was already writing my email of complaint to DCC in my head as there were no signs telling the TT users to stop and wait to be let through. There were no signs about the dangers of the chipper and if we'd been cycling we'd have had to walk through the ditch of running water to get past the trucks. There weren't even any men at work signs which are always displayed at Petrockstowe.

Also the OB said he and the woofers clambered through the ash tree five minutes before me and neither bloke uttered a word.  David must have a problem with women or runners or women runners, and whether he has or not he certainly needs to attend anger management classes! What a complete tosser!

At home I had a bath and when I got downstairs the OB was on the phone to DCC making a complaint! They've taken it seriously enough to send it up the line .......

Normally I shy away from confrontation and just put things down to experience but on this occasion I can't believe that a workman on the Tarka Trail verbally abused me. I don't want it to happen to any one else so hopefully DCC will make sure it doesn't.

*TT =Tarka trail
*OB = Old bloke
*DCC = Devon County Council

I have four blisters and a weak bladder this week!

Just as we were going to bed on Sunday night, this weeks training email arrived .......

Yes, I know I shouldn't be checking emails/social media/ the price of stuff in my Amazon shopping basket, let alone having my phone in the bedroom but unfortunately I can't help it.

At least I went to sleep knowing that there was hill training, a 9 miler and a 5k run in store.

Tuesday was a running day, but which session to do?

Normally I'd have gone for the 9 miler ....... but I had to collect something from Hatherleigh at 1pm and so time constraints ruled.

Hill training then on my favourite hill .....

......... of course I should have been champing at the bit,  but actually I really didn't want to do it ...... it was cold and windy and my va va voom had deserted me but .......

I got on with it!

About five minutes into my ten minute warm up I really needed a wee, but the trouble with the TT is there aren't any hedges to nip behind and all the gateway's were quagmires. Ok Sarah ..... think about something else, take your mind off it ..... and so into the 5 x 20 strides...... not my best effort as I didn't seem to be able to get out of first gear but don't dwell on it ..... get on with the hill reps!

After running hard uphill for 1 minutes and then trotting back to the start I decided that I'd just have to squat and hope for the best, however it was a bit breezy and I didn't really want wet legs so I ran hard up hill for 2 minutes and then went to drop my drawers ..... but a bloody lycra lout hovered into view. Oh bugger ...... just keep running .....

Once we'd exchanged plesantries and he was out of sight I did it ....... phew! What a relief! 

I'd be lying if I said I then ran better because actually I still couldn't seem to get out of first gear BUT ....... I did the hill training! One down two to go!

Now my plan for the 9 miler was to go to Petrockstowe and run to half a mile past Yarde and then back incorporating the long drawn out hill I hate. However the OB had to stay behind as the boiler was being serviced and the Puffing Billy to Bideford route is slightly more populated which I prefer when I'm on my own but infact in hindsight it worked against me!

The instructions were vary the pace so one mile hard, the next easy .....

I set off and would you believe almost immediately I needed a bloody wee ..... well absolutely no chance to squat on this highly populated bit of the TT so I just had to cross my legs!!! (Makes it difficult to run!)

I was also back to feeling like I couldn't get out of first gear again ... but the first mile was race pace so what do I know?

I wasn't going to show you the workout details but rather than bore you with a step by step narrative you can see for yourself that I didn't manage the race pace/easy thing...... one gear and one speed Sarah it seems!!!

Going into mile six the plantar facilities in my left foot decided to make itself known ......... 

It got short shrift ... I wasn't going to walk the four miles back. Luckily it got the message after a mile of niggling!

Then two miles from home I could feel the blister on my right foot rubbing, despite the Vaseline and padding......

All I could think was 'bollocks, bollocks, bollocks .........  

I don't want any set backs!'

The result was I ran 9 miles and gained four blisters, one of which burst.

So no Parkrun for me yesterday,  which was going to be the 5k session.

The question  ' is it socks, shoes or trench foot?' and 'how many miles have your shoes done?'

Now back in January when we all signed up to the Bideford 10k Coach Steph mentioned that our running shoes should be changed every 300-500 miles. I felt smug because of course I'd only just got mine and the OB worked out that I'd need to change them in September and of course not taking into account that they'd be redundant for 3 months whilst I was ill.

Initially I've put it down to socks but after Belinda's prompt I got the calculator out and went through my runs 

The answer is 387 miles.

Looks like a trip to HTP Sport is on the cards for new running shoes!

Under the weather this week ..... both physically and metaphorically!

In bed on Sunday night the OB and I had the following conversation .....

The OB 'Are you training tomorrow?'

Me 'Yes'

The OB 'Have you had your training email yet?'

Me ' No, but I reckon there'll be a seven miler on it so I'll do seven miles tomorrow. Probably Petrockstowe to Meeth, which must be about seven miles'

How romantic is that ....... We have such exciting pillow talk?!

Now bearing in mind that the wet and windy weather was with us
 ....... storm Abigail and hurricane Kate, both of which have been with us all week meant that running could prove to be dodgy!

I also need to add that I woke up with a bit of a sore throat but as I don't suffer from colds just put it down to sleeping with the window shut due to the wind! (Outside I hasten to add)

Sooooooooo .........  after doing all my day job prep for the afternoon we (the woofers who make out they haven't been for a run in months) and the OB and I went to Petrockstowe .......

We went in opposite directions ....... Jess doesn't like my chosen route ..... and  is quite diva ish so I do wonder by her reaction what danger I'm running into!

Almost at mile one,  I jumped out of my skin as a cyclist behind me dinged his bell ....... I was so far in La La land and with the wind hadn't heard him approach so leapt in the air and shrieked, making him assure me it was ok ......... think he was more scared than me!!

Into mile two and my chest started to feel really tight, and my nose started to run .......
.......... no tissue and no sleeves either!!!
Then my legs felt like lead and I just got slower and slower ......

I ran 5.87 miles ...... thank goodness it wasn't 7 miles because it was an awful time ....

The OB and doggens came to meet me as I  struggled  back  ....... unheard off as I'm as always back before them.

On the way home I felt really ill, although didn't let on to the OB because I'd never felt like this before and didn't want to frighten him but bloody hell, I thought I might be on my third wake up call ( you know the 'your time is up one'!!)

Once home I was so cold but the water wasn't hot enough for me to have a bath so I had to sit in my puffa jacket to try to get warm whilst we ate scrambled egg ...........

I had a bath and  went to work ....... where my legs ached, ill ache,  not exercise ache for the next four hours. 

Whilst I was at work the training email arrived ........ and yay ........ There was a seven mile run,,, plus a 30 minute enjoy yourself job plus 45 minutes of strides and running to oblivion run .....

.........well to be fair, 10 mins warm up ... the usual 5 mins strides including recovery and then five minutes of easy, medium, hard and very hard and 10 mins warm down!

And still my legs ached .......  all night and again in the morning during my four hour milk recording stint.

I decided to join the cycling group and we cycled 23 miles and I felt absolutely fine, so it must have been a blip then?

On Wednesday I felt absolutely awful and training went on hold ..........

Obviously not a blip then!

Now I'm sure you're thinking by now that I should just put training on the back burner  ...............

Of course I should, however on Thursday I felt fine and so we went to Puffing Billy as the doggens needed their run and so did I .........  

......... the agreement was (with no one in particular) that if I felt fine at mile two I'd carry on and do seven miles and if not I'd do the thirty minute run or definitely stop if I felt ill. Yes honestly, no messing. 

I was also hoping to get a photo of the landslip which had occurred overnight on the A386 which runs along side the TT.

The bad news is that the landslip was on the bit of Road that doesn't run alongside the TT, however the good news is ............ I ran seven miles ....... 

I've never run seven miles before .........

......and  I was amazed to see that I'd done it at race pace, although that wasn't in the training plan, but I'm now going to blow my own trumpet and announce how chuffed I am at running this pace and time .......

Of course I was due a fall ......

My plan for the 30 minute run was do it at Parkrun and then do the stride/hard run one on Sunday as I was away teaching on Monday so would have the day off.

Best laid plans and all that ......

On Saturday morning I woke up to the back door trots .... 

Not a good idea to go to Parkrun then! The OB was time keeper so had to go but my frequent trots to the loo meant I had to stay behind. ( No! no idea what caused it)

Yesterday morning the OB and I had the following conversation in bed ...... bearing in mind the wet and blustery weather ...

The OB ' Are you running today, it doesn't sound very good out there'

Me 'I'll see what it's like later, but I'm hoping to. I don't know which one I'll do though, depends how I feel and where we go'

That was the dilemma ...... which part of the TT was least likely to chuck bits of tree at me?

Off to Watersmeet then!

Oh dear God ..... why the road closures? After driving half way round the county and introducing the OB to a new road we arrived......

The warm up was fine, the TT at this point is down in the valley and so very sheltered The first four strides/recovery were text book but then into my fifth stride I had to plough through a load of shit/piss/mud where the cows cross  the TT. Well actually I pussy footed through it.......

Oh come on I've managed to keep my lovely running shoes clean for the last eleven months, why would I want them covered in shit now?
So after prancing through this quagmire and feeling the shit seeping into my socks I redid the fifth stride/recovery. This took me to the Puffing Billy where I started the five minute bits and the gusty wind came for me, I turned back half way through the medium five minutes and found it hard battling the wind. I kept at it but doubting that I was really doing it properly. So into the 'very hard' five minutes where we needed to 'dig in' and would you believe I managed to swallow a fly which made me cough, retch, spit and swear ...... but not necessarily in that order, and then I had to negotiate the shit pit again..........  Miss Pussyfoot did her stuff and then ran very slowly for the ten minute warm down wondering how Thursday's run had been so brilliant!

*OB - Old bloke
*TT - Tarka Trail

I did this weeks training but not necessarily in the right order!!!

Monday was a gloriously sunny day and unseasonal 17C, so I just had to take advantage of it and run, especially as the forecast for the rest of the week was for wall to wall rain!

I hadn't had a training email from Coach Steph for the week so decided to do 5 miles and just run for the love of being able to run and  hoping that when it arrived there was something similar I could match it up with and tick off!

Yarde towards Petrockstowe then .............  turning at the second white post in the middle of the track and hoping it would be the halfway mark!

Of course most of you reading this will have absolutely no idea what white post I'm talking about but just indulge me!

It was blooming hot, but lovely to be just running and taking in the sights and sounds of autumn, although the last mile is uphill and I hate it ......

Yes, yes, I know I've declared my love for running up hills and I do, but just not this one! It's a gentle incline and seems to go on for ever ........ give me a steep hill any day!

I finally got to the top and and the car park to find I'd only run 4.8 miles ..... well what's 0.2 of a mile anyway? Oh, and to find Coach Stephs training email in my inbox!

Guess what?

There was a 5 mile run on it!
 The only snag was that miles 2,3 and 4 should be as close to race pace as possible.

Do you think miles 1 and 2 at race pace would count instead??

I bet you're dying to know what the other two runs are aren't you?

First up hill reps and the other a 30 minute easy run, focusing on form, foot placement and stride.

I was dying to get stuck into the hill reps but due to time constraints on Wednesday I opted for the 30 minute easy run, taking the opportunity to stop off at Petrockstowe on my way back from one of my farms.

It was pouring with raining when I set off but eased a bit and under the tree canopy I stayed fairly dry.

My first mile was 9.57 ......whoops! Better slow down then, this is meant to be an easy run!

As I was about to turn on a bend at roughly halfway I met a lady running towards me with her dogs so we stopped for a quick discussion as to who was running the fastest and needed to go in front.......  It seemed this was me!

Despite all this I clearly hadn't slowed down as my second mile was  9.59 .......

I knew that I was still running quite fast as I went into my third mile, spurred on mainly by the thought that I might be holding up the other lady and her training, however I was amazed that my time was 9.28!!!!

And yes, the bird on my phone was actually being reliable for a change!

I might not have done three miles at race pace during my run on Monday but I sure made up for it here!!

Back at the car park I had a lovely chat with the other lady who it turns out wasn't training but runs with Okehampton running club.

The rain continued ........

On Friday morning I had a rather frustrating time with gridlocked traffic on single track roads on my way to and from a farm due to road closures and an accident so it was almost lunchtime when I got home BUT I had hill reps to do and as I don't run well in the afternoon ....  we set off to Yarde and my favourite hill (the opposite direction to Monday)

It was pouring with rain and I couldn't get GPS , no matter as the run was by time not miles and I had the stop watch for time ..... so off I went.

Apart from the OB and the woofers the only other mad people I met were a lady with a bog brush on a lead and a bloke who seemed to be lurking and taking photos of the ground ..... presumably the leaves but who knows. ( which reminds me I really must take some photo's for this blog!) I don't think he really knew what to make of me running backwards and forwards ....... however if you're reading this Mr. Lurker, this is what I was doing ....

10 minute warm up ( the first time I past you!)
5 x 20 sec strides with 40 sec recovery (you hadn't caught up)
5 x 3 minute hill reps with easy jog back (that's why I was running hard up hill and then jogging back past you!)
5 minute cool down.

I loved the whole session and didn't even notice that I'd got drenched until I dripped all over the OB's truck!!!!

*OB - Old bloke

NAKED RUN

Sooooooooo, having run six miles on Sunday and ticked it off this week's training plan I had two more runs to do but which one should I choose to do on Wednesday?

Ok, so you're sitting there saying 'yeah there's only two, just  get on with it!'

Yup, fair comment!

But .............

Well here they are, and both aren't that appealing!

First up 10 mins easy warm up then 2 x 20 sec strides (full on) with 40 secs easy
 then 4 mins hard, 1 min easy, 3 min hard. 2 easy, 2 hard, 3 easy, 1 hard, 4 easy, then back up the scale before finishing with 5 mins cool down.

That'll be 52 minutes of hell then!

Second run, run on feel  ........ NAKED RUN

Whaaaaaaaaaat?

My initial thoughts were well, firstly I'll get black eyes and secondly there's nothing like doing something to get arrested on the Tarka Trail during half term!!!

I read on ........

Start off easy for 10 minutes then do 1 mile on feel at what you think is race pace ....... time this but DO NOT look at the time whilst doing so ... cool down for the rest.

Ah so it was to see if running on feel was the same as running with a watch .......

Phew ...... I can run with clothes on then!!

As you know I don't run with a watch and rely on the app on my phone which is the bird in my back pocket when I run so I always have to wait for her to pipe up with my time at each mile, and as we both know by now she can be quite unreliable.

Anyway I went for option one on Wednesday .......

The bird on my phone lived up to her reputation .......... according to her I ran 16 seconds slower on my race pace mile than the warm up mile and then 15 seconds slower than that on my cool down mile ...... she definitely got it wrong!

......... Anyway I've started my letter to Father Christmas and first on the list is a reliable timing gadget for running!!

On Thursday I really didn't feel like running, my legs still ached from Sunday's hills, and I wasn't looking forward to all the running hard bits ....... I couldn't find an excuse to give it a miss though, especially as the OB and woofers were sitting in the truck waiting ...... soooooooo

Back to Petrockstowe then, via two diversions as SW Highways in their wisdom had decided to close most of the roads round here ........ Ah yes, it must be half term, not just road closures but hoards of people on the TT too. The trouble with other people wanting to use the TT at the same time as me when I'm trying to follow coach Stephs training plan is that I always seem to be on a run easy bit when I pass them.

'Speed up, speed up, do some more strides, look like you're a proper runner' says competitive Sarah, as I gasp 'hello' on passing them!

Oh and then there are the lumberjacks  ........ Well the two blokes chopping down trees. They're currently half a mile or around five minutes run from  Petrockstowe station so I run past them on my warm up, looking all fresh and like a proper runner and then on my way back I pass them on my warm down but gasping and huffing and puffing like a huffing and puffing type person, with a face the colour of my shirt ....... trying to look cool but failing miserably!!

I think we'll be seeing quite a lot of each other over the coming months as they have another three miles or so of trees to deal with!

Anyway back to Thursday's run. It was a struggle ....... the warm up and strides were fine but the running hard bits were difficult and I wanted to give up ...... of course I didn't I just cursed coach Steph then cursed myself for signing up to this running lark, but I did it, even if it was 52 minutes of hell!

A year ago today ........

Sooooooooo, a year ago today I pulled my ancient trainers out from under the stairs, hoovered the spiders and cobwebs off them, put them on and then tried running down the lane with the dogs, running to a tree and then walking to get my breath and then running to a  bush and so on ........... I quite enjoyed it and so went out the following week a few times and increased the running bit .......

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

Nothing ever goes according to plan .......

Today was scheduled as the 40 minute run involving strides as detailed in my previous post.

This meant that I had to find somewhere flat ......... Tamar Lakes then!

Ahhh but apparently they have a 3 day fishing competition going on .......

Mmmmmmm I understand that fishermen don't like being disturbed ........ could mean that we seriously piss them off with the OBOAB blowing a whistle every 30 seconds and what with my involuntary heavy breathing and tourettes, perhaps not a good idea!

Plan B then.

The fruit bowl was empty and the only veg in the fridge was a leek and a third of a celariac so a trip to the fruit and veg shop in Torrington was on the cards.

Yes, I know you think I've lost the plot discussing my shopping requirements but actually the route to Torrington involves passing the Tarka trail so we'd put the OBOAB bike in the back and on our return stop off and do the training. Simples!

Ha ha, not so!

It was chuffing it down with rain when we left so plan B was abandoned, well its pointless both of us getting soaked!

When we got home it had stopped raining so I donned my running gear and set off alone ....... the OBOAB bunked off training to drink beer!!

I chose a route that I thought would be around 40 minutes and have a suitable flat section for the strides (even if the first mile involved two hills and the last mile and a half home involved the usual hill all the way back).

It all went according to plan and I started my strides on the flat ........

.............. however I hadn't banked on the potholes or the mud plastered across the road made more slippery by the recent rain!

After a quick risk assessment I decided that it would be stupid to train on this surface (I don't want any more injuries) so just took it steady and increased my pace when I could.

Oh and the cars ........ six no less who made me leap onto the verge....

Anyway I didn't quite get the strides done but ran 3.61 in 38.43 minutes.

Sadly no Parkrun for me tomorrow but this week has been a good running week!