After the marathon training run at the weekend, I have not run at all during the week: this is almost unheard of for me, but a combination of work, and just needing to rest led me to this course of action. I was due to marshal at Littleport Parkrun on the 8th December 2018, and my superb running buddy, Lauren, agreed to trot along the river bank to Littleport with me. Lauren is one of the very best people to run with, as she always sets a steady pace, she is so encouraging, and always funny! Lauren’s blog is well worth following; she covers all aspects of her own running.
Five whole days of no running had clearly done me no harm, and it felt like we had got to Littleport pretty swiftly, and I felt great! Maybe the break had done me some good? After Parkrun, I ran back along the old Ely Road. The wind was in my face the whole way, and it was nowhere near as much fun as the run in! I’ll call this session 17 as it is close to what was expected in my plan, and I was playing catch up after those few days off.
Session 18. The plan said I had to run a half marathon and push the pace a bit. I took this to mean a bit faster than ultra pace, and given I have been struggling to slow down, it almost felt a relief to not have to as much for this run.
I decided on a run through Ely, along the river and then up towards Barway (and back). The trail heading towards Barway was more challenging than I thought it would be. At times, the muddy puddles tried to suck my trail shows off. I nearly fell several times. Once I was through the quagmire, I headed through Barway to the main road that leads into Ely, I turned around to head back the way I came. Despite the conditions, the trail bit was huge fun, and the Marino wool socks once again worked wonders: the feet felt damp, but warm!
I am still struggling with nutrition: I won’t get into it this time, but needless to say, it’s not an issue for the half marathon distance. I managed on a bowl of porridge and pack of Love Hearts today; as I popped the first into my mouth on the trail, I could have sworn it had ‘IDIOT’ written on it: I must have imagined it.
More soon!
Justin has signed up for what? 