10k: Well that just makes no sense...

Well, there's been no actual running training since the last blog (and run) - although plenty of other stuff has been going on (see the other blog).

There's been no actual rehab activity (well, apart from a continued commitment to rest days - very important, rest days).

And yet... And yet I went out yesterday for another 10k "run" and posted my fastest 10k time for this year (so far). A season's best, I believe I am supposed to call that (although I'm not going to get too carried away - it's still jurassically slow...). No issues with either my bad leg or my good leg (which had the calf issue previously)... And, yes, I am aware that that means that I've been trying to run on no decent legs at all - but the training rather reflects that...

So what can you take from that? I mean really, what?! OK, the course was really flat, but still...

This running lark makes absolutely no sense to me. None.

Still, I can live in a world where one does little to no training but can run (injury-free) faster at each successive event. My kind of world!!

;o)

Stats, Yesterday
Running time/distance: 1 hr 11 mins 22 secs, 6.214 miles (Sunny jog around a lake - not unpleasant)

Rehab: I'm sure there was something...

So, well, yes, the whole planned half-marathon thing didn't happen (leg still in rehab) and there's some desperate re-planning of Challenge 6 going on... I think that Parkrun may be the answer - it's free, it's timed, and have I mentioned it's free...? Anyway.

There is a certain degree of tension when lining up to undertake organised "runs". Mostly because I am very slow, and everyone else there is actually going to run (as opposed to jowalk), and then there's the fact that they're having fun.

And I'm not being terribly humble when I say that I'm slow - stats as follows:
Dublin Half-marathon, finished 4549 out of 5022;
Musselburgh 10k, finished 352 out of 358;
Tadley 10k, finished 280 out of 292.

Now, I'm not competitive, but not being actually last is relatively important to me, second after finishing within the time limit. This leads to some rather uncharitable activity on the start line. One scopes out one's fellow runners, looking for anyone who might conceivably be slower than myself. Old/elderly runners, those carrying some weight, those strapped up like Mr Bump - all these runners bring joy to my heart, settle my nerves, and give me hope.

However, looks can be deceiving. One rather elderly-looking speed-walker (speed-walker!) actually out-paced me to the finish at the Dublin Half-marathon (the shame!). Bumblebee-shaped people seem to often be made up entirely of muscle with consistent bursts of speed sending them off into the distance before me. Effectively, as was pointed out to me today, if I want to ensure that I actually finish ahead of some others, then I need an actual strategy for taking said people out of the race (temporarily and obviously without causing them lasting harm Oh, and without them knowing that it was me that took them out...). I'm currently toying with the idea of lightweight bear-traps, but I am not convinced that this idea is a go-er...

Or I could actually do more training and start "running" faster... Dull!

:o)

Stats, Today
Running time/distance: 0 mins 0 secs, 0 miles (oooh, my leg, it hurts...)

Half-Marathon: It's a long way to Tipperary

At least, that's what I've been told. Wouldn't know - never been there.

But, Dublin? Dublin I've been to. And as long as you don't want to get anywhere in a hurry or in a remotely organised fashion, it's rather nice. In the sunshine...

Sadly, I spoiled my visit by jowalking my way through a half-marathon while there (and, I'd like to point out, I turned up at the start line even though the forecast was for heavy rain all day. I should get extra points for that at least!). Slowly, of course (finished 4549 out of 5022 - legendary stuff!).

It all went rather well until the 7 mile point, when my left calf decided that it had had quite enough of this nonsense. Which rather made the rest of the route less than fun - not that I'd have been much faster without the annoyance of a pained calf (hey, I finished ~23 miles of a marathon with the Traitor Toes in full swing). And my neck tired out quite quickly due to the medal weighing a ton - (although the tiredness thing could be loosely associated with the whole 13.1 trek, you never know): why do race organisers seem to be convinced that bigger medals are better?

So the left calf is back in Siberia (if one visit to the gulag doesn't work, try, try again...) and I am re-entering rehab. But briefly, this time. For another half-marathon looms before me... Also, I'm not entirely convinced that this is a calf strain - it feels rather more like a persistent cramp. Is that even possible? Anyway, the calf seems to be recovering faster this time than last (surely it should be the other way around?) and so you never know - the next "run" may not be the disaster that I am quite sure is looming with intent to happen...

:o}

Stats, Today

Running time/distance: 2 hrs 45 mins 50 secs, 13.1 miles (jog, walk, jog, hop, repeat...)