Almost training

Yes, I've been trying to follow the sub-4 schedule that RW e-mails out each week. When I say 'trying' I mean that I read it, write down the speed sessions and aim to do them. Other runs kind of happen, fitting in around life, races and other running. One thing about speed work is that you don't actually do so many miles in them (well, I don't). January's total for the month was 72 miles. February upto and including Sunday the 17th is 100. It still is. Oops.


I've made some new running chums through Lady Lucan from RW forum. She lives locally to me and runs with some mums from school and I invited myself along. So the last three Wednesday mornings (yes, me running in the morning!) has seen me plodding over to Ladderstile Gate of Richmond Park (2 miles), meeting up with the others (numbers varying between 3 and 5) and doing a lap or lap+ in the park. It's been lovely, we've had wonderful weather and it's nice to meet new people. Of course, a certain amount of talk is about children. I'd hate to think I'm seen as the expert though, with mine being a bit older than the others'. It's been half term this week, so they're all unavailable and...... I have an injury!!!!


I don't do injury. But. On Sunday, Mike and I did Meon Valley Plod, described as:

Distance: 20 miles - more like 20.9 apparently
Surface: Multiterrain - yep, multi-mud
Route: 1 lap - one very long lap with a lot of looping about
Setting: Rural - and gloriously scenic (from the top of the hills)
Profile: Undulating/Hilly - it was only undulating when it wasn't hilly


You may remember that: I don't like cross country or mud. So this seemed a bit of a funny choice. I think my rationale was that it's a long race and if I enter long races at least it will make me do the long runs for my M training. It was flipping cold as we left Winchester (the car said -2.5C) and didn't warm up for several hours. I had to borrow a froggy t-shirt as I'd picked a short-sleeved thermal to go under my club vest and it didn't quite do the job. This did mean that I spent several miles looking as if I had a strange deformity as the camelbak was underneath! When I removed the t-shirt I still kept on the gloves. It was a lovely event, would be even better a few months later into the year. It was muddy and hilly. After a while my right knee was complaining. I think it was the slithering about and running/walking on a camber. Eventually, with a few miles still to go, I had to admit defeat and acknowledge that I'd only finish if I walked. Any attempt to run was laughable and painful, downhill particularly so. Oh well. We did the miles. It was really friendly, well-marshalled, the food stations had cake, jelly babies and all sorts. I had a cup of coffee in the later stages but I'm not good at eating while running (unlike some...). We weren't even last. It turns out there were another six people behind us. We finished in 5 hours 10 minutes and the last person was just under 14 minutes later.

My knee has been sore all week. I went over to Swettieshoppe on Friday (by bike) to check out and pick up some new shoes and I trotted up and down the shop. I haven't put the mileage in my diary. Today, I've been sitting here trying to convince myself to go out and I just can't do it. However, I'm on child-minding duties again this week so I definitely will run to their house and back tomorrow. Shout at me if I don't. And after a week of not running, I feel like a fat one of these.