Prelude to a race...

It's been a busy few weeks. After my (relative) success at my last run, I started to look back over my previous blogs. I love when people read it, but the truth is that it's mostly a place for me to put down in words my thoughts about running so that I can maintain some focus on my running.
In the past I've picked up an interest and ended up nowhere near my original goal, so the blog has kept me moving forward at a good pace (pun intended)

Getting more involved in the running community has made me realise just how far I have to go. I started running two years ago and am really happy with what I've achieved, but I can't help but feel that there is more to come.

I've been asked to join a XC team at work and have a number of races planned through the rest of the year and into the spring.

I love that I have got others running, some at work and some at home. Tomorrow my wife take part in her first race, a novice runner who started training six weeks ago.

I have a 10k trail run tomorrow, it's a tough trail set on the Downs in Dunstable. 10 k of hills, field and mud on single tracks. I did this race last year and posted a time just ove 49 minutes. Tomorrow I go hunting for a PB. The recipe for the day; trusty trailgloves and Garmin GPS. No music this time, seemed to help previously.

Being unsuccessful on getting into VLM left me disappointed but I found a "rebound-run" in the shape of the Milton Keynes Marathon. After tomorrow the training begins to put a decent time in for a marathon in April.

I've been asking myself what I want to achieve out of running and one word lurks in the shadows and won't leave me alone; ULTRA-MARATHON.

It's not your pace that makes you a runner....

 It had  to happen eventually. Everyone said that if you don't take care of yourself or if you increase distance too quickly you'll end up with an injury. But did I listen?

For anyone who knows me in the real world you will know full well that I never listen to good advice.

 I approached my marathon training plan with my usual level of enthusiasm and completed an above target 16.5 miles and felt amazing. I kid you not, at the end that run I was certain I was heading for some sort of bright future in running, maybe a late call up to TeamGB for 2012.

If I could increase my distance that quick and maintain pace surely I could achieve anything. For one bright and shining moment I felt invincible. A god among mortals. An athlete among amateurs.

So excited was I that I set up my playlist for the next run a week in advance and went on to a couple of 60 minute interval sessions during the week, looking forward to topping 17 miles the following Sunday.

But that Sunday never came. Tuesday and Thursday (now known as Bastard Thursday) saw to that.

Long story short I limp home from both runs with a knee that feels like its been bent forward at 90 degrees. There is no flexibility and no strength there whatsoever.

Over the following two days I pitched wildly between never running again and planning ultra marathons to prove my knee wrong. But however I tried to look at it I was still a frustrated runner who could barely walk let alone run.

It took 48 hours for me to stop seeing this as a tragedy and start seeing it as what it is.

It's just another challenge. I have faced a lot and I will face plenty more.

And if there's anything that running has taught me it's that you can accomplish anything with determination and stamina. I'm not racing to complete my first marathon any more, I'll go when I'm ready. I've cancelled Eden and realised that for now my goal is recovery and focusing on the 10k I'm running in October.

I'm working on strength and flexibility in my legs and core to compensate for gammy knee and will be back on the trails soon.


One thing I learned this week was how great the running community is. Lots of people have wished me well but Twitter has proved an invaluable source of support and information with one guy @100mara100weeks being a constant source of inspiration and support. He is an ex-soldier and is running 100 marathons in 100 weeks to raise awareness and funds for Help for Heroes. He's a legend and well worth a follow/mention. I've decided to donate my entry money from the cancelled run to him as I think he is amazing and a  true inspiration having never run a marathon before!

There's a lot to be said about the benefits of running, mentally and physically. For me it's an opportunity to unplug my brain and let subconscious sort things out. Difficult decisions seem less daunting and somehow trivial once you spend some time under the sky with the world passing you by, realising what a small part of it you really are. It's a huge destresser for me and speaking to friends recently I know others feel the same.

And it doesn't matter how fast you are. It's not your pace that makes you a runner, but your ability to put one foot in front of the other, over and over again.

What an amazing day!!!

When Jake and I signed up for a run at the zoo nearby I was a little bit worried.

For starters taking three kids anywhere is like planning a military operation, especially when one is four  months old.

Secondly, this would be my first "proper" run of the year, with other people and a big scary clock.

Thirdly I had all of the concerns about Jake running his first ever race and I know how he heaps pressure upon himself.

I can't imagine where he gets it from

Now all my previous blogs will attest to the changes I have made in my life in an attempt to improve myself and my running. And the more bizarre ones suggest those two things are somehow entwined.

But after losing over 20 lbs, getting the right kit, reading all sorts of training techniques and training my arse off on trails I was hoping for a good performance.

My previous PB for a 10k was 49.08, which was on the trails,but I'm equally slow/fast on road/trails so any improvement on this would have been good.

I concentrated on form today.

I checked my pace regularly, I kept my back straight and head up, I was light on my feet and smiling as I went.
I used the first of three laps to identify features and ascents/descents for the following laps and relaxed on the way down. On the way up the hills I took smaller steps and sped up my pace.

I constanttly concentrated on maintaining form and an amazing thing happened.....

I smashed every record and PB I have had, finishing the race in 43.03, better than my planned time and faster than I would have hoped for.
I also set a new PB for 5k, fastest mile and fastest kilometre.

Next up was Jake's 2k race. He was nervous on the start line, but set a really steady pace. After a few people went past him as they set off too fast, he slowly started to carve his way through the field.

He overtook people older than him and was one of the youngest there.

He kept a good pace all the way round and when he saw the finish line, he sprinted the last 300 metres.

He finished in about 13 minutes and made us all very very very proud.

A great day all round.

Strangest part of the day was me not being able to finish a McDonald's for the first time in my life. I'll say it before you do....

I've changed.